Where Oppisites Meet (Sky, 1979)

Each time I listen to a Sky's track, their rich melting pot comes to me like a surprise. Pop, rock, funk, classical music... everything's there, including that unmistakeble warm atmosphere from the late '70s. Of course, John William's guitars are a treat for everyone and all the musicians here are so skilled, but in this 20 minutes (or so) epic written by keyboardist Francis Monkman there's more. First of all, an awesome collection of good musical themes, a well found series of mood changes and a polished, brilliant sound.

As Sky was their name... 

The somewhat esoteric inspiration the song title implies perfeclty fits in the light, measured and nonetheless surprising plot of this track. We breathe the end of the prog era and the beginning of the lighter '80s scene through the classical hints and the electric, dynamic, even essential rythmic carpet of the suite. All in all, this is a highly enjoyable piece of music I'm glad to add to my blog.

Vesper's End (The Id, 2017)

 The Id are a truly International band, with members coming from different countries and that apparently never met in the flesh. Nevertheless, they released six albums between 2015 and 2019. They play a melody-oriented neo-prog music and if they're in this blog is because I think they know how to do it. Even if their arrangements aren't stunning new and the production is just the best a self produced band can get, they write beautiful melodies and always put emotions first and that's exactly what I like. 

There's alway a disquieting eye on The Id's cover arts.

This 20 minutes suite taken from their 2017 album "Confluence 1", is one of their best tracks, IMHO. You'll find here instrumental skills, beautiful tempo changes, catching riffs, enlightening atmospheres and, of course, well found musical themes.  The solos are perfectly performed, but they're never showy and always functional to the big picture. Another good reason to love The Id.

Overture / Reaching for The Sky (Transatlantic, 2021)

Once you've find your path through the different versions of Transatlantic's "The Absolute Universe" album, you'll find, I'm sure, one of the best prog releases of the 2020s. This couple of tracks make up one of the official videos by the band and this is how the Abridged version (also titled The Breath of Life) begins... and it's a great way to start! The instrumental overture includes both recurring themes of the album and a rich palette of variations and digressions, among which I must single out a stunning electric guitar solo and a highly creative bass line, not to mention the extraordinary skills of all members, never too showy and always at the service of the great picture. 

The cover arts alone would be a good enough reason to buy all the album's versions...

The following "Reaching for The Sky" develops the same highly dynamic pattern of the Overture, adding vocal contributions by all the band's members - Morse's one is perhaps my favourite one - on a new captivating theme and a (simply perfect) final guitar solo by Roine Stolt. I'm also fond of the rythm section's work on both tracks, but the likes of  Portnoy and Trewavas need no introduction. No doubt: this is true, quintessential, good old prog!

Washed Away (Edison's Children, 2019)

This is the only song included in Edison's Children's fourth CD titled "The Disturbance Fields". It's a very long suite (some 68 minutes) divided into 14 movements and several sub-movements too. Still, like most of this band's songs, it's as fresh as a mountain spring. Edison's Children came out with their new release in 2019 just in time to take their own part of the Apollo 11 50th anniversary celebrations and with a very good reason, as Rick Armstrong, the son of Neil, plays guitars and even bass guiitars on many movements here. Of course, Edison's Children is mainly the brainchild of Marillion's bassist Pete Trewavas and his American friend Eric Blackwood, a multi-instrumentalist a special FX Technician in many films and TV shows. As we already knew, both Eric and Pete are in love with the most dramatic and sci-fi oriented side of Pink Floyd and this is the background sound you'll find in "Whashed Away".

Warning: an emotional hurricane is approaching!

But there's more than this. Each movement has its own pace and mood, describing the approaching, the fury and the aftermath of a natural disaster. And after all the band should know about that, having suffered both hurricane and earthquake during their previous studio album sessions. Dark and majestic, this suite lines up arcane electronic movements, fresh acoustic ballads and rockier passages, all well written and performed. Changes and solos are each in its right place and the listener never gets bored, despite the track's huge duration time. If you like spacey moods, sweet melodies and sharp riffs, listen to this...

King of Hearts (Drifting Sun, 2016)

A little neo-prog today. Drifting Sun are an International band including French, British and American members and based in the UK. I happen to like their rather eclectic approach to a sub-genre usually considered as an immutable canon. Listening to this song, taken from these musicians' "Safe Asylum" album, you'll find some Fish-era Marillion and IQ hints, but also a sprinkling of metal riffs and some Asia-like epic sounds. 

"Safe Asylum" was Drifting Sun's fourth studio album.

The melodies are well found and the ever changing arrangements add a less predictable side to this band's music. Peter Falconer's vocals perfectly match with the music and its contrast-based pattern, while the rest of the band plays as one, even if some very good solos  and even better duos enrich the track. In short, if ever you're into enjoyable, creative and inspiring (neo-)prog, this song and this band were made for you. Anyway, they surely were for me. 

The Charade (Drifting Sun, 1998)

This band was founded by a couple of French musicians, then built up in the UK with Brtitish and American members... a real multi-national act! Their neo-prog songs are keyboard-driven, but many instruments play an important role, also some welcome acoustic ones. Pat Sanders and his friends like catchy tunes, tempo changes and nocturnal interludes. It happens I also like that. Fish-era Marillion and IQ are their most patent sources of inspiration, and surely Drifting Sun didn't change progressive rock history. 

"The Charade" is the opening track of "On The Rebound" CD.

That said, they cleverly exploited the genre's main features, adding a special taste for acoustic guitar and synth interludes, a fresh and pleasant combination, like in this song. Chris Martini's vocals perfectly match with the band's musical recipe. Last but not least, all the musicians know how to play their instruments, something we don't always find out there. So, if you need thirteen minutes of good old neo-progressive music, take this Charade and enjoy it.

Dance of The Little Fairies (Sky, 1980)

I'll skip the long and useless debate about Sky being or not a prog band and I'll add this song to my blog with a great pleasure. "Sky 2" was a remarkable double album dealing with classical and rock music, like the rest of this band's discography. This is a rather calm and folky track, including a delicate piano intro and, of course, John William's delicious classic guitar.

"Sky 2" is a diversified and very rich album.

Keyboards and harpsichord add some more atmosphere to such a beaautiful theme. Of course, "Sky 2" album is packed with epic and long tracks, but I'm partial to this little gem, showing the misty and fairy side of Sky. And of course this is a good chance to enjoy the excellent performances of these musicians...

Ouroboros (Kotebel, 2009)

Here you are a fully symphonic rock suite, packed with acoustic and electric instruments, thrilling walls of sound, assorted keyboards and fast guitars. But this isn't a derivative piece of music: it has its own character and a tasteful experimental background. Kotebel come from Madrid, but their multi-instrumentalist leader Carlos Plaza is from Venezuela. They search for something new, but never go too far and never stress their listeners with useless strangeness.



"Ouroboros" was the fifth studio album by Kotebel.

The orchestra-like arrangements are lively and diversified, but a rocky soul gives to this composition a full-bodied texture. Some of the moods from this suite are arcane and unpredictable and if they all are classically-driven, there's an ever changing effect in "Ouroboros" I always like in a prog rock epic. It's impossible to single out the main inspirational source for this band (some could be The Enid and ELP) and this is a very good omen to me...

The Friends of Mr. Cairo (Jon & Vangelis, 1981)

Back to the so called progressive pop. If ever such a genre exists, it surely includes the whole discography of Jon & Vangelis, that's to say Jon Anderson and Vangelis famous joint venture. This track, in particular, is a lushing and captivating epic, not so far from a proper suite, spanning over 12 minutes and a series of sung themes, instrumental passages and soundtrack effects. This song is a tribute to the gangster movies, so that you should expect shooting guns, old car noises and dramatic dialogues. All these actually are there and with them, here you are Jon's splendid voice, Vangelis' electronic keys and, of course, a lot of good music.

It's the first album credited to Jon & Vangelis. Maybe the best one.

The strongest point, however, is the structure of the track, exploiting a very well found main theme gradually fading into a melodic final section, also featuring a beautiful melody and a rainy mood. The tempo changes and the cunning overdubbing are definitely prog, while the pulsing programmed rythms are there to remember we're in the '80s, after all!

Kaleidoscope (Transatlantic, 2014)

I know Transatlantic epics may be too long and too intricate, even for prog ears. But I actually like this "Kaleidoscope", despite its huge duration time. It's a seven part suite, a real one, not a random rhapsody, nor a collection of songs without pauses. Not only the melodies are good and the players among the best ones in the worldwide prog scene, but there is a strong structure, a beautiful architecture supporting this song. The different moods, tempos and themes are lined up following a pleasant scheme and the returning riffs and lines punctuate this composition giving a variated and coherent shape.

"Kaleidoscope" was the fourth studio album by Transatlantic.

The first half of "Kaleidoscope" (lest's say parts 1, 2 and 3) are strongly influenced by Roine Stolt, while the second half seems less "Flower Kings-oriented" and each musician and author adds his own recognizable musical world to the big picture: Neal Morse's prog ballads, Mike Portnoy's energetic crescendos and Pete Trewavas' unpredictable changes. Different souls and different stories are just like one here, and the bonus gift is... emotion!

Remember The Future Part One (Nektar, 1973)

Nektar really is an unsettling band, so difficult to label. Even its nationality is disputable, as the band's members are mostly British, but the Group itself is based in Germany since its foundation. Their music is also a manifold one, including classic prog elements and many mainstream rock, pop and psychedelic hints. This track fills the first side of the original "Remember The Future" LP and it's an intriguing specimen of the early '70s music since the opening wa-wa guitar until the arcane, spacey closing section.

 

This war Nektar's fourth studio album.

You'll smell here the hippy atmosphere, a scent of acid trip, but you'll also enjoy very good melodies and many pleasant mood changes. This suite is divided into four parts (Images of The Past, Wheel of Time, Remember The Future and Confusion) and - as the title suggests - continues with Part Two on the LP's second side. If you'd like to spend 16 minutes or so in a visionary and colourful musical trip, this track is for you.

Speak (I And Thou, 2012)

This is the 12 minutes opening track from English musician Jason Hart's musical project and album of the same name. This guy is a current (2013) member of Renaissance's latest incarnation, played in Rufus Wainwrigth's band and gathered some good musicians for this CD, including Marillion's Steve Hogarth covering a Wainwright's song.  This project really is a Multi-National one, as most of the musicians involved are well known American session men. I was really impressed when I first came to listen to this record. It reminded me the Alan Parsons Project, but with a more prog band twist. This song, in particular, is based on an excellent sung melody and the eventual instrumental variations show how much Jason learned listenting more and more to his '70s and '80s models and how much he created his own trademark anyway.

 

A colourful waterfall: the art and the music are one.

And it's a painting by Annie Haslam...

 

One of the best features in "Speak" is the bass work, by John Gargano, supporting and enriching Jason Hart's piano and assorted keyboards. Another winning point is the neat and round sound, so deep and definite, just like a scented spring evening. This isn't an adventurous song, nor an experimental track, but we all need sometimes a little musical rest. And this is the best one I can imagine for me.

Hello (Blackfield, 2004)

Surely I wasn't the only puzzled prog fan when Blackfield project took life, featuring the Israeli pop idol Aviv Geffen side to side with the new progressive hero Steven Wilson. Nonetheless, Blackfield survived and can now be considered as a remarkable success, both in artistic and commercial aspects. This song, "Hello", is the closing track of the band's self titled debut album and I think it's one of the shortest and simplest songs in this blog. But it's also a very beautiful one, perfect in his own genre.

Oh... what a tender band this is!

"Hello" isn't an adventurous composition, but its fascinating, Floydian ballad structure is exalted by Geffen's soft voice and a clever arrangement, featuring a slide guitar, a quiet piano, a pinch of strings and a short and effective Gilmour-esque solo. There's a kind of magic in such a discreet song, based on its melodic solid ground and on its small sized and rather sad sense of wonder. No, you definitely don't need 15 minutes to build up a good (and proggy) song, especialy if Steven Wilson is involved.

The Awakening (Edison's Children, 2011)

Edison's Children are a very interesting collaboration between Pete Trewavas of Marillion and Eric Blackwood, an open minded artist from New York. I immediately liked their first album, "In The Last Waking Moments...", a concept based on a sci-fi canvas. "The Awakening" is a two part epic, featuring three other Marillion members as guest musicians: Ian Mosley, Steve Hogarth and Mark Kelly. This is probably the proggest track of the album and for sure the most intricated one, including many themes from the whole album, a highly creative bass line and a speldid Eric Blackwood's guitar solo dominating the second part of the suite, titled "Slow Burn".

Eric's wife, Wendy Farrell, provided this beautiful cover photo.

What I really like in this song is its emotional side, its intense suspended atmosphere and the vast range of acoustic and electronic sounds  it contains. When you play slow and ethereal music the risk is to get humdrum... well, I can't imagine something less monotonous than this track and its insensible crescendo from the dark intro to the melting and choral finale is one of the best things I listened to during the 2010s. Great. Simply great (IMHO).

Titanic Calls Carpathia (The Tangent, 2011)

A very unusual and beautiful epic from The Tangent, the band including Parallel or 90 Degrees and Flower Kings members. It's a 16 minutes and 6 parts suite featuring experimental sections and also more traditional ones, coming from COMM, the group's sixth album. After many line-up changes, The Tangent still counts on Andy Tillson's keyboards and mind.

COMM is about communications in the modern era.

As the lyrics offer a short history of electromagnetic communications focusing on some famous cases (The Titanic shipwreck is one of them), the atmosphere changes from section to section: vintage sounds, especially committed to the winds, electronic effects, jazz-rock, ambient, heavy guitars and sweeter keys. These changes are unpredictable, the track sounds very original and all the musicians, as usual, play very well. But there's something more: emotions... and this isn't usual in such a tecnically gifted band, after all.

Duel with The Devil (Transatlantic, 2001)

This epic, taken from "Bridge across Forever", the second album of the supergroup Transatlantic, is a five movement suite, probably one of their best compositions and performances and, IMHO, one of the best from any prog group of the 21th century. In a way, it's a very traditional prog epic, with all the most common ingredients of this genre in it: tempo changes, instrumental progressions, rock riffs, atmospheric ridges, epic lyrics, complex arrangements, returning melodies and so on. But it's a new and fresh song too, the real fruit of a cooperative work involving all the band members and full of joy, emotions, surprise and energy. That's why it can't possibly get old or trivial.

Transatlantic are, left to right, Pete Trewavas (Marillion & more),

Mike Portnoy (ex Dream Theater), Neal Morse (ex Spock's Beard)

and Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings, Kaipa & more).

As those musicians are among the best ones in the current prog rock scene, when they work together and they share so many good ideas as in this suite, the outcome is simply stunning. "Duel with the Devil" is a challenging piece of music, with slow and fast movements and ever changing moods, also open to some jamming-born passages. So, classically ruled tunes follow jazzy, wild sections and also the instrumentation is unusually rich for the band, with additional violin, viola and cello by Chris Carmichael, Keith Mears' sax and even the charming Elite female choir. An abundance that never becomes confusion or musical pastiche, a variety that prevents tiredness and boredom.

And You Tried So Hard (Gong, 1971)

Roberto Rizzi amazes us once again with a particularly complex prog pearl. Thank you, Roberto!

A very strange group. Daevid Allen, after his experience with Wilde Flowers/Soft Machine, decided to form a band with his girlfriend Gilli Smyth (who was teaching at Sorbona University!). Gong is a planet, from where pixies, with the head like a teapot, communicate with earth. But "Tried So Hard" doesn't talk about this story; this tune appeared in "Camembert Electrique", the album which anticipated some aspects of the soon to come Gong mythology. So this song is played in Gong's perfect style.

As usual, Gong chose an original album cover.

The beginning is very kind, with a gently guitar. Then, a volume increase announces that some different and stronger  riffs are coming. In fact, Gong's albums have the peculiarity of having an incredible range of guitar, vocal and other instrument riffs. "Tried So Hard" isn't an exception. After this powerful section, Gilli Smith begins to sing with his ethereal voice and the band plays very very softly. And then, another volume increase, the powerful section starts once more, untilthe gently guitar riff of the beginning comes back to close the track.I like this song, because his structure reflects what Gong were, but, at the same time, this tune is very serious and it doesn't contain too many oddities, of which Gong were often great masters.

 

Roberto Rizzi