Wisdom (Magellan, 2005)

The brothers Gardner (aka Magellan) are very popular among US 21st Century prog bands and they surely deserve it. Why didn't I choose one of their epic songs? Well, because I think this slow time and atmospheric "Wisdom", taken from the album "Symphony for A Misanthrope" magnifies some of the best features of the band. First of all, the tight and emotional voice of Trent Gardner, that's on top of things in such a rarefied track. It conveies the sense of isolation that's the album focus with a singular strength.

Poor Gardner brothers out in the rain.

Then, this song is also a fine example of the melodic skills of Magellan, a quality that's not so easy to find out there. Finally, the apparently plain keys and guitars plot is pure magic. Please note how the instruments come in and out the track, supporting the singer when it is necessary and leaving him almost alone in the intro and outro topic moments. Wow...

Chelsea Monday (Marillion, 1983)

I can't describe my inner reactions each time I hear the oppressive bass line introducing "Chelsea Monday". I see an urban grey sky, a concrete landscape and a million people searching for something new in their lives. Really, this is a highly emotional track and when Steve Rothery comes in with his electric guitar solo the foggy atmosphere leaves its place to a human pulsing, suffering heart. Fish's vocals tell about a young lady trying to be a star:

Catalogue princess, apprentice seductress
Hiding in her cellophane world in glitter town
Awaiting the prince in his white Capri.

Did those dreadful guys push the poor lady of the song into the river ?

But the story ends with a moving and hurting note:

Hello John, did you see The Standard about four hours ago?
Fished a young chick out of The Old Father
Blond hair, blue eyes.



And the song quietly fades away while the the Old Father Thames rolls on...

The Return of The Sorcerer (Orne, 2011)

Orne are a prog side project of Finnish doom metal band Reverend Bizarre, including the three members of the "mother" group plus three other ones. It was difficult for me to choose a single track from their second album "The Tree of Life", as I think the whole CD is a pearl. Anyway, this "The Return of The Sorcerer" is a perfect example of Orne's dark, slow tempo, mysterious prog rock.

This album was a plasant surprise for many proglovers.

You'll find here a beautiful melody, a couple of vintage keyboards and a vagely acid guitar, but also a deep and strong lead voice singing esoteric lyrics the way some Early prog band used to do back in 1970. The final instrumental section of the track is a treat with its arcane atmosphere and the Floydian electric guitar playing on a thick keyboards background. Delicate and solid, melancholic and energetic, fairy and sensual, old and surprising, this is the kind of music I call prog.

To Take Him Away (Sandrose, 1972)

Another excellent early prog band from France, another beautiful song for my collection. This is taken from the band's only album and it's a 7 minutes slow tempo, pastoral, symphonic track. During the first five minutes of "To Take Him Away" a sweet ballad stanzas alternate with some soft electric guitar solos, pleasantly varying the main theme. Rose Podwojny's voice is really good, warm and deep, with no useless ornaments, while Jean-Pierre Alarcen's melting guitar is simply perfect.

Sandrose were formed in 1971 and only released one album.

Henri Garella and his keyboards rule the two minutes finale. It's an instrumental coda based on an ethereal mellotron and full of misty, arcane notes. The rythm section provides the finishing touch, with a discreet but essential work. What else? If you don't know, please give it a try!

In The Eye (Ilúvatar, 1993)

This Baltimore based musicians only released three good albums from 1993 to 1999, but they're still on the road. Their neo-prog is certainly influenced by the '80s UK bands, but also features an original sound, as "In The Eye" proves very well. The three parts of this mini-epic highlight the excellent guitar work by Dennis Mullin, as you can see in the first and heavier part "Look Us in The Eye". 

"Ilúvatar" was the band's debut album.

Also his interplays with Jim Rezek's keyboards are stunning, like in the "Blind" part. Then, I like Glenn McLaughlin's vocals, especially in the last section, called "Through The Eye", where I also smell a pleasant scent of Kansas. Throughout the suite, the rythm section ensures a definite rock soul to the track, even if drums are sometimes too loud, but this is just a matter of taste. In conclusion, this is a very good example of '90s prog with an open heavy inclination, without sacrificing the right amount of feeling.

Roulette (Beardfish, 2007)

This long and diversified track comes from Beardfish' album "Sleeping in Traffic Part One" and it's the longest and most challenging one. Starting with a vintage wall of sound, it offers a big deal of styles and moods, building up a very original sound. These Swedish musicians love good melodies (and so do I) and love to arrange them in delicious plots and this song is a perfect specimen of their skills. It's a kaleidoscope of rythms and tunes, an inlay of tempos and moods, so that I can frankly state that this is one of the funniest and most intriguing songs

 

This was the third album by Beardfish.

 

I've ever listened to. Some of the vocal harmonies remind me of Gentle Giant, but in a easier way, and there's a strong reference to popular dance music too, something rather unusual in a prog rock track. A special mention goes to Rikard Sjöblom's keyboards, gathering a wide range of effects, such as a beautiful electric piano or a surprising accordion. Listening to songs like this one ensures that prog is not dead (nor dying).

Verso la locanda (Quella Vecchia Locanda, 1972)

A very interesting track, this is. Taken from the Quella Vecchia Locanda's eponymous first album, it shows a brilliant acoustic opening plot, with flute, guitar and especially violin in the foreground. Then, a short electric riff introduces the only sung section, a nostalgy slow tempo one, followed by a jazzy improvisation featuring a very good piano and immediately leaving place to a typical prog-rock acceleration providing a strong conclusion to the song. 

The painter Giancarlo Impiglia created this

suggestive artwork for "Quella Vecchia locanda".

Even if this "Verso la locanda" ("Towards the Inn", in English) is to be appreciated together with the whole concept album, I still like it as a stand alone, because it features all the main ingredients of the succulent dish we call "Italian prog": poetry, good melodies, moody plots, sharp changes and pleasant acoustic passages. In short, this could be suggested as a crash-test for the genre beginners. And I bet they'll ask for more.