The River (Like Wendy, 1999)

So many prog artists were - and still are - fascinated by streaming waters. Like Wendy are no exception, and one of their best tracks is actually about a river. These two Dutch musicians, Bert Heinen and Marien, were dedicated followers of Marillion, Pendragon and, of course, Genesis. They released a few good albums between the late '90s and the early 2000s. This song is from "Rainchild", their second studio work and I really like its bright sound and the lead dreaming guitar, so full of body. Even moving, I daresay, floating in a mist of keyboards.

Like Wendy released six studio albums between 1998 and 2005.

You don't need to be original to create a good song and an old prog lover as I am. sometimes just needs a warm, familiar arrangement, some well played instruments and a good melody to restore his brain and body. This is exactly what Like Wendy and "The River" have in store for us. So, if you feel like opening the gates of a well known and cherished garden, please come in, close your eyes, and...

An Island in The Darkness (Strictly Inc., 1995)

Strictly Inc. is a one album project by Genesis founder member Tony Banks, also featuring among others vocalist Jack Hues and long-standing Genesis live member Daryl Stuermer. It's one of the few long epics written by Banks for his solo albums (around 17 minutes) and, IMHO, likely his best one. There's an original mix of piano driven sections and mostly pop sung parts. Even if I don't especially like the drum machine, "An Island in The Darkness" includes a great melody, some beautiful instrumental sections and a wide range of compositional gimmicks.

 

Even if the album is credited to Strictly Inc., actually this 

can be considered as Tony Banks' seventh studio album.

As usual, Tony excels in painting obscure and melancholy atmospheres, misty and crepuscular landscapes. I'm deeply touched by his minor key chords and the longest instrumental passage of this song is simply outstanding. I'm pleased to mention some other strong points of the track: Daryl Stuermer's guitar solo, the piano intro and the sensitive Jack Hues' vocal performance, to name just a few of them. Definitely a highlight in Banks' career.

El útimo sueño de Paganini (Galie, 1981)

Mexico has a special place in prog rock history: not only this Country gave birth to many good bands and musicians during the years, but this blossoming was more flushing in the '80s, while the rest of the world was (prematurely) pronouncing dead our favourite genre. Galie are among this backbeat generation of proggers, keeping the good old music alive. Their songs are plain, melodic and enthralling instrumental pieces, mixing melancholy and symphonic moods.

This was the first of a series of four self-titled albums.

This one, for example, has a strong classical inspiration (its title means "Last Paganini's Dream") and is reminiscent of some Italian prog songs from the '70s and  of Wakeman's touch. And I think there is a scent of Focus too. It features a beautiful theme and a sparkling series of variations in a naive but convincing succession of crescendos and largos. Probably a simple way to go progging, and IMHO a charming one.

And I'll Recite An Old Myth from... (Providence, 1989)

These Japanese musicians released their debut album, including the long track I'm introducing here, in 1989, followed by a  second work eight years later. Then unfortunately they disbanded in the early 2000s. I didn't write "unfortunately" without any reasons, as this track should prove. It's a 20 minute epic, practically a well organized suite, including dreaming, sweet passages, guitar + mellotron explosions, a jazzy piano interlude and - of course - some bombastic, symphonic rock sections.

This abum includes four long, epic tracks.

The five members of Providence play as one, with no hedonistic tendencies, so that each note has its good reason to be there. Anyway, a special mention goes to Yoko Kubota's beautiful voice, both sensitive and aggressive. Last but not least, the melodies are well found and even better exploited in a variety of arrangements and variations. This ever changing song didn't change the History of prog, but certainly was an excellent addition to it.

The American Metaphysical Circus (The United States of America, 1968)

When it comes to proto-prog era, some American bands played an essential role in opening new musical paths and in exploring weird, psychedelic and/or electronic sounds. That's exactly the case with The United States of America, a band who released one album only in 1968, giving us one of the most complete reviews of late '60s musical state of the art. You'll find almost everything in this album and especially in this song: psychedelic, acid sounds, electronic keyboards, dissonant chords, eclectic cultural references.... in a word, all the rough materials prog rock is made of.

This is the 2004 CD version of the album, including some outtakes.

 

There was no guitar in this band, so they exploited every new and weird devices to replace it. There's a beautiful melodic line in this opening track, and some pleasant vocal harmonies too, but the musicians surround it with such an unusual deal of effects and sounds that the singers seem to be lost in an alien world, between the outer space and Disneyland. It reminds me of Zappa, of course, but I bet you'll find here some tasty prog previews too...

Memento z banalnym tryptykiem (SBB, 1981)

I think this is one of the best prog tracks of the '80s and it comes from Poland. It's a 21 minute suite by SBB, one of the most important Eastern Europe bands ever. I like this suite for its mix of spacey, acoustic, folk and rock moments. And then the player are all so skilled and elegant that you couldn't skip one single second of the song. "Memento with a banal tryptych" (that's the English tranlation of the title) actually is a succession of beautiful melodies and well found atmospheres, an original blend of delicate fragrances having the flowery smell of the '70s, but also announcing something new and exciting.

"Memento" was the ninth SBB's studio album.

If you like pleasant and still challenging music, you surely know how difficult is to find those two features in a single composition. But here you'll enjoy an experimental mood well set into an agreeable pattern. And with a great voice and a symphonic twist, to top it all!

Hunting Girl (Jethro Tull, 1977)

Well, this is exactly what you expect on a Jethro Tull's song. Folk roots, baroque'n'roll interplays, catching sung melody, warm and rather aggressive vocals, good old keys with rather heavier guitars. Everything Jethro is here. It is difficult to resist: the rythm is enthralling and the mood changes come unexpected, ranging from rock'n'roll to medieval music. Energy everywhere, of course, but under control. So that each instrument has got its own right place, just like the low class boy coming across the hunting lady in Ian Anderson's lyrics.

Caught in the act!

And when the flute comes in to stress the socially uneven encounter, it seems to me that those lines perfectly describe old Ian's character:

I'm not inclined to acts refined, if thats how it goes.

Oh, high born hunting girl,
I'm just a normal low born so and so.

Low born, maybe. But let us judge about the refinement of your musical acts, Mr. Anderson!