Home by The Sea / Second Home by The Sea (Genesis, 1983)

I can't say I'm fond of "Genesis" album, but I must admit that some of the songs it features are excellent. This is the case with the mini-suite "Home by The Sea / Second Home by The Sea", a ghost story the band wrote down and performed winding between scary sounds and funny twists. For sure, the main melody is great and the long instrumental passages are worth a listening also by the Gabriel era fans. 

 

"Home by The Sea" was released as a single in October 1983, while

an edited version of "Second Home by The Sea" was included 

in the "Congo" Enhanced CD, released in September 1997.

The '80s plastic effects are employed with the best taste and the drum machine is never too invasive, so that Tony Banks' keyboards swirl on the foreground perfectly supported by the bass guitar. Eleven minutes of well mixed pop and prog, on the edge between old Genesis and new sounds that each time fascinates me and carries me away in a weird and inconsequent world. Just like a good Genesis song should always do.

A Room with A View (Anubis, 2014)

This song by Australian band Anubis comes from the album "Hitchhiking to Byzantium" and is a long and mostly dreamy epic, featuring a lot of good musical themes with very well found changes throughout. Anubis come from strict Floydian worship, but they're getting more and more original. "A Room with A View" still feature Gilmour-esque guitars, but also pleasant piano touches, catchy country verses and flute zigzags à la Ian Anderson.

 

Being the follow-up of a very successful album, this work was

a serious challenge for our Aussie proggers...

 

The final picture is rather diversified but never incoherent, with a bonus Brit-pop smell now and then, a melodic trend I definitely like. Each theme is well exploited and cleverly linked to the following by by wide open instrumental passages and especially guitar solos. A sunny side of prog, a catchy and also smart way to write and perform our favourite genre today. IMHO, that's to say.

Movin' on (Circus, 1977)

There are just a few suites that I can compare with this "Movin' on" by Swiss band Circus. It's the title track of their second album and surely is one of the most intricated, uncompromising tracks from the  Continental Europe prog scene of the '70s. Not only this band didn't include a keyboardist, they even didn't had a guitarist! Still, this song proves how diversified and interesting prog can be without the two most iconic rock instruments. King Crimson somehow influenced this music, especially when the winds come in, but there are some vocal harmonies you could easily credit to Gentle Giant and a talking bass guitar that seems Yes-oriented.

Circus released three studio albums between 1976 and 1980. 

The truth is that Circus were just Circus and their "Movin' on" is a stunning display of melodic fantasy and rythmic invention. And it's simply impossible to get bored when listening to such a series of musical tricks and treats. Some atmospheric moments break the rythm and a few sung verses give a definite idea of the band's songwriting potential. In want of a better description, please listen to this. 

Este é o lugar (Terreno Baldio, 1976)

What if Gentle Giant were born in Brazil? Strange question, maybe, but we can try a good answer thanks to this Brazilian band. "Este é o lugar" ("This Is The Place") comes from their debut self named album and has the strong, unpredictable, jazzy and symphonic flavour of the Giant. Even the vocal harmonies could be compared with those of the British prog masters. But, of course, if you like such a complex, eccentric and diversified music, you can't really be considered as a derivative band.

This debut album was re-recorded in English in 1993.

Terreno Baldio, as a matter of fact, have all the fantasy and all the colourful creativity they need to be a world apart in the South-American prog scene. Their interplays are fascinating and highly dynamic, their sung themes are suspended and effective and they even know how to include in this song - and in many other ones - a good pinch of Brazialian music. That's why I can state here that listening to this track was a special and brand new experience to me. Just do it you too.

The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1 (Porcupine Tree, 1995)

This four-parts suite belongs to the early and more Floydian PT's production and opens their third album in a spacey and atmospheric way I definitely like. The influence of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" is patent, still there is a more electronic approach and a very eclectic architecture. The intro, titled "The Colour of Air", is a synth-based section building up a deep, introspective atmosphere à la Rick Wright. When the guitar comes in, the Foydian painting shines in all its glory. But the following parts enrich this background with flushing and diversified touches, ranging from acoustic ballads to energic rock and getting more original.

 

There are three different CD releases of this album, the last one 

(2004) includimg some interesting bonus tracks. 

This is also one of the best vocal performances by Steven Wilson, deep and effective, a good collection of evocative chords  and - last but not least - a brilliant essay of well assorted soft and loud moments. There is also a second part of this suite at the end of the album, but I think this one is the strongest one by far and can also be considered as a stand alone track. Probably "The Sky Moves Sideways" is where Porcupine Tree's legend was born.

Going Blind (The Old Man & The Sea, 1972)

What about another one-shot band? From Denmark, this time, and from the early '70s. The Old Man & The Sea based their music on a warm Hammond organ and a slightly acid guitar, not to mention the Tull-like flute. This is the closing song of the album and the longest one, so that this tune and its beautiful variations pleasantly linger on into the listener's mind. The 10 minutes of duration of "Going Blind" allow the band to put in guitar solos and assorted riffs, especially with Benny Stanley's electric guitar and Tommy Hansen's keyboards.

This LP was released on CD along with an outtake album.

That said, Knud Lindhard's bass is also worth a mention... and he's also responsible for the vocals instead of lead singer Ole Wedel. The acid and heavy guitar solo ruling the central section of the song is likely the most famous passage of this pearl, but I also like the bright and melodic following section, where I appreciate a sung section, then the acoustic guitar introducing a devilish Hammond solo. Hot stuff, baby.

Vent du Midi (Brèche, 1979)

Another pearl from Québec, "la Belle Province", another one-shot band winding between symphonic and folk rock. Their sole studio work was titled "Carapace et chair tendre" (meaning "Shell And Tender Flesh"), and this "Vent du Midi" ("South Wind") is one of the longest tracks in it and likely my favourite one. A flushing choice of acoustic instruments, a good rythmic work, a pleasant series of tempo changes and a bunch of well found themes are but some of the winning points of this instrumental.

This beautiful album still awaits a CD release so far.

 

The violin and the winds alternate on a a piano and acoustic guitar carpet building up a joyous atmosphere and more intimate passages, both full of positive and sunny flavours. It's not a common feature in prog rock and related genres, so I consider this as a welcome bonus. I like each and every moment of "Vent du Midi"... hope you'll like it a little at least.