Jeanne d'Arc (Eloy, 1992)

I can remember several songs inspired by Jeanne d'Arc, but this one, taken from Eloy's album "Destination" is probably the one I listen to with the greatest pleasure. Not only the track is pleasant and features a good melody, but the sounds - with their vague medieval reference - perfectly depict the contents of the lyrics. "Jeanne d'Arc" is the closing and best composition of an album I don't especially like, but it's so well arranged and so beautifully sung that it was to me a good enough reason to purchase the CD.

Well, I don't think this lady on "Destination" cover is Jeanne...

The epic and historical subject surely gives to the track a dignified aura, but the band keeps the song well planted on the ground and no bombastic effects, nor instrumental excesses are to be found here. "Jeanne d'Arc" is just a progressive ballad, infused of real emotions and featuring some very good keyboards and choral arrangements. Is it enough for you, my prog friends out there?

Jurassic Spark (Grand Stand, 2002)

Grand Stand are a Finnish act lovingly caring their Genesis origins and I can't blame them for this. The problem is that their first album was mostly a derivativeone, too much similar to their model (well, more or less, I mean). But their second CD, called "Tricks of Time", is far better. Sure, the Charterhouse band is still there at their side, but many other influences, and a new rhythmic fantasy as well, enrich Grand Stand's musical horizon.

This band also contributed to "Kalevala", a very

good AAVV 3CD concept based on Finnish sagas.

The track is rather long (more than 11 minutes), but features so many changes and moods that you could even ask for more. Olov Andersson's voice is good and strong, but the sung parts are less original than the instrumental ones. These are really  unpredictable and charming moments, with a special mention to Michael Jensen's guitar. A good track for traditional prog fans and maybe for all prog fans.

Lamplight Symphony (Kansas, 1975)

What a beautiful prog track this is, my dear friends! Full of epic, sung by one of the best male voices ever, based on a delicate and airy symphony and, of course, arranged with fantasy and good taste. I think it's like an emotional Arrow and it always reaches my heart. All the instruments do their best to enrich the song: full-bodied keys, rocky guitars, assorted drums... what could a poor prog fan ask for more?

An old promo image of the band.

Just one thing:  a sad violin-driven instrumental bridge. Well, you'll also find this festure... and some piano tasty touches too, as an extra treat. The lyrics are about a widower praying on his wife's grave and being reached and spoken to by her ghost. A sad story, one of the best from "Song for America" album. But let me spend some final words for Steve Walsh: not only his vocals are heartbreaking, but he's also responsibe for the piano work here. Chapeau.

Moths (Jethro Tull, 1978)

This song comes from Jethro's "Heavy Horses" album, so it belongs to the band's most folk-oriented period. It's a rather short song, but it includes many of Ian Anderson's creature beloved features. First of all, it is popular in the positive meaning of the word: catchy and brilliant, rythmically sustained, perfectly arranged. Then, it is prog in the widest sense: for its flute solos, for its original pattern and for its unpredictable bridges.

"Moths" was also released as a single,b/w "Life Is A Long Song".

Another not so common aspect for a prog track, this is a love song, but not an usual one. Ian Anderson figures out the clever trick of suggesting the lovers' actions through the moths' dance around a candle, so that the brief and suicidal life of the animals also represents the ardour of love. Tricky, yes, but this is prog, my friends.

Verità nascoste (Le Orme, 1976)

One of the most delicate and beautiful prog ballads ever, IMHO. Its classical accents, its acoustic arrangement and especially its sweet melody are simply heatbreaking. Le Orme's discography surely includes many other and more adventurous tracks, but I'll always like this simple song and also the way the band suggests an old, almost fairy world. The lyrics add some more magic to this track: the singer tries to renew his love story, to relive the emotions he proved, even if time changes everything.

"Verità nascoste" was the 8th Le Orme's studio album.

The instrumental sections are committed to a little string orchestra and this choice improves the natural grace of "Verità nascoste" (that's "Hidden Truths" in English or also "Secret Truths", the title the band gave to the never released English version of the track and its album), and also anticipates the "chamber music" period of Le Orme between 1979 and 1980.

Prima (Aviva, 2007)

Aviva is the name of pianist Dimitri Loukianenko's prog project. As you will immediatly understand, this Russian man is a fan of ELP and he plays keys and piano very, very well (could it be otherwise?). This "Prima", sub-titled "Blessed Paul's Phantoms", is just like musical lava. Like his beloved model, Loukianenko puts a virtuoso fury in his instrumental track and quotes a deal of classical genres. The Whole "Rokus Tonalis" album is based on Paul Hindemith's polyphonic piano cycle "Ludus Tonalis" and it isn't easy to catch when you first listen to it. 

He even looks like Emerson, I think...

But this musician also likes to add some modern touches in his work and to mess up his models, so electronic devices back the piano, while unpredictable soud effects come in at nearly every corner. It's a lively and challenging kind of prog and I'm sure many of you will like to go on discovering Loukianenko's work... in this case, don't worry: you'll find "Secunda", "Tertia" and many other pearls on this album, let alone in the rest of his production. Enjoy.

Frank (Trion, 2007)

This Dutch progressive trio was founded in 2003 by keyboard player Edo Spanninga of Flamborough Head fame. This track is in fact a bonus suite included in the band's second album "Pilgrim", but IMHO is the best reason to buy the whole record. Not only the different movements include several good melodies, but the atmospheric and evocative mood of the track really moves me. The Mellotron and the piano are no doubt the leading instruments here, but I also like the way Eddie Mulder (another Flamborough Head member) enrich the sound with his guitars, especially the 12 strings one, but also the heartbreaking electric solo towards the end of the song.

Trion seem to like Yes-inspired arts for their album covers.

The third member of the band, Memno Boomsma, comes from another Dutch neo-prog act, Odyssice, and his percussions are sensitive and coherent with the big picture. This suite was produced as a tester some months before the album and the version included in the CD is a re-recorded and improved one. Just some words about the title, as the track is purely instrumental: the song was inspired by a character (played by Henry Fonda) of the well known Spaghetti-western film "Once Upon A Time in The West", directed by Sergio Leone. Didn't you like it? Well, it doesn't matter: try the song all the same!