Ihsahn – After

It’s a crime that the dictionary definition of “musically talented” isn’t “Ihsahn”. Vegard Sverre Tveitan, widely known as Ihsahn of Emperor, Peccatum, Hardingrock and many other projects (which are too numerous to be mentioned here), has released his 3^rd solo album this year, named After. After presents a new form of the music from his previous two releases, The Adversary and angL, containing all the elements from these two records, but strictly rounded inside, with even more experimentation and originality.

Ihsahn’s experimentation, which began with Emperor’s Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise, is expanded upon greatly in this album. Who would imagine the appearance of saxes in the music of a former Emperor member? Well, it happens, and happens to work out very well. Jørgen Munkeby, a fellow Norwegian and member of Shining, does some sax work on this record and with of Asgeir Mickelson (Borknagar, Spiral Architect) on drums and the addition of Lars Norberg on bass, the tradition of having guest musicians on Ihsahn’s  albums has continued.

When I say The Barren Lands is one of the weakest songs on the album, I mean that in the best way possible. This track is amazing, but the rest of the tracks are even more amazing. I just think they have more to give. A Grave Inversed is probably the only song on the album which is pleasing for strict black metal fans, but I guess that tons of other bands can be a substitute for that. Other than that, After gives us a clear understanding of the term “progressive”. It is most evident in his guitar playing, which is incredibly complex. Undercurrent is the first of two lengthy songs and it’s one of the pillars of this album, the other one being On the Shores. Characterized by a calmer opening with Ihsahn’s clean vocals, it soon becomes a real rocking hit, with blastbeats, dark keyboards and strong guitars. I find second half of the album to be more interesting than the first four songs and the absolute best is left for the very end. The last two pieces, Heavens Black Sea and On the Shores are my favorites. I must, however, praise the very nice proggy keyboard solo in Austere which reminds me a bit of Per Wiberg’s playing in Opeth. Heavens Black Sea is an interesting piece because of its rhythm changes and great guitar solo. Jorgen’s saxes without doubt fit best on this and the following track, which is the aforementioned On the Shores. This song is definitely the climax of the album. At least, I like to think so. It features all of the good elements this album carries. Well done sax parts, guitar playing and vocals with a remarkable bass section.

No matter of how much this album IS interesting, I can’t say it’s my favorite, simply because I find that it doesn’t top the first one. If nothing else, this album shows us very good, well balanced song structure that consists of calm to furious parts fly all over the record.

After all, this album needs to be listened and you will simply like or dislike it. No other options. One is sure, Ihsahn has not disappointed with this record. Still, we have to see what comes after After. (Ed – I apologize for that terrible pun Nick made)

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Aldo Tagliapietra

Dan: Hello Aldo! I am very happy to interview a member of one of Italy’s most important bands, Le Orme! Would you mind introducing yourself?

Aldo: Sure. I was born in Murano island in the 1945 and I had a realy beautiful childhood. Many friends, water and sun. I decide to study music when I was fourteen-fifteen in spite of working in the glass factories of the island. I formed my first band in the 1962 ( the Corals ) and then Le Orme in the 1966. We did our firs LP in the 1968  (Ad Gloriam ) and then COLLAGE ( 1971 ).

Dan: So Aldo, if you don’t mind, we would like to start at the beginning. Could you tell us what the band’s formation was like? Who were some of the early members who left?

Aldo: The first line-up of Le Orme was: Nino Smeraldi lead guitar, Claudio Galieti Bass, Marino Rebeschini drums and myself on rithl guitar and voice.

Dan: How did you come in contact with Tony and Michi, who, along with you, would form the core of Le Orme for most of its career?

Aldo: At that time, here in Italy, we had the duty to serve the country. So Marino was the first one to leave the band and Michi came. Tony came some mounths to complete the sound of the band. The second one to leave Le Orme was Claudio, always for the same reason. It was the time I played the bass to replace Claudio.

Dan: On Le Orme’s first album we heard a sound that was not quite the same as what would be heard later. Ad Gloriam was perhaps poppier and more psychedelic than what would be made later. Could you tell us about its recording process?

Aldo: During the earlier 70’s all things changed so quickly, but the real reason of the differece was the different line-up. Five people on AD GLORIAM, three on COLLAGE.

Dan: There were a few musicians on that album that didn’t show up again in the band. What happened to them?

Aldo: Nino, Claudio and Marino took another way of life and for a long time I did not have news from them. At the moment I am in touch with Claudio.

Dan: Collage and Uomo Di Pezza are the albums that really showed Le Orme reach its true potential and introduce the sound that we would learn to become familiar with. The band also gained its traditional trio format. What was it like to record these albums?

Aldo: In the 1970 we were very determinated to write and play our music, but we did not have correspondence from the Recording Companies. We worked a lot to convince one of them to invest many on our project. We recorded COLLAGE live in one weeck plus another week for mixing.

Dan: Uomo Di Pezza’s also introduced us to a trademark of the Italian Prog Scene: beautiful album art. How did you guys pick your album art in general, and the art for this album and Felona E Sorona in particular?

Aldo: Giampiero Reveverberi, the producer, helped us. He found the Mazzieri’s painting in a art-gallery in Milano. The same for Lanfranco wich did the painting after speaking with us.

Dan: Speaking of Felona E Sorona, this album is generally considered to be one of the Italian Prog Movement’s masterpieces. What was it like to record this magnificent opus?

Aldo: The recording of that album sound to me very strange because, everything came out very spontaneous and inspirated. I think it has been a very lucky moment.

Dan: For the English language version of this album, Le Orme had the pleasure of working with the magnificent Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator. What was it like having him write the lyrics for this version?

Aldo: When Peter left the VDGG, he came in Italy as special guest in our show. He heard F&S and he said: I want to do the English version. So it was.

Dan: I think it’s a great credit to Italy that VDGG was so popular there, because they are one of my favorite bands. That said, why do you think it was that they were so popular? As I said, they are one of my favorite bands, but they certainly don’t make “accessible” music!

Aldo: During the 70’s Italy was the most competent country all over the world. We “discovered” VDGG, GENTLE GIANT, GENESIS and many others.

Dan: Contrappunti introduced a bit more intensity to the band’s music, especially in the intro. I would say the intro to this album is one of the reasons it’s my favorite Le Orme album. What was it like to record it?

Aldo: It was our Classic period. We tried to write some Classic Rock Music and CONTRAPPUNTI was the attempt.

Dan: I would continue to ask about specific albums, but Le Orme has made so very many, I’m sure you would be very bored if we kept going like this. Are there any specific moments on the next few albums you would like to mention?

Aldo: What do you think to do that on our next interview? With pleasure.

Dan: The fact that Le Orme managed to release so many albums is actually interesting. Along with Banco, PFM, and a small few besides you all, most Italian bands only managed to release one or two albums. Why were you guys able to record so many?

Aldo: Fortune? We are prolific people. ah ah ah

Dan: Out of all of the albums mentioned (and perhaps the rest that have been left unmentioned), do you have a particular favorite? Perhaps a favorite due to the way it was recorded, or perhaps the music made on it?

Aldo: No, I dont have a favorite one. Each one has something great.

Dan: What would you say is a work you did not enjoy making? Or perhaps a work you are not proud of?

Aldo: SMOGMAGICA also if there are two great songs AMICO DI IERI e LOS ANGELES.

Dan: Not that I want to make you sound egotistical, but do you consider Le Orme one of the leaders of RPI? Or at least, did you consider the band that way back in the past? I ask because a lot of people certainly do/did.

Aldo: Well, I think it is normal for a 44 years band.

Dan: One of the details many people do know, is the absence of long time Le Orme member Tony Pagliuca. Could you tell us a reason for his departure?

Aldo: They are personal reasons and every human being is conscious of his choises.

Dan: Le Orme has released quite a few good albums in recent years, such as L’Infinito and Elementi. Can you tell us about the creation processes of these albums? Would you say your creation process is different now than it was then?

Aldo: Our process is always the same. We rent a rehearsal room and we work for a couple of mounths, than when we think we are ready, we start to recording.

Dan: There seems to be an interesting phenomenon occurring in recent years. There have been a large number of RPI bands reforming to release new albums. Why do you, as one of these bands, think this is?

Aldo: Right now, it is a good time for Progressive music. I hope it goes on.

Dan: What does the RPI scene look like now, and what did it look like in the 70’s? What are some differences that you see?

Aldo: During the 70’s we have had a big radio support and TV. Now….nothing. Only live shows.

Dan: One of PFM’s most recent releases is a wonderful live album that was recorded at your NEARFest performance in 2005. Was it enjoyable to play in the U.S.? Has Le Orme ever played here before?

Aldo: We played in LA, S. Francisco, Mexico City, Mexicali, Chiwawa, Buenos aires, Barcellona, Rio de Janejro, etc… During the Bethlem Festival we released LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA four years ago.

Dan: Is there a possibility of more new material from Le Orme in the future?

Aldo: Let me know what you need and will see if I can send you.

Dan: As a final question, what are some of your personal influences, and what are some of the influences of Le Orme in general? Musically or otherwise…

Aldo: Every musician and every band has been influenced each other. Anyway, Jack Bruce was my favorite and Emerson’s Nice.

Dan: I’m done with my questions, is there anything more you would like to add?

Aldo: No, I think the interview is quite thorough.

Dan: Thank you very much for agreeing to this interview, Aldo, all the best!

Aldo: The same to you.

Lunar Dunes – From Above

One can be sure, Lunar Dunes’ From Above is an album which without a doubt has the potential to reawaken all of the fellow psychedelic/spacey/kraut rock mammoths that seem to have been frozen for the last few decades. The musicians behind this record probably know how hard it is is to make a successful mix of old and new styles and simultaneously please all of the fans who are thirsty for more psychedelic music. I’m more than pleased; I introduced myself to this album without any expectations, although the cover art looked very promising. It fulfilled any that I could have had.

If From Above would be a recipe, these might be the ingredients:  Can at the core, Ozric Tentacles’ groove, King Crimson’s experimentation, Black Sabbath’s doom, Coltrane’s sense for rhythm, In the Woods’ depth…

I’m afraid that I wasn’t convincing enough in my description of what that this UK trio served on their debut opus, thus I will try a bit harder. I guess that majority of you people are familiar with early Floyd’s spaciness. The Can/Amon Düül fanatics already know what’s in the basis of their sound, and that basic is added to From Above’s formula. And do I have to tell anything about the rhythm Coltrane/Davis used to have their albums? Or about the pure energy of Deep Purple/Led Zeppelin? The Twisted nature of the Mars Volta or Popol Vuh? To conclude, I’m sure any of you will find something interesting in this psychedelic-space-prog-krautrock-freejazz-postpunk combination.

At the end of this review, all I want to say is: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Sorry folks, I’m in hurry to push the PLAY button once again… And again.

Tracklist:

1. From Above
2. As Below
3. Herzegovina (interpolating Le Petit Chevalier)
4. Loophole
5. The Todal Gleeps
6. Seaspray
7. Yaman
8. Rowing Boat
9. When I Was on Horseback

10. Scissorbell

11.  My Lagan Love

12.  Scatter

Line-up:

* Adam Blake – guitar, organ, vibes

* Hami – drums, percussion, programming, organ, glockenspiel

* Ian Blackaby – fretless bass

with:

* Caroline Lavelle – cello on My Lagan Love

* Krupa – vocals on Herzegovina (interpolating Le Petit Chevalier)

* Sheema Mukherjee – tampora on When I Was on Horseback

Links:

www.lunardunes.com

Jerry Goodman

Nick: Hello, Jerry. How are you these days?

Jerry: Hi Nick. I’m doin’ well. Thanks for asking.

Nick: We’d like to start by asking about your involvement in The Flock back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I believe you were first you were The Flock’s roadie before you joined the band. Tell us something more about this, how did it all begin?

Jerry: I was friends with the band before we started working together. We were from the same neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. They were a working band and needed a “schlepper”. Being young and out of work, I guess I fit the bill! As a roadie, I would check out the guitar rigs after setting up the gear (guitar being my second instrument). I guess the band, which had basically been a cover band, was beginning to stretch out and write and play original material. My friend, and one of the founding members of the band, Rick Canoff, “encouraged” me to plug in my violin, join the band, and play both instruments. This added to a shift in the musical direction they had already begun.

Nick: With The Flock you recorded two albums, the self-titled one in 1969 and a year later an album called “Dinosaur Swamps”. What are your impressions of these two records now, after 40 years? How much you’ve been involved in the making process of these albums?

Jerry: I have mixed feelings about the recordings that we did. On many levels, I am very proud of the music we created. We felt free to experiment with any genre that we felt like. Listening now I hear this freedom most of all. I also hear the youth and everything that goes along with that, including my own experimenting with an instrument that I grew up playing classically. Am I making any sense?

Nick: I’m not sure if this is true, but I think The Flock was one of the first bands from the genre that had a violinist in its line-up and it’s always interesting to hear such “non-standard” instruments on an album. How were the reactions back then to your work with The Flock?

Jerry: I’m pretty sure that I was one of the first to play fiddle in this context. There were very cool bands using violin. Not in the same way! “It’s a Beautiful Day”, “Kansas”, “Curved Air”. I know we were all out there at the same time. Don’t really know who came first.

Dan: Incidentally, a lot of people say it was Jean-Luc Ponty who helped introduce the violin to jazz. Would you say this is the case? He certainly is a great jazz violinist. What other great jazz violinists influenced you?

Jerry: Jean-Luc, a wonderful player, was one of the first to play “jazz” through an amp with effects. Many great violinists were known for being great jazz players on acoustic fiddle, Stephane Grappeli, Stuff Smith, Johnny Frigo….and others.

Nick: Besides The Flock, there were other jazz-rock bands on the scene such as Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Chicago Transit Authority (which later changed its name to Chicago). In your opinion, has history treated The Flock similarly to these two bands?

Jerry: No, but I don’t think we should have been. We were far less commercial. Our material kinda wandered into strange areas at times. We had many loyal fans that seemed to love this about us.

Nick: You played guitar on “Store Bought – Store Thought” from the self-title album, right? How come?

Jerry: Kind of a weird question.. Don’t you think, Nick?? Do you think I shouldn’t have?

Nick: Personally, I consider the sound of your violin as a successful counterweight to the album’s overall brass sound. Was that a main idea when joined the band?

Jerry: I don’t think counterweight was the idea. More of an addition. Sometimes playing as if a member of the horn section.

Nick: The music of The Flock is very eclectic, as many different styles can be heard, such as jazz, blues and folk motifs, greatly accompanied by a progressive rock edge. Where did all these elements come from? What were your (and the rest of the band’s) main influences back then?

Jerry: That’s a tough one, man! We were a 7 piece band, and everyone was free to contribute. I guess we all had the chance to throw a little something into the pot.

Nick: I have to praise your soloing on the Flock’s second album. “Hornschmeyer’s Island” and “Crabfoot” are especially excellent songs. What was your formula then for making songs? Did any one of you have its own ideas and then you try to mix it or were you mainly working on some specific part? Also, how much it was based around improvisations?

Jerry: Thanks man. If I remember correctly, and most of the time I don’t, those tunes were brought in by our sax/harmonica/ and singer Tom Webb. Like the others, his tunes were developed by the band as a whole. Tom had a unique sense of style in his songwriting. Although we had fun improvising within the tunes, I can’t say that any of them were based on improv.

Nick: 1970 saw you contributing to John McLaughlin’s album “My Goal’s Beyond” and it opened the door for you to join Mahavishnu Orchestra. How did you get in touch with John?

Jerry: John actually got in touch with me. The Flock had found it difficult to stay together and it was after we had split up that I got a phone call from John asking me to play on MGB. Apparently he had heard my work with the Flock and felt that I would fit in, musically.

Dan: I must sincerely praise your work with Mahavishnu Orchestra. I’ve never heard such intensity anywhere else in jazz, it’s absolutely incredible. What was it like for the five of you to work together like that? I bet you guys broke a lot of the studio equipment!

Jerry: Thanks Nick… That’s a really broad question. I think the 5 of us had different feelings at different times. I think the intensity of the music did a lot to keep us together… Like a common purpose… Or a common enemy!! I think that if we would have broken more studio equipment we might not have broken up when we did!!

Dan: I am one of the lucky few people who have a copy of the “Wild Strings” official bootleg that was recorded in Cleveland in 1972. Can you tell the story behind this album, for those who haven’t heard of it?

Jerry: I’m not sure what an “official bootleg” is… Hah. I also don’t know of any specific story about that concert. The extended length of the tunes was really the result of extended soloing. We really weren’t “jamming”. The solo sections took on a life and duration of they’re own. The beginning and end almost always being defined by a unison line!

Dan: This album contains just four tracks, and they are all extended jams based on pieces from the first album, The Meeting of the Spirits. This leads me to believe jamming was very important to MO, am I correct?

Jerry: No… Haha.

Dan: The next year, 1973, seems to have been a busy year for Mahavishnu Orchestra, as you guys released your second studio album, as well as a live album that contained more original material. Was there a reason for this flurry of activity?

Jerry: I think that we were developing an audience and felt a natural acceleration to the entire process.

Dan: Out of curiosity, why did it take so long to release the music on “The Lost Trident Sessions”? From listening to From Nothingness to Eternity it sounds like you guys had the music down pretty good. And the music on The Trident Sessions is pretty good, in my opinion. So what happened?

Jerry: The Lost Trident Sessions were really lost…. for a long time!

Dan: After 1973, Mahavishnu Orchestra seems to have broken up and quickly reformed under a new lineup still based around John. What reasons were there for this change? Did you guys feel like it was time to move on?

Jerry: I don’t feel that what happened was a reformation… It was a break up and John put a new band together… Not a different form of the old one… Again, am I making any sense?

Nick: After Mahavishu’s disbandment, you recorded an album with Jan Hammer, called “Like Children” and this album has a real gem named “Country & Eastern Music”. Would you tell us something more about this record?

Jerry: Jan and I had become good friends within the MO. Our musical backgrounds were very dissimilar and I think we always wanted to record something that brought these styles together. I think it also gave us an opportunity to stretch out and play our “other instruments”.

Nick: After “Like Children” you took a decade long break from music, until you released On the Future of Aviation in 1985. Why was that? What have you been doing in that long period? Also, do you have anything you’d like to say about that album?

Jerry: I had been playing music from the time I was 8 years old. A lot had happened during that time. I had to straighten out some motivational issues… I just didn’t expect it to take that long!!

Nick: With “On the Future of Aviation” and the next one, “Ariel”, you experimented a lot with a variety of styles. It’s rockish, but there are also some Celtic music passages. Some say it turned you into a new age artist. Do you find that label fitting?

Jerry: Those albums were done for Private Music… They were a new label and were promoting themselves as New Age. I found it interesting and challenging to combine my writing style and something different… What do you think? Sell out? Nah… I still really like that stuff!

Nick: In recent years you’ve joined as a live support for The Dixie Dregs, and you’ve contributed to their latest studio album so far, “Full Circle”. How did you come in contact with Steve Morse?

Jerry: The band got a hold of me when they were planning on going back out after a long break from touring. They were all great MO fans and when they were looking for a violinist to replace their previous one, who was unavailable, I was their first choice.

Dan: What’s it like playing with Dixie Dregs in comparison to The Flock and Mahavishnu Orchestra? You seem to enjoy joining eclectic jazz fusion bands that place a heavy emphasis on violin.

Jerry: I love playing with the Dregs. They’re all great players and the “rock” influence makes the whole thing lots of fun for me.

Nick: In 1988 you wrote the soundtrack to “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. Would you tell us something more about this? I know that you have been involved in writing film music and scores for several films. Please tell us something about this aspect of your career.

Jerry: Well, sorry Nick… I didn’t write the score for “Scoundrels”. That was a great composer by the name of “Miles” Goodman… No relation! Miles, who died many years ago, was a wonderful composer and great guy. He hired me to perform all the jazz violin (and there’s a lot of it) on the film. I am very proud of that piece of work! I also still love the film!

Nick: You’ve collaborated with Derek Sherinian on his last few solo albums. What’s it like working in a heavier atmosphere than before? Naturally you worked with people from a similar backround to Sherinian when you collaborated with Steve Morse, and Mahavishnu was pretty “heavy”, but what was it like to work in metal for a change?

Jerry: Well, I’m not sure that Derek’s stuff is really heavier…or even “Metal”…but I’ve never been very good at labels.

Nick: Apparently you have also been working with Alan Holdsworth on his album Neverrwasneverwillbe. What’s going on with that? Also, what has that been like?

Jerry: Alan and I have talked many times about doing some playing together. So far it’s just been talk. I hope it becomes a reality soon… I love his playing!

Nick: Last, but not least, you appeared on Dream Theater’s album “Black Clouds & Silver Linings”, as a performer on “The Best of Times”, as well as on cover versions of Dixie Dregs’ classic “Odyssey” and King Crimson’s “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two”. What was it like to work with them on these tracks? Odyssey and Larks’ Tongues were pretty good choices, if you ask me.

Jerry: Really great guys and great musicians… Everything I played was done as over dub so there wasn’t much interaction beyond production and direction. I really hope we have the chance to play together in the same room at some point.

Nick: You come from a musical family, as both of your parents were in string section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Did they pressure you to start playing a violin or it was totally your choice?

Jerry: Well, of course, I wouldn’t have started with the violin if not for my parents. They were both top professionals in Chicago. Mom did play on and off with the Chicago Symphony for many years. My father was one of the top string contractors and players on most of the commercial and film recording there.

Nick: Do you have any new projects you are working on? What’s ahead for you in the future?

Jerry: Right now I’m working on another solo project and hope to have it out early next year.

Nick: Is there anything you would like to add that hasn’t been asked already?

Jerry: I guess I’d have to say that I feel very lucky to have played with some of the most accomplished musicians anywhere. I have idolized many of them for years and it has been awesome working with them.

Nick: Thank you very much for this interview. It was a real pleasure for us having you here to answer our questions.

Jerry: Thank you very much.

Elephant9 – Walk the Nile

While others keep complaining about Elephant9’s cover design since their debut “Dodovoodoo” was released in 2008, I still find it just interesting as the music the trio serves. Welcome to “Walk the Nile”, an absolute gem of the finest jazz-prog rock sound you can probably find.

My colleagues used to make parallels between Elephant9 and ELP, calling it something like ELP on steroids. While this might be apt, I would first mention and maybe make a little comparison with the legendary Bo Hansson (RIP). The reasons for that are Ståle Storløkken’s playing of Hammond organ which are a true homage to Hansson’s work, but in more of a fusion form. Thus, the next comparison that comes on mind is Niacin, excepting that they are closer to straight rock than Elephant9. Last, but not least band which is worth mentioning here is Weather Report, just to complete an image of 70’s traditional jazz rock. But, on the other hand, you can reject all of these supposed influences and still be completely correct. That’s one of the largest highlights of this band, that you can find and recognize the best of the genres they involve in the music, but you can still consider it to be incredibly innovative.

The thing that decorates this album is their success in capturing and transmission of live energy, so you get the feeling of spontaneity in their jamming. It’s like this album is both created and recorded at once.

Frenzied atmosphere with heavy rhythms start with Fugl Fønix fills up this record to the very end of the closing piece John Tinnick. In meantime, there are three larger tracks. The title track: Walk the Nile and Habanera Rocket, featuring many rhythmic changes, as well elements of space rock and a bit of psychedelia on the side. Lofthus succeeds to hit the drums with both aggression and sensuality, while his companion in the rhythm section manages to swing between leading and backing parts, characteristic for its crafting. Aviation brings both frenzied bass and Hammond playing to the forefront, but soon leads into another frenetic jazz rock jam. Hardcore Orientale sets back a speedy intervention of the trio with spacey keyboards in particular segments and dashing drums throughout. Precise bass/drums loops at the beginning of Habanera Rocket last for over 7 minutes with (once again) spacey sound by Ståle Storløkken make it a fully Hammond controlled piece, but in the middle drums and bass come to the surface, while the powerful Hammond keeps on glistening. John Tinnick is a groovy and fast piece with blasting and ogasmatic Hammond and beautiful drum fills. A great closing track which reminds you that you just completed listening one of the best albums of 2010. I know for sure that Walk the Nine will enter my Top10 charts later in December.

Tracklist:

01. Fugl Fønix

02. Aviation

03. Walk the Nile

04. Hardcore Orientale

05. Habanera Rocket

06. John Tinnick

Line-up:

* Ståle Storløkken – Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer

* Torstein Lofthus – drums

* Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen – bass, guitar

The Tangent – A Place on the Shelf

Oh boy, a new Tangent album! The Tangent is one of my favorite bands, so I was super excited to hear about this. Unlike most of the bands we’ve been reviewing lately, The Tangent’s style is probably known to the majority of this site’s readers, so I won’t bother getting into the actual music until I do a track rundown. But first, some info about what this is:

For those of you who don’t know, The Tangent ran into money problems last year before the release of Down and Out in Paris and London (this may or may not have had to do with InsideOut’s insolvency, I don’t know the details). To facilitate its release, the band thought it would be a cool idea to release this outtakes collection to fans in order to help pay for the actual album’s production. Anyway, back-story out of the way, I’ll get to the actual review.

As I said before, this is a collection of outtakes that couldn’t make it to actual albums. Fear not, however, because these tracks are far from disappointing! There are different reasons for why the majority of these tracks were pulled, but it’s generally because they were either deemed too politically charged, or the band was unable to due to copyright protection. The material here is very strong, and every bit of it could be placed on an actual album, as most of the tracks were intended to. I feel like there are a few faults here and there, but I’ll get to that later.

Since a long summary is not necessary, I’ll devote most of the rest of this to the track rundown. Shall we begin?

*Le Massacre du Printemps Part 1 – 11:44: This (along with part two) was originally going to be the title track for a sort of Stravinsky project album that was scrapped for copyright reasons. Apparently this is a rockified version of certain parts of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Unfortunately I don’t listen to classical music, so I might be missing something in the translation. Anyway, this track is still quite excellent. It’s a twelve minute instrumental that contains nearly all of the amazing keyboard genius that is Andy’s other trademark (besides his vocals, of course). Don’t expect it to sound exactly like The Tangent, however, as it is after all originally a piece of classical music. Then again, Andy did a number on it in turning it to rock, so he really leaves his mark.

*Everyman’s Forgotten Monday – 5:09: This is apparently an old version of the track on Down and Out in Paris and London. I can clearly hear the similarities between it the music style of Parallel or 90 Degrees (Andy’s other, older band, for those who don’t know), though it was apparently recorded even before that. Musically it’s almost the same as the version on Down and Out, but with some effects added in the intro and the welcome addition of Guy Manning’s voice for a few lines of lyrics.

*I Wanna Be a Chick – 4:34: I’m kind of confused as to why this is considered an out-take, as I really like it, and there doesn’t seem to be a reason why it was cut. It’s basically a nice, little (by prog standards), inoffensi

ve instrumental that showcases excellent keyboard work as usual. It really isn’t quite as special as Le Massacre du Printemps, but it isn’t really supposed to be. Rumor has it that the title is a reference to Chick Corea, but I’m waiting to hear back from Andy about that, so who knows. The music is very jazz-fusiony, so perhaps it’s possible. If this is an homage to Corea, I would say its closest analogue would be the Elektric Band, as it doesn’t sound like his normal latin-jazz stuff, nor Return to Forever. At the halfway point the track actually starts sounding less and less like Corea and more and more like The Tangent/Parallel or 90 Degrees and keeps going that way until the last ten seconds.

*Live on Air – 21:47: I am very sad that this didn’t make it past the demo stage, because I feel like some of the flaws in it would probably have been ironed out if it had. That said, I think this track is absolutely incredible. It’s one of the most eclectic things in The Tangent’s catalogue, and I find the message to be very important. I’m not going to go into the concept because it’s very deep and complex and I’m sure this section is going to be a lot longer than I want it to be anyway. Moving on: This is certainly the best track on the album, which is fitting because it’s the epic. What would a prog album be if the epic was underwhelming? Stylistically it seems most similar to Four Egos, One War from Not as Good as the Book. They’re both about 20 minutes long, mostly lyric-driven, sung from multiple points of view, changes style frequently, and they don’t have as many long instrumental sections as some other epics (In Earnest comes to mind). I suppose most of those qualities can be applied to a lot of Tangent songs… but I feel that sort of connection for some reason. That said, besides that tenuous feeling I have, the track is very different from The Tangent has posted before, mostly because of a lot of silly things done with the vocals. It sounds like Andy had a lot of fun with a vocoder or something, as there are fun effects like a really deep sounding scary voice (to represent the stereotypical TV villain) and a sort of fuzzy voice when someone (probably Andy) raps a few lines slightly later. Yes, there’s a rap section here, and it’s probably my favorite part of the album because the lyrics are really funny and because it references an earlier part of the song. These are some of the reasons the track is eclectic, but there’s more stuff too, like news reports and recordings of interviews Andy did with people, as well as the final message of  Mohammad Sidique Khan, which, by the way, is one of the reasons this track was pulled. Personally I don’t see why it should be considered controversial to discuss horrific events and why they occurred, and I assume Andy felt the same way or he wouldn’t have recorded this in the first place. Still, it was, so the demo was never polished enough to fix the tiny flaw that I will mention in a moment. There are only two or three parts of the song where this is noticeable, but there are certain parts where the backing vocals are done incredibly badly. I don’t mean the backing vocalist is bad, I mean they don’t even match up with Andy’s. At one point when an especially poignant line is sung: “without the badguys with the rucksack, Jack would have no job” – the backing vocals keep going for another half a second and stab at the eardrums instead of what they’re supposed to do, accentuate the main singing. However, this only occurs in a few short parts, and it doesn’t make the song any less amazing, even if it is rather annoying.

*Le Massacre Du Printemps Part 2 – 14:43: Ok! Part two! This is similar to the second, but with the addition of lyrics. I like how Andy can make something like this sound so much like he wrote it all along. Then again, according to the sleeve notes, he did… *cough* Hehe, anyway Part Two is similar to part one, but I like it more because of the extropectic (I just invented a word!) lyrics. It also seems to be more intense musically, with the first part being more of a prelude.

*Overall the album is excellent, and I highly suggest it to all fans of The Tangent and progressive rock. However, this is not something to start with if you’ve never heard The Tangent before. This music is much stranger than the band’s usual fare. If a newbie were to listen to Live on Air before anything else by The Tangent they would probably come away thinking Andy Tillison is an insane, terrorist-sympathizing freak with bad taste in backing vocals. Or maybe if they’re open-minded like they should be (hey look, irony), they would just find the rest of the band’s material to be very tame in comparison.

Tracklist:

*Le Massacre du Printemps Part 1 – 11:44

*Everyman’s Forgotten Monday – 5:09

*I Wanna Be a Chick – 4:34

*Live on Air – 21:47

*Le Massacre Du Printemps Part 2 – 14:43

At the moment, the Tangent is:

*Andy Tillison – Keyboards and Vocals

*Theo Travis – Wind Instruments

*Jonathan Barett – Basses

*Luke Machin – Guitars

*Michael Gilbourne – Drums

Though this wasn’t The Tangent when A Place in the Queue was recorded. I don’t actually know who to put down here, since these tracks were recorded over a long period of time.

Consecration – .avi

Let’s say this: You’ve checked out Consecration’s latest album and came to ask me “What the hell is this band doing on a progressive rock webzine?!” In that case I guess I broke your image of progressive music, as this term is not simply based on super complex music or tons of tempo changes, but having a clear vision of the music you make, and Danilo Nikodinovski, the mainman of this Serbian band is a visionary of that kind, but then again, I can say with assurance that he’s a regular dude playing “irregular” music.

The biggest curse that can happen to a quality band that comes from Serbia or this region in general is probably that the band doesn’t come from Sweden, Germany or the US. Why? Well, if there is only an ounce of justice in this world, Consecration would already be known worldwide, having the best possible support by labels, promoters, radio & TV stations, etc. It might sound to pretentious, but this band easily stands shoulder-to-shoulder with such acts like Cult of Luna, Goodspeed You! Black Emperor, Isis, God is an Astronaut, Mono, to name a few.

.avi is the second album of this Belgradian band and I can say fully objectively that .avi is one of the most innovative albums coming out of Serbian’s sleepy music scene. This album has a history. That’s right. It was previously recorded live and was released under the name Live 2^nd April 2008, with the addition of a brief interlude on this studio record and of course with some musical and production improvements.

In comparison with their debut aux, .avi shows that Consecration has grown, matured and stepped forward. With Danilo’s and the other members’ wide influence spectrum, which goes from Pink Floyd to 65dayofstatic, this album can be marked as an essential gem from many reasons. While aux is mostly surrounded by melancholia and doom arrangements and fits well with the major bands of this type such are Katatonia, Anathema or Opeth, .avi makes a distinct change towards more a strong reflection of the type of music mentioned before.

Rare are the bands that can successfully transfer the energy of live playing to the studio, and Consecration has managed to do it very well. The reason for that is probably because .avi has been recording in a sequential manner, which makes it all the more complete.

.avi is divided into 6 tracks, with a total duration of about 57 minutes. Aligator opens the album with strong riffing which increases as the song flows, and I have to say that those “picnic” guitar solos remind me somewhat of Metallica’s from Load, which is good. The title track feels like it was dropped straight out of an Isis  or Explosions in the Sky album, but no, it’s in .avi. Danilo’s singing sounds more like cosmic chanting, very nice atmospheric/post-rock guitar motifs of Nikola Milojević here and Nemanja Trećaković’s FX’s make you feel like you’re floating through space and seeing all of the cosmos. Cisterna is a short interlude which delivers distorted bluesy standards and breaks into Somna, which is adorned with backing vocals of Milutin Jovančić, the singer of Block Out, one of the most influential Serbian bands. I should add that there’s a video for this song, which was homemade, and this album comes with it. Up next is Idiot Glee, the heaviest song on the album. It includes death growls, strong riffing work and a greasy bass. Đavo nije urban, what could be translated as The Devil is Not Urban, sets Consecration’s journey in the post-rock direction, similar to the one presented on Somna and the title track, with nice acoustic guitar chord voicing and the spilling samplework of Nemanja Trećaković. You will notice that I didn’t write a single word about drums, so I will do that now because Matija Dagović excels in every segment of this record, from compassionate jazzy passages to really heavy stuff like blast beats.

And all of this for three measly euros. that’s how much you will have to pay for this masterpiece, but it wouldn’t hurt you to give some more money. Too bad it has not been released as a physical CD for collectors, but who knows, maybe that will change  in the future.

In couple of years from now, this album is going to be referred as an album of cult status and time will be the best judge of that. Consecration has made .avi feel like a HD (High Definition) soundscape and that will probably stay remembered. And these dudes really make me feel proud. Listen and shiver!

Tracklist:

01. Aligator

02. .avi

03. Cisterna

04. Somna

05. Idiot Glee

06. Đavo Nije Urban

Line-up:

* Danilo Nikodinovski – guitar, vocals

* David Lazar Galić – bass

* Nikola Milojević – guitar

* Nemanja Trećaković – keyboards, samples

* Matija Dagović – drums, percussion

with:

* Milutin Jovančić – backing vocals on Somna

* Jelena Stanićević – backing vocals on Idiot Glee

* Stojan Reljić – guitar on Cisterna

* Aleksandar Zec – photography

* Marko Jovanović – recording/production

Links:

http://www.consecrationband.com/

http://www.myspace.com/consecr8

Pye Hastings

Nick: Hi Pye. Thanks for having time to answer some questions for Prog Sphere. So, what’s the latest news with Caravan? I had an opportunity to ask Roye Albrighton recently about Caravan’s status and he thinks that you’ve disbanded. What’s happening?

Pye: Hi Nikola. Roye Albrighton is somewhat misinformed, Caravan have not disbanded, we have taken some time off because Richard Couhglan is unwell and needs some time to get better. I recently met with the other guys in the band who are all anxious to get back on stage and take up where we left off. Unfortunately Doug Boyle will not be joining us this time as he is committed elsewhere.

Nick: I would like to discuss bits of your whole career in this interview, so let’s start from the very beginning of Caravan, back in 1968, when you helped found it. As far as I know, before Caravan you were in band called Wilde Flowers together with David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair and Richard Coughlan. I’m sure a lot of fans of “Canterbury” have heard of The Wilde Flowers. Can you tell us more about this band?

Pye: The Wilde Flowers band was formed by brothers Brian and Hugh Hopper with Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers. Richard Sinclair joined on guitar and Kevin left to travel abroad. Richard Coughlan was the next to join so Robert could concentrate more on vocals. Shortly after Richard left to complete his course at art school and I joined taking his place. While Richard Coughlan was on holiday, Brian, Hugh, Robert and myself entered a “Battle of the Bands” contest at Dreamland Ballroom in Margate which we duly won coming joint first. The grand prize was a test recording in a really dodgy home recording studio. This was my first experience of what I perceived to be the “Big Time”. Richard Coughlan returned from holiday and Robert left to join Kevin in Ibiza to form the Soft Machine. Brian informed me that I had to take over the singing duties from that point on. Very nervously I agreed. Dave Sinclair then joined on keyboards. We were playing more Soul Music than anything else at this stage but this would very shortly be replaced by progressive rock which was becoming the new trend. Hugh decided to go and work in London for the now formed Soft Machine and quit the band. I was devastated as this appeared to be the end of my musical journey but I was absolutely clear that I wanted to carry on and form a new group with Richard Coughlan and Dave Sinclair, playing original songs we had written ourselves. We needed a bass player and Richard Sinclair who had just finished his art school course joined to complete the line up. Richard and I were purely guitarists and we both had a go at playing Bass, but he was so much better than me so he got the job and Caravan was formed.

Nick: There was album of Wilde Flowers material released in the 90’s. What can you tell us about it for those who haven’t listened to it? Was it authorized by any former members?

Pye: The Wilde Flowers were primarily an R&B band playing blues based numbers mixed with original Brian & Hugh compositions, most of which feature on the album of the Wilde Flowers that you mention. This album was entirely co-ordinated by Brian who owned all the original recordings which had been done on domestic tape recorders at gigs etc which explains the quality of the sound.

Nick: From its beginnings Caravan has been considered one of the founders of the Canterbury Scene, along with fellow bands such as Soft Machine, Egg, and Matching Mole, to name a few. The elements which adorn Canterbury the sound are odd time signatures, abstract lyrics, and improvisatory passages taken from jazz with psychedelic elements thrown in. How would you describe the music? Also, were you aware that you had helped to start something new?

Pye: Firstly, my brother Jimmy’s influence, then listening to Brian &Hugh and Robert’s collections of jazz records clearly had a profound effect on the songwriting direction we took when starting Caravan. This was not to the exclusion of Rock/Pop but the change in the trend of music which was taking over at that time gave us an opportunity to experiment which was not to be missed so we set about writing what ever came into our heads and hoped it would sound different enough to stand out from the others. So our music can be described as Rock/Pop songs with improvisational passages giving the musicians the space to play something different via solos. Sounds a bit precious now but at the time we were just four guys in a band with no sense of musical direction but just playing off each other.

Nick: Speaking of Canterbury as a label, in recent interview with Andy Tillison of The Tangent, who’s been a Caravan fan for ages now, I asked him if he sees the Canterbury Scene as something of a cult phenomenon. What’s your opinion on that?

Pye: Cult phenomenon is probably accurate because none of the supposed Canterbury Scene bands have yet made it into the A List of recording artists. The music is greatly appreciated by a discerning few but there it remains.

Nick: Caravan has been reputed to be the first British band that signed a contract with an American record label. How did this come about?

Pye: We were offered a contract by Ian Ralfini to record our first LP while he was working for Robbins Music which was linked to MGM records in London who were looking for a British band who they thought might do well in USA.

Dan: On Caravan’s first album, which was selftitled, the band introduced its sound, which would be fully refined by the time the second album came out. What was the recording process like for both, and how did they come about differently?

Pye: Ian appointed Tony Cox as our producer and the album was recorded at Advision Studios in London. To save time and money Tony mixed the album alone. The second album was recorded and mixed by ourselves which gave us a sound more representative of our live performances.

Dan: Out of morbid curiosity, what would you be doing all over the person you are referring to, if you had the chance to “do it all over again”?

Pye: One of the joys of English language when writing is that it is full of words which can have different meanings in different circumstances. For instance “Over” can mean “over the top of” or “starting again” but it can also mean “Because” which is the real meaning I used in the context of “all over you”. Misunderstandings can be fun.

Nick: In the Land of Grey and Pink is generally considered your most successful achievement with Caravan, and the album has even reached platinum status. How do you see this album now, after almost forty years?

Pye: I was not aware that Grey and Pink had achieved Platinum status. We were awarded a Gold disc for it a few years back but that’s it to date. You don’t often play your own records except to jog the memory about chord changes and to remember lyrics etc but I recently played Grey and Pink and was genuinely impressed how it sounded. And proud to have been a part of that particular line up.

Nick: Nine Feet Underground from the aforementioned album is one of the greatest progressive classics ever written, which is fitting because it’s the backbone of that album. Do you agree? David Hitchcock who has been worked on this album as a producer did great work, as this album sounds fresh even after 40 years. Are you satisfied how it turned out?

Pye: David Hitchcock who produced Grey and Pink really, really did us proud on that album. We thought we knew what we wanted sound wise, but none of us were capable of achieving anything like the clarity of sound and general magic he put into that recording. Without him at the helm it would not have turned out the way it did.

Nick: “Love to Love You” is, I suppose, a pretty “strange” song for “In the Land”, as I find it different in comparison with other tracks, though this doesn’t hurt, as it forms a good “bridge”, of sorts. Why did you choose to put this “unconventional” song in the middle?

Pye: In those days every album was expected to have a track which could be put out as a single in order to gain airtime on the radio. This track was the one that was chosen and was incorporated into the album for that purpose.

Nick: David Sinclair left the band after “In the Land of Grey and Pink” and the next year you released “Waterloo Lilly” which shifted toward an even jazzier approach, which facilitated even more lineup changes. What was happening around now? Why all the lineup changes?

Pye: Looking back Caravan had reached a peak and Dave saw it coming. He wanted to move on to do his own thing. We needed a replacement keyboard player and Richard Sinclair proposed his friend Steve Miller. Filling the void that Dave left proved practically impossible because in my opinion Dave was by far the most talented keyboard player around at the time so the option was to embrace a change of direction. This we attempted with Steve. Some fans liked it others didn’t.

Nick: New members have brought different approaches and influences to Caravan’s music, as shown by “Waterloo Lilly”, an album which is the most unique Caravan had made up to that point. Was that natural growth or was the shift produced intentionally?

Pye: It is very important that when a new member comes into the band he is given the freedom to express himself and not just copy what has gone before. This creates a far more healthy team spirit which I think is essential.

Nick: Was it difficult to be faced with constant line-up changes and was it hard to find adequate replacements? Richard Sinclair and Steve Miller having gone on to form Hatfield and the North, leaving the rest of you to look for replacements.

Pye: Line-up changes can be a nightmare and a blessing. Firstly it clears out all the dis-satisfied members who traditionally go on to slag off their time in Caravan; but more importantly this process opens things up for a fresh start with new, enthusiastic replacements. So in one sense it’s sad to see some people go, but on the other hand it re kindles the faith. Don’t burden yourself with other peoples misery. Stick to your guns and push on to achieve your own goals.

Nick: Dave Sinclair was asked to participate on “For Girls Who Grow Plump in The Night” and he agreed, so this album marked a return to Caravan’s original sound. What can you say about this release? You wrote all of the material, with exception of “A Hunting We Shall Go”, which is a cover of Soft Machine’s “Backwards”.

Pye: Dave agreed to record “Plump in the Night” as a session player for a fee because he didn’t want to re-join the band at the time and needed some quick cash. We had previously recorded the album without keyboards with the intention of adding them later. Dave obliged but the recording lacked feeling and commitment. In the meantime we had a tour to do which again Dave agreed to do for a fee. Upon return we recorded the same numbers immediately, having ironed out all the bits that weren’t working, and got the backing tracks done in one take. Clearly this was the way forward. Great fun. I have never stopped writing and had this batch of songs ready as soon as Richard and Steve left the band. Something positive usually comes from a disruption, like line up change.

Nick: Why haven’t you been satisfied with “Caravan and the New Symphonia”?

Pye: Caravan and the New Symphonia album could in my opinion have been so much more powerful. We were given four weeks notice that the gig had been arranged and I was informed that Decca needed at least four new numbers to suit. Not an easy task. We were given two rehearsals with the orchestra of four hours each, one on the day before and the other on the day of the gig. This included rehearsing the backing singers who we met for the first time on the day of the gig.

There was a volume issue with the orchestra so it was arranged that they should play on front of the stage and we were to play behind with our amplifiers pointing up so as not to interfere. The Theatre Royal has probably the largest stage in London and it felt as if the audience was a million miles away. Still we got through it and had to face a delegation from the orchestra backstage who wouldn’t go back on for an encore without an extra fee. They didn’t but we did. It could have been better.

Nick: So, Caravan wouldn’t be Caravan if there wasn’t another line-up change. John G. Perry left band in 1974 and was replaced by Mike Wedgwood (ex-Curved Air), who turned to have one of the major roles on 1975 release “Cunning Stunts”. This album brought you credits in two songs, “Stuck in a Hole” and “No Backstage Pass”. Most critics consider this album “Americanized” and the fact is that it has a different approach from previous releases, but what’s your opinion? Personally, this album is one of my favorites of yours.

Pye: In part, I have liked every album we have done. Some more than others. There is not one we couldn’t improve on, but you have to call it a day at some time and move on to the next. As far as Cunning Stunts was concerned, there was no definite intention to change the sound of the band but in 1974/75 we had just completed two tours of the USA and had probably fallen for the romantic image of the American lifestyle which I guess got reflected in the playing. When you are young it can be very seductive. However as you get older the blinkers come off and you see things from a different perspective.

Nick: With “Blind Dog at St. Dunstans” you made a turn to more pop-oriented sound, but there are still those recognizable Caravan moments. Do you think that constant line-up changes had left a “scar” on Caravan’s music?

Pye: I think “Scar” is too strong a word in this context. “Mark” would be more suitable. I believe it is every musicians duty to leave their mark or identity so they can be distinguished from others. Caravan has always accommodated and encouraged this ethic.

Nick: The pop approach on “Blind Dog at St. Dunstans” continued to develop on the next albums and started to go further and further from what Caravan used to be. I’m just curious as to what made Caravan go in that particular direction.

Pye: The pop approach you refer to was purely an attempt to reach a larger audience. Written music is very often a reflection of what you are listening to at the time of writing. Anyway, I like all types of music so this would naturally come out in the writing. Why would you want to limit yourself to one style of music?

Nick: After “Back to Front” there was a 13 years long hiatus. What was happening in this period? Were you involved in some other projects? The songs that later became part of “The Battle of Hastings”, initially were written for your solo album, why did you change your mind and use them for Caravan instead?

Pye: There had been some rumblings from the fans about making a comeback with the original line up, so, full of enthusiasm, we got together to make the Back to Front album. Unfortunately all those years away from each other, and music, had only served to increase the differences between some of us. It became clear that we were still pulling in completely different directions and it was not going to work for any length of time. So yet again we put it down to experience and had a little lie down.

The songs used on the Battle of Hastings album were demo/tracks recorded for the A&R dept at Arista Records in London to assess if they wanted to continue with us as a recording act. They didn’t and we left having been given the recordings back and wished good luck. The music fashion had changed to a much younger “Punk” style and we were no longer part of it. At the time it was a bitter pill to swallow but upon reflection it was necessary. We had no doubt become stale and needed a boot up the arse. This was it. We felt that we’d had our day and blown it. The next few years were spent doing everything but music, until I was approached by HTD Records to see if I had any unused Caravan tracks lying around which they would like to put out. I tried to negotiate a solo recording deal as these were all my songs but got persuaded that people wanted Caravan songs and not Pye Hastings. It made no difference to me as the only important thing was to remain in print, I agreed, and the album was entitled The Battle of Hastings.

Nick: I am not sure, but I think that the song “Liar” was made after your participation on the Mirage tour, together with Dave Sinclair and Jimmy Hastings. What’s the story behind it?

Pye: The lyrics to Liar were written after the short Mirage tour that I was invited to join. I was genuinely flattered to be invited to play after such a long lay off but this soon turned to bitterness when I was knocked for the money after many, many failed promises. Not being paid for the gigs didn’t bother me because I had enjoyed every moment of playing but to be promised time and again that the “Oversight” would be rectified soon made it quite clear that I had been taken for a mug. It became compounded when I found out that the Promoter of the tour had released a video recording plus an album of the gigs and was earning more money. To this date I have never received a penny. So I felt entitled to have a “Pop” at the guy via a song. It used to go down very well at gigs.

Nick: For the 2003 release “The Unauthorised Breakfast Item”, Dave Sinclair was at first listed in the line-up, but then he left. What happened there?

Pye: Dave was a full time member of the band once again although there appeared to be a huge conflict of interest building up around tour dates. He made it clear that he no longer enjoyed playing gigs. He was somewhat unsettled in his life at the time and wanted to branch out yet again in another direction. This came to a head while we were recording the Breakfast Item album. There were strong undercurrents at work and Dave left. Jan Schelhaas rejoined the band and recording resumed. Jan has the ability to lift a mood and fit in seamlessly. He brought with him the enthusiasm and the spark that was needed to kick the project back into line. Life felt good once again.

Nick: The band hasn’t been touring since 2005, are there any possibilities for some small tour at some point in the future?

Pye: Caravan have been asked to do a TV video recording in November this year. All the band except Doug are available and up for it so I hope to get rehearsals underway in July. 60 to75 minutes are required so I will be working on some Caravan favourites plus I hope to incorporate some new songs as well. If Richard is not well enough to complete the whole gig then it may be necessary to enlist the help of another drummer. So this will leave us in the position of having a fully rehearsed band after the TV recording with an appetite to tour once again.

Nick: It’s known that you’ve always seen yourself as a singer (songwriter), rather than a guitarist. Why is that?

Pye: I see myself firstly as a songwriter who sings, certainly not a singer. I am not a good or natural “Lead” player so I am a guitarist/chord thumper, but whichever I love every minute of it. Music is like Drink. Once you have got it inside you there is no way you can get it out.

Nick: Thank you very much for your time, Pye. All the best.

Spock’s Beard – X

After we had an ıntervıew wıth Alan Morse of Spock’s Beard few weeks ago, it has become time for me to fill my duties towards the band and write a review for their brand new achievement, “X”. The title refers to the fact that this is theis 10^th studio work of these progrockers and the fact that it’s been 4 years since they released their previous record “Spock’s Beard”, could only mean that they really tried hard this time to produce a great record. Read on to see if I actually feel that way!

“X” is without doubt an album that tries and succeeds to make a connection between old Spock’s Beard works and today’s actualities on the world’s prog scene. This album contains everything that this band created back with their “cult” albums such like “The Light” or “Beware the Darkness”. This time I dare say that, in my opinion, this album is probably shoulder-to-shoulder with “Feel Euphoria”, which is, again in my opinion, the best album they’ve released after Neal Morse’s departure.

As a mature listener of this album now, firstly I would like to say that after my first listening of it, I had a juvenile “meh” attitude to it, but after every other listening it grew to be one of my favorite albums of 2010, certainly. We’ve been accustomed ever since their first album to listen to long records and it continues to be like that on the new album too. Eight tracks, of which two of them are epics that last over 16 minutes, with total duration of a little bit of 80 minutes, and what a 80 minutes! “X” just proves this band is good enough to show you that they cannot disappoint, no matter what has been happening.

Edge of the In-Between is probably one of the best opener songs I’ve heard recently, speaking of new albums of course. It seems to be simply and catchy, but it turns to be a MONSTER when Morse/Okumoto duo starts to duel each other with guitar/keys solos, respectively with the addition of Nick’s vocals and surely great drumwork, which, by the way, sounds fresh, as we are witnesses that, with all respect, Mike Portnoy’s fame is omnipresent, as is Gavin Harrison’s. Symphonic keyboard sound is another decorative element in this song which really rocks, or if you prefer to say, progs! And I have to say once again and now officially, that Mr. Ryo Okumoto is a real lunatic when it comes to keyboards playing.

Let’s move forward. Next in the row is The Emperor’s Clothes, which starts a with nice acoustic intro and… wait a minute… Do I hear some trumpetwork in there? I can’t be sure if it’s done with a real trumpeter or it’s a synthesizer, but I really like it. Very nice trumpet bridge to the rest of the tunes. Nick recites words in the stanzas, while Ryo shows his jazzy side by playing beautiful piano solo.

Kamikaze opens with Ryo doing some classy Hammond work and several riffs and then again Ryo overtakes leading role and demonstrates all his potential, knowledge and whatnot. Rhythm section works like clock. Oh, and yeah, this is an instrumental. I don’t why but I feel like this piece would be unforgettable when played live.

From the Darkness is one of the aforementioned epics and it’s huge! Dynamic in structure, this song is adorned with a catchy melody that shows Alan’s guitar skills, driven with the brilliant Hammonds of Ryo. This song could be easily described as a three-part suite, with the middle part mostly based on Nick’s singing and mellow mellotron. At the end there’s a nice slow part with mellow piano and guitar.

The Quiet House seems to be a classic rock song in the beginning, but it develops further more in the collection of nicely arranged tunes. I wouldn’t make mistake if I say that it reminds me of the mix of Deep Purple (especially of Jon Lord’s Hammonds) and Threshold’s rocking. Nick’s vocals are pretty amazing here, the piano ONCE AGAIN overtakes the leading role, what makes me conclude that Ryo’s work on this record is absolutely very significant.

Their Names Escape Me is a truly symphonic piece. There’s even a string section, with violins, cellos and that instrument family. An emotionally fulfilling song that will not for sure leave you indifferent, and if you ask me, I would certainly love this song as a part of their live repertoire. And who knows, maybe it already is.

The Man Behind the Curtain opens as another symphonic piece, but soon after it starts to get shaped into more of a classic rock song, similar to songs from their previous album. The leading role here is overtaken by guitars mostly, which go from acoustic passages to electrics, but there’s also a bass solo part.

Jaws of Heaven is the final song on the album and, you guessed it, the second epic. It opens with calm guitar and symphonic keyboards, it soon justifies the epithet of being the core of this album together with From the Darkness.

All in all, from all I said before, I can conclude that Spock’s Beard gave us a very nice work with “X”, which will be, surely, standing as one of the  best releases in their rich career. After all, time is the best judge.

Tracklist:

01. Edge of the In-Between

02. The Emperor’s Clothes

03. Kamikaze

04. From the Darkness

05. The Quiet House

06. Their Names Escape Me

07. The Man Behind The Curtain

08. Jaws of Heaven

Line-up:

* Alan Morse – electric & acoustic guitars, vocals

* Ryo Okumoto – keyboards

* Dave Meros – bass, vocals, additional keyboards

* Nick D’Virgilio – drums, vocals, additional guitars

Links:

Spock’s Beard official website

Sur Solar – Maximo Solar EP

I love when small, new bands get in touch with me asking for reviews for their albums, EPs, demos and stuff. I’ve been contacted recently by Fernando of the Venezuelan band Sur Solar, who asked me if I’m willing to write a review of their recent EP named as Maximo Solar. So, I’ve agreed and I must say that I found this band very interesting. I don’t know if it has anything to do with my interest in for South American music/culture, but at least I’ll give you a word or two about this EP.

4 songs in almost 18 minutes, that’s what this EP consists of. To speak of a label, I would describe this as balanced progressive metal, with obvious roots in prog rock, but also there can be heard some classic heavy guitar work and I noticed a part in the title song which contains something from post-rock heritage. I have to mention that they sing in Spanish, which is a plus. Don’t expect a wide range vocal harmonies or falsettos or stuff like that though, but the singing fits well, so I’m sure that everyone will be satisfied with it.

The second song on this EP is called Ansia and it is without a doubt, my favorite. It has a  very nice atmosphere that will surely “buy” you and I’m not sure is that because of very nice clean guitar solo or amazing vocals, silent drumming or accentuated bass lines in first three and a half minutes of the song or if it’s because of the electric guitar solo at the end of, but anyway it shows to be the highlight of this record.

Paisaje de Venus is marked as a demo and it’s an instrumental where the guitarist shows his skills, but it’s also adorned with fine work in the rhythm section, although my opinion is that the drums could be done more creatively.

The next song and the last one on this EP is Ruido Cristal which brings a short break with the use of sitars in its beginning, but it doesn’t take so long before it starts to get shaped in the quite correct and solid piece, where vocals, bass and guitars dominate, but there’s also noticeable the use of FX effects.

If this EP is an introduction to a full-length album, I’ve got high expectations for it. And I expect that production-wise it will be done in a more professional manner, as my biggest concern is related to technical issues. That said, I’m looking forward for more, guys!

Tracklist:

01. Maximo Solar

02. Ansia

03. Pensaje de Venus (demo)

04. Ruido Cristal

Line-up:

* Raul Lopez – vocals, guitars

* Dorian Velez – bass

* Gian Franco – drums

* Fernando Lopez – clarinet, guitars

Links:

Sur Solar @ MySpace

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