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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Jussi Reijonen Three Seconds I Kolme Toista Review by Gary Hill This album is pretty amazing. It defies classification, really, but fits under prog for a number of reasons. First, the way it combines classical, jazz, soundtrack, rock and more into a tapestry that never feels roughly put together makes it experimental, artsy music. Secondly, there is a definite prog angle to much of it. Whatever you call this, though, it's instrumental music that has a lot of variety and magic built into it. It's also very unique and artistic. This might actually make my "best of 2022" list, although the contender group is getting a little crowded, so we'll see. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2022 Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2022.

Track by Track Review

I. The Veil A short bit of acoustic guitar starts this. After some silence symphonic instrumentation rises up. The arrangement fills out a little as it works forward. A blast of rock sound is heard before it shifts back to the more classical vein. Guitar rises up amidst that arrangement as this works forward. It seems to merge classical music, jazz, soundtrack elements and some rock angles into a dramatic and powerful sound that is unique and dynamic. It is at once organic and otherworldly. The rock concepts get more prominent later, as this really becomes a symphonic rock instrumental. It drops way down the symphonic treatment around the three-quarters mark and begins exploring that somewhat more sedate sonic zone. It get pretty jazzy at times during that part.

II. Transient This comes in quite mellow with symphonic instrumentation painting a mix of classical and world music. It is beautiful and intriguing. It becomes a percussive workout further down the road, based on world instruments. There are hints of early King Crimson in this, but it really remains mellow and world based. It powers up quite a bit at the end.

III. The Weaver, Every So Often Shifting the Sands Beneath Her While this starts mellow, it feels more rock music oriented as it does. There are definitely symphonic elements over the top, and this starts to work toward more experimental territory after a time. Classical and jazz concepts are heard as this grows outward. This exploration works through a lot of changes, eventually working its way back to the more balladic rock type zones that began it.

IV. Verso Another that starts more along the lines of mellow rock textures, this grows in dramatic, yet subtle, ways from there. Around the two-minute mark this drives out into a full-power jazz prog arrangement that really makes me think of King Crimson to a large degree. This is tastefully off-kilter and so cool as it drives forward. The track drops back down from there to continue. This continues to evolve in intriguing way working a lot of jazz and world music in as it continues. This has a great dynamic ranging and shifting soundscape. It turns to mellow symphonic angles to end.

V. Median A jazz concept starts this in fairly sedate ways. The piece gets more symphonic modes added to the mix as it evolves slowly. The jazz and classical things are woven together. It works through some changes, but remains largely mellow and atmospheric.

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