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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Nautilus A Floating City Review by Gary Hill This German act is described as progressive rock. While I wouldn't disagree with that, don't come into this expecting rapid changes and powerhouse virtuosity. This is more slowly evolving, melodic prog. It has good balance of vocal and instrumental pieces. There is also a nice mix of keyboard and guitar dominated music. All in all, this works well as a musical tapestry as long as you know what is and isn't. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review

Waiting Room A melodic number, this is a measured progressive rock based piece.

Departure There are some killer keyboard textures built into this piece. This instrumental is dramatic and makes me think of acts like Synergy.

The Great Eastern I love the prog ballad approach that starts this cut. Spoken female vocals come over the top. Then sung male ones are added. The track continues with an intriguing vocal arrangement and lush, but somewhat understated, prog instrumentation. This really grows upward to more rocking zones. There is a tasty, melodic guitar solo that emerges later. at more than 14-minutes long, this is the epic of the disc. This isn't the kind of thing that's packed full of fast changes, but rather it grows more gradually and organically. It really gets very powerful before it's over.

Unguilty Pretty keyboard elements start this. The track shifts to an almost bluesy rock mode later. I dig the classic rock vibe to this. It's more of a guitar based rocker, but the keys do get some prominent moments here and there.

Moondance I dig the melodic prog groove of this instrumental. It features some tasty guitar work.

Autumn Light Thjs is a pretty and rather intricate piece of music. It's another instrumental.

Mother More of a guitar based instrumental, I dig the interplay between the multiple guitars on this.

Silver Ways and Rainbows Coming in slowly and gradually, this number works forward with style. It sees the return of the vocals. Mid-track this shifts to a movement that makes me think of Pink Floyd to some degree. There is a great gradual growing process to the extended instrumental movement that makes up the majority of the second half of the song.

The Fall This instrumental has some cool keyboard textures and a nice energy and groove to it.

Last Signals on Endless Sea The sharp keyboard hits on this feel almost like sonar. This instrumental evolves organically. It is another that calls to mind Pink Floyd to some degree.

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