Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

This is quite an intriguing set. I’m sure there will be those who will argue with it landing under progressive rock.

This is really confusing. The name of the project is "The Radio Hour," but the musician behind it is Tim Hort, yet the album title is Tim Hort, as well.

Raelism is the project of Max Rael.

I landed this under progressive rock, but I can see people arguing with that. First off, let me say that it's more AOR prog or even prog pop than pure progressive rock.

I’m sure some people will argue with this landing under progressive rock.

I’ve had this LP sitting around for a while and never reviewed it before.

Modern progressive rock, shoegaze and more is on display here. This is an effective set for sure, with varying soundscapes driving each of the pieces.

These guys are being billed as a progressive rock act. There are sections here that are definitely prog rock.

The prog rock these guys do is very much guitar oriented. It's modern, but has its roots in classic prog, too.

Before I got this set Rare Bird was an early prog band that I had heard of, but never actually heard. This classy six-CD box set gathers up their entire catalog in one handy collection.

It's been about eight years since the debut album from Rausch. This follow-up is a real powerhouse.

I have reviewed quite a bit of music from this band. Their sound, with its almost raw garage-band edge applied to jazzy progressive rock concepts is unique and entertaining.

I've reviewed several things featuring Dennis Rea in the past, from his work with the band Moraine to his solo catalog. This new album is quite an intriguing and unusual one.

I’m sure there are those who will quibble with this landing in progressive rock.

This is a live recording from 1978. Perhaps it's technically not progressive rock, but it's clearly jazz rock or fusion.

The mix of sounds here is odd, but also compelling.

This new vinyl release from Reanimation includes the record (complete with lyric sheet as part of an inner-sleeve) along with a download code. The music on this has a lot of different textures.

We have reviewed several releases from this artist. On this album everything is done by one person, Michael Shanahan.

We generally land fusion under progressive rock, which is why this goes there.

Perhaps this doesn't fit under progressive rock. The electronic vibe on this can be seen as almost a modernized, more fun-loving, take on acts like Kraftwerk.

I like this album quite a bit. These guys are pretty amazing musicians and the range of sounds is pretty impressive.

We've reviewed several releases from The Reformation in the past at MSJ.

Refugee released their only studio album in 1973. The band was considered a nod to the classic prog band The Nice, but I'd say there was more to it than that.

One thing that needs to be dispensed with up-front is that I'm not sure that this is supposed to actually go under "The Keith Reid Project."

When one looks at the line up here (Xavi Reija on drums, Dusan Jevtovic on guitar and Bernat Hernandez on bass), it would be easy to assume this is a jazz trio.

While this is released under Xavi Reija's name, the full lineup here is full of exceptional musicians. Reija handles the drums while Tony Levin delivers bass, standup bass and Stick.

This album is pretty amazing. It defies classification, really, but fits under prog for a number of reasons.

Perhaps this isn’t the most obvious choice to land in progressive rock.

This is definitely not progressive rock in the traditional sense.

Maybe these guys aren’t really progressive rock. Their music is clearly progressive, though.

This is a great return to form for Renaissance.

This early Renaissance disc has a lot of the folky progressive rock that was a trademark of the band at times.

This was the first album I ever heard from Renaissance.

This isn’t my favorite Renaissance disc, but it is quite a good one.

This live album catches Renaissance in the period many might call their best.

This live album is quite good. It does seem like it started life as a bootleg, though.

I like this album quite a bit.

I can see why a lot of Renaissance fans were put off by this set.

Newly released, this is a revised and expanded edition of the classic 1972 album from Renaissance. I love the sound on this version.

This new remastered release is so classy. Not only do you get a remastered version of the original album, but it comes with several bonus tracks.

This new reissue of a classic Renaissance live album is exceptional. You get the original album across two CDs (with a song from the show that hasn't been released on CD before).

Novella is one of Renaissance's most revered releases. It's definitely a fan favorite.

Just paying attention to the songs from the original studio release, this is an exceptional album. It really captured the magic of Renaissance in all its splendor quite well.

This new set is such a classy release. It includes a two-CD set of a 50th anniversary concert from Renaissance, but that's just the beginning.

I like this new box set quite a lot. First, you get the classic Renaissance album.

This certainly is a great set.

I love Renaissance. Their particular brand of more organic and folk oriented prog is effective and inventive.

This double live CD set from Renaissance captures a show from October of 2022.

The Residents' brand of sound is clearly not progressive rock in the traditional sense of the kind of music prog bands were doing in the 1970s.

This is intriguing album. Then again, can't you say that of anything from The Residents?

The list is getting rather crowded, but this a contender for my best of 2018 list. Then again, you can pretty much count on The Residents for releasing music that works well for me.

The second album of a planned series that were intended to work as an extensive concept work, this is a bit more accessible than its predecessor. There is definitely more jazz in the mix, too.

The third (although it's called the fourth in the trilogy) in a planned series of albums from The Residents, this is my favorite of the three. It's much more vocal based (in fact, only one track is sans vocals), but the vocals are strange.

This, as you can probably gather, is a live album from 1982. The Residents are captured in all their weirdness and in fine form.

This new box set is really great. Over the course of several years in the 1980s The Residents set out to record and release a multi-album concept project.

The Residents' brand of sonic strangeness is not for everyone. I like it, but I completely understand why people don't.

This new box set celebrates an interesting era in the history of the Residents. With three albums they brought their own flavor to three types of American music - or perhaps movements.

In 1990 The Residents released an album called "Freak Show." That album is the bulk of the first disc of this new set.

The Residents are the kind of act that by definition won't appeal to everyone. I happen to like them quite a bit.

This is quite an impressive set. It includes nine-CDs and quite a bit of the music here has never been released before.

I never expect The Residents to do anything the way others do. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

I love The Residents. I totally get why some people don't like them.

While this might not be precisely the image you get when you conjure up the concept of "progressive rock," this definitely fits the bill.

The brand of progressive rock on this is guitar-based. It leans toward metal at times.

This instrumental set is intriguing and powerful. It's got plenty of King Crimson-like sound built into it, but there are also hints of space music, fusion, jam band stuff and more here.

This is classical music, but not in the traditional sense. It’s more like the freeform classical that emerged in the early part of the 20^th Century. Yet, it’s also ambient and space music. Is it rock? No, definitely not. It is, however, progressive music.

Touch-guitar-master Markus Reuter can always be counted on for powerful music that is unique and yet somehow strangely inviting.

This is quite a cool release. I should mention that I play bass (well, not as often as I should these days, so maybe I should say "played").

Alberto Rigoni is a bass player. In terms of playing music, that was always my first and most prominent instrument, too.

This reissue has both of Lee Ritenour’s first albums on one CD. I’ve included this under prog rock because we generally put fusion there.

This instrumental set is all done on keyboards. Those keyboards are all played by Robert Schindler.

This is the second set from Robeone I've reviewed.

This is an instrumental album that definitely fits under progressive rock. Within that heading it leans toward symphonic stuff at times, fusion at others and neo-classical at times.

Rocket Scientists don’t release music as often as I wish they would.

I think it’s safe to say that I like everything from Rocket Scientists. This new album is no exception.

This is a double CD that is essentially a concept album or rock opera, depending on how you look at it. It's packed full of great music that lands in the progressive rock zone.

On the one hand, this is a jazz album. On the other it is often insane and experimental.

"Unique" would be one way to describe this set. "Experimental" would be another.

I generally put Anthony W. Rogers under progressive rock, as I did this release. That's because of the experimental, sonically challenging aspect of the music.

This is a new issue of old independent release from Paul Roland.

Paul Roland’s brand of music is somewhat predictable, but never redundant or monolithic.

Paul Roland’s music is always quirky and very British.

The sub-title of this really tells you what you are getting. I generally put Paul Roland’s stuff under prog because there is a folk prog edge.

This is one that I probably should have landed under non-prog as a pure jazz release. All of it fits under that category.

I’ve put this album under “progressive rock.”

Steve Hillage is best known for his work with Gong and his solo work.

I have enjoyed Royal Hunt's style of merging heavy metal with symphonic prog since I first heard their Paradox album when it came out.

I’m putting this under progressive rock.

I like these Royal Philharmonica Orchestra sets.

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells album, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra working with the London Contemporary Voices Choir have created a new studio interpretation of the work.

In general you just can’t go wrong with RPWL.

If you were to spin this new album with no advance information, you might think that it's some long lost disc from the 1970s.

This is a unique release. As you might guess piano is a large focus here.

The bulk of this album consists of compositions Jordan Rudess created and performed with an orchestra.

This is a solo piano album.

This would land under progressive rock under just about any circumstance at MSJ because of the fact that it's a project by Jordan Rudess. That said, while this is not rock music, it is progressive.

I didn’t know what to expect here.

This is a live album from Rundgren and Utopia and it’s a killer set.

I like pretty much everything Todd Rundgren does.

Let me say to begin that I think Todd Rungren is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. I’ve never seen him live, but I’ve heard (and I’ll bet) it’s a great experience.

I never had the chance to see this band live. I’ve heard a few live recordings over the years, though.

This new live Rundgren album is quite strong. It features a show from his 2015 tour.

The argument could be made that Todd Rundgren is one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th Century. In fact, I'd make that argument.

To some degree, you know what you are getting when you see the name "Todd Rundgren." The man's music is almost a flavor all its own.

This is a new audiophile reissue of this classic Rush album.

Rush started off the 80s with a record that was quite a departure from their three most recent (at the time) releases.

In 1978, Rush was riding high after two consecutive albums that pushed their presence into the prog spotlight. After a short break that followed a tour of the UK, the band went back to Wales to record this prog masterpiece.

In 1977, Rush were flying high with the success of their last studio release 2112. That was a “make or break” record, and when fortune finally hit, it gave the band a sense that the direction they were heading was the right one.

When Rush finished their Caress Of Steel tour (otherwise known as the “Down the Tubes” tour), the band was at a crossroads.

This is a short set that isn't precisely a tight fit under progressive rock. It's clearly art rock, though.

This new album is intriguing. Based on the cover and title you might expect acoustic guitar solos, but that's not true.

Rymo is a shortened form of Ryan Moran's name, and he's best known as the drummer for Slightly Stoopid. This solo album finds him joined by a number of musicians.

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