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Stackridge

The Forbidden City (2-CD/DVD Box Set Edition)

Review by Gary Hill
Stackridge's sound is often built around folk music, older British sounds and more. Yet there is plenty of progressive rock at play. This live show from 2007 captures a nice cross section of their catalog delivered in fine live fashion. We get a double CD of the show, but this also includes a bonus DVD video of it. The sound and video are fine, but perhaps not as high definition as one might hope for given the time of recording and current technology for mastering. Still, that's more of a bonus. This is quite a solid set and well worth having for fans of the group.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.
Track by Track Review
CD One:
                             
Fundamentally Yours
This bouncy number has plenty of folk prog in the mix along with a lot of pop music.
Dangerous Bacon
A lot of the elements from the previous cut are also included here, but this also has some old-school rock and roll in the mix.
Grooving Along the Highway On a Monday Morning Once
Beatles and Klaatu sounds seem to be on board here. The violin is a nice touch, and the whole cut is classy and fun.
The Volunteer
Bouncy and playful, this has some real theatric elements built into it. It's a fun tune.
Syracuse the Elephant
This is much proggier It has some folk music and other things at play, too.
Anyone for Tennis?
This is along the lines of some of the old-time music stuff Queen used to do. It's bouncy and playful. It's also fun.
Wonderful Day
Another tune with a poppy energy and vibe at play, this still has some folk prog in the mix. That part gets more pronounced at times later.
Ruth Did You Read My Mind?
This comes in more like a soft rock number. A jam later includes some cool bass and piano work. Then they take it out to some higher energy prog jamming. This also includes some hints of bluegrass music further down the road.
Friendliness
Now, this piece brings a lot of proggy things to bear. It has some mellower, folk based vibes, but the changes and whole structure of the piece is more prog oriented.
Dancing On Air
I really like the violin work on this so much. The track has plenty of old-time music in the mix.
Fish in a Glass
This is more full-on progressive rock than a lot of the rest. It still has some roots music in the mix, though, including bluegrass reference points. It's awesome stuff.
CD Two:
                                           
Lummy Days
There is a hefty helping of classical music in the mix here, really lending it a decidedly proggy vibe. This is a fun romp that has a lot of drama at its heart. This instrumental is all class.
If I Had You
More of a folk rocker, there is still plenty of prog in the mix here.
Teatime
Much more of a full folk prog number, I really think this is one of the highlights of the whole show. It has some great instrumental moments and a strong vibe built into it. The closing movement is so powerful.
Happy in the Lord
A bouncy and playful tune, this is fun stuff with plenty of old time music in the mix.
Help Under Doors
This is much more of a driving rocker. It still has some folk prog vibes, but is overall more of an arena rocker.
Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime
A mellower piece, this has a great balladic approach as it works outward. The folk prog things are definitely at play.
The Road to Venezuela
Prog, folk and mainstream rock music merge on this effective piece.
Can Inspiration Save the Nation?
Another folky number this has plenty of prog built into it.
The Galloping Gaucho
This is bouncy and playful with jazz and other elements in the mix  It is more old-fashioned in nature.
The Last Plimsoll
I really dig the jazz meets prog and classic rock sound on this thing. This is another highlight of the set. The jam around the three-quarter mark has some smoking hot melodic prog at its heart.
Something About the Beatles
More straight-ahead melodic rock is on the menu here. Yet this still has plenty of proggy vibes. It's another standout tune.
Slark
The flute-led, Celtic styled arrangement that gets this underway makes me think of Jethro Tull. The track drops back to something more like the folkier side of The Strawbs for the entrance of the vocals. Those two modes continue to dominate the track as this continues. This works out to a proggy treatment of world music concepts further down the road. This is another standout piece. It' really becomes quite a powerhouse.
Do the Stanley'
Bouncy old-time British music is at the heart of this number. It's fun, but not as strong as the last few for me.
Dora the Female Explorer
This bouncy number has plenty of folk rock and pop music built into it. It's perhaps not the proggiest thing here, but it's classy and fun.
 
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