Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Michael Barry-Rec Continuum Review by Gary Hill I’m sure some will argue with this landing under progressive rock. Sure, it’s not all that much “rock,” but this is progressive music. It’s got a lot in common with things like California Guitar Trio and Tangerine Dream, too. However you categorize this, though, it’s made up of some great instrumental music. This is generally pretty mellow and always entertaining. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014 Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Rendezvous Based on acoustic stylings, this is dreamy, slow moving and pretty. There are hints of things a bit like Pink Floyd, but there are also hints of Americana, country music and more.

Cause and Effects There is a bit of a groove to this. It has some fusion in the mix, too. A lot of it makes me think of something Steve Howe might do.

Clockwise I love the pulsing, dreamy hypnotic sounds on this thing. It’s pretty and quite intricate. There really is a clockwork kind of timing to this piece, really. I’m reminded at times of California Guitar Trio.

Sanctum Here’s another that makes me think of Steve Howe, but combined with CGT. This is good stuff, too.

Fields That Never Die There is more energy and a bit of a more rocking sound here.

Shake Rag Shuffle This has a bit of a country music edge combined with folk music and more. It’s quite a tasty piece of music.

Labyrinth There is a killer blues rock grind to this. It’s got some great guitar soloing, too. This is cool stuff.

Lotus This one definitely makes me think of the moody mellow side of Pink Floyd.

Mystified There is some country music in the mix here. It’s another, though, that reminds me a bit of California Guitar Trio.

In Visible More rocking, this is especially cool. It’s got some funk and some real jazz in the mix. It’s very dramatic and has some great melodic work.

Beckon Some atmospheric textures open this leading up to a chiming bell type sound. Then acoustic guitar brings in intricate melody lines and it builds out from that point. After the two minute mark the piece gets reworked in a more developed and powerful vein. There are some particularly lush layers of sound here. Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream are valid reference points in some ways.

Two Way Dream Another slow moving piece, this has dreamy characteristics along with some elements of bluegrass music.

Buried in the Sky Somehow, this feels a little more “song” like. It’s got a bit more of a rock energy and it’s another solid piece of instrumental magic.

More CD Reviews

Metal/Prog Metal

Non-Prog

Progressive Rock

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
© 2025 Music Street Journal Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com