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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Man

Be Good To Yourself at Least Once a Day

Review by Gary Hill

I have never heard this album before, even though it’s a remaster/reissue thing. I have to say, I’m pleased. Their blend of psychedelia, groove rock and prog is quite effective. It’s never really clichéd or trite by any means. It’s always entertaining and original. I really like this a lot.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014  Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
C'mon

There is kind of a rocking fusion vibe as this works out. It has some hints of funk to my ears. In some ways it makes me think of Dixie Dregs a bit. There’s almost a bit of Mountain in the mix, too, though. There are some intriguing twists and turns. Bits of this make me think of Steve Howe a little. Around the three minute mark they drop it to a mellow section that has a real space rock and perhaps a Nektar vibe to it. As that section develops, I love the killer keyboard jamming. When the non-lyrical vocals come across later that Nektar reference is reinforced. It keeps evolving from there and we get some more of that killer organ work. A shift brings it back out to the fast paced rocking section after a while. A fast paced jam emerges after that with some killer delay on it. It’s definitely a 1970s styled thing. It’s also another point that makes me think of Nektar quite a bit. The section that takes it after that has a lot of Nektar in the mix, too. That ends abruptly to close out the piece.

Keep On Crinting
Mellow, melodic music opens this, serving as a definite contrast to the closing of the previous piece. There are hints of bluegrass music for a short time as this evolves. Then it launches out into a faster paced jam that’s again rather like Nektar. Changes ensue as this number grows outward.  I love the powerhouse instrumental movement that takes it next. It’s harder rocking, dramatic and very cool. This powerhouse jam just keeps growing and evolving from there. It’s really one part jam band and one part progressive rock tune. It’s a full instrumental piece and a dramatic one at that.
Bananas
There are bits of country in the mix on this, but tempered with progressive rock and fusion. The cut keeps evolving, working through different sections as they continue. The intricate mellow movement later has a lot of psychedelia and prog built into it. It continues to shift and change, though. There’s a harder rocking jam later that makes me think of The Doors quite a bit. They get in some smoking hot jamming on that segment. I like the way they slow it drop it back down to close it out, too.
Life on the Road
The Doors are a valid reference point early on this tune, too. As it continues there is almost an Eric Clapton meets Canned Heat kind of vibe. This is definitely more jam band than it is progressive rock. The Grateful Dead is sometimes a valid comparison on this number. They do work out into something more like fusion later.
Bananas (Early Instrumental Version; Live)
The first of two bonus tracks, this has a real happy sort of jam band vibe to it. There is some great instrumental work and it has a lot of energy. I like it a lot.      
Rockfield Jam
There’s very much a dreamy, mellow prog meets psychedelia and jam band vibe to this. It’s got some cool shifts and changes and evolves nicely.
 
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