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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Jostaberry Greener Grass Review by Gary Hill This is an intriguing and unusual set. The music here is at times nearly pop-oriented. Yet, it's always twisted and tweaked toward the art side of the spectrum. There are various sounds represented here from fusion to King Crimson styled sounds, Beatles-like moments, things that call to mind Billy Sherwood and much more. This is an ever changing sonic tapestry that always seems to fit together somehow. It's also always compelling, even when it gets strange. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review

OK Recliner Cool jazzy piano sounds open this. Processed vocals come in, and the arrangement turns toward weird fusion. It resembles the band UK sonically in some ways.

Zeus Pounding in noisy and frantic, this definitely makes me think of King Crimson in a lot of ways. The vocals are almost more alternative rock based, though. The music is quite freeform while also feeling both punky and metallic. This is strange and oddly compelling. A more melodic movement has more of that alternative rock edge, but tempered with a proggy weirdness. There are things about this that remind me of The Residents a bit. This keeps shifting and changing and turns more into fusion zones later in the piece.

Mountain Song More of a melodic piece, this seems to merge a dreamy modern prog sound with alternative rock edges and fusion music.

Nocturne Jazzy piano serves as the backdrop as processed vocals move over the top. While this is largely jazz-like and exploratory, there is also a dream-like quality to it.

Greener Grass The title track comes in with a harder rocking, alternative rock based sound. This shifts and changes with some unusual and quite proggy changes. There are parts of this that again make me think of King Crimson a bit, but overall this has more of that alternative rock edge built onto it all. Yet, the dynamic and diverse construction of the piece and intriguing musical passages land it firmly under the progressive rock heading.

Maze Dreamy sounds are at the heart of this. There is a lot of piano based music here. Other parts are guided more by clean guitar sounds.

All Ears There is some glam rock built into this. A lot of the sound is distorted and fuzz-laden. I'm really reminded of both the kind of thing Billy Sherwood creates and The Beatles in a lot of ways here. I can even make out hints of Prince on this energetic and bouncy rocker. It's not the proggiest thing here, but it is still definitely prog-leaning. .

Someone Else Bouncy electronic textures are on display here. This is another that makes me think of Sherwood a bit, but with more of an electronic pop edge added to it. Tuned percussion textures later in the track (perhaps synthesized) bring something interesting to it.

Never Always Kind of freaky, this mixes weird psychedelic elements with more experimental sounds. Yet, it's tempered with an alternative pop edge. There is more of a mainstream texture to parts of this, while others get very weird.

Here on the Ground Very jazzy and intriguing, this has an art rock vibe. Yet it also has elements of dreamy, electronic pop music in the mix.

The Bus As this starts it feels like something that would have been at home on MTV in the 1980s. It has a real electronic pop rock vibe. The vocals are heavily processed in an almost machine way. The cut has a good energy and groove. This is oddly one of the most mainstream and accessible pieces of the disc.

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