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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Vipid Memories Review by Gary Hill If you are a fan of instrumental electronic prog albums by artists like Synergy, this should feel familiar to you. It's very much in line with that school of music. This new release feels as if it would have fit well in the heady times in which that kind of music was released. This is also an effective set from start to finish. 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

Home There is a suitably grounded and comfortable texture to this short piece. It really does feel like "home."

Night Tides This has a cool groove to it. The melodies are classy, and this is more of an instrumental progressive rock piece.

Vista There is a bit darker vibe as this number works out. It's slower moving. It gets a bit more energized as the percussion rises upward. I'm reminded to a large degree of things like Synergy on this number.

Dawn A mid-tempo piece, this has rich layers and textures. This piece calls to mind both Synergy and Tangerine Dream.

Internity Another classy instrumental piece, the concepts aren't changed all that much, but this is still its own composition.

Six There is some awesome bass work on this number. The piece has a real prog rock vibe to it. It's one of the highlights of the disc. Yet, it's still not an enormous change. It just makes great use of the familiar concepts and sounds. There is a mellower movement further down the road after that bass has dropped away.

Late Night This one has a bit of jazzy air in its echoey, slowly evolving lines of melody. It really does feel like "late night."

Lavender Sunset The bass stands out on this number, too. It's a moving and potent prog rocker that is so classy.

Fracture The rhythm section is more prominent and driving on this number, too. This is one almost seems like what you might get if you combined Meddle-era Pink Floyd with Tangerine Dream. At around the halfway mark, the cut changes gear completely. It seems to end, but then keyboards rise up and control it by themselves for a while. Eventually the other elements return and the piece gets back into the zone, but with a bit of intensification.

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