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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Benoît Delbecq The Weight of Light Review by Gary Hill This is a set that would be pretty hard to categorize. I've put it under progressive rock, but it's definitely more on the art side of the equation. That said there are elements of fusion and more here. This is built mostly around piano and percussion, and it's quite freeform and a bit strange. It's also very tasty. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2021 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2021.

Track by Track Review

The Loop of Chicago Starting with some pretty unusual piano, this cut works out to something that has some real Rock In Opposition styled leanings. While there are some traditional jazz elements, the freeform nature of the piece and general musical concepts find it leaning toward fusion.

Dripping Stones The piano is the only element of this piece. It's often dissonant and a bit freaky. It paints an uneasy, but captivating soundscape. This feels like it would fit in a soundtrack to a horror film.

Family Trees This starts percussively and piano rises up to join the cause as it gets underway .This is another cut that's very freeform, creative and unusual. It's also very effective.

Chemin sur le Crest This isn't a big change. It is a creative and effective piece of music, though.

Au Fil de la Parole Tuned percussion styled sounds drive the weirdness as this gets underway, too. Then again, piano is technically tuned percussion.

Anamorphoses Strange piano lines and tuned percussion create tension and drama on this freeform artsy piece, at least at first. The cut shifts to more of a driving backdrop and moves more into a jazz zone. It's artistic, creative and compelling. This is one of my favorites here.

Havn en Havre This exploration is freeform and often on the sparse side of the equation. It has a lot of jazz in the mix, but a lot more art music. It's another that's closely tied to the Rock in Opposition movement.

Pair et Impair Percussion and piano make up the musical concept here. While still freeform, there is a driving energy to this cut. At nearly ten-minutes long, this is the epic of the set. That space is put to good use as this pounds forward later in a more dramatic jam. The percussive elements get quite tribal at times. The percussion really dominates the later parts of this piece.

Broken World Piano brings this into being and holds it. This is still on the freeform side, but it has more melody than some of the rest. There is a real passion to it.

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