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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

CB3

Exploration (vinyl)

Review by Gary Hill

I am a big fan of progressive rock, space rock and metal. Those three styles of music all play a role in the sonic tapestry produced by this group. So, as you might guess, I really enjoy this new record. There is plenty of shoegaze, fuzz and psychedelia here, too. The name of the group is a shortened version of Charlottas Burning Trio.

Not only is the music here artistic and captivating, but the record itself is gorgeous. In fact, it's so stunning that I've done one of our MSJ bonus material videos on it. I should also mention that I list the sides of the record in the track by track as "Side One" and just "Two," because that's how it's listed on the back cover of the record. 

Here is that MSJ bonus video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoWevfVUXyY

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review
Side One
                  
Daydreams

This pounds in heavy and driving. It's got a real space rock feel to it. The vocals come across in an almost dreamy way, adding to that space reference. There is some scorching hot prog meets hard rock guitar soloing further down the musical road here. It drops back to a mellower movement later. There is a definitely a dream-pop kind of vibe to it when it does. It turns toward psychedelia as the vocals drop away. It continues to evolve from there in a more proggy way. They take it through all kinds of cool explorations as they continue. This is artsy, spacey, psychedelic and yet heavy. It's also powerfully compelling.

To Space and Away
I love the pop rock meets space and psychedelia vibe as this number gets going. It's not a huge change from the previous piece, yet it definitely has its own identity. The number works through some heavier space rock oriented stuff and turns toward stoner metal from there. Mellower space takes over for a while. The vocals come over the top of that and lead to a return to the song proper.
Going to the Horizon
This opens with a pounding sound that is decidedly metallic. The number shifts quickly to something more akin to a merging of dream pop and space rock sounds. It works through a fairly organic space rock instrumental section. Then a fast paced and driving movement that has some definite hints of Hawkwind takes over from there.
Two
            
In a Rainbow with My Friends

Heavy metallic chording that starts this might make you think you just put on a Candlemass album, but the shoegaze styled sounds that emerge will smash that misconception. It works through some changes before dropping back to an ambient soundscape to continue. It gradually builds up with spacey prog textures. It eventually builds out to a heavier sort of space rock jam, but that change is so organic that you don't really notice the increments involved. It turns quite heavy at the end.

Through Space and Time
Heavy space rock is on the menu as this one comes out of the gate. The vocals come over the top tempering it a bit. There is some screaming hot guitar soloing on the powerhouse space rock jam later. Ignore the bass at your peril, though, because it's really on fire, too. It drops down for a time to a more clean guitar based section, but then fires back out into shoegaze meets space rock zones. The mellower stuff returns, and it really reminds me of early Hawkwind. Vocals come over the top with an intriguing meter to them. There is a more traditional prog angle to that part of the cut.

 

 
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