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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Leah Waybright Dreamed Review by Gary Hill This is an instrumental album that covers a good amount of territory. Touching on jazz, folk, prog and classical styles, this is compelling music. There is plenty of range within not just the album, but the individual tracks, too. Everything here works really well, and this never feels tired or redundant. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024 Volume 2 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review

Candlewink There is a dramatic, dreamy sort of opening to this. From there we get more of a song-oriented vibe led by piano. While on the mellower side, this is dramatic and grows nicely. There are both jazz and classical elements in this mix as more and more layers of sound are added here. It bursts out to more of a full prog rock arrangement further down the road. The classically tinged closing movement is both satisfying and powerful.

Enchanter's Nightshade Piano starts this one tentatively. Vibes join after a time. Then other instruments are added to the mix as it grows out into a tasty instrumental arrangement with a real classical angle to it. Jazz and folk prog are also on the menu here. This blasts upward with a potent horn wailing overhead later.

Dreamprints More of a rocking sound is on display here. This still has plenty of jazz in the mix, and is quite a classy piece of music. It gets into more decidedly progressive rock type stuff as it works forward. This works toward fusion at times, too.

Awake Spring Beauty More of a folk prog kind of vibe gets us underway here with plenty of classical music in the mix. I really dig the playful jazzy element that takes over later in the track. This is another dynamic and dramatic piece of music that works really well.

Earth Rattle A whispered voice is heard before a dramatic flourish takes over. That gives way to piano playing unaccompanied. The track builds out gradually from there with a horn coming over the top. They work through some great changes, and the track gets into some real jazz territory.

Moonsparks This is another with a lot of pure progressive rock built into it. The flute, of course, begs comparisons to Jethro Tull. They take it out into more of a jazz prog movement for a time, but electric guitar heralds a return to more traditional prog. It continues to evolve from there, going through a number of changes.

Stardrift With a prominent flute in the arrangement, this track is another with plenty of melodic progressive rock in the mix. There is a good dynamic range, with it dropping to just piano for a time, but coming back up out into more energized modes after that.

Venus' Looking Glass I like this melodic tune. It has plenty of folk and classical music in the mix. It manages to soar out into more pure prog at times, too.

Sunwise There is a lot of classical music at the heart of this. Yet it's grounded in more of the folk meets prog concept that a lot of this has. This is a mellower track, but don't read that to be less exciting. It's packed full of intriguing changes and great melodic moments.

Love-In-A-Mist A percussion flourish gives way to piano, and we're on our way. This works out to quite a potent and involved piece of music before it's over as other instruments expand the arrangement.

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