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December 2014 - Issue 109
Progressive Rock CD Reviews
Leon Alvarado - 2014 Music from an Expanded Universe
Review by Gary Hill
Leon Alvarado plays keyboards.
Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe - Brother of Mine / Vultures in the City CD single
Review by Gary Hill
This single from Anderson, Bruford Wakeman and Howe is out of print, of course, but these days, it’s not that hard (or sometimes expensive) to get your hands on something like this.
Jon Anderson - and Matt Malley – The Family Circle (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill
The first thing to mention here is that this is a collaborative effort between former Yes singer Jon Anderson and former Counting Crows bassist Matt Malley.
Anyone's Daughter - Adonis (Vinyl)
Review by Gary Hill
This is a new audiophile record. It’s a classy set on heavy duty vinyl.
Asia - Go / After the War Vinyl Single
Review by Gary Hill
It used to be that we wouldn’t review things that were out of print.
Bike Thief - Stuck in a Dream
Review by Gary Hill
Shoegaze, psychedelic rock, space rock and prog all seem to merge on this beast.
Cea Serin - The Vibrant Sound of Bliss and Decay
Review by Gary Hill
I can see some people arguing with this landing under progressive rock.
Direct Divide - Abduction (Digital Single)
Review by Gary Hill
I recently reviewed an album from this band and really liked them.
Dreadnaught - High Heat & Chin Music
Review by Gary Hill
This is a double disc retrospective from Dreadnaught.
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Review by Gary Hill
This is such a great album.
Electric Light Orchestra - Face the Music
Review by Gary Hill
It might be obvious, but this has always been one of my favorite albums from Electric Light Orchestra.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Trilogy
Review by Gary Hill
The third album from Emerson, Lake and Palmer this has some great pieces of music.
Antoine Fafard - Ad Perpetuum
Review by Gary Hill
Antoine Fafard first came to prominence as the leader and bass player for the outfit Spaced Out.
Firebird - Bonds of Life
Review by Gary Hill
I really like the music on this disc a lot.
Fractal Control - Disconnection Equals Freedom
Review by Gary Hill
This is definitely going to be the kind of review where people argue about it landing under progressive rock.
Genesis - The Platinum Collection
Review by Gary Hill
This year Genesis released a career spanning box set. I don’t have that one yet, but I figured that this would be a good time to take a look at this one that came out several years ago.
Gentle Giant - Live at the Bicentennial 1776-1976
Review by Gary Hill
This new Gentle Giant recording was available before as an inferior bootleg.
Gong - I See You
Review by Gary Hill
Gong covers a lot of musical territory here.
Heliopolis - City of the Sun
Review by Gary Hill
I love this album. It’s got quite a wide range of sounds.
Hugh Hopper - Volume 1: Memories
Review by Gary Hill
Best known for his work as the bassist in Soft Machine, this is the first disc of a ten disc set of archival releases from Hopper.
Hugh Hopper - Volume 2: Franglo Band
Review by Gary Hill
Hugh Hopper is probably best known as one of the founding members of Soft Machine.
Steve Hunter - Tone Poems Live
Review by Gary Hill
This live album is pretty great. .
Jack Jeffery - Enlightened Horizon
Review by Gary Hill
This is quite cool. The music ranges from Vangelis like music to territory like Enigma, Pink Floyd and more.
Kansas - Always Never the Same
Review by Gary Hill
Kansas recorded this album with the London Symphony Orchestra.
King Crimson - In the Wake of Poseidon
Review by Gary Hill
This was King Crimson’s second album. Greg Lake continued to provide vocals here (with the exception of one song), although he had left the band.
The Levin Brothers - The Levin Brothers
Review by Gary Hill
Is this album progressive rock? No.
Lunatic Soul - Walking on a Flashlight Beam
Review by Gary Hill
I’m going to say this right up front, this might be the best album yet from Lunatic Soul.
Lunatic Soul - Walking on a Flashlight Beam Special Edition
Review by Gary Hill
I actually wound up with two copies of this set, the standard edition and the special edition.
Marillion - This Strange Engine
Review by Gary Hill
In our quest to start filling some of the holes in our archives, I decided to review this Marillion disc.
The Mercury Tree - Countenance
Review by Gary Hill
I can see people arguing with this landing under progressive rock.
The Merlin Bird - Chapter and Verse
Review by Gary Hill
The most dramatic thing about this set is the vocal presence.
The Moody Blues - On the Threshold of a Dream
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve always liked this album a lot.
My Education / Theta Naught Sound Mass - Sound Mass II: Spiritual Docking
Review by Gary Hill
This is instrumental space rock.
Øresund Space Collective - Music for Pogonologists
Review by Gary Hill
The newest album from Oresund Space Collective, this is a double disc set.
The Oxford Coma - Morphine EP
Review by Gary Hill
I can definitely see people arguing about this landing under progressive rock.
Frederico Parra - Descending
Review by Gary Hill
This is an album that’s tough to classify. I’ve put it under progressive rock mainly because the mix of sounds is a very progressive thing.
Alan Parsons - Project – I Robot
Review by Gary Hill
This was the second album from The Alan Parsons Project.
Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds
Review by Gary Hill
This album came into being as Pink Floyd were creating the soundtrack to a French film La Vallée.
Pink Floyd - The Endless River
Review by Gary Hill
This is the latest, and according to David Gilmour, the last Pink Floyd album.
Renaissance - Azure d'Or
Review by Gary Hill
This was the first album I ever heard from Renaissance.
Paul Roland - Professor Moriarty’s Juke Box
Review by Gary Hill
Paul Roland’s brand of music is somewhat predictable, but never redundant or monolithic.
Space Invaders - and Nik Turner – Sonic Noise Opera
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve reviewed another album from Space Invaders in this same issue of Music Street Journal.
Space Invaders - Invasion on Planet Z
Review by Gary Hill
There are four epic pieces here to make up this set.
ST 37 - I’m Not Good
Review by Gary Hill
I like this album a lot.
Kasim Sulton - 3
Review by Gary Hill
Kasim Sulton is best known for his work with Utopia.
Theraphosa - Hung like Mussolini
Review by Gary Hill
I’m sure a lot of people will argue with me putting this under progressive rock. 
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Christmas Attic (vinyl)
Review by Gary Hill
This classic Trans-Siberian Orchestra album has just been reissued on vinyl.
Various Artists - Smooth Jazz Café
Review by Gary Hill
When I hear the term “smooth jazz,” I tend to think of the elevator music variety of jazz.
Cyrille Verdeaux Pascal Menetrey - Tribal Hybrid Concept
Review by Gary Hill
This isn’t progressive rock in the classic sense, but it does have ties to that sound.
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
Review by Gary Hill
This was Frank Zappa’s second solo album.
Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews
Atkins / May Project - Empire of Destruction
Review by Gary Hill
The third album from this outfit, this is quite strong. I’d have to say that for me personally, the previous disc was better.
Dog Fashion Disco - Sweet Nothings
Review by Mike Korn
If you’re looking for a band that’s easy to describe, Dog Fashion Disco is not your pooch.
Pineal - Smiling Cult
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve included this in the metal section of Music Street Journal, but it’s not old school metal by any means.
Rigor Mortis - Slaves to the Grave
Review by Mike Korn
The tale of Rigor Mortis has to be one of the biggest hard luck stories in metal history.
Non-Prog CD Reviews
Bryan Adams - Tracks of My Years
Review by Gary Hill
Doing an album of covers seems to be a trendy thing, as it has been for quite a few years.
Amatus - Broken Compass
Review by Gary Hill
It’s easy to just disregard dance music.
Aubergine MACHINE - Sundown (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill
We’ve been reviewing a steady stream of singles from this outfit.
George Benson - Breezin' (Hybrid Multichannel SACD)
Review by Gary Hill
I remember hearing the title track to this album on the radio all the time in the 1970s.
Black 47 - Last Call
Review by Gary Hill
This is really a bittersweet moment.
Black 47 - Rise Up
Review by Gary Hill
This album is a collection of Black 47 political songs.
Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Steven Stills - Super Session (Hybrid Multichannel SACD)
Review by Gary Hill
This is a new limited edition, numbered audiophile reissue of a classic old album.
Victoria Blythe - Silver Flyer
Review by Gary Hill
This set should definitely appeal to fans of 1970s soft rock singers.
The Call - A Tribute to Michael Been
Review by Gary Hill
The Call were always a legendary band.
Popa Chubby - I'm Feelin' Lucky - The Blues According To Popa Chubby
Review by Gary Hill
I like this set a lot. I would say that not everything here really qualifies as blues, but there is blues in just about all of it.
Cock Robin - After Here through Midland: Expanded Edition
Review by Gary Hill
I vaguely remember liking this outfit back in the day.
Cosby - Heartracer (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill
As someone who is a big progressive rock fan, it might seem odd to some that I like pop music.
Michael Cullen - True Believer
Review by Gary Hill
It’s hard to pinpoint this or land it in one particular place. There’s a lot of Americana here, but things like folk music and old time rock and roll are joined by Goth rock and Pink Floyd like elements.
Bill Curreri - Son of an American Dream
Review by Gary Hill
Every song here is solid. It’s in an Americana style that’s quite familiar.
Dave Davies - Rippin’ Up Time
Review by Gary Hill
This is kind of an odd review. It seems to have two potential audiences.
Miles Davis - The Miles Davis Quintet - All of You: The Last Tour, 1960 Box Set
Review by Gary Hill
This is a four CD box set. It’s got some great performances from the final tour of the Miles Davis Quintet with John Coltrane.
Deep Purple - Graz 1975
Review by Gary Hill
If you like this version of Deep Purple (guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, frontman David Coverdale, bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, keyboard player Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice) you must own this.
D. Edward - Love Is
Review by Gary Hill
This album is made up by a set of modern pop songs with a lot of classic sound built into them.


The Great Escape - The Great Escape
Review by Gary Hill
I can’t praise this album enough. It has a lot in common with a lot of the modern female fronted pop rock out there.
Corey Harris - Fulton Blues
Review by Gary Hill
This new edition includes two live tracks.
Jeff Healey - Band – Live at the Horseshoe Tavern
Review by Gary Hill
This live album from Jeff Healey is quite solid.
Christina Holmes - Peace, Love and C. Holmes
Review by Gary Hill
The one thing you’ll notice first about this album is that Christina Holmes has an exceptional voice.
Darrin James - Bombs Away / Covert Mission Anthem (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill
This digital single is quite cool.
Tyson Leslie - Train Wrecks, Havoc & Heartbreak
Review by Gary Hill
This is quite cool album.
The Living Sisters - Harmony is Real: Songs for a Happy Holiday
Review by Gary Hill
It would be very easy, given the front cover and the sound, to think this was an album released in the 1950s or 1960s.
Manilow - Cease and Desist
Review by Gary Hill
There are only four songs on this EP, but there is a lot of variety.
Jason Masi - Power of a Woman
Review by Gary Hill
There is a real retro, classic soul element to this. That works really well.
Joey Molland - Demo’s Old and New
Review by Gary Hill
Joey Molland is probably best known for his work in Badfinger.
Joey Molland - Joe Molland – This Way Up
Review by Gary Hill
First off, this album is actually released under the name “Joe Molland.”
Gary Moore - Live at Bush Hall 2007
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve always been a big fan of Gary Moore’s brand of rocking blues (or bluesy rock, depending on the song).
My Son the Bum - Follow Me Like Me (feat. Brian Kroll)
Review by Gary Hill
There are quite a few elements of progressive rock that show up on this set.
New Model Army - Between Wine and Blood
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve never heard of this act before, but apparently they have quite a bit of music out there.
Night Club - Black Leather Heart
Review by Gary Hill
This EP is a dance music set. The vocals seem to be a little over-processed for my tastes. 
Ooggz - Welcome to Neptune
Review by Gary Hill
I like hip hop, I’m just not blown away by all of it.
Tyler Porch Band - Only the Sky Knows
Review by Gary Hill
Jam band sounds, blues, jazz and more are built into this release. It’s got a very classic sound to it.
Red Zone Rider - Red Zone Rider
Review by Gary Hill
I suppose these guys are pretty much guaranteed to have a fan base, even before anyone heard them. That’s because the lineup is legendary.
The Shack Band - America
Review by Gary Hill
This is kind of hard to classify.
Neal Smith - Killsmith and the Greenfire Empire
Review by Gary Hill
Neal Smith is probably best known for his work with Alice Cooper. 
James Lee Stanley - The Apocaloptimist
Review by Gary Hill
I love James Lee Stanley’s blend of sounds.
Status Quo - The Frantic Four's Final Fling - Live at Dublin 02 Arena
Review by Gary Hill
Some bands create songs that are distinctive and unique. Some acts make music that’s complex and genre shattering.
Syre & Fresko - Gonna See Miracles
Review by Gary Hill
This Australian outfit produces a sound that’s modern, but also classic. They have a dichotomy in terms of both male and female vocals, too.
32 Below - Every Little Thing about You
Review by Gary Hill
I suppose if you are releasing an album for the youth crowd raised on modern pop music, it makes sense to lead it off with the song that lands closest to that principle. 
The Thompson Twins - Remixes & Rarities: Collection of Classic 12
Review by Gary Hill
The Thompson Twins were always a cool act.
Tiebreaker - We Come from the Mountains
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve reviewed some previous works from Tiebreaker.
Various Artists - Folk City: The Various Artists Compilation Album
Review by Gary Hill
The first instinct here is to think that this will be a folk music compilation.
Various Artists - Psych Out Christmas
Review by Gary Hill
This came out last year, but by the time I got my hands on a copy, our December issue was already published.
Vinyl Floor - Vaudeville
Review by Gary Hill
There is quite a wide range of sound here.
Wendy?! - Notebook
Review by Gary Hill
The blend of rock sounds here is pretty diverse.
Zephyr - Zephyr
Review by Gary Hill
This is a new release of a 1969 album from Zephyr.
DVD/Video Reviews
Alabama - & Friends - At the Ryman DVD
Review by Gary Hill
This is a great concert. There’s no question there. 
Deep Purple - with Orchestra - Live in Verona DVD
Review by Gary Hill
I know there are those who disagree with me, but I wouldn’t necessarily consider Deep Purple to be a progressive rock band.
The Doors - Feast of Friends BluRay
Review by Gary Hill
So, the idea behind this was that The Doors chose to make what they called “an imaginary” documentary that just sort of happened around them.
Drivin' N Cryin' - Scarred But Smarter (Life N Times of Drivin’ N Cryin’) DVD
Review by Gary Hill
You have to admire the passion and commitment involved here.
Genesis - Three Sides Live BluRay
Review by Gary Hill
I like this period of Genesis a lot. They were touring for the Abacab album.
The Rolling Stones - From the Vault: Hampton Coliseum Live in 1981 DVD
Review by Gary Hill
What an awesome DVD this is.
The Rolling Stones - From the Vault: LA Forum Live in 1975 DVD
Review by Gary Hill
I love this series. It’s great that we are finally getting to watch these classic Rolling Stones shows at home.
Johnny Thunders - Looking For Johnny: The Legend of Johnny Thunders DVD
Review by Gary Hill
What a great DVD this is.
Yes - Songs from Tsongas 35th Anniversary Concert BluRay
Review by Gary Hill
This is just getting released on BluRay and with an extra concert.
Interviews
Jeff Berlin
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Jeff Berlin from 2014
Clocks and Clouds
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Clocks and Clouds from 2014
The Flock
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with  Fred Glickenstein of The Flock from 2014
Froskull
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Stephen Rockford Hammond of Froskulll from 2014
Heliopolis
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Heliopolis from 2014
Jack O’ the Clock
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Jack O’ The Clock from 2014
Dave Kilminster
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Dave Kilminster from 2014
MoeTar
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with MoeTar from 2014
Rigor Mortis
Interview by Mike Korn

Interview with Casey Orr of Rigor Mortis from 2014

Brian Tarquin
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Brian Tarquin from 2014
Concert Reviews
Flying Colors - Live in St Charles, Illinois, October 2014
Review by Greg Olma

Flying Colors, for those of you who don’t know, is a prog super group that has been around for a few years now.  

Book Reviews
Jim Peterik - Through the Eye of the Tiger: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Survivor's Founding Member
Review by Gary Hill
With an introduction by Kevin Cronin, this autobiography tells Jim Peterik’s story.
 
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