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October 2020 - Issue 144
Progressive Rock CD Reviews
Rez Abbasi - Django-Shift
Review by Gary Hill

This new set lands under prog because that's where we put fusion. This music definitely lands under that category, but often leans toward actual prog, too.

Asia - Live In Philadelphia
Review by Greg Olma

Asia has been around for quite some time, and I think they are one of the few bands that has more live releases than studio albums.  

Mohamed Assani - Lucid Dreaming (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I reviewed a full set from Mohamed Assani a couple issues ago at MSJ. I landed that one under progressive rock but said that it wasn't a tight fit.

Be-Bop Deluxe - Axe Victim (Deluxe Edition)
Review by Gary Hill

Be-Bop Deluxe is one of those bands that should have been much bigger than they were. From a point of view of being influential, these guys are huge, but to the general public, they are largely unknown.

Blunda - Pulling for You
Review by Gary Hill

This is not really a band, but rather a one-man show. That one person is Andy Blunda.

Cosmopolis - Sécheresse (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

This is definitely not progressive rock in the traditional old-school sense. That said, there is a shoegaze and post-punk sound here this is pure modern prog.

Dave Cousins - The Boy In The Sailor Suit: Expanded & Remastered Edition
Review by Gary Hill

This new edition of a classic Dave Cousins solo album is classy. The album was originally released in 2007.

Dalia Davis - Keep a Clean Engine
Review by Gary Hill

Let me make something clear at the start, not everything here is progressive rock. Several of the songs are definitely prog based, but perhaps of the AOR variety.

Days Between Stations - Giants
Review by Gary Hill

Days Between Stations doesn't seem capable of producing an album that is anything short of spectacular.

Dr. Chrispy - Transitory
Review by Gary Hill

I've reviewed some other music from this artist. This guy is both a musician and aeronautical engineer with an eye on space exploration in both of those endeavors.

Jon Durant - and Robert Jürjendal - Across the Evening
Review by Gary Hill

I've reviewed some things by Jon Durant in the past. I've actually landed this under his artist name in the online version of Music Street Journal to make it easier to find in connection to those other articles.

Pablo Embon - Harmony Tales
Review by Gary Hill

I've reviewed quite a bit of music from Pablo Embon. His music always lands under progressive rock at MSJ because it's fusion and that's where we put fusion.

John Fedchock NY Sextet - Into The Shadows
Review by Gary Hill

This is not a tight fit under progressive rock. We usually put fusion there, and this has fusion leanings, but perhaps it's closer to pure jazz.

Fruupp - Made In Ireland: Best Of Fruupp
Review by Gary Hill

This new set, as you might guess from the title, gathers up a number of songs from several Fruupp albums and assembles them as a "best of" collection.

Grapefruit Sound Lab - Dum Dum Gun (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

While this number doesn't qualify as actual progressive rock, it certainly fits as "art music." That basically makes it "art rock," although there isn't a real rock aesthetic here.

Tom Guarna - Spirit Science
Review by Gary Hill

We generally land fusion under the progressive rock heading, and I'd definitely consider this fusion. 

The Lickerish Quartet - Threesome, Vol. 1
Review by Gary Hill

Do you remember the band Jellyfish? I was a huge fan of that band.

Mandoki Soulmates - Living in the Gap / Hungarian Pictures
Review by Gary Hill

Everything about this operation screams "classy." What I'm reviewing here is a double CD set.

Moon Over Mountain - Champagne And Brass
Review by Gary Hill

I previously reviewed another set for this act. I liked that one quite a bit, but I think this is even stronger with the exception of one element.

OGD - The Big Game
Review by Gary Hill

I've struggled with where to put this. It's not purely progressive rock by any means.

Pawl & ttypes - Motel
Review by Gary Hill

This album is the creation of two brothers. Those brothers are Paul (Pawl) and Tim (ttypes) Krauss.

Anthony Phillips - The Living Room Concert, Remastered & Expanded Digipak Edition
Review by Gary Hill

Given the title of this set, you might thing that it was just recorded in 2020 under pandemic lockdown. That's not the case, though.

The Residents - Metal Meat & Bone: The Songs Of Dyin' Dog
Review by Gary Hill

To some degree you have an idea what you are going to get when you dig into a new Residents CD. I always land them under progressive rock, largely because of the experimental nature of their sound.

Markus Reuter - with Mannheimer Schlagwerk - Sun Trance
Review by Gary Hill

This new release is essentially a single. Well, that's only so true.

Markus Reuter Oculus - Nothing is Sacred
Review by Gary Hill

Everyone on this release is exceptionally skilled. The majority of them are frequently featured in Music Street Journal reviews.

Eric Revis - Slipknots Through A Looking Glass
Review by Gary Hill

Eric Revis is the bass player on this disc. That's important to note because the bass is prominent here.

Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell - How To Turn The Moon
Review by Gary Hill

This is quite an intriguing album. It's very artistic.

Dave Schoepke - Tessellated Resonance
Review by Gary Hill

This is the second set from Dave Schoepke that I've reviewed. Like that one, I've landed this under the progressive rock heading because of the experimental nature of it.

Seven Crows - Secrets Of Navigation
Review by Gary Hill

Here is one that is perhaps not a tight fit under progressive rock. That said, the intriguing blend of instrumental world music with classical, rock and more is decidedly progressive.

Shihori - Perfect Imperfection (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

This new single comes from an artist who has found a way to turn adversity into a strength. She has overcome a number of things in her own life and come out on the other side with a positive outlook.

Sluka - Vampire's Ball (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I've reviewed quite a bit of stuff from this artist. I pretty much universally enjoy the music they create.

South Florida Jazz Orchestra - Cheap Thrills: The Music of Rick Margitza
Review by Gary Hill

This album perhaps leans more toward standard jazz than fusion, but that fusion connection is solid enough for me to include it under prog (which is where we put fusion).

Various Artists - Kraut!: Teil 2 - KRAUT! - Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock 1968-1979
Review by Gary Hill

As you might guess, this is the second part of a series of various artists releases focusing on Krautrock. I reviewed the first one previously.

Vast Caldera - Vast Caldera 1
Review by Gary Hill

This new instrumental set is perhaps not the tightest fit under progressive rock, but I can't think of anywhere else it belongs. There is a real exploratory, freeform nature to much of this music.

Mark Vickness - Interconnected
Review by Gary Hill

I previously reviewed another disc from Mark Vickness. I put that one under progressive rock.

Wizzard - Introducing Eddy and the Falcons
Review by Gary Hill

Were I to categorize this based on the music here alone, it probably wouldn't fit under the progressive rock heading.

Roy Wood & Wizzard - Main Street Remastered & Expanded CD Edition
Review by Gary Hill

Roy Wood came to fame as part of both The Move and Electric Light Orchestra (which basically evolved out of The Move).

Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews
Hanover Fist - HF III
Review by Gary Hill

I have to admit that I never heard of this band before. They originally came out in the mid-90s, but honestly, their sound seems rooted in older eras, at least as represented here.

High Spirits - Hard to Stop
Review by Mike Korn
High Spirits is a Chicago-based band that is one of the many creations of multi-talented musician “Professor” Chris Black.
Powerman 5000 - The Noble Rot
Review by Gary Hill

I really like this band. Their dark blend of metal and electronic has plenty of techno and industrial built into it.

Various Artists - NWOBHM Thunder: New Wave Of British Heavy Metal 1978-1986
Review by Gary Hill

This new collection of music from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal is particularly strong. We get three CDs of music along with a nice booklet.

Non-Prog CD Reviews
Patrick Ames - You Make Me Scream (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I've previously reviewed other projects from Patrick Ames. This new single showcases a lot of the kinds of sounds I've heard from him in the past, while still feeling fresh and new.

Eric Anders and Mark O'Bitz - American Bardo
Review by Gary Hill
This new set has a cool sound. It combines a dreamy, modern prog aspect with real Americana and roots music.
Bushwick Blooze Band - Lonely and Blue (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

This is the new single from the Brooklyn blues band that goes under the name "Bushwick Blooze Band." It's an effective and potent tune.

Eddie Cochran - Dark Lonely Street (10-inch vinyl EP with CD set)
Review by Gary Hill
I am sure there are a lot of people who know Eddie Cochran just because of his song "Summertime Blues."
Coffin Daggers - Eleki Album
Review by Gary Hill

I previously reviewed another set from this act. In that review I said that the band was along the lines of a modern Ventures in some ways.

Grapefruit Sound Lab - and Amuka - Love Cards (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I've gotten a whole series of singles from Grapefruit Sound Lab. They cover quite a bit of musical territory.

Grapefruit Sound Lab - Gina Volpe & Grapefruit Sound Lab - Shine (Red House Mix)
Review by Gary Hill

The idea here is that Grapefruit Sound Lab has created a remix of punk artist Gina Volpe's tune. I should mention that I'm not sure if this should go under her name or theirs.

Grapefruit Sound Lab - The Flavors of Tears (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I've reviewed several Grapefruit Sound Lab singles for this issue of Music Street Journal. Each has its own flavor.

Grapefruit Sound Lab - To Make You Mine (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill
The second single from this act I've reviewed for this issue, this is a complete departure from that other one. While that tune landed under prog for the art rock elements, this one is more of a club dance cut.
Glenn Hughes - The Official Bootleg Box Set Volume Three 1995-2010
Review by Gary Hill

The latest in a series of bootleg box sets of Glenn Hughes music, this might be the best of the bunch.

Jack and Sally - Who We Become
Review by Gary Hill

While the band's name might suggest that the group is a duo, it is actually a trio from the UK.

jefff - R U Hip 2 the Revolution (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

The mix of sounds on this tune is intriguing. It has a lot of old school texture, but also modern edges.

Kid Lab Rat - More Sad Songs
Review by Gary Hill

The mix of sounds on this set is wide ranging an unusual. There is plenty of electronic texture here.

Pete Kronowitt - Do Something Now
Review by Gary Hill

This new set from Pete Kronowitt shares a musical identity with the previous work of his I reviewed, It has a lot of singer-songwriter vibe.

Little Warrior - Flight Risk
Review by Gary Hill

I have always liked electronic music. The thing is, it can often, by definition, feel sterile and unemotional.

A Love Electric - Permanent Immigrant
Review by Gary Hill

This is an interesting set. It has a lot of psychedelia and old-school garage rock built into it.

Serinity Lynn - U & Me (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill
Serinity Lynn is just 18-years old. Her new single shows that she has promise.
Krissy Matthews - Monster in Me
Review by Gary Hill

This set features a nice selection of songs. The music here works between hard bluesy rock, alternative, more melodic stuff and nearly metal songs.

Liam Moore - Visions of a Perfect Life
Review by Gary Hill

A lot of modern music draws heavily on roots music. This is one such set.

Amber Norgaard - Roots Run Deep
Review by Gary Hill

Amber Norgaard's brand of music is deeply roots based, but also modern at the same time. The song writing and arrangements here are great.

Not My God - Not My God
Review by Gary Hill

This is a joint project of Tim Sköld (formerly of Marilyn Manson and Shotgun Messiah) and Nero Bellum (Psyclone Nine). The music, as you might expect, lands in that industrial kind of zone.

Sara Ontaneda - Separated by the Sea (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I know it is the old cliché, "music used to be better." While there is some truth to that, the fact is, there is a lot of great music being made today.

The Cole Patenaude Band - Are You Happy Now?
Review by Gary Hill

This act might not be the most original band you've ever heard. The sound they create isn't breaking any molds.

Shihori - Soul Trip (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I've reviewed another single from this artist in this issue of Music Street Journal. I put that one under progressive rock because I felt that it qualified as "art music."

Sleave - Don't Expect Anything
Review by Gary Hill

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, this act seems to pull in the best parts of a lot of styles to create a sound that is both familiar and innovative.

SONI - Dance with Me (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

I reviewed another single from this act last issue. As much as I liked that one, I think this is even stronger.

Jay Stott - Wreckage of Now
Review by Gary Hill

This isn't going to win any awards for being unique. What it does well, though, is create songs in familiar styles that are particularly effective.

Doc Straw & the Scarecrows - Get on By (digital single)
Review by Gary Hill

Let me just begin this by saying that, yes, there is a Doc Straw. His name is Mike Straw, and not only is he the main man behind this act, but he's a combat vet and a doctor of physical therapy.

Les Techno - Flowers for Dystopia
Review by Gary Hill

Let Techno is artist who is always hard to categorize. He seems to take parts of various musical styles and merge them all into something that's both unique and captivating.

Dan Tuffy - Letters of Gold
Review by Gary Hill

This is an intriguing collection of tunes. The general concept is along the lines of roots based singer-songwriter music.

Various Artists - Destination Health: Doc Feelgood's Rock Therapy 30 Bop Pills For Your Recovery
Review by Gary Hill

With a global pandemic changing life around us for the bulk of 2020, Bear Family Records have assembled this cool set of songs that are topical.

Various Artists - That'll Flat...Git It Vol. 34: Rockabilly And Rock 'n' Roll From The Vaults Of Renown & Hornet Records
Review by Gary Hill

You can always count on Bear Family Records to produce a classy product. This set is no exception.

Gene Vincent - Sounds Like Gene Vincent (10-inch vinyl EP)
Review by Gary Hill

This new release from Bear Family is classy stuff.

DVD/Video Reviews
Circuline - CircuLive - New View (multi-disc set)
Review by Gary Hill
This is a nice new release from New York prog rockers Circuline. It's currently available for pre-order with a number of packages.
Geoff Gibbons - Keep on Driving (video)
Review by Gary Hill
I reviewed the single of this song in the previous issue of Music Street Journal. Now, Geoff Gibbons has released a video of the number, and that's what I'm reviewing here.
Kiss - The Second Coming DVD
Review by Greg Olma

I have been a Kiss fan since 1975, but at the time I was too young to go to concerts to see the band.  Instead, I had to enjoy the group through pictures and the occasional TV appearance.

Sluka - Vampire's Ball (video)
Review by Gary Hill

I have also reviewed the digital single of this song, but wanted to look at the video, as well. 

Book Reviews
Steve Hackett - A Genesis in My Bed; Steve Hackett - The Autobiography
Review by Gary Hill

This book is such a classy product. In fact, it's so impressive in terms of the presentation that I felt compelled to do one of our YouTube bonus feature videos about it.

Various Artists - Punk Faction: BHP '91 to '95
Review by Gary Hill

If you were ever a reader of fanzines, opening up this book will be a familiar pleasure. There was always something special about fanzines that just can't be replicated on the internet.

 
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