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February 2009 - Issue 74
Progressive Rock CD Reviews
Azteca - From The Ruins
Review by Julie Knispel
Back in the early 1970’s brothers Pete and Coke Escovedo finished stints with Carlos Santana’s band. 
Bigelf - Cheat the Gallows
Review by Rick Damigella
So one Saturday, whilst strolling the aisles at the Virgin Megastore on Hollywood Blvd., a particular disc caught my eye.
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic - Dawn of the Cycads
Review by Gary Hill
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic are a unique outfit. They have a definite classical edge and lots of jazz in their mix.
Bill Bruford - The Summerfold Collection 1987-2008
Review by Gary Hill
Bill Bruford is certainly best known for his work as drummer in Yes and King Crimson.
Bill Bruford - The Winterfold Collection 1978-1986
Review by Gary Hill
This is a new compilation of music from Bill Bruford released on his own label, Winterfold.
Captain Beyond - Sufficiently Breathless
Review by Gary Hill
During their short career Captain Beyond only released three albums.
Deus Ex Machina - Imparis
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve heard of this group for a while, but this is the first time I’ve ever actually heard them. They are pretty incredible.
Al Di Meola - Electric Anthology
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve always been a big fan of the work of Al Di Meola. The man has a great skill at combining Latin sounds, rock and jazz into a powerful musical landscape.
Drumbo - City of Refuge
Review by Gary Hill
Musically probably half of this disc would not qualify as progressive rock. So, why do I have it listed here?
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
Review by Gary Hill
With this disc Peter Gabriel continued to confound the record label by releasing it under just his name.
Daniel Gauthier - The Wish
Review by Gary Hill
Prog purists should take note of this new album.
Genesis - Abacab
Review by Gary Hill
For fans of Genesis the sounds they put out in the eighties could be considered anti-Genesis.
Genesis - Nursery Cryme
Review by Gary Hill
This disc is one of my favorites from Genesis.
Genesis - Trespass
Review by Gary Hill
Trespass was the second album from Genesis. It was the final one to feature Anthony Phillips on guitar.
Giant Squid - The Ichthyologist
Review by Gary Hill
Let’s be perfectly clear here. I know that prog purists will shake their head at Giant Squid being included in the progressive rock section of Music Street Journal.
David Gilmour - David Gilmour
Review by Gary Hill
This was David Gilmour’s first solo album. 
Hawkwind - Acid Daze: The History of Hawkwind
Review by Gary Hill
Given the subtitle on this, you’d expect it to be a chronological compilation with detailed liner notes. Well, if you want that you need to get Epoch Eclipse
Hawkwind - Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music
Review by Gary Hill
This is a unique album. In many ways it doesn’t really feel like a Hawkwind album. 
Hawkwind - Electric Tepee
Review by Gary Hill
This is a strong Hawkwind disc, but it has a few problems with consistency.
Hawkwind - Hawkwind
Review by Gary Hill
Hawkwind’s debut album is really much different from the rest of their catalog. For one thing it’s more psychedelic and much of it shares a lot of ground with Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. 
Hawkwind - Stasis: The U.A. Years, 1971-1975
Review by Gary Hill
This is kind of a cool set. While Hawkwind fans might well have these songs on various albums they already own, they will probably find a few things here they don’t have – at least not these exact versions. 
Hawkwind - The Business Trip – Live
Review by Gary Hill
Hawkwind had done a live album not that many years earlier with Palace Springs, so this seemed a little soon to put out one. 
Hawkwind - Zones
Review by Gary Hill
I know a lot of people aren’t crazy about this disc. For my money it’s well worth having. 
Allan Holdsworth - Sand
Review by Gary Hill
You know, I always tend to lump fusion into progressive rock. Why?
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Review by Gary Hill
If you’ve only ever owned one album by Jethro Tull, the odds are this is it. It’s one of those all time classic discs.
Jethro Tull - Songs From the Wood
Review by Gary Hill
This disc is perhaps more organic and less hard rocking than some of the Jethro Tull’s other albums. 
Kansas - Leftoverture
Review by Gary Hill
This was the breakthrough disc for Kansas. Many times that means “sell out” album. That’s definitely not the case here.
Kansas - Point Of Know Return
Review by Gary Hill
If Leftoverture was the album that really broke Kansas, this was the one that thrust them into superstardom. The thing is, again they did it without sacrificing their progressive rock roots. 
King Crimson - Earthbound
Review by Gary Hill
This is a good, but not great, live album from King Crimson. The first thing holding it from the “great” title is the sound quality.
Longshot - Asylum
Review by Josh Turner
As soon as I heard that Longshot had a sequel, I sought treatment.
Lunatic Soul - Lunatic Soul
Review by Gary Hill
Never heard of Lunatic Soul?
Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear
Review by Gary Hill
Marillion in these days were often dubbed a Genesis clone. Certainly there is basis for that assessment. 
The Moody Blues - Hall of Fame - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2000
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve only seen the Moody Blues live once and it was a disappointing show. They pushed the sound system past the point of good music and into the distortion zone. 
The Moody Blues - Long Distance Voyager
Review by Gary Hill
In the 1980’s the Moody Blues took on a more electronic sound. I know that sound didn’t sit well with a lot of fans. For them this was probably the last great Moody Blues album – at least for a while. 
Morglbl - Toons Tunes From The Past
Review by Gary Hill
This set is made up of two older (long out of print) albums from this French outfit.
Alan Parsons - Alan Parsons Project – Eye in the Sky
Review by Gary Hill
Eye in the Sky might not be the best Alan Parsons Project CD, but it’s a strong album.
Jaco Pastorius - Heavy ‘N Jazz
Review by Gary Hill
When it comes to bass players you just can’t get much better than Jaco Pastorius.
Pink Floyd - Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd
Review by Gary Hill
Best of compilations are always a mixed bag. Certainly what one person considers the best, someone else might think of as “eh.”
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Review by Gary Hill
I know for many people this is the end-all-be-all of Pink Floyd. I have to say for me it’s over – that’s over-rated and over-played.
Presto Ballet - The Lost Art of Time Travel
Review by Josh Turner
I guess all the future time travelers only travelled to a time before recorded history.
Random Touch - A Box and A Word
Review by Gary Hill
I’m not a huge fan of Rock In Opposition. I should say that right up front.
Red Star Revolt - Red Star Revolt
Review by Gary Hill
This definitely isn’t your Father’s progressive rock. Nor is it the next Dream Theater.
Renaissance - Camera Camera
Review by Gary Hill
Old time Renaissance fans have often slagged this disc. That’s a shame because it’s a great album.
Rush - A Show of Hands
Review by Gary Hill
This live release continued Rush’ trend of four studio sets followed by a live album. It features music that’s from a period that isn’t my favorite from the band. 
Rush - Chronicles
Review by Gary Hill
Compilations are always tricky business. No matter how you assemble them you’ll miss someone’s favorite number.
Rush - Gold
Review by Gary Hill
In many ways this double disc compilation is too similar to Chronicles.
Rush - Power Windows
Review by Greg Olma
I have always coupled Power Windows together with Hold Your Fire as the two records that defined the Rush ‘80s sound. 
Rush - Retrospective Volume 1 (1974-1980)
Review by Gary Hill
There are quite a few Rush compilations out there.
Rush - Retrospective Volume 2 (1981-1987)
Review by Gary Hill
Along with its companions these represent a few of the many Rush compilations out there.
Rush - Rush In Rio
Review by Greg Olma
It was only a matter of time before Rush would make their way to South America, specifically Rio.
Rush - Snakes & Arrows Live
Review by Greg Olma
I knew this was going to happen and I could almost see the trend happening.
Rush - The Spirit Of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987
Review by Gary Hill
This Rush compilation is certainly redundant as everything on it shows up on Chronicles or Gold (or both).
Shub-Niggurath - Les Morts Vont Vite
Review by Gary Hill
I first heard about this band when I was doing research for my book The Strange Sound of Cthulhu: Music Inspired by the Writings of H. P. Lovecraft.
The Simple Things - The Simple Things
Review by Gary Hill
There aren’t a lot of bands out there without guitar. The Simple Things are one of them.
Soft Machine - Spaced
Review by Gary Hill
The music on this CD is incredibly hard to describe or categorize. Certainly ambient space music would be applicable to some of this. 
Starcastle - Fountains of Light
Review by Gary Hill
This was the second album from Illinois’ progressive rock band, Starcastle.
Lynn Stokes and the Sol Surfers - Terra Nocturne
Review by Gary Hill
Fans of Pink Floyd should be all over this. The disc has a lot of music that could fit onto Floyd discs pretty seamlessly.
Tranquil Echo - As It Should Be
Review by Gary Hill
How much guitar soloing can the human brain take before it shuts down? That might be one question this disc poses.
Tribe After Tribe - M.O.A.B. - Stories from Deuteronomy
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve got this one listed in progressive rock because a lot of it reminds me of the space rock of Hawkwind.
Ulysses - The Gift of Tears
Review by Gary Hill
I could see people considering this band metal instead of progressive rock, but I would disagree.
Wendy and Lisa - White Flags of Winter Chimneys
Review by Gary Hill
It’s always amazing how two objects can start at disparate points and gradually move together until they converge.
Frank Zappa - Strictly Commercial
Review by Gary Hill
A compilation of some of the “best” of Frank Zappa’s music, this is a good disc, if you ignore the question of what is really “best.”
Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews
Bible of the Devil - Freedom Metal
Review by Gary Hill
I’d heard some good stuff about this band, but this is the first time I’ve actually heard them.
Black Sabbath - Sabotage
Review by Gary Hill
I know many regard this as kind of a throw away Black Sabbath album. Certainly the lackluster cover didn’t help.
Disturbed - Indestructible
Review by Travis Jensen
It’s that time again! It's time for the release of another metal masterpiece from Disturbed.
DragonForce - Ultra Beatdown
Review by Rick Damigella
The masters of power metal, DragonForce, have unleashed their fourth recorded opus, Ultra Beatdown, upon the world.
Elder - Elder
Review by Gary Hill
What an exceptional release this is! First off, let’s just talk about the packaging.
Gamma Ray - Hell Yeah!!! The Awesome Foursome: Live In Montreal
Review by Gary Hill
While Gamma Ray has built their own reputation, you really can’t mention them without bringing up the roots.
Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla
Review by Gary Hill
I know there are a lot of people who just plain disregard this Judas Priest album because the sound is so different. That’s a mistake.
Kreator - Hordes of Chaos
Review by Gary Hill
I’d never actually heard Kreator before I got this disc. I have to say it has me wanting to look into their back catalog.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Perpetual Flame
Review by Gary Hill
Here’s the latest disc from Yngwie Malmsteen and it’s quite a good one.
Man Made Man - Your Punishment Begins
Review by Mike Korn
Man Made Man may seem like a new name in the world of metal, but the band has been around in some fashion for about 15 years.
Mötley Crüe - Saints of Los Angeles
Review by Travis Jensen
It has been said by European countries that the United States has no culture.
Pro-Pain - No End In Sight
Review by Mike Korn
Sometimes it takes a band a long time to hit their stride. For Pro-pain, it took about sixteen years.
Saxon - Into the Labyrinth
Review by Gary Hill
It’s been years since I’ve heard a new Saxon album. I have to admit there was a time when I had a turntable set up with a timer and had their Wheels of Steel album as my alarm clock.
X World / 5 - New Universal Order
Review by Gary Hill
You could consider this group to be a heavy metal supergroup.
Non-Prog CD Reviews
ABC - The Lexicon of Love
Review by Gary Hill
When this album first came out it really captured my heart. I listened to it day in and day out for a long time.
AC/DC - Black Ice
Review by Rick Damigella
AC/DC really are living legends of rock and roll. They are amongst the top selling music artists of all time.
Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts
Review by Gary Hill
I know a lot of people have some pretty low views of this album. I’d say that’s a shame.
Angus Khan - Black Leather Soul
Review by Rick Damigella
Listen up! Are you tired of the same old same old from your rock bands?
Jeff Beck - Performing this week...Live at Ronnie Scott’s
Review by Bruce Stringer
There has been a buzz in recent years concerning the new, revitalized Jeff Beck – a man who has managed to re-invent himself yet again.
Ken Block - Drift
Review by Gary Hill
This is the first solo album from the lead singer of Sister Hazel.
Boston - Boston
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve started to realize lately that there is a lot of great music out there that for myself and many others was quintessential (and impossible to miss) when we were in our formative years, yet might be completely mysterious and unknown to modern generations.
Bread - Guitar Man
Review by Gary Hill
I know Bread is probably best known for creating mellow acoustic rock ballads.
The Cars - Candy-O
Review by Gary Hill
It’s always interesting to look at discs like this in retrospect. At the time you can’t escape them if you turn on the radio.
Dare Dukes - Prettiest Transmitter of All
Review by Gary Hill
I’ve always found it fascinating how some musicians can take sounds that are decidedly left of center and make them seem “catchy.” Dare Dukes shows himself to be such a person. 
Duran Duran - Astronaut
Review by Gary Hill
Astronaut was Duran Duran’s reunion CD released a few years back.
Honeyboy Edwards - Roamin’ and Ramblin’
Review by Lisa Palmeno and Dave Kaye
David “Honeyboy” Edwards is still making the scene, and his Roamin’ and Ramblin’ has gotten as much attention as any blues-world great could ask for. 
Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue
Review by Gary Hill
I know a lot of people dismiss ELO. Certainly their disco era had a lot to do with that. This disc was just at the edge of the start of that.
Elusive Parallelograms - and Everything Changes
Review by Gary Hill
The debut disc from Elusive Parallelograms, this is quite a diverse little EP.
Firefall - Walk More Softly
Review by Gary Hill
This is a single from the 1970’s hit makers Firefall. Since it’s just one song this will focus on the release itself while the track review will focus on the song. 
Anthony Gomes - Live
Review by
Anthony Gomes Live made it to Billboard Blues Chart’s numero uno spot, just above Stevie Ray Vaughn/Vol. 1 – Real Deal: Greatest Hits.
H. P. Lovecraft - Live May 11, 1968
Review by Gary Hill
H. P. Lovecraft were a fairly short-lived psychedelic outfit that came out of Chicago in the late 1960’s.
Daryl Hall and John Oates - Live at the Troubadour
Review by Gary Hill
I was never a big fan of Hall and Oates in the days when they were all over the radio.
Jefferson Starship - Freedom at Point Zero
Review by Gary Hill
When Jefferson Starship released this album it was without long-time members Grace Slick and Marty Balin.
Jann Klose - Reverie
Review by Gary Hill
This CD shows off a talented artist whose music is along the lines of jazzy mellow pop rock.
Magnolia - Falska Vägar
Review by Gary Hill
Magnolia’s debut was far easier to categorize.
Max Webster - Max Webster
Review by Gary Hill
Max Webster is one of those bands that had a really devoted following, but were never anything close to a household name.
Mumiy Troll - Comrade Ambassador
Review by Scott Montgomery
Having spent over ten years developing a strong independent music scene in their native Russia, and extending their fan-base across Eastern and Central Europe, Mumiy Troll continue their Westward expansion with their North American debut release of Comrade Ambassador.
Nazareth - Hair of the Dog
Review by Gary Hill
As Nazareth albums go, this is the Holy Grail, the big kahuna, the one you must own if you only own one.
John Oates - 1000 Miles of Life
Review by Gary Hill
Yes, that’s the John Oates of Hall and Oates fame. I know, if you are like me you remember that duo for all the hits they had in the 1970’s.
Pink Spiders - Sweat It Out
Review by Gary Hill
Punk rock, old school rock and roll and good old pop music are blended together to form the music that is Pink Spiders.
Jody Raffoul - Big Sky
Review by Gary Hill
Here’s a contemporary release that’s very classic rock in nature.
Rose Tattoo - Blood Brothers – Special Tour Edition
Review by Gary Hill
I remember this band from way back when but I never really listened to them much. If this disc is any indication, that’s my loss.
Tokyo Rosenthal - Love Won Out
Review by Gary Hill
This is a great disc, plain and simple. Tokyo Rosenthal creates a blend of sounds that stay close to the singer/songwriter style of musical vision.
Siena Root - Far From The Sun
Review by Gary Hill
If you are a fan of the 1970’s perhaps you should think about moving to Sweden.
The SilenTreatment - Sinful Acts of Audio
Review by Gary Hill
There’s something to be said for the appeal and grace of a well-written pop song.
Styx - Equinox
Review by Gary Hill
Earlier Styx CD’s fell pretty firmly in the realm of progressive rock. This disc comes close.
Sweet - Desolation Boulevard
Review by Gary Hill
Sweet were one of those second or third tier bands. They had a solid following a few huge hits, but were never the “household” names of the big players.
Toto - Hydra
Review by Gary Hill
I was never a huge Toto fan. For some reason I’ve always been drawn to this CD, though.
Gary Numan and Tubeway Army - Replicas
Review by Gary Hill
Tubeway Army was the band Gary Numan was with before he started his solo career.
Van Halen - Van Halen
Review by Gary Hill
I still remember when this album first came out. It really revolutionized music.
Various Artists - Meat Dbeatles: Vol. 1
Review by Gary Hill
This album of covers by relatively obscure acts is quite cool.
Various Artists - The Punisher: War Zone Soundtrack
Review by Gary Hill
Soundtrack albums are always such a crap shoot. Some times the music, taken away from the film, doesn’t really hold up. 
Eerie Von - Bad Dream No. 13
Review by Julie Knispel
Most people know Eerie Von through his association with Glenn Danzig dating back to their days in Samhain, the seminal post-punk/hardcore band of the mid 1980’s. 
Eerie Von’s SpiderCider - That’s All There Is
Review by Julie Knispel
Most people know Eerie Von through his association with Glenn Danzig dating back to their days in Samhain, the seminal post-punk/hardcore band of the mid 1980’s. 
DVD/Video Reviews
Ian Gillan - Live in Anaheim DVD
Review by Rick Damigella
If you were lucky enough to catch Ian Gillan on his solo Gillan’s Inn tour of 06, you would likely agree with me when I say that you were witness to a rocking good show.
Rush - Snakes and Arrows Live DVD
Review by Julie Knispel
It’s become tradition for every Rush studio album to be followed by an accompanying live album and/or DVD release.   
John Sebastian - Welcome Back: Live at Iowa State University DVD
Review by Gary Hill
John Sebastian might not be a household name outside of certain circles, but it’s a pretty safe bet you’ve heard his music.
Paul Simon - Live From Philadelphia DVD
Review by Gary Hill
Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat. If you are a Paul Simon fan and own the Live at the Tower Theater DVD you have this.
Spaced Out - Live at the Crescendo Festival DVD
Review by Josh Turner
When a band like Spaced Out gets a DVD, it makes one suddenly realize that gone are the days of certain media. No longer will there be Beta or Laserdisc as that was replaced by VHS.
The Yardbirds - The Story of the Yardbirds DVD
Review by Gary Hill
In doing research on this, I find that it’s a reissue of a documentary from 1992 that was released on VHS.
Interviews
Sylvia Bennett
Interview by Gary Hill

Interview with Sylvia Bennett from 2008

Dare Dukes
Interview by Gary Hill

Interview with Dare Dukes From 2009

IQ
Interview by Josh Turner

Interview with John Jowitt of IQ From 2009

Kalliopi
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Kalliopi From 2009
The Simple Things
Interview by Gary Hill
Interview with Kaitlin McGaw and Michael Gallant of The Simple Things From 2009
 
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