Progressive Rock CD Reviews
Aisles - In Sudden Walks Review by Gary Hill
This is a cool disc. It’s very much a modern prog album, but there are a lot of references to classic progressive rock, too.
All Over Everywhere - Inner Firmaments Decay Review by Gary Hill
The music of All Over Everywhere is definitely progressive rock. That said, the rock part is often hard to find.
Babylon Mystery Orchestra - The Godless, The Godforsaken and the God Damned Review by Gary Hill
I don’t know what I like so much about Babylon Mystery Orchestra, but I like it a lot.
Buzz-Works - Zombie Influx Review by Gary Hill
This disc includes contributions from the members of the duo Nox Arcana.
Capital Zen - Capital Zen Review by Gary Hill
A lot progressive rock purists are very specific about what types of sounds can be merged with rock to produce music called “progressive rock.”
Phil Collins - Face Value Review by Gary Hill
So, let’s be clear right at the start. I’m not saying this album is progressive rock. Clearly, it’s not.
Curlew - A Beautiful Western Saddle / The Hardwood Review by Gary Hill
I’m including this under progressive rock because it’s from Cuneiform Records.
Daedalus Spirit Orchestra - Ampulla Magnifying Review by Gary Hill
This French outfit has an intriguing sound.
Shaun DeGraff - Grey Area Review by Gary Hill
I originally had this one set to go into the non-prog category, but on further listening I think that in many ways it’s not far from a lot of modern song oriented progressive rock.
Delusion Squared - Delusion Squared Review by Gary Hill
This is an interesting album. It’s got a very retro progressive rock sound to it, yet it feels fresh and modern.
Joe Deninzon - Trio – Exuberance Review by Gary Hill
I like anything Joe Deninzon is involved with.
Lee Dewyze - Slumberland Review by Gary Hill
Perhaps this disc is more pop rock and singer/songwriter than it is progressive rock.
District 97 - Hybrid Child Review by Gary Hill
Progressive rock is alive and well and living in Chicago, Illinois because that’s the home base for District 97.
Earthshine - Take Flight Review by Larry Toering
Kristen and Scott Prinzing, from Billings , MT , bring their natural talents together for a second helping of their progressive folk stylings.
Edensong - Echoes of Edensong Review by Gary Hill
I am further astonished by the quality of music being released in 2010.
Frames - Mosaik Review by Gary Hill
It’s really hard to put together an all instrumental album and make it work beginning to end.
Goldbug - The Seven Dreams Review by Gary Hill
This is definitely not a disc that’s for everyone. It’s very freeform. At times it’s jazz like.
Hawkwind - Blood of the Earth Review by Gary Hill
First time around I wasn’t overly crazy about this album. It really grows on you, though.
K2 - Black Garden Review by Gary Hill
I’ve heard some great things about K2, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard K2 before. Well, I’m anxious to hear the rest of their albums.
Lo-Fi Resistance - A Deep Breath Review by Gary Hill
If I had to pin one band for the sound of this album it would be Neal Morse era Spock’s Beard.
Luna Kiss - E.P. Review by Gary Hill
This is a band from England and based on these two songs, the only two they have recorded so far, they should have a great future.
Martini Henry - End of the Beginning Review by Gary Hill
This band is related to Oho, and I thought that would mean it would feature the sort of weirdness heard on their first disc.
Mats / Morgan Band - The Music or the Money? Review by Gary Hill
The music on this is pretty bizarre. It’s also pretty wide ranging.
Tim Motzer - and Markus Reuter – Descending Review by Gary Hill
Moody and ambient music creates the format for these sedate soundscapes. There aren’t huge variants here, and everything moves very slowly, but it never feels redundant or samey either.
Nakedown - Unknown EP Review by Gary Hill
Is this CD progressive rock? I don’t know for sure.
Nosound - Sol29 Review by Gary Hill
Sol29 was actually the debut release of Nosound. It’s been out of print for several years.
Nox Arcana - Blackthorn Asylum Review by Gary Hill
Nox Arcana’s particular musical niche could be termed “scary music.” It’s more classy than that, though.
Nox Arcana - Theater of Illusion Review by Gary Hill
Nox Arcana always produces quality albums. The music is generally classified as goth, but I’d consider it progressive rock, although, arguably the “rock” part of the equation isn’t prevalent.
Nox Arcana - Winter’s Eve Review by Gary Hill
Nox Arcana typically produces music that is dark and Gothic and a little spooky.
Oho - Bricolage Review by Gary Hill
I was a little hesitant to tackle this disc. The first album from Oho was a bit weird for my tastes.
Oho - Okinawa Review by Gary Hill
This is definitely one of the weirdest albums I’ve ever heard. At least in terms of something I could actually get through.
Dennis Rea - Views From Chicheng Precipice Review by Gary Hill
The rock part of the progressive rock on this is missing throughout much of the disc.
ScienceNV - Pacific Circumstances Review by Gary Hill
Science NV’s blend of instrumental progressive rock is unique and original. Still, you’ll hear things that seem familiar throughout.
Soft Machine - NDR Jazz Workshop, Germany, May 17, 1973 Review by Gary Hill
This awesome set is composed of a CD and DVD. They feature much of the same material.
Styx - Pieces of Eight Review by Gary Hill
When I think back about this album, without digging it out again, I find myself tuning into the harder rocking side of the disc.
Styx - The Grand Illusion Review by Gary Hill
Yeah, I know, Styx aren’t a progressive rock band. Well, listen to this disc (I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times) again with a fresh ear.
Tears - Memories of Things Unnecessary Review by Gary Hill
This is a unique album. The music here really runs the gamut.
Tohpati - Tohpati Ethnomission: Save The Planet Review by Gary Hill
This is a project created by Tohpati, best known as the guitarist for Simak Dialog.
Various Artists - Emkog Records Sampler Review by Gary Hill
This sampler features bands on the Emkog records label. All of the bands qualify as progressive rock.
Votum - Metafiction Review by Gary Hill
This is definitely modern progressive rock. The group does a great job of changing up the direction they take, though.
WD-41 - WD-41+2 Temi Per Cinema Review by Gary Hill
I’m not a big fan of Rock In Opposition music. It’s too freeform and “weird” for my tastes.
Kevin Wood & From The North - Monument Review by Gary Hill
I’ve bounced back and forth on what category this fits into.
Yoso - Elements Review by Gary Hill
Yoso is an interesting group. It is two former members of Yes (Tony Kaye and Billy Sherwood) and Bobby Kimball of Toto.
Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews
Black River - Black N Roll Review by Gary Hill
This band is sort of a powerhouse supergroup. The lineup is Orion (Behemoth, Vesania), Daray (Dimmu Borgir), Taff (Rootwater), Kay (ex-Neolithic) and Art (Soulburners).
Death Angel - Relentless Retribution Review by Mike Korn
Death Angel were always kind of the "odd man out" in the Bay Area thrash boom of the 80s and I'm sure they liked it that way.
Downspirit - Point of Origin Review by Gary Hill
At their best Downspirit are original and creative, blending different sounds together in a captivating arrangement.
Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini Review by Mike Korn
In this digital age where attention spans seem to be getting shorter and shorter all the time, there are those who say the "classic" album, where every song is part of a greater whole, is a thing of the past.
Rain - Dad is Dead Review by Gary Hill
You can’t say that there’s anything especially original or unique here.
Raven Soul - 100 Bleeding Hearts Review by Gary Hill
This disc is definitely heavy metal. Within that genre, though, it works through a lot of territory.
Riotgod - Riotgod Review by Gary Hill
What a cool CD this is. It’s based on a riff driven retro rock sound, but pumped up with modern metallic elements.
36 Crazy Fists - Collisions & Castaways Review by Gary Hill
I like this disc a lot.
VTT - Symptoms of Sin Review by Gary Hill
This band has produced a solid disc here full of good tunes. The disc seems to suffer from multiple personality disorder, though.
The Workhorse III - The Workhorse III Review by Gary Hill
This trio has produced a cool disc. It’s definitely got plenty of metal built into it, but there’s a lot of punk rock and garage sounds, too.
Bachman & Turner - Bachman and Turner Review by Gary Hill
Bachman and Turner are, of course, best known for Bachman Turner Overdrive.
Dickey Betts & Great Southern - Rockpalast: 30 Years of Southern Rock Review by Gary Hill
This double disc release is two live performances of Dickey Betts and Great Southern.
Black Country Communion - Black Country Communion Review by Mark Johnson
Kevin Shirley’s inspiration to bring together Glenn Hughes , vocals and bass, and Joe Bonamassa , lead guitar and vocals has provided one of the best rock/blues bands and albums of the year.
The Black Crowes - Croweology Review by Mark Johnson
This is one of the best new releases of 2010.
Joe Bonamassa - Black Rock Review by Mark Johnson
A much harder and heavier album than The Ballad of John Henry , the blues really shines on this album.
Joe Bonamassa - The Ballad of John Henry Review by Mark Johnson
This has a great sampling of guitar blues/rock classics mixed with Joe Bonamassa’s original songs.
Paul Butterfield - Band - Rockpalast: Blues Rock Legends Review by Gary Hill
This is the audio CD companion to the DVD I reviewed in the last issue of Music Street Journal.
Cheap Trick - Greatest Hits Review by Gary Hill
This compilation from Cheap Trick is a great way to get all their popular songs in one place.
John Cipollina / Nick Gravenites Band - Rockpalast: West Coast Legends, Vol. 1 Review by Gary Hill
I reviewed the DVD version of this in the last issue. The CD release is just the audio version. It’s a smoking hot blues rock styled jam.
Commander Cody - Rockpalast: Blues Rock Legends, Vol. 1 Review by Gary Hill
This smoking hot performance from Commander Cody shows off why these guys always thrilled their audiences.
Alice Cooper - Classiks Review by Gary Hill
You could say that there are enough Alice Cooper compilations out there. Here’s the thing, though.
Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing – The Very Best of Dire Straits Review by Gary Hill
I’ve been wanting to review Dire Straits at MSJ for a while. The band have always played a classy form of rock music.
John Dokes - With the George Gee Swing Orchestra – Sings George Gee Swings Review by Gary Hill
When you put this CD in you might think you’ve been magically transported back to the 1930s.
Electric Six - Zodiac Review by Mike Korn
File this Detroit band under "eclectic.” They play a funky and sarcastic brand of rock with a great deal of tongue-in-cheek energy.
Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits Review by Gary Hill
Fleetwood Mac was one of those bands that really epitomized the 1970’s rock sound.
The Gracious Few - The Gracious Few Review by Mark Johnson
This was one of the most anticipated albums of the year for me. I heard about this collaboration between some of the members of Live and Candlebox shortly after Live broke up last year.
Heart - Red Velvet Car Review by Gary Hill
In many ways this is a new classic Heart album. It really does feel like something they could have released in the 1970’s.
Hy-test - Dishing Out the Good Times Review by Gary Hill
This album is raw punk that’s a lot of fun. It moves towards metal and other areas a times.
The I's - Herbivore Blues Review by Larry Toering
The band is led by S.I.D. Need, and features Jose Medeles (Breeders) on drums and Shannon Wade on bass and Glockenspiel.
Jorma Kaukonen - And Vital Parts - Rockpalast: West Coast Legends, Vol. 2 Review by Gary Hill
This album is a 1980 live performance from Jorma Kaukonen.
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult - Sinister Whisperz: Wax Trax Years (1987-1991) Review by Gary Hill
This CD is composed of a bunch of remixes and one unreleased track from My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult.
Needtobreathe - The Outsiders Review by Gary Hill
I know a lot of people like to put down the whole major label system.
Roy Orbison - The Last Concert Review by Gary Hill
I’ve never been a big fan of Roy Orbison, although I’ve always liked a lot of his songs when covered by other people.
Robert Plant - Band of Joy Review by Mark Johnson
Here we find the master vocalist Robert Plant reinventing and singing some fun classic rock and folk.
Suicidal Tendencies - No Mercy Fool!/The Suicidal Family Review by Gary Hill
When Suicidal Tendencies were getting ready to record their second album, Mike Muir joined the group and the whole project moved in a different direction.
The Toadies - Feeler Review by Larry Toering
The Toadies are back with the re-recorded second album that was dropped by their former label. Feeler is on par with their other releases.
UFO - The Best of a Decade Review by Gary Hill
Here’s a compilation of tracks from the more recent UFO albums.
Various Artists - Crazy: Music Inspired by the life of Hank Garland Review by Gary Hill
This soundtrack album is quite a cool one, particularly for fans of old school guitar.
Various Artists - This is the Blues Volume 3 Review by Gary Hill
This is (as the title suggests) the third installment in a blues collection. It features a number of artists putting in blues performances.
Various Artists - This Is The Blues Volume 4 Review by Gary Hill
The fourth installment in the “This is the Blues” series, this disc has some interesting performances and perhaps the most eclectic and famous group of performers.
The Voodoo Jets - From Greens To Eternity Review by Larry Toering
This is a unique band with no guitars. That's right, there are no guitars.
The Who - Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 Review by Gary Hill
This smoking hot live performance from 1970 finds The Who in one of the greatest points in their career.
Anathema - A Moment In Time DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
I was introduced to Anathema a few years back with their 2001 album Fine Day To Exit.
Armia - Triodante DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
When first presented with this DVD by Polish band Armia, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This band is unlike any other I’ve heard before.
Barclay James Harvest - Berlin: A Concert For the People DVD Review by Gary Hill
I never really heard Barclay James Harvest, but had heard of them. I always thought that they’d be a lot like The Strawbs.
Jackson Browne - Going Home DVD Review by Gary Hill
I’ve never been a huge fan of Jackson Browne. I’ve always thought of him as a little too “easy listening.” Well, after watching this DVD, I’ve got a new appreciation.
Cactus - Live, Loud & Proud DVD Review by Gary Hill
Cactus might not have gotten the attention that groups like Led Zeppelin and Cream did, but they were an extremely capable band cut from that same cloth of hard rocking, blues based classic jams.
Eric Clapton - The 1960s Review DVD Review by Gary Hill
I’ve never been one of those people who were blown away by Eric Clapton. That said, I’ve always felt that music he did in the 1960s was, without question, the most vital and important of his career.
Leonard Cohen - Bird on a Wire DVD Review by Gary Hill
There was a day when real movies about musicians were fairly common. This film, centering around Leonard Cohen’s 1972 tour comes from those days.
Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen’s Lonesome Heroes DVD Review by Gary Hill
Fans of Leonard Cohen will certainly find this in-depth. Pretty much anyone will find it in-depth.
Collage - Living in the Moonlight DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Collage was Poland’s answer to Marillion and IQ back in the early 1990's but they went beyond that to incorporate some soft rock and AOR to generate a style of their own.
Collide - Like The Hunted DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Collide has been a duo act (Karin and Statik) for many years.
Credo - This Is What We Do: Live In Poland DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Back in the first half of the 1990’s I was first introduced to Credo and their first album, Field Of Vision (1994).
DeeExpus - Far From Home DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
When I was first exposed to DeeExpus I played the heck out of their debut CD Half Way Home , which was released in 2008.
Electric Light Orchestra - Live: The Early Years DVD Review by Gary Hill
Not everything ELO ever did was progressive rock. I’d have to say that this DVD of early performances qualifies, though.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Pictures At An Exhibition DVD Review by Gary Hill
This is a concert film of the Emerson, Lake and Palmer Pictures at an Exhibition performances.
Faust - Impressions DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
This is my first and last exposure to the music of Faust due to their style of experimental music, which sometimes borders on noise.
The Flower Kings - Instant Delivery DVD Review by Ron Fuchs Instant Delivery is a great 2 DVD live document of the touring support of their latest (at the time) release Paradox Hotel , recorded in Tilburg, in The Netherlands on April 19th 2006.
Galahad - Resonance: Live In Poland DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
My first exposure to the band, Galahad was their Year Zero album in 2002. Since then I’ve been hooked.
Gordon Haskell - The Road to Harry's Bar DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Before I get too far, I will be the first to admit my only knowledge of Gordon Haskell is that he’s ex-King Crimson.
Jane’s Addiction - Live Voodoo DVD Review by Gary Hill Jane’s Addiction always had an incredibly tasty and unique sound. I liked them from their first album.
Nils Lofgren - Cry Tough DVD Review by Gary Hill
This is a pretty cool set. It has three separate performances by Nils Lofgren on the “Rockpalast” show. All three performances are hot. The video varies from one to another, though.
Overhead - Live After All DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Overhead is a relatively new band out of Finland with three studio albums under their belt. My first introduction to them is their live concert DVD, Live After All , which illustrates the group‘s career so far.
Pearl Jam - Under Review DVD Review by Gary Hill
Pearl Jam is another act that I like a lot, but haven’t gotten covered at MSJ to this point.
Pendragon - And Now Everybody To The Stage... DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Pendragon is one of the more famous and long lasting of the neo-prog bands out of the UK. I must admit they’re my least favorite of the genre but they are very important at the same time.
Tom Petty - and the Heartbreakers - Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes DVD Review by Gary Hill
I love this whole “Classic Albums” series. Every single one of these videos really opens your eyes and ears to see an album in a whole new light.
Cliff Richard - Rare and Unseen DVD Review by Gary Hill When people think of Christian musicians, it’s a fairly safe bet that Cliff Richard isn’t on the short list. Well, this DVD shows that he probably should b
Riverside - Reality Dream Live DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
Ever since their debut, Out Of Myself , in 2004 Polish progressive metal band Riverside have released fantastic albums that I’ve enjoyed.
Rush - Beyond The Lighted Stage DVD Review by Greg Olma If you have been a Rush fan like me, you probably were hoping that someday, VH1 would come out with a “Behind The Music” on them.
Rush - Classic Albums 2112 / Moving Pictures DVD Review by Gary Hill
This Classic Album series is a great one and this is one of the best releases of the bunch.
SBB - Follow My Dream DVD Review by Ron Fuchs I had heard of SBB, but had never heard any of their music so when I got their DVD, Follow My Dream , I was pleasantly surprised at how good they are.
Michael Schenker - Group - Rockpalast: Hardrock Legends Vol. 2 DVD Review by Gary Hill
Recorded in 1981, this DVD captures a smoking hot live show from Michael Schenker Group.
Seventh Season - Transposition DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
In 2006, Bay Area prog rockers, The Seventh Season, followed up their debut album with a concert DVD called “Transposition .”
Shonen Knife - Live At Mohawk Place 2009 DVD Review by Gary Hill
This is fun. Shonen Knife is a Japanese band that have similarities to The Runaways.
Soft Machine Legacy - Live At The New Morning: Paris Concert DVD Review by Ron Fuchs
The Soft Machine Legacy has recorded several of their shows including The 40th Year Jubilee Celebration performance at the “New Morning” club in Paris , France on December 12th 2005 .
UFO - Rockpalast-Hardrock Legends Vol. 1 DVD Review by Gary Hill
Memories abound here for this reviewer! In 1980 I had seen a couple outdoor concerts, but never an indoor one. UFO was the first indoor show I saw.
Billy Idol - Live in Rockford, IL, September 2010 Review by Gary Hill
I’d never seen Billy Idol perform live before. I had, however, recently seen a live DVD that made me interested in catching a live performance from Idol. Well, the man did not disappoint.
Lamb of God - Live in Tinley Park, IL, July 2010 Review by Travis Jensen
The new millennium has brought forth a new king of metal, and that undisputed title goes to Lamb Of God.
Gregg Rolie Band - Live in Denver, Colorado – September, 2010 Review by Scott Montgomery
Want to experience the magic (and not just “supernatural”) feel of Santana these days?
Michael Schenker - Group - Live in Rosemont, Illinois August 2010 Review by Greg Olma
It’s been a quite a while since Michael Schenker and his band of metal merchants played a support slot here in the Chicago-land area but I guess filling in the “special guest” slot on the Scorpions farewell tour was too good to pass up.
Scorpions - Live in Rosemont, Illinois August 2010 Review by Greg Olma
I have to admit that I was shocked when I heard that the Scorpions were going to do a farewell tour.
The Toadies - Live in Portland, Oregon, July 2010 Review by Larry Toering
Some things never change. This is true after seeing the Toadies for the second time after so many years.