Logos - Sadako e le Mille Gru di Carta Subgenre(s): Rock Progressivo Italo, Neo Prog
Score: 85
Year: 2020
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 4th
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What a magnificent album! This modern PRI entry delivers on so many fronts including those that I associate with prog (complex musical structures, grand epic tunes, lots of intricate keyboards, nonstandard rock instrumentation) and those that just enhance music in general (great melodies, excellent vocals). After an excellent stage setting opener, the second tune, Paesaggi di Insomnia, is the first of four massive epics, and it shows off most of what Logos has to offer. After another solid epic, we get "Il Sato," adding a second, female vocalist and playing very much like a traditional Italian street tune giving us a break from all those big, challenging compositions. Eventually we end up with the most massive tune of all, the side-long title cut, which is as beautiful as it is epic, and is likely this group's crowning achievement.
Zauber - Zauber (aka Il Sogno) Subgenre(s): Prog-Folk
Score: 80
Year: 1978
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 20th
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Like a lot of prog-folk, this is kind of on the relaxing side, yet after some nice, pleasant introductory material, this gets (and stays) very interesting. It's more like prog-folk with folk-informed instrumentation, but a strong infusion of symphonic prog and RPI personality. The end result is and album that, to me, deserves more ink than it gets in prog circles. The interplay between the electronic keyboards and acoustic instruments is consistently enticing, vocals are judiciously placed, and the overall arc of individual songs and the overall album definitely holds my interest. A very nice find from 1978.
Fantasy - Paint a Picture Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 80
Year: 1973
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 27th
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This may sound odd, but I get a real Moody Blues meets Uriah Heep vibe out of this seminal 1973 prog album. There's lots of mellotron holding this thing together, and the rich, acid tinged vocal is an equally essential element of this music. Now I would never myself have thought of fusing the Moodies and the Heep, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if it doesn't work like a charm. It's worth scoring (or at least streaming) the CD reissue as the bonus material is also very good; stretching this from 50 to 78 minutes doesn't hurt it one bit even as the bonus material has a different enough vibe to attest to its not being originally included.
Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 90
Year: 2014
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 2nd
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After the totally amazing Bridge Across Forever, Transatlantic brought us another album that begins and ends with massive 25+ minute multi-movement opuses. The opener, Into the Blue, is the perfect Transatlantic blueprint song, showing off all the things that make Transatlantic so special. Three shorter tunes (4.5 - 7.5 minutes), all winners themselves comprise the middle of the album and give us nicely digestible chunks before bringing us the even more massive, 32 minute title cut to close out the album. While the opener was totally vintage Transatlantic, this closer is, to my ear, even more exciting. It has a franticness to much of it that really stirs things up, and when the melodic bits show up, the tension release can be stunning. The overall songwriting here is so deft, so massive, so skilled, that the half hour plus tune never wears out its welcome. Of course, the excellent musicianship of everyone in the group facilitates this nicely. That said, the bass of Pete Trewavas really sets the tone and propels the proceedings more than in most Transatlantic, and that really helps set this monster apart.
Kansas - Power Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1986
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 2nd
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On the Kansas prog scale from zero (Drastic Measures/Vinyl Confessions) to 10 (Song for America/Leftoverture), this one rates about a 2. Normally, that would be a big DQ for me and this would spend most of its time on the shelf if not in the bin. Indeed, in critical circles, especially with prog critics, this thing is universally lambasted. Well, despite the critics and despite my own natural tendencies, I have to say I absolutely love this album. Anyone automatically dismissing this as run of the mill 80s pop rock is missing out. Let's break it down song by song:
Silhouettes in Disguise - We kick things on with a pretty straightforward rocker. The introductory lead guitar riff does have a slightly oddly metered riff, but the song quickly settles into a totally standard 4/4 with big snare hit on the 2 and the 4, and some seriously bombastic overtones. As standard as the rock is, what elevates the song is some more thoughtful lyrics, big soaring vocals from Steve Walsh, and everyone sounds like they're going for it 100%. I give the song a solid 8/10, and it's one of my least favorite song on the album!
Power - The introductory palm muted guitar and distinctly 80s engineering don't bode well. But then again comes Walsh's vocals, which are so perfectly on point, and laid over the most captivating melody, that the song quickly becomes a near-instant classic. Sure, it's by-the-numbers arena rock, but those are really good numbers, well combined.
All I Wanted - The first pure ballad, and it's another strong winner. Again, Walsh sings his heart out over a rather glorious melody. There's literally not even the slightest hint of anything progressive in this song, and I couldn't care less. Of all the great songs in the rock canon focusing on longing for another, this easily stands there right alongside the greatest.
Secret Service - A bit of a plodder pandering to fears of men in black. All the bombast of the opener, but without the same level of musical imagination. This is more of a blunt instrument. It's good here, but I'm glad this is the only song on the album like this. Closest thing to a skip.
We're Not Alone Anymore - New guitarist Steve Morse takes control of this right in the intro. His opening lick is spectacular and most of the guitar interludes wouldn't be out of place on a Steve Morse Band or even a Dixie Dregs album. Frankly, the song is better for it. We have another fairly blunt instrument in the verse, but that thankfully gives way to a most melodic and enjoyable chorus, and of course, more Morse magic on the six string. What could have been a throwaway becomes a solid heavy rocker with a real groove.
Musicatto - The closest thing to prog on the album, this is a keyboard and drums focused instrumental piece that serves as an excellent prelude, but can also stand on it's own. It's got a great drum foundation, some solid riffs, and tons of great keyboard melody, and yes, some absolutely killer licks from Morse.
Taking in the View - Unlike a lot of prelude/song combos where the prelude is a mellower buildup setting the stage for a bigger song, here, Musicatto is hugely energetic and it gives way to the much more contemplative Taking In the View...... and it works magnificently. This is a most poignant tale of life changes, late in life, and it's positively devastating. Anyone who thinks Kansas wasn't, at least at times, absolutely grade A songwriters in addition to being incredible instrumentalists, simply was never really paying attention.
Three Pretenders - Okay, so we're back to the big, in your face hits. However, the sometimes esoteric metaphor here makes for great lyrics and again, we flow into a nicely melodic chorus that brings the whole thing home quite effectively.
Tomb 19 - This Indiana Jones-ish tale kicks off with a super cool grove before settling into a rock ballad like verse and then a classic arena rock chorus with those patented soaring Walsh vocals. This isn't prog enough to satisfy prog snobs, nor is poppy enough to catch the ear of the masses; it sits in a sort of no-fans land, and yet I'm a huge fan. Really, there's plenty to love here.
Can't Cry Anymore - Okay, so you know any song that opens with the line "A thousand years could come and go, and we would never change...." is going to be heavy. This is one super powerful lament. The poignancy of these lyrics is just devastating, and Walsh brings out every possible ounce of aching emotional torment. The ballad grows in its symphonic grandeur throughout to great effect; yeah it's a formula, but it's a great formula brilliantly executed. Really, for what it is, this song is absolute perfection and makes one hell of a closer!
The arc of my appreciation for this album is quite the opposite of what it should have been; as a more pop oriented outing, all those hooks that caught me at first should have faded and this would join the huge world of throwaway 80s arena rock, but the opposite has happened.... the stature of this album has grown with me through the years. Even without Kansas's famous intricacies and musical interweavings, this album really sings to me; it touches me in my heart and soul (oh, and it rocks too). With or without the prog, a prog group can really have some feel!
Island - Pictures Subgenre(s): Eclectic Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1977
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 7th
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Swiss proggers Island did a fine RPI imitation, not in the music, but rather because they made one really outstanding album, and then disappeared. This album does so much, even King Crimson's head might spin at times, and it easily earns the "eclectic prog" label simply because you can't pin it down to a particular subgenre. The fact that this thing isn't an incomprehensible mess is testament to the group's vision and skill, again making it more the pity that this is all they gave us. This isn't the harshest or heaviest sounding prog album, but there are definitely parts of this album you don't want to meet alone in a dark alley at night! Stick with it though, in the end, this is a most satisfying listen for any proghead.
This is another album for which the CD reissue is an important acquisition, as the additional 23 minute "Empty Bottles" is fantastic and further expands the offering of this short lived band.
Kamari - 1:1 Subgenre(s): Heavy Prog, Progressive Metal
Score: 80
Year: 2024
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 6th (of 22 ranked so far)
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4 song debut EP. 22 minutes total.
Description from Bandcamp: KAMARI STARTED OUT AS A PASSION PROJECT BLENDING ART ROCK WITH EASTERN MUSIC AND A HINT OF JAZZ, BUT SOON GREW TO BE MORE LIKE A ‘FEELING’ THAT EVERYONE CAN TAILOR TO THEIR SOUL AND EXPERIENCES. KAMARI'S FOCUS IS ON CHANNELLING SOMETHING THAT'S ROOTED IN TODAY'S PERSONAL AND SOCIETAL PROBLEMS WHILE CREATING A SAFE BUT CHAOTIC ATMOSPHERE THAT CAN BE BEST DESCRIBED WITH THE WORD “CHARMOLYPI”.
Whatever. I like it. A lot. It's got a strong female fronted metal presence, but with progressive elements subtly blended it. If you've ever wondered what it might sound like if NIghtwish went prog, this will get you close (even if the vocals don't quite match up to either Tarja or Floor, they are adequate for what's going on here).
Anglagard - Hybris Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1992
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 4th
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This is a very highly regarded symphonic prog album, and I can easily see why. Compositions are grandiose, but often in subtle ways. There's so much inventiveness, but it's not so much in your face as it is foundational and supportive. The orchestration is adequately varied, but yes, there's plenty of lush mellotron. At times it's as if Yes were Swedish, and that's really a pretty good starting point for a great symphonic prog band! The finish is as worthy as the start is promising.
Pre - Pre Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 80
Year: 1994
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 14th
I dove into this album 100% blind; no foreknowledge, no expectations. As the music began, I though it interesting and things bode well for a fine listen. Then came the vocals; airy, underwhelming, and even straight up weak. Definitely disappointing. But the music was good enough to keep me going. Then about a third of the way through the album, the vocalist really upped his game. In bringing a little more oomph to his delivery, he ended up sounding the perfect vocal doppelganger to Jon Anderson. While aping one an icon who isn't even my fave to start with isn't a very good recommendation, this worked perfectly for this music and I really ended up enjoying this as an excellent sort of neo-symphonic prog outing.
Quantum (Brazil) - Quantum Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1983
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 4th
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Quantum (Sweden) - Down the Mountainside Subgenre(s): Heavy Prog, Progressive Metal
Score: 80
Year: 2024
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 4th
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Two prog groups with identical names here, separated by four decades. The earlier Quantum was a two and out symphonic prog outfit from Brazil. Don't speak Portuguese? Fear not, this is an entirely instrumental album. Fortunately, the music is consistently interesting and it plays well without vocals.
The latter Quantum dropped their first long player just a month ago. Progarchives categorize them as Heavy Prog, but I find they spend more of their time in the Progressive Metal genre, frequently sounding like Threshold. I would easily recommend them to Threshold fans, but they bring a little more diversity into their approach and one can detect some King Crimson influence under those distortion guitars. Another solid listen.
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