Record Reviews

CHANDELIER ~ PURE CHICKADISC 005 (Barcode: 5903068120091) ~ GERMANY ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1988 - 1990 Released: 2018 This is a reissue of the debut album by the German Neo-Prog ensemble ChandelierFind albums by this artist, which consisted of vocalist Martin EdenFind albums by this artist, guitarist Udo LangFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tobias BudnowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Christoph TiberFind albums by this artist and drummer Heribert RubarthFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original songs with lyrics (In English) by Eden and music co-credited to all five ensemble members. This remastered and expanded edition adds a whole second CD which presents the cassette only early album by the band with one previously unreleased outtake. The music is obviously strongly influenced by the classic British Prog bands of the late 1960s / early 1970s as well as the early British Neo-Prog bands which exploded in the early 1980s like MarillionFind albums by this artist, IQFind albums by this artist, PallasFind albums by this artist, PendragonFind albums by this artist and many others. The songs on this album as every bit as good as the material these bands managed to produce, and offer great melodies, excellent instrumental parts and falsetto (as appropriate for the genre) vocals. Neo-Prog sadly had a limited musical impact as it basically offered nothing new that was not already done in the past and refused to break beyond the self imposed limits of the genre. Nevertheless this album is quite strong as far as this genre has to offer and in the thirty years retrospective sounds really entertaining. Progheads should find this remastered and expanded reissue a feast to their ears and considering the fact that the original release is impossible to find these days, this is a great opportunity to discover this excellent band. As usual the remastered music and excellent liner notes make this reissue a must have. The ChickadiscFind albums on this label label is a subsidiary of the excellent Polish GADFind albums on this label Records, which by now is a trademark of quality.

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted: 29/06/2019

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY? GEP 1013 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 7th album from 1994, with another set of great compositions and brilliant playing. This is a reissue of the original album from 1989 with a bonus live track added.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ COLOS-SAAL ASCHAFFENBURG GERMANY GEP AC001 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock In 2002 IQ celebrated its 20th anniversary as a group and went for a concert tour to celebrate with the group`s fans. The second noght of the tour (February 16th, 2002) was certainly one of the most magical nights for them and luckily for us all it was all captured on tape. The music just flows and every performance seems to surpass the others. The material covers a selection of tunes up to the (then latest) `The Seventh House` album. Limited Edition

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ DARK MATTER GEP 1034 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 13th album (recorded 2004). After almost 4 years of anticipation, IQ fans can rejoyce again! The new albums fulfills all expectations and beyond, with the usual mastery. Despite the darkish atmosphere, the music flows beautifully and the vocals, expressive as always, are dramatic and moving. The production and the playing is amazing from the first note to the last and even the packaging is top notch. Great stuff!

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ EVER GEP 1006 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 3rd album from 1993 which is the first `real` studio album on their own label. IQ are as usual in their best form playing long and complicated compositions with skill and taste.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ FOREVER LIVE GEP 1016 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 8th album, this time a 2CD live recording from 1993, proving that whatever they can do in the studio, they can do on stage even better. Extended treatment of studio tracks with long solos and outstanding sound.
	CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ IQ20-THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY SHOW GEP 9002 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Filmed on December 15, 2001 this blasting DVD gives us IQ at its best - almost 4 hours of the best Prog there is in a once in a lifetime concert performance of their best material and a heap of bonuses. For the last 20 years IQ keep the torch of Prog alight with their energy, masterful musicianship and superb compositions. This is a best tribute to their work so far and no IQ fan can possibly live without this! Lavishly packaged set. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 230 minutes.

DVD 2 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ J`AI POLLETTE D`ARNU GEP 1001 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 1st album from 1991 which is a collection of older pieces, all previously unreleased rarities from 1984-1989 and some live tracks from 1989. Not a `normal` album, but still an important document of the band`s achievements.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ LIVE FROM LONDON IGUANA 007 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Filmed in 1985, this DVD is the oldest video document of IQ at the early day of their career, shortly after the release of their 2nd album "The Wake". The band includes the original vocalist Peter Nicholls, who left just a few weeks later. In time IQ were to become one of the leading bands in the Neo-Prog movement and this material shows why they were heading for success. Great melodies and powerful stage act characterized their music from the very beginning. 53 minutes. NTSC

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted:

DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ LIVING PROOF GEP 1004 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 2nd album from 1992 which is a reissue of the 1985 live album, which was released without the band`s knowledge by their `major` record label. A great document of the early days of the band live on stage.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ NOMZAMO GEP 1012 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 6th album by this excellent group, same great performances and no introduction necessary. If you like their albums you`ll get this one as well.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ SEVEN STORIES INTO NINETY EIGHT GEP 0002 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock IQ`s 1st album (`Seven Stories Into Eight`) from 1982 was originally released on cassette only and was out of print for many years, untill the group decided to reissue it in 1998. For that occasion they also decided to re-record the entire album again in a new version. This release includes both the original and the new version - 16 years apart. Not only does the debut album sound great today, but the expanded new recording shows the fascinating development the group went through. For the many IQ fans this is a major treat!

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ STAGE GEP 9003 (Barcode: 5026297090031) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2005 Released: 2006 Following the release of the brilliant Dark Matter album, IQ embarked on a world tour to play concerts supporting the album’s release. This DVD set documents two such concerts, recorded just a week apart in July 2005: DVD 1 was filmed at the Nearfest Festival (USA) and DVD 2 at the Burg Herzberg Festival (Germany). It is quite fascinating to compare these two concerts and witness how much the audience and the ambience of the place effect the musicians. Nearfest is often stone cold, especially towards European groups, being a gathering of the US Prog fans, some of which are notoriously suspicious of everything non-American. Burg Herzberg is a completely opposite gathering of European freaks and freethinkers, who are there as much for the music as for the outdoor fun. The two IQ performances match the two venues perfectly: the Nearfest concert is stone-cold, technically perfect delivery of most of the Dark Matter material with a few older songs re-arranged; the Burg Herzberg concert is much more relaxed, with a have-fun and please the crowd attitude in mind, where both the musicians and the public seem to have a blast. In addition to both concerts there is (as usual) plenty of bonus material and features. Well over 4 hours with the best UK Prog band should be quite satisfactory for the numerous fans. I had a great time watching this! Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 260 minutes.

DVD 2 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ SUBTERRANEA GEP 1021 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 9th album (recorded 1997), which is a a concept album of truly epic proportion. IQ reach a peak of their long career here presenting a series of long compositions all merged into a single metaphoric work of art. The music is very demanding but richly rewarding. One the greatest Neo-Prog albums ever.
Updated: 21/09/2021Posted:	CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ SUBTERRANEA-THE CONCERT GEP 1027 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 11th album, a live 2CD version of the `Subterranea` masterpiece. As difficult as it might to seem, they manage not only to perform this difficult music flawlessly, but even extend and enrich the source.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ SUBTERRANEA-THE CONCERT GEP 9001 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Finally the DVD made at the 1999 `Subterranea` concert (same as the double CD) but with lots of additional features. The group is brilliant here and everybody plays they hearts out with the visual effects adding immensly to the overall experience. Stunning! Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 150 minutes.
	DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC GEP 1010 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 4th album from 1994 which is a reissue of the bands first ever album from 1983 with one bonus track. This was one of the first Neo-Prog albums ever and a great influence on many musicians and fans alike, paving the way for the rebirth of Prog.
Updated: 21/09/2021Posted:	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ THE LOST ATTIC GEP 1024 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 10th album, this time a collection spanning the entire IQ history from the first album till now. All previously unreleased material and a treat for the fans.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	IQ ~ THE SEVENTH HOUSE GEP 1028 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 12th album (recorded 2000) shows the group stronger and more interesting then ever. Very powerful compositions and perfect execution are the usual trademarks. It`s a true wonder that they manage to come up with fresh material time after time, which is always fascinating.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

IQ ~ THE WAKE GEP 1011 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 5th album by this excellent Neo-Prog British group led by the keyboards wizard Martin Orford. IQ are considered as one of the finest Neo-Prog bands and rightfully so, as their talents and musical abilities are far beyond the usual. Great compositions and fearful playing make them a favorite at festivals and this album marks another highlight of their career.

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

CESAR JOANIQUET / BRICE SONIANO / KASPER TOM ~ SONGBOOK ASTROPI 1502 (Barcode: 5707471041512) ~ SPAIN ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the international trio comprising of Spanish saxophonist Cesar JoaniquetFind albums by this artist, French bassist Brice SonianoFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, six of which are standards and three are originals co-composed by the trio members. The music is a subtle tribute to Billie HolidayFind albums by this artist, as the six standards are associated with her heartbreaking performances of these tunes. Of course the trio treats the standards only as a very loosely melodic / harmonic structure, while they improvise extensively and intensely. These three young players have all already established quite a record in the last few years, which puts them in the top echelons of the European Jazz scene in spite of their age. Anybody listening to this album should immediately understand why, as their performances are simply stellar. Joaniquet, when playing the melody lines, sounds remarkably close to Stan GetzFind albums by this artist, which is probably the highest compliment I personally could give any saxophone player, as I was sure until now that nobody will ever come close to Stan´s phrasing and sensitivity. Well, I have been proven wrong. When he improvises freely, he is of course in a different musical universe, so the similarity to Getz does not apply, but he still is a brilliant player. Soniano is one of the most imaginative and expressive bassist I happened to came across lately and his work on this album is a superb example of the role of the bass in contemporary music; no longer a background support but a soloist of equal standing and importance to the other band members. His tone, technique and ability to converse with his cohorts is nothing short of miraculous. Kasper Tom, an old acquaintance, has already captured my attention many times before and his highly unique approach to drumming, or rather playing the drums, has been a pleasure to follow through his diverse and always courageous and groundbreaking recordings. This album is an instant classic, a case study of the "Art of the Trio" variety in the Jazz idiom; in which telepathic group improvisation and lofty inspiration take the music straight to the top of human gratification hubs. This is definitely some of the finest music that landed on my player this year, full of immense aesthetic pleasure as well as intellectual contentment. Way to go!

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

LIQUID QUINTET ~ FLUX FSR 2019/17 (Barcode: 5905279364561) ~ SPAIN ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019 This is a live recording, captured during the 12th Ad Libitum Festival in Warsaw, by the Liquid QuintetFind albums by this artist, one of several Improvising Music ensembles under the "Liquid" moniker, led by Spanish pianist Agusti FernandezFind albums by this artist. The other members of the quintet are Spanish saxophonist Albert CireraFind albums by this artist and drummer Ramon PratsFind albums by this artist, who together with Fernandez constitute the Liquid TrioFind albums by this artist, and Polish trumpeter Artur MajewskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Rafal MazurFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, all co-credited to the five musicians taking part in the music-making process, as appropriate for the idiom. Fernandez, who is undoubtedly the most internationally recognized representative of the Spanish musical Avant-Garde, is a most prolific artist with a huge number (around 100) of recordings as a leader and sideman, probably more than any other European Improvised Music activist. There is nothing wrong with this fact per se, but it does create certain "cautiousness" upon approaching his recordings. The connection between him and the Polish Avant-Garde is quite natural and produced several earlier fruitful meetings, including the participation of Mazur on several occasions. The music is exactly what one would expect from such spontaneous performance; a continuous barrage of notes exchanged between the quintet members, which vary in intensity from hardly audible to overwhelming, creating, as the title suggests, a prolonged flux of energy and sound. There us an obvious affinity and musical conversation between the quintet members, but with a complete lack of melody, harmony and structure, this music can be considered as "digestible" only by the very innate circle of hardcore Improvised Music / Avant-Garde connoisseurs, which of course is perfectly fine. All five musicians are excellent instrumentalist, which can be heard by a trained-ear listener. Although the concept of soloing is nonexistent in a group improvisation idiom as such, there are many moments where just one musician is left "up front" by his cohorts and is able to articulate his statement more recognizably on top of the quiet background improvisations. But of course the telepathic communication between the musicians is the essence. Improvised music is very similar to nonfigurative visual arts; the combination of colors and shapes either convinces the person looking at it or doesn´t, which is often mood dependent. This music is offered to the listener on the exact same principle: take it or leave it. Count me in :)

Updated: 02/09/2020Posted: 02/09/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

LIQUID SCARLET ~ LIQUID SCARLET PROGRESS 012 (Barcode: 837792009252) ~ SWEDEN ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2004 Released: 2004 1st album by the Swedish Prog group Liquid ScarletFind albums by this artist, which plays somewhat heavier brand of the genre with a typical Scandinavian dark sound and gloomy atmosphere, similar to other Scandinavian bands but not as unique as the best of those. Altogether an ambitious debut, which shows potential for the future, but the music, especially, needs to be more captivating to make them really stand out. Don´t take me wrong, this is still a very decent album, which most Prog fans will enjoy and fans of the Scandinavian Prog will surely enjoy even more, but considering the incredibly high standard displayed by other Scandinavian bands, who practically rule the Prog world in the last decade, Liquid Scarlet are not one of them yet.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTREAL ~ SCHOENBERG: PELLEAS UND MELISANDE & VERKLÄRTE NACHT PENTATONE 8717306262187 (Barcode: 8717306262187) ~ CANADA ~ Classical Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by the Orchestre Symphonique De MontrealFind albums by this artist, conducted by the Venezuelan conductor Rafael PayareFind albums by this artist, who is also the orchestra’s musical director, performing two early works by Austrian Jewish composer Arnold SchoenbergFind albums by this artist: the tone poem “Pelleas Und Melisande” (composed in 1903) and the “Verklärte Nacht” (composed originally as a string sextet in 1899 and subsequently revised to a string orchestra versions, this one from 1943). The sound quality of the recording is impeccable and the tone is well balanced. Schoenberg, who was the greatest musical revolutionary of the 20th Century and Godfather of the free atonality and later twelve-tone method, is in retrospect primarily known for his early works of his Late Romanticism period, like those presented here. This is not really surprising, as the complexity and sheer intellectual “weirdness” of his later works is even today light-years ahead of the average Classical music listener, not to mention the ability of most orchestras to tackle their performance. That does not mean, of course, that Schoenberg’s early works are less sophisticated, brilliant or intricate, but they are certainly “packaged” using more conventional compositional techniques, which makes them more accessible, but not necessarily better understood, by a wider audience. There are many available recordings of these two works by Schoenberg, sometimes quite different from each other, so the question is if Payare’s interpretation adds a new aesthetic perspective to the compositions and if the listener can truly enjoy the beauty of the music. I am happy to say that the answer to both these question is positive. Payare takes the music “back to the source” so to speak, emphasizing the romantic nature of the melodic sequences and playing with the dynamics of the subsequent parts of each composition, treating it somewhat like a soundtrack to an imaginary movie. That is as much liberty as the conductor is allowed, and he does not overdo it. The result becomes more “listenable” than most other interpretations, a bit “rounded”, but all in good taste. Overall, this is a wonderful album, which should satisfy Classical Music connoisseurs, who dare to explore Schoenberg’s magical world, or at least the early facet of it, hoping they will dare to search further, into his more advanced periods, which hide many treasures as well. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 24/01/2025Posted: 24/01/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

DOMINIQUE PIFARELY ~ SUITE: ANABASIS JAZZDOR 01 (Barcode: 3521383463772) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is an album by French Jazz violinist / composer Dominique PifarelyFind albums by this artist, recorded with an octet comprising of violin, two cellos, flute, two saxophones, keyboards and drums. The album presents five lengthy original compositions, all by Pifarely. The music is beyond straightforward classification, but obviously amalgamates elements of Jazz and modern / contemporary Classical Music, with a distinct French tinge, and a subtle fragrance of Pierre BoulezFind albums by this artist, glimpses of “Les Six” and other great French musical geniuses, but first and foremost expressing the highly individual inner voice of Pifarely. Despite the complexity of the music, it flows coherently and develops melody lines and atmospheric auras of great beauty. The proximity to Jazz is felt first and foremost in the rhythmic subtext, but also in the multi-layered thematic complexity and some short fragments that sound like “group improvisation”. The instrumentation sounds more Classical, but again today’s genre borders are mostly meaningless. I am not even sure if this music is Avant-Garde, despite its somewhat bizarre exterior, since it makes perfect sense to me, from start to finish, and rather that break completely new ground, it puts great many familiar elements into new arrays of sound. Pifarely’s role on this album is (for me) primarily that of the composer, despite the fact that he contributes flawless violin parts. All the participants prove virtuosic abilities required to perform this immensely tricky and demanding music. One can only admire the courage to undertake such project and the fact that this music was recorded over just three studio sessions, which from the outside looks like an unsurmountable task, regardless of how much rehearsal time went into it. Overall, this is a sensational piece of ingenuity, completely original, stimulating and full of sublime musical ideas. There is so much music on this album, that it might serve as a lifetime companion to avid music lovers, as repeated listening will surely reveal additional layers of previously hidden treasures. Although I have been following Pifarely’s recording career since many years, for me this is his best work so far. Yes, music is not a competition, but somehow everything I feel about his music fits here perfectly into a wonderful whole. I feel lucky to know Pifarely in person, which gives me the opportunity to say thank you, my Friend, for this rare gift of your musical talent!

Updated: 02/10/2021Posted: 02/10/2021

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend