Record Reviews

CROSS ~ WAKE UP CALL PROGRESS 048 (Barcode: 7320470152096) ~ SWEDEN ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the tenth album by the veteran Swedish Prog band CrossFind albums by this artist, led by multi-instrumentalist / vocalist / composer Hansi CrossFind albums by this artist and including core members: bassist Lollo AndersonFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomas HjortFind albums by this artist. Several additional guest musicians also participate, adding their contributions and enriching the overall sound of the band. The album comprises of six compositions, five of which are new and one (added as a bonus track), written over a decade earlier by Hansi, was originally recorded by the group SpektrumFind albums by this artist and now gets a new treatment by Cross. Hansi composed almost all the music and wrote most of the lyrics, with just some slight cooperation by the other band members. The music is great example of contemporary Symphonic Prog, which amalgamates the legacy of the classic period of the genre with modern sound. Well defined melodic themes, expanded instrumental passages, tempo changes and multilayered soundscapes are all utilized here, with a surprisingly fresh effect, way superior to most contemporary Neo-Prog efforts. With eyes closed and total surrender to the music, this sounds like a lost 1970s album, recently discovered and remastered. Of course we are talking influences here, not an attempt to purposely reproduce anything, other than respect and gratitude to the forefathers of the genre. In my book creating an album, which sounds as if it was recorded in the 1970s is Progress encapsulated. The level of musicianship and professionalism involved with recording this album is quite remarkable. The sound is perfect for this kind of music, avoiding the shrillness of Prog Metal, which seems to dominate most contemporary releases. The mix enables all instruments to be perfectly audible and the vocal parts are kept on the same level as the instruments, which allow them to merge perfectly into a coherent and pleasurable whole. The melodic and harmonic content, although typical of the genre, is interesting enough to keep the listener alert, even on the tracks with epic length (over ten minutes), which again is quite rare nowadays. It is becoming more and more difficult to create any truly worthwhile Prog music, as the genre ages, stubbornly resisting change and absurdly progress itself, more than any other musical genre. Therefore staying within the somewhat outdated boundaries of the genre and still being able to create challenging, intelligent and uplifting music is quite remarkable. Hansi and his cohorts deserve kudos for a job well done indeed. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JOHN MAYALL ~ WAKE UP CALL MUSUC ON CD 13149 (Barcode: 8718627221495) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 1992 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of an album by the Godfather of British Blues, vocalist / guitarist / keyboardist / harmonica player / bandleader John MayallFind albums by this artist. “Wake Up CallFind albums with this title” was the first of the three albums released in the 1990s by the American SilvertoneFind albums on this label label and it finds Mayall accompanied by guitarist Coco MontoyaFind albums by this artist, bassist Rick CortesFind albums by this artist and drummer Joe YueleFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians, like saxophonist Joe SublettFind albums by this artist, organist Tom CanningFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Darrell LeonardFind albums by this artist and others play on most tracks, as well as special guests: guitarist / vocalist Buddy GuyFind albums by this artist, guitarist Mick TaylorFind albums by this artist and vocalist Mavis StaplesFind albums by this artist, who participate on selected tracks. The album presents twelve tracks, four of which are Mayall’s originals and the rest are Blues standards. Mayall used the BluesbreakersFind albums by this artist moniker for the second time between 1982 and 2008 and this album was also released as such. This is one of the strongest albums by Mayall in a while and includes some superb guitar soloing and overall excellent instrumental work by the entire crew. Time made absolutely no dent on this music whatsoever and it sounds every bit as fresh and inviting as it did at the time of its release. One of the amazing qualities of Mayall is his remarkable consistency and level of artistry, which he managed to preserve throughout his career, in spite of his constant metamorphosis and migration into diverse stylistic niches. His recording legacy presents an impressive collection of over fifty albums, without not even one of them being an artistic compromise. Same goes for his songwriting, which against all odds, manages to ignore the limitations of the Blues idiom and create wonderful new material without being derivative. Overall this is a most welcome initiative to bring this album back in circulation, as it was getting a bit tough to find on the market. For Blues / Blues-Rock fans this is of course as indispensable as any other Mayall album.

Updated: 29/08/2021Posted: 17/07/2021

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend