Arena The Seventh Degree of Separation – 2011 A period of hiatus and the introduction of a new singer may have helped breathe life into Arena. The first album of the ‘Manzi-era’ hinted at the more theatrical elements of Nolan’s side projects without being overwhelmed by them. Choosing life after death as a concept for [&hellip

This review concerns the latest album from French Neo-Proggers Nine Skies, a collection of twelve thematically linked songs that unfold a story of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as experienced by soldiers in wartime. Appropriately, the review was written on the day that we remember those fallen during those dreadful conflicts of World Wars One and [&hellip

Arabs in Aspic Strange Frame of Mind – 2010 Continuing the theme of prog bands who don’t take themselves too seriously, Arabs in Aspic were firing on all cylinders when they produced their good-natured second album at the beginning of the decade. One only needs to hear the opening ⅞ theme to The Flying Norseman [&hellip

When the opportunity came to review Concrete Vitalist, I had to review it. I didn’t know why, but I felt compelled. It turns out that, some time ago, while I was dabbling with making some ambient music, I’d been listening to Noisepoetnobody (AKA Casey Jones from Seattle) on Soundcloud, but having a brain like Swiss [&hellip

“Pick your ten best albums from the decade about to end” you said. Never ask me to do something like this again… I jest, I’m a glutton for punishment and we all love a good list, eh? Anyway, from a starting point of well over 200 albums that I’ve bought in the last ten years, [&hellip

Okay, Croatian prog, an oxymoron waiting to happen one thinks, as nothing quite like this has strayed across my musical radar until now. The brainchild and driving force behind this album, indeed, project, is a young man by the name of Matej Blečić, who apparently conceived, created and recorded this in his bedroom studio in [&hellip

Big Big Train English Electric Full Power – 2013 Originally issued as two separate albums and an EP, but clearly intended as one cohesive work, English Electric is simply my favourite album of the last ten years. Quintessentially English both musically and lyrically, it covers so many lost tales of economic and social history, highlighting [&hellip

Well, what a pleasant surprise this release is! I’m not particularly an aficionado of RPWL, so whilst I might have reasonably expected some sort of Floydian feel to frontman Yogi Lang’s second solo effort, I wasn’t ready for what I’m hearing. To be honest, it sounds like the kind of solo album which Dave Gilmour [&hellip

Well… here we are again… another year, another live release. Looking back at their discography, it seems the last few (including this one) have been every three years. Nice and steady release schedule. Again, it will primarily be the already … Continue reading →

Flamboyant French rock musician Franck Carducci, with his very talented band, is becoming increasingly well known for his entertaining and spectacular live shows, full of eye-catching theatre, humour and high-quality musicianship, conveyed with great style and elan. Therefore, it’s a surprise that his latest (and third) studio album The Answer is not only a vehicle [&hellip