Roine Stolt has had a long and varied career since joining the band Kaipa as a teenager in 1974, the guitarist, singer and song writer going on to be involved with The Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Agents of Mercy, The Tangent…
View More Roine Stolt’s The Flower King – Manifesto of an AlchemistAuthor: Mel Allen
Jordsjø – Jordsjø Compilation
Jordsjø released their first album to appear on CD, Jord, earlier this year through Karisma Records, and it has become one of my top releases for this year. The band’s previous releases, Jordsjø, Jordsjø II and the Songs from the…
View More Jordsjø – Jordsjø CompilationSamuel Hällkvist & Natiho Toyota – Suzuran No Wakare
Samuel Hällkvist has released a mini “album”, consisting of just two tracks. Flying in the face of “Prog Tradition” they are not sprawling epics but superbly concise and innovative tracks lasting a total of nine minutes. Now, this will no…
View More Samuel Hällkvist & Natiho Toyota – Suzuran No WakareBlackfield – Open Mind
Blackfield is the collaborative project between Israeli and British songwriters and musicians, Aviv Geffen and Steven Wilson, which began back in 2004 with their self-titled debut album. They followed that with a further four albums with the last, V released…
View More Blackfield – Open MindFranklin Mint – Scrage
Franklin Mint hail from Bristol, not far from my place of residence, a city which has an interesting musical heritage with a number of great bands and a wide choice of live venues. The band rose from the ashes of…
View More Franklin Mint – ScrageArgos – Unidentified Dying Objects
Argos, based in Mainz in Germany, release their fifth album, having recently signed to the excellent Bad Elephant Music label. Argos first came to my attention when I had the good fortune to see them perform a very impressive set…
View More Argos – Unidentified Dying ObjectsRegal Worm – Pig Views
Jarrod Gosling has released the third album from his Prog/Psych band Regal Worm on the Uranium Club label. Pig Views is the third in a loose trilogy of albums which began in 2013 with Use and Ornament, followed the following…
View More Regal Worm – Pig ViewsGalasphere 347 – Galasphere 347
This year four musicians have come together to create an album full of Anglo-Scandinavian influenced symphonic rock, the members’ pedigrees including White Willow, Henry Fool, Änglagård, Tim Bowness’ band, Weserbandland and Necromonkey. These experiences shine through this music, enhancing and…
View More Galasphere 347 – Galasphere 347Phi Yaan-Zek – Reality Is My Play Thing
Phi Yaan-Zek has taken some eleven years to create this, his seventh album. This gestation has brought about an epic project, the core of which is a double album, although there is a special edition, expanded to a triple. This…
View More Phi Yaan-Zek – Reality Is My Play ThingThe End – Svårmod Och Vemod Är Värdesinnen
The coming together of baritone saxophone aces Kjetil Møster and Mats Gustafsson has created an astonishing collaboration. They have been joined by powerhouse drummer Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) and the amazing experimental singer Sofia Jernberg. To complete the line up Kjetil…
View More The End – Svårmod Och Vemod Är Värdesinnen