May 2017 – T P A

Aquaserge – Laisse ça être

The fizzing French confection Aquaserge, makers of highly individual left-field pop-prog that explodes on your tongue like sherbert dip (Google it, non-Brits!), released their second album earlier this year. It is a joyous and celebratory affair, and a welcome tonic…

Quiet World – The Road

Esoteric have a knack for finding the most obscure records that only bear a passing resemblance or connection to progressive rock. At first glance, The Road seems like an overblown religious folk concept album. And even though this still rings…

Kant Freud Kafka – Onírico

Javi Herrera’s website contains the rather delightful disclaimer that Kant Freud Kafka is not actually related to these three philosophers but is “just a joke amongst friends”. After all, he says, “throwing a bit of good humor to prog rock…

Syncage – Unlike Here

Syncage was formed almost a decade ago, by brothers Riccardo and Matteo Nicolin together with their best friends Daniele Tarabini and Matteo Graziani, when they were all teenagers. They have previously released a single, Hellhound in May 2014 which they…

Arjen Lucassen

On 22nd April 2017 – Earth Day. While protests to mark the “Science March” were proceeding across the USA and the world, TPA’s Professor Mark sat down with one of the great musical sci-fi storytellers, Arjen Lucassen, and conducted a…

Ayreon – The Source

Arjen Lucassen has returned with a new Ayreon album for 2017, The Source being the latest adventure in the long saga which has been the stalwart concept and story of Lucassen’s discography. The Source is actually a prequel to the…

Nad Sylvan

Currently the singer with Steve Hackett’s band and formerly a part of Agents of Mercy with Roine Stolt, and before that Unifaun, Nad Sylvan has just released his second solo album, The Bride Said No, on InsideOut Music. With Nad’s…

Nad Sylvan – The Bride Said No

Well, shiver me timbers and splice the mainbrace (whatever that is). Our favourite pirate-cum-vampire, Nad Sylvan, has risen from the grave with another cracking musical collection that shows he’s more than just a heavily made-up face. Step aboard me hearties…

Mew / Warhaus

The Trinity Centre, Bristol Sunday, 21st May 2017 I don’t know what it is but 2017 has been a veritable desert of gigs for me, rather than the usual dessert. It might be age related apathy, or the arse ache…

Mellow Diamond – American God

Based in Washington DC, Janel Leppin-Pirog already has one album and a couple of EPs to her name, and an earlier album as a duo with Anthony Pirog, now her husband. Confusingly, her one previous album is called Mellow Diamond,…