You know that thing where Henry Cow gatecrash a Randy Newman song? No? Well it happens on the opening track to Putting Off Death, the 18th(!) album from redoubtable Chicagoan avant rockers CHEER-ACCIDENT, and their third for Cuneiform Records. They…
View More CHEER-ACCIDENT – Putting Off DeathMonth: July 2017
Stackridge – The Final Bow, Bristol 2015
Harold Wilson once famously said that a week was a long time in politics; I wonder what he would have made of my forty-six years of following one band fandom? It was forty-six years ago today I first heard Stackridge…
View More Stackridge – The Final Bow, Bristol 2015Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains [Exhibition]
Victoria and Albert Museum, London Running to Sunday 1st October 2017 A healthy queue greets my arrival at the magnificent Victoria and Albert Museum. Having played around with the online booking system, it was pleasing – and a little surprising…
View More Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains [Exhibition]Jack Arthurs | Andy Tillison | Tom Slatter
The Voodoo Café, Darlington Friday, 7th July 2017 There’s very little that comes to this neck of the North East so the opportunity to catch three “proggy” acts at one event is surely one not to be missed? But I…
View More Jack Arthurs | Andy Tillison | Tom SlatterRichard Powley – Telepathy
One of the most involving albums I’ve heard in 2017 is Tempest, the sophomore release from UK-based Telepathy. Whereas in the past instrumental metal bands often painted themselves into chops-obsessed corners, now I’m hearing more focus on creating immersive, atmospheric…
View More Richard Powley – TelepathyToby Driver – Madonnawhore
Toby Driver is an integral cog in one of the few truly progressive rock bands on the planet, the ever-morphing Kayo Dot. More than a decade on from his first, here Toby makes his second solo album, as he ironically…
View More Toby Driver – MadonnawhoreDiscipline – Captives of the Wine Dark Sea
From Detroit, Michigan, Discipline return for their fifth studio album, Captives of the Wine Dark Sea, released on their new label Laser’s Edge. There are few bands that can give me a buzz of anticipation for their new release, but…
View More Discipline – Captives of the Wine Dark SeaBjørn Riis – Forever Comes to an End
‘Haunting’ is a word which is frequently used in relation to a number of progressive albums, signalling a disquieting and lingering sense of presence which inhabits and permeates the music, bringing with it associated feelings of wistful nostalgia, the pain…
View More Bjørn Riis – Forever Comes to an EndPatto – Roll ’em Smoke ’em Put Another Line Out / Monkey’s Bum
Patto – Roll ’em Smoke ’em Put Another Line Out Judging by the chaotic, unfocused but nonetheless glorious mess that this album is, it would seem its title was instructional rather than allegorical. Weirdly described by Rolling Stone at the…
View More Patto – Roll ’em Smoke ’em Put Another Line Out / Monkey’s BumSteve Hackett & Djabe – Summer Storms and Rocking Rivers
Djabe were founded in 1995, going on to become the number one jazz/world fusion band in their native Hungary. Their association and collaboration with Steve Hackett goes back to 2003 when he played on their Sheafs are Dancing album, and…
View More Steve Hackett & Djabe – Summer Storms and Rocking Rivers