Happy New Year!
Hopefully 2023 treated you well. In most respects it was a step further along the road to getting back to whatever normal is/was, but the world still feels like a different place these days.
As ever, a host of wonderful releases have floated the TPA team’s boats during 2023, underlining the quality of the music that continues to be produced in our corner of the Audioverse. It may be somewhat niche, but the vast array of sounds that qualify for inclusion make for an enthralling collective listen as the TPA scribes come together to hopefully provide you with some worm-hole selections to disappear into for your listening pleasure in early ’24.
Herein you fill find five selections each to give our pick of the year’s releases, 67 albums getting the nod, with links to the likes of Bandcamp and YouTube where possible so that you can have a listen. Some artists occur on multiple lists, others don’t, but they’re all great, so dive in and give them a go as a small selection of the fine music that has been produced around the world in the last twelve months. There’s plenty more to enjoy!
Once again, TPA has linked up with Tony Rowsick’s Prog-Watch radio show, available to stream or download from Progzilla Radio, for a two-part round up of a number of the releases included below.
With any luck 2024 will carry on the trend for fantastic music, and TPA will be paying keen attention to find out if it measures up…
A year of health battles, domesticity, late estates and ‘where does all the time go?’, and lastly – even without a review – music; the sane salvation in dark days. Five from a year that has provided a wealth; no rankings, they have all been brilliant in their way, but you have to start somewhere…
The Emerald Dawn – In Time
The band’s fifth album. They’re all different, and continue to entertain, this one not only demonstrating the beauty of their collective whole but elevating the play of bassist David Greenaway and drummer Tom Jackson to where they belong among the elite of their crafts – it will be a crime if either of them do not make an appearance in the Prog Awards. Combined With Tree Stewart (keyboards, flute & balls!) and Ally Carter (guitar & saxophone), this is a must have album. They move from strength to strength and 2024 will see them headlining. Three long tracks, but my favourite is the enigmatic Timeless.
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TPA Review
The Fierce And The Dead – News From the Invisible World
The Fierce And The Dead got vocal – it has been a long time coming – and Matt Stevens et al have executed its delivery with all the superlatives I can muster. Every play never fails to raise a smile. News From the Invisible World is currently vying with the big boys in the voting for the Classic Rock Awards, and well deserved. As if a premonition, the track I would choose is What A Time To Be Alive. It speaks volumes, literally.
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TPA Review
Comedy of Errors – Threnody For A Dead Queen
I just love it, mellow yet powerful, and a must hear for anybody – wonderful. Covering all the bases of musicianship is the title track, a twelve-minute slice of your favourite cake.
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TPA Review
I Am The Manic Whale – Bumper Book of Mystery Stories
I am the Manic Whale always produce rich material, and even with a touch of the Dick Van Dyke / Mary Poppins about the delivery, this is a fun ride from beginning to end. Lose yourself in the music, or in the sumptuous package that is the album artwork and short stories – great stuff from Michael Whiteman and company. I would go with Dream Fortune to provide a fair representation of Bumper Book of Mystery Stories‘ contents.
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TPA Review
Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – The Light of Ancient Mistakes
Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate once again produce a release that is clever and involving, providing a library list as Malcolm Galloway’s sci-fi source reading gives fuel for his musical prose. My choice from The Light of Ancient Mistakes would be imtiredandeverythinghurts.
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TPA Review
That’s five, it only scrapes the surface and mentions should be given to Peter Gabriel’s i/o which is excellent, well worth the wait. Aisles have also snuck out the interesting Bahamut, a restructured band producing a concept album that makes you want to read the book. There is so, so much more, I hope that 2024 is as rich.
Peter Gabriel – i/o
At the tail-end of 2023, finally this long-awaited album by Prog God Peter Gabriel. A series of modest, ‘small’ songs with lots of melody and depth in terms of lyrics. Perhaps not as exuberant and ground-breaking as previous albums, but a less good album from Gabriel is still considerably better than the average offering within the genre. I don’t know about the two mixes but well worth the wait.
Highlight Track: Four Kinds of Horses
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TPA Review
I Am The Manic Whale – Bumper Book of Mystery Stories
Surprise of the year for me, relatively unfamiliar with the existing back catalogue of these musicians. Unadulterated progressive rock from England, performed by excellent musicians. Wonderful melodies and interesting storylines wrapped in a true concept album. Influences from Big Big Train, and making use of their sound engineer in passing. My favourite for the top spot until Peter Gabriel came along.
Highlight Track: We Interrupt This Broadcast
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TPA Review
Moon Safari – Himlabacken Vol.2
Wonderful reunion with the Swedes, a follow-up to the first volume of their ‘Heavenly Hill’ from ten years ago. With clear ’80s influences, great trade-mark multi-harmony vocals and fantastic instrumentation, time will tell whether this is a classic, but it certainly ranks among the best they’ve done so far. Symphonic rock is dead, long live symphonic rock!
Highlight Track: 198X (Heaven Hill)
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TPA Review
Steve Thorne – Malice in Plunderland
As always, mixed feelings when a new album is released by this arch conspiracy theorist/doom prophet. Superb music combined with the darkest conspiracies one can imagine. If he were to give up some of the latter and compensate with an ounce more of the former, wouldn’t that be fabulous?!
Highlight Track: Rubble and Dust
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TPA Review
Lazuli – Onze
The French seem to get better with every album and progress more towards their ultimate sound. Less (prog) rock this time, more atmospheric, moody, melodic music too. With beautiful poetic lyrics as always, melancholic and subdued in character and clearly reflecting the period in which they were written. Perhaps less adventurous but with the new guitarist in the fold definitely on their way to a much deserved breakthrough to wider audiences. Live truly sensational.
Highlight Track: Egoïne
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TPA Review
Solstice – Light Up
Although it had a pre-release at the end of last year, it was officially released at the start of 2023 and is still worthy of a mention in any end of year list. Light Up is the vibrant follow-up to 2020’s Sia, and once again captures the positivity and exuberance of this prog rock band with their folk and psychedelic echoes. The beautiful closing track Bulbul Tarang highlights Jess Holland’s angelic vocals and the expressive guitar of Andy Glass but is testament to the ensemble playing of all the musicians as the music rises to an uplifting finale.
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TPA Review
This Winter Machine – The Clockwork Man
The fourth studio album from UK neo-prog band This Winter Machine has a real feeling of rejuvenation and is probably their most consistent and cohesive album to date. The addition of guitarist John Cook and keyboardist Leigh Perkins has refreshed the musical soundscape, and both have added more prog elements, but with a subtle metal edging as well. The track Silence, Solitude and Steam is a suitable showcase for all aspects of this very listenable dystopian concept album.
Highlight Track: Silence, Solitude and Steam
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TPA Review
Kite Parade – Retro
Andy Foster’s second album of prog-pop, Retro is as melodically vibrant as his 2022 debut The Way Home with its trademark mix of mainstream pop music structures and more intricate progressive passages. His clear vocals, diverse instrumentation and sparkling production values produce a truly joyous album, cut from a similar cloth to Lifesigns at times, and is crossover prog of the highest order – as shown on the multi-faceted track Shadows Fall.
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TPA Review
Nick Fletcher – Quadrivium
A stunning instrumental concept album fusing prog, jazz and rock, Quadrivium shows the full range of Nick Fletcher’s musical vision, compositional skills and virtuoso guitar playing. There is a diversity of light, shade and tempo throughout and the eastern-tinged, thrusting fusion of The Journey to Varansari is an exhilarating example of the music on this impressive solo release from the guitarist from the John Hackett Band.
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TPA Review
Oblivion Protocol – The Fall of the Shires
Threshold’s co-leader and keyboardist Richard West’s own sequel to the band’s The Legends of the Shires continues the dystopian storyline impressively. Richard’s lighter vocals manage to balance the subtle prog-metal touches and promote the more melodic, symphonic prog elements, producing a surprisingly accessible offering of neo-prog. Public Safety Broadcast encapsulates the feel of this highly enjoyable conceptual release very well.
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TPA Review
Everything But The Girl – Fuse
It has been 24 years since Everything But The Girl were last in the spotlight. Fuse is a remarkable album, revealing a staggering emotional depth and poignancy that resonates with the turbulent moods and experiences of the last few years. The deft lyrical incisiveness combined with crisp, laconic sketches of modern life bestows a haunting empathy and heartfelt compassion which is profoundly moving and, at times, overwhelming. The majestic strength of this album is that it finds us where we are. It befriends us. It resonates with our fears, our anxieties, our troubles. It puts an arm around us and says ‘don’t worry, life is difficult, we all struggle, and that’s ok. Everyone is going through it. You’re not the only one. Don’t be too hard on yourself; stop beating yourself up. Focus on what matters. Oh, and don’t forget – have fun!’
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Pendragon – North Star
Pendragon’s four track EP seamlessly continues the same sumptuous musical soundscapes from Love Over Fear, released in 2020. There is a melodic beauty emerging from the lavish textures as the wonderfully crafted instrumental interplays create gorgeous rolling vistas which sweep you up and carry you away.
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TPA Review
ESP Project – Reverie
Tony Lowe’s ESP Project has been close to my heart for a fair few years now. Tony’s vision is to paint musical landscapes on a canvas where dreams and magic and where thoughts and feelings can, for a time, come together in holistic soundscapes that sparkle, thrill and delight. Reverie is an album which showcases music as a living organism. The album is alive, brimming with vitality, diversity, progression, which invites you in and seduces you into a musical experience which astounds, surprises and enchants in equal measure. Thoughts and feelings entwine as one musical reality, their dance the breath which carries us across gorgeous musical vistas and, by the end, lay us to rest with a definite sense of peace and hope. Magnificent.
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TPA Review
Moon Safari – Himlabacken Vol.2
Ten years on from the release Himlabacken Vol.1, Moon Safari return with an absolutely blistering album which is breathtaking in the scope of its ambition. Alongside the signature vocal harmonies, the band now bring a more substantive instrumental presence into the mix, the guitar work particularly adding significant focus and weight to cavernous melodies that linger long in the mind. The lyrically perfect poignancy blends nostalgia, history and a deft spinning of musical storytelling. A stunning album.
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TPA Review
Zeelley Moon – The Author and the Dreamer
We’ve had to wait six years for Patrick Molesworth to follow up his self-titled debut album. Crikey – it has certainly been worth it! The opening track floods you with welcoming soundscapes reminiscent of the first album, but pack a focus, a purpose and a creative energy which signals the emergence of something new and exciting. The diversity of songs on the album is testament to the songwriting prowess which sparkles with inventiveness, and packs positive momentum and inspiration. It’s a gorgeous listen and although only recently released, never leaves my player for long.
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Gong – Unending Ascending
I absolutely adore the way this new incarnation of the legendary space rock band has reinvented itself. No, it’s not a cover band – it’s taking all the best elements of Daevid’s Allen Gong and refashioning them into something new and glorious. This is the third sans-Allen album and it may well be the best, mixing tricky-dicky riffs, exquisitely off-kilter chords, glissando drones and soaring harmony vocals to create an out-of-this-world experience. Every single note is a joy. It’s music, Jim, but not as we know it.
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TPA Review
Mike Keneally – The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat
The album for those who find Keneally’s output a little challenging. The ex-Zappa stunt guitarist keeps it shorter and simpler with nine cracking compositions that encompass Broadway show tunes, Beatle-y pop, furious jazz fusion and slinky acoustic riffing. Sure, even the most straightforward Keneally song twists and turns like an Alpine mountain road, but here the complexity is balanced by exquisite melodies, a playful sense humour and a joyful, home-made feel that makes the album a perfect entry point for newcomers to his music.
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TPA Review
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder – Sonicwonderland
Is it prog? Well, it’s certainly more than just jazz. Japanese piano wizard Hiromi Uehara adds synths to her armoury to create an album that fizzes with self-composed musical ideas, combining funky grooves with spectacular improvisations and proggy twists and turns. Wonderfully aggressive yet feelingly delicate when required, Hiromi’s dazzling keyboard virtuosity is, for me, unmatched in the jazz and prog fields. See her live if you can – she is jaw-droppingly good.
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Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex
I have the greatest respect for Steven Wilson. I believe he is one of our most important musical innovators, and he constantly strives to create music that is truly progressive. That said, I admire this album rather than love it – I find many of the tracks a bit too disjointed. But I keep going back to it because I think it’s an important album, and every listen seems to bring me closer to it. By this time next year it may be my favourite of 2023 – although that will be too late for this list.
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TPA Review
Big Big Train – Ingenious Devices
Lump in the throat time – 18 months after lead singer David Longdon’s tragic death following a fall at his house, BBT released an album of reworked classics with added strings, a live track from last year with new vocalist Alberto Bravin and a brand new instrumental. The strings undoubtedly give the classics a new lease of life but it’s hearing Longdon’s voice again that packs the greatest emotional punch – while Bravin shows the band still has a great future with him as the replacement frontman.
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TPA Review
Unitopia – Seven Chambers
When a band breaks up under less than ideal circumstances and decides years later to reconvene, one might have suspicions about their motives. Seven Chambers takes a revamped band and reaches even higher highs than in the past. Emotional, technical and awe-inspiring, Unitopia provide a showcase for why we all fell in love with prog in the first place.
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TPA Review
The Flower Kings – Look At You Now
The last few albums by TFK have felt more like placeholders than anything else, that’s why hearing Look At You Now was such a revelation. This is a recording that could stand alongside any one of their classic albums and do so proudly. Impeccable songwriting and musicianship unite to form another jewel in The Flower Kings crown.
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Glass Hammer – Arise
Glass Hammer has never been afraid to progress as a band, all while staying true to its own sound and vision. Arise finds the band sounding as ferocious and hungry as a pack of juvenile wolves, putting the rock in progressive rock. Thrilling, mesmerising and thought-provoking.
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TPA Review
Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius – Behind the Curtain: Live at Progstock
I hesitate to include any live album in a “best of” list, but Behind the Curtain captured the band in a way that no studio recording ever did. The band played these two shows as if their lives depended on it, and did not shy away from taking chances. The spontaneous performance of Chick Corea’s Spain with guests Rachel Flowers and Alex Skolnick is the icing on a cake that could have been wholly sufficient on its own. A perfect example of the unmitigated power of live music.
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TPA Review
The Anderson Council – The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon
Sometimes an album comes along to take you by surprise. That’s what The Anderson Council’s latest did to me. Perfectly crafted power pop performed with heart and conviction that should be in every music lover’s collection. Few albums spent as much time in my CD player as this.
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TPA Review
Edgar Broughton – Break the Dark
A complete and unexpected surprise package, containing many ‘wow’ moments. The best of his old band’s influences enhanced by a modern day approach to music-making.
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Judie Tzuke – Jude the Unsinkable
Consistent quality song-writing and superb emotional and technical execution. Constantly evolving her sound to stay in tune with the current vibe.
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TPA Review
Aisles – Beyond Drama
A transitional album that contains exquisite melodic prog and a more aggressive form of hi-energy rock, whilst staying true to the unique Aisles band DNA.
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TPA Review
Lab X – Ikigai
Debut album from an Italian progressive rock super group. A smorgasbord of influences given a highly technical workover, plenty to get stuck into.
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TPA Review
Bruce Soord – Luminescence
A perennial over-achiever delivers another masterclass in understated songs that demand attention and ask questions of the listener.
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First let me come clean – I’m new to this game and this year’s stunning crop of albums has left me as excited and indecisive as a child in a sweet shop. My Top 5 is more like a Top 8, with albums 3-8 in a constant state of flux according to my mood, the weather and the price of coal. Here is today’s incarnation…
Comedy Of Errors – Threnody For A Dead Queen
This is a subtle, intricate and beautifully crafted album; each new listen uncovers more secrets and delights. Transparently clear textures reveal constantly shifting patterns and layers of melody weaving in and out like threads in a shimmering tapestry. The lyrics explore themes of mortality and the life beyond and the music achieves a satisfying sense of cohesion through the use of melodic cross-references between tracks. Typically for this band, the musical style is richly eclectic, including references to Beethoven and Purcell as well as sounds reminiscent of Indonesian gamelan music. Is this album their best yet? I think so.
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TPA Review
Deposed King – One Man’s Grief
This superb debut from Hungarian duo Daniel Kriffel and Dominique Kiraly was my find of the year. Stylistically it sits somewhere between progressive, cinematic and ambient post-rock but possesses an originality that defies categorisation. Acoustic and electronic elements combine to create a darkly glittering sonic landscape. The performances and production are first class and the music is haunting and deeply immersive. Turn the lights down and the volume up and take your imagination on an intense and atmospheric journey.
Highlight Track: Endless Hours
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TPA Review
Unitopia – Seven Chambers
Like my first two choices, the new-look Unitopia have based their album around the frailty of life and how it feels to confront the possibility of death. Each song references a different health condition, with many gaining poignancy by being viewed through the lens of personal experience by individual band members. The overall tone is positive and life-affirming and the musicianship is simply sublime. Flute, violin and nylon guitar add warmth and vibrancy to the instrumentals and Mark Trueack’s expressive vocals and crystal clear diction convey every nuance of the thoughtful lyrics. This is music to make you appreciate and value life.
Highlight Track: The Uncertain
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TPA Review
Kite Parade – Retro
In Retro, Andy Foster and his team of guest musicians deliver topical and thought-provoking lyrics, presented with a freshness and sparkle that surprises and delights me every time I listen. Foster has a nifty flair for writing addictively catchy melodies which are underpinned by strong, characterful bass lines and propelled forwards by Nick D’Virgilio’s agile drumming. Sophisticated instrumentals, emotive and unpredictable harmonic twists and a delicious variety of styles and moods within and between tracks make this vibrant album accessible but never shallow.
Highlight Track: Shadows Fall
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Pendragon – North Star
Yes, it’s only 24-minutes long, but they are 24-minutes of utter, concentrated gorgeousness. The poetically wistful opening track perfectly evokes both the English countryside at nightfall and those magical moments of childhood when it feels as though you only have to reach out and the whole world is yours. Keyboards provide a lush sonic backdrop while Nick Barrett’s eloquent acoustic guitar expertly embellishes and comments upon the vocal lines. “This music makes me miss someone I don’t even know”, claim the lyrics of track 4, perfectly encapsulating the deliciously enjoyable sense of yearning nostalgia evoked by this all-too-brief EP.
Highlight Track: Part 1 – A Boy and his Dog
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TPA Review
Riverside – ID. Entity
Riverside came up trumps with an album to rival their best (in my opinion, Out of Myself and Love, Fear and the Time Machine, if you were wondering). The somewhat retro-sounding, A-ha-influenced synths have really added an intriguing new dimension to the band’s sound. A bold move that has paid dividends. Not sure I’d want it on every album, but it really works well here and fits the lyrics perfectly. Many great tracks to choose from, but opener Friend or Foe? might be the pick of the bunch.
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TPA Review
Downes Braid Association (DBA) – Celestial Songs
I had to think long and hard about whether or not this or Riverside topped the poll. Once again, lush melodies and arrangements sparkle on this, DBA’s fifth album. Once the album hits its stride with second track (and lead single) Clear Light it never really lets up for the rest of the duration. Two accomplished songwriters dong what they do best.
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TPA Review
RPWL – Crime Scene
The album’s theme is somewhat controversial and the handling of these true crimes in the lyrics does feel slightly crass. Musically, though, this is RPWL’s best album by a long chalk. Terrific throughout its six tracks, the album’s opener Victim of Desire probably steals the show with its bombastic chorus theme. The delightfully melodic, Cold Spring Day in ’22’ is a winner too.
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TPA Review
Ten – Something Wicked This Way Comes
Another year, another cracking Ten album. After a few patchy mid-career efforts, Gary Hughes climbed his way to the summit of AOR/melodic rock excellence with Albion and now refuses to come back down. Catchy hooks and memorable choruses abound. The slightly jaunty title track may well be the best offering on this latest.
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Violent Jasper – Control
A Sylvan side project of sorts, put together by keyboardist Volker Söhl and guitarist Johnny Beck. The lush piano melodies and contributions from singer Caroline von Brünken call to mind another of my favourite bands, Iamthemorning. Marco Glühmann pops up on this too. Think some of the softer parts of Sylvan’s magnificent Home and you’ll have some idea of what’s on offer. Lots of great stuff on here. Hail Thee Mockery is a particularly fine slice of prog.
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Honourable mentions: Collage’s Over and Out was too late in the year to make the 2022 list (but would have). Similarly, Pallas’ The Messenger is too late this year (it had its digital release at 1pm this afternoon). Also, Cyan’s re-recording of Pictures From the Other Side just misses the list along with Jethro Tull’s RökFlöte. A better year of music this year.
MVI – In the Rain Shadow
Mark Vickness, now under the acronym MVI (Mark Vickness Interconected), returned in 2023 with the follow-up to the excellent Interconnected, released in 2020, and coincidentally featured in my top five selections for that year. In the Rain Shadow brings together seven extraordinary instrumentalists who have created a fabulous acoustic fusion album in every sense. A global musical journey, seamlessly joining East and West in a unique and inspired fashion.
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TPA Review
Nick Fletcher – Quadrivium
Some years ago, and after hearing a a fantastic classical guitar piece entitled Sirocco, I purchased Nick Fletcher’s Cathedral of Dreams album. Fast tracking, he would subsequently appear on a number of albums, notably with John Hackett, and then as part of the John Hackett Band. His electric work was equally impressive, which I discovered last year at a JHB concert. I immediately purchased his then latest solo album, the impressive The Cloud of Unknowing. Anticipation for Quadrivium was therefore high – and did it deliver. Oh yes! Here’s a taster: Album Trailer
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TPA Review
Dandelion Charm – Scream Inside the Tear
Described as a blend of folk, prog and rock, Dandelion Charm returned in 2023 with a concept based on the circle of life – ‘ashes to ashes’. From start to finish an absorbing listen – fantastic vocals, great songs and strong hooks, clever writing and arrangements, thoughtful lyrics and topped off with excellent production. My suggested track has to be The Engineering of Consent as it pretty much encompasses all the above, but with the added bonus that it expands on all those key elements. Great track, great album…
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TPA Review
The John Irvine Band – Scanning the Dark Horizon
“It was time to leave Earth. Truth be told, it was time years ago – but we’d held on, waiting for things to get better. They never did, of course. They’d only got worse…”
Just part of the introductory text for the first of a planned trilogy of sci-fi inspired albums from The John Irvine Band. Once again composer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist John Irvine seamlessly blends his concept into a series of progressive rock pieces with tasteful jazzy voicings. Seems appropriate to conclude with the close-out track, A World on the Run, a favourite from the album and a timely introduction to part two of the trilogy, The Starships Are Gathering, which arrived shortly before Christmas…
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TPA Review
Balone – Doofa Darl
Balone, AKA bassist and multi-instrumentalist Tony Stewart, continues his passion for instrumental music with the emphasis on jazz/funk. Tony cites Prince, Marcus Miller, Mark King, Stanley Clarke and Nathan East, to mention a few – that works for me, as the album opener, Access Granted, confirms. For this, his third album, Balone and band have stretched out to include a mini epic invoking a whole host of styles and influences from Supertramp and 10cc (perhaps), to those fusioneers of the early ’70s, so it makes sense for The Storm Sentinel to be my chosen track.
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TPA Review
Five is never enough, but there again would ten or fifteen? Probably not. So a quick mention to a few releases that could well have a made a longer list: Edenya – Another Place | The Fierce And The Dead – News From the Invisible World | That Joe Payne – Bread & Circuses | Jo Quail – Invocation / Supplication | Path of Ilya – Heterostasis | Great North Star – II | Ingrid Lukas – Elumeloodia | Hely – Plode | Rafael Pacha – A Bunch of Forest Songs…
Fish On Friday – 8mm
Gorgeous literary music! The release touched my soul with its retro feel and vibe. Listening brought back a flood of fond memories to me. There are great pop textures to this as well, and the vocals by Frank, Nick and Lula are utterly sensational. Marcus Weymaere’s drumming and Frank Van Bogart’s keyboards provide the canvas for the band to colour, shape, and shine. Marty Townsend, in my humble opinion, doesn’t get the credit he so richly deserves for his stellar guitar work! From rock to jazz to Bossa Nova, he can play it all with ease and perfection and does so flawlessly on 8mm. Frank has outdone himself on this release. I dearly love this album and this band.
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Damanek – Making Shore
I was blown away by this release. Talk about going places and seeing the world through the eyes of an artist! It’s grand, it’s intimate and it’s worldly. Making Shore provided so much vivid colour and light to me early last year when things looked bleak personally. Guy Manning is a brilliant composer and consummate musician and can get the best and brightest artists to work with him on his projects, and this album is an excellent example. Two of them, Marek Arnold and Sean Timms, are prodigious musical legends in their own right, both associated with numerous superb bands as well as their solo work. I cannot emphasise enough how beautiful and enriching the fabric and atmosphere created by this release is. There is energy, liveliness, confidence, and verve, the signature Damanek sound expanding its boundaries to capture snapshots of incredible landscapes, emotional and relevant lyrics and mesmerising tales that take the listener to the highest of mountains and under the deep blue sea, driven by exceptional vocals and stellar musicianship. An inspired and captivating listen.
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TPA Review
Motorpsycho – Yay!
My summer album! The beaches, cars with tops down, warm breezes, long evenings and warm nights! Yay! is the vibe, the colour and feel! It has vibrancy and warmth – and it’s fun! The harmonies on this release are outrageous, perfect, and out of this universe! Jazzy, improvisational, slick and groovy, Motorpsycho brought back the large sound of the 1970s and ’80s, with reverb and gusto. An absorbing and intoxicating 42-minutes of Heaven. These guys are masters at their trade.
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TPA Review
ESP Project – Reverie
I have said this before; Tony Lowe is a genius. I consider him a modern-day Renaissance Man, satisfying his curiosity with knowledge obtained by research, discernment and a focus on the arts, both musical and in drawings, photography and painting. His genius is evident in all his musical endeavours too, latest album Reverie another touchstone of brilliance. It’s a seven-song mini-symphony that delights the senses and moves the soul. Exquisite sounds expand and explore every movement and note, creating a cornucopia of wonderful sensations and feelings. The music flows with energy, vitality, and distinction, creating a colourful cosmic atmosphere, full of anticipation and wonder. There is an emotional release, almost like a prayer offering in the hopes of a better future. A positive and uplifting album, this is original music of healing, love, and comfort for a wounded and hurting world. Sensual and strong, touching and forging, Reverie is a masterpiece of modern progressive music.
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TPA Review
Nova Cascade – The Navigator
Dave Hilbourne’s latest is a watershed of ambient world progressive music. It is also a moving, emotional, and loving testament to a brilliant musician, Eric Bouillette, who passed away from pancreatic cancer during the recording of this album. I played it well over 50 times and each time I discovered something new that I had not heard previously. I came to the conclusion that the sublime thing about this album is that there are layers and sounds to be discovered with each new listen, music that touches the heart and soul with such vivid emotion, imagery, and longing. The Navigator is a musical landmark of a lifetime, a tour de force, a touchstone of brilliant musicality and soundscape, and a masterpiece of progressive ambient art.
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TPA Review
I’ve liked all the previous albums by the band, but the addition of vocals from bass player Kevin Feazey and the broadening of their musical palette takes the band to even higher heights. This is like all of my music collection combined in one breathtaking album. Shake the Jar is a real rabble-rousing crowd pleaser; I defy you to stay still listening to it. It’s a perfect snapshot of how good this record is.
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TPA Review
The Chronicles of Father Robin – Songs & Tales of Airieoa
A triple concept album that transports you from land to air and sea. The traditional symphonic side of progressive rock is in very safe hands, thanks to this brilliant Norwegian supergroup who have put out a must listen record that reaches the heights of classic ’70s albums. Elision Forest is a perfect slice of prog, evocative and immersive and it draws you into a whole other world, like the best prog does.
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TPA Review
Haken – Fauna
Haken have taken the various aspects of their previous music and merged them all together to present this powerhouse of an album. It’s like a greatest hits album of new material, building on the legacy of one of the most important bands of the past fifteen years. Elephants Never Forget is a true progressive epic, not just in length but in scale and approach, taking you on a sonic journey through early Queen to Nine Inch Nails and back again. My song of the year.
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TPA Review
I Am The Manic Whale – Bumper Book of Mystery Stories
I just love it, mellow yet powerful, and a must hear for anybody – wonderful. Covering all the bases of musicianship is the title track, a twelve-minute slice of your favourite cake. Ghost Train, Part 1 is the band at their earworm best; catchy, intelligent pop-fuelled prog with a story. What’s not to like?
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TPA Review
Avkrvst – The Approbation
A concept album about a man losing his mind alone in a cabin in the woods – that was recorded in a cabin in the woods. This Norwegian band sounds like Opeth with shoegazer vocals, and this album was among the most atmospheric of the year. All the songs on this album are really good but The Great White River is one of the most accessible as a standalone.
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TPA Review
Poil Ueda – Poil Ueda
Simply the most mind-expanding release of the year for me, a corruscating amalgam of avant prog and traditional Japanese epic storytelling. The material may have its origins in the 13th Century but the setting is bang up to date, with the gentlemen of Poil providing a challenging but completely complementary setting for Junko Ueda to weave her particular brand of magic. The good news is that a second volume has already appeared! Mesmerising – and the live show was my favourite of the year too…
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TPA Review
Tribe3 – Tribe3
Tribe33 are a new band from the Bridgend area in South Wales – my formative manor, as it were – but the trio are comprised of experienced hands. This debut album takes a melodic, keyboard focused approach with some sublime guitar work, and fine vocals from first-time lead singer, drummer Jon Kinsey. Taking ’80s Rush as a starting point, the album expands on the influences to give Tribe3 a sound of their own as lengthy compositions remain sharp and focused to properly deliver the goods.
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TPA Review
Kavus Torabi & Richard Wileman – Heaven’s Sun
There’s something peculiar about this album: it has just two lengthy tracks, but each is a suite of ideas from the protagonists, melded together into a mystical and moveable feast that flashes by in what feels like no time at all in a whirl of psychedlic wonder. Songs and instrumental passages weave together to seemingly warp time itself. Kavus knows a thing or two about mind-altering music (with Gong, Knifeworld, Cardiacs, Guapo, etc., etc.) and the combination with the sci-fi inflected Gothic soundscapes and acoustic songsmithery of Richard Wileman is a perfect match.
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TPA Review
Jo Quail – Invocation / Supplication
Jo Quail’s live performances have completely stolen my heart over the last couple of years, her solo electric cello sculpted via loops and effects to produce a cornucopia of delights, with Jo’s engaging warmth the icing on the cake. This album focuses on her wonderful ensemble compositions, cello finding a place within a sweep of brass, effects, primal rhythms and the extraordinary vocal contributions of Maria Franz (Heilung) and Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (also known as LEF, from the band O_R_k). These two linked EPs are a compelling listen, building and releasing tension in fascinating relief as two sides of a particularly creative wellspring.
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TPA Review
Ruby Dawn – Beyond Tomorrow
Led by the strong presence and powerfully distinctive vocals of Carola Baer, Ruby Dawn’s debut album takes social consciousness and environmental issues as lyrical themes, set amid melodic and atmospheric rock music. Often quite minimalistic and with a pleasingly haunting quality, the playing and production are crisp, focused and on point. There are hints of the late ’60s and an earthiness that works well amid the sophistication and dynamism of the music, taking in Eastern elements, dance and funk when required to make for a highly interesting and satisfying listen.
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TPA Review
District 97 – Stay for the Ending
District 97 return with their distinctive brand of quirky prog metal, but this time with added polish and brio. This could be their most adventurous, inventive, and accessible album yet, and it’s my favourite of the year.
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TPA Review
Riverside – ID. Entity
The band search for sense in a chaotic modern world, and dare to incorporate some ’80s influences to their sound, married to very personal lyrics. An absolute triumph.
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TPA Review
The Fierce & The Dead – News From The Invisible World
The bravest move of the band’s career – TFATD bring us vocals! They also broaden the envelope so much that it’s almost unrecognisable, but the creative energy is undeniable. If you think you know this band, it’s time to re-evaluate.
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TPA Review
Zopp – Dominion
Ryan Stevenson’s second album under the name Zopp, and he too has introduced vocals on a couple of songs, adding extra interest and texture. A modern Canterbury inspired masterpiece.
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TPA Review
Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex
Described as ‘aural sculpture’, Steven Wilson presents a thrilling album, varied but satisfying, a slow burning classic, with new detail to discover with each play.
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TPA Review
Riverside – ID. Entity
When a band takes risks with their music that could backfire with their fans. But for me it succeeds and is what defines Progressive.
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TPA Review
Earthside – Let The Truth Speak
After the large gap of time since the first excellent album, I had feared we may not get a second one. Not only have they released the sophomore but it is an immense piece of work by a band who consider themselves composers first and musicians second.
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TPA Review
Lanterns On The Lake – Versions of Us
I am a latecomer to this band, but have quickly amassed all their available releases. They write fabulous music and should really be bigger.
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Galahad – The Long Goodbye
Stu and the boys have never baulked at difficult subjects, be they political or personal, and encompass many genres within their sound. Their last couple of albums have seen a resurgence, with the latest one of the band’s best.
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TPA Review
Giantsky – Giant Sky II
Erland Viken has done it again. After Soup disappeared, he resurfaced with Giantsky, a beautiful re-creation that still retained some of the original core sound. This follow-up is not only what I consider the best release of an abundance of great music from Norwegian artists, but one of the finest this year, full-stop.
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TPA Review
The Necks – Travel
The Australian minimalists ascend to new heights with this extraordinary release. Prepare to be mesmerised!
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London Brew – London Brew
Inspired by Bitches Brew, and featuring many of the current London nu-jazz scene, this is a work of sumptuous tonality and groove. Miles would approve.
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The Fierce And The Dead – News From the Invisible World
In which Rushden’s finest reveal the light from under their bushel, in the form of Kev’s voice. Covering many bases, this album considerably ups the ante.
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TPA Review
VÄLVĒ – Tiny Pilots
The wonderfully wonky imagination of Chlöe Herington conjures up some beguiling songs powered by an unlikely collection of found sounds and reeds, and Emma Sullivan’s bass and sundry musical additions. You won’t hear anything else remotely similar in this or any other year. Thanks to a bug I missed the album launch show, my biggest musical regret of the year.
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TPA Review
The Holy Family – Go Zero
Limiting this list to a mere five albums is a cruel task, and this choice could have been any one of around ten others. I saw this fabulous Kosmiche experience in a windswept field near Hereford in what passed for “summer” this year, so that swings it. That, and Kavus running around trying to find the key to turn off a car alarm.
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TPA Review
Southern Empire – Another World
On this third album, Southern Empire faced the challenge of following their brilliant 2018 release Civilisation with new singer Shaun Holton, after the departure of Danny Lopresto. Be assured; these Australian maestros have produced an album bursting with imaginative power and their usual stellar musicianship. Sean Timms remains one of the driving forces, both musically and lyrically, but this is a much more collaborative album with input from all of the band members, guitarist Cam Blokland writing and singing on two songs with the whole band providing arrangement ideas throughout, which shines through in the fizzing creativity of the music. Blokland should be credited for suggesting Holton, uncovering a distinctive and talented vocalist with the ability to fully express these powerful and complex songs. After five years Southern Empire have evolved to imaginatively develop their sound even further, but crucially they retain what made them stand out in the first place to produce yet another fine album of spectacularly well-performed melodic progressive rock with a harder edge – one of the best albums of 2023.
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TPA Review
Riverside – ID. Entity
Riverside’s first new album since the cathartic Wasteland focuses on an exploration of identity, including their own. Identity is explored lyrically but also through the differing strands of their musical history referenced in the songs, with clear echoes of the differing styles of earlier albums… and yet it is a remarkably cohesive album which flows along with the band’s characteristic command of both rock power and melodic subtlety. ID. Entity is a much more collaborative album, the band clearly delighting in playing and recording together after the separation of lockdown, and there is a palpable live energy to the songs. Mariusz Duda is one of the finest vocalists in progressive rock, seemingly at ease with sweet passages of delicate emotion or vocally raging with passion. After the sense of loss and grief in their recent albums, Riverside return with an album brimming with power, focusing upon the toxicity of social media, fake news and how we can become isolated and disconnected. However, out of that maelstrom they magnificently create an album imbued with a sense of optimism and resolution, and a much clearer sense of Identity. Riverside are emphatically back, and without doubt ID. Entity will be regarded as one of the finest progressive rock albums of 2023.
Highlight Track: The Place Where I Belong
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TPA Review
Galahad – The Long Goodbye
Galahad have produced a remarkable album steeped in stories, insights and their now characteristic and intoxicating mixture of styles and influences. The Long Goodbye is filled with intensely personal reflections and wider observation, delivered with a sense of maturity, exploring important subjects with imaginative subtlety alongside passages of rock power. With most of the songs written by Dean Baker and Stuart Nicholson, credit must go to keyboardist Dean for creating vibrant music to drive such accessible and catchy songs. The title track focuses on a decline with dementia, and I am betting that this remarkable and truly moving song will impel listeners to hit ‘repeat’. Embellished with beautiful guitar from Lee Abraham, The Long Goodbye is one of the most moving songs Galahad have ever produced and will surely be regarded as one of the best of 2023. The power and attraction of The Long Goodbye is the band’s willingness to touch on very personal subjects and address important issues, conveyed with captivating music that draws on a range of influences and styles. It is remarkable that after 38 years Galahad continue to push boundaries and produce high quality and meaningful music, and in The Long Goodbye they have undoubtedly produced one of the best albums of their whole career.
Highlight Track: The Long Goodbye
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TPA Review
This Winter Machine – The Clockwork Man
This Winter Machine returned with an ambitious conceptual piece, a dark dystopian story with a sci-fi steam punk feel rooted in perspectives and insights about modern society. It’s their first concept album, and they present it with great imagination and skill, drawing the listener into the narrative with impactful songs filled with power and subtlety. Singer and main song writer Al Winter is a self-confessed Rush fanatic and has shared that The Clockwork Man was partly inspired by his love of ’70s/’80s sci-fi, and ‘a desire to try a real concept album’ in the same vein as 2112. John Cook is the band’s new and very talented guitarist, and crucially they have finally been able to recruit a highly skilled keyboardist in Leigh Perkins, who indelibly stamps his own style on the band’s sound. The Clockwork Man has a compelling central narrative, but this is also an album in which most of the songs could easily stand-alone. It ticks all the right boxes if you are a fan of well written and performed flowing melodic progressive rock, and is one of the most accomplished albums of This Winter Machine’s career.
Highlight Track: The River (Parts 1 & 2)
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TPA Review
Unitopia – Seven Chambers
Unitopia are back with their first album since 2012. The title is a poetic reference to the human heart, reflecting a physical and more metaphorical emotional rollercoaster over the last decade. Mark Trueack and Sean Timms remain, but are now joined by multi-instrumentalist Steve Unruh (from The Samurai of Prog) along with impressive guitarist John Greenwood. High-class bassist Alphonso Johnson (of Weather Report) and legendary Genesis live drummer Chester Thompson are now also on board. Seven Chambers aptly features seven diverse songs which delve into some dark places. The Beatles-esque Broken Heart was inspired by a heart attack, and Something Invisible touches on fears about a range of significant health concerns. Bitter Sweet takes a more humorous stab at diabetes and the suitably manic Mania spotlights mental health matters. Unitopia’s new music has clearly been shaped by life experiences and challenges, which is etched into every note, beat and word. The challenging complexities and beauty reveal themselves more with repeated listens. Crucially, they retain the central core qualities of writing engaging rock songs filled with melody, subtlety and power. Seven Chambers is the heartfelt reflection of artists dealing with getting older. Ultimately these songs touch on some of our darkest fears and experiences, and yet they are imbued with a sense of hope and redemption. Unitopia are well and truly back with one of the most imaginative and high-quality albums of 2023.
Highlight Track: The Uncertain
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TPA Review