As mentioned in another recent review, I’m particularly fond of box sets that cover a scene as opposed to an artist. Because my familiarity with shoegaze is spotty at best, I thought that the We Are The Beautiful compilation would…
View More Various Artists – We Are The Beautiful: Two Decades Of Shoegaze 1991-2011
As TPA’s unofficial Samurai of Prog reviewer over the last several years, what has struck me most is the consistency from one album to the next. Especially because the main songwriters and instrumentalists are all “guest” musicians. Guest in the…
View More The Samurai Of Prog – The Seven Voyages Of Sinbad
Many bands have performed with an orchestra. From Metallica to Procol Harum, Deep Purple to Emerson Lake & Palmer, rock musicians have sought out the credibility and beauty that playing with a symphony can bring. However, there’s a huge difference…
View More John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest – Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert
I will admit to being more than a bit chuffed when Malcolm Galloway of Hats Off Gentlemen Its Adequate offered early access to the band’s ninth and newest album, Parallel Lives. There’s always that moment of “what will I do…
View More Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – Parallel Lives
First of all, thank you for taking the time to talk with TPA. As promised, I have a list of questions regarding your latest album, First Day. TPA (John Giordano): For such an exemplary musician, your songs are very lyric…
View More John Greenwoood
To state the obvious, John Greenwood has not taken the typical path to becoming a prog rock guitar hero. Having grown up in Manchester, UK, where he studied medicine and finished training in plastic surgery, he and his family subsequently…
View More John Greenwood – First Day
My favourite Cherry Red compilations are those that cover a scene as opposed to a particular artist. A Strange Light From The East, subtitled Eastern Influenced Western Music 1965-72, is a romp through the introduction of Indian sounds, the sitar…
View More Various Artists – A Strange Light From The East
The release of Advent Horizon’s fourth album, Falling Together, finds the band in an introspective mood. If you think that translates to sappy ballads and mordant MOR, you would be wrong. As heavy as any of their previous releases musically,…
View More Advent Horizon – Falling Together
One of last year’s pleasant surprises was my introduction to Brendan Perkins via Stories From The Old Church Lane. The album was like a warm embrace from a friend you hadn’t seen in far too long. Happy to say, Perkins’…
View More Brendan Perkins – Trading River Songs
It would be easy to dismiss the new Yes album, Aurora, out of hand: it’s not Yes without Jon Anderson, it’s little more than a cover band, their time has come and gone. You could dismiss it, but that would…
View More Yes – Aurora