John Giordano

Melanie Mau & Martin Schnella – The Rainbow Tree

My first experience with the German acoustic duo of Melanie Mau and Martin Schnella was at New Jersey’s Progstock festival. Mau (vocals) and Schnella (acoustic guitar & vocals) are typically abetted onstage by percussionist Simon Schroder, performing on various hand…

Emerald City Council – Motion Carries

One of the best parts about being an avid listener of music is discovering new bands. When I heard that Jake Livgren (nephew of Kerry Livgren from Kansas, and a contributor to several Neal Morse albums) was involved in a…

The Dream Academy - Religion, Revolution & Railways

The Dream Academy – Religion, Revolution and Railways [7CD Boxset]

When Life in A Northern Town hit back in 1985, it broke through the synthesised din with the force of a bulldozer. The beautifully written, impeccably produced, acoustic, woodwind-infused vocal tour-de-force was unlike anything on radio before or since. The…

Acqua Fragile – Moving Fragments

Acqua Fragile is a bit of an unusual band. Their first album was only released in Italy in 1973. The following year, their sophomore effort was released in Italy and the US. The band were embraced by fellow countrymen PFM,…

Anthony Phillips – Slow Dance [2 CD Edition]

Anthony Phillips has had a long and varied career. From his stint as the original guitarist for Genesis, to his instrumental-heavy Private Parts and Pieces series, to his song-centred masterworks, and even his library pieces of music composed for film…

Dave Kerzner – Heart Land Mines, Vol. 1

The very first review I ever submitted to TPA was for Dave Kerzner’s 2022 effort, The Traveler. Fast forward a year, and here we are again, this time with Kerzner’s latest release, Heart Land Mines, Vol. 1. From his time…

D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings – Sophomore

The arrival early last year of the debut album from Nick D’Virgilio, Neal Morse and Ross Jennings, Troika, was a breath of fresh air. The three progressive rock icons put aside the bombast and the complexities to channel their inner…

Pacha & Pörsti – Sea of Mirrors

When you take a chance on new music, more often than not you are looking to be wowed. It’s a visceral thrill to hear something life-changing and life-affirming. As 2023 comes to a close, there have been plenty of those…

Peter Horvath – The Anderson Council

After seeing The Anderson Council’s incendiary performance at a local venue in New Jersey, TPA’s John Giordano was able to grab a few words with vocalist/guitarist Peter Horvath and lead guitarist Michael Potenza. The two were both warm and engaging,…

The Anderson Council – The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon

My local record store is also host to the occasional concert. About fifty people fit comfortably into the space otherwise occupied by vinyl, CDs, music paraphernalia and chips and sodas. When the owner recently told me I just had to…

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Author: John Giordano