Duke 72 is a Scottish/Australian collaboration, brainchild of guitarist Justin Lumsden and drummer Jonny Mitchell, conceived, written and performed during a nine hour session in Glasgow. The Mid Shires Herald does not feel rushed, it has that carefully put together…
View More Duke 72 – The Mid Shires HeraldAuthor: Mel Allen
Ill Considered – V & VI
There are times when a “you may like this” recommendation pays off and you find a little gem, this has happened for me in the case of Ill Considered. The Bandcamp recommendation was spot on, the music capturing my musical…
View More Ill Considered – V & VIThe Tronosonic Experience – II: The Big Blow
The Tronosonic Experience, from Oslo in Norway, return with their second album, their first release on the excellent Apollon Records. The band’s music is inspired by avant garde jazz artists of the Sixties and Seventies progressive rock bands, sounds which…
View More The Tronosonic Experience – II: The Big BlowPatrick Grant – Fields Amaze and Other Strange Music
This release from Patrick Grant is a re-titled, remixed and expanded version of his 1997 album Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release. That album was mostly recorded at Philip Glass’ Looking Glass Studio, with Patrick adding extra piano and other instruments later.…
View More Patrick Grant – Fields Amaze and Other Strange MusicRoine Stolt’s The Flower King – Manifesto of an Alchemist
Roine Stolt has had a long and varied career since joining the band Kaipa as a teenager in 1974, the guitarist, singer and song writer going on to be involved with The Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Agents of Mercy, The Tangent…
View More Roine Stolt’s The Flower King – Manifesto of an AlchemistJordsjø – Jordsjø Compilation
Jordsjø released their first album to appear on CD, Jord, earlier this year through Karisma Records, and it has become one of my top releases for this year. The band’s previous releases, Jordsjø, Jordsjø II and the Songs from the…
View More Jordsjø – Jordsjø CompilationSamuel Hällkvist & Natiho Toyota – Suzuran No Wakare
Samuel Hällkvist has released a mini “album”, consisting of just two tracks. Flying in the face of “Prog Tradition” they are not sprawling epics but superbly concise and innovative tracks lasting a total of nine minutes. Now, this will no…
View More Samuel Hällkvist & Natiho Toyota – Suzuran No WakareBlackfield – Open Mind
Blackfield is the collaborative project between Israeli and British songwriters and musicians, Aviv Geffen and Steven Wilson, which began back in 2004 with their self-titled debut album. They followed that with a further four albums with the last, V released…
View More Blackfield – Open MindFranklin Mint – Scrage
Franklin Mint hail from Bristol, not far from my place of residence, a city which has an interesting musical heritage with a number of great bands and a wide choice of live venues. The band rose from the ashes of…
View More Franklin Mint – ScrageArgos – Unidentified Dying Objects
Argos, based in Mainz in Germany, release their fifth album, having recently signed to the excellent Bad Elephant Music label. Argos first came to my attention when I had the good fortune to see them perform a very impressive set…
View More Argos – Unidentified Dying Objects