Never averse to taking risks, all incarnations of Van der Graaf Generator were and are as close to the dictionary definition of “progressive” as any other band you care to mention. It goes without saying, but I will, obviously; the…
View More Van der Graaf Generator – Merlin Atmos
The Corn Exchange, Cambridge 12th March 2015 by Roger Trenwith Cambridge Corn Exchange is a smallish venue, and with the temporary seating installed probably held around 1000 last night, assuming the balcony was used and full – for some reason…
View More Steven Wilson![North Atlantic Oscillation – Glare [EP]](https://theprogressiveaspect.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/NAO3.jpg)
Released on Monday 16th March to coincide with their short UK tour starting the day after, Sam Healy’s band of shimmering shapeshifters have come up with the goods again. Opening with the title track, this fine hors d’oeuvres is a…
View More North Atlantic Oscillation – Glare
Ah, that’s more like it… after a bit of a diversion in my reviews, covering books, singer-songwriters, DIY punks and cover version albums over on my blog this marvellous album is like returning home after a long trip away. We…
View More simakDialog – Live At Orion
My second foray into the weird and wonderful world of Vezhlivy Otkaz, which translates as “Polite Refusal” comes with this 1992 album re-released last year by distributors AltrOck. If Geranium, my first encounter with The Polites is anything to go…
View More Vezhlivy Otkaz – Go to it!..
The Blue Ship is a Scottish ensemble led by the instrumentally multi-talented composer and gifted singer Paul Napier. This is their first album, released last year on quality Italian avant-rock label AltrOck. On The Executioner’s Lover, a title right out…
View More The Blue Ship – The Executioner’s Lover
If you’re like me Thee Image are one of those bands that you may vaguely recall the name of in a “Pete Frame Family Tree” fashion, but nothing else, let alone what they sounded like. Information on the band must…
View More Thee Image – Thee Image / Inside The Triangle
In a stylistic departure for Cuneiform, here we have an album of full-on in your face power trio music, albeit anchored to the Washington DC’s label’s traditions by a strong jazz sensibility, this time in the form of jazz-rock. Dylan…
View More Dylan Ryan Sand – Circa
It is indeed fitting that what will sadly turn out to be Daevid Allen’s last contribution to the long and sinuously snaking tendril-waving musical timeline that is Planet Gong is an undoubted return to form. With their best album in…
View More Gong – I See You
Contrary to the opinions of some Steven Wilson is not a genius. Like many words offering high vaunting description, “genius” is bandied about these days with an alarming ease that only serves to devalue its currency. I’ve never met Steven…
View More Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.