Only two years on from their +- album, Danish indie/pop/prog stalwarts Mew release an unexpected seventh album, first news of it coming early in the year with the appearance of closing track Carry Me To Safety, the gentle start opening…
View More Mew – Visuals
A graceful serenity peacefully descends as you listen to Through the Fire. The hectic sounds of life’s frenetic bustle gradually fade to a distant murmur, replaced by the gentle embrace of a calming, tranquil spirit which enfolds you with its…
View More Renaissance Illusion – Through the Fire
Esoteric Recordings continue their trawl along the Marianas Trench of what was simply known as the “underground” music scene of the late ’60s and early ’70s with this album by a band so obscure, even I had never heard of…
View More 9:30 Fly – 9:30 Fly
In 1985 Djam Karet released an album called No Commercial Potential. Thirteen years later they released an album called Still No Commercial Potential. They produced challenging, blistering, atmospheric instrumental music in outlandish time signatures – and they positively gloried in…
View More Djam Karet – Sonic Celluloid
There seems to be a few really good and genuinely progressive rock bands fronted by female singers coming out of the North American sub-continent at the moment. You’re probably all aware of Bent Knee, and maybe Half Past Four, and…
View More iNFiNiEN – Light at the Endless Tunnel
After completing the review of Seattle band Odd Logic’s Effigy and discussing interview questions with Sean Thompson, the band’s lead singer, I asked him if he had any other suggestions of bands from the Seattle area that he thought I…
View More A Sense of Gravity – Atrament
If there’s an award for album title of the year, this wins it, surely? Arising like a mutant bastard love child of Guru Guru and Acid Mothers Temple from the putrid swamp at the mouth of the River Mersey, Zen…
View More Earthling Society – Zen Bastard
The Air is Sweet with Hope and Joy These uplifting words come from Mystical Mountain, the opening song of Phillip the Egg, the mystifyingly titled third release by Magic Bus. They sum up the positive and joyful atmosphere of the…
View More Magic Bus – Phillip The Egg
I was not familiar with Marvin B. Naylor prior to catching his set at last year’s Eppyfest in Stroud, and what an enjoyable performance it was, his 12-string guitar and high register voice carrying the audience away on a spacey…
View More Marvin B. Naylor – The Spiral Sky
The Power of One is the latest release from Vancouver-based progressive rock/metal band OmnisighT. Musically, the album has an overall classic ’80s/’90s sound that is melodic with big hooks and technical guitar solos. The album’s strength lies in the band’s…
View More OmnisighT – The Power of One