Author Archives: alanjones

Album Review: ANATHEMA – Distant Satellites

Posted on June 21, 2014 by alanjones

Kscope [Release Date: 09.06.14] Following on from the brilliantly anthemic ‘Weather Systems’ from 2012 and the dreamily divine live album ‘Universal’ from 2013, Anathema have unleashed ‘Distant Satellites’ on their passionately devout following – a devout following that I fear … Continue reading →

Album Review: DODSON AND FOGG – After The Fall

Posted on June 20, 2014 by alanjones

Self-released – [Release date: 22 April 2014] Remember, way back in the good old days of the late sixties and early seventies, how bands would bang an album out every six months or so? And such was the calibre of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Acid Folk, After The Fall, Chris Wade, Dodson And Fogg, review | Leave a comment

Album Review: LAVIANTICA – Clessidra

Posted on June 2, 2014 by alanjones

Self Released – Release Date: 2 September 2013 Is there anywhere in Europe that isn’t producing progressive rock music of the highest order at the moment? Following in the solid tradition of Rock Progressivo Italiano big hitters of the seventies … Continue reading →

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Album Review: HALO BLIND – Occupying Forces

Posted on May 24, 2014 by alanjones

Nautical Records [Release Date: 04.03.14] We’ve been waiting for Halo Blind. At long last, a British progressive rock band has put out an album to rival the fabulous stuff coming out of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia right now. And … Continue reading →

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Album review: JONAS LINDBERG – The Other Side

Posted on May 12, 2014 by alanjones

ModeMusic [Release date: 23.09.13] And the prog from Scandinavia just keeps on coming… Following in the considerable footsteps of Nordic brothers such as Airbag, Katatonia, The Flower Kings et al comes Jonas Lindberg with his second foray into the studio … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Jonas Lindberg, Progressive Rock, review, Sweden, The Other Side | Leave a comment

Album review: YUKA & CHRONOSHIP – Dino Rocket Oxygen

Posted on May 6, 2014 by alanjones

Musea Records – [Release Date 2013] Great progressive rock music is appearing from all corners of the world at the moment – especially from eastern Europe, Scandinavia and South America. But now Japan are muscling in on the scene in … Continue reading →

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Album Review: EDISON’S CHILDREN – The Final Breath Before November

Posted on February 24, 2014 by alanjones

Random Disturbance Records [Release Date: 01.01.14] I had the pleasure of reviewing Edison’s Children’s first album ‘In The Last Waking Moments’ back in 2012 which, with the odd caveat, was fully worthy of the five stars garnered. At the time … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Edison's Children, Eric Blackwood, Marillion, Pete Trewavas, Progressive Rock, review, Sunblister, The Final Breath Before November, Transatlantic | Leave a comment

Album Review: FREEDOM TO GLIDE – Rain

Posted on February 7, 2014 by alanjones

Rubystorm Records [Release Date: 11.11.13] For a pair of musicians whose day job involves being in one of the top tribute bands around, it must be very difficult to break free of the constraints of that musical straight-jacket and decide … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Andy Nixon, Dark Side Of The Wall, Freedom To Glide, Pete Riley, Pink Floyd, Progressive Rock, Rain, review | 1 Comment

Album Review: SWEET ERMENGARDE – Raynham Hall

Posted on February 2, 2014 by alanjones

Equinoxe Records – [Release Date: 14.06.13] Just when you thought Goth had shrivelled up, died and gone to meet its maker in Valhalla, it’s time once again to dig out that white face paint, strap a spiky dog collar to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Germany, Goth Rock, Raynham Hall, review, Sweet Ermengarde | Leave a comment

Album Review: RPWL – Wanted

Posted on January 30, 2014 by alanjones

Gentle Art Of Music – [Release Date: 17.03.14] There are times, aren’t there, when something is musically so good, so in tune with your own ideas and philosophy, that somehow words don’t really do it justice. I could leave this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, German, Germany, prog, Progressive Rock, review, RPWL, Wanted | Leave a comment

Album Review: FREQUENCY DRIFT – Over

Posted on January 14, 2014 by alanjones

Gentle Art Of Music [Release Date: 14.02.14] Frequency Drift have been at the zenith of Europe’s purveyors of melancholic progressive rock for a few years now – their previous two releases, ‘Ghosts’ (2011) and ‘Laid To Rest’ (2012) were both … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Frequency Drift, German, Germany, Over, Progressive Rock, review, RPWL | Leave a comment

Album Review: XNA – When We Changed You

Posted on January 10, 2014 by alanjones

Cleopatra Records – Release Date: 22 October 2013 You know all those awkward questions that children ask at various stages of their development – ‘why is the sky blue?’, ‘are we nearly there yet?’, ‘where do babies … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adam Malin, Billy Sherwood, David Hussey, Progressive Rock, review, When We Changed You, XNA | Leave a comment

Album Review: DODSON & FOGG – The Call

Posted on January 3, 2014 by alanjones

Self Released – [Release Date: 2013] I had the pleasure to review three Dodson & Fogg albums back in August 2013, all three of which had been released within an eighteen month period. I said at the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chris Wade, Dodson & Fogg, Psych/Folk Rock, review, The Call | Leave a comment

Album Review: THE TWENTY COMMITTEE – A Lifeblood Psalm

Posted on December 21, 2013 by alanjones

[Self-Released - 1 April 2013] Oh dear – here we go again. I have been saying for some time now that there is no place in rock music for religion – of any persuasion – and it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Lifeblood Psalm, progressive, review, The Twenty Committee, USA | Leave a comment

Album Review: UNIFIED PAST – Spots

Posted on December 10, 2013 by alanjones

Melodic Revolution Records – [Release Date: 11.06.13] I usually find that, as a general rule of thumb, the more verbose the press release, the worse the accompanying piece of work is – the old ‘empty vessels make … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Spots, Unified Past | Leave a comment

Album Review: COSHISH – Firdous

Posted on December 1, 2013 by alanjones

Universal Music India [Release Date 11.09.13] One of the perks of being a reviewer is that, just occasionally, a little gem pops up out of the general slew of releases that, had you not been reviewing, would … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Coshish, Firdous, India, Progressive/Art Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album Review: GANDALF’S FIST – A Day In The Life Of A Universal Wanderer

Posted on November 15, 2013 by alanjones

Musik & Film – [Release Date: 18 September 2013] With a band name of Gandalf’s Fist and an album titled ‘A Day In The Life Of A Universal Wanderer’ this can only mean one thing folks – … Continue reading →

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Album Review: MOTHER BLACK CAP – Energy

Posted on October 29, 2013 by alanjones

Cyclops Records [Release Date 17.06.13] If classic/prog rock, well played with clever, insightful lyrics is the sort of thing that lights up your musical world you really should have a closer look at this little gem from Mother Black Cap. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Energy, Mother Black Cap, Progressive/Classic Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album Review: JEFF HEALEY BAND – Live From NYC

Posted on October 23, 2013 by alanjones

Eagle Rock [Release Date: 14.10.13] It’s beginning to look like every time Jeff Healey walked onto a stage that someone, somewhere was recording the event for posterity. In the last four years alone there’s been ‘Songs From The Road’, ‘Live … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1988, album, blues, guitar, guitarist, Jeff Healey, Jeff Healey Band, Live From NYC, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album Review: TIDES FROM NEBULA – Eternal Movement

Posted on October 21, 2013 by alanjones

Longbranch Records [Release Date: 07.10.13] I was beginning to think that I was getting to know everything there was to know about Polish progressive rock and its (somewhat understated) importance in the contemporary progressive rock landscape. Bands … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anathema, art rock, Eternal Movement, Poland, progressive, review, Tides From Nebula | Leave a comment

Album Review: RPWL – A Show Beyond Man And Time

Posted on October 16, 2013 by alanjones

Metal Mind [Release Date: 07.10.13] My review of German neo-progressive RPWL’s 2012 album ‘Beyond Man And Time’ earned itself a five star review for its stellar musicianship and outstanding instrumental composition and songwriting – although I did cast doubt on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Show Beyond Man And Time, album, Germany, prog, Progressive Rock, Ray Wilson, review, RPWL | Leave a comment

Album Review: STEVEN WILSON – Drive Home

Posted on October 15, 2013 by alanjones

Kscope [Release Date: 21.10.13] What a busy boy Steven Wilson is these days. Fresh from the release earlier this year of his third solo album ‘The Raven That Refused To Sing’, the release of the fourth Blackfield album and his … Continue reading →

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Album Review: LEVELLERS – Green Blade Rising / Truth And Lies

Posted on October 10, 2013 by alanjones

Eagle Records – Release Date: 7 October 2013 Following the full-blown remastered / repackaged / bonus material / multi-disc re-issues of the Levellers’ China Records back catalogue in 2012, here we have Eagle Records measly attempt … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged folk, Green Blade Rising/Truth And Lies, Levellers, punk, re-issue, review | Leave a comment

Album review: MAGENTA – The Twenty Seven Club

Posted on October 7, 2013 by alanjones

Tigermoth Records [Release date 02.09.13] Rob Reed, fresh from his triumphant ‘Kompendium’ project (a real ‘follow that’ job if ever there was one) has returned to his day job in Magenta with Christina Booth and Chris Fry to deliver yet … Continue reading →

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Album Review: KATATONIA -Dethroned and Uncrowned

Posted on September 30, 2013 by alanjones

KScope – Released 9 September 2013 So, is it possible to improve on perfection? When I reviewed Katatonia’s ‘Dead End Kings’ album a year ago (q.v.) it got a well-deserved five star rating and made it into … Continue reading →