AMBIENT/TRANCE/TECHNO, etc:
BANCO DE GAIA: Farewell Ferengistan CD
As a 95% instrumental album, this has to be regarded as a complete return to form from the ambient music pioneer and all-round musical genius that is Banco De Gaia. The album opens in fine melodic fashion with a slowly rolling percussive rhythm over which languid, flowing keyboard and string leads are built up as synth layers emerge and the track becomes ever more full-sounding, creating both a warm atmosphere and engaging sea of serenity. A lone female vocal soars high above to provide a sense of Eastern ambience for about thirty seconds, as more similar musical motifs from the synths occupy the lead space above the solid undercurrents. It's a gorgeous, six minute, start to an album and full of summery bliss - you can almost feel the shimmering heat rising from the speakers. 'Ynys Elen' then kicks in with a gigantic electronic drum rhythm a choppy synth and keyboard leads plus distant voice samples are built up and layered, electric bass emerges down below for added cohesion as the whole giant craft takes off and soars skywards to huge-sounding and absolutely solid, enjoyable and multi-layered effect. Around two and a half minutes, a flute-like lead emerges to provide extra icing on the cake as the seven minute track unfolds and grows to majestic proportions. 'Chingiz' starts life with distant shimmering synth chords as a deep bass hums below, strings well up from a distant point, a rolling electro-percussive rhythm emerges and moves up in the mix, more percussive beats arise, and the whole thing builds and layers with a feel very much akin to the classic Astralasia track 'Aloo' only here with more solid and urgent rhythmic backdrops as it opens out into this expansive slice of classic ambient dub, the ever insistent rhythms taking you on a journey of exquisite proportions as the whole train rolls purposefully along, a feel very much akin to sections of the classic 'Last Train To Lhasa' album and a brilliant six and a half minutes. 'Kara Kum' opens with cascading acoustic guitar and ethereal flute, all very atmospheric as a distant electronic drone features on the bottom of the mix. The a Moroccan-styled drum rhythm emerges to provide the necessary propulsion as more synth layers start to emerge and the piece piles high with rhythms and melodies, building and growing into this towering track with swirling synth leads. Then all of a sudden, a gigantic bass line emerges, the drums take on an even more solid role and the track becomes positively jaw-dropping, the feel and sound very reminiscent of much of the legendary 'Maya' album, with which a lot of the music on this album as a whole, shares a certain feel. This corking section of solid rolling rhythms and multi-layered melodies allied to deep bass and more going on in the mix than you can take in on one hearing, just soars skywards for over nine magnificent minutes.
'The Harmonius G8' is a two minute interlude revolving around angelic, heavenly female vocals with a more exotic eastern feel before 'Saturn Return' opens with a flowing, more amorphous, space synths atmosphere which builds slowly into a river of textural cosmic bliss, assorted synth and keyboard layers making up a truly glorious sounding expanse for six blissful minutes before the synths start to swirl, a resonant, slowly flowing electronic drum beat rises up, only for the background to drop down, as the swirling synth melodies are now driven by a solidly rhythmic and stunning sounding sea of electronic and sampled drums to provide a wondrous ambient dub section. On top of all this, more layers and melodies appear that mix Middle East and Western elements in the classic, timeless and unmistakable Banco De Gaia traditions, at just over ten minutes, another gem of a track.
The nine minute 'Flow My Dreams, The Android Wept' is another huge-sounding, rolling slice of ambient dub, only more varied, with tons of string synths, bouncing synth undercurrents, strident bass, chunky percussive rhythms, soaring melodies and assorted top layers that range from high-flying synth tunes against the horizon-expanding background, to a treated vocal layer at the end that's practically indistinguishable from the instrumentation. 'White Man's Burden' opens with birdsong as a distant drone rises, a Middle Eastern sounding flute-like lead swirls slowly into view, as subtle additions emerge from chilled-out synths and deep slowly moving bass drifts. Around two minutes in, a resonant ethno-percussive rhythm is heard, at the bottom of the mix initially, as wordless choirs, more synth layers, ever stronger bass and swirling cascades of sound cause it all to build to dramatic effect as layer upon layer is added without ever sounding overloaded or cluttered. Around four minutes in, a strong percussive rhythm breaks out as this tower of sonic bliss rolls forward on an ambient dub journey that, once more, makes you think of the classic tracks on the first two album, only here even more full-sounding, crisper, dramatic, exotic and powerful, with some stunning drum rhythms, as eight amazing minutes unfold and drive.
In unexpected and totally awesome fashion, the album closes with a song - but not just any old song - this is one of THE most gorgeous, synths-led slices of cosmic ambience with heavenly female vocals that you will ever have had the privilege to hear on a chill-out album. With solid, slowly flowing rhythms, angelic swirling, flowing multi-synth layers and melodies and an atmosphere that is simply divine, the track opens and flows for two minutes before the sultry vocal of Maya Preece soars into view and provides that final element of warm-hearted, good-feeling, joyous atmosphere as this song just soars into life with all the emotion that you could possibly want out of what has to be one the classic ambient ballads of all time, as it slowly rolls on, the instrumentation both solid yet chilled out, blissful and beyond, as the song touches your heart and refuses ever to let go. Just sensational - as is, indeed, the entire album, and easily one of the finest so far of a brilliant career of truly classic and timeless albums from one of the best ambient/dub/chill-out/downtempo musicians, the UK's ever had.
DAVID BICKLEY: Still Rivers At Night CD
Stunning debut album on the excellent Psychonavigation label (Sean Quinn/Anne Garner) with Bickley on keyboards and electronix plus Kieran Kennedy on electric guitar. The result is a mighty, chunky slab of downtempo ambient compositions that stray into ambient dub, exotic Moroccan flavoured territories and more, the whole thing not a million miles away from a more chilled out early Banco De Gaia and every bit as rewarding. The first two tracks set things off to a cracking start with some fantastic chunky rhythms from the synths and electronic/sampled drums and percussion as a universe of synths flows along on top, behind and around the addictive rhythmic core, and all manner of electronics weave magical melodies all around, but in keeping with the whole contemporary ambient sound, feel and flavour of the music and never once straying from that. The guitar is used sparingly for maximum effect as the synths, keys and rhythms dominate a variety of consistent and cohesive compositions. 'Zebo-Black' begins on a gorgeous wave of cosmic string synths before another variety of chunky percussive and electronic rhythms begins and once more you are instantly swaying along to the hypnotic, slowly moving rhythms as a swooping space synths well up, distant strings convey the sound of deep space, and the whole thing moves along with deep bass welling up from below to provide extra depth to the soundscapes, the whole entity being truly spellbinding from start to finish. 'The Leap' slows things down slightly and adds rippling piano chords as extra layers but maintains this multi-textured approach to the rhythms, backdrops and melodies so much so that you feel you could almost dive into its wondrous depths, still chunky and solid but stretching out from horizon to horizon. Four further tracks continue to convey the sounds, feelings and emotions of the music in a variety of forms that are all following the same basic template laid down from the start. Overall, as consistent and enjoyable as solid ambient downtempo chill-out music gets, this is a wholly rewarding album from start to finish.
ZEN DAD: Resistance Is Futile CD
Actually, it's a rather apt title, because this is addictive stuff. Although what you'll make of my observation that this guy doesn't know whether or not he wants to be Banco De Gaia, Can or Ozrics - so he's trying for all three at once - I'm not quite sure. Either way, stick with this review, get the CD and I'm sure you'll become as hooked to the thing as I am (I'm on the third play as I write this).
A forty two minute instrumental album, it opens with synths and strings to which are added chunky electro-percussive rhythms and then high-flying electric guitar soaring overhead, all very melodic and huge-sounding depths as it drives forward for five and a half minutes. Then it's intothe title track with a more solid but less fast electro-percussive rhythm this time with strong deep bass resonant in there too as the strong rhythms, NASA samples, space synths build only to drop down to cosmic mode, then to rebuild with acres of space synth surrounds into this driving slice of what can best be described as chilled space-rock. 'Shangri-La' starts slow and atmospheric then leads into an ambient dub rhythm which gradually takes on more synths, strengthens the rhythm, adds melodies, the electric guitar enters and suddenly you find yourself in what amounts to an electronic version of classic Can - and quite stunning it is, too. 'Comfort Zone' is a two minute piece of cosmic space synths and samples while 'The Circle Makers' is an absolutely awesome track of space synths combined with rock solid, mid-paced drum 'n' bass rhythm, the whole effect just incredible as the samples and synth leads add the icing on the cake on a track that is totally irresistible. 'The Dreamtime' is chunky rhythmic chill-out in a kind of Salt Tank/Opik vein topped off with some searing Karoli-esque electric guitar work from about two minutes into the four and a half minute track, another sensational gem. 'Earthlab' I driven by more rolling electro-percussive rhythms as space synths swirl and soar all around, eventually joined by deep throbbing bass, rattling percussive beats, soaring string backdrops as the piece then glides into a passage of cosmic bliss and brief voice samples, segueing right into 'Flying Off The Balcony' which opens with more synths from deep and outer space before a stunning set of rolling electro-percussive rhythms begins to drive it all ahead, only to be joined by space synth swoops and an almost metallic fuzzed electric guitar riff, all combined providing this slice of space-rock electronics that is just jaw-dropping in its effect. This surges ahead to the three minute point before it all dies to a sudden dark cosmic close. 'Wishing Tree' opens with chiming guitar and bongos as the guitar attains an almost Nash The Slash-styled melodic quality, with the rhythms not a million miles away either. Then the beats strengthen and the track takes on an almost Moroccan identity with the guitar flying over the rolling, addictive rhythmic foundations, resonant bass and electronic undercurrents, simply majestic and emotive to a superb degree. This fades and it's into the final track, 'The Gospel According To Reg', one and a half minutes that starts with echoed drums, voice samples and soaring strings as the drums die away to leave a cauldron of cosmic proportions that sees things out on waves of soaring, swooping space synths.
Overall, this gets better and better with every play - I wasn't sure on first hearing as I was expecting something more like the first album and I never anticipated that the improvement and almost change of direction, could have been so marked, so well done and so immensely pleasurable from start to finish. Well played, assembled and produced, this is one stunning album - you've got to be into Krautrock, ambient electronics and space-rock, admittedly - and that's no word of a lie.
EURO-ROCK/CONTEMPORARY:
GROBSCHNITT: The International Story DBLCD
One of THE most underrated bands in the history of prog-rock - even rock in general - and the past years' archive live albums have only served to out this fact into even starker focus. Now, along comes another mammoth live double that hammers the point home even more. With loads of previously unreleased tracks and a remaster of the main epic track, this album is another assemblage of live tracks recorded on tours from the early seventies right through to 1981, and it's 100% superb.
Opening on disc one with an eighteen minute live recording of the track 'Symphony' from their first album - here retitled 'Die Sinfonie' - this is a previously unissued version from 1973 with a line-up of bass, two drummers and two guitarists (plus uncredited organ player), and it really sparks as the guitarists really let go and you run the gamut from space guitar delicacy to spiralling guitar duels that go out of sight, on a mostly instrumental track that is just out of this world. Then comes a totally instrumental version of what was originally a song on the legendary 'Ballermann' album, and here 'Nickelodeon' sounds just electrifying, as the eight minute instrumental chimes out with some fantastic dual guitar leads as the rhythm section drives ahead and full-sounding, trademark seventies organ work, puts the icing on the cake. With a jamming approach that is just stunning on tracks that are structured, this all comes across as more of a psychdelic prog or more cohesive "Krautrock" with some stunning instrumental passages that anyone into the likes of Man, Amon Duul II, Yes, Wishbone Ash and many similar bands, will seriously enjoy and wonder how they've missed it all. But all this in no prepares you for what ends the disc - taken from the 'History Of Solar Music Vol 4' but newly remastered, this is a fifty three minute, truly epic version of their absolute classic anthem 'Solar Music', here taken from the Autumn tour of Germany in 1977. This is a version in which they waste no time with preambles - they get right into the heart of the beats from the start, as the band just flies through the opening salvo of riffs and leads from the two guitars, rhythm section and organ. As the mighty track surges on, it moves through passages of such dynamic excellence, they'll leave you breathless, the band building it up only to drop it all down a few notches, before building it all higher and higher to such an incredible level of musical excellence and crystal clear intensity, that all you can do is stop in your tracks and listen. The whole band play as one organic unit, firing on all cylinders and providing to prog and psych fans alike, on the THE great epic tracks of the seventies, of which this is a definitive version, perfectly recorded, full of energy, grace, passion, dynamics, and stunning lead work from the guitars and keys. Worth the price of the CD for this track alone.
Over on disc two - another seventy nine minute album, as the first - we are treated to 10 tracks that focus a bit more on the songs but still with plenty of lengthy instrumental work on a set of tracks between four and eleven minutes long. All bar one are previously unreleased and there are live renditions of tracks from the prog-rock concept album 'Rockpommel's Land' plus tracks originally on the studio albums 'Merry Go Round' and 'Illegal' here all performed live in 1981, except for the five minute 'Simple Dimple' which is an alternate studio take from 1980, while the soaring six minute instrumental 'Rockpommel's Land Finale' is taken from the 'Grobschnitt Story Vol 2' album. The disc is full of gems that you'd forgotten existed including the nine minute instrumental that is 'Du schaffst das nicht' plus the delicacy of the acoustic guitar led, four minute instrumental that is 'Silent Movie'. The final 2 tracks and twenty minutes of music are not from the eighties, but first up is an improvisation called 'Private Solar Excursion' at just under nine minutes recorded at rehearsals in 1979 and sounding every bit as hot as anything taken from the mighty 'Solar Music' itself, with some superb playing from the band as the track starts sedately and builds to a stunning climax of synths and guitars above solid rhythmic foundations. The album ends with a bonus track in the form of a ten minute rehearsal room version (again, perfect sound quality) of the track 'Magic Train' originally on the 'Ballermann' album, and another gem that features some scorching instrumental passages from the twin guitars and organ, while the song just flies.
Overall, as an introduction to the band or from a fan's perception, this is over two and a half hours of continuous magic that can't fail to set you alight.
V/A: Kompilation 2 DBLCD
Apart from a couple of short songs, a near two and a half hour guide to the instrumental and primarily electronic-dominated, world of the wondrous and highly individual world of the American Kranky label, with tracks taken from and representative of the albums from the artists and groups concerned, including Stars Of The Lid, Pan-American, Growing, Strategy, Out Hud, Fontanelle, Loscil and many more. It plays so well in its own right with tracks lasting up to eight or so minutes long, while also being a crucial guide to the label's music. At this price, well worth a shot.
GENERAL:
AYNSLEY LISTER/ERJA LYYTINEN/IAN PARKER: Pilgrimage CD
Three young pretenders to the throne of blues-rock excellence went down to Memphis to record this album and came back with a thirteen track slice of blues genius, all of which, and more, was re-created on their "BluesCaravan" tour of the UK in 2006. The two males on guitar and vocals are both up and coming heros on the UK blues scene, while lone female Lyytinen is from Finland, features on vocals, guitar and a mean electric slide guitar. Collectively, they rock, smoke, smoulder and explode on an album that ranges from searing blues-rock to tender ballads. Throughout, the musicians work so well together, alternating between lead vocals and sharing harmonies, while the triple guitar assault is nothing short of inspired. Even on a slow-burner such as 'All The Time' with its impassioned vocals, soaring harmonies and alternate lead vocal from each musician, under which leads strike out at all angles as the rhythm section drives it all slowly forward, proves to be a remarkable six and a half minute slice of brooding intensity that is just superb. Every one of the songs on this album is a gem of singing, writing, arranging and playing from three of the most talented new kids on the blues-rock block. You can't go wrong with this sheer 100% quality offering.
STALLION: S/T CD
One of those seventies bands whose name you've probably passed by before but never knew anything about them and they never got anything played so that you could. With renowned keyboardist Phil Thornton on board, they played a remarkably tasty brand of song-based, erstwhile prog-influenced rock. The opening track is typically seventies mixing the sound of Mainhorse, Wishbone Ash, Stackridge, The Faces & Armageddon, and with a vocalist somewhere between early Genesis and Wishbone Ash, you are aware that, while you're not exactly in the presence of greatness, you are in the presence of a rather excellent missing piece of the seventies jigsaw puzzle. With a new remaster that brings out the best in the production, you have a mix of synths, keys, electric and acoustic guitars, solid and dynamic rhythm section, competent vocals and compositions that have all the rising and falling hallmarks of the mid-length minute tracks so beloved by bands such as the ones previously mentioned. With a fair bit of room to show off their instrumental prowess, as well as showing that they could write a fair old song, the surprising thing here is that, while it sounds of its time, it doesn't sound dated, and that's got to be a "plus" in the case of seventies obscurity reissues. Don't get me wrong - you're not getting a legend - this is no premier league seventies prog or rock band - but it is fighting for space, deservedly so, at the top of division one. If you've got a penchant for the seventies side of things and want a tasty, varied, consistent, at times humorous, always enchanting, mix of pseudo-prog and folk-rock, then this will do you just fine. It also features a six or seven minute CD-ROM portion with a video of the band live in concert taken at a couple of festivals in the seventies and, as a pure blast of nostalgia, is both riveting and entertaining.
WALTER TROUT AND FRIENDS: Full Circle CD
First studio CD in five years with a whole host of guests on, primarily, guitar and vocal duties, plus a few on keys and harmonica. The album opens with a steaming slow blues in the form of 'She Takes More Than She Gives' which features John Mayall on piano, harmonica and vocals along with ex-Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward and it's a superb song that sets the tone for the whole album with fine vocals delivered with passion while Trout's guitar solo mid-song is simply incredible. After this you get the smokin' 'Workin' Overtime' which sees Trout and Jeff Healey doing a guitar duel that takes your breath away as the song spirals to great heights and beyond. Equally admirable, although obviously less incendiary, is the acoustic guitar interplay of the following track, 'Firehouse Mama' where guitarist Eric Sardinas joins the fray. The mighty swagger of 'Who's Listenin' In' is up next with Coco Montoya as guest on vocals and guitar, with another storm-force set of electric guitar leads and solos as the song progresses. 'Slap Happy' is a wild blues-jazz instrumental that allows guitarist Junior Watson to trade licks, while the sprightly and muscular song that is 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' features a fine vocal from Trout and some sizzling work from Guitar Shorty on vocals and guitar, that complements Trout's work to perfection. A further 7 tracks featuring, among others, John Mayall (on guitar this time), Bernard Allison, Joe Bonamassa, are all of equally outstanding quality, making this possibly the best album he's done to date.
