Welcome to the first regularly updated CD review section I've done in ages, outside of the Scottish and selected English (& Australian) independent music scenes.
This section, however, is devoted to bands who are signed to labels, and outside of the Scottish music scene.
Basically, the thinking behind this bit, although inevitably it's my own humble opinion, is that if someone's produced a CD that is so stonkingly good in its field that no fan of that style of music should be able to live without it, then it's reviewed here - all styles, all artists - all thing considered - but only the best included. Now, read on......

NASH THE SLASH – In-a-gadda-da-Nash CD
The first Nash album of cover versions since the 20+ year old “American Bandages” album sees our heroic one-man band getting to grips with some absolute classics from the seventies, and justifying the project by making them both original and familiar by following the arrangements closely but making each and every song his own, as the ever distinctive Nash style comes into play.
The first song he takes on is Pink Floyd's 'Astronomy Domine', and over nearly 8 minutes he delivers the best version anyone's ever attempted outside of the original. The feel, the atmosphere and strength are all still there, but it's more like the 'One Of These Days”-era band than Barrrett's Floyd. That said, it's mostly instrumental bar the opening and closing verses, with this hugely expansive sound, deep throbbing bass, soaring electric mandolins getting as close as it gets to guitars and a sea of electric violin sounding more electronic but full of passionate expanse, and just generally a multi-layered, multi-textured land of soundscapes. Anyone who loves this track will enjoy and play this version, that's without question. From here it's into a rampaging rendition of King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man”, with Nash barking out the vocals with strength and venom, while the “orchestra” of synths, electric mandolins, electric violins and more, all gather strength to become this massive slice of guitar-sounding searing leads, shuffling electro-percussion, deep bass, to provide this towering arrangement that can't fail to have you hooked throughout its duration – even Fripp, himself, would have approved of this version. From here it's into The Scorpions' 'Animal Magnetism”, and since I don't know the original, all I can say is that it starts as a gloomy intro before the riffs start to shudder, and the vocal soars slowly in, quite high and quite restrained, as the song starts to sizzle then with a gathering of armaments, it shudeers to life as it lurches forward in a kind of electronic rock balladry that, in Nash's capable hands,. Turns it from yer average rock song into this strange, eerie, ghostly electronic torch song that really works. After that, it's the turn of Nash to tackle the incredible, timeless Gordon Lightfoot original, 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald'. Now no-one – and I mean NO-ONE – could ever better the original, but Nash does incredibly well, with the mandolin to the fore, the slowly swinging rhythm backing from lilting bass and electronic rhythm, while a soaring electric mandolin acts as the addictive lead, as Nash delivers the story-telling lyrics with huge swathes of emotion and passion, keeping to the same vocal path as the original, providing extra power to make up for the really heartfelt angst of the original vocal. All in all, a long-forgotten classic risen from the crypt to fantastic effect.
Of course, no covers album from Nash could or should be complete without his take on The Who's 'Baba O'Riley', a song he's been performing in concert from his days with FM and ever since, and a song which now sounds more natural as a Nash version than the original. With dramatic variation in instrumental texture and density reflecting the metal original to every last electronic detail, he provides an almost rock orchestra version with strong vocals and comes out winning, the whole arrangement rising and falling to dramatic effect once again.
I have absolutely no idea who did the original of “Follow The Leaders”, but I'd guess it was some metal band judging by the pace and fury with which Nash attacks the track, as this furiously swirling, driving sea of fuzzed mandolins, electronic drums, driving deep bass and stuttering electro-percussive beats, all combine below aggressive vocals to provide a song that's got a hook which will be swirling around your head, long after it's over.
At nearly 9 minutes, Iron Butterfly's landmark 'In-a-Gadda-Da-Vidda' is the longest track on the album, and, like 'Astronomy' earlier, is a mostly instrumental affair that allows Nash to shine with some sterling work on his array of instruments as the electronics, bass, synths, electronic rhythm devices, electric mandolin and electric violins all come into play as the track is given a feel that is way more menacing than the original, and is just a joy to hear, turning a tired 40 year old -out-to-pasture slice of seventies into a thrilling new electronic underworld, dark and gloomy and absolutely awesome.
Finally, there's 2 minutes of “Constantinople”, and again, I have no idea who did the original, but whoever it was, should be shot (if they haven't been already) 'coz it's one dreadful track, and it's only Nash's Middle-eastern-goes-electronic take on its repeating lyrical content that saves it from oblivion – that, and the fact that it mercifully only lasts two minutes.
So, that last bit aside, this is a truly stunning album, essential for Nash fans everywhere and a great place to start for any seventies prog fans who may not be familiar with his work.

JIM OTTAWAY – Orion CD
After a number of predominantly spacey synth music CD's, this new album is....well, errrr..... a spacey synth music CD. So, bearing in mind there's tons of these things around and that, these days, I'm only reviewing the ones that really move me, what is it about this one that achieves its aim? Well, for a start, evident right from the opening track, he's finally got the right mix of depth of texture allied to a warm, rich soundscape and, most importantly, an ever shifting pattern of flowing layers of cosmic bliss, all delivered with a deeply felt sense of emotion, something that many such soundsculpting efforts, fail to provide. Seven and half minutes glide by in a heartbeat, and at no time are you looking down at the floor or staring up at the ceiling wondering when things will develop. Thematically, if you could call it that, the next six and half minute track, continues in this vein, as it feels like one fourteen minute piece that's opened up before you. The near ten minute “Stellar Wind” adds an almost early Tangerine Dream styled bubbling synth undercurrent, something that in the early seventies would have developed into a sequencer rhythm but here in Ottaway's hands, remains the foundation for some gorgeous cosmic explorations, all performed slowly but always evolving and never standing still. It's truly got what many call an “analogue warmth” to it, but one that seems to stand above many others in its field. Just a tad short of fourteen minutes, “Frozen Star” continues in this vein, seriously atmospheric, seriously cosmic, but now with more what you'd call “leading” soundscapes upfront, which imply melody but don't actually provide it, again something that stops it being a boring piece of wandering aimlessness on the one hand, or overtly twee and frigthtful, on the other. With four further tracks on the album between seven and ten minutes apiece, all mining this rich seam of cosmic bliss, it's consistent, it delivers what it promises, it's a worthy addition to any space synth music collection, it's great to listen to when you just want to chill out to something atmospheric or have on as background while you're writing your next novel or planning the bathroom. In short, recommended!!

PANIC ROOM – Visionary Position CD
Remember that term “progressive rock”? Ever thought that the one thing wrong is that it doesn't actually do what it says on the tin – that is, progress!! Most prog rock albums prefer to live in the past rather than look to the future. A few artists such as Lana Lane and Michelle Young put the song first and the prog second which is why they lead the field. However, very few artists look at the whole thing and do something that not only plays on a whole new style but is refreshing and at the same time something palatable. That this album achieves this, is both innovative and commercially appealing. Take the opener – eight and a half minutes of “Elektra City” where the first half of the song is a headrush of guitars, synths and rhythm section, as a mix of menacing phased and upfront strength come to light in the presence of female vocalist and ex-Karnataka member Anne-Marie Helder. As you soar through this melting pot, fully expecting the song to take off and climb higher, mid-way through it surprises the heck out of you by dropping right back down to earth and seeing the final half of the song out with a languid instrumental finale, dominated by the lead piano for the whole of its length. Then, as if linked, the serene mod of the finale, is taken up by the first part of the second track, the ten minute “Endgame”, where the now right upfront, untreated purity of Helder's vocal is the central focus over light instrumentation. All of a sudden, the band fires up and the track heads into Lana Lane territories only with a more laid-back feel, sounding more akin to something like Renaissance only more rock oriented and less classical sounding. That said, the instrumental work is a positive cauldron of sound, swirling around before this lead guitar break bursts on the scene. At this point a decelerated Zeppelin-esque rhythm comes briefly into play before dropping back to let the soaring violin work from Blue Horses violinist Liz Prendergast to lead the music through another heady passage of proggy delight, with Helder's vocals flying high on top. Quite breathtaking. The five minute “Firefly” starts and continues as a ballad with solid lead piano and Helder's vocal a mix of strong emotion and sensitive passion, as the band kind of slides in rather than comes in strongly, the relaxed pace of the rhythm section, perfectly at ease with the expanse of the synth backdrops and the lilting piano work, as the vocals flows to pure eye-opening effect. The five minute “Reborn” is altogether more solid and immediate with an almost “Solsbury Hill”-esque backing as the gloriously strong vocal takes centre stage, the whole thing then rising up on a wave of electric guitar work as the song ploughs a furrow as far as the eye can see, the combination tight and yet wide open, the song itself, seriously addictive and the most commercial track on the album so far. “Moon On The Water”, at just three minutes, is a pastoral slice of instrumental grace with delicate acoustic guitar, rippling piano and sinuous violin underpinning Helder's high-flying ballad-esque vocal. Again, a neo-classical type of Lana Lane at work. “Apocalypstick”, at six minutes, starts with multi-tracked, wordless female vocals before this cataclysmic sea of guitar chords explodes into the scene, the space synths fly up and then a middle eastern mix of percussion and violin take you totally by surprise as the whole thing voyages into the Middle East and Helder's vocal sounds suitably sultry and yet still emotive as it flows and climbs over the soaring violin, surging guitar and lurching rhythm section, all in all a great mix of styles and emotions that, between its instrumental splendours and its exquisite vocal performance, really hits the spot.
The near nine minute “I Wonder What's Keeping My True Love Tonight” is a gloriously sweeping anthem that's full of passion, an outpouring of emotion that's managed to prevent a dry eye in the house as it sails its course of impassioned lead and multi-tracked vocals, backed by a mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation that is neither folk nor prog, yet some quite wondrous hybrid of the two, the song finally powering up for its last part as the synths and guitar come into their own and this rocking brew blazes out, the perfect finale that slowly fades into the sunset. The album ends on a true epic, the fourteen minute “The Dreaming” and here, the band finally put the emphasis on some real deal prog-rock yet still manage to keep it highly original at the same time, opening with synths, that lead into strummed acoustic guitars and solid, uplifting vocal strength, as synths swirl and soar behind it all providing this big expansive almost spacey feel to the song. The vocals flow, the instrumentation remains exotic, only then for the whole thing to take off on this wave of classical sounding prog-rock with the female vocal heading the way towards the universe that's opening up in front of you. As it all appears to be subsiding, the drums briefly splash, the cymbals hiss, the synths bubble up and a strident piano chord starts to motor, deep bass enters, a lead synth twinkles and sparkles as the mood darkens, the choppy lead guitar gives it an edge, the vocals become more urgent and the expectation of something grand about to happen, gets the adrenaline going. Then, to your complete surprise, instead of taking off, the piece flows into this slice of pastoral prog as flute flies and the mood lightens, only then for the electric instrumentation to take into full flight, the vocals to rise up and the whole mix of all of the last few minutes, elevating the anthem to uplifting status. The way the track then twists and turns through shades and styles is a wonder to behold, everything played with such a depth of emotion, the vocals sung with passion and that never failing sense of purity and strength. It's a truly superb epic, sounds so new and refreshing yet something that's palatable to fans of prog-rock, classical rock, folk-rock and just about anyone that likes an elongated song into which they can dive, something that's timeless and ultimately repeat playable for aeons to come.

SEETHER – Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces CD
When life is getting you down, when your friends seem to be having a better time than you, when you can't get out into the world because you're afraid, when your world just seems to be crashing down around you – you play this album!
When you're feeling on top of the world, when you've woken up full of energy ready to take anything that comes at you, when you're preparing for a wild night on the town, when the adrenaline is racing, when you just wanna ROCK – you play this album!
You play this album because it has something to say – and says it in a way to which you can relate – it's everyday life, it's the sound of your greatest triumphs and your emptiness, it's the sound of anger filled with observation, of emotion filled with expectation – it's the sound of success!!! What you have here are 12 tracks – 12 spellbinding tracks that stop you in your tracks and suck you into a world where you just have to be. Take the opener “Like Suicide” for example – it begins with delicately ringing guitar, lightly phased yearning vocal, the sound of crunching drums and then the vocal comes from behind its veil, the guitars power up, the bass rumbles and the vocals surge before a yell erupts in a blaze of guitar and just as you're expecting it to overpower, it returns to its emotional standpoint and builds once again, the chorus so memorable, the touches of of metal anger absolutely potent and the twists and turns both unexpected and yet just right as the track rollercoasters and rocks, the final scream before the final choruses as you feel every part of it throughout your head and heart, the combination of emotive, raw yet in-tune vocals, myriad of guitars and that strident rhythm section, all making for the perfect opening. From here, things just get better and better - “Fake It” rolls forward on a stark series of verses with that rasping voice so strong, almost seeming to be its own harmonising, while the strength increases for the choruses, as the arrangements swell, some psychedelic guitar work breaks through and the whole thing surges forward with a catchy sensibility yet packed full of metal edge. “Breakdown” features that trademark vocal with lyrics that mesmerise, lyrics to which any emo metal fan can relate, an arrangement that is as wide as the Grand Canyon and every bit as spectacular, a deep sense of passion combined with a barely concealed anger, the eruption of guitars on the hooks occupying a forest fire of intensity in your heart, the massive rock never ceasing to roll as its spirit becomes untamed and its essence spills from the speakers in a wondrously loud metallic rainstorm.
Through three more impassioned performances with all guitars blazing, with vocals sung to perfection at hurricane force, with rhythms that simply leave their mark in the strongest possible way without the necessity for the use of speed as a weapon, you come to “No Jesus Christ” and something exceptional even for the giddy heights of this album. Opening with spiralling bass guitar, that gravelly voice delivers a really observational and meaningful lyric that immediately hooks you onto its wavelength and refuses to let go as bursts of electric guitar spiral upwards. Then, all of a sudden it just explodes into an inferno of insanely addictive metal fury as the lyrics rivet you to the spot while the arrangement dares you not to bang your head and leap about like a dervish. Unbelievably brilliant, this has got to become one of the top ten tracks of 2008, for sure. “Six Gun Quota” rises up like a rocket to the stars with all the beauty and intensity that such an object would command, its combination of strident verses that build to its huge sounding choruses, the epitome of commercial metal that is long-lasting pleasure and totally satisfying. “Don't Believe” veers from a relative whisper to a veritable scream as the emotional outpourings are heard not only from the vocals but from the band's playing, this tower of rock rising upwards like a beacon as the endless horizon of rock is admired from every standpoint on an adrenaline surge of a track that will leave you jaw-dropped with delight.
That the album doesn't let up and just explodes into life on the final two tracks is a testament to the writing and arranging confidence that this band exudes by the truckload, as the final addictive mix of verses, choruses, hooks, blazing metallic emotion and rock outpourings all combine to provide one final lyricallly engaging rock on which to cling – and, as a result of all that, there is only one thing left to do................
...........you play it again – all of it!! - only louder.
The sound of genius – they simply don't get better than this – album of the year – and then some!!

SPACE RITUAL – Otherworld CD
When you are faced with the debut studio album from a bunch of guys, most of whom were members of the seminal British space-rock band Hawkwind throughout its first tentative steps to greatness, the last thing you expect to hear as the album opens is the sound of.......restraint!! Not only restraint, but a mood that is positively pastoral, light synths, delicate flute, sothing cymbal splashes, and then the band enter with a slowly swaggering rhythm as this nasally lead vocal intones the verse before what can only be described as a chorus that Porcupine Tree would have been proud to call their own, surges into life. Synths wash the shores of the arrangement, sax wafts through the air and everything is bliss. It's spacious rather than space music, it's brooding and yet it's science fiction-esque optimism to transport you to emotions you never expected to experience. It's quality with a capital “Q”, it sounds more like a jazzier Porcupine Tree as a wickedly searing slide electric guitar does its finest David Gilmour impression and it's absolutely nothing like Hawkwind!! But take heed – for there is genius at work here – and that genius lies in the concept, creation and content of what turns out to be something the likes of which Hawkwind never achieved – and that is, a 15 track album that, as it continues, builds....and builds...and builds....and builds. Slowly, what you'd call space-rock, begins to ooze out of the textural universe, with the fourth track, “Bubbles”, showing the first fruits of something that is altogether stronger, a scorching slide guitar opening a track where the massed harmonies of the vocals now sound like a more space-rock version of Porcupine Tree, the emergence of the brooding emotion of the verses, contrasting with the expansive nature of the choruses, the whole thing full of sound as synths, guitars, bass, drums and electronics all combine to fill the air before coming down to earth – and still, although strong, we're not rocking – yet!! Through observational lyrical attention-grabbing backed by dramatic drumming, with a feel of deep space far in the distance and squally bursts of guitars, driven by lurching drums and featuring Nik Turner's trademark recitation vocals, slowly, the elements of what you'd call “classic space-rock” begin to coalesce, begin to take shape, to fit together. At the halfway point, “Sonic Savages” begins the trip to the space-rock universe of familiarity as a determined sea of slowly driving rhythms, a huge expanse of sound, sonorous lead and harmony vocals, massed guitars, sax, synths and bass all combining to change the shape of the horizon to one of echoing past and satisfying content. “Time Crime” wants to be space-rock but can't keep away from being a cross between Gong and Jefferson Airplane as the lyrical harmonies keep you hooked over its addictive verses, hooks and bouncy beats, as commercial an offering as any seventies inspired band is ever likely to produce these days, but just glorious sounding at the same time. Then a recitation – a slice of typical Turner – an instrumental that's gorgeous and melodic with sky-high washes of synths above delicately strummed early seventies Brock-styled acoustic guitar work followed by a break from a guitar with a decided Spanish influence as the synths dive and swoop over deep drumming and flowing bass. The, finally, it happens – the sound of driving, surging, all-guns blazing space-rock – as “The Riddle” becomes the fruit of its labours and this classic slice of vintage seventies-styled space-rock erupts into life and defies you not to surge along beside it. Of course, the following track returns us to earth with atmosphere and lyrical attention, space synths and deep rivers of slowly moving soundscapes, to be followed by the album's final track that takes you out in the blaze of space-rock glory that you'd have hoped to hear and is simply one gem of a way to end the album. The arrangement, creation, concept and assembly of this album is its key points – that the playing and singing is simply faultless, is the icing on the cake. As I said, genius!!

Continued.........

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