Progressive Rock Focus

Something new, and something a bit heavier. The Cyberiam is a rock band from Chicago. You can find out more here: https://thecyberiam.com/home First track has long spoken segments on it and it's a little jarring to my ears. The sung chorus is melodic but harmonically it's a little dull, relying on the same chugging chords over and over again. There's not really a lot to this song, I think. The second track has a spoken intro, and choosing a speech from the late Queen Elizabeth II is somewhat bizarre. It's a speech about the Commonwealth. Is it ironic? Why was it chosen? Is it just a way of referring to the queen - but for what reason? I'm baffled as to what this song is for. No singing on this track, so we're two tracks in and it's been mainly instrumental. Track 3 is an actual song, you know, with words and stuff, and it's the best so far. There's nothing outstandingly different harmonically, we're in fairly standard prog territory. It's wel...

Today, you may think I've completely lost it. Sting, a progger? What am I thinking? Bear with me. I would like to make the contention that Sting's 1991 album The Soul Cages is about as prog as it gets. First and foremost, it's a no-holds-barred concept album. Secondly, it uses a lot of clever harmonic turns. Third, its songs have a longer form - three of them are seven minutes or thereabouts. Sure, it doesn't have the endless twiddling guitar or keyboard solos often associated with prog. But think about Dark Side of the Moon. No-one would argue that's not prog - is this album so different? The first song, Island Of Souls, sets the tone. A great melody over a slow, mysterious pulsing synth line develops and builds. There are interesting harmonic and rhythmic changes. The keyboards are tasteful and atmospheric and there's even an appearance from the Northumbrian smallpipes, which is not something you can often say. The second song is a bit more poppy, of course, b...

 Yes, you're right, Oliver Wakeman is the son of that other Wakeman chappie. He has a new album out, called Anam Cara. You can find out more about him here: https://www.oliverwakeman.co.uk/ It's billed on his website as a Celtic/Rock crossover album, but Prog Radio lists it on their website as a new release and that's good enough for me. So, I'm not a fan of Rick Wakeman's solo work, in general, as I find it over-sentimental and bombastic. And the first thing that hits you about Oliver's album is the straining emotionalism of the singer, Hayley Griffiths, formerly of Welsh progressive rock band Karnataka. For me, it's way over the top. The singer is trying way too hard. But then, that's a stylistic thing, it's an artistic choice, it's not good or bad. Technically she's clearly very accomplished - just not my cup of tea. On the other hand, the music is really well done. Absolutely beautifully recorded instruments and arrangements. Lots of iris...

Today's recommendation is another new band to me. You can find out about Six By Six here. https://sixbysixband.com/ The drummer is the current drummer of Saxon, so I'm expecting something a little on the heavier side, but this is some very thoughtful, interesting prog which I would say stops short of prog metal. I've listened to the album once through, not really enough to get a sense of its themes lyrically but enough to understand its general style. The arrangements are modern and interesting; the vocals are adventurous but assured. The songs are absolutely chock full of great tunes, and the lead guitar provides solid support. There was a time in the late seventies and early eighties when British heavy metal had some great, great tunes that broke through into the mainstream (I'm thinking "Since You Been Gone" by Rainbow hated by GCSE music teachers everywhere) and this reminds me of that time. But Beyond Shadowland moves way beyond. Spectre, for example, beg...