|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
 |
 |
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
There is, of course, no 'Tron rating.
|
Luca Scherani Semente Sense |
Shakary Simon Says Spiritual Beggars |
Stackridge Steel Prophet |
Roine Stolt Submarine Silence |
 |
Everyday's Life (2007, 45.02) ***½In the DarknessIn the Morning Anonimous Everyday's Life Il Dono Solo Chi Ha Sofferto In the Evening Soli |
Current availability:
Luca Scherani is a sometime member of Finisterre and their offshoot Höstsonaten, as well as playing on Zuffanti & Heward's Merlin project, and has found time to record a solo album, Everyday's Life. It's an eclectic mix, going from 'straight' prog, through electro-tinged jazz (Anonimous) to an almost lounge feel on parts of the title track, not to mention a soundtracky feel on several tracks. Disconcertingly, it frequently switches styles within songs, but then, isn't that sort of experimentation what progressive rock should be about? Almost entirely instrumental, the only vocals (not to mention the only guitar solo on the former) are on Solo Chi Ha Sofferto and Soli, so don't panic; no terrible neo-prog singers here.
Luca has generously not only sent me his album, but has owned up to using 'Tron samples, which he employs with considerable taste, rather than the usual 'do 'em to death' approach. Most tracks feature some strings, with the odd bit of choir; if it were real, it would probably get a TT to TT½ rating. So; I'm not saying that I like all of this album, but it's most professionally done, and some of the music will appeal to the Italian prog fan. Worthwhile.
 |
Semente (1999, 41.53) ***SementeBig Bang Nas Águas Passos de Dinossauro Pós Impacto Despertar Insanidade Ninfa Azul Novas Forças Mundo Guerreiro |
Current availability:
Semente's lone (at least to date) eponymous album is something of a mixed bag, to be honest; the opening title track is quite reasonable, but the band seem to run out of ideas as the record progresses, until the tired jamming of Novas Forças and Mundo Guerreiro makes you rather glad it's all over. A shame, as they have some good ideas in places, but they don't seem to be able to sustain them.
Sérgio Benchimol and Pedro Kosinski are both credited with 'Melotron' on different tracks (Kosinski on the title track and Ninfa Azul, Benichimol on Mundo Guerreiro), but the only thing I can hear that approaches it at all is some indeterminate strings on Ninfa Azul which must be, at best, fairly poor 'Tron samples. Of course, I've been wrong before... So; a rather uninspired record with some decent moments, and very little 'Tron, real or otherwise. Incidentally, Benchimol's 2004 solo album, A Drop in the Ocean, an Ocean in a Drop, is supposed to contain 'Mellotron', too, but I couldn't even hear samples this time round. Not a bad record, however.
 |
Out of Range (2004, 43.08) ***½Out of Range/Out of LineTurning Around Nothing Left for You Nightmare Shadows of Ignorance Election Day |
Current availability:
Sense's second album, Out of Range, is weirdly schizophrenic, in that one minute it's trying to be standard neo-prog, and the next it's flying off at an interesting tangent, sounding more like Guapo or anybody else with a dissonant turn to their music. Unfortunately, it tends more towards the former than the latter, with most of the interesting work being in lengthy opener Out Of Range/Out Of Line, while a burst of jazzy piano in Nightmare keeps the listener on their toes, although the occasional Celtic interlude serves only to confuse.
Stéphane Desbiens plays most of the guitar, bass and keyboard parts, so I've no idea how (or if) they do this stuff live. He's credited with Mellotron, which is a bit naughty, as he's become known (around here, at least) as a sample user. Their use is intermittent, with a couple of credited tracks having no more than a few string chords, but Out Of Range/Out Of Line has a fair chunk of string work, with a medium helping of choirs on Nightmare.
Overall, Out of Range is a reasonable release, but plays it safe far too often; it isn't difficult to produce interesting and extremely listenable progressive rock with no malign Marillion influence. Not bad on the fake 'Tron front, although probably not worth it for that alone.
 |
The Last Summer (2002, 50.25) ***Different PlaccesThe Play of My Life Sparkles in the Dark Love Warchild of 64 Masks Two Days Left Dreaming in L.A. |
Current availability:
Well, Shakary's second album, The Last Summer, is more concise than Alya, but carries on ploughing their 'modern'/neo-prog furrow, with what appears to be a concept album about a doomed holiday romance from some years earlier. Not typical prog fare, to be honest, but a brave move, making a welcome change from the 'I'm so miserable' brigade, or the prog-metal 'dwarves and hobbits' approach (see: the ludicrous Rhapsody et al.). My regular readers will know that I'm not especially a fan of this style, but it seems to be done well enough here, certainly far better than some I could name.
The playing's good all round, and is that a real piano I hear? The Hammond is quite clearly a synth approximation, and although I'm assured there are Mellotron sounds used, there's little in the string department that sounds anything other than generic samples, presumably from Giovanni Galfetti's Kurzweil. Maybe the 'Tron sounds are mixed with 'real' strings? The occasional lead synth sound is very obviously digital, too, although the band assure me they're going to track down some genuine vintage gear next time.
So; one for the neo-proggers out there, but don't buy this even hoping for sampled 'Tron.
 |
Paradise Square (2002, 63.28) ***½And By the WaterParadise Square Striking Out a Single Note for Love Fly in a Bottle Darkfall White Glove Aftermath |
Current availability:
After their 1995 debut, Ceinwen, Simon Says effectively disappeared for seven years. After working on an electronic project, bassist/keyboard player Stefan Renström realised he'd written enough Simon Says-style material for a new album, and after tracking vocalist Daniel Fäldt down, reformed the band, releasing Paradise Square in 2002. It falls into the 'reasonably good' category, probably as good as its predecessor, in fact, although like that album it's never going to match Änglagård/Anekdoten et al.
I've had it confirmed that Paradise Square uses 'Tron samples, provided by Johan Wallén from Paatos, possibly from Änglagård's machine. It carries on (fake Mellotronically, at least) in a similar vein to Ceinwen, with some very full-on strings in places, although nothing you can't live without, really. So; decent enough album, OK sampled 'Tron, that's about it. Incidentally, their recent third album, 2008's Tardigrade, also uses samples, this time from the rapidly-becoming-tedious M-Tron.
 |
Mantra III (1998, 53.37) ***½ |
|
| Homage to the Betrayed Monster Astronauts Euphoria Broken Morning Lack of Prozac Superbossanova Bad Karma Send Me a Smile |
Cosmic Romance Mushroom Tea Girl |
|
 |
Ad Astra (2000, 54.17) ***½ |
|
| Left Brain Ambassadors Wonderful World Sedated Angel of Betrayal Blessed Per Aspera Ad Astra Save Your Soul Until the Morning |
Escaping the Fools On Dark Rivers The Goddess Mantra |
|
 |
On Fire (2002, 45.54) **** |
|
| Street Fighting Saviours Young Man, Old Soul Killing Time Fools Gold Black Feathers Beneath the Skin Fejee Mermaid Dance of the Dragon King |
Tall Tales The Lunatic Fringe Look Back |
|
 |
Demons (2005, 49.00) ***½ |
|
| Inner Strength Throwing Your Life Away Salt in Your Wounds One Man Army Through the Halls Treading Water Dying Every Day Born to Die |
Born to Die (Reprise) In My Blood Elusive Sleeping With One Eye Open No One Heard |
|
Current availability:
Spiritual Beggars are a Swedish retro hard rock outfit, thus combining several of this site's favourite things (Sweden, the '70s, hard rock, Mellotrons), only really missing full-on prog to complete the set. 1998's Mantra III was their third album, and, I believe, the first to feature keyboards, with Per Wiberg guesting on Hammond, Rhodes and (fake) Mellotron on several tracks. The music is that sort of pseudo-retro metal thing, with too many modern influences to be really full-on '70s; it works in places, but a lot of it's a bit too much for me at times. Can't really pinpoint standout tracks, although Superbossanova surprises as the band suddenly go all Santana on us. Not much 'Tron', as it happens, although the strings on Euphoria and flutes on Inside Charmer are very upfront, and sound real, even though they're not. Shame about the 'Mellotron overdubs recorded at' credit, all things considered...
by 2000's Ad Astra, Wiberg had become a full member, adding digitised Hammond and Mellotron to their early-'70s smorgasbord. The only thing about their sound that really gives the game away is the raw-as-fuck vocals and the occasional guitar line, which simply don't ring true for their chosen era, but at least add a smidgeon of modernity to the mix. Wiberg sticks mostly to the organ, although there's a couple of 'Tron' tracks of varying intensity. Wonderful World has some background strings, to the point where you have to listen closely to make sure they're there at all, but Mantra has some quite full-on strings and flutes, before the inevitable heaviosity kicks in again.
The band changed vocalists for 2002's On Fire, and for some reason, I find the end result far more listenable than its predecessor, although I suspect that's partly to do with the more sympathetic production. The riffs are even more '70s than those on Ad Astra, with one shocking Black Sabbath cop on Fool's Gold (a subsidiary riff from Killing Yourself To Live, from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, for what it's worth), but with a concomitant reduction in '90s doom stylings, this really doesn't present a problem. Wiberg expands his sonic palette slightly here, with some (mono)synth on a couple of tracks, and a little more 'Tron'than before, with string parts on several tracks, and flutes on the short instrumental Fejee Mermaid.
Three years on, Demons is as listenable as its predecessor, giving the impression that this is where Spiritual Beggars' collective hearts really lie. Standouts include the Queensrÿche-esque Salt In Your Wounds and the funky (!) wah pedal-driven Dying Every Day, but in truth, there ain't a bad track here. On the 'Mellotron' front, Wiberg plays choirs on instrumental opener Inner Strength, with flutes and strings on another short instrumental, Born To Die (Reprise) with a background flute part on closer No One Heard, rounding things up nicely.
So; I found Mantra III and Ad Astra a tad too full-on for my personal taste (they remind me slightly of UK doomsters Cathedral in places), but On Fire and Demons are a great improvement, with more 'Tron' to boot. Incidentally, there's a 14-track version of Ad Astra, but having only heard the shorter one, I've no idea if there's any 'Tron samples on the extra tracks.
 |
Something for the Weekend (1998, 48.27) **** |
|
| It's a Fascinating World Ruth, Did You Read My Mind? Something About the Beatles Help Under Doors The Vegan's Hatred of Fish Sliding Down the Razorblade of Love The Youth of Today |
Have Faith in Love Five-Poster Bedlam Wildebeeste Grooving Along on the Highway on a Monday Morning Once Someday They'll Find Out Drinking & Driving It Must Be Time for Bed |
|
Current availability:
Stackridge disappeared in the late '70s, only to reappear twenty years later, sadly sans Mellotron god Andy Davis. Something for the Weekend (ho ho) doesn't sound much like the original band, although it has its moments (the faux-tea dance music of Sliding Down The Razorblade Of Love, the fiddle hoedown Five-Poster Bedlam), but it is a triumph of intelligent, literate pop, although it could be said that they shoot their bolt early, clustering the album's best songs near the beginning. It's A Fascinating World and Ruth, Did You Read My Mind? are both great songs, but still pale in comparison next to the wondrous Something About The Beatles, which surely has to be the greatest song of its type never to trouble the charts? Sadly, I s'pose it's thirty years too late. Hey, that's Stackridge; a band out of time.
Anyway, on the fake 'Tron front, either John Miller or Richard Stubbings plays flutes on Fascinating World and the '60s-ish Youth Of Today, but that isn't why you NEED a copy of this great album. Is it even still available? If not, track one down IMMEDIATELY, if only for its first few songs. Blinding.
 |
Dark Hallucinations (1999, 52.46) ** |
|
| Montag New Life Strange Encounter The Secret We Are Not Alone Betrayal Look What You've Done Scarred For Life |
Spectres The Apparition |
|
 |
Book of the Dead (2001, 52.46) **½ |
|
| When Six Was Nine Tragic Flaws Escaped Soleares Church of Mind Burning Into Blackness The Chamber Locked Out |
Ruby Dreams (Faith and Hope) Phobia Anger Seething Oleander |
|
Steel Prophet have a problem. A big problem. And that problem is, they sound exactly, make that exactly like Queensrÿche. I don't mean, 'influenced by', I don't even mean 'God that's close'. I mean exactly like them, down to the last vocal nuance and twiddly guitar bit. Now, I like Queensrÿche, or rather, I like '80s Queensrÿche, when they still wrote great material and didn't pander to the prevailing 'heavier or lighter' ethos, where the bulk of what would once have been just heavy rock bands had to decide whether to go the Metallica or Bon Jovi route. Talk about the devil or the deep blue sea... Grim days, the '80s; even most of what little prog was being made sucked. Queensrÿche somehow managed to persuade people, not least the cloth-eared record company brigade, that intelligent, thoughtful hard rock was a viable career option, and for a while, they were right. It seems to me that hard rock always had two kinds of audience: the blokes who worked in factories, and the chemistry students, and Queensrÿche managed to capture the latter. All of which is absolutely no excuse for another outfit to rip their signature sound off blind a decade later. I mean, what's the point? I'm not making any great claims of originality on Queensrÿche's behalf (they began as a straight amalgam of Priest and Maiden, themselves influenced heavily by Halford's Heroes), but to churn out a straight copy, minus the great songs, seems wilfully stupid.
Enough bitching about why Steel Prophet are a waste of time. 1999's Dark Hallucinations and 2001's marginally better Book of the Dead (plus possibly the interim Messiah) have credits for 'Mellotron', to which I say, "You have to be joking!" The former has no more than some vague string sounds on a few tracks, although the latter manages a few 'Tronlike string chords on Anger Seething, plus a couple of other possible parts, but this doesn't sound to me like a band who hauled an M400 into their studio because they love the crankiness of an original machine. This sounds like a band who own an eMu Vintage Keys, or at best, Roland's Vintage Synth module, and sensibly keep its grotty approximations well in the background most of the time. Saying this, I'll probably get an irate e-mail from the band saying a) the Mellotron's real, and b) why have you slagged us off?
I'll freely admit that I don't listen to a lot of modern metal, and Steel Prophet are a perfect illustration as to why. I'm not saying that originality is a must; I listen to stacks of fairly derivative prog, but most bands manage to put at least a little of themselves into what they're doing, and not just slavishly ape someone else's sound, hook, line and sinker. I wouldn't mind quite so much if the songs were good, but they're not. I'm sure there's a market for Steel Prophet, but it's not one where I buy my fuit and veg.
 |
The Flower King (1994, 70.36) ***½ |
|
| The Flower King Dissonata The Magic Circus of Zeb Close Your Eyes The Pilgrims Inn The Sounds of Violence |
Humanizzimo Twilight Flower The Messenger The Nail Only Human This is the Night The Flower of Love Scanning the Greenhouse |
|
 |
Hydrophonia (1998, 67.47) ***½ |
|
| Cosmic Lodge Shipbuilding Little Cottage By the Sea Wreck of HMS Nemesis Bizarre Seahorse Sex Attack Oceanna Baby Dolphin Nuclear Nemo Hydrophonia |
Lobsterland Groove Seafood Kitchen Thing |
|
 |
Wall Street Voodoo (2005, 115.08) ** |
|
| The Observer Head Above Water Dirt Everyone Wants to Rule the World Spirit of the Rebel Unforgiven Dog With a Million Bones Sex Kills |
Outcast The Unwanted Remember It's All About Money Everybody is Trying to Sell You Something Hotrod (the Atomic Wrestler) Mercy People That Have the Power to Shape the Future |
|
Current availability:
Kaipa's young guitarist, Roine Stolt, was still only in his late thirties in the early '90s, when he decided to have a second stab at the progressive scene, after years of reputedly dodgy albums. Then again, who didn't release dodgy albums in the '80s? The Flower King, on top of naming his new band, was a fine return from one of Sweden's major progressive talents, containing at least one song (its title track) that was to stay in The Flower Kings' set for years. Actually, in retrospect, it's rather less exciting than it seemed at the time, though there's some decent enough material on board, not least the first of many, many epics Stolt was to write over the succeeding decade, Humanizzimo (with its outrageous Yes 'borrowings'), also in early Flower Kings' sets.
I didn't know for a while whether or not the 'Mellotron' on the album was real, although after lending the band my own machine for a UK gig back in '99, I was assured that they'd never used anything but samples, so the same must be true for solo Stolt. Strings and/or choirs on most tracks, with some flutes, tastefully used, unlike some other sample users I could name, who just slap the things all over their records like (to quote my friend Doug) 'an ill-fitting wig'. If you want to know what all the fuss is about with Stolt/The Flower Kings. this isn't a bad place to start, though don't go expecting anything like the other early-'90s Swedish prog explosion outfits (Änglagård/Anekdoten/Landberk). Nice (fake) 'Tron, too.
Stolt spent the next few years spitting out huge chunks of Flower Kings music, not finding the time to record another solo album until '98's Hydrophonia. Given that The Flower Kings' work was already on the slide by this point, I was amazed to find that much of the album is wonderful, uplifting instrumental prog, especially closer Seafood Kitchen Thing. In fact, apart from a couple of slightly dull pieces around the middle of the album, this is actually very good indeed, although possibly not consistent enough to grab a full four stars. Plenty of 'Tron samples on the album; not just the standard strings, flutes and choirs, but also brass on Wreck of HMS Nemesis, so worth it if you want to hear more of the Beast without caring whether or not it's real.
Roine concentrated on the Flower Kings (oh, and Transatlantic...) for the next few years, finally releasing his third solo album proper, Wall Street Voodoo, in 2005. And it... sucks. A horrendously overlong double-disc set, it largely consists of long, boring blues-rock jams with the odd progressive styling thrown in to keep his regular audience happy, with the occasional bit of pseudo-'Tron on most tracks. This really is an album you want to avoid, having none of the charm of Stolt's earlier work. Run away, fast.
So; if you're interested in Stolt's solo work, buy The Flower King and Hydrophonia, probably in preference to any Flower Kings albums after, say, '98. Just don't even think about Wall Street Voodoo unless you're a complete masochist.
 |
Submarine Silence (2002, 46.20) ****The DoorBicycle Ride From Earth to Saturn Elven's Lullaby Mr.Submarine's Ordinary Day (part 1) Winter Glows Venice, a Spooky Love Story Mr.Submarine's Ordinary Day (part 2) Shores Where Time Stands Still Red Sun Porto di Venere |
Current availability:
In their eponymous debut, Submarine Silence have made what must be the most heavily Genesis-influenced album I've heard in a very long time; the opening solo piano piece, The Door, is played on a Banksian Yamaha CP70, and David Cremoni's acoustic work is Hackett to a T, although his electric playing has unfortunate elements of Marillion's Steve Rothery in places. Even the cover's painted by sometime Genesis sleeve designer Paul Whitehead. Submarine Silence is entirely instrumental, which neatly sidesteps 'dodgy vocalist syndrome', not to mention the language problem, as in 'which one to sing in?'. Despite its all-too obvious influences, this really is rather good, although it's not really what you'd call a challenging listen.
Cristiano Roversi (better known as keyboard man with Moongarden) is credited with 'Mellotron', though I've now had it confirmed that it's samples from EMU's Vintage Keys; they're too smooth and consistent, and some of those hanging notes are held way past the eight-second limit. Loads of it, anyway, with several lush string intros, and bits of flute and choir work scattered throughout for good measure. Actually, I think 'lush' is the watchword here, so don't go expecting any dissonance; hey, the reformed Van der Graaf have just put an album out if you want that...
So; very nice indeed, if a tad unoriginal. Given that the band were apparently put together by Mellow's boss to record tracks for their Genesis tribute album, should we be surprised? Shame about the samples, but this is unlikely to disappoint most symphonic prog fans. Recommended.
