Echo Us - "Inland Empire" ALBUM REVIEW (prog rock/new age ambient)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media    [album released March 2023]

Inland Empire by Echo Us is a flowing, seductive and elegant album of dreamy ambient progressive rock written and performed by multi-instrumentalist Ethan Matthews out of Portland, Oregon. 

The album covers a vast expanse of inspirations, taking the listener on a audio journey across the more far-flung curves of the planet. It is a keyboard/synth and guitar-based album, with varied and often exotic approaches to percussion. There's lots of Mike Oldfield-esque guitar solos, as well as plenty of complex Steve Hackett-like nylon string acoustics. Parts of the album remind me of David Sylvian too (and I'm a big fan of all the aforementioned musicians).

Ethan's vocals don't take on a constantly-present 'lead singer' type of role. Rather he visits within the songs as they unfold and he punctuates and narrates. I couldn't help but be reminded of the vocalists from Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Arcade Fire. There are also interesting speaking and singing vocal clips dropped in thoughout. 

It's a rich, lushly produced album that I found immediately addictive. Ethan is a gifted composer and very tasteful with the vast array of textures that adorn the album. For example, though I'm not a fan of harsher digital keyboards and prefer analog tones, Ethan draws on both and I could find not a single fault in any of his wide pallette of choices.

(There is a history to this one-man band- so check out my prog chat with Ethan HERE to learn more about the origins of this project.)

http://Echous.net

https://echous.bandcamp.com/

Adarsh Arjun - "Aches and Echoes" ALBUM REVIEW (prog guitar instrumental)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media    [album released Jan. 26, 2023]

Looking for some tasteful and soul-soothing modern electric guitar music to get your head bopping?
Adarsh Arjun is a gifted weaver of melodies as an independent solo artist from Kerala, India, with a treat for you. 

His impressive and often joyous sounding debut album Aches and Echoes will turn your aches into distant echoes. It's a no-brainer for fans of progressive rock like Dream Theater or Yes and guitar-man Steve Howe (who has many instrumental guitar solo albums). 

What's different about Adarsh to Western ears is how he is subtly impressed upon as a composer by Indian culture- most notably in his beautiful irresistible melodies and motifs. There are embellishments by guest instruments like a sax solo on Hide N Seek, violin, piano and marimba or glockenspiel and more. He also surprises with some very tasty jazz chordings, leading songs down unexpected paths. 

There's some exceptionally beautiful and haunting themes on Aches and Echoes. For example the pristine ambient atmospheres in parts of songs like Heartsick. 

Adarsh has the skill to impress other guitarists but he uses it with restraint, honouring the inspired melodies that are kings of his songs. He moves through clean and distortion guitar tones easily and keeps the album balanced in that sense, so that it's not full-on rock, or metal, or Djent all the time. There are plenty of unique twists in his compositions without relying on tricky time signature manipulations (though there are some).

My only minor suggestions for improvement would be to hear the bass a bit more prominently, though it's generally present and sitting soundly in the mix. Songs like I Can't Breath have complex bass lines worth noting. Also a real live-recorded drummer's touch is always an asset but practically speaking, up-and-coming artists can tailor and program great sounding drum tracks 'in the box', which Adarsh has clearly done with this recording. I like the cool production tricks like he pulled at the end of Moments to Memories.

This is a beautiful and inspiring album full of pristine and quiet moments gracefully flowing into harder rocking dynamics. It is light and upbeat throughout- no downer music here. Also, there's nothing at all pedestrian about any of the songs- they each stand uniquely, freshly offering ideas for listeners. I'm super-impressed and highly recommend this new artist without reservation. 

Be sure to watch my interview with Adarsh Arjun here: https://youtu.be/jd1xnPmLkcY

https://adarsharjun.bandcamp.com/

Ringo Deathstarr "Pure Mood" ALBUM REVIEW (shoegaze, dreampop, 2016)

By Dean Wolfe, Prog Dog Media     (album released 2015 in Japan, 2016 in America).

First of all, forgive me. I'm a recent and enthusiastic shoegaze convert (though no stranger to alternative indie rock). So my review may touch on the generalities of the genre as much as it will on Austin trio Ringo Deathstarr, whom I happily lucked upon in an internet or YouTube search.

They may or may not have a closet full of skeletons, but hopefully guitarist Elliot Frazier has extra room in there to keep some guitar pedals. Collectively those little metal boxes are like a 4th member of the band- performing a key role in the overall sound. 

For those not aware, the guitar pedal business is booming and we are living in the throes of a pedal renaissance, with boutique pedal makers springing up around the world offering unlimited ways to colour the sound of your guitar, bass, or any instrument really. 

Ringo Deathstarr are surprisingly rocking. Vocals are fairly prominent but not overemphasized. Bassist Alex Gehring and guitarist Elliot Frazier share lead vocal responsibilities. Drummer Daniel Coburn's energy is integral to the sound and he plays like a composer as much as a time-keeper. 

I love how this band weaves together it's songs. They are melodic and textural. They have distinct structure but seem unorthodox. Amidst the huge melodic and spacious sounds this band creates, structure sometimes loses importance as verses and choruses evolve simply into organic parts of one whole.  

Gehering's bass plays a huge role here- often voicing key melodic parts- perhaps McCartney-inspired to a degree? She sometimes partakes in the textural pedal-effected adventurousness as well, moving between clean and distorted sounds.

Ambience is a key aspect of the overall sound- whether it be soft or abrasive sheets of sound or waves of echoes. Even when kind of harsh there is a softening effect handled well in the mixing and mastering. Perhaps the real softening comes from the female presence imparted from bassist/singer Gehring's sweet vocals? There are some gorgeous harmonies too. 

The album has a bit of Nirvana-esqueness grunge-leanings away from the pure shoegaze sound on tracks like Heavy Metal Suicide and it's male-led vocals by guitarist Elliot Frazier. Which leads me to ask: of all the musicians who died a tragic death, isn't Kurt Cobain on the top of the list as our world's biggest musical loss? Did grunge and whatever else it would have evolved into die with Kurt? 

Tone-setting textures are big with Ringo as with most Shoegaze and dream pop. Jangly guitar-driven pedals ring gloriously and unselfconsciously. Can't always make out the lyrics or vocals? Too bad. Don't worry about it. You could listen harder or just accept that singing is not at an elevated level in shoegaze, though Ringo Deathstarr do break that mould on tracks like Show Me the Truth of Your Love in which we have an easy to hear male/female.

Overproduction with a band like Ringo Deathstarr would be inappropriate and unneeded. Think of it a little like an audio equivalent of collage art- with pieces of magazine photos ripped, not cut, and glued into an arrangement on a canvas. The music doesn't feel overwrought or overthought- part of the beauty of a garage-y lo-fi approach. At the same time I wouldn't call it overly raw either- there's a nice balance in all of Ringo Deathstarr's music. 

The album imparts a mostly cheerful vibe - no depression-causing tunes in my opinion, but still there are hints of sadness. Mostly there's plenty of dreamy expanses here like the dream pop term implies. Cotton Candy Clouds is a great example. Gehring's vocals remind me a little of Emily Haines from Metric.

The bass lines are often innovative or kinky in cool ways. Stare at the Sun is a great track that demonstrates this- and a fine sample of their work. 

I hope guitarist Elliot Frazier is on YouTube demonstrating how he gets some of the great tones he has such an finely tuned ear for. His riffs drench the album with a wide spectrum of shades and washes that I find are consistently palatable and creative.

Pure Mood by Ringo Deathstarr is an album well worth owning and comes with my recommendation. 

Imaginaerium - "The Rise of Medici" ALBUM REVIEW (symphonic rock/metal)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog Dog media    [album released March 20, 2023]

Imaginaerium's debut opus The Rise of Medici is a modern symphonic prog rock music concept album that performs a service: bringing history into the present- lyrically and even instrumentally, with a complement of renaissance instruments plus occasional ringing church bells and chanting monks. 

Italy-born powerhouse singer Laura Piazzai has politely fielded comparisons of Imaginaerium's music to Nightwish, suggesting a much more elegant approach has been taken than straight-up symphonic metal. 

For one thing, there are four vocalists assuming specific character-roles, though Laura is the most dominant as Contessina. Clive Nolan, the lyricist, is also known as the longtime keyboardist of Neo-prog group Pendragon. He sings representing Rinaldo degli Albizzi, a longtime enemy of the Medici family. Also, the album is rich with broad approaches in how the songs are presented: utilizing different percussion, harp, choral, mandolin, acoustic guitars, as well as your customary metal guitar crunch, bass and drums- crashing cymbals and all. 

If you're at all like I used to be and are turned off by operatic vocals amidst modern rock and metal, be reassured the style of singing on the album is thoroughly contemporary. One of the singers, Elena Vladyuk even has a Kate Bush-like voice, and the male singers sing with great character and spice. Oh, and it's all sung in English.

Sadly Imaginaerium's composer/guitarist Eric Bouillette, also a member of French prog band 9 Skies, passed away in the summer of 2022, causing a setback and blow to this new band. A regrouping is in progress as they are planning to perform concerts widely and in general carry on. 

Compositionally the album is rock solid, filled with distinct and strong melodies like Fall from Grace for example, which has all the hallmarks of an instantly classic melody. The calibre of musicianship throughout the album is high among the vocalists and instrumentalists alike. 

There's no skimping here: The album is almost an hour, and the bonus CD has what I believe are radically alternate versions worth hearing and diving into, if not just as interesting as the main CD.  The songs feature different and beautiful instrumentations and vocal duets, including more prominent use of the harp and other worthy experiments, plus interviews with the 3 core members Clive, Eric and Laura.... That's just speaking of the CDs. The album packaging is truly gorgeous and satisfying, setting a high bar that I wish all album releases could follow. Much thought went into the ear book design. Good thing too, as this is the kind of album that reading the lyrics adds much to the listener's experience. The history of the Medici's is brought to life with a tag-team of passionate singers. 

Another bonus for male prog fans: When listening to The Rise of Medici your partner likely won't ask you to turn the volume down. 

I had the pleasure of interviewing Laura Piazzai in a prog chat (link here).

https://imaginaerium.org/

Espresso - "Espresso" ALBUM REVIEW (Instrumental Prog Rock from Chile)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog Dog Media    [album released Sept. 2, 2022]

Considering it's a debut release, Espresso has emerged as a cohesive, mature and confident prog rock fusion quartet brimming with strengths.

The album is simply and ably produced- formidably creative and fresh throughout. Guitarist Fernando Meneses Díaz says that the band wanted the material to be reproducable on stage without sacrificing anything for a live audience's listening pleasure. 

The members of the band were humble as we spoke about how they collaborated together to create this new album, faced as they were with Pandemic lockdown logistical complications (see the interview on Prog Chat #14 here). Some of the material originated in a previous project but great effort was made to incorporate the newly added keyboard elements to the album's songs.

The guys in Espresso have different focuses as far as musical influences, but King Crimson and Rush do surface time and again. And in all fairness, Allan Holdsworth, Steven Wilson and ELP do come to mind as I listen. Worth mentioning too that being Chile natives, I do detect that culture's inevitable welcome influence in spots. Depeche Mode is an influence in the keyboard department.

A brief word about each musician: 

Elías Orellana Gómez is the quintessential drummer that everyone wants in their band- clean and precise, and a clear candidate for future 'best drummer' category vacancies. 

Bassist Pierino Madrid Pruzzo is a serious player, super-capable, busy, but never obtrusive. He doesn't just play the bass, he explores it. 

Guitarist Fernando Menesis Díaz plays big and broad, moving between colourful and nebulous atmospherics to focussed, mean and 'shreddy'. 

Keyboardist Wilfredo Salas González: It's nice to hear a keyboardist that feels essential and omnipresent in a band rather than being an add-on or mere padding to a project. 

No need for a singer on the album. There's plenty here to engage the ear. 

'Cooler'- has a fantastic dirty grinding theme groove. This composition hints how this band nimbly moves in and out of shadows, and in and out of sections with ease. It's full of plays on time signatures, and features bass and guitar prominently with solid support from synthesizers as is the case on much of the album. The jazz fusion feel is established here as well and sets a tone for the album. The guitars have an Alex Lifeson-esque tone. 

'Nuevo Horizonte' is exciting and quick paced. It features lead synth pulses and jazz fusion ear-bending chords emphasized on Fernando's wah wah pedal. Also we hear some cool drumming work while we listen to atmsopheric recorded astronaut radio chatter. 

'Io' is a most unpredictable song. It starts off with spacey chords, and the bass plays a key role again. Then there's a feel-change and a new monster riff, and then back to spaceyness. Probably my favourite moment on the album is when we hear the latin music influence with a piano section that I only wish there were more of on this album- the Latin American vibes compliment prog fusion surprisingly well. The bass plays has lines that will motivate any musician to want to figure out what Pierino is doing. Then we have some really shreddy guitar solos showing again how Holdsworth has influenced so many guitarists. 

'Kosmos' shows off Espresso's diversity as song composers. It's complex (as usual) but easily accessible. The bass starts the song with multi finger hammer-ons.  There's some playful teasings of smooth lounge- jazz in there- and this perhaps hints at native Chilean music. There's more spacey-ness with walking baselines and synth sweeps, plays on complex time signatures over busy keyboard lines, and even a surprise mini-drum solo à la Ringo Starr meets David Bowie.  

'Dimensión Fractal' -is the track that sneaks up on you- and has some of the most exciting moments of the album. It starts off melodical and unsuspecting, then grows into a winding journey with an epic finale. Acoustic piano plays a big role here, which is a refreshing change as synthesizer dominates most of the album. There is a truly freaky and mischievous time shifting section to delight your musical senses. Fernando rounded the track out with some amazing shredding in the finale while Pierino rips the bass chords and Elías double-kicks up a storm. 

The 6th track, called 'Rollercoater', no doubt as a kind of description of what the song contains: plenty of musical twists. It could be a definitioin of the band as a whole as well. It doesn't sit idle! This band is so interesting when pushing into mysterious and darker territories as well- not just the fun and cheerful stuff. Lots of timesignature flirtatiousness here and the bass plays a large role in parts.

Vórtex is yet another example of how Espresso's compositions always keep you guessing. There's some off kilter riffs, cool synth and guitar work, complex descending chords and down-and-dirty riffs, and cool synth work. And of course some playful time signatures. 

Prog dog score: 4 out 5 bones. A tight, cohesive album of instrumental prog fusion capturing great moments between band members- and plenty of well-composed musical highlights - a big thumbs up for the new kids on the Chilean block! 

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listen/buy music from Espresso here: 

http://espresso.bandcamp.com/

Listen to my prog chat with Espresso here.

Moon Letters - "Thank You From the Future" ALBUM REVIEW (eccentric prog rock)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media   [album released August 15, 2022]

Every once in a rare while, a new band you've never heard of confidently grabs your attention and won't let go.

Moon Letters, a humble 5-piece act from Seattle Washington- just independently released their 3rd album. It's interesting how they play with the concept of time in the title: Thank You From the Future because their music easily straddles between the present and the past of prog rock dynasties.

Moon Letters get straight to the point and from the first seconds of the album you are reassured that progressive rock is alive and well, thank you very much.  There's no wearing it close to their vests- it's on full display for all to see, and if it doesn't raise any eyebrows, I'd be surprised. 

They exploit this genre with great confidence. They keep engaging the listener with their peculiar fresh energy and a seemingly boundless reservoir of creativity and originality. Nothing stale about this collection of 7 songs, despite the fact that there's plenty of winks at the prog traditions that they are undoubtedly steeped in. 

Each song is packed with tasty and quirky instrumental sections but there's no conflict with the singing. Three members are credited with vocals, and Michael Trew takes the lead position, also playing the flute. His voice reminded me a bit of Saga's Michael Saddler but I'm not sure who else to compare him to. Like everyone in the band, he's very talented at what he does and fits the whole of the band's sound perfectly. He has a unique and dramatic presence at times. As far as the lyrics, the official bio says 'the album's lyrics explore personal growth, the future of the world, and sci-fi imaginations of the space age.' (Right up my alley..)

If they ever have a hit song, it will be of the Bohemian Rhapsody variety. Moon Letters are relentlessly progressive. At times the music is a bit frenetic, but it's part of their overall charm. They don't sit still or repeat themselves. When I listen to the album I definitely feel like I'm listening to a 'band' - in the proper sense of the word. For example, like the unmistakeable chemistry you feel when listening to a band like The Doors. If there's an epic-ness to this band, it's less connected to the production and more about the enchanting songwriting. There are hints of psychedelic in some parts of songs, but it's not a dominant flavour.

Listening to Thank you From the Future reminded me a little of discovering Yes' Fragile for the first time- it covers many bases of emotions and mysteries and has a unique fingerprint. 

Prog dog rating: 4.5 out of 5 bones. There's not much to fault when 50 years after prog was invented, a new band sounds so familiar and yet can challenge and engage you with its' original and cohesive sound. 

https://www.moonletters.com/

watch our prog chat with Moon Letters here

SIGNALS - "Lunar Landing" ALBUM REVIEW (Rush-inspired rock/fusion)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media   [album released November 7, 2022]

Rush is noticeably absent from the prog rock scene. After decades of heavy touring around the world and 19 studio albums the band called it quits in 2015, and recently with the passing of drummer Neil Peart any hopes of a reunion were dashed. 

This has encouraged a small cadre of decent Rush cover bands to recreate and perpetuate an impressive legacy of prog rock classics to Rush-starved audiences on small stages across the world.

One such exceptional trio is called Rushour, based out of Orlando Florida. Though they have worked since the late 80s in various formations actively performing Rush covers, they recently struck out on their own writing and performing original compositions. They unapologetically wear their love for Rush proudly on their sleeves.

They took on the new name Signals, and in 2022 released a debut CD called "Lunar Landing" along with several videos posted on YouTube. 

The first track sounds impossibly Rush-like. 'A Day in the Night' is a solid and well-written song that's thick and lusciously produced with Alex Lifeson-esque tones, snappy drum parts and round and plucky bass lines. Vocalist / bassist Chad Kulscar's voice is capable and pleasant, but not at all Geddy Lee-like (which I consider a plus because it would be eerily uncanny if he were a Geddy Lee clone).  The chorus is just profoundly good. I love this track - it's one of my faves off the album. Is this a lost Rush song discovered on some mislabeled dusty reel of tape in a recording studio somewhere? Feels like it.

Listening to the CD got me wondering: if there's such a thing as fan fiction in the book market, is there a musical equivalent? Can musicians pick up where their musical heroes left off? 

Rush influences abound throughout Lunar Landing, but beyond track 1, the band's own style and uniqueness shines though more and more, though they make no attempt to conceal their affection for Rush.

Angular, is also a favourite. It harkens a little more to 70's Rush. Guitarist Sean Ghannam demonstrates his mastery of incredible clean and distorted tones, not to mention fingering some amazing chords that immediately got me guessing 'what is that'? The title, Angular, is appropriate to the song structure as well- it takes plenty of right angle turns from section to section with unlikely variations that work well. There's some great clean, pretty sections and rockier, nastier riff sections that see the bass and guitar mimicking each other in tight syncopations. It got my head bopping. Chad's vocals are nice and smooth. 

'Seahorses' demonstrates the band's confident adventurousness. A grooving instrumental, there's nothing lacking here in the musical skills department. Sean gets down with some great guitar solos at times sounding almost *Holdsworthian (Allan Holdsworth). Drummer Reed Hayes does some amazing work on this song- a treat to hear such precision and energy. The jazz fusion side of the band becomes more obvious here as well. Chad has some moments to shine with a bass solo. 

'Lunar Landing' sees us return to the irresistible and poppier side of Signals. It's kind of Rush-like, maybe Signals-album comparisons, but their own sound is strong here.  The verse shows an amazing symmetry among the band as songwriters- it's economical and exciting. There's a bridge in the song has a Grace Under Pressure flavour. Overall it reminds me of the greatness of Rush as a songwriting band and how this greatness is bound to rub off on all who bask in that glow. 

'The Time Machine II' is another great instrumental. It's an exciting and energetic track, demonstrating the refined symmetry this trio has as musicians who have performed live for years together. There's foot triggered pedal synth lines throughout the song, proving it'll take a lot to exhaust the possibilities of such basic musical technology. Both Chad and Sean play them.  There's plenty of room for Reed Hayes to express himself across the drum kits, including electronic. There's the definite sci-fi-ness coming across in the song as we hear a menacing alien voice over a public address system among spacey sound effects. I suppose there may be more of a 2112 or Hemispheres-album vibe here. This would be great live.

NOW we get into what feels like the deeper-cuts of the album- songs that probably won't appeal to a wider audience if they were used as introductions.  

Track 6- 'The Tracking Station' has finger picked clean electric guitar parts and more single note pedal synths. There is a feeling of homage to Rush in parts -perhaps more to 70s and 80s era. Chad has some mechanical-like thick harmonized effected vocals going on in parts. Unlike Rush there are strong jazz fusion elements to the songs, as well as 80s' era Presto album similarities. It's a neat blend of styles. Again Sean breaks out the solos. This song is a bit of a mish-mash, maybe a little darker in tone and more experimental than any track on the album so far. 

'Here I am' is a bit darker in tone once again but has some breaks of angelic sunshine bursting through the clouds. It features a lot of synth bass lines as well as sections of innovative busy bass guitar lines that move sections along as if floating on air. Chad's style of vocals become obvious here- he likes to sing broadly, often holding and stretching words- floating them in the air rather than keeping them transitory.

Lastly the CD ends with a 'bonus track' which sounds a lot like Steely Dan. 'City Lights' has plenty of parts where the bass gets busy and riffy. Plenty more great soloing in the guitar department too. The drums are driving and holding it all together, if not pushing it up a notch, but at times Reed lays it back into a jazzy swing groove. Chad employs an envelope filter for some of his bass solos, and is not shy with his slap thumb on the fat bass strings. 

Prog dog Score: 3 out of 5 bones.  Overall, Signals band gives us plenty to air drum to. There are some really really strong Rush-like tracks here. The CD also reveal hints of Signal's own style. This originality gets more exposure in the latter half of the CD, where Rush-ness gets abandoned. This seems appropriate because I would be uncomfortable if a band didn't let their own uniqueness shine through. Perhaps let A.I. do some copy-catting in the future.  I look forward to more original songs from Signals because if this is merely their first go at it we could be in for a revelation. The prog force is strong in these kids. 

rushourband.wixsite.com

Watch the interview with Signals HERE

( I don't consider myself much of a lyric specialist so minimal comments on that department, apologies).