Yes - "Mirror to the Stars" ALBUM REVIEW [Prog Rock]

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media      [album released May 19, 2023]

I've enjoyed most of Yes' modern day albums up to and including The Ladder (1999), Magnification (2001) and Fly from Here (2011). However when Heaven and Earth came out (2014), I didn't race to buy it (for whatever reason) but waited to hear the word on the street- which turned out to be an almost unanimous 'nothing to see here' (I'll be digging in to review it this year though). 

Then The Quest came along (2021) with it's interesting first single that caught my ear. Reviews on YouTube seemed fairly positive, if reservedly so. Seeing how beautiful the Roger Dean artwork design was, I was tempted to buy the vinyl (I haven't yet, but I'll review the full album this year).  

Which brings us to today in 2023 and the release of Mirror to the Stars. It marks the first Yes studio album in 50 years without mainstay Alan White on the drum throne due to his passing, and the second album without the late and great Chris Squire on bass, replaced by Billy Sherwood. 

Praises for this album seem fairly universal across YouTube. I also did a reaction video to the first intriguing 'single' Cut From the Stars (click here for the video reaction). Now, as I dive into the full disc, the main question on my mind is: will the rest of the album be as good? Will it be an upbeat affair?

Overall it's very 'new' sounding material for modern Yes, and by that I mean there is a distinct unfamiliarity about it. They've successfully carved out some new paths here, to my delight. It will, I believe, earn itself a unique place in the Yes discography of about 22 studio albums. 

Does it match Yes in it's prime with classic albums like Close to the Edge? Come on! Can anyone match that, never mind the modern Yes? Many have tried, and frankly that's an unrealistic expectation. Does it bring something distinct and fresh to the table? Actually yes, it does. It is compositionally unique, varied and progressive. Is it super edgy? I couldn't honestly just blurt out 'no' to that. I have to think about it. It is edgy as far a progressive music is concerned, but not edgy literally. It's got a soft edge compared to the world of modern prog and it's many new extremes. 

What's different from a majority of the Yes discography on this album is the missing vocals of Jon Anderson, by many considered the authentic voice of Yes. I tend to differ on that position. After all, Yes is expected to be around in various incarnations hopefully for decades or centuries, if the original vision for the band pans out. This requires some humility and open mindedness for all Yes fans- even me, I admit. 

Jon Davison has a softer, gentler voice than Anderson- even if they have a similar timbre, which is a huge consideration since Yes are expected to perform many of the old classics live- and they are a busy touring band still. On songs like Luminosity Davison's vocals are quite appropriate (great synth work as well), but on All Connected for example, I can't help but miss Jon Anderson belting it out. 

I can only touch on lyrics briefly as I don't focus on them like I do on composition as a writer myself... Hmm... Yup, they're fine. Oh, wait. Circles of Time is exceptional as a reprieve from our current attention-demanding culture..."I'm caught in a circle of time..." Howe plays beautiful acoustic guitar as well as ambient pedal steel reminiscent of To Be Over (Relayer). I really think this song, soulfully sung by Davison is going to garner attention from outside the Yes circle. 

Someone in the band sounds hauntingly similar to Chris Squire, by the way, and I have to admit I like that. It's really hard even for me to adapt to the changing faces of Yes, despite all my pontificating. 

Mirror to the Sky, the 13 minute track and namesake of the album deserves special attention. It's solid and generally in the Yes tradition, but a much softer-edged affair. It doesn't have the intensity and bite of the Gates of Delirium or the gravity of Awaken, but it is a thoughtful and gently inspiring piece incorporating symphonic strings. It keeps interesting throughout with a great variety in the dynamics- Howe's solo work being consistently a pleasure to the senses and the tune finishes on a strong note- perhaps hinting more long Yes songs are to come?

The new drummer Jay Schellen is great. Since a majority of the album is upbeat we get to enjoy his work on all tracks except Circles of Time which is a quiet song at the end of the album. (By the way, I'm not reviewing the 3 bonus tracks- just the main album itself).   

The production is great. Everything sits well together and sounds alive. Still, I have long-wished Yes would bring back retired producer Eddy Offord. Better yet, I wish they would return to an analog tape-based studio, as I consider it to be part of the classic Yes sound. There are plenty of lush sections, even some very elegant parts featuring actual symphonic musicians performing as with the Magnification album. 

The album is full of compositional surprises -one can't absorb it all in one listen. There is a tendency to be unpredictable and newfangled, even if in a retro-rock way such as Living Out their Dream which shows some influences from surf-rock to my ear, taking into account Howe's playful leads on guitar.  A breath of innovation has encircled the Yes camp.  There's lots of harmonies on the album- another characteristic of the classic Yes vibe. 

Steve Howe's work on the album is great too. He sure loves his fuzzy slide guitar. Personally, I've always yearned for him to don some heavier guitar tones now and then- even a bit of a more metal sound, but that's never going to happen- and doesn't seem part of his DNA. No harm done though- Howe is one of the greatest benefactors to rock guitar ever. 

I have to wonder, what triggered the band's new greatness? Did Steve Howe have an epiphany? Howe is not slowing down in output despite his age. He's as prolific as ever- owing in part to his life-long healthy vegetarian diet and lifestyle. He would look cool if he smoked a pipe like JRR Tolkien though. He's on that wise-wizard level (maybe Rick Wakeman can loan him a cape or two from his closet?).   

Living out the dream seemed a bit 'different' to me  on first listen, but with repeat listening I'm digging it- along with the rest of this album.  The bass has some cool goings-on: great guitar solo, and I like the conga slaps. 

Overall my expectations have been exceeded, though they weren't too high I'll admit. Onward and upward, I say.

(Again to be clear, I am not listening to the bonus tracks for this review as I want to focus on the main work of the album alone and will save them for listening to somewhere down the road. I'm interested to see how well the main disc can stand on its own). 

The Prog dog score: Mirror to the Sky gets a strong and full-flavoured 3.5 out of 5 bones. They've carved out a very respectable stand-out unique album that compliments and enriches an already expansive discography. It's might just earn back some straying Yes fans as well as garnering some new respect and appreciation. 

For the video version of this review on YouTube click HERE

Pyramid Theorem "Beyond the Exosphere" ALBUM REVIEW (prog rock/metal)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media   [album release August 21, 2020]

Having grown up in St. Catharines Ontario, home of Neil Peart, and having lived in Toronto, I kind of consider Rush 'my band' in the way sports fans are endeared to their city teams. Once I got familiar with Dream Theater out of neighbouring USA- I looked at them as an American version of our Rush. 

Now comes along Pyramid Theorem out of Toronto and what comes to mind is: Canada's 'Dream Theater?'

Not sure if the band would agree with this assessment, because they wear their Rush influences openly, but thankfully not in an overtly copy-cat fashion. They seem true to themselves. 

First of all the musicianship across the board here is catastrophically good i.e. 'impressive...most impressive'.  However you can only get so far on chops alone. Instagram is full of multitudes of faceless guitarists performing jaw-dropping calisthenics that will discourage as many newbie musicians as inspire them. What has to be acknowledged is that without 'the song' it's all just a thin sandwich. 

So that's what I looked for- and found- in Pyramid Theorem's third album 'Beyond the Exosphere'--- substance and body that will hit the spot- and deliver...truly meat and potatoes prog of the ballsy kind. The first place I found it was in the songwriting which is strong melodically speaking. Pyramid Theorem are symphonic as often as they are hard rock riff-driven. The keyboards capture the spirit of classical music at times, with fat choral choral samples in Closer to the End for example. And Monster starts off with appropriately monstrous riffs. There's some duelling solos between guitars and keyboards here and there, reminding me of Dream Theater. Overall there's good variety of feel across the album without excess fat or tedium. 

The vocals are excellent thoughout- strong, clear and powerful (no growling that I'm aware of in the band). There's lots of terrific harmonizing as well- in fact a majority of the singing is done harmonized. That was a slight point of confusion for me.  Is there a single dominant lead singer? The album credits three singers in the band of four (not the drummer, no surprises, he keeps busy enough without having to sing).  I'm sensing there is perhaps an effort to share the singing rather than any one vocalist becoming the focus. It works for me! Marketing-wise, I don't know if the cigar chomping business execs would approve of no obvious poster-boy singer in the band, swinging his mic in circles. 

I like the lyrical content- with timely comments relative to the lockdowns in progress when the album was released in 2020 for example. "We raise our voices!" Yes! 

One additional comment before we score the album. Symmetry. This album as a whole has got it. As the end track fades off into the sunset, the aftertaste is sweet. 

Prog dog Score: Prog fans, rejoice! Pyramid Theorem delivers the meat and potatoes. Beyond the Exosphere -being on the dense side instrumentally- requires repeat listens to parse out all of the tasteful substance, so let it grow on you. We give it a resounding 4 1/2 out of 5 bones. This is an excitement-worthy album from an excitement-worthy band.

https://www.pyramidtheorem.ca/

My reaction videos to the entire album HERE. 

A video version of this review is HERE 

A-ha - "Scoundrel Days" - ALBUM REVIEW (Synth Pop, 1986)

By Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media  | 

A-ha must have felt the pressure on this release, their sophomore album. I was one of their new teenage fans eager to hear more from this band after a year-long wait back in 1986. 

I bought the cassette and was pleasantly surprised. When you only have 1 album from a band, your perceptions can get plasticized- making it hard to imagine new music outside the limits if their first album.

Scoundrel Days is a very cool song. They know how to create goosebump-inducing intros. Singer Morten wastes no time and starts soaring right away into the first chorus- a sonic equivalent of a young mare running at full speed jubilantly across a wide expanse. The only single odd element of the song to me was when he made a kind of yodel. Is this a Norwegian or European thing? Is it just me? 

I've Been Losing You is a real refresher. A-ha may be synth pop but they kind of go all out with a very live-sounding drum kit, as opposed to the one that's in a metal box with buttons on it. A super-solid chorus paired with a gratifying straight-ahead 'real' bass-line rock beat. 

Still, the drum machine was not abandoned on this album. It's very much alive on tracks like The Swing of Things. Morten almost sounds like David Sylvian in Japan in one part- a nod towards his influence perhaps. 

They prove you can still rock out with a drum machine and distortion guitars on Manhattan Skyline which is a deceptive little track. You think it's a ballad and then the chorus gets downright crunchy and messy. It's amazingly well pulled off, a juxtaposition of contrast. 

This album isn't without a couple of clunkers like October which has some cool found-sound recordings but feels like a failed A-ha attempt at Sting's 'An Englishman in New York'. Also, despite having a good chorus, there's the deplorable Maybe Maybe which is an odd-man-out song. It comes off like a silly children's song (which I suppose is not disappointing for the youngest A-ha fans?).  

A lot of the tracks could be characterized as fun, but not necessarily lacking depth or passion- like The Weight of the World, Manhattan Skyline or Soft Rains of April which evokes a strong sense of atmosphere and a rain-soaked Blade Runner world perhaps. 

Tunes like Cry Wolf make for an irresistible dance track, but not much else (Nothing wrong with that, though).

PROG DOG SCORE: 3 / 5  out of 5 bones.   Not a classic, but a fine collection of songs -a decent sophomore followup to their debut with some very special highlights. 

A-ha - "Hunting High and Low" - ALBUM REVIEW (synth pop, 1985)

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media |

There's nothing like when your debut album and first single are juggernauts of success. It established this young Norwegian trio anew on the world stage back in June 1985. 

I bought A-Ha, Hunting High and Low on cassette when I was a teenager. Take on Me, their first single, is an irresistible synth pop song that is standing the test of time. For me, it captured a genuine essence of optimism.

There are 4 other outstanding songs on the album as well, but the remaining 5 barely move the needle. Of course, that's easily forgiven. How many bands have a perfect first album?

Hunting High and Low, the song that is also the album's title, is a passionate and beautiful strings-supported ballad, full of interesting buildups and a fantastic singing performance by Morton Harket. He has a unique, powerful voice that is beautiful when restrained, and can almost overwhelm when let loose. 

Living a boy's adventure tale is an interesting and more gentle tune, almost goth-dark or Cure-ish, with a wonderful sweeping chorus. Morten displays more of his falsetto prowess here. On a production note: the snare is perfect. 

The Sun always Shines on TV is a song that strikes like lightening- a true highlight on the album apart from Take on Me. It also gives the album a majority of its overall weight. The intro alone is iconic. It has a strong melody and amazing vocal performance. If this track weren't on this album, we may have been forgiven to think A-ha might just be a transient flash in the pan without too much to say. 

Stand and Face the Rain- the final track- is strong one too, with cool melodic twists and amazing backing vocals that fold in around themselves. The synthesizers are haunting.  

In America for whatever reason A-ha was not appreciated much beyond this and their sophomore release. A shame really. Stay tuned for further reviews as I explore the rest of their discography in the coming weeks and months. 

Prog Dog Score: 3.5 out of 5 bones - A major synth-pop 80s classic with enough strong tracks to be a better-than-bearable listen. 

My Top 30 Songs of All Time (personal picks)

By Dean Wolfe, Prog dog media |

These songs have become integral to my life, particularly during my formative years, evoking strong emotions from specific times. They are all excellent songs, but the personal connections make them special (Spotify playlist link is below).

They range from prog rock to pop to classical to soundtracks to jazz fusion to electronic to disco/funk...

Stay tuned for my top 30 albums list in the near future....

For the story behind my list picks, see my video here!

1. Beatles - A Day in the Life 
2. Yes - Awaken 
3. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells 
4. Rush - YYZ
5. Alan Parsons Project - Time 
6. Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
7. Pink Floyd - Welcome to the Machine
8. Kate Bush - Sat in Your Lap
9. John Lennon - Imagine 
10. King Crimson - frame by frame  
11. ELP - Karn Evil 9
12. Peter Gabriel - Shock the Monkey
13. U2 - The Unforgetable Fire 
14. Steve Hackett - Clocks, The Angel of Mons
15. Bruford - Five G
16. Nash The Slash - Wolf
17. Bee Gees - Stayin’ Alive
18. Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
19. David Sylvain - Orpheus 
20. Pat Metheny Group - Minuano (six eight) - Still Life (Talking) 
21. The Police - Walking on the Moon
22. Van Halen - Panama 
23. Vangelis - Heaven and Hell movement 3 (Theme to 1980 show Cosmos)
24. Mozart - Confutatus 
25. Eagles - Hotel California 
26. Heart- Magic Man
27. Stevie Wonder - I wish
28. Saga - Don’t Be Late 
29. Abba - Dancing Queen 
30. A-Ha - Take On Me

Honourable Mentions: 

1. TOOL - Lateralus 
2. John Williams - Star Wars theme A New Hope 
3. Tangerine Dream - Rubycon
4. Hans Zimmer - Dream is Collapsing 
5. Hans Zimmer - Cornfield Chase 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/59AhuwLfptAw5WODziJsWP?si=da4b966445964d3e

Dream Machine - "Living The Dream" ALBUM REVIEW (retro-prog pop psych 2022)

 

By Dean Wolfe, prog dog media  [album released June 3, 2022]

Dream Machine, a.k.a. the winsome and energetic husband and wife team Matthew and Doris Melton, are not simply nostalgic for the past. They fully embrace the lifestyle, honouring the warmth and immediacy of the analog empire from yesteryear in their home studio and Fuzz City Records label. 

Draped in apparently vintage clothing, surrounded by living relics of the glory days of a more tactile music technology, they have been busily performing, recording and releasing albums. They live in defiance of the prevalent digital paradigm (though they still cross the bridge to bring their analog music offerings to the digital realm, and they host an entertaining YouTube channel as well).

Their most recent release (and my introduction to Dream Machine) is called Living the Dream. It is a concept album exploring the many aspects of dreams. It is not easy to categorize but the 'in a nutshell' description might be: upbeat melodic retro-synth-laden psyche pop with scattered splashes of 70s prog.

It's got a dozen tracks which feature drumming and percussion by Billy Odyssey. The Meltons exchange lead vocals and do lots of trade offs and back ups as well. Doris is the keyboardist and Matthew plays electric guitar and bass. There's lots of tasty distorted guitar riffs and fills. Same with the keyboards. In fact much of the album is keyboard-centric. There's several rather fun keyboard solos. It's a very animated album- energetic might be an understatement. They have plenty to sing and the spirit to carry it through. 

When I'm flipping through my record collection and I need a zap, or I'm having a party, I'll reach for this one. I know that I'll get several guests asking "What is that record? I like it. Is it from the 70s? late 60s?"

The album is very playable and lacks a single dud. In fact the last 2 tracks of the album may be my favourites, or at least they are very strong compositions. A couple of the tracks at least have ear-worm hooks for example Until Tomorow usually plays for hours in my brain after the vinyl has gone silent. 

Tracks like Dreamin' It Over particularly show off their 70s prog influences- which include bands like Eloy for Doris. She introduced Matthew to a lot of prog rock which is a rabbit hole he had yet to explore. 

The only thing lacking on the album is a good slow song, maybe a ballad, to break up the songs and give listeners a breather.

The Prog dog score is 4.5 out of 5 bones.  This is a modern benchmark of upbeat lo-fi indie achievement- a fun retro-feeling album that doesn't know when to quit (not to mention it's my prog-party go-to album)!

https://dreammachine432.bandcamp.com/album/living-the-dream

check out my 1/2 hour interview/prog chat with Dream Machine HERE

Steven Wilson Presents - "Intrigue | Progressive Sounds in UK Alternative Music 1979-89" ALBUM REVIEW (box set/book)

By Dean Wolfe, Prog dog media   [album released feb 10, 2023]

Why do we need this collection of post-70s UK prog and art rock tunes? Didn't the 80s suck for prog??

You won't find any Genesis, Yes, or Asia in this collection but you will find solid proof that even after the seeming collapse of the progressive musical empire of the 70s- brought on by the rise of an upstart punk rebellion- prog lived on! Even if it did go underground. In fact, we even learn that punk and prog could form surreptitious collaborations.   

I wish I could have been best friends with Steven Wilson during the golden decades of music in the UK, but unfortunately, I grew up in a boring old place called Canada. However, thanks to this new collection of rare prog-tinged tracks from 1979-89, I can feel like I have been transported to Steven's rec room, where we are surrounded by albums on a shag carpet while he plays me his favourite tracks.

This is a massive little collection Steven curated in collaboration with Demon Music Group. The collection I have is a 4 CD set with an exceptionally beautiful and well-designed small hard-cover book (It's also available in vinyl format). It's loaded with carefully curated songs released out of the UK. There are about 14 songs per disc. I have to say even just cracking into the first disc has been more impactful than I expected. I only got as far as 10 tracks into disc one in my first listen. Same thing happened in the next two listens, but happily so. There was so much there to absorb and enjoy, and I was only getting started! The logic of events have proven to me this is probably the most practical way to attack this selection - piecemeal and spread out over many listening sessions. 

The book that houses the CDs is top quality. The articles (technically called liner notes) about each song and well written, and accompanied by photos of the original album artwork. There's also a substantial introduction by Wilson. Listening and enjoying this set has been a revelation and a pure pleasure, even if is a bit of a project because it's so vast and diverse. Each time I sit down to tackle some more songs, book in hand, I feel like I'm walking slowly through a modern art gallery, guided by a knowledgeable docent. 

Some of the tracks are even remixes by Steven himself. 

There's a few artists I knew well, like Tears for Fears, Japan, Kate Bush, David Sylvain...but out of about 50 selections, they were only a tiny slice. Steven avoided picking obvious tracks and dug for the more unique music. 

I highly recommend this set for several reasons. Firstly, it features a collection of inspiring music that is truly remarkable. Secondly, the liner notes, written by James Nice, are deserving of a Grammy Award, and provide valuable insight into the music and its creators. Lastly, the packaging of the set is exceptional, making it a beautiful addition to any music collection.  It's a trip though some of the best that the 80s had to offer but most mainstreamers will consider obscure and weird- God bless 'em. Six tracks didn't make it to the finish line due to legal or permission issues, but Steven lists them off for you to search out on your own. 

Before making a decision, it might be worth reviewing the track listing to avoid redundancy. However, I would be surprised to find anyone other than Steven Wilson who already owns the majority of these tracks.

Oh hey, Steven... I would love to see a future curated collection of 80's art-rock and prog-tinged music released from other parts of the world. It would be highly intriguing and I am definitely interested in hearing what you would come up with.

PS

Once I know the set better, I will tag on a small list of my favourite tracks to this article. Stay tuned for that...

Prog dog score: 5 out of 5 bones.  Steven Wilson, donning a brown Indiana Jones Fedora hat, has unearthed and dusted off significant musical treasures of post-70s prog and alternative rock from the UK. The accompanying well reasearched book makes this a university course-worth of material- a gift that will keep on giving for the prog-curious and then some. 

The prog dog VIDEO of this review is here.