The Dean Wolfe Channel Official Blog (formerly progdog.ca)

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Yes - "Open Your Eyes" ALBUM REVIEW (1997) [symphonic prog-rock/pop]

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media [album released November 1997]

Yes is one of the greatest bands of all time, but here we have an album that in some respects can be held up as an example of how NOT to produce this legendary band. It is overwhelmingly positive and uplifting with song titles like Love Shine, No Way we can Lose, Wonderlove, and New State of Mind...but does it open our eyes to who Yes really is?

This album supports my thesis that Yes are at their best in an analog tape-based studio like back in the 70s, where options are limited, forcing the band to make key decisions that uphold only the fundamentals that make Yes 'Yes'.

And what are those fundamentals? One essential would be Chris Squire's bass, which on this album gets softened and squashed back into the mix instead of being like a massive stone boulder integral to the Yes sound that it is. It needs to be a foundation- along with the drums, for the rest of the band to build up and out from. The drums are not too bad sounding but seem to lack oxygen and space at times.

Another fundamental to the Yes sound is Jon Anderson's vocals which are largely great on this album and I can't find much to fault with them (as with almost anything he has done in his long career). There does seem a lack of leadership from the keyboard department though, and after some research this is self-explained. Several people are credited on keyboards including Igor Khoroshev, Jeff Porcaro of Toto, and mostly by Billy Sherwood (who was tasked with the heavy load of recording and mixing as well). Not that the keyboards weren't interesting and tasteful throughout the album but you can sense the effect this had on the album as a whole. By the conclusion of the album Sherwood was officially part of the Yes line up.

Another Yes hallmark are the multi-part complex harmonies and backing vocals. There are plenty here, maybe even much more than usual and done thicker than usual as well, like on the opener New State of Mind.

The Open Your Eyes album is undeniably ambitious and heart-warming. There are loads of great Yes moments. I enjoy Steve Howe's work on this album which is refreshingly varied and diverse as he happily pecks away at his guitar. In fact I'm surprised Steve made out as well as he did on this album. Really, Open Your Eyes is a Trevor Rabin- appropriate album. It could have benefited from his powerful Van Halen-like tones blasting from stacks of Marshall amps- a vibe Steve Howe has mostly avoided- except for the Yes Drama album of course (which ironically foreshadows and predates the Rabin-dominated 1980s Yes). The story is that Howe and Anderson came into the album late, as Squire and Sherwood had worked out much of it already according to Wikipedia).

Open Your Eyes is a rather playful pop prog rock album. In many respects this album doesn't lack anything- much was brought to the table, but there are no side-long epics, or any longer songs in fact. It has an abundance of great melodies and Yes-y ideas but unfortunately they don't get to shine to their maximum potential.

Love Shine is great example of a song with fantastic potential but again, the vision was not carried through. The back up 'shine' vocals sound like they're coming out of a closet, and the synth bass line is so squashed it's almost inaudible. The song sounds rather two-dimensional, yet compositionally-speaking there's some truly inspiring sections and Howe is shining. Overall it's a really great tune that suffered an unfair fate.

Man in the Moon is a total anomaly on this album, and a real skipper, or should I say run fast and far in the opposite direction when you hear it playing. It is the worst- the very worst song under the Yes moniker ever produced.

Prog dog score: Barely 3 bones out of 5. It's not a total face plant, but certainly when you ponder the potential that was there, it's a real hair puller. Don't hurry to hear this album if you haven't, but for Yes super fans/ complete-ists it's an essential part of their history and needs to be appreciated for what it is. Maybe someday the album will get a total remix and remaster as it so deserves.

For the video version of this review go HERE!

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Buck's Moonlight Revival - self-titled - ALBUM REVIEW [concept album/ lo-fi alt-folk]

by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog Media [album released June 27, 2021]

When I think about concept albums lo-fi folk isn't the first thing that springs to mind. Cue Buck's Moonlight Revival- a couple (Eric and Caitlin) shacked up in a house in Kingston Ontario with loads of 'vintage' gear including an 8 track Tascam 488 tape recorder as the centrepiece (thought there might be a cat there who would feel otherwise).

Add to that mix: a taste for atmospherics that hearkens stark and barren landscapes not unlike the icy north, sweet and wispily lilting female vocals, gently picked acoustic guitars, analog synths and layers of bowed instruments of any stringed variety, plus a touch of harmonica and saw (of the tree-cutting variety).

The lyrics are adapted from the poems of singer Caitlin's grandfather who yearned that one day they could be put to music.

The album flows from track to track. It's meant to be enjoyed as a whole. The only break is in the very middle of the album when either the tape or vinyl record would need to be turned around- something that is novel to the recent generation who know only the world of streaming (but a resurgence of cassette decks and record players are bubbling underneath the surface and gaining popularity among younger folk).

There is a great relaxing simplicity to this record. There are no drum machines, no real percussion of any kind, except for the natural rhythms evoked by Eric's fingerstyle guitar and baritone ukulele pickings between long breaks of atmospherics utilizing found sounds and backward tape meanderings. This self-titled album evokes a feeling of soul-searching as if you are gently becoming aware of a long lost memory. It's full of buzzes and vibrations, breezes and birds, haunting echoes and soothing singing.

Prog dog score: 4.5 / 5 bones. Buck's Moonlight Revival is no less epic for its quietness. It marks an exciting (but calming) start to this couple's career. May it be long and prosper.

LINKS: Stay tuned for the interview with BMR on the Prog dog channel.

https://www.bucksrevival.com/

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

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

Friday, June 2, 2023

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.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

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.