John Wetton - Volume 1: The Studio Recordings Anthology

I’ve always been a fan of John Wetton’s work since 2001 when I was a freshman in High School with his days from King Crimson. He has been a busy man from day one alongside with Crimson, he worked with Asia, UK, Roxy Music, Family, and one of my favorites from the obscure Prog-Rock gems, Mogul Thrash. You could tell he shines through his vocals as he hits those notes whether he plays both Bass and Guitar.

That and this 2-CD anthology set which covers his time as a solo artist. There’s also a 15-page booklet, which contains liner notes by Nick Shilton, which features an interview by Wetton himself and the albums, he has done. It’s hard for me to pick which tracks on the 2-CD set because there are 32 tracks on here and I had to pick a few highlights on the anthology set which is the first volume of the studio recordings that he’s done.

Again, mind you, I’m not a huge fan of his solo work, but there are some centerpieces that show he’s more than just a sideman. Say It Ain’t So sees John going back into his roots of the sound of Asia’s sole self-titled debut album. It’s almost as if it’s a continuation of the hit classic, Heat of the Moment. But with an early 1980s AOR sound that captures the essence of the track that has a sing-along and fanfare composition with a stomping rhythm.

John Wetton brings some of his friends to lend a helping hand and letting him know they got his back. With Arkangel it is a haunting ballad that deals with being on the face of danger, but with the guardian around the people, there is hope when there is none. Robert Fripp comes in with his guitar improvisation and sends in the chilling notes coming in.

Elsewhere Free/Bad Company’s Simon Kirke on Drums comes into the picture with Cold is the Night. It is a reminiscent between Paul McCartney & Wings Venus & Furs-era and Genesis Wind & Wuthering-era. The piece has a calming yet ascending rhythm while the ¾ Celtic Folk-waltz brings the beauty of Jacques Brel and the Beatles music featuring Billy Sherwood (Yes) and Geoff Downes (Yes, The Buggles) bringing the forest atmosphere on Bass and flute Keyboards for Steffi’s Ring.

Symphonic acoustical beauty comes into mind for the Real World. It deals with where we are living right now. Even though there’s a perfect wonder, there is also a darker side to it. And Genesis own Steve Hackett’s harmonica brings an emotional side to the atmosphere with a Dylansque touch. And Hackett, with his guitar playing, he plays the harmonica very well and nails it down.

I’ve listened to the 2-CD set three times now. And it’s a very interesting compilation from start to finish. It’s more to just his work with King Crimson and Asia, but he can write very well on his songwriting to show his craftsmanship to the tables and see where he can come up with next. And if you love some of the bands that I’ve mentioned in the beginning, then this will be a perfect Hanukkah or Christmas gift to all and you might want to ask Santa if he admires the music of John Wetton.

The Top 30 Albums of 2015 and Honorable Mentions

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the top 30 albums of 2015 and my Honorable Mentions. Criticism is welcome.

1. Gazpacho – Molok (Kscope)

2. Steven Wilson – Hand.Cannot.Erase (Kscope)

3. La Coscienza Di Zeno – La Notte Anche Di Giorno (AltrOck/Fading)

4. Gentle Knife – Gentle Knife (Bajkal Records)

5. Guapo – Obscure Knowledge (Cuneiform)

6. Not a Good Sign – From a Distance (AltrOck/Fading)

7. Spettri – 2973 La Nemica Dei Ricordi (Black Widow Records)

8. William D. Drake – Revere Reach (Onomatopeia)

9. Slivovitz – All You Can Eat (MoonJune)

10. IO Earth – New World (Self-Released)

11. Edge of Paradise – Immortal Waltz (Pure Rock Records)

12. Beardfish – +4626-Comfortzone (Inside Out)

13. Horisont – Odyssey (Rise Above Records)

14. Echolyn – I Heard You Listening (Self-Released)

15. Alco Frisbass – Alco Frisbass (AltrOck/Fading)

16. Vly – I / [Time] (The Laser’s Edge)

17. La Fabrica Dell’assoluto – 1984: L’Ultimo Uomo D’Europa (Black Widow Records)

18. The Aaron Clift Experiment – Outer Light, Inner Darkness (Self-Released)

19. Marbin – Aggressive Hippies (MoonJune)

20. The Receiver – All Burn (Kscope)

21. Between the Buried and Me – Coma Ecliptic (Metal Blade Records)

22. Galley Beggar – Silence and Tears (Rise Above Records)

23. Opposite Day – Space Taste Race Part 2 (Future Banana Replacement)

24. Unit Wail – Beyond Space Edges (Soleil Zeuhl)

25. Korekyojin – Fall Line (Magabitsu Records)

26. Pixel – Golden Years (Cuneiform)

27. Sanguine Hum – Now We Have Light (Esoteric Antenna)

28. Biglietto Per L'Inferno – Vivi.Lotta.Pensa (AMS Records)

29. Loomings – Everyday Mythology (AltrOck Records)

30. Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Motorcade Amnesiacs (Kscope)


Honorable Mentions and Reissues:
Anekdoten - Until All the Ghosts are Gone (Virta)
Mollamskin - Heartbreak In ((Stereo)) (Autumnsongs Records)
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats - The Night Creeper (Rise Above Records)
Lucifer - Lucifer I (Rise Above Records)
Ligro - Dictionary 9 (MoonJune)
Dwiki Dharmawan - So Far So Close (MoonJune)
XaDu - Random Abstract (MoonJune)
City Boy - Reissues (Lemon Recordings)
Jethro Tull - Too Old To Rock & Roll; Too Young To Die! [TV Special Edition] (Chrysalis)
Opeth - Deliverance & Damnation (Sony/Music for Nation)
XTC - Oranges & Lemons (Ape Music)
Fields - Contrasts: Urban Roar to Country Piece (Esoteric Recordings)
FM - Transformation (Esoteric Antenna)

Loomings - Everyday Mythology

Loomings are one of the strangest, yet mind-boggling bands that launched back in 2012 by Italian musician and composer Jacopo Costa (Yugen, Empty Days, Camembert) whilst living in Strasbourg, France. He brought along vocalists Maria Denami, Ludmila Schwatzwaler, and Benoit Rameau to bring in the Chamber music, Avant-Rock, Zeuhl, and Rock in Opposition influences followed by Bassist Louis Haessler, and percussionists Enrico Pedicone.

Their debut album released on the AltrOck label this year entitled, Everyday Mythology, is challenging, intriguing, and unexpected momentum that will have the jaws dropped at the right moment to listen and hear what they will think of next. The influences of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels-era, Ramases, Gentle Giant, and Present, that I can hear in the band’s music is like a wild-like flower ready to burst with amazing results.

The three vocalists, blew me away from the moment I put the CD on from start to finish. It’s operatic, chilling, and at times experimental. But they also have a sense of humor into their music which would have made the Grand Wazoo himself very proud of. Since I’ve mentioned about the four influences, you could tell from the moment they were recording the album at different studios, that they were having a great time and showing that not doing to show-off, but to get a real kick out of it and enjoy it. The three highlights show how much they know their musical taste.

Sweet Sixteen is poking fun at the ‘50s doo-wop sounds with the sounds of Ramases Glass Top Coffin-era as if it was recorded in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s, and used during the end credits for Peter Jackson’s adult puppet humor twist of The Muppet Show of Meet the Feebles. The opener, Keywords has a dystopian trip-hop essence of the Beastie Boys meets Schizoid Lloyd with an avant-rock intensity as the Glockenspiel’s go into challenging mode between both Jacopo and Enrico as the stop-and-go operatic sounds with a Gyorgi Ligeti vibe is a chilling atmosphere.

Louis’ Bass sets a colder tone that gives me chills for the first two minutes on The Things That Change. He goes through a darker hallway for the listener to step into and expect for them feel as if someone is behind them. With a jazzier and doomier vibration followed by the sax playing of Isabella Fabbri in the earlier part of the composition, she gives him free-rein before the militant style of drumming and crescendo’s just jumps at you and the essence of Pierrot Lunaire vocalist Jacqueline Darby, it’s hard to describe it. 

The dooming and thumping electronic nightmarish finale of Milano, sees Loomings almost doing a score for George Orwell's dystopian 1984 and the voices, chanting sets the tones of nightmarish world of what it was, turned into a hellish atmosphere. This is my second and fourth time listening to Loomings debut album. This was a big challenge and I wish could name the other centerpieces, but for me, I just can’t get enough of this! AltrOck know their RIO and Chamber Rock very well. And for me, I’ve been getting a kick out of it from start to finish. Jacopo has done an amazing job here with this big time!

La Fabbrica Dell'Assoluto - 1984: L'Ultimo Uomo D'Europa

Black Widow Records along with labels including MoonJune, Cuneiform, Rune Grammofon, Rise Above Records, and Esoteric, are some of the record labels I’ve championed. And one of the up-and-coming bands that have taken me by surprise is a group that are carrying the sounds of the Rock Progressivo Italiano sound from Rome called La Fabbrica Dell’Assoluto. Launched back in 2013, their sound expresses the essence of the Progressive genre and they take it with the band member’s inspirations in the roots of their influences.

That and their debut album, 1984: L’Ultimo Uomo D’Europa, is inspired by George Orwell’s dystopian classic and bring the sinister, ominous, and haunting brilliance to his vision and make it the world of hell into amazing results. The band considers; Claudio Cassio on Lead Vocals, Marco Piloni on Bass Guitar, Michele Ricciardi on Drums and Percussion, Daniele Fuligini on Keyboards, and Daniele Sopranzi on Guitar.

Along with bands who are following the RPI sound with La Cosceizna Di Zeno, Not a Good Sign, Unreal City, and il Bacio Della Medusa, La Fabbrica Dell’Assoulto captures not just the genre, but who along with the four groups I’ve mentioned, to carry the torch and not let the fire go out, but to make sure it keeps burning brightly. I can hear the sounds of Murple, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Museo Rosenbach and the Nursery Cryme-era of Genesis.

And that is not fluking around, they are knowing what they are doing. Fuligini for example, he examines the essence of Keith Emerson, Tony Banks, and Vittorio Nocenzi which is evidential on Lo Sguardo Nel Quadro. And his organ is on fire when he plays to create the dramatic tempos followed by the stop-and-go moments between Sopranzi’s guitar, Marco’s Bass, and Michele’s drumming and he’s almost as if he is the conductor to tell them where he wants the members to delve into.

It’s also classical with a symphonic attitude while the ambient/atmospheric futuristic view of a wasteland turned into a theatrical beauty, shows the evidence on La Ballata dei Prolet. Claudio can really sing very well as he sends shivers down on my spine before going into the Deep Purple MKII-era and I Giganti’s Terra in Bocca route seguing to L’Occhio Del Teleschermo as Sopranzi channels the sounds of Ritchie Blackmore and Steve Hackett.

Claudio’s vocals is very much into the realms of an essence of the Edgar Allen Poe technique and a dosage of Peter Hammill and il Balletto Di Bronzo's Gianni Leone that he brings forth the theatrical side to him. And it’s a knock-out when he sings. But it’s the 12-minute suite, Processo Di Omologazione, is where they go into the Prog Doom Metal approach. 

With blaring duel intensity between Fuligini and Sopranzi, they really go in the sounds of the improvisations as if who can come up with the best leads with the stop-and-go momentum.

Fuligini shines through his keyboards as he goes through the Moog, Hammond Organ, and the Mellotron to bring the drama and intensity on what is happening to Winston Smith, the character from 1984. And it’s a disturbing momentum with the jazzier midsection in an ominous tone thanks to the laid-back drumming by Michele Riccardi and the Gilmour-sque guitar sounds of the Floyd by Daniele Sopranzi.

I have listened to 1984: L’Ultimo Uomo D’Europa, about ten times now. And I just can’t get enough of it. I hope La Fabbrica Dell’Assoluto does more in the near future to surprise me more. And they nailed it perfectly with their debut. Black Widow Records have scored a home run for me on this. If George Orwell was alive right now, he would appreciate this big time. 

The Top 10 Reissues of 2015

Now before I name the top 30 albums of 2015 which will be up this weekend, I decided to go ahead and name the top 10 reissues of 2015. Criticism is welcomed. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you again, The Top 10 reissues of this year. Here it is:

1. Procol Harum – Reissues [Esoteric Recordings]

2. Yes – Fragile [Panegyric Records]

3. Gentle Giant – Octopus [Alucard Productions]

4. Kestrel – Kestrel [Esoteric Recordings]

5. Spring – Spring [Esoteric Recordings]

6. Audience – House on the Hill [Esoteric Recordings]

7. Jethro Tull – Minstrel in the Gallery: 40^th Anniversary La Grande Edition [Chrysalis]

8. The Beatles – 1 (CD/Blu-Ray) [Captiol Records]

9. Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe – W.W.W. [Esoteric Recordings]

10. Junior’s Eyes – Battersea Power Station [Esoteric Recordings]

Arcade Messiah - Arcade Messiah II

John Bassett (Kingbathmat) has never disappointed me since hearing one of his projects for the Post-Rock and Post-Metal futuristic sounds of the instrumental post-metal project, Arcade Messiah. Since hearing the debut of sole self-titled release back last year on the Sterohead Records label, Bassett brings the Messiah back into the machine again with Arcade Messiah II.  And he is starting to come full circle with the second album. And the six highlights on here, shows Bassett himself is a master.

There are nine tracks in which one of them is a bonus track in which it’s his take of Aphrodite’s Child’s The Four Horsemen, which it’s released on CD and on LP format on the Fruits de Mer Records label as a part of the 4-LP box set entitled Side Effects. The take of the classic track from 666, which clocks in at 18-minutes, has a 21^st century flavor with an outer voyage spacey twist that resembles Radiohead’s The Bends-era. And the vocals carry the robotic and spooky element with the Leslie Speaker vibe to create that atmosphere.

The blaring guitars go into the harder edges and with a melodic twist that have riffs, rhythms, and improvisation between the reminiscent of Mastodon, Mike Oldfield, and Tom Newman with the Red Widow. The rising opener Moon Signal goes with a cinematic-like scores to a whole new world. It has this nightmarish intensity on the rhythm section while going into a relaxing ambient composition as it ends with sending signals to an abrupt end with Gallows Way.

Via Occulta begins with a dystopian futuristic ghost-town score in a ballad tone before seguing to head towards as they Read The Sky. It is a Progressive Post-Metal with a cross between David Bowie, Metallica, and King Crimson into a blender. The techniques are riveting and mammoth at the same time like John was bringing the incredible dynamics on the instruments as if he is the captain of the Millennium Falcon and going to get to make the jump to lightspeed.

This is my fourth and fifth time listening to the second album of Arcade Messiah. And John himself as I’ve mentioned earlier in my introduction, never disappoints me. This is the finest album that John has released. With elements of the Prog, Post-Rock, Post-Metal sounds thrown into the mix, Arcade Messiah’s II is almost as I’ve mentioned on previous albums, the soundtrack inside your head.

Zirque Bois D'Arc - Things I Should've Done Better

Showing for my love of Austin’s Progressive Rock bands including Opposite Day, Proud Peasant, and the Stop Motion Orchestra, it shows that they have no sign of stopping on where the Texas state will go into next to see what will lie ahead. One of the guitarists that have just had my ears bright up is a guitarist named Zirque Bois D’arc. It’s an alter-ego name for Eric Roach. He has been performing in bands in the Austin area such as; Lick Lick, Baby Got Bacteria, and the bluegrass stylings of The Fencesitters.

Eric himself has been performing since the 1980s with over 100 live acts as a contributing member whilst there is no stop sign for him anywhere as he trucks on powerfully and seeing where he will go to next. Things I Should’ve Done Better is his first solo album. He recorded the music and demoed his compositions four years ago in Los Angeles. And what you are about to hear is a dystopian universe set with hypnotic guitar improvisations from Zirque.

He brought along people such as Sam Arnold (Opposite Day) on Bass, Drummers David Hobizal (Eddy Hobizal’s brother), Pat Kennedy, and Chuck Fischer (The Invisible Czars), Matt Kelly (Lick Lick) on Organ, and Pianist Peter Stopschinski. Not to mention a Horn and String section on the album. But let’s get straight to the music. The music itself is a haunting, surreal, avant-garde, and experimental voyage into the world that’s was once peaceful, turned into hell.

And Eric’s music sets the atmosphere of where he takes his guitar into those areas. There are 15 compositions on the album that just take me by surprise throughout the entire structure, almost as if he's following in the footsteps of Danny Elfman and Fred Frith (Henry Cow). I can hear some of the Rock In Opposition sounds that resembles as if it was recorded in the mid ‘70s that he’s nailed.

On the two tracks, Drive and Shining, he’s channeling Fred’s improvisations and Roger Trigaux (Univers Zero, Present) with a Zappa twist to it. And he’s isn’t showing off, he is really showing his chops and it is bone-chilling that can be alarming and sinister. The galloping and crescendo drumming techniques from David Hobizal and Sam’s bass going into some incredible fretwork that has both a Jaco and Jannick Top flavor to it, shows teamwork.

Gggggg has this underwater funky wah-wah psychedelic groove with a quirky and wacky ride while ASDF features a bluesy calm movement with an alarming horn section before seguing into the thumping unexpected signatures of a Hendrix-sque style that resembles the Axis: Bold as Love-era on Flirt. Experimental, electronic, and classical come together in full circle with News.

The eerie synths, string section, and nightmarish guitar lines just made my arm-hairs going up on where Stopchinski arranged for them to see where Eric wants the strings to head into. Peter knows exactly where the sounds with the chamber-sque beauty to it and a blaring intensity, makes it raw.

This is my fourth time listening to Things I Should’ve Done Better. And Eric Roach really has come into a circle that is now full. And I really had a blast enjoying this album with the virtuosity, Crimson-sque, and unexpected momentum that he’s unleashed this year and his new album, Songs About Russia which I will delve into later on. But his debut album, is a mind-blowing experience that just made me want to play more and more of Eric’s music.

Compelling, Complex, Experimental, and Avant-Garde, Ziroque Bois D’Arc’s debut is an adventurous and energetic.