As if we needed any reminders, I am re-reading Henry Scott-Irvine’s excellent book “Procol Harum: The Ghosts of A Whiter Shade of Pale” and how Gary Brooker played such a central role in Procol Harum and beyond, in his solo works and collaborations. I could not make the tribute concert on 4 th  December, 2023 but managed to get hold of a programme and, finally, the music from that night has been released in a clamshell boxed set of Blu Ray and CDs. Gary played with many illus

‘World in Greyscale’, the 30-minute title track, dark and deep music, is based on a simple repetitive and unwavering beat which is used as a backdrop to layers of synths to create a chilled atmosphere. ‘Sepia’ follows a similar pattern although I found it to be more melodic and less dense; Jerry Kranitz accurately describes the music as “electro hypnotic chill-out dance beats and floating space ambience, augmented by Alisa’s breathy vocals”. “Atomic Autumn”: No longer space r

“With their infectious, energetic and positively 'smile on the face' rhythms on stage, audiences have come accustomed to Buddhadatta's reverence for Buddhism via their attire and the topics of their songs, all inspired by practising, throat-singing Buddhist monk / band leader, Vogli Bonze. Bass player Seiko engages almost the entirety of the audience with constant eye contact as she swathes her samurai bass - Nick Cave would be envious of how she connects. Then she steps up t

“The third and final volume in the 'Before the End' series; a collection of non-album tracks and assorted songs brought together from the years 2022 to 2025. Like the previous instalments, everything here has been carefully remastered and sequenced to work as a cohesive album in its own right.” ‘Just Another Goodbye’ begins the album with “a touch of fusion”. The vignette ‘Project B’ sounds unfinished, electronic in style along with the more substantial ‘Project A’. All instr

“Underground Sounds of 1968” has an eclectic mix of music during a very creative period; some will be familiar, others not. CD one has big hits like ‘Fire’, ‘This Wheel’s on Fire’ and ‘I’m the Urban Spaceman’ rubbing shoulders with an obscure Genesis track (‘One Eyed Hound’) and nearly made it bands like Dantalian’s Chariot (‘World War Three’ and ‘Soma (Parts One and Two)’, Eyes of Blue and Tomorrow. Of course, the musicians from many of these bands went on to greater things.

The moment the "flowing" 7/8 phrase at the beginning of this piece came to Kenichi Morimoto, he felt confident it would become a strong composition. From there, the rest of the music unfolded almost unconsciously, with little deliberate effort involved in the writing process. The result was a beautiful piece that didn’t quite resemble anything in his usual musical vocabulary. The contrast between its "flowing" beginning and its unexpectedly "cunning" nature is what gave rise

The sound of ‘Mercury’ begins the album, the ‘Love supreme’ riff is played on bass and Emma-Jean urges us to ‘Say Something’. The old and new – trumpet (played by Emma-Jean) and electronic keyboards sound as if made for one another, potent jazz fusion is being created. The word ‘mercury’ is repeated and Emma-Jean narrates- ‘to listen is to know and know is to love’; there’s something distinctly spiritual going on here; a solitary Rhodes electric piano with an exhortation to o

“Musician and producer Daniel Vincent announces the release of his latest studio album, “Means of Escape”, a captivating journey through soundscapes that blend ambient textures, progressive structures, and deeply personal lyrics. Transcending the post-progressive psychedelia of his earlier work, Means of Escape weaves the disparate elements of a rich 22-year back catalogue into a cohesive, sonically adventurous, and emotionally profound journey.” The incisive guitar on ‘Far B

Produced, performed, recorded, mixed, and arranged in her South London flat, Weirdo  was originally conceived as a strategy to speak about her struggles with mental health—Thackray is autistic and has ADHD. Emma-Jean insists ‘weirdo’ can be positive, suggesting something different like Byony Gordon’s Book “There is No Such Thing as Normal.” Her 2021 LP ‘Yellow’ was a great success. This album surpasses even ‘Yellow’ as Emma-Jean exposes her inner torments. The opening vignett

This is one of my favourite albums, period. While there is no more keyboard dualling (Graham Field has left to form Fields. Mark Ashton has also gone to be replaced by Fred Kelly on drums), there is plenty of guitar interplay to make up for it. It’s hard for me to spot a weakness on Rare Bird’s first of three albums for Polydor and the single, an EP really,  that is included is the icing on the cake; outstanding songwriting, singing and playing throughout. Personal relationsh

Rare Bird was increasingly sounding like an American band on a rather lightweight album, far from their more progressive roots. Nothing wrong with that and they do it rather well. Taken for what it is, the desultory reviews were a bit unfair. Rare Bird remain great song writers. ‘Diamonds’ is a good funky example; the music is easy on the ear. This song and ‘Last Tango in Beluah’ (over long perhaps?) made it into their live act. (Also ‘Lonely Street’ and ‘All That I Needed’ –

RARE BIRD – BEAUTIFUL SCARLET: THE RECORDINGS (1969-1975) EPIC FOREST (Esoteric Recordings) (CD boxset) (the third album) This is one of my favourite albums, period. While there is no more keyboard dualling (Graham Field has left to form Fields. Mark Ashton has also gone to be replaced by Fred Kelly on drums), there is plenty of guitar interplay to make up for it. It’s hard for me to spot a weakness on Rare Bird’s first of three albums for Polydor and the single, an EP really

‘ Running in the Gutter’ is BABAL’S 13th album, as we enter an “immersive world of intense lyricism and musical ideas” in “a beautifully crafted selection of hypnotic and rhythmic pieces, each delving deeply into the world we think we know.” The lyrics and strident vocals are in the DNA of the music with room for improvisation. “Could it be argued that Crass are joining forces with Cardiacs to deliver a Beefheart take on Byrne?” the press release asks. Kevin Rowland says the

Listening to this album at the moment. I am sorry I don't have time for my usual detailed reviews. Followers of FdM will be familiar with Jacqueline and The Honey Pot, and members of Tir Na Nog and Icarus Peel also lend a hand (there are 19 songs). "Smoke Road" is acid folk and psych of the highest order. If this is your scene this ambitious project ranks as essential.

Fans of the band's proto-metal-prog will find much to appreciate in this music with a dark, modern edge, Notwithstanding that the 'sole survivor; Steve Bolton is joined by a band of keen apprentices, the new Atomic Rooster are undertaking a UK and Europe wide tour to promote the album, in the true spirit of the Rooster.

BEHIND THE SUN COLLECTIVE (Fruits de Mer 7", 2025) Impressing at the FdM 2024 summer festival, this genre defying band has produced a faithful rendition of Marc Bolan's 'Children of the Revolution' b/w a cover of Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain', Check them out!

Magic Mushroom and Astralasia were sister groups originating from 1990. The latter were part of the dancefloor trance scene along with...

With 13 previously unreleased tracks this will be an essential purchase for Residents fans and the curious. As the press release says...

Emma-Jean Thackray gets right to the heart of the matter with her direct lyrics and hooks and use of vignettes as bridges like ‘Something...

A remastered original mix, a new stereo mix and a 5.1 sound stereo mix with a Blu-Ray from 21st August, 1971 (Granada TV) and Rockpalast...