Review Nº 787

As many of we know, the Mostly Autumn's sound is very atmospheric with a combination of keyboards, guitars, bass, various forms of percussion, flutes and dreamy vocals provided by female vocals and Bryan Josh vocals. Their overall sound has always reminded me of Pink Floyd with a touch of folk. But they're much more than that. Much of what they do is very original and memorable. I discovered Mostly Autumn in 2003 through the DVD "Progressive Rock Anthology" by the Classic Rock Society with their track "Mother Nature" and I immediately was captivated with what they had to offer. Since then I have reviewed a lot of their work including lavishly presented DVD sets and high end CD's for optimal sound. And I can assure to all of you that we can always count on a great quality presentation from this great band.

"Pass The Clock" is a very special compilation album of Mostly Autumn. Somehow, it represents the end of an era of the band. It represents the end of the era of Mostly Autumn with their first singer and founding member Heather Findlay who had left the band to pursue a solo career. "Pass The Clock" is a compilation album that covers the entire career of Mostly Autumn since the beginning of it to that moment. That can be seen in the front cover of the album, between 1998 and 2008. So, "Pass The Clock" is a compilation album very well representative of the career of Mostly Autumn with tracks chosen from all their eight studio albums released to that moment, "For All We Shared", "The Spirit Of Autumn Past", "The Last Bright Light", "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings", "Passengers", "Storms Over Still Water", "Heart Full Of Sky" and "Glass Shadows", plus a track originally released on their EP "Spirits Of Christmas Past".

"Pass The Clock" is a compilation album with thirty-five tracks. So, from their debut studio album "For All We Shared" that was released in 1999 we have four tracks, "Boundless Ocean", "Steal Away", "Night Sky" and "Heroes Never Die". From their second studio album "The Spirit Of Autumn Past" that was also released in 1999 we have also four tracks, "Evergreen", "Shindig", "Blakey Ridge/When Waters Meet" and "The Gap Is Too Wide". From their third studio album "The Last Bright Light" that was released in 2001 we have six tracks, "Prints In The Stone", "The Eyes Of The Forest", "Which Wood?", "Shrinking Violet", "Half The Mountain" and "Hollow". From their fourth studio album "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings" that was also released in 2001 we have three tracks, "At Last To Rivendell", "On The Wings Of Gwaihir" and "Goodbye Alone". From their fifth studio album "Passengers" that was released in 2003 we have seven tracks, "Pure White Light", "Distant Train", "Answer The Question", "Pass The Clock", "Simple Ways", "Bitterness Burnt" and "Passengers". From their sixth studio album "Storms Over Still Water" that was released in 2005 we have three tracks, "Ghost In Dreamland", "Storms Over Still Water" and "Carpe Diem". From their seventh studio album "Heart Full Of Sky" that was released in 2006 we have three tracks, "Fading Colours", "Silver Glass" and "Yellow Time". However, "Yellow Time" is a track that only appears in the special edition of the album with two CD's. From their eighth studio album "Glass Shadows" that was released in 2008 we have four tracks, "The Second Hand", "Paper Angels", "Tearing At The Faerytale" and "Glass Shadows". "Pass The Clock" has also another track that was never released on any of their studio albums, "Winter Is King". It was originally released on their EP "Spirits Of Christmas Past" in 2005.

Mostly Autumn's approach to this anthology was to produce three CD's which are self-standing in terms of music synergy. So, "Something For The Spirit" has the most up-tempo compositions, "Something For The Campfire" contains the folk and folk-rock numbers and "Something For The Candlelight" has the slow tempo and peaceful sound of the band. And this was a good strategy. Each of the individual CD's has a pleasing self-consistency. It's true that "Pass The Clock" doesn't contains any new songs as is usual on many other compilation albums. But this compilation album has an interesting thing. All these tracks were remastered versions, and in my opinion, aren't bad at all. Of course the song selections for anthologies always cause debate. But it's fair to say that many of their great classics were included here.

Conclusion: I've no doubt in say that "Pass The Clock" is an excellent compilation album made in a very professional way. It seems like it could be an extreme compilation with 3 CD's with 35 tracks and with more than 2 and a half hours. However, that is far from the case. If you are a solid great band like Mostly Autumn is, it's not difficult to select tracks over ten years period. The difficulty lies in choosing which tracks to include in such a comprehensive set. But, the final results are excellent where some of their best and most beloved tracks by their fans were included. "Pass The Clock" has an outstanding collection of tracks where the individual tracks fit perfectly well in the titles of the three CD's. Besides, the packing is top notch featuring a high quality cardboard three piece gatefold CD holder with liner notes and the necessary thanks to the important supporters of the band. This is a great compilation of an underrated prog band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

The word "surprise" is used a lot in connection with this 2013 release. The recording sessions were kept secret, and there had been nothing but "crickets" when it comes to Bowie over the previous ten years. Surprising that an artist would use an old album cover and update it. Has any one else done this? For me personally the biggest surprise is at how consistently good this record is. Prior to this record it was really only the Berlin Trilogy that had any albums that were remotely consistent. "Low" being my favourite, but the "Heroes" connection is so cool. By the way "Blackstar" stands alone in my opinion as far as his records go.

And speaking of "Blackstar" the final track on "The Next Day" called "Heat" feels like the inspiration for "Blackstar". If nothing else it's the bridge between the two records. It's dark and experimental, and it has those fragile vocals, so vulnerable that were front and centre on "Blackstar". The lyrics too! "Heat" is the track that stands out for me here. I love that of the fourteen tracks seven are very good. And especially that the first four are included in that because this was a cd I just wanted to play again, knowing how it starts off for the first 15 minutes.

There's a lot of positive energy on this record including that foot stomping, head banging opener "The Next Day". It's the chorus I'm talking specifically, and yes sit down to foot stomp and head bang please. Bowie's vocals are strong. "Dirty Boys" is next and man that baritone sax really works here along with the bass clarinet. Love those sounds. "The Stars(Are Out Tonight)" is my second favourite after the closer. Back to the energy and there's so much going on here. Too much fun. "Love Is Lost" ends that opening first four and this one grooves with guitar over top. Great lyrics.

The other two tracks that stand out for me are the back to back "I'd Rather Be High" and "Boss Of Me". The psychedelia of the former and the return of the baritone sax on the latter. I wasn't surprised to see Tony Levin playing bass on five tracks, but seeing that the main guitarist is David Torn did surprise me. Playing on this album must have been one of many highlights Torn has had in his career. This is a solid 4 star record in my world, and is worthy enough to have that "Heroes" cover in my opinion.

Despite a rather turbulent beginning where it would take ESKATON (formed in 1970 at the same time Magma released its debut) eight years to record what was supposed to be its first album in 1978 and then another two to record a second which would be released as the debut, ESKATON kept the world of zeuhl alive in the early 1980s just when the progenitors of the genre, Magma had taken a leave of absence while Christian Vander and friends were engaging in side projects such as the short-lived Fusion. ESKATON was just one of the revivalists who took the post-Magma zeuhl into new unthinkable worlds that would keep the unique avant-garde musical form alive and well in the French underground during the prog starved 1980s.

After releasing its intended debut turned sophomore release "4 Visions," ESKATON was propelled to the top of the French underground and praised for its wild and unhinged take on Magma inspired zeuhl only with a fresh energetic infusion of crafty ingenuity. The band had gone through more than a few lineup changes but retained the same lineup from "Ardeur" for its third and final album FICTION which was released in 1983. A fourth album was recorded and intended to be released as "Icare" but never saw the light of day and after guitarist / keyboardist Giles Rozenberg left the band in 1984, the band would disintegrate and fall into obscurity until the Soleil Zeuhl reissued the band's cassette only canon into the proper vinyl and CD formats.

While both "Ardeur" and especially "4 Visions" showcased an ambitious zeuhl band that displayed a virtuosity and creative edge above and beyond much of the competition, those two albums were very much steeped in Magma worship unfortunately often sounding like a Magma clone to my ears. The third album FICTION on the other hand showcased a creative new beginning (or ending as destiny would have it) that found the band deemphasizing the overt Magma influences and finding its own unique stamp on the world of zeuhl. While still delivering the bubbling zeuhl bass grooves, steady rhythmic drive and ecstatic and even giddy female vocal playfulness right out of the Stella Vander playbook, ESKATON delivered a strange mix of zeuhl that added the more contemporary sounds of new wave in the form of repetitive keyboard patterns, synthesized sounds and an occasional bouncy even danceable drive.

Despite the adaptation to the demands of the early 80s that favored catchy synthpop and pop punk fueled ear worms, ESKATON kept these tendencies in check by keeping the musical flow dark and mysterious with crafty even angular keyboard workouts, jazzy drumming outbursts and the unmistakable zeuhl-ish mix of a rhythmic drive and stentorian choir technqiues. The strangest and most unique part of the album surely comes from the dueling vocal performances of vocalists Amara Tahir and Paule Kleynnaert who together provide a sort of rapping technique to trade off vocals on such tracks as "Plus Et Moins" and "Le Cinema" which implant a primeval vocal rap similar to Debbie Harry's on the mega-hit single "Rapture" from Blondie. While that sounds like a recipe for disaster, this bold move is used sparingly throughout the album's run in between the oft instrumental or more traditional sounding zeuhl tracks.

The album also features more electronic based slow burners such as the short instrumental "Paranthèse" and "La More De Tristan," the latter of which even features a few nods to the Canterbury jazz keyboard sounds that had been nurtured into fruition by the likes of Soft Machine and Hatfield & The North. The results of all this fusion of traditional zeuhl with an infusion of contemporary craftiness makes FICTION perhaps the most innovative of all the three albums of its canon. While not nearly as technical and lacking the virtuosic display of fiery zeuhl action that "4 Visions" delivered in abundance, FICTION has unfairly taken a back seat to its more popular sibling however there is no doubt that FICTION is the most unique album of the band's all too short career and delivers just the right amount of new influences to make the album a very compelling listening experience although prog purists may cringe and call it pandering to the world of new wave which was dominating the music scene in 1983.

There are two very different versions of FICTION with differing track orders: the original version which emerged, and the 2005 Soleil Zeuhl reissue which for whatever reason displayed the album with tracks mixed up per the band's request. In addition the newer version also features five tracks that were supposed to comprise the "Icare" album which was slated to be the fourth ESKATON album however due to the band's proclivity to deemphasize the progressiveness of their music and veering into the watered down world of pop which FICTION does indeed point to, the more commercial tracks were scrapped leaving five extras that more or less followed in the footsteps of what was laid out on FICTION. Yes indeed FICTION does find a progressive rock band adapting to the 80s however ESKATON forged a unique bridge between two seemingly disparate worlds quite successfully and although the band would soon drift off more into the pop world before disbanding, FICTION is without a doubt more on the side of progressive zeuhl than anything remotely new wave. I know i'm in the minority but this is my favorite ESKATON album.

After the second album "Triton," the Toulouse based POTEMKINE engaged in a hefty touring schedule with bands such as Art Zoyd, Mosaik and Etron Fou Leloublan and performed all over the band's home nation of France all throughout 1977 and during that tour the band decided to drift off more in a jazz rock fusion direction and left behind most of its 20th century classical and zeuhl influences. The third and final album NICOLAS II came out in 1979 and refers to the last reigning Emperor of Russia before the 1917 revolution. The band's interest in Russia's history isn't surprising considering its very name POTEMKINE is a Russian word that refers to a construction (literal or figurative) with the purpose of providing an external façade to a situation that makes people believe the situation is better than it is. Often used in the term Potemkin Village.

This third and final album from POTEMKINE swung more in the direction of the debut "Foetus" and reverted to a more jazz oriented style of fusion and deemphasized the 20th century classical, avant-prog and zeuhl complexities of the band's second album "Triton." The album also sounds a lot like Soft Machine's jazz fusion years roughly from "Six," "Seven" and especially "Bundles" although no Alan Holdsworth around to ignite the fire that brings the music to another level. While more energetic and with more substantial composiitons, NICOLAS II sounds a bit like a standard jazz fusion affair from the 1970s rather than an innovative work that sets the band apart from its competition unlike the unique stylistic approach achieved on "Triton." Basically this album sounds an amalgamation of any influences the band could garner up. A touch of Brand X here, a dab of Weather Report there with other influences coming to mind but the keyboard work of Michel Goubin brings the Soft Machine connections to light.

While the Magma influences had been deemphasized, they still come through on some tracks such as "Ode de Mars" courtesy of Dominique Dubuisson's beefy bass riffing so every once in a while the album feels like a mix of Magma, Soft Machine, Weather Report and Brand X although the POTEMKINE of "Triton" is sorely missing as it much more experimental and daring in its approach and NICOLAS II sounds like the band is trying to play it all safe in order to fit in with the accepted jazz fusion sounds of the day. The problem is that the band didn't deliver a sound that is unique and neither are the compositions enthralling in any way although the performances are acceptable. Charles Goubin is quite busy on this album with his guitar playing yet he seems like a second rate guitarist in the world of jazz fusion in an era that has produced veritable guitar gods such as John McLaughlin, Alan Holdsworth, John Albercombie and Al DiMeola just to name a few.

While better than "Foetus" which was a rather dull album that barely steamed above simmer, NICOLAS II is a rather by the books jazz fusion album of the 1970s and doesn't really stand out in any particular way. This is sad because "Triton" on the other hand was engaging and dynamic all the way through its run. While this is perfectly acceptable jazz fusion that won't disappoint as far as enjoyability, the album to me sounds a bit generic considering by 1978 the prog world was chock full of classic jazz fusion albums that far exceeded anything POTEMKINE crafted on NICOLAS II. Overall this is an OK if average jazz fusion release that found the band lose its momentum and although would carry on for a few more years until its demise in 1982, never was able to release another album after this one as the tides were turning against complex music in the market and POTEMKINE seemed to peak and then rapidly decline.

3.5 stars rounded down

POTEMKINE formed all the way back in 1971 in Toulouse, France and started off as a cover band of classic rock like the Rolling Stones and Deep Purple but turned to the world of jazz fusion once the founder and brother Charles and Gilles Goubin discovered the wild worlds of the Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra. Somewhere before the band's debut "Foetus" the world of zeuhl began creeping into the band's sound after attending Magma concerts. The debut "Foetus" was an interesting take on the potentials of mixing jazz rock with the idiosyncratic characteristics of zeuhl but lacked any real cohesion and sorely lacked any bite.

The band followed up with its sophomore release TRITON which came out in 1977 and offered a much more accomplished roster of five tracks that added up to just over 37 minutes of playing time. TRITON found POTEMKINE taking its jazz rock and zeuhl fusion to the world of 20th century classical complexity with composers such as Edgar Varese, Erik Satie and Claude DeBussy serving as the primary inspirational figures. The title of the album refers to the tritone which was considered the work of the devil by the Spanish Inquisition and only reintroduced to Western Music by composers such as Stravinsky and Bartok.

The lineup expanded as well which included the three Goubin brothers: Charles (guitar) Michael (keyboards), Phillipe (drums) and Dominque Dubuisson back on bass as well as Xavier Vidal returning on violins. However yet another Goubin, this time bassist Gilles joined the team as well as an extra drummer Maurice Bataille on a couple of tracks. At this same time POTEMKINE also started to dabble in the world of avant-prog with a more abstract sound courtesy of exposure to bands like Art Zoyd and Etron Fou Leloublan. The results of all this newfound inspiration made TRITON a much more interesting album than the band's debut "Foetus." Likewise the zeuhl rhythms and influences are much more apparent on TRITON which created a very original sound that set the band easily apart from the competition.

The album is primarily an instrumental fusion of the avant-prog delivered by the Rock In Opposition bands that were popping up around Belgium and France in the late 1970s along with the Magma and already established jazz fusion tendencies although still no woodwinds or jazzy horn sections in the mix. The album also offers a few wordless vocals that serve as an extra instrument mostly in the form of haunting backdrops to creepy avant-garde musical processions. The music is much more diverse on TRITON with the tracks offering a wide range of musical exploration and chock full of various time signature workouts that offer a huge sonic expansion of timbres, dynamics and complexity of the compositions. The distinct use of guitar work also was unique for any major zeuhl works of the 1970s.

This album really features a nice mix of things: various percussive instruments, a unique bouncy bass presence and a quirky way of delivering the guitar parts. Lots of virtuoso piano runs and best of all the compositions are ridiculously complex with difficult to follow yet logically cohesive processions through various motifs and disparate cadences. An uncredited female vocalist sort of drops in and out unexpectedly offering a spectral haunting effect with wordless vocals. The album is extremely engaging and infinitely more dynamic than the rather sleepy indeterminate debut. The jazzy interludes are delivered by the combo effect of the percussion and piano rolls at key moments which keeps this album juggling the worlds of jazz, classical, zeuhl and avant-prog quite nicely.

The album closes with the lengthiest track "Eiram" which at 13 1/2 minutes really takes the band into its full potential and offers a wild ride through the world of wild unhinged prog that had been established on the previous tracks. A huge step up for POTEMKINE and one of those crazy complex prog albums for those who like it knotty and angular as it can possibly get. The reissues offer a whopping four bonus tracks which are equally as captivating especially the feisty "Rictus" which is more energetic than anything on TRITON's original track listing as the album itself simmers on mid-tempo for the majority of its run. Great album and the only one of POTEMKINE's three album run to really implement zeuhl bass grooves in full force.

A Rainbow in Curved Air by Terry Riley is, to me, frankly, a great example of an album, the universal critical glorification of which was shaped purely by the fact that it is "an important album" and not really its contents. Critics (especially the Progarchives ones) rave about its innovativeness and significance in the evolution of progressive or electronic music... and I'm like: ok? So, is it a good album after all?

The answer is: No. Not at all.

The album's fatal flaw IMO is the fact that its compositional side is simply not very captivating. If you throw away all the circumstances in which it was recorded, it's essentially a session of organ noodling that goes nowhere. The challenges Riley faced in '69 to design soundscapes never before heard on tape, don't instantly make it a masterpiece.

In conclusion, probably the most critically overpraised album ever made without a real reason other than the fact it was a technological marvel, at least for its era. Huge disappointment.

Recognized, justifiably, throughout the music world as a landmark album in the evolution of music, Terry Riley had been working on these pieces in live performances (sometimes all-night) for several years before finally rendering more concise versions of "In C," "Rainbow" and "Poppy" to tape and vinyl--and the radio listener and record consuming population has benefitted tremendously. Imagine if only live concert-goers were to have been the only individuals to have ever heard these pieces! While the classical staccato minimalism of "A Rainbow in Curved Air" contributed tremendously to the solidification of the genre of music that John Adams, Steve Reich, Phillip Glass, and Michael Nyman and, truthfully, a whole host of Berlin School electronic artists would make famous, the drones, loops, and overdubs of "Poppy Nogood" were also quite revolutionary. Everyone knows the effect In A Rainbow in Curved Air had on The Soft Machine during the composition/recording sessions of their album, Third--how Mike Ratledge's "Out- Bloody-Rageous" came out of this effect--but it's hard to imagine how long it would have taken Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, the members of Kraftwerk, and so many Ambient, New Age, and electronic artists to develop their sounds and styles without the advantage of hearing and learning from this ground-breaking album! While I may not consider the two songs to be great listening or greatly sophisticated compositions requiring virtuosic musicianship, they certainly provide nice background music for the home/workspace.

1. "A Rainbow in Curved Air" (18:40) nice minimalist overlaying of electronic keys (speeded up?) and percussion. (36.5/40)

2. "Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band" (21:40) very pleasant and mesmerizing weave of looped, echo-effected, and overlayed saxophone riffs, bursts and flourishes. Terry proves that one human can be a one man big band/wind orchestra! (36.125/40)

A-/five stars. Though perhaps only a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music, A Rainbow in Curved Air stands as a major contribution to the birth and development of progressive electronic music.

These Scottish veteran musicians released "The Source" in 2017, an excellent debut album that set the foundation for a huge upgrade on their sophomore 2023 work "Once Around the Sun" , a thoroughly engaging set of songs that did the rounds in the progressive circles, with both radio and critical praise. The arrival of Martin Haggerty on that second album certainly elevated the overall sound and this July 5th release should put the band over the top with well deserved recognition. With guitarist Renaldo McKim, keyboardist Mike Baxter, David McLachlan and Alex Smith on the drum kit, this quintet will impress the often fickle prog collective. Thank you, Anne-Claire Rallo of Bad Dog Promotions, for the heads-up copy!

Proof lies in that quintessential bold step of kicking off a new recording with a nice juicy epic "Fight the Hand That Bleeds You" , a brave 10 minute plus concoction that sets the ground rules for the next hour of sonic entertainment. The unmistakable throttle of the Hammond boosts the pulsating acceleration as Martin bemoans the current political plague of ineptitude in both the UK and the EU, elitist leaders who have little regard for common sense. McKim and Baxter fill out the aural canvas with colourful add-ons without resorting to ostentatious technical pirouettes, as exemplified in the sombre mid-section dripping with pathos and despair, profound melancholia and tired frustration. The bass takes a little romp around the neighbourhood, deepening the sorrowful atmosphere. When will peaceful coexistence prevail? Ad nauseam, we all hope for some kind of resolution! The right is never right and the left veered into the same silliness, they are sadly now undistinguishable.

"Morpheus " offers a gentler lilt, ringing guitars, piano twinkling and a heroic vocal, with generous doses of backing voices, and Martin displaying a charming tone that is most appealing, with a slight hint of Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), filled out by a fluttering jazzy guitar that swirls with aplomb. A superb piece of melancholic beauty. That overall feel of sadness continues on the piano-led innocence of " Life" , a 'seeking solace'kind of tune, with clever lyrics and straightforward instrumental accompaniment, the focus clearly on the melody and the passionate vocal expression. As the arrangement progresses, the tempo expands into a higher level of urgency, the piano expressing the theme with majestic insistence, driving the emotion deep into the soul.

Titanic swaths of raunchy guitar, pushed with a thumping beat and a lurking bass undertone, "Sand" ratchets up the crackle with a rocking display, bombastic and overpoweringly epic, with a sense of 'too late to slow the hands of time', as everything seems to be spiralling out of control, an ovine cell-phone centric humanity that relies on depression and insomnia to get by each and every day, a constant struggle.

The massive "Shadows" is a well planned 11-minute pivotal behemoth, not as a countermeasure to the preceding folly, but rather a reminder how relationships continue to fail under all the constant pressure. A sad song, with reflective memories at the forefront, with poignant lyrics such as 'even though the fire burns low, the embers of our love still glow' . Gulp! Bass flutter not withstanding, the candles shiver in the wind. This has an almost classic the Strawbs feel, particularly when the symphonics kick in, the electric guitars glitter like gilded dust and the voice exalts in utter manifestation. Absolutely genius!

This segues nicely into "The Arc (Life part 2)", a timeless lament on 'where have the years gone', a blink of an eye and all has passed, a wholeheartedly sung chorus with tingling guitar and a woozy synth motif, a little hint of vintage China Crisis (I know, this 80s focus is alarming but quite true nevertheless).

The brooding, doom-laden "Moscow" is a devastating condemnation of the ongoing folly of one man's unacceptable desire to rebuild an empire that he witnessed collapsing in Dresden in 1989, a year when rejoicing in freedom was the common currency for those tearing the metal curtain apart. The music is assuredly dense and threatening, synthesized missiles and riff artillery pummeling their 'own' people into fiery submission. Young Russians and Ukrainians shoved fanatically into the meat grinding war machine, 'a world in flames, torched in your name'. Immediate cease fire, please.

"Empty Shore (Life part 3)" certainly espouses a sense of finality, not just for this album's run but also for the current state of global affairs with the human condition in peril. The lyrical content mirrors the fatigued vocals. Aren't we better than this? Can we not learn to live together respectfully? Must we compete constantly with aggressive ignorance? Is apathy and endless opinion mongering the new religion? Love once prevailed, it can do so again! The repetitive melodic message is there for us to follow. We all need and deserve to live an ordinary life. Easily among the very top albums of 2024 up to now!

5 persistent grounds

4.5 Stars! This is one of the more controversial Fusion live albums out there. Although I find this to be quite enjoyable. For starters, the lineup on here is incredible with Billy & George who have formed their own superstar Jazz Fusion band with two other monster musicians featuring one of my favourite Bass players of all time Alphonse Johnson & John Scofield on Guitar. They make this fantastic album, with some memorable compositions such as the opener Hip Pockets which is one of the strongest songs on the album IMO. The most noticeable topic of this band is that they seem to form a Frank Zappa kind of humour along with some very good musicianship. I find this album to be interesting that some listen at find weak or mediocre. The album cover though is what really brings this down into a dystopian desert with stormy skies and some disaster has happened with a city scape and two large hands with heads is what we can see.

Some of the other compositions on here are quite commercial but do have an edge when ur comes to the soloing and especially the great drumming from Billy Cobham who really drives the album. Space Lady is a bit of a letdown for me as it just doesn't seem to really go anywhere with fills being played and a spoken word. The other Vocal tracks are catchy and melodic which fits with the funky nature of the album.

This would definitely be up there with some of the best Live Jazz Funk albums but it just lacks in some small areas that meander but would recommend for those who love Funk with there Fusion.

3.5 stars. JORDSJO needs no introduction these days, they are one of the foremost retro styled bands out there. I still remember the ANGLAGARD comparisons at first with the flute, melancholy etc. But this duo have carved their own path and are one of only a handful of bands that I will preorder when hearing of a new release on the horizon. Big fan. Early in their careers they recorded three demo tapes which ended up on cassettes. This 2015 recording is the very first demo tape, and it was only available on cassette or download at the time. I don't download, but I got a co-worker to do this for me then I put it on a cdr.

I have been debating about even reviewing this one because two years after releasing this one they released another self titled record with the same cover art, and it's listed here on the site under compilations and includes the 37 minute original demo tape that I'm reviewing today, but also the other two demo tapes, and released in a two cd format. Should have waited. I was surprised at the British vibe on "UK Original", okay the title should have given it away but also "The Goddess(Of Light)" has that Proto-Prog style. The two short ones to end the album are okay but it's really those three earlier tracks called "Hulderheimen", "Ogion" and my favourite "Bilder Fra En Skog" that reveal that the sky is the limit with this band. There are both Norwegian and English vocals and a lot of keyboards, I would without question seek the compilation version of this record out, especially if your a fanboy. Check out their roots!