Some CD tips of albums released over summer. Now that autumn has fully arrived in The Neterlands it is about time everyone spends some cash on music again.
Cosmograf - Rattrapante
Cosmograf the project of Robin Armstrong is back with Rattrapante. Now Rattrapante meant little to me, turns out it is a watch with two seconds hand and this explains my lack of knowledge as I never wore a watch in my life. The first song travels in time as In 1985 describes that year. Funny to read as I was there very present as well, although I thought the Rubick cube in the booklet being from 81-82 really. Live Aid, Heysel and Concorde plains transfer you back in time indeed on this best song on the album. All other four songs are time related in some way or another as well. Robin Armstrong is this time almost solely responsible for all the music and vocals. His style remains this typical British progressive rock with nostalgic topics in the lyrics. To me he is one of the underrated names in Prog as he built a great discography over the years. Finally he managed to get a band together and next week he performs two shows in the UK. Bring him over to 't Blok and we can enjoy some great prog, while bitterballs are being served to us.
Dec Burke - Life in Two Dimensions
Dec Burke is another highly underrated artist. He is not just a good vocalist, but also a pretty sensational guitarist. I discovered him when he played with Darwin's Radio. Later he joined Frost*, released some solo albums and had the Audioplastik album. Out of the blue to me he is back with Life in Two Dimensions. I bought the album without hearing a note as I trust Dec Burke blindly. Upon receipt of the CD I read that Scott Higham played drums on the album, which raised hopes even further. Scott was not only responsible for Pendragon to get heavier on the two albums he joined, he also drummed with Angel Witch and Shadowkeep. Now Dec Burke does not release prog rock albums per se. There are also strong melodic rock influences all around. The first eight songs are in the 4-5 minute range and show good variation with some heavier outburst. The final two songs last 7:42 and 9:48 and get a bit more proggy. For me just a very pleaant album as I love his voice and guitar and good songs are always his starting point. Even Robin Armstrong joins the party.
Tuesday The Sky - Blurred Horizon
Another surprise release, the new album by Tuesday The Sky. This project is almost a solo Jim Matheos release. He does get some help by none other than Gavin Harrison on drums and Tim Bowness on vocals during one song. The rest of the album is instrumental and calm, or better very calm. I just buy these releases in order to support Jim Matheos who gave me so much pleasure with Fates Warning, Arch/Matheos and OSI. Actually I have the first album of Tuesday The Sky as well and play it still every now and then. If you wake up, but don't want to really none calming music is more comfortable. So Fates Warning fans do not need to rush to the store (or laptop), but open minded music lovers might like this. In the end quality of performance is not an issues with these three gentlemen at play.
A Dying Planet - When The Skies Are Grey
One of the several parallel projects of Jasun Tipton are back with album number two. First observation Paul Adrian Villareal now sings on all songs, which is a good thing. Second observation after listening a few times. The album has this Tipton franctic all over the place melodies, yet it is a calm album. This one to me definitely needed a few spins and preferably with headphones on. No music for the background, but when you dive in you do get rewarded over the six songs. Through forgotten war veterans to the joy of being a father the vocals are very good. The overall atmosphere reminds me at times of Enchant even if that band is more song focussed. Not strange if you remember that Enchant's Sean Flanegan drummed in Cynthesis with the Tipton brothers and one day at Headway I was wearing an Enchant Tee when meeting Jasun at the stairs complimenting me with my choice of clothing. So after several sessions a very good album, but silently I am looking even more forward to next year's new Zero Hour album, or the releases of Cynthesis 3. If you wonder what I am talking about check out the long interview Jasun had with the Progfiles.
Portrait - At One With None
In order to not run teh risk of getting soft, with so many lighter rocking albums visited Portrait take care of my necessary dose of good old Heavy Metal. This is their fifth album and I only miss their debut, since after discovering them and seeing them playing live a few years back I am hooked. Straight out of the eighties into the twenties this album is Heavy Metal from start to finish. No short songs here, but still variation between heavy metal, a longer epic and a doomier closer. I have the plain version holding eight songs only while I saw there are two bonus songs as well floating around. Every now and then you need to have some Heavy Metal to bang your head on. Portrait to me are definitely among the better bands of the past 15 years for giving me just that. Hope they tour soon.
Iron Maiden - Senjutsu
Do I really need to have an opinion on the new Maiden after the whole world already gave theirs? Well to me Iron Maiden with Senjutsu gives us exactly what I came to expect. No thrilling new surprises, but definitely some strong songs again. Also Steve Harris overdid the long songs a bit again, but that is fine with me. I pretty much like it that the total time made them release a double album again. I can now play one CD only and have a great 40 minutes, while 70 minutes in one go would be a bit much. Time will only tell, but I guess CD1 will get more airplay with me. First as the opening title track is for me the best song on the album (those opening drums). Days of Future Past is widely praised for not being a long song and I agree. Finally they will be touring Europe again next summer and when even Tiago asked me last weekend if I already had heard the new Maiden hopes are up he wants to join me.
Marillion - Fugazi
Saving the best for last and it is not even a new album. Marillion now re-released all their Fish era albums and the artwork, remixed music, live shows, interviews combined make it a must have for any serious Marillion fan. Recently I ranked all Marillion albums and Fugazi is my number one. With this new package at hand my choice only got reconfirmed. So the band were in a hurry and pressure was on, resulting them to be not only positive about the outcome I simply have to see opening song Assasing and closing duo Incubus / Fugazi to realize it never got better. With the remaining four songs being fine as well this darkest output by the band are a joy to revisit. I never realized they had a drummer issue before finding Ian Mosley. One of the better anecdotes was when Fish was asked why one of the technical fine drummers had not stayed he replied, well he was American. This new release gives you days worth of trips down memory lane and I do miss these Marillion days of the eighties indeed. Then again I just pre-ordered last week the new album, so my name will be in the booklet again (amongst thousand others). Meanwhile the world stayed totally Fugazi.
