So, 2014, All over now, the fireworks have faded, the beer has been drunk and it’s back to work for all of us, as 2015 starts.
Last year I reviewed 115 albums for four different magazines, 4 live concerts, 4 music DVD’s as well as interviewing musical heroes like Adrian Belew, Pat Mastelotto, Matt Stevens, Bruce Soord, Geoff Downes, Duncan Gammon, Andy Jackson and Denis Smith.
I reconnected with lots of good friends on the prog scene, and made more friends through going to these events, I finally saw the Fierce and the Dead live (twice in fact) as well as being introduced to some wonderful new bands, so this my friends is my musical top fifteen of 2014.
I make no excuses for the fact there’s 15 albums here, in fact doing a top ten was too difficult, as last year there were so many amazing releases and really interesting records across the whole spectrum of the prog genre that picking 15 was really difficult.
These albums are in no particular order, and all, for me, sum up my musical and personal experiences of 2014, which on a personal level was quite difficult, whilst on a musical level was amazing, and it’s no exaggeration to say some of these records helped me through a hard time. That however was 2014, and as for 2015, it’s all onwards and upwards my friends.
Matt Stevens: Lucid
Esoteric Antenna
Matt Stevens is rapidly becoming the guitarist’s guitarist, and his latest solo album Lucid marked his major label debut. This album is a sonic attack of some of the finest music out there, mixing Matts wonderful looping sound, with plenty of guest contributions and bulking out his sound into some of the finest instrumental music I have heard for a long time. Lucid demands that you listen to it and is the sound of an artist who is confident in his ability, comfortable with his collaborators and secure in the knowledge that he is making the music he wants to make.
Trojan Horse: World Turned Upside Down
Bad Elephant Music
Self confessed noisy bastards Trojan Horse are so much more than this, this exciting four piece are a live force of nature, and the energy and power in their performance and song writing translates beautifully to record. With bags of talent, musical performances that are taut and majestic and plenty of light and shade throughout the album this is a wonderful record by anyone’s standards.
They are a musical phenomenon, defying easy categorisation, and writing heartfelt lyrics and intense musical moments all combine to create an intelligent masterpiece.
Who said Protest song was dead?
Dodson and Fogg: In a Strange Slumber
Chris Wades 6th outing as Dodson and Fogg manages to take the D&F sound somewhere else every time, with some superb contemplative songwriting, as well as two narrated interludes by Nigel Planer that add a touch of the Viv Stanshalls to the proceedings. With Chris lo-fi intimate style and the talent of the special guests he persuades to join on his musical adventures his songwriting is moving further afield from the folk rock genre he originally sat in. In fact Chris is proving himself to be one of England’s finest songwriters and a spiritual successor to writers like Ray Davies or Richard Thompson.
Andy Jackson: Signal to Noise
Esoteric Antenna
Debut album for Pink Floyd engineer Andy Jackson, this album has lots in common with his employers, but also bands like No-Man or Porcupine Tree as well. As it crosses genres from psychedlia to rock back through ambient musical landscapes Andy’s musical skill and confidence draws the listener in.This announces Andy to the world as a major talent, with some superb lyrics and musical performances. This album is incredibly powerful and highly satisfying that grows with each listen. A belter of an album.
The Pineapple Thief:Magnolia
Kscope
An intense, powerful and song filled album is the tenth studio offering from Bruce Soords Pineapple Thief. With a new drummer giving the band a shot in the arm, and the art of Bruces songwriting reduced to shorter, sharper songs, this extraordinary record clocks in at around 45 minutes. Not a note is wasted, not a lyric superfluous. The tracks on here are loud, proud and musically intense and satisfying, and live? Well live the album explodes into life on stage, and turns a truly fantastic collection of songs into some modern classics. This is truly their finest musical statement yet.
Tony Patterson & Brendan Eyre: Northlands
Esoteric Antenna
Tony Patterson and Brendan Eyre’s love and affection for their native North East forms the bedrock of this rather special album. With the story being about a character returning to the Northlands, this album is, to my mind an epic soundtrack to a film they haven’t made yet. Tony’s wonderful vocals and the uplifting music on display here showcases two writers who have poured their hearts into this concept, and in doing so have given us an album that grows with every listen, takes you on a musical and emotional journey and is one of the finest records released in this, or indeed any, year.
Schnauser: Protein For Everyone
Esoteric Antenna
Bristol based Schnausers Protein for Everyone is their 5th album and is a joy to behold. Imagine a 4 piece in the Canterbury scene vein, with intelligent lyrics, Bonzo esque word play, and intricate and melodic musical interplay then you have Schnauser. From the opening bars of Grey or Blue to the closing 16-minute epic Disposable Outcomes, this is rock music flying by the seat of its pants, and with sublime vocal harmonies and superb musical virtuosity this is a fantastic record.
Fractal Mirror: Garden of Ghosts
I’ve already eulogised at great length about this wonderful album here on Progarchy, suffice it say it’s a fantastic record and shows how the friendships and mutual interests that manifest themselves on this scene can work together and create great musical beauty and a fantastically packaged album.
Knifeworld The Unravelling
If there was an award for creepiest song title of the year then Kavus Torabi would win it hands down with the sinister and disturbing The Skulls that we buried have Regrown their eyes. Knifeworlds latest long player is a testament to the Kavus vision, and any band featuring him and Emmett Elvin are bound to be unique. Mastering in uneasy listening and intense and intelligent musical arrangements that take you by surprise, draw you in and mesmerise you, Knifeworlds arty offering on the prog scene is as far as away possible from the cosy familiarity of Yes’ latest opus, and for that I thank them. Live they are also a mighty powerhouse of sound, truly magnificent.
Robert Reed:Sanctuary
I am a massive Mike Oldfield, but obviously not as much as Rob Reed whose love letter to Mike is probably the best album Mr Oldfield never made. Taking it’s cue from Mikes first 4 classic albums, and weaving in elements and cues from that musical period in Mikes history Robs album is not parody or plagiaristic, but more a cleverly written and beautifully realised homage to a musician whose influence stretches down the years, and Sanctuary is a delight from start to finish.
North Atlantic Oscillation ;The Third Day
Edinburgh based ambient rock trio North Atlantic Oscillation take sonic understatement to a new level here, as the post prog power trio bounce off each other, as these ten tracks, seamlessly joined flow through, sparse, elegiac and haunting soundscapes. Astonishingly this album is about 45 minutes long, but as with all the best intelligent prog it has never been about the length of the album, but the content, and there are enough musical ideas in here that would keep lesser bands going for a whole career. This is a wonderful continuation of their musical journey and is a truly beautiful record.
John Bassett Unearth/Arcade Messiah
From Kingbathmat musician and frontman John Bassett came two mighty albums this year book ending 2014 nicely. I am cheating a little bit by including both Unearth and Arcade Messiah here, but to my mind they are the different sides to the same musical coin. Stepping away from the complexity of Kingbathmat, Unearth shows the mellower, more acoustic folk styled side of John’s personality. Unearth with it’s delicate fragile haunting beauty is an album full of heart, soul and integrity much like it’s creator. Arcade Messiah on the other hand sees John get his electric guitar out, turns his amp up, and proceed to unleash his inner axe hero on an intense and enjoyable instrumental journey. Unlike some metal instrumental albums this isn’t self-indulgent, Arcade Messiah is an intelligent, intuitive, well-performed and well-produced album. I’ve said before and I’ll say again John Bassett is one of the most original performers operating on the prog scene currently, and his musical journey is one well worth following.
Gandalf’s Fist : A Forest of Fey
This was the first time I had ever heard anything by, let alone heard of Gandalf’s Fist, and rest assured when I get the cash I will be voraciously devouring their back catalogue. The first album as a quartet is an ambitious concept that is a real immersive musical experience, with guests like Clive Nolan and our old friend Matt Stevens along for the ride; you know you’re in for a great journey. This is one of those records that you need to listen to from start to finish, and you can’t half listen to eloquent musical statements like this one. The four piece band are on top of their musical game here, and their musical guests enhance what is already an impressive collection of well written, well performed intelligent and exciting songs. An absolute must own record.
Hi Fiction Science Curious Yellow
Esoteric Antenna
Two Bristol bands make my list this year (unsurprisingly as this is where I live now, and the music scene here is vibrant and exciting) and Hi Fiction Science is very different to Schnauser. They are channelling the spirit of many great psychedelic rock bands, channelling artists as diverse as Pink Floyd to Can via Sandy Denny and early Fairport Convention, with a contemporary sound that is all their own. If you like 60’s/70’s acid folk rock then this album will have pulled you in already. Its aural soundscapes are intense and absorbing, the vocals are ethereal, dreamlike and mesmerising, and overall this is a fantastic debut. Again if you can catch them live then they are one band not to miss.
Abel Ganz
A band not known for their prodigious output, Scottish proggers Abel Ganz have been ploughing their own unique furrow for over 30 years, and their past members reads like a Whose Who of Scottish prog. Very much a band in transition as this album was produced with two key members (Hugh Carter & Hew Montgomery) choosing to tread alternative musical paths the band could have folded. Instead this album produced skilfully by drummer Denis Smith who helped hold the band together, the follow up to the brilliant Shooting Albatross, is a triumph of musical skill over adversity. With some epic musical soundscapes like Delusions of Grandeur or Unconditional this album embraces prog, Scottish folk, grand orchestral movements and instead of what could have been a last hurrah instead indicates a bright future for a revitalised band.
There are many albums bubbling under like Tim Bowness Abandoned Dancehall Dreams, Mike Kershaw’s Ice Age, Emmet Elvins Bloody Marvels, Ian Andersons Homo Erraticus, Nick Magnus’ N’Monix and Jason Rubensteins New Metal From Old Boxes to mention but a few and the fact that I could have made this a top twenty or a top thirty highlights for me how strong the genre is at the moment.
With new albums coming from the Tangent, Sanguine Hum and many more this year I think it’s safe to say that 2015 is going to be as exciting musically as 2014 was.
Happy New Year to you all and I hope it brings you what you are hoping for musically and personally.
Progarchy 