“What is so rare as a day in June?” Certainly not good music! There’s much fine listening on many fronts this month – hence, the elongated article. Listening links are embedded in album titles; where necessary, purchase links are included (in parentheses) at the end of reviews.
The buzz of 2026’s experimental scene has unmistakably been Angine de Poitrine. After all, when was the last time you saw and heard a duo of self-proclaimed alien beings (hailing from Quebec) burning up social media with microtonal minimalist surf prog? Kudos to AdP for packaging challenging if familiar ideas with striking if freaky visuals (papier-mache heads? Pyramids and suspicious dice? Pickled herrings and a hot dog?). The proof’s in the tuneage, though: on 2024’s Vol. I and the new Vol. II guitarist Khn and drummer Klek generate one tightly controlled, surprisingly addictive perpetual motion frenzy after another. Fans of Steve Reich, 1980s King Crimson and math-rock in general will resonate with it all. Whether AdP have staying power beyond this initial splash remains to be seen, but they’ve made a good fist of a start.
Also on the out-there end: two of my favorite avant-jazzers, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusere and guitarist Mary Halvorson took advantage of a common record label to stage a welcome summit meeting. Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings is a pretty solid description of what the result sounds like; from the conventional beauty of Akinmusere’s “Prelude in the Ash” through the loop-based drone dialogue of the joint “Soundcheck” to Halvorson’s polytonality-meets-power-chords “Blood & Sand”, you rarely know what’s coming next, but there’s plenty of sonic space to navigate without a map. Akinmusere shouts, twists, flurries and floats, singing as much as playing through his instrument; Halvorson brings her pointed tone, scribbly runs, wiry chords, and mastery of effects to bear; their ongoing dialogue is sombre, witty, affecting, completely simpatico. An attentive collaboration that leaves the listener engrossed, hanging on every cryptic gesture.
Opera/art song diva Renee Fleming has occasionally detoured into crossover territory, with mixed results. (Excursions into jazz: usually solid. An album of indie rock tunes from Muse, Arcade Fire, The Mars Volta, etc: not great.) Her latest, co-billed with progressive bluegrass heavyweight Bela Fleck, is a self-released passion project — and it’s quite good! The Fiddle and the Drum focuses on songs of love and war, ranging from Carter Family classics through Joni Mitchell’s Vietnam-era title track to Elvis Costello’s cinematic period piece “The Scarlet Tide”. If Fleming is sometimes overly reverent toward the material, she’s also thoroughly committed; her duets with dobro master Jerry Douglas are the most intense moments here, though the closing a cappella trio “Pretty Bird” (with Americana sirens Sierra Hull & Sarah Jarosz) comes close. Add guest vocals by country titans Dolly Parton and Vince Gill, Fleck’s steady hand in the studio and a tasty backing band, and you have a luxuriously upholstered yet idiomatic homage to the Appalachian folk tradition. (Buy from Bela Fleck’s webstore.)
Suddenly everything old in rock and roll seems new yet again: witness The Lemon Twigs, brothers from New York City who write, sing and play multiple instruments like angels heralding the resurgence of power pop. Their sixth album Look For Your Mind! is much more than an exercise in retro pastiche, even though the guitars jangle and ring, the vocal harmonies swoon and swoop, and a wall of orchestral sound ebbs and flows. Brian D’Addario’s soaring, melodic balladry and brother Michael’s chunky, adenoidal rock chops meld into one overarching style like never before, with the Twigs’ road band and female fellow-travelers Tchotchke contributing to a warm new “live in the studio” feel. And the songs! Sweet odd-couple romance “2 Or 3”, stomping protest rocker “Bring You Down”, break-up chamber-pop “Joy” (with the solo taken by a French horn section!) are just the tip of the iceberg; every single tune is a near-perfect blend of craft and sincere sentiment, bursting with riffs and melodies that stick like chewing gum through every surprise bridge and delightfully inevitable key change. This is the album where the Twigs have made their influences (Beatles, Byrds, Beach Boys, Big Star – and that’s just the Bs) their own, and a record that stands up marvelously in such august company. Already a hands-down 2026 Favorite, and the album I recommend most highly from this batch.
Of course, it’s not like all the grizzled veterans are sitting home, twiddling their thumbs. Paul McCartney has been striking nostalgic chords by summoning up his past for at least thirty years, and his new The Boys of Dungeon Lane delves further into lyrical and musical reminiscence. “Days We Left Behind” meditates on history and change, spotlightling a newly fragile cragginess in Macca’s voice; “Down South” mates a memory of hitchiking with George Harrison to gentle acoustic busking. Plus, there’s “Home to Us” – a duet with Ringo! (On vocals and drums!) Not to mention the “When I’m 64” shuffle of “Life Can Be Hard”, a callback to “And I Love Her” on “First Star of the Night”, plenty of energetic rock guitar, fuzz bass, and even Paul playing trumpet (on “Salesman Saint”, a tribute to his parents that’s the album’s most moving love song). McCartney’s melodic gift and textural instincts are at a peak, and Andrew Watt’s widescreen production cannily matches the enticing, confiding tone of his voice. Lovely overall, thoroughly charming and frequently stirring, slotting easily into the upper reaches of Macca’s more adventurous solo efforts. (Buy from his webstore.)
And then there’s Muse – as over the top and bonkers as ever for their latest return to action, The Wow! Signal. You know what you’re in for when opener “The Dark Forest” contains both a direct steal from the soundtrack to Lawrence of Arabia and quasi-liturgical Latin chanting; the willful genre-hopping never stops, both between songs (EDM/Taylor Swift-wannabe single “Night Shift Superstar”, synthprog/rifferama medley “Hexagons/The Sickness in You and I/Unraveling”) and within them (“Be With You” is a hymn! No, it’s dubstep! No, it’s metal! With a choir!) Credit to Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard for pulling together yet another smorgasboard of sensory overload into a surprisingly coherent concept album – and for injecting unexpected emotional depth, as melancholic coda “Space Debris” casts down-to-earth shadows over what had seemed just another grandiose conspiracy/UFO narrative. After a couple of enjoyable but not particularly memorable releases, this one feels like a real step forward. (Buy from their webstore.)
As does Yes‘ latest, Aurora – though the Steve Howe-led version of this band has been gaining momentum for a couple of albums now. There’s plenty of newfound ambition in the tunesmithing, and the band plays with commitment and animation. Howe’s style and sound on electric, acoustic and steel guitars is unmistakable, while Geoff Downes’ synth and organ work is straightforward and appropriate; Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen lay down nicely propulsive grooves; and orchestral flourishes on the title track and “Ariadne” complement the group sound instead of distracting from it. Jon Davison’s found his way forward as well; whether on the harmonious “Turnaround Situtation”, the four-part suite “Countermovement”, or the anthemic closer “Emotional Intelligence” his singing slots in confidently, with a pleasant amount of grit seasoning his usual sunny vibe. Don’t expect the adrenaline rush or angularity of Yes’ most innovative era; these are mostly distance runs instead of sprints or marathons, paced as such, but the restraint works, even on riff-rocker “All Hands On Deck”. Take Aurora on its own terms, and there’s genuine satisfaction to be found. (Buy from Inside Out.)
Reissues and live releases follow the jump . . .
Continue reading “Rick’s Quick Takes: A Season of Plenty”
Neal Morse and company have made another outstanding album. “Alive Again” might be one of the top 10 best long progressive songs ever made. It is remarkably beautiful. Mike Portnoy’s drumming is exceptional, as always, and, like last year, this isn’t the last we shall hear of him on this list.
The Oblivion Particle is my first introduction to Spock’s Beard, and I am heartily impressed. Ted Leonard’s vocals really round out the band. “Bennett Built a Time Machine” is my personal favorite from the record.
I’m brand new to Stryper, and after listening to their last two albums, I’m flabbergasted. Their new music is better than their original stuff from the 80s. The drummer has grown incredibly, and Michael Sweet’s vocals soar to the heavens. The best thing – Stryper hasn’t given up on their values. They blast metal to honor God.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. The music has just the right amount of complexity, with a few pop hooks here and there for good measure. The song “Lonely Robot” should be a radio staple, but rock radio sucks.
The reigning queen of prog metal released a masterpiece this year. A long masterpiece. Her combination of metal with celtic influences works amazingly well. She creates a wonderful sound that no one else really tries to duplicate. Originality abounds.
The deluxe edition came out this year, so it counts as 2015. Plus, I overlooked the album last year since it came out in December, and for that I sincerely apologize to Dave. This album brilliantly revives classic elements of Pink Floyd, and Kerzner’s voice is eerily reminiscent of David Gilmour’s. This is an album meant to last.
Wow! AC/DC meets Mike Portnoy! Richie Kotzen’s voice has grown on me, as has the “Dog’s” music. From the virtuosity of the first track, “Oblivion,” to the hard rock bombast of “Captain Love,” Hot Streak is a fantastic album. Billy Sheehan’s bass balances Portnoy’s drums and Kotzen’s guitars beautifully. The quiet piece, “Fire,” is a nice change up, as well.
I saw these guys live in concert with Haken this spring, and I was impressed. For teenagers, these guys have serious chops. Max Portnoy stands out though, as he has clearly inherited his father’s raw talent. Check out my review of the album and interview with Max – 
You could call this a supergroup for thrash, although it seems anything with Mike Portnoy in it could be called a supergroup. His double bass thrash drumming is a nice change for him. The abundant guest performances from bands such as Testament, Anthrax, and many other groups really round out their sound. Normally I don’t like thrash because of the lyrics, but the lyrics here are great. The combination of guests makes this album one of the greatest thrash albums ever made.
This isn’t prog in any sense of the word, but Disturbed’s first album since 2010 is a return to form for the band. They didn’t want to make an album again unless it was really good, and they delivered on that desire. Immortalized is one of the best album’s they have made, with only one song that I don’t like. Their cover of “The Sound of Silence” is better than the original, in my opinion.
The live Blu-ray is one of the best live shows I have seen. The music is played flawlessly, and the production for sound is excellent. It was filmed in 4K and you can choose from two sound choices – front row or sound board. Well played, FC, well played. Oh ya, more Mike Portnoy, too.
This needs no explanation. Long live Rush.
Another great solo effort from one of the greatest guitarists ever. I have such a great respect for Steve Hackett and his dedication to his craft and the genre. Of all the 70s prog giants, Hackett is probably the best ally to the newer prog artists and musicians.
Another fantastic album from Muse, and a dystopic concept album at that. I’m convinced that Matt Bellamy has the best voice in the business, plus he’s a god on the guitar. Chris Wolstenholme’s bass is underrated, as well. Check out my review: 
Combined with part 1, these two albums are a masterpiece. I’m still deciphering what the story is about, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. These guys have been going strong for a long time, and they have only gotten better with age. Check out my review: 
Yeehaw, this is a great album! Holy crap, I don’t know how Andy Tillison does it! He is a master of cultural criticism, and while I don’t agree with him politically, I do respect him immensely. This album is well worth your time.
Best prog book of the year goes to Progarchy’s very own Brad Birzer for his excellent book on Neil Peart, a man of letters. Well worth your time.
The new Kansas documentary, Miracles out of Nowhere, is excellent. While it only goes through Point of Know Return, it is an excellent look at the band, from the band members themselves, as well as Brian May and Garth Brooks. It was great to see that the band members don’t hate each other. In fact, they genuinely seem to like each other. If at all possible, order it from the band because it comes with a bonus disc featuring the band reminiscing and a few other features – 
One final documentary/live concert that is worthy of any “best of” list is Roger Waters’ movie, The Wall. It combines a live concert from his recent tour with short scenes that examine the meaning of the album for him. The concert itself is outstanding – better than his 1990 The Wall concert in Berlin, performed after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The music is basically indistinguishable from the album. A worthy look at one of the best and most important albums ever made.
Progarchy 