Purple Pyramid Records artist: Prog Collective - Dark Encounters - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dark Encounters, from Prog Collective, a project founded and helmed by Billy Sherwood of Yes note. Opening with Darkest Hour, longtime Billy Idol guitarist, Steve Stevens is featured with soaring guitar riffs over Sherwood's bass, keyboard and drum composition. Atmospheric and intense, this is a strong opener. Steve Morse (Dregs/Deep Purple) adds his own virtuosity to Ominous Signs with a more structured composition allowing more freedom for Sherwood's own exploration. Dark Days is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Bumblefoot (GNR) contributing some real nice guitar and vocals, Patrick Moraz (Moody Blues) on keys, Omar Hakim (Weather Report) on drums and Sherwood on bass. Soft Machine's John Etheridge lays down some nicely phrased guitar lead on The Fifth Hour, paired with Sherwood on bass, keys and drums. Very cool. Another of my favorite tracks, Between Two Worlds features Steve Hillage (Gong) on guitars and Gregg Bissonette on drums and Sherwood on vocal, bass and keys. King Crimson's Pat Mastelotto sits in on drums on For All To See with strong guitar lines by Sherwood who also plays keys and bass. Bonus Tracks include Todd Rundgren's top ten hit, I Saw The Light featuring Rundgren on vocal and Rick Wakeman on keys and an up tempo cover of 10CC's I'm Not In Love featuring Wakeman on keys and Nektar. 

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Noisy Records artists: Cross and Keeling - October is Marigold - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, October is Marigold, by David Cross and Andrew Keeling. This is a very interesting release spanning classical, rock, progressive and even eurojazz. Cross, who has played violin with King Crimson and Keeling who has collaborated with Robert Fripp are together for their second composition as a follow up to their earlier 2009 release, English Sun. This is largely improvised music so more difficult to describe in a traditional way, but it is mind expanding and enjoyable and should be viewed as a singular piece of music with many interwoven movements... so here goes. Opening with Marigold 1, Keeling on piano presents a simple piano structure composed of two chords and Cross plays a beautiful melody on Violectra. Very nice. On title track, October is Marigold, Kelling again constructs a structure on keyboard but then interweaves layers of flute.  As the theme progresses, Cross adds electric violin to the weave for a complex yet stimulating composition. On Strong as a Mountain Lion, Keeling plays a loose melody on flute, almost nature like, with Cross interjecting complimentary electric violin lines, making for an almost obtuse yet congruous environment of music. Returning again to a Marigold theme (Marigold 2) Cross' cello like playing is rich and welcoming with only the least amount of piano structure. Another section of "call and response" with Ever Nearer and Marigold 3 reinforces the earlier theme and gets progressively more rich as the music develops. The Spiking Darts That Were Trees is the most aggressive of the movements with abstract concepts and distorted looping creating even more interest. Wrapping the composition is The Dark Edge of Desire and Marigold 4 with a bottom of Cross' violin created texture and Keeling on guitar arpeggiating in a staggered stair stepping manner. The intensity continues to grow as Keeling adds piano structure and Cross adds firm Violectra strokes for a powerful, loosely constructed melody... ultimately winding down with another Marigold 4 movement and rich cello like melody. This is an adventurous piece and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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