In 2022, the Captain released his fourth album, the absolutely amazing ‘Hidden Gems Chapter 3 – Mysterium Tremendum’ which I gave maximum marks to and declared it to be a “review killer” in that once it hit my player, I was unable to listen to anything else, greatly reducing my output for a time. It has taken longer than expected for Shaun to come back with his next album, because he and his family were the innocent victims of a road traffic accident where someone fleeing police drove into their car. It has taken eighteen very long months for everyone to work through the physical and mental injuries, which also had a huge impact on them in other ways, as Shaun is a working musician as opposed to someone doing this as a hobby. Through these terrible times, the Captain still had the need to create music, albeit in a very slow, labored, and somewhat sedate ‘late-night fashion’. Musically this is a very different release to what we have come to expect from him, far more thoughtful and reflective, with less energy, but more power and emotion. He provides vocals, bouzouki, mandolin and guitar, and here he has been joined by Damian Clark (keyboards, synthesizers, sound design) and Wendy Ross (violins). We find the Captain taking his alternative folk roots, with all songs having his acoustic instrumentation at the base, and then lifting them into something quite different which brings in both progressive and ambient styling. What is so hugely impressive with this release is the sheer presence of the man, he has created a swirling soundscape where he is at the very center, somehow imbuing a sense of being and self into a world here that presence is often fleeting and passing. He is rooted, and the music is at times ethereal and magical, a gossamer web of strands being brought together in an incredible manner. At any time, this would be a remarkable release, but knowing what he was going through makes this truly something incredible and essential. The way he moves his vocals into clear falsetto is like no-one else I know, and there is clear direction and purpose, a single-minded laser vision of taking us on a journey, to where we know not. Since I first came across COTLW and ‘Hidden Gems Chapter 1’ in 2016 I have loved all his works, and is someone unique in the current scene, quite unlike anyone else around, yet at the same time he is wonderfully approachable and everyone I have played his music to wonders where he has been all their lives and why they have not previously come across the artist. In this plastic, disposable, transient and permanently connected artificial world the reason is simple, Captain of the Lost Waves is a man out of time. His music is rich, thoughtful, deliberate and designed to last for eons. Like rich swamp kauri it is full of depth and passion, something which people want to touch and cherish, and hold close to their hearts. A remarkable person has released a remarkable album, and the only reason I give this 10/10 is that mathematically I can’t give it anymore. Incredible. Kev Rowland
There are very few bands who have impacted the progressive scene like (The) Soft Machine, who are still enthralling and challenging audiences more than 50 years since their debut. Over the years they have had numerous incredible musicians through their ranks, with multiple different line-ups, and while there will always be some disagreement about which was the best, there is no doubt that the tenth version of the band can lay claim to that accolade. While Lyn Dobson was with the band just long enough to record one track on ‘Third’, it was the remaining quartet of Elton Dean (alto sax, saxello, Hohner pianet), Hugh Hopper (bass), Mike Ratledge (Hohner pianet, Lowrey Holiday Deluxe organ, Fender Rhodes) and Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals) who completed that seminal work and then went on to record ‘Fourth’.
In February 1971, Soft Machine performed two concerts at the Henie Onstad Art Center near Oslo, Norway, as part of an art exhibition by the Boyle family, with Mark Boyle’s films projected during the performances. Mark Boyle, with his partner Joan Hills and their Sensual Laboratory light show, had accompanied Soft Machine on many of theirs gigs in the band’s early years, and this was a reunion of sorts. The set came mostly from ‘Third’ and the newly-released ‘Fourth’, with a few extras—“Neo-Caliban Grides,” soon to appear on Elton Dean’s self-titled solo album; ‘All White’, the only new composition in the set (and the only one to utilize Ratledge’s newly-acquired Fender Rhodes piano); and “Pigling Bland,” which, despite appearing alongside “All White” on 1972’s ‘Fifth’, actually dated back to 1969, having been written as a new ending for the septet arrangement of “Esther’s Nose Job.” Both nights were recorded by Meny Bloch with a tape machine connected to the mixing desk, but it was some years before they were made available, with Michael King releasing the second night as ‘Live At Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971’ in 2009. That has long been unavailable, while the first night has not previously been available at all, but that has now changed.
Ian Beabout was given the job of mixing and mastering the tapes, and an amazing job he has done. The best way to listen to this is on headphones, and when one really has the time to do just that, as this release is nearly three hours long, broken into four sets of continuous music. There are long periods where Wyatt shows incredible restraint and control by not playing at all, leaving it to the musicians in front of him to bounce ideas off each other. There is no doubt that the best way to appreciate The Softs is in a live environment, and thanks to Cuneiform we now have the opportunity to revisit four musicians at the height of their powers, and from their performance no-one would believe that in a few short months after this recording that this line-up would be no more with the departure of founder Wyatt.
It is arguable that the second night has more of a togetherness about it, but one would expect that given they had played in the same venue the previous night so were able to get back into the connections more easily, but all four discs show a band very much at the height of their powers. This is Canterbury progressive rock at its very finest, and Cuneiform have provided a lot of information and photos in the booklet, telling the story of the nights and how the recordings were rediscovered. The result is something which is absolutely indispensable to anyone who enjoys this style of music, as Ratledge and Dean combine to create interweaving melodies which bounce off each other, Hopper does much more than “just” play bass as he provides incredible foundations and groove and then at the back is one of the more under-rated drummers from the scene who was then in the prime of his health.
Here we have a wonderful set showing just why Soft Machine have had such a major influence on so many others and why they continue to be an important force in the present day, even if the current line-up has no-one in common with the one from 1971. According to ProgArchives, the most highly rated album by the band is ‘Third’ (and rightly so), and here we have that line-up doing what they did best, performing incredible music in front of an appreciative audience. Now we are able to experience it for ourselves. 10/10 Kev Rowland
I was not the biggest fan of ‘Monochrome’, Sammary’s debut album, as at the time it was primarily the work of multi-instrumentalist Sammy Wahlandt along with three singers. One of those, Stella Inderweisen, is still here in the project which has now morphed into a band with Sammy just providing drums on this release, having been joined by Jörg Wahlandt (guitars), Julius Stapenhorst (bass), Marvin Kollmann (lead guitar), Ivan Khobta (synthesizers), and Benedikt Schadt (keyboards). There is also a synth solo by Adam Holzman and a guitar solo by Bruno Bolz. When I reviewed their debut, I said they were bringing in influences from the likes of Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, The Pineapple Thief, The Gathering and Within Temptation, and in many ways that is still true except this time around there is more edge and bite than previously.
One never knows where the music is going to lead in that the songs are at times quite different from each other and they can easily move to being quite heavy when the need arises, which does make this somewhat difficult to listen to at times as the only continuous thread are the wonderful vocals of Stella, who often appears to be singing almost half-heartedly with little in the way of force and strength. The result is something which is undoubtedly a step forward from the previous album, but still feels more like a project than a full band, with some songs feeling as if they are not fully formed and could have done with some judicious editing and more collaboration. This is actually an album I enjoyed less the more I played it, and normally it is very much the other way around but let us hope they keep progressing and with the next one produce something which fulfils the promise. 6/10 Kev Rowland
I have missed out on Richard’s last few albums, which were both collaborations but now he is back with another ‘solo’ work. Richard of course provides most of the music (guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass, percussion, bouzouki, Appalachian dulcimer, accordion, melodica) and as with his other three solo releases he has been joined by Amy Fry (vocals, clarinet and saxophone) and this time we also have Chantelle Smith (vocals, harp, bodhran) while Sienna Wileman provides Avebury sound recordings. Wileman describes the album as a Prog / folk horror concept album, rooted in his home county of Wiltshire charting the encounter of a comet with Earth resulting in the undead rising and converging on The Ridgeway (an 87-mile chalk hill walk that starts at World Heritage stone circle site Avebury), all bookended by the last and first books of English magic.
I have been a fan of Richard’s work for the best part of 30 years, and this release fits in well with his most recent canon where he moves between singer-songwriter styles and his film for the ears approach. Whatever he is doing the music is wonderfully layered with multiple threads which interweave to create a world for the listener to fall into. That he is not more widely appreciated and recognised has long been a mystery for me, and I can only put it down to the fact that it would take many musicians to be able to recreate this music in the live environment so when he does perform it is generally in a stripped-down format. I always relish the opportunity to hear his albums and feel enriched for having done so, and with more than 20 albums now available under various guises Richard continues to produce music which is wonderfully enthralling and dramatic. 8/10 Kev Rowland
With a relationship stretching back more than 30 years, my prog writing journey will always be inextricably linked to Galahad as theirs was the first album I bought from the underground scene, while they in turn put me in touch with another band and it all went downhill from then. I have written words for a few of their booklets, and while I have not seen them play since moving to New Zealand I am still often in contact with singer Stu Nicholson. I know this closeness means I am never nearly as objective as others when it comes to reviewing Galahad, but when a band keeps putting out wonderful albums then I feel justified in continually singing their praises. This is their twelfth studio album, and features the same line-up as with the last release, ‘The Last Great Adventurer’, namely Stu Nicholson (vocals), Dean Baker (keyboards), Spencer Luckman (drums), Lee Abraham (guitars) and Mark Spencer (bass guitar). Recorded in multiple places it was then edited, mixed and mastered by engineer/producer Karl Groom (Threshold/Dragonforce/Pendragon/Arena/Yes etc.) who has now been working with them for some time.
This is possibly the most polished release to date from the Dorset boys, with a somewhat heavier emphasis on Stu’s vocals as the band continue to evolve. When I first knew them they were solid 90’s neo prog, then moved into prog metal with the change in approach heralded by the arrival of Dean Baker and now happily straddle multiple sub-genres so while they are firmly “prog” it would be wrong to try and shoehorn them into any particular bucket. I have known Karl nearly as long as Stu, and while I always think of him first and foremost as a guitarist, he has built a richly deserved reputation on the other side of the desk, and has done wonders in bringing Spencer’s playing to the fore. When I listen back to early recordings one cannot hear all the work being put behind the kit, but when those tracks have been remastered by Karl it has been like hearing a new band, and here Spencer can be heard driving the band ever onwards. Mark is a multi-instrumentalist (and a fine singer in his own right), so his approach to the bass is quite different in that he is looking to see what he can add to the melody as well as underpinning the arrangement, while Lee is another renowned performer and his second stint in the band (he was originally bassist) as guitarist has allowed him to spread his musical wings. All this adds to the way the band keeps shifting and melding, while Dean is a musical magpie who didn’t even know what prog was until he joined the band a quarter of a century ago, and his relationship with Stu has meant they keep shifting and changing.
I mean, listen to “The Righteous and the Damned”, which commences with some acapella vocals overlaid on background noise of people walking around, but what some may not realise is that Stu is singing the words from the title cut of 2007’s ‘Empires Never Last’ before somehow the music segues into something Eastern European and folky. One of the joys of Galahad is they no longer feel shackled by any expectations so instead do whatever they want, and when this song turns into a System of a Down-style belter I was not too surprised, but was very pleased. The title cut of this album is about dealing with dementia and is very personal indeed. Stu has always had a way with words and here he paints a picture while Dean is there by his side on piano as we build into the piece. The layers gradually build as we are taken into the world of someone who is “filling up this thing which makes the water go hot, to make some drinks for people in another room whose names escape me”. Those two lines are incredibly powerful, and the arrangements allow for us to understand the emotions being displayed and the sense of loss and helplessness. As the song ends Stu takes two lines from Gabriel’s “I Don’t Remember”, which itself was about being trapped in a situation it is impossible to get out of, and delivers them in an incredibly poignant manner.
Musically this album is all over the place, from Eighties-style electronic dance through to prog metal and everything in between, yet the vocals and arrangements bring the album together so one looks forward to the next unexpected fork in the road and the detour where we move back on ourselves or in a totally different direction. Galahad consistently refuse to rest on their laurels and show no sign at all of losing inspiration or slowing down, and long may that continue. 10/10 Kev Rowland
Here we yet again have Clive taking a look at music which inspired him and performing it in a classical instrumental manner. Again he has taken the music and adapted it in a manner which is both true to the original and sympathetic to it but lifts the songs into new directions. It would be difficult to fault the choice of bands, with Genesis, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, ELP, VDGG, Led Zeppelin, Rush and Yes all here, but true progheads will be pleased to also note the inclusion not only of Marillion but also IQ and his version of “Widow’s Peak” is simply wonderful. I have always said the progressive bands who have been producing albums since the heyday of the genre should be recognised in the same breath as the classics, and here Clive ends the release by having Marillion close (with “Garden Party” segueing nicely into “Grendel”).
It is difficult to pick a favourite, but a special mention must be made of “Thick As A Brick”. We may not get the full length, but there is more than 20 minutes here to enjoy as he adapts his way through the classic. I am not overly fond of “Stairway to Heaven”, but I am sure that is because we have now been spoiled by the Heart version which will always be regarded as the gold standard. “Fanfare For The Common Man” is one of the most successful from a classical adaptation viewpoint, with glorious woodwind opening, and violins behind the piano for the main theme. Yes, this is all being played on synths, but Clive has done a wonderful job in using the best sounds for each “voice”. All it needs now is for a live performance with the LSO (or similar) showing just what Clive has managed to achieve with these great arrangements.
In recent years Clive has been producing some wonderful releases, and this is yet another that all progheads will surely enjoy, I know I did. 9/10 Kev Rowland
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
