2021 THE BEST OF PROG IN PICTURES & WORDS

by | Jan 10, 2022 | Album Of The Year, Album Review

I am back as years before, struggling to know if I missed any albums on this list, and the answer would be a resounding yes. Every year see thousands of releases just in the prog genre alone. It’s virtually impossible to discover and hear every prog release in any given year, so I did my best to showcase the cream of the crop, but then again I must point out these are one man’s points of view and will vary from publication and reviewer abroad. My taste in music is vast so I hope you all feel I have done justice by showcasing these 21 releases.
The Un-qualified Critic

  • 1) A Gardening Club Project – The Blue Door We Are The Truth
  • 2) Evership – The Uncrowned King (Act 1)
  • 3) Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion – We Are The Truth
  • 4) Soen – Imperial
  • 5) Lifesigns – Altitude
  • 6) Cast – Vigesimus
  • 7) Nine Skies – 5.20
  • 8) Mostly Autumn – Graveyard Star
  • 9) Big Big Train – Common Ground
  • 10 ) Ciccada – Harvest
  • 11) Transatlantic – The Absolute Universe Forevermore
  • 12) This Winter Machine – Kites
  • 13) Kerrs Pink – Presence of Life
  • 14) Drifting Sun – Forsaken Innocence
  • 15) GorMusik – Snakes & Angels
  • 16) Copeland King Cosmo & Blew – Gizmodrome Live
  • 17) Dream Theater – A View From The Top Of The World
  • 18) Meer – Playing House
  • 19) Jeffrey Erik Mack The Forgotten Earth
  • 20) Sylvan One to Zero
  • 21) Leprous – Aphelion

1) The Blue Door 
First full-length release by Candian Progressive jazz folk-rock act, A Gardening Club Project
CD & Digital
Melodic Revolution Records
http://gardeningclubmusicandart.ca

2) The Uncrowned King (Act 1) 
The third release by US art-rock band, Evership
CD & Digital
Self-released
https://www.evership.com
 
3) We Are The Truth
Sixth studio album by Swedish progressive rock band, Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion
CD, LP & Digital
Glassville Records
https://www.hfmcband.com

4) Imperial
Fifth album by progressive metal supergroup, Soen
CD, LP & Digital
Silver Lining Music
https://soenmusic.com

5) Altitude
Third album by English progressive rock band, Lifesigns
CD, LP & Digital
Self-released
https://lifesignsmusic.co.uk

6) Vigesimus
Twenty Seventh release since 1994 by Mexican neo-prog band, Cast
CD, & Digital
Progressive Promotion Records
http://www.castofficial.com

7) 5.20
Third studio album by progressive rock band, Nine Skies
CD, & Digital
Anesthetize Productions
https://nineskiesmusic.com

8) Graveyard Star
Fourteenth studio release by progressive rock band Mostly Autumn
CD, & Digital
Self-released
https://www.mostly-autumn.com

9) Common Ground
Fourteenth album by English progressive folk-rock band, Big Big Train
CD & Digital Self released
LP Plane Groovy
https://www.bigbigtrain.com

10) Harvest
The third release from Greek Progressive rock band, Ciccada
CD, LP & Digital
Self-released
https://ciccadabem.bandcamp.com/album/harvest

11) The Absolute Universe Forevermore
Fifth studio album by multinational progressive rock supergroup, Transatlantic
CD, LP & Digital
InsideOut (Europe) Metal Blade/Radiant (US)
https://www.transatlanticweb.com

12) Kites
Third album by English progressive rock band, This Winter Machine
CD & Digital Self released
LP Plane Groovy
https://thiswintermachine.uk/about/

13) Presence Of Life
Seventh album by Norwegian progressive folk group, Kerrs Pink
CD, LP & Digital
Self-released
https://kerrspink.com

14) Forsaken Innocence
Eight studio by UK-based Progressive Rock band, Drifting Sun
CD, LP & Digital
Self-released
https://driftingsun.co.uk

15) Snakes & Angels
The second release by US progessive metal artist, GorMusik
Melodic Revolution Records
CD & Digital
https://gormusik.com

18) Playing House
2nd release by progressive art-rock band, Meer
Karisma Records
CD, LP & Digital
http://meerband.com

19) The Forgotten Earth
Debut solo release by Scarlet Hollow prog band bassist, Jeffrey Erik Mack
Melodic Revolution Records
CD & Digital  
https://www.jeffreyerikmack.com

16) Copeland King Cosmo & Blew, Gizmodrome Live
First, live album and second release by progressive rock supergroup Gizmodrome formed in Italy
Ear Music
CD, LP & Digital
https://www.facebook.com/Gizmodrome

17) A View From The Top Of The World
Fifteenth studio release by US prog metal pioneers, Dream Theater
Inside Out Music
CD, LP & Digital
https://dreamtheater.net

20) One to Zero
Eleventh studio album German progressive rock band, Sylvan
Gentle Art Of Music
CD, LP & Digital
http://www.sylvan.de/home/

21) Aphelion
Eighth studio album by Norwegian progressive/avant-garde metal band, Leprous
Inside Out Music
CD, LP & Digital
https://www.leprous.net

A Gardening Club Project Release The Time Trilogy EP

by | Jan 22, 2021 | New Releases

A Gardening Club Project is the latest project by Canadian Progressive Singer-songwriter Martin Springett. A Gardening Club Project features Kevin Laliberte on Flamenco Guitar and Electric Guitar, Drew Birston – Fretless Electric Bass and Acoustic Bass, Martin Springett – Guitars and Vocals with special guest Sari Alesh – Violin on Part 2 Sister Of Theft.

“I had always wanted to work with guitarist Kevin Laliberte and bassist Drew Birston of the Sultans Of String. The new song that I was working on, Forever Leaving Home, with lyrics by Terry Findlay that inspired me to go to a new place musically and emotionally, seemed to fit Kevins’ Flamenco stylings. When Drew added his acoustic arco bass and then fretless bass into the proceedings, the dark drama of the song went through the roof. I was amazed at this musical and emotional response, so I knew we had to do more. Kevin’s stellar guitar playing is matched by his production abilities, and when the next song, Woman In the Waves, was taken to a finish I longed to find another piece that would make this project a trilogy of songs. Well over a year ago I had recorded Sister Of Theft at Kevin’s home studio, and after asking my good friend Sari Alesh to add violin, it had remained ‘dormant’ as it didn’t quite fit into the musical realm of The Gardening Club work I was doing with Norm MacPherson. The eastern rhythmic and tonal influences that were coming into the music connected all three songs beautifully. For Kevin and Drew, this is home territory! This is nothing I could have planned! Serendipity played its part once again, in life as in music.”
Martin Springett

1. Part 1 Forever Leaving Home / Lyrics by Terry Findlay 
Kevin Laliberte – Flamenco Guitar and Electric Guitar 
Drew Birston – Fretless Electric Bass and Acoustic Bass 
Martin Springett – Guitars and Vocals 

2. Part 2 Sister Of Theft / Lyrics from A Poem by Sandra Kasturi 
Sari Alesh – Violin 
Kevin Laliberte – Flamenco Guitar – Electric Bass 
Martin Springett – Guitars and Vocals 

3. Part 3 Woman In the Waves 
Martin Springett – Guitars Bass and Vocals 

Tracks based on Martin Springett’s demos recorded at Studio Spong Toronto 
Track 2 recorded at Kevin Laliberte’s studio in Toronto 
Bass parts recorded at Drew Birston’s studio Toronto 
Sari Alesh recorded his violin at his studio in Victoria BC 

Mixing, sound design, string arrangements, drum programming, and production by Kevin Laliberte 
Arrangements by Drew Birston, Kevin Laliberte, and Martin Springett 
Artwork by Martin Springett 

The Gardening Club Online
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | YouTube

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