Darling
Darling
Drums
1996

      This gripping new debut album comes from just about the last place one would expect to find new progressive rock – Nebraska. As if finding progressive rock in Middle America in the '90s wasn't amazing enough, this is progressive rock in the true sense of the word! Unlike most modern American prog bands, Darling offers no pseudo-Marillionisms passed down from neo-prog band to neo-prog band untill all the listener is left with is a watered-down pastiche of faintly "progressive" clichés. NO! This is truly progressive, sometimes even difficult instrumental music that acknowledges prog's past without rehashing it.
      Darling is Hal Darling and his brother, Bryce. Hal is credited with "drum kit and sundry devices, keyboards, sequencing, hullaballoo." Bryce helps out on "ancillary percussion and keyboards and big ideas". There is no guitar, bass or any other instrument on this album. When I first heard that, I was afraid I would be getting some kind of "industrial" music that was considered prog rock because it was in asymmetrical time signatures or something. What I really got was some rather complex, cleverly arranged music that utilizes the modern keyboard's ability to produce an array of sounds, some of them quite realistic facimilies of traditional instruments.
      Anyone who knows me knows that I am an old-fashioned, closed-minded jerk when it comes to synthesizers and pre-programmed music and such. I like things to be as live and organic as possible. I believe if the music calls for a violin, use a violin. If you want a guitar, play a guitar. If you're going to use keyboards, use them for sounds you can't get anywhere else. So yes, that part of me has a bit of a hard time with some of the synthetic brass, string and other sounds on this album. However, Darling's music, more than anything else I've ever heard forces me to think that maybe, just maybe, synthesizer-dominated music isn't always bad. I e-mailed Hal Darling and had to ask if the all-keyboard approach was a choice or done out of necessity. He relayed tales of not being able to find reliable musicians who could or would play his music, a scenario I and many other progressive-minded musicians know all too well. This makes it a little easier for me to swallow. Hal simply couldn't find the right musicians, but when the urge to produce music strikes, it doesn't necessarily wait for one to find other musicians. I have managed to set aside whatever problems I have with the synthetic aspect of the music and simply enjoyed it for what it is: cleverly composed, interesting music.
      Fortunately, Darling does not break the cardinal rule of synthetic music, which is to never, ever use fake, preprogrammed drums. That is a sin I simply cannot forgive. The drums on this album are 100 percent real and played by a human. And what a human! Hal Darling is one of the most creative drummers I have ever heard. He is to my ears, very nearly on par with the greats in progressive rock, including Bill Bruford, Daniel Denis, Christian Vander and Neil Peart when he was in his prime. Hal Darling's crazy, unorthodox drumming alone is worth the price of this album.
      Darling's compositional skills are equally amazing and unorthodox. His compositions are often quirky and very hard to follow in a way that may recall Gentle Giant, Univers Zero or Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic. A couple of tracks on this album, like "The Writhen Plain," are rather dark, atmospheric pieces that sound remarkably similar to some of the Daniel Denis-written material on Univers Zero's last album, Heatwave. It should be noted that Darling has never actually heard Univers Zero, however, and this is purely coincidence. Great minds really do think alike.
      Strangely, my favorite tracks are not the dark, brooding ones, but the more upbeat, goofy ones, like the album's opener, "A Courting Rhythm." With its galloping rhythm, this piece reminds me of the "William Tell Overture", but with some avant-garde overtones thrown in. Or maybe it's Aaron Copeland on amphetamines! Either way, I like it.
      Another one of my favorites is "48 Ahornstrasse," which Darling refers to in his lengthy and cleverly self-depricating liner notes as the closest he will ever get to pop. Well, it's not pop music, but it probably is one of the easiest to digest tracks on the album. It features a sort of lilting romantic melody that originally conjured up images of ballroom dancing in my mind, but Darling says is inspired by Christmas time spent in Europe. This melody is occasionally punctuated by very dissonant piano chords and heavy bass drum punches and cymbal grabs, which all serve to nearly cancel out the original image. My favorite part is near the end when Darling plays what would normally be the cheesiest heavy metal double-bass drum roll on top of the waltz-like melody for about 30 seconds. It's cool here because it's very unexpected and an unusual and daring melding of incongruent styles.
      I would highly recommend this album to anyone who likes exploring some of the more avant-arde forms of prog rock, especially those who are fans of the Cuneiform Records label and R.I.O. and electronic music.
      As Hal Darling says in his description of the piece called "Snick-A-Snee," "There is a little something here for everyone. That is, as long as you don't mind that musical continuity was flushed down the proverbial toilet in favor of brutal self-indulgence." I don't mind at all, Hal. That's just the way I like it.

Darling is available for $15 directly from
Drums Productions
P.O. Box 34747
Omaha, NE.
68134-0747
USA
hdarling@synergy.net

or the current Wayside Music catalog.

Boud Deun
Astronomy Made Easy
Cuneiform
1996

Review by Mike Eisenberg

      With the release of the second disc by this Virginia-based band, the suspicion that these guys are the best thing going for prog in the U.S. has been made stronger...at least to this reviewer's ears.
      Astronomy Made Easy, released on the great Cuneiform label is a far step above Boud Deun's first self-released job a few years ago. First of all the sound quality is great with the seperation of guitar and violin easily distinguishable which was'nt exactly so on their first disc. Gone is the muddy wall-of -sound-type feel, replaced by a pristine amalgam of Mahavishnu-type fusion, King Crimson-type neurotica and their own highly original take on the progressive rock scene which is done in a fresh and exciting way. Secondly, these guys aren't afraid of hitting the road to flaunt their talents. I've been fortunate enough to see them twice in the last two years, and both times I was utterly blown away by the sheer musical intensity that can only be hinted at on a recording.
      Boud Deun (which I'm told means "definitely positive") consists of Shawn Persinger on guitars, Matt Eiland on 5 string bass, Greg Hiser on violin and Rocky Cancelose on drums. Together the four work as a tightly meshed unit that is able to play start-and-stop-on-a-dime arrangements with effortless grace. Most of the songs are in the four minute range, and they are so loaded with ideas that they virtually threaten to overflow. One minute they might be doing a Gentle Giant-like violin-led jam, only to abruptly change into a screaming dark King Crimson-like passage and then back again.
      As already mentioned, there are many influences thrown into the pot here. I hear elements of the aforementioned Gentle Giant and King Crimson, plus Mahavishnu Orchestra, Brand X, even Hawkwind. There are no vocals. In fact, the music doesn't warrant vocals. They would probably detract from the already sterling musicianship. It's in the way that the band presents these influences that makes Boud Deun so special. Yes, the violin does sound like Jerry Goodman at times but working against the jagged Fripp-like lines of Persinger it takes on a totally different feel. And yes, the drumming does occasionly remind me of Bruford but heard in conjuction with Eiland's clean, precise bass playing all thoughts of "Fracture" by Crimson disappear.
      What does appear though is a competely self-assured sound that is distinctly American. Everything from the short drum solo in "Jupiter" to the manic slaps and pops on the bass on "The Quince Tree" tells me that these guys are definitely a band to watch. Other songs like "Spiders," "Copper Ink" and "Coal Boxes and Daisy Cutters" are played with such precision that only drives home the point that practice makes perfect. With all the gigging the band has done, there seems to be a telepathic understanding between each musician giving me the impression that they can pull off all the complex charts they do in their sleep.
      Even during their improv jams the tightness remains. The rhythm section is seemingly joined together by the cerebral cortex. The front line of guitar and violin play off one another like two guys that have been playing together since childhood, each knowing the next move of the other.
      I'm told that Boud Deun are supposed to be doing another disc for Cuneiform. I'm waiting for its release with baited breath. Live, these guys are monsters, but that's another story. Suffice it to say that if they ever show up in your town, do yourself a favor and check 'em out. You won't be sorry. In the meantime...get the CD. A fantastic release from a band with a very bright future.

Happy Family
Töscco
Cuneiform
1996

Review by Mike Eisenberg

      After to long a wait, it's finally here, the new Happy Family. It's called Töscco and man, does it kick the proverbial prog booty. The musicianship is up, the writing is up, the maturity level is up and the energy level is way up (if that's possible) from their first effort. Happy Family is a four-piece consisting of keys, guitars, bass and drums, your average rock band right? WRONG. The compositions are so tight and the playing is so powerful that I actually needed a glass of ice water and a cold compress after I listened to it the first time.
      Delving into the songs themselves, most are in the four to six-minute range with two clocking in at over 11 minutes. The disc opens up with "The Great Man". This song starts serenely enough with a pretty little tune played on a keyboard but then it hits you in the face. Drums, bass and guitar all converge into a heavy droning rhythm, basically setting the stage for what is to come.
      The next two, "Overdrive Locomotive" and "Nord Company vs. Lead Company" are examples of what HF does best, combining tight, angular arrangements with an amazing sense of dynamics to create a powerhouse of sound. Driving rhythm guitar augmented with acoustic piano (probably done on synth) ala Univers Zero leads into a nice bass section utilizing harp harmonics on "Overdrive Locomotive". This sets you up for the climax of the song where you get the heat turned up by the guitar and organ pounding out power chords and the staccato drums punctuating the proceedings just to drive their point home.

      The fourth song, "Filial Piety At The Dawn" seems to be a change of pace, with its quirky melody in the beginning and weird counterpoint between the bass, guitar and drums. Another great Japanese band called Tipographica comes to mind, with their impossible to play arrangements and off-kilter rhythms. All this gets thrown out the window though as the song approaches its exciting end with the melodies breaking down to be replaced by a world of chaos.
      The next song, called "The Sushi Bar" is one of the long cuts. It starts off slow, reminding one of the great Belgian band Present with its throbbing bass and mournful melody, but in true HF fashion this solitude (if you can call it that) is blown away by the wails of a screaming synth. This leads into one of their rare 4/4 excursions that rocks and rolls with the best of them. Here the keys take on a tuned percussion role while being doubled by guitar. Eventually thick driving bass and manic over the top drumming come in. There is even spacey synth bubbling going on to add to the intensity. Up until now the disc has basically been an ensemble affair but now we have a biting guitar lead that comes out of nowhere making me feel like I'm hyper-ventilating. The song finally resolves with a reprise of the beginning section with the bass carrying the melody. Phew!!!!
      The next cut is called "He is Comming at Tokyo Station," and here again we have the Tipograpica feel. This one is heavily orchestrated and interspersed with buzz-saw guitar freak outs.
      Next up is "The Picture Book". A true ensemble effort, this one is probably my favorite on the disc. There is a loose jazzy feel to parts of this, hell, it acutally almosts swings...if it didn't mutate into a dark Bartok-inspired jam. Now would probably be a good time to mention the drumming on this disc. Lets just say it's non stop, over-the-top mayhem in the heavy parts and minimialistic percussive driven during the more sensative moments. But don't get me wrong, HF is anything but sensative.
      This fact is proven in the second of the long songs called "The Three Leaves Insect". Starting off with a slow, plodding melody, it cuts into a chamber section not unlike another Japanese band called Lacrymosa, only heavier then they ever were. This leads into a frantic guitar-driven jam, and as all hell is let loose, the keys, bass and drums join in creating a maelstrom of sound. Eventually the ensemble pulls itself together to play one of those charts from the Henry Cow impossible-to-play school. The piece ends with a reprise of the beginning, notable here is the tortured bass sound, reminicient of the French band Shub Niggurath.
      The final cut is a short, one-minute revisitation of the first song done on acoustic guitar and accordion (???). It goes out innocently enough, but there not fooling anyone...Happy Family is a far cry from innocence. If you like your music intense, neurotic, complex, loud yet intelligent, this band is for you. I know this has been said many times before but this one is definitely not for the faint of heart. Get it and play it loud.

Camel
The Snow Goose
1975
Janus

      This is not an album I listen to often, but I'm always pleasantly surprised when I do.
      The Snow Goose is an all instrumental concept album of beautiful, melodic progressive rock that comes from a different angle than many of the work of many of Camel's more bombastic, technical counterparts. The music on this album is very much in the symphonic vein. It relies heavilly on emotion-filled melodies and features several themes that occur in various form throughout the album. What is great about this album is the cohesiveness that it exhibits. It is one of the most successful concept albums that I have ever heard. There are several different song titles listed, but most of the songs flow together in a seamless fashion that gives the album a sense of being a true suite in the classical sense.
      Camel's musical style is is rather mellow and subdued, with a very pastoral feel to it. Most of the melodies are carried by the guitar of Andy Latimer, whose simple style combined with a lack of effects or distortion, places him in a similar school of guitar playing with the great Steve Hackett. There are also a few moments of interesting, slightly experimental Moog manipulation here and there for analog synth enthusiasts.
      This album also features an orchestra backing the usual four-piece band, but it is far from the typical "orchestral" album abomination such as has been typified by recent albums like The Synphonic Music of Yes. The orchestra's pressence here is very unobtrusive and at times could actually be mistaken for a mellotron. Other times it helps to lift the music beyond typical rock music by adding clever contrapunctal arrangements for bassoon and a small group of other wind instruments.
      The concept for this album is set against a backdrop of either World War I or World War II England and revolves around two characters, Fritha and Rhayader, who care for a wounded snow goose. I am not sure whether this story is original to Camel or comes from a book or other work. Like many concept albums, especially instrumental ones, the concept is not really necessary to the appreciation of the music, but the story and the music mesh to form a nice, convincing atmosphere. I think that is about the highest praise an instrumrntal concept album can reasonably be expected to get on that point.
      If you're a fan of lighter symphonic prog rock or you'd like a break from all the heavy stuff, check this album out.

Anekdoten
Vemod
Virtalevy
1993

      Until very recently I was one of about three prog rock fans in the whole world who didn't have either of Anekdoten's albums. This review is for the other two of you, wherever you are.
      The reason I didn't get into Anekdoten sooner is because I just plain didn't like them. I remember reading about how they blended the best of King Crimson and Magma, and I couldn't wait to hear them. When I found both of their albums in a record store (Yes, it was a very good record store) I was disappointed upon listening to them. I found the super-distorted bass and depressing vocals a little too strong for my tastes. Anekdoten also didn't sound like prog rock to me as much as it sounded like something one might hear on your local alterna-teen radio station! Two years later I still can't say that I love Anekdoten. However, this album grows on me every time I hear it, and I can now hear the similarities to King Crimson and occasionally Magma and even Univers Zero at times. Anekdoten have cited all three of these groups as major influences as well as some rather non-progressive ones like Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Smashing Pumpkins, thus explaining the slight "alternative" feel.
       Despite my initial problems with this group, I have grown to really like most of the album. The first track, "Karelia" is a great piece that opens with a somber Mellotron passage that erupts into a rocking instrumental. "Wheel," the last track, owes an awful lot to Red-era King Crimson with its goose-bump-inducing cornet/flugel horn solo on top of a heavy Mellotron-rock background. "Longing" is one of the best tracks and is a very welcome respite from the chaotic music that typifies most of this album. It is a beautiful, yet utterly depressing and very aptly named instrumental featuring cello, Mellotron and accoustic guitar. When I first listened to this album I was already in a rather depressed state (of longing, actually), and this piece nearly put me over the edge. Be careful with it.
      Other tracks like "The Old Man and the Sea" and "Where Solitude Remains" are not quite as good, but feature some interesting instrumental sections. "Thoughts in Absence," however, just plain sucks and is the only track I really don't like on this album. It is a noble attempt at variety, but it's a pretty avarage slow song with cheesy brush drumming, and it features Jan Erik Liljeström's weakest vocal performance on an album of already shaky vocals.
      One of this album's biggest faults (or strengths, depending on your point of view) is that there are several instances of blatant King Crimson worship going on. Aside from the general influence felt throughout the whole album, there are several things that pop up that are pretty funny. "Where Solitude Remains" makes a direct lyrical references to Crimson's Islands with "Gulls, they wheel and glide." The beginning of "The Flow" contains some creepy, weird sound effects that sound conspicuously similar to those found at the beginning of "Exiles." Alone, these would be okay. I can certainly understand wanting to pay tribute to King Crimson, but the music itself, especially the guitar playing, is already so obviously influenced by The Mighty KC that these little things seem unnecessary and rather humorous. It should be noted that I am told Anekdoten's second album is more mature and original.
      It's no accident that Vemod is one of the best selling progressive albums of the '90s. It's a good album, despite its flaws. I'm sure I'll like Nucleus even better.