Monday, June 27, 2011

Ambrosia - Somewhere I've Never Travelled

Release Year: 1976

Track List:
1 - .And... (:27)
2 -  Somewhere I've Never Travelled (4:12)
3 - Cowboy Star (6:24)
4 - Runnin' Away (3:31)
5 - Harvey (1:29)
6 - I Wanna Know (6:02)
7 - The Brunt (5:29)
8 - Danse With Me George (Chopin's Plea) (7:51)
9 - Can't Let A Woman (4:24)
10 - We Need You Too (5:33)

Most music fans know about the ‘sophomore curse,’ where a band’s successful first album is followed by a flop. I am grateful that Ambrosia is an exception to that stereotype. In fact, I consider their second album, “Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled”, to be their absolute best! Like their debut effort, this album also got a well-deserved Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album! Two in a row is nothing to sneer at.

It starts off with a simple, short piece called “And...”, written and sung by drummer Burleigh Drummond, which leads directly into the title track. The two songs are a perfect combination, taking the listener down a breathtaking path. You will find yourself wishing it would never end, and will probably play it twice in a row as I often do. It is one of their best tunes overall, and a good example of “symphonic prog”.

The path eventually leads to time travel in the next song, “Cowboy Star”. This fantasy piece includes a dazzling, orchestrated interlude inspired by classical composer Aaron Copeland and written and arranged by guitarist David Pack. Ambrosia deserves much credit for the unbelievable talent it took to pull off a complicated composition like this!

After all that drama, you are treated to a light, breezy song. “Running Away” is more pop than prog, but it fits in well with the diversity Ambrosia expresses in their music. This is followed by the equally sweet yet pensive “Harvey”. It is an interesting fact that Pack and bass player Joe Puerta have similar voices, although Puerta’s is slightly lower. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the two men, but it makes for interesting harmony vocals.

Those two ballads are followed by a powerful rocker, definitely one of the best of their “hard” songs. “I Wanna Know” is deeply emotional, both in lyrics and in music, and once again, Pack has written and arranged the sweeping orchestral background. He doesn’t let up on guitar for a minute! Pack and Puerta were a solid song-writing team back in these early days. Their combined genius speaks for itself! This song is so popular among fans that one of their online mailing lists carries its name.

The sequencing of Ambrosia’s albums is one of the band’s many charming characteristics. Just when you are being enlightened by a serious, soaring composition, they throw in a twisted, quirky tune just to see if you are paying attention. The fun of progressive rock is to always keep the listener guessing. “The Brunt” is a perfect example of this. A Zappa-style, metaphorical song about the “urban jungle”, it will delight you with its odd sound effects, complete with African chanting and a charging elephant!

You won’t have time to recover from “The Brunt” because the next song will shock you, delight you, offend you, and make you giddy. “Danse With Me, George (Chopin’s Plea)” has to be one of the oddest songs ever recorded on a rock album! This is a fun, romantic, silly tune about the relationship between composer Frederick Chopin and notorious novelist George Sand. It doesn’t amaze me that Ambrosia came up with a song that combines pop, classical, jazz, history, and literature all within 8 minutes! It’s all indicative of the band’s extraordinary talent. (If you are confused by the story, I recommend the movie “Impromptu”, starring Hugh Grant and Judy Davis.)

The next song might be more 70s rock than you want, but “Can’t Let a Woman” contains excellent guitar riffs. I feel the lyrics are a bit shallow, but the hard driving music more than makes up for it. This is followed by a dreamy, contemplative tune with serious lyrics and a bittersweet melody. “We Need You Too” is a nice ending to a phenomenal album.

While I consider Ambrosia to be a grossly under-rated band, they did have some success with this album, especially on the college radio circuit. Sadly, Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled was the last of their prog productions. They started drifting more toward pop and mainstream ballads on their subsequent albums. They still included a few quirky surprises, but they never again achieved the magic and charm of their first two albums. I miss the glockenspiels!

Ambrosia

Release Year: 1975

Track List:
1 - Nice, Nice, Very Nice (5:52)
2 - Time Waits for No One (4:58)
3 - Holdin' On to Yesterday (4:16)
4 - World Leave Me Alone (3:17)
5 - Make Us All Aware (4:28)
6 - Lover Arrive (3:12)
7 - Mama Frog (6:06)
8 - Drink of Water (6:29)

Ambrosia is one of the most talented and creative bands to emerge from the post-psychedelic Los Angeles music scene of the early 70s. It is unfortunate that they are under-rated and virtually unknown in progressive rock circles. Hopefully, you will be compelled to give them an honest try after reading this review.

Don’t be fooled by their Top 40 reputation in the early 80s. Ambrosia’s roots are firmly planted in peculiar soil, as their first album, the self-titled Ambrosia, clearly reveals. Released in the early winter of 1975, it was so incredibly engineered, mixed, and produced (with the assistance of Alan Parsons) that it was worthy of a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album! You will understand why after your first listen.

The first track, “Nice, Nice, Very Nice”, was influenced by author Kurt Vonnegut Jr., who had become good friends with the band. While the lyrics are amusing, it is the quirky music that will draw you in. A variety of odd instruments are used here, including an attempt at the bassoon by drummer Burleigh Drummond, but the next song has even more diversity. “Time Waits for No One”, inspired by T.S. Eliot and dedicated to renowned composer Leonard Bernstein, includes Javanese gongs and a Russian balalaika ensemble!

The following tune, “Holdin’ On to Yesterday”, might seem like a mushy love song to many new listeners, but once again, it is the quality of the music that sends you off into another plane of existence. Its haunting melody, soaring vocal harmonies, and beautiful violin will capture your soul. It was this song, a big hit on the radio, that first made me notice the band. I bought the LP because of it, and Ambrosia instantly became one of my favorite groups.

“World Leave Me Alone” is a feisty rocker that displays the amazing skill of guitarist David Pack. He is a gifted musician as well as a singer/songwriter, yet his talent on the strings has been unjustly overlooked. This song is followed by the dreamy, introspective “Make Us All Aware”, which includes contemplative lyrics and a lively interlude complete with harpsichord. The wistful mood carries through to the sensual, sultry “Lover Arrive”, a song that is sure to stir more than just your soul.

The next track is the highlight of the entire album! “Mama Frog” is a fantastic, mind-blowing journey that excites all the senses! Both the lyrics and the music reveal the creative genius that is Ambrosia. With a reference to Lewis Carroll, this song inspired me to read more classic literature at a young age (I was 13 when this album was released), and spurred my love for reading in general. I am an English Major because of this song! I also named my fan website after it.

The fun-house ride soon comes to an end, but you will not be disappointed in its follow-up. “Drink of Water” is an amazing song! If the music doesn’t give you chills, the lyrics certainly will. It’s a breathtaking ballad that showcases the unbelievable vocal talent of bass player Joe Puerta, whose voice is just as golden as Pack’s, if not more so. The song includes a pipe organ skillfully played by keyboardist Christopher North. I truly believe he belongs on the same level as Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, and Dennis DeYoung. His energy level is dazzling!

Thus ends the first album by an exceptional group of young men. Inspired by English bands such as Yes and Traffic, Ambrosia added their own spin and originality and emerged as a front runner on the American prog scene. I urge fans of all musical genres to listen just once to this incredible album. It’s a beautiful thing!

Mars Hollow

Release Year: 2010

Track List:
1 - Wait for Me (9:30)
2 - Midnight (5:05)
3 - Eureka (9:20)
4 - If I Were You (7:30)
5 - In Your Hands (6:34)
6 - Wild Animal (7:08)
7 - Dawn of Creation (12:22)

When a person I befriended on the Progressive Ears message board mentioned he had a band, I thought to myself "you and everybody else". There's a lot of budding Prog rockers out there, and to be honest, I didn't think Kerry Chicoine's band would be any different than the others I had heard on YouTube or MySpace. I was so wrong, dead wrong! There is something quickly and easily likeable about Mars Hollow. This hot, little band out of Los Angeles does not waste any time and gets straight to the punches!

The opening track instantly blows you away with its odd "marco polo" game between keys and guitars. After a few minutes of fun, the song launches into the mellow sweetness of John Baker's voice which sets the tone for the whole album. Compared by many to Geddy Lee and Dennis DeYoung, Baker's tenor sends chills with its passion and sincerity. He has the perfect voice for Prog. The words to “Wait for Me” reflect a bittersweet love song, which also sets the lyrical theme for the album. Next comes my personal favorite, the haunting and beautiful “Midnight”. While I identify with the loneliness of the lyrics, I am drawn to the guitar work, for which Baker does very well. There's a nice keyboard sound at the end, which adds to the melancholiness of the song, but somehow, I feel Baker's influence dominating this tune.

The third song on this amazing debut album is “Eureka”, and now we finally hear the great talent of keyboardist Steve Mauk shining through. This is totally his song! You can also clearly hear drummer Jerry Beller pounding away on this one. The lyrics are somewhat serious and introspective, moreso than the rest of the album, but I feel the music overshadows the lyrics here. Next comes “If I Were You”, which has become a fan favorite. Yes, this band has fans, and we love Mars Hollow! What makes the fourth track so popular is that it has the best of everything, music, lyrics, and just the overall vibe of the song. We can all relate to a bad relationship, after all.

After that comes a fun, poppy song called “In Your Hands”, sung by bassist Chicoine, and could easily be a radio hit if Mars Hollow were so lucky! This song also has the best of everything, music wise. The keys and guitars are in perfect sync here, along with Beller's powerful drumming, and it appears the whole band is doing backup vocals, which adds to some nice harmonies. What's not to like? “Wild Animal” is the sixth song on the album and is easily the most "sexiest" song, not that Mars Hollow is oozing with it, or maybe they are in a subtle way. Wild Animal just puts out that vibe, and it gets noticed by listeners! I especially love Baker's passionate and sly voice, which definitely sends a chill.

The final song is an epic that could easily rank amongst the great Prog epics, and I'm not just saying that to flatter the band. “Dawn of Creation” is truly a gem, and perhaps the most profound love song I have heard in years! The listener is easily caught up in the dramatic beginning keyboards which lead into soaring guitars. Then Baker launches into the main song with extremely clever word play in the lyrics. I believe that is what delights me the most... the words to “Dawn of Creation” make Walt Whitman look like a Hallmark poet! As for the music, this song could easily compete with anything Rush or ELP has done, and I am sincere with that statement!

Overall, this band has everything that works... tight musicianship, creative lyrics, and a vibe that pulls you in. You won't even have time to click your seatbelt... you are in for a great ride! I owe Kerry Chicoine an apology! Never doubt for one minute that the "boys next door" can pull off a terrific album and get invited to several music fests around the USA and Mexico. I see great things for this extremely talented band, and look forward to their future musical endeavors.

Dream Theater - Score (DVD)

Disc 1:
1. The Root Of All Evil (9:32)
2. I Walk Beside You (4:10)
3. Another Won (5:40)
4. Afterlife (7:28)
5. Under A Glass Moon (7:27)
6. Innocence Faded (6:16)
7. Raise The Knife (11:51)
8. The Spirit Carries On (9:37)
9. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (41:26)
10. Vacant (3:03)
11. The Answer Lies Within (5:36)
12. Sacrificed Sons (10:36)
13. Octavarium (27:29)
14. Metropolis Pt 1 (11:16)

Disc 2:
The Score So Far [20th Anniversary Documentary] (56:23)
Octavarium Animation (3:06)

Bonus Tracks:
1. Another Day (4:46)
2. The Great Debate (13:38)
3. Honor Thy Father (9:47)

Over the years, Dream Theater has put out some very good DVDs. It’s only natural for a high-performance band to showcase their remarkable musical abilities in this way. So, just when you think you have seen DT perform at their finest in the comfort of your living room, along comes a complete upgrade that gets you out of your easy chair and closer to the television! Score is their finest DVD to date, hands down.

Rather than making things seem too slick and polished, Score shows a natural perfection of the music and the performers. It’s so lifelike, it’s like watching high-def on an old push-button tv set. You can see the muscles straining in James LaBrie’s throat, the intense concentration in John Myung’s face, and the sweat fly off Mike Portnoy’s head as he bangs those cymbals. It’s as close as you can get without actually being there.

The set-list spans a variety of tunes from their 20-year history, which takes up nearly three hours of viewing, so pop plenty of popcorn and mix up a whole pitcher of margaritas…this is a long DVD, folks, and you will get your money’s worth. While some fans may wonder why their favorite songs were left out, others will revel in hearing great classics like Afterlife and the entire second half of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. There is something here for everyone to enjoy.

Score comes in a two-disc set, the first being a full concert filmed at New York ’s Radio City Music Hall in April 2006, and the second being a disc of extras. I especially enjoyed the second disc because of the band history/documentary and the Octovarium cartoon. I will never be able to listen to Octo now without thinking of cute little bugs or Jordan Rudess as a wizard, or Portnoy as an octopus. The second disc also has a few songs from previous filmed concerts.

If you are a die-hard fan, this is a must for your collection because the quality of the filming is so top-notch! If you are new to the band, or just want to check them out, Score is a fine introduction and overview of their musical history.

Dream Theater - Score is sheer delight for both eyes and ears. Get this DVD…you will not be disappointed!

DVD Reviewed by Melissa Palmer on October 17th, 2006 (Taken from http://prognaut.com/reviews/dream-theater.html by permission of course)

Lisa LaRue - Fast and Blue

Release Year: 2011

Track Listing:
1 - Mystery of the Rose (1:09)
2 - Prometheus (17:58)
3 - Tryptych (4:54)
4 - Jam Jehan Nima (12:50)
5 - Lament of the Cerokee/Ruins of Home (7:29)
6 - Fast and Blue (5:11)
7 - Recurring Dream (7:17)

There's a simple reason why I'm a huge keyboard fan. It's a multi-faceted insrument that sends chills up my spine and creates wonderful fantasy worlds in my mind! Lisa LaRue is more than capable of achieving this effect. The award winning musican has the smarts and the chops to pull off an amazing keyboard-based album called Fast and Blue with an All Prog Star cast to support her.

The impressive line-up includes:
Lisa LaRue - Keyboards
Steve Adams - Guitars and Bass
Merrill Hale - Drums
Michael Alvarez - Cello

With contributing guest musicians:
John Payne - Vocals
Michael Sadler - Vocals
Maxi Nil - Vocals
Ryo Okumoto - Keyboards
Mitch Perry - Guitar
Don Schiff - Chapman stick

This is not the first time she has collaborated with some of these musicians. Her recent album, World Class, also hosted many of them, including Mr. Payne. I am not able to compare Fast and Blue with her previous releases, having never heard them before, but that is a situation I will soon remedy. She is a rising star in the Progressive Music movement and should be taken seriously by fans and fellow musicans, as well as industry leaders.

The album starts out with Mystery of the Rose, a lively, short number with tribal influences, and continues on to Prometheus, a true epic in the Prog sense. Mysterious and spooky at first, it ends on a happy note with a serious Kansas influence. The third song, Tryptych, is a very sweet and pastoral tune with pretty piano and cello. It might be my favorite of the instrumentals on this album.

Jam Jehan Nima has strong Asian influences, complete with a Tibetan-type chant, which then melds into a lovely guitar. It has a variety of movements within the song, leaving the listener wondering what comes next! The fifth song, Lament of the Cherokee/Ruins of Home is perhaps her most dramatic, symphonic track on the album. It has metal edges that mellow out to cello, complete with a vocal narrative describing the Native American experience.

The last two songs feature singing and lyrics. The title cut, Fast and Blue, is a lovely power ballad with strong synths and drums, with tinges of metal guitar. Sung by John Payne, this could easily be a single! The album winds down with Recurring Dream, which has a gorgeous keyboard/guitar duet morphing into a beautiful love song. It's very dreamy and perfect for Michael Sadler's voice.

Prog fans and keyboard fans alike should dish up this wonderful, tasty album It's the sort of music you can daydream by, which is why it is one of my favorite releases of 2011. Please order this album from the"shop" at her website
http://www.lisalaruemusic.com/ , which also comes in a deluxe edition with DVD and a magazine describing the album. Unfortunately, I don't have that magazine, so my review is probably missing some obvious key elements.

In any case, I can't wait to explore her previous works! I hope she will contunue to make beautiful Progressive music for many years to come.

Mars Hollow - World In Front of Me

Release Year: 2011

Track Listing:
Walk On Alone (12:31)
Voices (6:23)
Weapon (6:52)
What Have I Done (5:56)
Mind Over Matter (2:27)
Prelude (1:48)
World In Front of Me (11:18)

Riding on the success of their debut album, which was received with much enthusiasm by the Progressive Rock community, Mars Hollow is back with another collection of exceptionally good music. World In Front of Me was presented at the Rites of Spring festival (Rosfest) in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on May 21, 2011, where the band played to an appreciative audience. This second album shows no symptoms of a “Sophomore Curse”. In fact, it exceeds the quality of their debut album in music, lyrics, and production.

One of the first things a listener will notice are the amazing vocal tracks. Lead singer, John Baker, delivers clarity and control of every note, with an occasional genuflection emphasizing certain letters, especially “r” and most vowels. This is his signature sound and sets him apart from the more famous vocalists to whom he has been compared. Mr. Baker shows more passion and emotion on this album, bringing the deep lyrics to life. There also are some amazing harmonies on this album with the rest of the band, most notably Kerry Chicoine. The first song, Walk On Alone, starts off with all four members singing a few lines in perfect harmony and includes sounds later in the song where they are singing “under water”. (The song involves a lost love, perhaps by drowning?)

Mr. Baker is also a fine guitarist, demonstrating precise finger play on the fret board, especially when the music gets more complicated. Keyboardist Steve Mauk shines with amazing symphonic talent and sets the mood for each song, which are mostly dark. He infuses the music with an uptempo energy throughout the album. Bassist Kerry Chicoine provides a strong foundation for much of the music. While he displays fun showmanship on stage, he is serious in the studio. He is never lost in the mix. In fact, he leads it! Listeners can discover the obviousness of this by turning up the bass on their car stereo and feeling every beat going up their spine. Likewise, hard working drummer Jerry Beller delivers the goods on each song, in partnership with Mr. Chicoine, providing exceptional rhythm for this album.

The songs themselves are intense and personal. None of them are weak or filler material. Each one tells a story, some of which are twisted, such as the assumed drowning in Walk On Alone, and the mentally insane serial killer in Voices. (I say “assumed” because there is are no lyrics in the liner notes, so one must interpret the themes based on the emotions each song conjures up.) All this darkness ends in light, however, on the title cut at the end of the album. It offers up a far more positive theme beginning with Mr. Mauk’s sweet Prelude and then soaring higher into the brighter World In Front of Me.

My personal favorite is What Have I Done, which is possibly the most “radio friendly” song on the album, should the band go that route. It appears to be about a complicated relationship, and it is delivered with such bittersweetness that it tugs on the listener’s heartstrings, regardless of gender. One can only imagine the creative experience of Mr. Baker, who is the main lyricist for band, to provide material for these songs. I will assume he is an emotionally strong person.

Impecibly produced by Billy Sherwood and engineered by Dave Morse, this album sounds lush and vibrant. I urge both die-hard fans and curious music lovers to give World In Front of me a try. If you even remotely liked their first album, you will fall in love with Mars Hollow with their second. This is a band that can go places if they choose to do so, but even if they keep their day jobs, they will continue to have a loyal following. Talent like this should never stay in a garage.

Styx - Equinox

Release Year - 1975

Track Listing:
1 - Light Up (4:23)
2 - Lorelei (3:26)
3 - Mother Dear (5:32)
4 - Lonely Child (3:54)
5 - Midnight Ride (4:23)
6 - Born for Adventure (5:19)
7 - Prelude 12 (1:23)
8 - Suite Madam Blue (6:32)

Is it possible that one album can have such an effect on a young teenager's mind that it will influence her taste in music for the rest of her life? As teenagers, we seek a connection with something or someone that will define us and give us meaning. For me, it was music, and the album was Equinox by Styx!

I was already a Styx fan by the spring of 1975, having heard their song “Lady” on the radio and collecting their first four albums, Styx, Styx II, The Serpent is Rising, and Man of Miracles. I found them to be a fun, quirky band. By the age of 13, I had developed a love for Blues-based rock, mainly Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, and Bad Company, but I had heard music by other bands that would eventually be labeled as "Progressive Rock" and found it to be fascinating! I was starting to develop a love for keyboard and synthesizer sounds, thanks to Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, etc. So, when Equinox appeared later that year, I was curious and excited to hear what else Styx had come up with. What I found was an album that changed everything I loved about music!

Starting with “Light Up”, the keyboards dominate the entire sound of this album. They soar, they plummet, they waver and warble. I instantly fell in love with Dennis DeYoung! “Light Up” is a very likeable and popular song about a very popular subject. It is interesting to note that I attended a Metallica concert in Portland, Oregon in 1998, and “Light Up” was played over the PA system right before the opening act took the stage! Even people who hate Styx seem to love this song!

“Lorelei” comes next, another fun, keyboard-based song that was released as the album's only single. While it is not my favorite, it's a sweet love song that continues to be part of their set list even decades later. “Mother Dear” is perhaps John Curulewski's best song! The music is a blend of synths (which John also plays) and great guitars. One thing is clear, Curulewski and James Young made a tight guitar team for Styx back in those early days. I also enjoy the vocal harmonies of Curulewski and DeYoung on this song.

Of all the Styx songs I had heard up to and through this album, it was “Lonely Child” that turned them into my favorite band! Track four on Equinox was the clincher. The lyrics stunned me and then comforted me. As a social outcast at my school with few friends otherwise, I had turned to music for my salvation. “Lonely Child” was an invitation to love something tangible... a band and its music. "Come spend your life with me!" The music to this song is also phenomenal. Once again, that magical blend of keys and guitars set the tone for what I love best about Styx. Somehow, it just takes me to another place.

“Midnight Ride” is a change of pace, concentrating on James Young's excellent guitar skills and bold lyrics, describing an encounter with a groupie. Less magical than the previous love songs, but somehow, it still fit into the overall vibe of the album. “Born for Adventure” comes next, and wow! Looking back now, I can see it was DeYoung's tribute, more or less, to the pomposity of British Progressive Rock. At the time however, it was just an incredibly fun story, Three Musketeers-style, set to great music. How could I not love Styx after hearing this song?

The last two songs on Equinox blend into a tribute, or rather a warning, to American politics. The subject matter contrasts with the light-heartedness of all the previous songs, but it's a beautifully arranged piece of music, dominated by Curulewki's blissful guitar intro in “Prelude 12” and DeYoung's sweet and strong vocals during the main song. The synth interlude is worth mentioning, too. “Suite Madame Blue” continues to be a fan favorite decades later. Personally, I am a bit ambivalent about the theme, but that's just me. It's a haunting song in any case.

So, what makes Equinox my favorite album of all time? Not just the amazing keyboards, blazing guitars, lush vocal harmonies, and fun (and sometimes serious) lyrics, but a combination of all of these. It was the overall sound that Styx put forth that caught me up and took me to a place where I could escape the painful reality of my early teens and become a princess in my own dream world.

Sadly, this was the last album with John Curulewski, whom I believe contributed much to the "progginess" of Styx's early sound. When he left, the band started drifting from the quirkiness that first attracted me and steered toward their Art Rock sound when Tommy Shaw came on board. That's okay, because the band continued to put out great albums with great songs. However, to me personally, their first five albums were their best, and thanks to that sound, I am a better music fan in my all around taste for Progressive and Classic Rock. I continue to be a Styx fan today, even with the frequent changes to their line-up and their musical vibe, but my memories of Equinox still dominate my love for this band.