I'm typing as fast as I can ...
ow ... ow ... ow ...
Maybe I should try using my fingers.

3/27/08

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MAMFest
Madrid Art Music Festival

The first edition of Madrid Art Music Festival will take place on Saturday April 26, 2008 at the theatre of Centro Cultural Nicolás Salmerón, in Madrid, Spain. The main organizer is Carlos Plaza of Kotebel, who will also be one of the acts playing there. They will be joined by fellow Spaniards Senogul, plus Baraka from Japan and Trettioåriga Kriget from Sweden. All but Kotebel have recently released a new CD (all reviewed in the GEPR this release) and will doubtless be playing music from them.

For further info and ticket information, and to hear musical samples from all these bands, please check out the official MAMFest MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/mamfest. -- Fred Trafton


Strangelet
New album from Hands is released

Strangelet, the first new album from Dallas-area-based Hands since their acclaimed Twenty-Five Winters from 2002, has been released. Initial release is electronic-only, on the usual places ... iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, AmazonMP3, etc. Soon, there will also be a high-rez release from the Hands website, which is currently being upgraded but nearly complete and ready to go. Lastly will come the "hard media" ... a special edition CD with extra tracks, video, booklet and autographs, which will be available from their website, and finally a commercial CD available from the usual online retailers like Amazon, DGM, etc.

I haven't got to hear the new release yet, but I should be able to soon. When that happens, I'll update the Hands entry with my thoughts. In the meantime, check out their MySpace page for download links, lyrics, liner notes and all other news concerning the release. -- Fred Trafton


GEPR Top 15 Albums of 2007
OK, so it's already so late that it's probably pointless. But I wanted to do this anyway ...

I've never done a "Top Albums" pick before, but I thought I'd try it this year. I've looked at several other lists from other sites, and it's amazing to me the diversity of albums ... there's not a whole lot of consensus, though I did see many of my picks on some of the longer lists. For what it's worth, here's my favorite releases from 2007. I couldn't decide which album was #1 and #2, so there's two that share the top spot. Why 15? Too many good albums were left off when I stopped at 10. There's still a couple more I would like to see on the list, but ... well, you have to stop somewhere.

Fred's Top 15 Prog Albums of 2007
#1/#2
Glass Hammer - Culture of Ascent
Oblivion Sun - Oblivion Sun
#3
Rush - Snakes and Arrows
#4
Radio Massacre International - Rain Falls in Grey 
#5
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
#6
Whitaker and Wyatt - Pedal Giant Animals
#7
Mawwal - Black Flies
#8
Amarok - Sol de Medianoche
#9
Metaphor - The Sparrow
#10
Puppet Show - The Tale of Woe
#11
Aviva - Rokus Tonalis
#12
Holding Pattern - Breaking the Silence
#13
KBB - Proof of Concept
#14
Phideaux - Doomsday Afternoon
#15
Zip Tang - Luminiferous Ether

-- Fred Trafton


Update on Andrew Latimer

Andrew Latimer at
NEARFest 2003
Photo by Fred Trafton
Andrew Latimer, well-known to prog fans as the guitarist and mastermind of Camel, has suffered from a blood disorder called polycythaemia vera since 1992, which has since progressed to myelofibrosis. This is not the sort of "progressive" thing we would wish for Andrew. The fatigue suffered from this condition was why Latimer ceased touring after the 2003 "Farewell Tour".

As of December of 2007, he has received a bone marrow transplant which is hoped to improve his condition, and is doing well in the hospital. According to Latimer's wife and publicist Susan Hoover, it will be many weeks before it is known if the transplant was completely successful. As of the last Camel web site posting, Andrew is doing well, but may have a rocky road to recovery ahead. We at The Gibraltar Encyclopedia wish him a speedy and successful recovery.

Up-to-date information can be found on the Camel web site ... click to the "News" section. -- Fred Trafton


Progressive Rock Musical "O Nox Ultima"
Web site launched
A few years back (2001), a christian prog-metal band named Divine in Sight released a wonderful album called The Sorrow and the Promise. I gave it a great review in the GEPR, calling it "one of the best progressive albums I've heard so far in 2001". I've been in touch with Divine in Sight's main composer and lead guitarist Bart Boge since then, and I've known he was working on another magnum opus since about 2003. I believe I even mentioned it once in a previous Prog News item. Now he's ready to unveil this project to the public, and has put up a web site to spur interest.

The new project is O Nox Ultima, which will be a musical play and a 2CD recording. The script with stage direction will be included on one of the CD's, so I assume that any church or theater group who wishes to perform it will have everything they need to do so when they get the CD set.

The band will be updating their progress on the new web site and I'll be following it as they continue work. If you'd like to support the project, you can even pre-order a copy of the CD, which Bart says he hopes will be ready in summer or fall of 2008. The new web site is at http://www.onoxultima.com.


Robin Taylor's new Prog band
News from Robin Taylor:

"This fall I've formed a new band, Art Cinema, together with a totally unknown singer/songwriter and a very well-known guitar hero from the metal scene. At the moment we are recording our debut album together with some other fine players, and we expect the project to be ready for release in the Spring."


Progressive Rock Opera "She" debut
October 31, 2007 in Wyspianski Theatre, Katowice, Poland

Agnieszka Swita and Clive Nolan
Caamora is the name for a project from Clive Nolan (Pendragon and many others) and Agnieszka Swita. They have created an epic production of the H. Rider Haggard novel She. The first performance of this two hour production was held on Halloween Night in the Wyspianski Theatre, Katowice, Poland. The production was scheduled to feature guest vocals from Alan Reed (Pallas / Neo), Christina Booth (Magenta), Karl Groom (Threshold), John Jowitt (IQ, Jadis, Neo), Hugh McDowell (ELO) plus an orchestra and choir.

The She album has been recorded in the summer of 2007, with a partly staged performance which was filmed in Wyspianski Theatre for DVD on 31st October 2007. The album and DVD box set is scheduled for release on 21st January 2008.


Demise of a Prog band
News about Akacia:

After releasing three "critically-acclaimed" progressive rock albums, Akacia has called it quits. Due to medical problems, a divorce and a crisis of faith on the part of one key member (more important in a christian band than a secular one), the band has found they can no longer continue. I was very sorry to hear this, as I was one of the critics who acclaimed their music, and in spite of the fact that I found their religious message to be superfluous, I'll really miss them for the sake of their fantastic music. I can only hope to hear more later from individual members, which may yet happen. I'll let you know if I hear anything. -- Fred Trafton


New Album announced from Holding Pattern

Breaking The Silence
[via Press Release]
Surveillance Records is pleased to announce the reunion of the legendary U.S. progressive rock band, Holding Pattern. The new album Breaking The Silence is currently in preproduction and will be released worldwide November 30,2007.

Due to success of guitarist /composer Tony Spada's critically acclaimed 2005 solo album The Human Element and recent Japanese tour, there has been much anticipation regarding this possibility which should excite the old fans as well as all fans of instrumental progressive rock. The album features original members Tony Spada (guitars), Robert Hutchinson (drums), Tony Castellano (bass,keyboards) and Mark Tannenbaum (keyboards)along with Rob Gottfried and album cover artwork by Genesis album artist Paul Whitehead.

Please visit www.holdingpatternusa.com for additional information.


New Prog book released
The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock

[via Press Release]
Dig out that long lost box of vinyl records, slap on some headphones and travel back to the '70s: prog rock! The bastard child of all rock's offspring was heavy, bombastic and flashy - and all the better for it. Here's your veritable guide to progressive rock, with band histories, musical synopses and critical commentary, all presented in the historical context of a timeline. Album by album, we'll chart each release from the giant dinosaurs of the era and uncover eccentric Eurorock obscurities as we create the ultimate head music playlist. We'll trip through concept records, indulgent solos and epic album-side long compositions in a definitive reappraisal of rock's most cerebral and renowned genre. The candid prologue and epilogue offer one of the most coherent portraits of the progressive rock era, while the discography details offshoots, solo albums, side projects and more. From the British kings of prog rock, to the eclectic Italian progressives, heady German krautrock artists and European jazz fusion groups - it's all inside!

Please visit lulu.com for additional information.


F2 Music re-releases Solstice back catalog

Solstice
Silent Dance
F2 Music has re-released all four albums from the UK progressive rock band Solstice. These are subtitled "The Definitive Edition" because they've all been remastered and have bonus tracks added.

Their first album, Silent Dance has become a 2CD set in this edition. The first CD is the original album, and the second includes early demo recordings and a 1983 session recorded at the BBC for The Friday Rock Show, released here for the first time. The second album, New Life is also a 2CD set, with the second CD also featuring some demo recordings plus some live bootleg material recorded in 1983-85 released here for the first time.

Circles is the only single-disc re-release in the set, though even this one has bonus tracks ... demos and early versions of several of the songs on this album. But The Cropredy Set is even more interesting. The band originally performed this set and filmed it with the intent of releasing it on video. But sound problems rendered the audio portion of this recording unusable. Undaunted, the band went into the studio the following day and recorded a live version of the same set recorded without an audience. The second disc in the re-release is a DVD of the concert with the studio recording dubbed in as the soundtrack. Even F2 calls it "a little rough", but it's essential viewing for any Solstice fan.

The Solstice re-releases are available from the British Progrock Records and soon the American one as well.




3/27/08

I had a few things completed, so I thought I would do an upload. It's not really a "full GEPR release", though, so I've kept all the "what's new" stuff from the last release in here too, including the Editor's Choice albums at right. But I've added a couple of new things to the Editor's Choice that I thought were special. So continue on down to see what's new in this release.

Here's the intro from the 12/17/07 release:

Here it is, in time for Christmas, Winter Solstice, Kwaanza and of course Zarathosht Diso, the new (and final) GEPR release for 2007.

When I started doing the updates for this entry, I thought I'd try something new. Releasing smaller updates more frequently. I thought I would add a few new albums and do a couple of other minor updates and maybe release once a month or so. But time has passed, and I had several unfinished reviews and half-completed sets of links, and ... well, it's just taken me five months again to complete the revision. And now it's another "major release", just like any other GEPR release. Maybe next time it won't take so long. But don't hold your breath. Life just seems to keep getting in the way.

Oh, and anyone who was waiting for my report on NEARFest 2007 will have to keep waiting. I did get some good band photos from the front row, though. Until I get a chance to finish my article, here's a nice shot of Indukti. It's actually a combination of several shots stitched together in a photo editor. Are you good enough to spot the stitch points? (Hint: the guitarist and bassist actually had four monitors in front of them, not three!):

Keep on Proggin',
Fred Trafton


Here's what's new in this GEPR release:

GEPR Editor Fred Trafton (USA) contributed new entries, reviews, updates or news items for Ageness, Baraka, Distinguished Panel of Experts, Dream Theater, Farpoint, Little Tragedies, Magic Pie, Loreena McKennitt, Oblivion Sun, (The Last Placid Days of) Plenty, Random Touch, Secret Saucer, Senogul, Simon Says, A Sparrow-grass Hunt, Taylor's Universe, Trettioåriga Kriget and Van der Graaf Generator.

Julio Lopez updates his Miasma entry, adds information about Cocteau Twins and Galie and offers new entries for Metropolis, Pererin and Enrico Simonetti.

Here's what's still sorta new from the 12/17/07 GEPR release:

GEPR Editor Fred Trafton (USA) contributed new entries, reviews, updates or news items for Ad Infinitum, Advent, Aisles, Alamaailman Vasarat, Amaran's Plight, Amoeba Split, Apocalyptica, Apple Pie, Art Zoyd, Baku Llama, Mikhail Chekalin, Chest Rockwell, Coheed and Cambria, Contrarian, Dr. Z, Far Corner, Fields of the Nephilim, Peter Gabriel, Glass Hammer, Hidria Spacefolk, Holding Pattern, Jakko Jakszyk, KBB, Kingston Wall, Koenji Hyakkei, Guy LeBlanc, Le Silo, Liquid Tension Experiment, Little Tragedies, Martini Henry, Metaphor, Thomas Metcalf, Nathan Mahl, Neo (UK), Neverness, Nice Beaver, Nouvelles Lectures Cosmopolites, Oaksenham, Øresund Space Collective, Outer Limits, Pendragon, Persephone's Dream, Phideaux, Pig Farm on the Moon, Porcupine Tree, Pure Reason Revolution, Radio Massacre International, Red Sand, Anton Roolaart, Salem Hill, Secret Green, Shades of Dawn, Shadow Circus, Shadow Gallery, Shakary, Solar Project, Tony Spada, The Tangent, Taylor's Universe, Tiles, The Vow, Willowglass, Yello, Thierry Zaboitzeff, Trion, Zaar, Zelta Zonk and Zip Tang.

David Marshall (USA) contributed entries for Aloha, Banco (Del Mutuo Soccorso), Coheed and Cambria, Copernicus, Cynic, Bo Hansson, Happy The Man, Heaven's Cry, Herb Heinz, Oaksenham, The Tangent, Tantra, A Triggering Myth, The Underground Railroad and Zaar, plus a new addition to his collection of articles, Progressive Rock Moments.

Julio Lopez introduces us to Eden's Bridge, Miasma and Trion, and also corrects an embarassing mistake in the Guapo entry.

Other contributions this release:

New bands or
artists added
Reviews/news added
to existing entries
Updated discographies,
added or fixed links
Update 3/27/08
Baraka
Magic Pie
Metropolis
Pererin
(The Last Placid Days of) Plenty
Random Touch
Scarab (Former name for Ageness)
Senogul
Enrico Simonetti
A Sparrow-grass Hunt
Cocteau Twins
Distinguished Panel of Experts
Dream Theater
Farpoint
Galie
Little Tragedies
Loreena McKennitt
Miasma
Oblivion Sun
Secret Saucer
Simon Says
Taylor's Universe
Trettioåriga Kriget
Ageness (discog/photo/web links)
Cocteau Twins (discog update)
Farpoint (discog/web site)
Galie (discog fixup)
Ihtiyaç Molasi (spelling/discog/web site link)
Little Tragedies (discog update)
Loreena McKennitt (discog/G&S links)
Nouvelles Lectures Cosmopolites (link to A Sparrow-grass Hunt)
Secret Saucer (discog/photo)
Simon Says (discog/web site link)
Taylor's Universe (discog update)
Trettioåriga Kriget (discog/photo/web links/Mindawn links)
Van der Graaf Generator (discog/photo)
Update 12/17/07
Aisles
Aloha
Amaran's Plight
Amoeba Split
Apocalyptica
Apple Pie
Baku Llama
Chest Rockwell
Coheed and Cambria (2 reviews)
Communio Musica (alt name for Taylor's Universe)
Contrarian
Copernicus
Eden's Bridge
Far Corner
Kingston Wall
Koenji Hyakkei
Le Silo
Guy LeBlanc
Martini Henry
Miasma
Neo (UK)
Neverness
Øresund Space Collective
Phideaux
Pig Farm on the Moon
Pure Reason Revolution
Radio Massacre International
Anton Roolaart
Secret Green
Shadow Circus
Tiles
Trion (2 reviews)
Willowglass
Yello
Zaar (2 articles)
Zelta Zonk
Zip Tang
Acqua Fragile
Advent
Alamaailman Vasarat
Arcturus
Art Zoyd
Banco (Del Mutuo Soccorso)
Mikhail Chekalin (7 albums)
Cynic
Dr. Z
Earthstar
Glass Hammer
Bo Hansson
Happy The Man
Heaven's Cry
Herb Heinz
Holding Pattern
Jakko Jakszyk
KBB
Liquid Trio (=Tension) Experiment
Little Tragedies
Michael Manring
Metaphor
Thomas Metcalf
Nathan Mahl
Nice Beaver
Nouvelles Lectures Cosmopolites
Oaksenham (2 reviews)
Outer Limits
Persephone's Dream
Poisoned Electrick Head
Porcupine Tree
Red Sand
Salem Hill
Shades of Dawn
Shadow Gallery
Shakary
Solar Project
Tony Spada
The Tangent (2 updates)
Tantra
Taylor's Universe
A Triggering Myth
The Underground Railroad
Il Volo
Wallenstein
Thierry Zaboitzeff
Ad Infinitum (updated broken links)
Advent (discog/second photo/web site link)
Alamaailman Vasarat (discog/photo)
Amarok (added photo)
Arcturus (discog/links)
Art Zoyd (discog update)
Boud Deun (fix ext link, link to Distinguished Panel of Experts)
Camel (added several internal links)
Mikhail Chekalin (discog update/web site links)
Cynic (internal & external links)
Distinguished Panel of Experts (name change, links to Boud Deun and Guy LeBlanc)
Dream Theater (discog update)
Dr. Z (discog fix/link)
Dogma (formatting only)
Fields of the Nephilim (discog/links)
Final Conflict (discog/photo/links/formatting)
Edgar Froese (discog update)
Peter Gabriel (discog update)
Galleon (discog/Mindawn links)
Glass Hammer (discog/link to Salem Hill)
Guapo (fixed country/link to Miasma)
Bo Hansson (link fixes)
Hidria Spacefolk (discog/ext links)
Holding Pattern (discog/photo/web site link)
Iconoclast (discog update)
Jakko Jakszyk (link to The Tangent)
Kayak (discog update)
KBB (discog/new photo)
Kopecky (discog/links to Mindawn, MySpace page & Far Corner)
Lack of Faith (discog/links)
Landmarq (discog/link to MySpace page)
Little Atlas (Mindawn links)
Liquid Tension Experiment (discog/alt band name)
Little Tragedies (discog/photo/links/Mindawn links)
Mangala Vallis (discog update)
Manitou (discog/links)
Guy Manning (discog/MySpace link)
Michael Manring (added photo)
Metaphor (discog/photo/links)
Thomas Metcalf (external link)
Mystery (discog/deleted obsolete link/Mindawn links)
Nathan Mahl (new band photo, links to Guy LeBlanc and MySpace page)
Nice Beaver (discog/links to Axiom of Choice reviews)
Nouvelles Lectures Cosmopolites (discog update)
Outer Limits (discog/photo/links)
Overhead (added band photo)
Parallel or Ninety Degrees (link to Secret Green)
Pendragon (discog/photo/link to Neo (UK))
Persephone's Dream (discog/new photo/Mindawn links)
Poisoned Electrick Head (discog/photo/web site & ext link)
Porcupine Tree (discog update)
Red Sand (discog update)
Salem Hill (discog/link to Glass Hammer)
Scarlet Thread (Mindawn links)
Shadow Gallery (discog/links to MySpace, Magna Carta, Amaran's Plight)
Shadowland (links to Neo (UK), Threshold)
Shakary (discog/fixed web site link)
Solar Project (discog/photo/Mindawn links)
Tony Spada (discog/photo/web site link)
Starcastle (discog/links to Mindawn links)
Strangers on a Train (links to Neo (UK), Threshold)
Symphony X (discog update)
The Tangent (discog/links to Secret Green and Jakko Jakszyk)
Tantra (discog update)
Robin Taylor (discog update)
Taylor's Universe (discog update)
Tea For Two (discog/web site link)
Threshold (links to Shadowland, Strangers on a Train)
Tonto's Expanding Head Band (added photo)
Univers Zero (discog update)
Il Volo (discog fix)
The Vow (discog/photo/link fix)
Wallenstein (photo/web site link)
The Watch (discog/web site & MySpace page links)
White Noise (added link to MySpace)
Thierry Zaboitzeff (discog/photo/links)

For archives of previous "What's New" entries, click here.
For archives of previous monthly update tables, click here.
For a nauseatingly complete listing of every little change, click here.



Associated Sites:
Gnosis   Ratings of Prog albums by a panel of volunteers
Ground and Sky   Progressive Rock album reviews
Axiom of Choice   Jurriaan Hage's Prog Rock site, reviews/sounds
Progressive World   Progressive Rock and related music reviews
ProgressoR   Vitaly Menshikov's Progressive Rock Web Site in Uzbekistan

Other Progressive Rock (and related) Web Sites:
Aural Innovations   The Global Source For SpaceRock Exploration, e-zine/reviews/Internet radio
BayProg   Web site for news & info about California Bay Area prog bands
DURP   "Tales From the Progressive Ocean" webzine in English and German
Dutch Progressive Rock Page   The site name says it all, but it's mostly in English!
e-Prog   Home of Keyboard-based Progressive Rock
Ectagon   List of Progressive Rock web sites, with links
Estonian Progressive Rock Web Page   They have Prog in Estonia? You bet!
Ghostland   Progressive Rock news, reviews and more
The Giant Progweed   Progressive Rock Reviews
Israeli Prog   A site covering the Israeli prog scene - in English!
Italian Prog   Dedicated to Italian Prog, in English or Italian
NewEARS   New England Art Rock Society - bringing Prog to the U.S. Northeast
Planet Prog   Weekly Wisconsin Prog radio show/Internet radio
Planète Prog   French language progressive site
Prog4You.com   General prog site w/ reviews, interviews and MP3's
Prog Archives   Very comprehensive prog site, with lots of album and band reviews
Progbibliography   Books about Prog bands, and literary resources that inspired Prog rock
ProgNaut   General Prog site with band lists, etc.
Prognosis   Prog reviews
Prog Pushers   Progressive Rock web ring
Prog Rock CD Compilation   CD covers w/songs & times, by Nilo Stolte
Progressive Ears   Progressive rock web site, mailing list & message board
Progressive Newsletter   German Progressive Rock site
Rock Progressivo Brasil   Brazilian Progressive Rock web site
Rock Progresivo de Chile   Chilean Prog Rock site, in Spanish
Sea of Tranquility   Heavy Metal, Prog Metal and Progressive Rock webzine
SPRP - Spanish Progressive Rock Page   Prog bands from Spanish-speaking countries
Strawberry Bricks   A Progressive Rock Timeline from 1967-1979
Through Different Eyes   Progressive Rock and Metal reviews
Traverses   Independent Prog web magazine (in French)

Progressive Rock Magazines
Acid Dragon - Published in France with text in English 3 times a year. Focused on "Frog Prog" but also prog from other countries.
Audion - Published about twice a year in Great Britain. Focus seems to be on Krautrock, Experimental Electronic and Zeuhl.
Exposé - Published quarterly in the United States (black and white). Focused on all prog and experimental music.
Progression - Published quarterly in the United States (color glossy). Focused on all prog and experimental music.
Tarkus - Published quarterly in Norway. Broad focus, RIO to Neo, from the 60s to the 90s.



Make a copy of the above banner to create a link to the new GEPR!

In association with the following fine Progressive Rock web sites

Ground and Sky
Progressive Rock
Album Reviews


Progressive World
Progressive Rock
Album Reviews


Jurriaan Hage's
Axiom of Choice
Progressive Rock
Album Reviews


ProgressoR
Progressive Rock
Album Reviews



Gnosis
Progressive Rock
Album Ratings
and Reviews


The GEPR is maintained by Fred Trafton
Email me at: webmaster@gepr.net
Site last updated: 3/27/08
This page has been accessed

times since Aug. 30, 2004