Band: 55YT MQRT | Album: 55YT MQRT | Genre: Space rock, Progressive rock | Bandcamp
This band’s name might look like a license plate number, but their sound isn’t nearly that ordinary. They play a vast, cosmic variety of heavy psych and prog, and the album art of an astronaut traveling through an ancient temple is weirdly fitting. The soundscapes are vast and huge, and everything has a massive amount of weight behind it. Even though this album is a bit on the long side, it works. This is the sort of music where stretching out benefits the band.
Score: 80/100
Band: AKU | Album: Solipsism | Genre: Jazz-fusion | Bandcamp
The six songs on Solipsism effortlessly blend jazz and progressive rock into a rich, organic melange. Each of the four members of the band puts on a great showing. Guitar is the lead instrument more often than not, but the keys are smartly deployed and add a great depth. The bass playing is punchy and energetic, and the drumming is skillful and varied.
Score: 78/100
Artist: Steve Hackett | Album: The Circus and the Nightwhale | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The latest solo album from former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett (and his thirtieth overall) is alright. It’s no Voyage of the Acolyte, but it isn’t bad. It’s your typical, slightly-bland classic prog fare. A lot of the music here is mid-tempo with some relatively heavy guitar lines. There’s a lot of flowery, impressive guitar soloing, but it rarely amounts to much. This album’s folkiest moments are its best, like “Enter the Ring”, though that track’s Yes-like vocal harmonies come off as weirdly thin and overprocessed. (In fact, I’m really not nuts about the record’s production overall.) The ending to this album is pretty overwrought and cheesy in a way that reminds me of ‘90s and ‘00s prog acts like Spock’s Beard and Moon Safari.
Score: 64/100
Artist: Neil Howell | Album: The Renaissance Is Over | Genre: Progressive metal | Bandcamp
The latest release from American multi-instrumentalist Neil Howell is a diverse and enjoyable collection of songs. There’s a sonic unity to The Renaissance Is Over, but the tracks are all capable of standing on their own. Some are non-stop punch-in-the-face slabs of metal, and others contain extended passages that are calm, quiet, and meditative. The songwriting is thoughtful, and bits of folk and classical crop up every now and then. The closing “Past Lives” is a shining example of Howell’s best abilities.
Score: 83/100
Artist: David Jackson & René Van Commenée | Album: Keep Your Lane | Genre: Jazz-fusion | Bandcamp
Former Van der Graaf Generator saxophone and flute player David Jackson has teamed up with percussionist and producer René Van Commenée for his latest release. This album had been recorded on-and-off since 2020, and the result is a spacey and lush record that puts Jackson’s wind and reed instruments front and center. Van Commenée’s percussion is smart and complex, and his production is fantastic, too. Unlike other recent releases from other ‘70s proggers (*cough* Hackett and Gabriel *cough*), this album sounds fresh and vibrant while also being firmly rooted in their past output. However, this is a 55-minute instrumental album, so there is some excess that could have been trimmed. Despite that, Jackson’s saxes crunch and honk while his flutes flutter and lilt, and Van Commenée’s percussion keeps everything lively. This album features a fascinating rerecording of “Pioneers over c” that integrates Japanese sounds. In addition to jazz and classic prog, there are flashes of classical, Latin, and electronic music mixed in, which goes a long way in keeping Keep Your Lane engaging.
Score: 75/100
Band: Rope Trick | Album: Red Tide | Genre: Krautrock, Space rock | Bandcamp
The latest EP from this Philadelphian duo features a pair of long, winding tracks that gradually unfold in satisfying ways. Wiry guitar lines twist and tangle, and the drumming is technical and propulsive. There’s a heavy buzziness to this release, and it reminds me a lot of a more stripped-back Elder. Repetition is utilized effectively, and it’s fun hearing the gradually-accruing changes.
Score: 84/100
The Elite Extremophile 