VdGG SHM-SACD Series

 

For a number of years now the Japanese have been issuing high end audiophile releases in the SACD format. These have been judiciously chosen titles, taking the original analogue master tapes wherever possible and making flat transfers using the DSD process, rather than the usual PCM digital transfers. DSD is the natural process for SACD production. These discs, though expensive must be popular as this year has now seen whole catalogues rather than the odd title being issued in the format. For instance Roxy Musics studio albums were issued earlier this year. Now Van der Graaf Generators studio work gets the same treatment. Maybe on the face of it a strange choice as VdGG were never big sellers in their heyday apart from maybe Italy. But in terms of how their work sits within the classic progressive rock canon of the 70's they are an important band. They never made a bad album when signed to Charisma. Peter Hammill's songwriting was bold, epic and singularly impressive as was the band surrounding him. Obviously the Japanese appreciate originality and quality songwriting and musicianship.

Hammill himself remastered the catalogue back in 2005. For many it wasn't a total success. Overly compressed and EQ veering towards the bass too much, it was in yer face stuff. These new discs represent a much more natural and balanced sound, with the dynamic range much more well judged. The results are increased clarity and detail. As I have said before about these SACD discs, I feel they offer a rare glimpse into how the actual master tapes sound. This is the nearest us mere mortals will ever get to hearing these original recordings as they exist on the finished masters. I know DVD-A and blu-ray can offer PCM up to 24 bits, 192kHz resolution, but there is something about SACD that sounds more natural, analogue even. They somehow "feel" so much better, even on my not-so high end system. These Japanese discs are pricey, but when you hear the clarity they offer, for me it is a more exciting listening experience compared to CD, vinyl or even high resolution stereo on DVD or blu-ray. That together with the Japanese detail for packaging do make these issues a very worthwhile investment.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Brian Eno - My Squelchy Life

Here is my first piece of new vinyl for many a year (apart from what are included in deluxe box sets, but that doesn't count)!

Brian Eno's My Squelchy Life has been the holy grail of Eno devotees ever since he withdrew it because of Warners delaying tactics. He replaced it with Nerve Net. Some tracks did appear on the Vocal box set, but it eventually saw the light of day as part of the recent Nerve Net 2 CD reissue. Bad move! Nerve Net is a great album and deserved a 2 CD reissue. But the second disc should have been made up of b-sides and remixes making it a complete edition, not with My Squelchy Life tacked on as a poor relation. It annoyed me that there was no track credit information produced in the notes, basically nothing was added apart from track listing. It really should have been given a release on its own. So, for this special Record Store Day vinyl release we have the album, plus bonus track presented in a 2 disc gatefold edition. It's a beauty too. All the credit info is reproduced on the inner sleeves. The bonus track is a nice slice of typical Eno funk and I wonder why it was left off the CD edition? So for the present this vinyl edition is the best way to own My Squelchy Life. Maybe there will be a proper, separate CD edition somewhere down the line!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Snarky Puppy - Sylva

 

Music never ceases to amaze or surprise me! When you think you have heard most things, something comes out of the blue to simply take your breath away. A few months ago I had never heard the name Snarky Puppy, nevermind heard any of the bands music or who was actually in the band. But a few comments on the progressivears forum prompted me to do a bit of digging around. I found out there was a new album coming out called Sylva so I took the plunge, as I have done on many an occasion. Music is about risks and jumping in head first, hoping that you will come up with a gem. And my goodness is this a gem. This band is absolutely fantastic. On this disc there are 12 core band musicians plus the orchestra. They mix classical, jazz, rock, big band and techno to make a joyous, heady brew. They seem to be lead by bassist Michael League who writes most of the material. The music and the soloing throughout is incredible! Take the 15 minute piece The Curtain. A wonderfully elegiac orchestral opening leads to a beautiful flugelhorn solo, a tense distorted bass solo, a moog solo, the like of which would make Keith Emerson blush and then on to a touchingly soulful piano solo. The whole album is like this. Flawless, joyous and beautifully played compositions which cross genres with ease and aplomb. I am now searching their back catalogue with relish. That's what truly great music does!

 

Posted with Blogsy

The Amazing - Picture You

 

Back to business, sort of after all the arranging of my CD's and such into storage units. Still ongoing which makes me think I may have too many CD's! Just a thought! Anyway, here's something new. The third album by Swedish band The Amazing. The main point of interest for me in this band is guitarist Reine Fiske. He was originally the guitarist in legendary 90's prog band Landberk, appeared on the wonderful Morte Macabre project alongside Niklas Barker of Anekdoten, was a member of Paatos in their early days and has made extraordinary contributions to the last couple of Motorpsycho albums. He is a wonderful guitarist, with a very individual and distinctive style. This album though is quite 60's California psychedelia in style, with maybe a Red House Painters melancholic vibe. Though there are two guitarists, it's Fiskes subtle, incendiary fretwork that always shines. The band have a lovely lightness of touch and let the songs breath and develop naturally. I do miss Fiske working in a more prog rock setting and his work with Motorpsycho is more akin to what I like seeing him do, but The Amazing is another facet of his wonderful playing which really should be more appreciated.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Been busy!

No time for listening much as been busy sorting out all my CD's at last. I have had these in piles in the upstairs room for years and now that it has been tidied I bought a couple of storage units and sorted them out. Not complete but it is getting there.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Steven Wilson - Hand.Cannot.Erase

 

And I thought The Raven that Refused to Sing was good! This new opus is even better without a doubt.

The new Steven Wilson album is probably the most anticipated album this year and not just from prog rock circles. His name and reputation is such that he now even garners a 5 star review for his latest solo creation from the likes of The Guardian newspaper and deservedly so. Whereas Raven was resolutely entrenched in 70's prog rock, this new offering sees some 80's art rock entering the equation. That's no surprise as his mixing duties prior to Raven were very King Crimson centric. Recently he has been remixing XTC, Tears for Fears and Simple Minds. It's obvious that engrossing himself in those works has rubbed off in a big way.

To be honest, based on the limited listenings I have given to this new album, the initial impressions is that this is the best thing he has done. He has seamlessly mixed the pop sensibilities he brought to no-man and Blackfield and the complex prog workouts featured in recent releases. Guthrie Govan's guitar playing is even more inspired on this release, but it's Adam Holzman who really excels. His overdriven Rhodes electric piano playing is fantastic, but his moog solo on Regret #9 is absolutely inspired.

Wilson has extended his sonic palette by including boy choristers and female vocalists for the first time. So, he really has taken his ambitions to another level and it works perfectly. This album works so well as a whole, perfectly mixing pop based songs with lengthier prog epics and even a bit of electronica added into the mix for good measure. There will be comparisons to other concept works and for me it is Patrick Moraz's solo album he made during his tenure with Yes, The Story of i. The feel is similar, where Moraz mixed pop orientated songs and fusion/prog instrumentals to produce a conceptual whole and even the end pieces are similar. On Moraz's album we have Symphony in Space which is a cacophony of mellotrons and synths evoking a sense of ascendency as does Wilson's end piece, Ascendant Here On.

The concept! Well, it has been well documented in numerous interviews and pieces about how Wilson was intrigued by a documentary about a young woman who died, alone and not found for 3 years. But to me Wilson has taken that premise to a different place as documented in the extraordinary book of the special edition. The large format hardback book is typical of what Wilson has produced for all his solo albums, but here he has taken that much further by including extra material like paper clippings, fake birth certificate, letters, booklets. This is a fantastic labour of love in order to give a completely engrossing and immersive experience. The storytelling is done like a diary or blog and only hints at what is really going on. I mean, who are the visitors? Are they products of her imagination, mental apparitions or something more? What happens at the end, where has she gone? Is this an alien abduction tale, or what? It's all left to interpretation.

My expectations were high after the emphatic success of The Raven that Refused to Sing. That he has produced a work that is even better without repeating the ground covered on previous albums is extraordinary. Can he keep up this high level of productivity? Only time will tell.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Sanguine Hum - Now We Have Light

 

For their third studio outing, Sanguine Hum have gone all out for a double concept album. Very 70's! This is a band I have sort of followed over the course of their last two albums and they are a very distinctive band, mixing a whole lot of influences and sounds. There is a bit of Hatfield and the North as has been mentioned in reviews of the band, Frank Zappa and more traditional prog fare like a bit of Yes and Genesis, but it all comes together in quite a nice cohesive whole. However, for me I always felt there was something that didn't quite completely gel. I couldn't put my finger on it till I heard their live album from last year. I felt the music was impressive, but a bit too "careful". It came across as a bit too studious and introverted. No such problem with this new album. Whether it's the bonkers concept of the album or realising they have something special on their hands, but this album is a complete triumph. I will be bold enough to say it could be the 21st Century's equivalent of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. In fact it reflects that albums obscure concept too. Here, rather than a protagonist Rael, we have a bloke called Don and something to do with the paradox of buttered cats. It's all clearly explained in the lengthy synopsis within the album booklet! Musically, the album is quite excellent. Mixing fusion like instrumentals and tricksy songs in a manner that keeps the dynamics of the album flowing effortlessly. The playing is full of enthusiasm and ambition from all concerned. The band do play very tightly and work off each other very nicely. This is a great album and one that has made me go back to their earlier albums and maybe those will be appreciated more now. By the way, the album is on Esoteric Antenna, who had a such a succesful year last year with the albums they released and it looks this year is going to be even better!

 

Posted with Blogsy