NEO-PROG

— First review of this album —

After a long and self-imposed silence, guitarist and composer Adrian Jones found a great amount of inspiration, some good and some bad, upon extracting himself like billions of other humans from the claustrophobia of Covid 19 sequestration. This forced introspection rekindled a desire to compose again and together with longtime ally Brendan Eyre, they started reassembling the previous crew of vocalist Adrian O'Shaughnessy and keyboardist Christiaan Bruin and began writing material. A completely revamped rhythm section was then added to the mix, namely bassist Joachim van Praagh and Lars Spijkevet (Automatic Sam) on the percussive kit.

For those too exhausted to google the title, 'Diurnal' is the opposite of nocturnal. The album has an expansive, fresh and radiant texture that hits the listener within the first seconds and keeps the brilliance on full throttle. Sonic proof comes with two opening introductions that highlight this sunny mood. The awakening of the glowing sunrise, greeted by electronic impressions of 'Birds, Insects and Kites' with Adrian's guitar buzzing like an amorous yellowjacket, as Brendan's keyboards soar like an eagle in the sky, and where the rhythmic kites fly! 'The Veil' is a brief stint in melancholic and ambient introspection, ready to face the day and come what may!

'Ghosted' is the first single and a consummate groove is set with a characteristic Nick Mason minimalism that gently rouses all the pent-up emotions that had a chance to rest. O'Shaughnessy (Aio) snatches the microphone and immediately impresses with a tone and a sense of pathos that is only accentuated when Adrian's seductive guitar decides to duet with his vocalist. A forlorn piano blurs the space between the heart and the chirping birds. Magnificent!

The first of three extended pieces 'Angel of Flies' is a modern, nearly 8-minute mini-epic, densely atmospheric with swarming orchestrations that cloud the horizons with a variety of natural apparitions, as the rhythm section conjures up a whirlwind of complex drumbeats and scathing bass undertones. Aio delivers one hell of a theatrical performance, his voice profoundly infected with gritty determination, soaring majestically to incredible elevations. Adrian Jones' guitar scratches the underbelly with seasoned detailing as the rising plea intensifies with each passage, his guitar cutting mercilessly like a saw gone haywire. One word: gulp!

'In Remembrance' is a stark yet nostalgic classical vignette, twinkling piano and orchestrations shimmering in misty reflection. Two minutes of ritual purification. Why? The arrival of the tectonic epic beast 'Frustration -Sedation', that's why! Flirting with the pendulum of moods is not an easy undertaking, but the doomsday feel interspersed with contemplative thought is simply intoxicating, as the listener simply knows that the explosion is just around the bend. Aio raises the roof with an exasperated vocal performance that accuses, growls, pleads and despairs. 'Murmuration, Stagnation, Vibration, Resignation' are the words that ultimately lead to frustration and sedation. And yet, there is a return to a positive melancholy, 'sweet tranquility' and an ornate piano melody flush with hopeful salvation, 'standing in the sun'! It has a little Stairway to Heaven feel, I kid you not! Especially when Adrian's briefly slashing guitar reboots the dour implication of our domination, with Aio once again going ballistic, like an ICBM fuming from all its rivets! The scorching axe solo has a little Jimmy Page appeal as well, a much sweeter tone while still being crazily intense. Killer!

Another infusion of soft and soporific anesthesia is to be found on 'Golden Hour', same method but with the electric guitar twirling with the strings. Majestic! We arrive at the final extended marvel, what else could it possibly be but a track called 'Dusk'! It cleverly kicks off in a similar funereal drum beat like on 'Ghosted', except the stick work is way slicker, echoing guitar slashes glimmering as the gorgeous melody builds in poignant intensity. One hell of a celestial melody, may I be allowed to add! Aio does it once again with a dynamic voice that exudes blood, sweat and tears and I feel like crying, its so overpowering! Once again, the drum work stands out as quite impeccable, formulating the two extremes of simple complexity, the bass churlish in the far corner, grinning and the plethora of alternating and ghostly details from Adrian's fretboard, while the keys paint the dimmest dispositions. The impending arrival of the nocturnal blanket, when fatigue and weariness have taken its toll, and the pillows beckon the warrior to gently surrender into slumber. Good night, sleep tight!

All this flurry of activity has amassed enough additional material to prepare for a second release in November 2024, 'Adventures in Anhedonia', a much more personal descriptive of those pandemic related traumas and fears. 'Diurnal' is set to be released globally on June 11, 2024. The three extended pieces are some of the finest this artist has ever produced. Do not hesitate on getting sonically seduced by this masterful album. Nothing worse than forgetful regret! One ot the top albums of 2024

5 nocturnal opposites

14 Stories into '98

The first Arena album I ever listened to. Released in '98 it was the first proper studio album to feature JOHN MITCHELL on guitar, who delivers some amazing guitarwork on this record.

I am listening to this record whilst writing this review, so sit down, have a cuppa and join in!

1. A Crack In The Ice: Brilliant opener. Was immediately hooked while listening. The song is an absolute rollercoaster ride from start to finish, GOD that riff is brilliant. Ends with some ambient sounds before going into the next song.

Rating: 5/5

2. Pins And Needles: The song starts with some mellow acoustic sounds, building up with drums and some synth sounds.

Rating: 4/5

3. Double Vision: Immediately you're greeted by an amazing guitar solo with Mick Pointer bashing along. Nice instrumental work in the middle section!

Rating: 4.5/5

4. Elea: Great interlude with a nice guitar solo near the end.

Rating: 4/5

5. The Hanging Tree: I really like how this song builds up, you really can hear how much effort was put into it's creation. For a prog song the chorus really is tempting you to sing along. Also I really enjoy the texture CLIVE NOLANs keyboard work adds. One of my favourites of the album.

Rating: 5/5

6. A State Of Grace: AMAZINGAMAZINGAMAZINGAMAZINGAMAZING

Rating: 5/5

7. Blood Red Room: Mellow, ambient interlude to

8. In The Blink Of An Eye: Great keyboard and guitar work here. It has a great chorus and the instrumental work is absolutely phenomenal.

Rating (7+8): 4.5/5

9. (Don't Forget To) Breathe: Some 'Lofi' sounds start this song, switching into a cleaner mix for the second verse. Really like this one.

Rating: 4/5

10 Serenity: Mellow interlude into:

11 Tears In The Rain: Again, some amazing guitar solos in here. This song really builds up amazingly. Can't deny the MARILLION influence.

Rating (10+11): 4.5/5

12 Enemy Without: Great Riff, great drumming, simply an awesome song. Christ, that chorus! SO GOOD! Love the reprise of the 'Crack In The Ice' Riff.

Rating: 5/5

13 Running From Damascus: Yeah it's good!

Rating: 5/5

14 The Visitor: Starts again with some acoustic guitars and singing. backed by a glockenspiel. Uuuuuhhh, it builds. A great, emotional closing track. That last guitar solo just killed me. What a terrific song!

Rating: 5/5

Final Rating: 5/5

Truly a Neo Prog masterpiece! Bravo, ARENA!

BAROCK PROJECT mix of classical, rock and jazz. A sound reminiscent of TOTO, Neil MORSE and JETHRO TULL of yesteryear, eyeing the sounds of QUEEN for the theatrical side and YES for the keyboards.

"Carry On" frank symphonic attack with majestic trumpets, the tone is set; varied, progressive title with rock drums crossed with those of classic contemporary folklore; the break starts with DEEP PURPLE-style reminiscences with guitar and keyboards in the foreground; it's energetic, prog metal, return of the choirs of BOSTON and YES. "Summer Set You Free" radio title, more energetic and with a "TOTOien" touch for the rhythm and the flights; it's quite removed with still the prominent keyboards. "An Ordinary Day's Odyssey" fat intro, progressive keyboards galore; latent atmosphere, the voice stretches, reminds me of Jean from MYSTERY, accompanied by a laid-back riff for a swirling, warm melody; gripping title without firing a shot with the soft, languorous break on the piano. "The Lost Ship Tavern" says it all, folk rock à la JETHRO TULL for the rhythm, the violin, the twirling note, inviting you to dance a drunk without pushing the tavern chairs; I think of the BLUES TRAVELERS for developed musical fishing. "Voyager" a languorous violin-keyboard intro, quickly supplanted by modern electronic rhythm; a sound reminiscent of an "overboosted" YES, a heavy ASIA, a spatial cinematic soundtrack bringing the grandiloquent air of MYSTERY, it was said; the break on the previous track with an energetic folk solo like the 1001 nights; the finale returns to the cinematic space band reminiscent of the soundtrack of 'TRON' to try to explain the winks of this epic, magnificent title, fusion of genres between rock, classical and folk roots. "Morning Train" a cappella intro with piano as sole aid; the air goes to KANSAS, hold QUEEN's guitar, we are in a musical crucible; go trumpets, it twirls, the classical orchestra invites itself to perfect this thunderous break; finale with a taste of QUEEN and SAGA combined, just enjoyable; prog as we like to dream of it in this new decade.

"Propaganda" unique jazzy sax intro starting with a TOTO sound with that little extra of controlled energy to keep the sound modern; the break returns after a heavy solo with jazzy notes for a confusing piece. "Shibuya 3 A.M." for the acoustic guitar ballad and Yessian hints; TOTO also to point out that the BAROCK can surprise with their convolutions, finally hold on to ASIA; this allows you to find your own musical memories of the groups mentioned a little above. "Lonely Girl" notes of Bankian keyboards, airy voice, like UNITOPIA all at once, it doesn't stop the reminiscences; a title which is worth it for the beauty of Alex's voice, it should be noted, assisted by Luca, the group's leading man. "Mediterranean" radio edits for me, concentrating their music with a piano arpeggio base; break and heavy prog solo that comes out, this piece is complex, showing the scale of their creation. "Kyanite Jewel" guitar arpeggio, squirting notes, ancient scent before leaving on a warm spleen tune; to help us keep our spirits up, the Balkan break is still festive and dynamic. "Voyager's Homecoming" and four minutes of enjoyable symphonic intro; we are in space, ethereal limbo; the guitar riff breaks the tranquility, the violin attacks, the tune of the round hats comes to the fore, all this for a final grandiloquent progressive piece which is a pleasure to hear; no, prog rock is not dead. A little TRON, VANGELIS before the glamorous finale, to realize the musical slap we take while listening. (Initially on ProfilProg).

Formed near the Russian capital of Moscow in Sergiyev Posad in 1997, ETERNAL WANDERERS led by the two sisters Elena Kanevskaya (vocals, keyboards, recorder) and Tatyana Kanevskaya (guitar, bass) has been a staple of melodic Russian neo-prog ever since and has released a series of albums that mix the classic sounds of neo-prog with various musical genres including alternative rock, psychedelic rock and electronic music. The band has been a Moscow favorite live act since its inception and has enthralled the greater prog world with its unique stylistic approach. Some could even say this band is like the Russian prog equivalent to the American band Heart!

The band's debut THE DOOR TO A PARALLEL WORLD was released in 2008 with its first lineup that also included long time member Dmitry Shtatnov (bass, backing vocals, theremin), Dmitry Drogunov (flute) and Dmitry Shiskin (violin). This was the only album to feature original drummer Sergey Alyamkin who left in the middle of the recording sessions and was replaced by drummer Sergey Nikonrov who has remained with the band ever since.This debut album features seven tracks that clock in at 53 minutes and features a rather unique mix of standard rock guitar instrumentation along with all those classic Steve Hackett inspired guitar sweeps that give neo-prog its trademark sound.

The music is quite eclectic in many ways as THE DOOR TO A PARALLEL WORLD straddles the word of mainstream rock mixed with the progressive infusion of neo-prog styled symphonic elements, intricate psychedelic keyboard touches, gorgeous ambient atmospheres, touches of folk music and highly emotive vocals with all the lyrics performed in English for a larger audience outside of the motherland. The album begins with a trippy keyboard sequence that opens "How Long I'd Been Facing The Dark" and introduces Elena Kanevskaya's voluptuous and provocative vocal style and she really does remind a bit of Ann Wilson of Heart. The music progresses throughout the album with an infusion of unique keyboard stylistic approaches ranging from the typical expected neo-prog airiness of the classic world of Arena, IQ and Pendragon to psychedelic excursions that give the entire album a rather art rock veneer.

The album's diversity is its strong point with variations in tempos, timbres, rhythms, musical motifs and emphasis on varying genres ranging from the neo-prog aspects to more psychedelically infused space rock moments. The track "Too Close To Heaven's" is the ballad of the album almost sounding like top 40 hit material but for the most part the music is more complex yet simultaneously existing in a more crossover rock sound such as the alternative rock guitar dominant "No Way Back" to the shortest track "Ride Without End." The longest track on board is the near 12-minute space prog fantasy themed "Visions Of The Lost World" which delivers all the goods with heavy guitar moments, trippy keyboard segments, Russian folk music and long excursions into extended psychedelic neo-prog motifs with cool twists and turns.

The album ends with a more traditional sounding song with "Revival" which nears the eight minute mark and once again mixes the choppy guitar stomps with psychedelic keyboard touches and extended neo-prog sequences. Kanevskaya's vocal performance on this one is the most tenderly delivered of the album and the use of electronic effects during lulling breaks is quite effective. The drumming style offers a unique roller coaster ride of varying techniques and the track features some of the coolest keyboard liberties on the entire album. Probably my favorite track on the album actually. Overall this is a very interesting and unique debut from ETERNAL WANDERERS who truly captured its own unique sound from the beginning. The album does sound a touch amateurish and the compositions don't feel like they have been fine tuned to their potential but the entire album is quite enjoyable with no down time. The only track that doesn't float my boat is the sappy "Close To Heavens." Not bad for the debut.

3.5 really but i'll round up because of the creative uniqueness

It was only when recently reviewing the latest opus from Comedy of Errors that I realised I had somehow missed their 2017 album, 'House of the Mind'. This was their fourth album since they got back together, and of course there have been two more since then. At this point they were releasing an album every two years, something somewhat unusual for bands from the Neo scene, as while most had a heavy release schedule in the Nineties it had somewhat diminished in recent years. But given they were not active at all for 20 years perhaps they were making up for lost time.

Unlike many of the bands who started making a name for themselves in the Neo scene in the 90's and beyond, CofE are from an earlier era, having been formed in 1984 by Joe Cairney (vocals) and Jim Johnston (keyboards), who are still there in the current day. They recorded with Rog Patterson (who recently has been found opening for Pendragon on their recent tour), and due possibly to their geographical remoteness from the South have always pursued their own path, with this album being very much a case in point as while there are obvious Yes and Genesis influences, as well as bombastic symphonic, there is also a definite nod to Horslips. Joe's vocals are not diminished by age, and even though they utilise two guitarists in Mark Spalding (who was in the band from very early days) and Sam McCulloch, it is Jim Johnston who normally provides the attack with the guitars coming in over the top to provide additional emphasis at the right time. They are quite different to many prog bands with twin guitars, such as Final Conflict, as for them the twin leads are about drama and effect. The line-up is completed by John Fitzgerald (bass) and Bruce Levick (drums) who provide the foundation for the band to move and swirl in sound.

Although still Neo, which means some progheads will naysay the music without even listening to it, there is a large symphonic feel to this album which was released on vinyl as five tracks and 41 minutes, while the CD has one more and an additional nine. Their music has a somewhat commercial approach, which makes it very easy to listen to and get inside, yet there are also hidden depths which means the more it is played the more there is to discover, moving from pastoral orchestral to music which hard rock guitar and all forms of prog in between. I am late to the party on this one, but I am so glad I finally discovered it as this is yet another great release which is well worth discovering if you enjoy Neo.

Proximity and Chance

The emergence of this new project from John made me both excited but nervous, much like the previous one. The reason is simple after being so thrilled by his previous work and his evolution as a musician I was concerned whether he could maintain the momentum and offer something new and interesting, which genuinely added to his canon. I need not have worried.

Rather than a track-by-track and musician call-out, I am going to offer a more organic less Germanic review, more about the themes that I hear in the music.

The music comes over as more dynamic and cuts through more than in the past and yet the arrangements with melody, counter melody and harmonics has more depth and weight. The bass playing, from the man himself, on the sub-Traffic opener, tracks and shadows Peter Jones, but equally offers some neat surprises and to my ears is more Roger Glover than the Late Chris Squire in terms of sound. Something else I noticed on this piece is Peter's voice is related to Steve Winwood's. I would not be at all surprised if he is a midland maniac.

The other standout feature which really shows John's developing skills is the quality of the orchestrations. I am old enough to remember The Nice, Deep Purple and Yes all using orchestras, for the most part, the judicious use of a Mellotron, which triggers string sounds, was much more dynamic and simpatico, the foundation stone of several bands' musical personality. In retrospect, the aforementioned projects sound naive, less a fusion and more a collision.

Here John does not add the strings, they are an integral part of the music, helping create the unique and singular atmosphere of pieces like "Burnt Cork" and "Agents" and because of the stories he is telling the orchestrations are often dark and spartan, Stravinsky like.

There are more gentle pieces, the instrumental "A Sense of Place." where Vikram Shanker duets with John Hackett. Vikram's ability to offer support to the tunes is well known from John's previous work, but again because of the more developed arrangements his accompaniment adds even more.

As well as Peter Jones and Sally Minnear, whose smiling alto delivery delights on Fini, a new edition is the Australian Tenor Shaun Holton. His sardonic delivery of the narrative on "Agents" is perfect but it took me a while to get used to him telling the story of Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King." Those Haggard, Kipling stories, set in a remote and unknown part of the world in the 19th Century, are propelled by a particular English heroism and some might argue delusions of grandeur. In the end, after listening to Shaun's performance several times, it does come off as heroic in the right way. The operatic delivery suits the hubristic story he is singing about.

There is a good deal to stimulate and repeatedly return to, but two pieces stand out for me. The fabulous evocation of Victorian Melodrama of Burnt Cork and the ridiculously joyous Chance (Under the Sun). They take you on a journey draw you in and get inside your psyche.

Burnt Cork begins evoking the atmosphere of the theatre where our protagonist is performing and then moves forward with a beautiful rhapsodic run from Vikram, wonderful, layered romantic strings, and then Mr Jones comes in with an intuitive, sensuous vocal. Throughout the orchestra is integral, sometimes, sweeping, full of pathos, and other times, dramatic jabs. This music is mature, considered and Peter narrates the antagonist's pain and suffering and developing hatred with a real sense of connection. This has that Progressive Rock Musical feel of KV62. It's in the middle of the piece the orchestrations go supernova, supporting Peter's vocal. The atmosphere is full of menace, the orchestrations communicate that with darting, determined, muscular pulsing. These are the sections that put me in mind of Stravinsky. The drama over, Peter takes us out through the angst and madness of the murderer. Such good storytelling and such simpatico arrangements.

Chance is probably John's first standard; I would expect people to cover this. It is a very strong piece. "A future yet to know the past behind us." My goodness we need that. Echoing rotating guitar, the glorious tune, the gorgeous chorus, a Ringo drum pattern and then Luke Machin's solo doing all the things a guitar can do to support and elevate a piece upwards. I am humming this constantly.

More vivid production, dynamic sophisticated arrangements and great vocal performances enhance a programme of music which includes a couple of pieces, which are his best work yet.

I had nothing to worry about. It's a privilege and a joy to say nice things about music from such a down to earth but very clever man.

As one of the most popular progressive Polish bands to emerge in the last few decades, the Warsaw based COLLAGE was also one of the very first to jump onto the second wave prog revival with its own brand of neo-prog in the vein of classic Marillion, IQ and Pallas. The band underwent many changes during its initial years before settling on a lineup that would include Tomasz Różyckid as the band's first lead vocalist who appeared on an album. While Różycki would only stick around long enough to record the band's debut release "Baśnie," the band would go on to release the internationally popular "Moonshine" as well as making a surprise comeback in 2022 with the band's first album in over two decades with "Over and Out."

After going trying out vocalist Zbigniew Biniak for a couple years and then allowing original vocalist Jarosław Wajk to rejoin, the band wasn't satisfied with the results and eventually settled on Robert Amirian as the permanent vocalist who fit like a glove and has been an essential member of the band ever since he joined in 1993. After a successful debut that not only propelled COLLAGE into national stardom as one of Poland's most successful and radio friendly modern prog bands that surprisingly translated into international success across not only Europe but overseas, COLLAGE's next move was one of the most head-scratching decisions that a band could make for a release of a sophomore album and one that remains a mystery as to why the band thought it was a good idea in the first place.

Of all the possibilities of delivering a second album and showcasing a new vocalist to the band's fanbase, the band chose to release a cover album titled NINE SONGS OF JOHN LENNON which as the title states pretty much sums up what this album is, namely a collection of nine songs written by John Lennon and reinterpreted into the world of COLLAGE's neo-prog lens. A very bizarre move indeed and although everyone was inspired to embrace a musical career based on the music they love from their youth, to crank out an entire album of covers so early in a fledgling band's career seems like a death wish. Despite this rather peculiar decision COLLAGE managed to move on and release their internationally revered third album "Moonshine" the following year but wow. This one really could've ended it all.

Now bad ideas aside i have to admit that the music contained on this album is not nearly as bad as i possibly could've imagined and while i rarely find myself warming up to albums of only cover songs of popular pop artists of yore, amazingly COLLAGE did a decent job of adapting these classic Lennon songs into the context of their spacey neo-prog sound that they had established over their career. Somehow despite all odds the band breathes their own creative forces into the unthinkable act of tarnishing one of the great rock and roll legend's most celebrated tracks ranging from "Power To The People" to the impossible to top classic "Imagine." While the band remains faithful to the overall melodic lyrical structures, where the band takes liberties in the extended jamming extensions that add keyboard-rich neo-prog glory to otherwise straight forward pop rock songs.

This album also found the band shifting from its lyrics sung in its native Polish to becoming an internationally recognized band that used English for its second chapter. Somehow the band pulled it off to a certain extent with an interesting mix of remaining faithful to the original songs while adding its own progressive rock stamp to the mix. I can't even imagine the number of fans who found the entire thing sacrilegious given John Lennon's rock god status across the entire world but i have to give these guys credit for just doing what they wanted with really no consideration for the ramifications of their decision making. Clearly this was fueled by a giddy idealism rather than actually considering the implications of such a move. Overall this is not really a bad album at all and quite pleasant as far as cover albums go. While a far cry from the band's best efforts it's actually listenable and actually quite creative on tracks like "Give Peace A Chance" which also finds a surprise foray into Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water" guitar riff as well as a short vocal snippet from Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll!"

Sure most everyone loves John Lennon, his music, his passion and his phenomenal legacy in The Beatles and as one of the most beloved solo artists of all time. He is sorely missed for his down to Earth political views and dedication to peace on planet Earth with his relentless stance that continued up to his unfortunate assassination in 1980. COLLAGE may have made a strategic faux pas as far as furthering their career with NINE SONGS OF JOHN LENNON but given the careful dedication paid during the renditions carried out on this album it's easy to give it a pass as nothing more than a bad business move. The tracks are actually more creative covers than 90% of similar albums out there and to my surprise the mix of neo-prog and psychedelic space rock in the vein of Pink Floyd coupled with classic John Lennon songs turns out to be not as horrible as my imagine led me to believe. Not essential by any means but this honestly is a what i'd call a very good album. I'm utterly shocked that i like this to the extent i do!

While the lion's share of second wave prog emerging in the 1980s at least in terms of popularity existed in the United Kingdom with bands like Twelfth Night, Marillion, IQ, Pallas and Pendragon leading the way, it's astonishing that many other nations were following suit simultaneously with bands like Scarab emerging from Finland, Arkus from the Netherlands, Sirius from Germany and bands like Osiris emerging in the most unlikely of places, Bahrain. While still basically locked behind the influence of the U.S.S.R. in the 1980s, Poland too got in on the act with the Warsaw based COLLAGE emerging as not only one of the first bands but also one of the nation's most popular.

COLLAGE formed as far back as 1984 but would take several years to release demos and develop their sound sufficiently to compete on the world's stage with the established bands of the fledgling neo-prog subgenre. While the band underwent many lineup changes over the years, the 80s saw its share of members come and go with only guitarist Mirosław Gil and drummer Wojciech Szadkowski leading the way to the next chapter. Cementing a lead singer was the most problematic and after a short stint with Jarosław Wajk (who would later rejoin briefly), the band settled on the lively vocalist Tomek Rozycki who only appeared on the band's 1990 debut album BAŚNIE (Polish for 'Fairy Tales') before being briefly replaced by Zbigniew Bieniak, again by Wajk and then ultimately by the band's longest running vocalist Robert Amirian.

The band's debut came out in 1990 and became a huge hit in not only its native Poland but also surprisingly abroad despite all the lyrics of the eight tracks that spanned a playing time of just over 45 minutes being entirely delivered in the Polish language. The album spawned many radio hits in Poland including "Ja i ty", "Kołysanka" and 'Rozmowa" and two years later would find a secondary home on the Italian label Subteranea Records. At this stage the band also featured Przemek Zawadzki who played bass as well as all keyboards. The album may have been the anomaly in the band's overall career but was successful in allowing the band to gain almost instant national success that spilled over into the rest of Europe despite existing essentially behind what the West deemed as the Iron Curtain of communism.

While essentially a predictable neo-prog album inspired by the usual Genesis tricks of heavily synthesized atmospheres and Steve Hackett style guitar sweeps, COLLAGE also had a first wave of British neo-prog to offer hints of inspiration including the imitable Fish and his fist rendition of Marilion as well as the less theatrical bands such as IQ and Pendragon. While perhaps not the most original specimen of early neo-prog, BAŚNIE made up for it with a true sense of enthusiasm and an adventurous energetic approach that offered heavy bass grooves and beautiful motifs that shifted moods and offered a stellar display of instrumental interplay which allowed the band to become popular as a live act. With diverse tracks that crafted varying tempos, chord changes and of course addictive melodies, COLLAGE proved to be a cut above the competition from the very beginning and even though Tomasz R'życki would only appear on this sole release, his vocals showcase a sense of maturity and extremely compatible stylistic approach for the keyboard-drenched neo-prog style that COLLAGE was undertaking.

COLLAGE would achieve greater artistic kudos for its well-regarded 'Moonshine' and even more recently its comeback album 'Over And Out' which found the band return some three decades after its debut but BAŚNIE was instrumental in launching the band into the limelight at an early stage and garnered fantastic reviews in its own right. Perhaps the band plays it a little too safe and hadn't quite latched onto its own distinct sound but despite not going too far out on a limb exuded a confidence and energetic delivery that proved to be enough to overcome any comparisons to other bands that preceded. Overall i wouldn't call this the band's creative peak in any way, shape or form but this debut is certainly a very competent first offering that rightfully put the band on the map and propelled COLLAGE to the ranks of one of Poland's top progressive acts of the modern age, which is quite the undertaking in its own right. It's extremely well done and really is an early Polish classic of prog.

— First review of this album —

On 5th February 1993, Edmund Geoffrey Mann died aged just 36 years old, leaving behind not only his family but artwork, plays, fifteen albums and the memories of the fans who had seen him perform in hundreds of concerts. Of all the musicians who have died since I became interested in music it was this death which impacted me the most (still true to this day), and I put together a tribute from many who had played with and known him. Thirty years on and Andrew Wild released 'His Love', a wonderful biography of the Mann with loads of photos and information, and to accompany that there was also this CD which can now be purchased separately.

What we have here is a Is a 15-track compilation album taking tracks from all the different albums Geoff recorded from 1981 until his untimely passing in 1993, presented chronologically. Is this a 'Best Of'? No, as there are just way too many songs missing - no "Creepshow" or "Sequences" for example, both songs which Geoff totally owned, while "We Are Sane" and "The Collector" are also absent, but if these had been included then it would have had to be a much longer release so it is best to think of it instead as an introduction. This is a nice way of seeing the changes in Geoff's approach through the years as when he joined Twelfth Night, they were primarily an instrumental act and he had to find room for his voice, "Sequences" being the best example of that, and here we see him moving from being an essential member of a band through to solo artist, collaborator and band leader.

Of his canon, 'Casino', is often the most overlooked which is nothing short of criminal as this project with Clive Nolan had the potential to become huge and it is interesting to compare it with the songs either side, with "Over The Edge" (with Marc Catley) featuring his wonderful wobbly guitar while "Apathetic & Here, I" is just Geoff and an acoustic. Geoff packed way more into his time here than many of have achieved with far greater time, and this set is a wonderful way of discovering more about his music and is the perfect item to be listening to while reading the book, so why not get both?

— First review of this album —

On September 2nd, 2023, Solstice sold out the iconic venue built by jazz legends Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine in 1970, something they view as a career highlight. The night was recorded and is now available as a full concert film (plus photo gallery) or as audio, and it is this which I am now playing. The band are the same as the previous two studio albums, namely founder Andy Glass (guitar), Jess Holland (vocals), Jenny Newman (fiddle), Peter Hemsley (drums), Robin Phillips (bass), Steven McDaniel (keyboards) plus two additional singers in Ebony Buckle and Gwen Taylor. Apart from the three singers, this line-up has been together for some years, having released 'Spirit' in 2010.

It is now 40 years since 'Silent Dance' came out, although I must admit to not hearing it until 10 years later, after I had already reviewed 'New Life'. Solstice are included on ProgArchives as Neo due to where they have come from, but if they were up for inclusion now I can see there being a battle with Crossover, as the band has in many ways moved from what they were and created a sound quite unlike any others in the scene. The fiddle has always been an important part of the music, and Jenny knows when to take the lead or when to take a break, the keyboards are often a backdrop as opposed to a driving force, while the same can be said for Andy who is more than happy to take a back seat at times, riffing hard at others. The whole band is designed to keep the female vocals front and centre, bringing in prog, pop, rock, folk and other influences to produce a highly polished performance. Jess is a real find, being a real performer as well as singer, and having two others with her to provide vocal harmonies in a live setting allows for more passion and depth.

We have been fortunate enough to have two studio albums, from the same line-up no less (which is somewhat unusual for the band) and given the way they are playing some high-profile gigs let us hope they have enough time to record another one soon. This is a wonderful demonstration of great prog from a band who for some strange reason have never really been given the acclaim they so richly deserve. If you are already a fan then I am sure this is in your collection, and if not then now is the time to investigate given the band have made this available free of charge so that even more can discover the great sounds of Solstice.