Your last listen

[CN211276]

Dare - Out of the silence

[CN211276]

Robert Berry's 3.2 'Alive at Progstock' (2022)



3-disc (CD/DVD/Bluray) package from a 2019 concert by a band you will probably only know of if you are a rabid ELP fan. Back in the 90's Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer were looking for a bassist/singer to do something a bit less 'formal' than ELP and they came across the young and highly talented Robert Berry, there was a musical click and the band '3' was born. After Keith Emerson's death in 2016, Berry had a set of half-finished material co-written by Keith and he put his out under the name '3.2'.
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So in 2019, Berry set up a touring band with '3' guitarist Paul Keller, Jimmy Keegan of Spock's Beard on drums and Andrew Colyer (Circuline) playing keyboards. The live set includes material not just from '3' but also Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull and ELP, also a great take on The Byrds 'Eight Miles High'. Sacrilege! Well, not entirely. Berry is a well-known figure in the US Prog scene and has worked with the likes of Steve Howe (Yes) and Andy Latimer (Camel), he was also one of the main forces in the 90's tribute albums from Prog-label Magna Carta who initiated the American Neo-prog scene. This is a guy who has worked his way up and earned his respect.

This live album is a feast for the obsessive Prog-head (me!) and features great playing from all concerned, superb recording quality and the between-song anecdotes from Berry are really funny and entertaining.

Party time!

[Vinyl-ant]

The beat - i just cant stop it

[CN211276]

Nightwish - Human ii Nature

[karatestu]

Fun boy three - our lips are sealed.

What a truly amazing track this is

[bbvideo] [/bbvideo]

[CN211276]

Airborne - Back in the game

[Nearlymusical]

The Grassella Oliphant Quartet - The Grass is Greener

[Fretless]

Gert Emmens 'The Last Alien' (2016)



There is an end-of-year sale on at synth-music label Groove and a pack of sale-price CDs has just arrived in time for Xmas. So it's these or Chris Rea and Greg Lake ...



I am a big fan of this Dutch EM artist. Emmens is a master in the use of sequencers and creates powerful, melodic soundscapes.

'The Last Alien' is one of his very best albums, created entirely on classic analogue synthesizers - mainly the same temperamental modular Moog that Johan Timman used on his EM classic 'A Trip into the Body'.

Sections by of this album recall the heady days of mid 70's Tangerine Dream with massive sequences and pulsing effects. This is one I will be playing a lot!

[CN211276]

Blackmore's Night - Winter Carols

[Fretless]

Mich 'Nuts' (2022)



A young Dutch band on their 3rd album ... and it all sounds so familiar. I'm transported back to the early 80's and Cherry Red bands like The Monochrome Set, The Raincoats and Sad Lovers & Giants.

Jangly Cure-style guitars mix with breathy, dreamy vocals in compact and introspective songs.

Try it.