Landberk - One Man Tell's Another (1994)

This is old-style progressive/symphonic rock much like earlier King Crimson, with mellotron, complex rhythms, and long songs. Not sure why this album is already out of print, except that it apparently was not discovered by many. From reviews I have read, their first album was not very good, so many probably didn't bother with this one. If you like 70s prog then listen to this and enjoy.

Credits:

• Patric Helje / song
• Reine Fiske / guitar
• Stefan Dimle / bass
• Simon Nordberg / keyboards
• Jonas Lidholm / drums

Track List:

1. Time
2. Kontiki
3. Mirror Man
4. You Are
5. Rememberance
6. Valentinsong
7. Tell

Download Links: Enjoy the Music, or here.

Other recordings by Landberk:

• Indian summer
• Lonely Land 

Mar De Robles - MdR (2003)

Progressive Jazz-Rock/Fusion group from Chile. If you are a King Crimson or Focus fan then you should love this recording. This self-titled LP is their first release. Copies of this are hard to find anymore.

Credits:

• Ignacio Larrondo: percussion
• Cristián Larrondo: bass, vocals
• Julio Tobar: flute, Tenor saxophone, vocals
• Rodrigo Moris: guitar, vocals
• Victor Munoz: drums

Track List:

1. Introducción Al Universo Conocido
2. Involución
3. Nómades
4. Tantic
5. Milodón
6. Aire Chileno
7. El Flecha
8. V-S...

Download Link: Enjoy the Music!, or here.

Aera - Humanum Est (1975)

"AERA is a band from Germany who performs progressive fusion in the style of NUCLEUS, EMBRYO and DZYAN. Spacey guitar passages are the strongest characteristic in their music, as well as good flute and saxophone passages. They have 6 albums, of which "Humanum Est" is considered their best effort."—ProgArchives.com

Credits:

• Wolgang Teske / drums
• Klaus Kreuzeder / saxophone & flute
• Dieter Bauer / bass
• Muck Groh / guitar
• Peter Malinowsky / bass

Track List:

1. Papa Doing
2. Demmerawäng
3. Hodibbel
4. Sechs Achtel
5. Jonas Schläft
6. Alois' Flötending

Download Link: Enjoy the Music!, or here.

Xaal - On the Way (1991)

French Progressive Rock band with two albums to their credit. This is their first album and is entirely instrumental. Their style is like a mix of King Crimson and Camel with a little more jazz-rock feel at times. They even have some brass sections reminiscent of Chicago.

Credits:

• Nicolas Neimer - Bass
• Jad Ayache - Synthesizer, Guitar (Synthesizer), Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guitar Synth
• Patrick Boileau - Percussion, Drums, Engineer
• Alain Guillard - Sax (Tenor)
• Yvon Guillard - Trumpet
• Stephane Jaoui - Keyboards

Track List:

1. The Child
2. The Walk
3. Hhunks's Garden
4. On the Way
5. Talisman
6. The Old Butterfly Hunter
7. Ascension
8. Byblos
9. Final...

 Download Link: Enjoy the Music!

Circle - Pori (1998)

Circle is a Finnish experimental rock band with material that ranges from avant-garde to progressive rock and Krautrock. Circle's line-up has constantly changed over the years as the founder, Jussi Lehtisalo, is the only member who has been in the band the entire time.

Pori runs the gamut of the styles mentioned but is mostly Krautrock remeniscent of Faust, Can and Neu! and sometimes like Tortoise as well. This is their 5th album.

Credits:

• Pentti Dassum: Producer, Engineer, Mixing
• Teemu Elo: Guitar, Vocals
• Jussi Lehtisalo: Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Photography
• Teemu Niemelä: Keyboards
• Janne Peltomäki: Drums
• V. Raitio: Percussion

 Track List:

1. Perustamisasiakirja 8-3-1558
2. Vesitorni/Kaupunginsairaala
3. Back to Pori
4. Suurpalo
5. Kartano
6. Promenaadikaskus
7. Kruunu Paaha Pori Kuningas
8. Seisomakatsomo
9. Karhun Hansaa
10. Porin Jazz Juhlat

 Download Links: Part 1, Part 2.

Haze - Old, New, Burrowed & Blue (1984)

Haze (1978-1988) is a progressive rock band from Sheffield, England, active in England in the 1980s. Formed by brothers Chris McMahon (bass, keyboards and vocals) and Paul McMahon (guitar and vocals) the played their first concert at Stephen Hill Youth Club, Sheffield on 10 November that year. They had several drummers before the longest serving and most notable, Paul 'Chis' Chisnell, joined them at a concert at the White Lion, Huddersfield, on 19 June 1983.

Old, New, Burrowed & Blue was only released on cassette and was available to their fan club.

Track List:

1. Nellie
2. Don't Leave Me Here
3. End Of The Day
4. We Used To Know
5. Mushy Funk/Shadows
6. Aardvarks Superfluous
7. Baker St.
8. If Leaving Me Is Easy
9. Pick Up The Pieces(Mole Mix)
10. Far Over Misty Mountains

Download Link: Enjoy the Music!

Mangala Vallis - The Book of Dreams (2002)

Mangala Vallis is an Italian neo-progressive/symphonic rock group. Although I label them neo-progressive because of clear similarities to Spock's Beard, they also have a very 70s progressive feel with a lot of similarity to Genesis and Gentle Giant. Part of this may have to do with their use of vintage instruments. Still, as steeped in older progressive sounds as they are, they still have a freshness about them that immediately drew me in.

The Book of Dreams is their debut recording and is currently out of print and nearly impossible to find. It is dedicated to the memory of writer Jules Verne, and each track is based on one of his classic books (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in 80 Days, & A Journey to the Center of the Earth).

Credits (Group Members):

• Gigi Cavalli Cocchi / drums, percussions (Remo, Paiste, Vic Firth)
• Enzo Cattini/ Hammond C-3 w/Leslie, Minimoog-D, Mellotron M-400, Akai S-2000, E-MU Vintage Keys, Gem S-3
• Mirco Consolini / guitars & bass

 Credits: (Guest Artists):

• Matteo Setti / vocals (2, 3)
• Stefano Menato / saxophone (5)
• Vic Fraja / vocals (4 - 5, 7)
• Elisa Giordanella / viola (2, 6)
• Kimberly Duke / narrator

 Track List:

1. Ouverture (1:40)
2. Is the End the Beginning? (9:30)
3. The Book of Dreams (7:07)
4. The Journey (12:14)
5. Days of Light (9:06)
6. Under the Sea (3:36)
7. Asha (Coming Back Home)(8:24)
8. A New Century (10:22)

 Download Links: Part 1, Part 2.

Galie - Galie (1981)

A Mexican progressive rock group formed in 1979, Galie has mostly acoustic approach and most of their songs are instrumental. Their sound is well balanced with guitar, flute and keyboards taking the lead in turn, but in a very well orchestrated manner. Their first album is self-titled (as are their other albums, followed by successive Roman numerals). The name Gallie is derived from the band members' first names. No longer in print and near impossible to track down, this is a nice little jewel I found a few years ago on usenet. The mp3 files did not come with a scan of the album cover, so if anyone has a good scan, please send me a copy.

 

Line-up / Musicians

• Eugenio Barrantes / bass, guitars
• Leopoldo Cabieses / guitar
• Ignacio Cordero / synthesizers
• Luis Díaz Torre / flute
• Alfonso Portilla / drums
• J. Ignacio Portilla / guitars
• Gabriel Tellechea / piano, moog

Tracks Listing

1. Obertura (5:22)
2. Galie (7:09)
3. Viale (5:21)
4. Sulap (4:28)
5. La Hoche (4:45)
6. El Utimo Sueno De Paganini (4:25)
7. La Fuente (4:12)

 Download Link: Enjoy the Music!

Espiritu - Crisalida (1975)

Argentinian progressive rock group heavily influenced by Yes, Genesis and other early progressive rock groups. This is their first album and is a classic. Very nicely produced, recently re-issued but now out of print again already (although copies can be had from independent sellers, see below). This recording is their best according to most fans of the group.

Track List:

1. La Casa De La Mente (The House Of Mind) (6:58)
2. Prolijas Virtudes Del Olivido(Tedious Virtues Of Olivido) (2:52)
3. Suenos Blancos Ideas Negras(White Dream Black Ideas) (6:10)
4. Sabois De Vida (6:10)
5. Eterna Evidencia (Eternal Evidence) (2:59)
6. Tiempo De Ideas (Idea Of Time) (3:38)
7. Hay Un Mundo Cerrado Dentro Tuyo (Yours Is A Closed World Inside) (4:20)
8. Hay Un Mundo Luminoso (There is A Luminous World) (8:07)

Download Link:Download link removed due to copyright complaint.

Unfortunately, even though this recording is out of print, there has been a copyright complaint and the recording has been removed. Copies of unknown provenance are available at Amazon here: Crisalida.

 Recordings by Espiritu:

• Libre y Natural
• Crisalida

Chimera - Des Duivels Oorkussen (1979)

This progressive folk from the Netherlands, very much a Celtic kind of sound. This is Chimera's first release. In some ways their second is better and incorporates more of a rock sound, but this one is great as well, in my opinion. This group is not to be confused with one of the several other groups by the same name, including a Chimera from Belfast.

 

"CHIMERA began as a duo of fellow students Bas and Marry Verkade. The Verkades soon wed, and along with Marry's brother Koos became a trio whose music consisted largely of British and popular American folk covers. By the late seventies the group had migrated to Dutch folk themes and original compositions, leading to their first studio release ('Des Duivels Oorkussen') on the Stoof label in 1979. This was followed with a second and final album, 'Obstakel' in 1981, where the band expanded their sound to include electric instruments and a somwhat more rock-oriented sound, particularly on the second half of the album. The second release was well-received and the group had a planned international tour and tracks recorded for a third studio album, but as Bas and Marry felt the call to full-time parenthood for their two children they disbanded the group in 1982. The band reformed several years later and existed in varying degrees until illness led to a second retirement in 1995, but no further recordings were issued."

 

Source: Progarchives

 

Track List:

1. Daphne (6:12)
2. Een Aardig Vrouwke (4:40)
3. Warris (8:11)
4. St Vitusdans (4:03)
5. De Droghen Haring (1:57)
6. De Loteling (9:20)
7. Des Duivels Oorkussen (5:48)
8. Een Boerman (6:14)

 Download Links: Part 1, Part 2.

Arti and Mestieri - Giro di Valzer per Domani (1975)

My weakness for Italian progressive rock is showing again. Just found a copy of Giro di Valzer per Domani by Arti and Mestieri and just had to share it. Unlike a lot of other progressive groups their songs are on the shorter side, but are nevertheless well crafted.

 

The sextet Arti & Mestieri was formed in 1974 in Torino, Italy, by drummer Furio Chirico, following his departure from the Trip. Drawing membership from the cream of the local jazz rock scene, Arti & Mestieri frequently found themselves sharing a bill with Area, the long-running kings of that particular arena. However, their renown was such that they also opened for a number of visiting acts, most notably Gentle Giant. An intereswting tidbit considering that Gentle Giant is one of my favorites and I still remember a concert I attended in the 70s where Starcastle opened for them.

 

Track List:

1. Valzer Per Domani
2. Mirafiori
3. Saper Sentire
4. Nove Lune Prima
5. Mescal
6. Mescalero
7. Nove Lune Dopo
8. Dimensione Terra
9. Aria Pesante
10. Consapevolezza Parte 1a
11. Sagra
12. Consapevolezza Parte 2a
13. Rinuncia
14. Marilyn
15. Terminal

 Download Links: Part 1, Part 2.

 

Other Recordings by Arti and Mestieri:

• Tilt
• Giro Di Valzer Per D
• Live/1974-2000
• First Live in Japan
• Articollezione
• Quinto Stato
• Estrazioni
• Giro di Valzer per Domani
• Acquario
• Murales

La Torre dell' Alchimista - La Torre dell' Alchimista (2001)

La Torre dell'Alchimista (translated as "The Alchemist's Tower") was founded in Bergamo, Italy in 1997 by Michele Giardino, Davide Donadoni and Michele Mutti to record original symphonic progressive rock in the grand tradition of Italian legends Le Orme, PFM and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. The featured recording in this post was released in 2001 and is now out of print. The music is a nice throwback to the Italian progressive rock of the 70s and is a very enjoyable recording.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ceraolo Silva / flute
- Donadoni Davide / bass, alto clarinet (4)
- Giardino Michele / lead vocals, chorus, acoustic guitar (1 & 8)
- Mosconi Noberto / drums, acoustic guitar (4)
- Mutti Michele / hammond organ, fender piano, piano, keyboards, mellotron, synthesizer

Track List:

1. Eclisse
2. Delirio in C -
3. La Torre dell'Alchimista
4. Il volo
5. L'apprendista
6. I figli della mezzanotte
7. La persistenza della memoria
8. Lo gnomo
9. Acquario

 Sources: Official website of "La Torre dell'Alchimista," ProgArchives.com.

Download Link: Enjoy the Music!

 Other Italian Progressive Rock Recordings of Note:

• Neo
• Felona e Sorona
• Uomo Di Pezza
• L' Infinito
• Elementi
• Photos of Ghosts
• Per un Amico
• PFM 10 Anni Live Vol. 4 1977 - 1978 Jet Lag Tour/Passpartù Tour - 1980 - 1981 verso Un Nuovo Rock - Performance Tour
• World Became the World
• PFM 10 Anni Live/Vol.1 1971/1972-L'Infinito Tour Italiano
• Banco del Mutuo Soccorso
• Darwin!
• Di Terra
• Made in Italy
• Io Sono Nato Libero

Mark Huff and The Inflatables - Truth is Chaos (1992)

Mark Huff is a folk/rock/blues/country/singer/songwriter. He was born in Florida, spent most of his time in Las Vegas, and has been in Nashville since 2003. His musical style is broad, but he seems to never stray too far from a bit of a country sound. His first album, "Happy Judgement Day" was released in 1990. Truth is Chaos is Huff's second album, and the only one that mentions the "Inflatables."

Although this album is not overtly a "Christian" recording, many of the songs have clear spiritual messages and I find many of Huff's lyrics excellent.

Track List:

1. King of the End of the World
2. Don't Believe a Word
3. I Wanna Know Why
4. Death
5. Sold Down the River
6. Ride That Train
7. Dead Flowers

 Download link: Enjoy the Music!

Sources: Allmusic Guide, Mark Huff - Discography
 

Tony Banks - Still (1992)

 Anthony George "Tony" Banks (born 27 March 1950) is an English composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist. He is one of the founding members of progressive rock group Genesis and one of only two members (the other being bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford) to belong to Genesis throughout its entire history.

As a member of Genesis, Banks has been a pioneer in the use of synthesisers, as well as in the use of many other keyboards (such as the Yamaha CP-70 and as an organist, notably on the Hammond T-102). Through most of the band's history, Banks was the leading force in Genesis' songwriting; although the group was often responsible as a whole for composing song, his ideas were often the nucleus of their music, and he would frequently write lyrics as well. Outside of Genesis, Banks has enjoyed a modestly successful career in the world of film scoring, and a limited solo career as well.

Still was released in the UK in 1991 on Virgin Records and in the US in 1992 on Giant. Although it did not sell well, the album is well done. Banks is joined on the album by Jayney Kilmek (Alphaville, Tangerine Dream), Daryl Struermer, Pino Palladino, Luis Jardim (Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC), Nik Kershaw, James Eller, Graham Broad, Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth), Martin Robertson, Andy Taylor, and Fish. Stylistically the music is progressive rock, but it dips into a more pop or new wave range throughout.

Track Listing:

1. Red Day on Blue Street (Tony Banks & Nik Kershaw) 5:53
2. Angel Face 5:23
3. The Gift 4:00
4. Still It Takes Me By Surprise 6:32
5. Hero For an Hour 5:01
6. I Wanna Change the Score (Tony Banks & Nik Kershaw) 4:34
7. Water Out of Wine 4:43
8. Another Murder of a Day (Tony Banks and Fish) 9:13
9. Back to Back 4:38
10. The Final Curtain 5:01

Sources: Wikipedia, Allmusic.com

Download Link: Enjoy the Music.