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Review – M?bius Strip – M?bius Strip by Shawn Dudley
As a jazz fan who primarily hangs out with rockers and prog fans I often get the dreaded jazz question:? So, I’m kind of interested in jazz, where should I start? It’s dreaded because how do you suggest a starting position for an umbrella genre of music with nearly 100 years of recordings to choose…
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Review – Pallbearer – Heartless – by Shawn Dudley
Doom is a primal element of heavy metal, one of the tributaries that has been feeding the genre since Black Sabbath recorded songs like Electric Funeral, Black Sabbath and Under The Sun. The glacial pace, the mournful minor key, the rafter-rattling riff and the brontosaurus stomp of the rhythm section are essential ingredients. While the…
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Progradar Best Of 2016 – Shawn Dudley’s Top 10
Let’s face it, 2016 has not been the best year in human history, but it has been an exceptionally good year for music.? Seemingly every week something new would capture my imagination and become indispensible.? Due to the magnitude of choices putting together a year-end list became a daunting exercise. What follows is not necessarily…
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Review – Seven Impale – Contrapasso – by Shawn Dudley
The opening lurching guitar/organ riff sounds like the amplified machinery of a giant steamship; bellowing, relentless, ominous power.? Then it morphs into a straight, almost funky propulsive groove with some very tasty organ comping while various synth and vocals effects weave in out of the background like a swirling mist. The vocals of Stian Okland…
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Review – Emmett Elvin – Assault On The Tyranny Of Reason – by Shawn Dudley
Earlier in 2016 I was finally introduced to the enjoyable wonders of Knifeworld via their latest album Bottled Out Of Eden .? In the ensuing months it has been one of my most played albums and has inspired me to check out the other releases the band members have participated in. One such release is…
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Progradar – 2016 – Best of the First Six Months
(Yours truly and Prog Guru himself) Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the first official Progradar Reviewers and Friends ‘Best Of…’ feature. I asked those who wished to contribute to cogitate over what great music they had heard, released 1st January to 30th June, in the first half of 2016 and come up with a list…
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Review – Fates Warning – Theories of Flight – by Shawn Dudley
In many art forms maturity is a beneficial element to achieve; inspiration tempered by experience, knowledge and the passage of time. In rock music it’s often viewed as a detriment and this is even more pronounced in heavy metal circles. Look up comments on any heavy metal band that has been out for 25 years…
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Review – Landskap – III – by Shawn Dudley
Layers and more layers. A great deal of music I hear these days is built around complexity; whether it’s modern progressive rock music designed around dense instrumental arrangements or modern pop music stacking countless vocal tracks and studio effects together creating a giant wall of sound. It’s, of course, a valid approach and a lot…
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Review – Purson – Desire’s Magic Theatre – by Shawn Dudley
Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin.? Jim Morrison – I want you to get down and come with me to the D.M.T.? Rosalie Cunningham For those unfamiliar, Purson is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Rosalie Cunningham, who I firmly believe is one of the most exciting rock musicians to come along in ages.…
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Review – Messenger – Threnodies – by Shawn Dudley
What a difference 20 years makes. In the far distant past of the 1990s, Prog was still a dirty word; reviled, ridiculed and lampooned by the critical establishment and cynical music fans alike. You could count the number of bands playing the music on two hands and you’d still have fingers to spare. Fast forward…