Art Rock Show – Road to Planet Circus (Week 32)

Mad Fellaz is een Italiaanse band afkomstig uit Bassano del Grappa (Vicenza), en werd in 2010 opgericht. De band heeft zijn wortels in de progressieve rock worden ook andere stijlen aangeboord zoals fusion, jazz, klassiek, metal, enzovoort.

Prog Archives review: “Without exaggeration I can say that Mad Fellaz from Italy are belonging to my favourite contemporary bands. This due to the offered sophisticated songwriting skills, either resulting in a rather complex eclectic attitude, however also being highly melodic and catchy in the same way. Also, what you can rely on, they are not repeating themselves with every new album.

All in all, on this occasion they are tending to the more accessible side, which is including proper Jazz, Pop and Funk imprints, However, hereby they never ever will completely leave the main orientation, the progressive rock paths.… Read more...

Rock On! Wednesday, 10 August – Genesis, Focus, Anthony Phillips, Strawbs & Utopia

Psychedelic, heavy, prog and more innovating sounds spanning the late 60s and the early 70s – Wednesday September 15th. Dan’s pick of the week: Genesis (Foxtrot), Focus (Live at the Rainbow), Anthony Phillips (Wise After the Event), Strawbs (Grave New World) & Utopia (Oops! Wrong Planet).

Na een paar albums met veel experimenten in theatrale rock, is Foxtrot waar het allemaal begon voor Genesis. Dit album uit 1972 was het eerste van drie die het creatieve hoogtepunt markeerden tijdens van het “Peter Gabriel” tijdperk van de band.

Chris Jones BBC Review: “They’d fully incorporated the blast of a Mellotron into their sound and Phil Collins jazz leanings were pushing them in a slightly more interesting direction, away from the ponderous prog nonentity that awaited contemporaries like Gentle Giant.… Read more...

Art Rock Show – Uomini Di Sabbia (Week 31)

Nathan is terug met een derde album, met als titel Uomini di Sabbia (Zandmannen). Afkomstig uit Savona (Italië) en geleid door Piergiorgio Abba (keyboards, akoestische gitaar) en Bruno Lugaro (zang) blijft de band trouw aan hun roots van de Italiaanse prog.

Jan Buddenberg van DPRP.net: “Joining the composing duo of Abba and Lugaro, one now finds Giulio Smeraglivolo (guitars) and Luca Grosso (drums, except on Delerio Oniroco). Bass parts are now shared almost evenly between guests Fabio Zunino and Dino Cerruti. With Fabio Sanfilippo (drums) and Mauro Brunzu (bass) returning on the aforementioned Delerio Oniroco, this new album’s line up is complete.

The loosely bound theme on Uomini di Sabbia involves “the human being, his weaknesses and inability to contrast abuses”, with the longest suite on the album being specifically themed upon Big Brother and Utopian freedom.… Read more...

Art Rock Show – Daedalus (Week 30)

Daal wordt gevormd door percussionist Davide Guidoni en toetsenist Alfio Costa. Ze zijn beiden ervaren muzikanten in de Italiaanse Prog rock scene – Guidoni is een drummer die heeft gewerkt met Taproban, The Far Side, Gallant Farm, Nuova Era en andere. Costa (Tilion, Prowlers, Colossus project, Dark Session) speelt keyboards – meestal vintage, en ook wat softsynths.

Prog Archives review: “These are seasoned pros, extremely confident in taking their time in elaborating a classy work of the highest order, so it comes as no surprise that the opus is bookended by the “Journey Through the Spiral Mind Parts 1 and 2″, nearly 22 minutes in scope, with a 14-minute opener and an 8-minute closer.

Sweeping atmospherics and shimmering cymbals introduce Alfio’s unadorned piano motif, soon to be united with a similar crisp guitar line, a fretless bass loop and a deliberate expansion into mysterious realms, alternating the initial serene simplicity with rising crescendos of power streaks, an upward vortex of sound that is breathtaking.… Read more...