MUSIC REVIEW: Loreena McKennitt - The Book of Secrets

"An evocative musical quest."

Ah, what a wonderful album. Loreena McKennitt's voice is a marvel, synthesizing the superhuman accuracy and strength of operatic soprano with the rich narrative quality of folk singers. Her skill as a composer is likewise impressive, as she stacks ethnic influences on a foundation of tried-and-true Celtic resources that makes for beautiful and compelling songcraft. The pristine recording quality heightens the album's mystique, making every instrument perfectly clear in even the broadest arrangement. And isn't that voice beautiful?

Each song tells its own story, but the beautiful, exotic soundscapes lend themselves very much to the listener's imagination. "Marco Polo" might evoke images of Oriental landscapes, while "Skellig" generates lamenting -- and somewhat romantic -- imagery. If the gorgeous and elegiac "Dante's Prayer" doesn't give you goosebumps, you must be a zombie. Especially noteworthy is the tragic ballad "The Highwayman" set to music. This ten-minute piece seems a bit repetitive for the first few listens, although you'll later find that the immaculately crafted composition subtly builds in intensity, adding the presence of stronger percussion and a more desperate, emotional flavor. I can't explain it, but "Night Ride Across the Caucasus" means a lot to me deep down. It must be something in the heavenly poetry, the exquisite melodies, or the stunning vocals. The chorus really is the best thing ever...well, almost!

And she sings like an angel, doesn't she?

Additionally, this CD features a great set of liner notes that sports little bits from McKennitt's journals, highlighting some of the influences for these songs, which I found very interesting. Some of those ethnic touches are hard to put your finger on, so having it pointed out helps. Great cover art too...really sets the tone for the album, I think.

And DAMN her voice sure is gorgeous, isn't it?

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - All the World's a Stage

"In the flesh."

Wow... I've never heard a live recording where the crowd whistles so much. Anyway, that's not so important. Rush had just released their pivotal power-prog release 2112, which featured the phenomenal side-long title track based on the writings of Ayn Rand. And the highlight of this live release is, in my opinion, an awesomely energetic performance of that epic. Some parts are cut out, reducing the song to 16 minutes, but it still rocks, man. At this stage in their career, Rush was rockin' hard, evident with crushing cuts like "Bastille Day," "Something for Nothing," and "Working Man," which has one of Lifeson's most exciting guitar solos to this day. The band also performs "By-Tor and the Snow Dog," which features some sublime instrumentation in the middle. Neil Peart's drum solo is interesting and very musical...I mean, it's more than just a guy hitting stuff. This is a great live album from the days when Rush was young and gushing energy.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Fly by Night

"Enter Peart."

Fly by Night signals the departure of John Rutsey and the recruitment of superlative rock drummer Neil Peart. Peart's membership helped guide this band to a more progressive, powerful trio than they were with the debut. His contributions musically and lyrically were HUGE. But it's important to keep in mind that in being an important album, Fly by Night is not necessarily a great one.

The record begins with "Anthem," a fiery-played rocker with Peart's first lyrical input. He lacked subtlety at this point; his Randian lyrics come across as pompous and hollow when too direct. (With "2112" and "The Trees," for instance, the lyrics work well because he's more clever.) "Rivendell" reminds me of a medieval minstrel's song. Gentle acoustic guitar accompanies Lee's most limpid vocals. I actually like this one, although many others don't care for it. I also enjoy the peppy riffs and catchy chorus of the title track, and the Zeppelin-esque "In the End."

I'd say the best song here is "By-Tor and the Snow Dog," a seminal progressive suite for the band. Although people say the instrumental interlude is aimless and boring, I like it a lot. The band uses their instruments in resourceful ways to convey the battle between By-Tor, the prince of the underworld, and the Snow Dog, a beasty-monster-thing. In that respect, it's somewhat like Yes' "The Gates of Delerium," but not quite as good. (On their live album All the World's a Stage, the band extends the instrumental section and makes it more interesting.)

Rush still required growth, some focus, but they were on the road to success.

MUSIC REVIEW: Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory (reconsidered)

"Progressive metal's finest hour (or 78 minutes)."

There are a lot of great progressive metal bands around these days. There's the symphonic and stylish Symphony X, the increasingly evolving Fates Warning, the original and daring Pain of Salvation, the technical powerhouses Power of Omens, and many others.

But among them all, Dream Theater remains the best. To me, no one else defines progressive metal like these five brilliant musicians. They strike an incredible balance of power, technique, emotion, and melody with a unified vision possible only with the remarkable degree of chemistry these guys share. And, in many ways, Scenes From A Memory is their best work.

Here's the skinny: It's a 78 minute concept album whose story stems from the original "Metropolis" mystique from their breakthrough album Images And Words. This is the album Dream Theater wanted to make all along, with no pressure from their label, and no regard for commercial success. It's a feast for the music lovers, with a good enough ear for composition and melody that the technique never overshadows the song. Dream Theater's critics love to attack them for going overboard with solos and instrumental sections, but it's never bothered me simply because they play with a lot of heart. John Petrucci is an outstanding guitar player who never restrains his technical ability, but most importantly he plays with a tremendous amount of soul. The encouraging heroics of his solo on "The Spirit Carries On" encapsulate this idea better than anything. It's pure beauty in music.

DT may not be able to repeat the greatness of SFAM in the future, but if they continue to make the music they love, there will never be another good-but-flawed Falling Into Infinity. They will continue to take great strides beyond their peers and continue crunching the mold to their image while making some of the best music out there.

MUSIC REVIEW: Tool - Lateralus

"Rich and challenging."

I'd always figured Tool was a lame "nu-metal" band with reams of angst and minimal talent.

However, this album had become the focus of a discussion among progressive metal fans whose opinions I highly respected. I was hearing some interesting adjectives applied to them: "intricate," "original," "intelligent," "progressive." I was interested, but still skeptical. These guys were popular, after all, and I assumed that they were appealing to the lowest common denominator like so many""nu-metal" bands.

My curiosity was compounded when I saw the phenomenal music video for "Schism" on MTV. It was a delightfully surreal pictorial essay with a theme of renewal and emotional interaction (I think). Although the video is excellent, the music also captured my ear. I was unable to get that final menacing line, "I know the pieces fit," out of my head. The song possessed interesting progressions, complex syncopations, and good deal of musical muscle. I could tell these guys were more than a "let's scream and bang on guitars and drums and sound angry" band. (Also known as a "nu-metal" band...if that stuff is your cup of tea, you are at this point invited to disregard this commentary).

So I bought Lateralus. Initially, it appealed to me because of the mystery of the compositions, and the understated imagination of their music. I found it self-consciously alienating, for it is very dark and eschews melodic hooks. I suspected the album was a challenge, so I persevered. The excellent production lends to that mystery...it is very bass-heavy and Keenan's distinctive voice is sometimes barely audible, like a forlorn spectre. At other times, he's incredibly visceral and venemous, with a telling, indignant quality that perfectly fits with music so oppressively bleak. With each listen, I found something new, and as I began to follow the lyrics (note: get them from the Tool's site), things began to click. I started understanding the deliberate austerity of the music and appreciating it from an artistic perspective. It's experimental, somewhat unsettling, and tense.

And this is not the kind of stuff that beats you over the head with a loud, raucous song in four minutes. The average song length here is 8 minutes or so (not including the segues and track 13). This allows the band to express more lush ideas with their music, and be more experimental. Many songs contain hard, crushing moments balanced by slower, quieter moments. It only rarely "rocks"...Tool likes to draw you in with hypnotizing rhythms, sweeping textures, and crafty orchestrations instead of "rocking out."

And I am tremendously impressed by their work. This isn't progressive metal in the same vein as Dream Theater or Symphony X. In fact, I hesitate to call it metal. It IS heavy, but it's very subtle and insinuating. However, it is _progressive_ in that it does new things, pushes boundaries of categorization, and challenges the listener. This is the kind of music that requires some effort to "get" (as in understand), but it's a satisfying achievement to experience it.

Probably the best album out in 2001, I'd say.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Going for the One

"The last hurrah of Yes' classic prog."

Until recently, Yes had always been my favorite progressive rock band. They've had their ups and downs, but when they were good, wow...they were really something. Going For The One was the band's final moment of greatness, serving as a coda for their prosperous epoch of the 1970s, which began with The Yes Album several years before. After this record, Yes never did anything as consistent or interesting.

I never liked any of Yes' work as much as Close to the Edge, but Going For The One just might be my second favorite. For the first time since Fragile, we get songs under ten minutes, and the band again shows they don't have to put together a colossal epic to write great music. The title track has a killer vocal hook and Steve Howe playing a C&W-esque riff on steel guitar (I don't think many other prog rockers used that thing). "Turn of the Century" is a wonderful, elegant ballad as only Jon Anderson can do them.

It's clear that Rick Wakeman (who's back on this album) likes the organ. There's a lot of it on this album, and it was recorded at St. Martin's Church in Switzerland. You wouldn't think an hulking organ - generally ascribed to moments of beauty and majesty - could be a rock n' roll instrument, but Wakeman turns it into one. Just listen to "Parallels." It's definitely unconventional, which is part of what makes it so interesting.

The 15-minute "Awaken" is one of the band's best epics, and that's no mean feat, because they have a lot of great ones. After the opening piano segment, it goes into the usual Yes characteristics: many layers of synths, guitars and bass playing out complex melodies in a pseudo-orchestral fashion. Anderson's lyrics are strange as always, but the diction is delightfully spiritual, and his radiant singing - love it or hate it - is critical for this evocative and spacey song. The ambient middle instrumental section before the "Master of..." lines is one of Yes' most sublime moments. Anderson's busts out the harp for some appreciated flourishes that add considerably to the atmosphere and magic of the song.

The original recording's production sometimes had problems balancing the vocals and the instruments. There were frustrating moments when it was hard to make out what Anderson was singing if you didn't already know the lyrics. So, the remastered edition is a good bet.

MUSIC REVIEW: Eternity X - The Edge

"A transcendental progressive metal masterpiece."

Before getting The Edge, I had read countless for reviews for it, and invariably they lauded it one of the best albums in the progressive metal category. With that kind of praise, I knew it was something I had to hear for myself.

Expectations were high, and I was in no way disappointed; The Edge encapsulates greatness in progressive metal. Lots of emotional power, grandiosity, virtuoso performances, incredible vocals, and great songwriting. It is a concept album about people on the "edge"; people who question the meaning of life, people who are pushed past the breaking point, a society on a precipice of aberration. Lyrically it is very good. Musically, very good. Vocally, also very good. But The Edge is better than the sum of its impressive parts -- this truly is an extraordinary musical work.

Lead vocalist and songwriter Keith Sudano is a very talented man. Superhumanly accurate, rich and narrative while evoking a romantic power, his voice is a marvel. He is like an actor who becomes different people with each song. At times, he sounds like Mike Baker (from Shadow Gallery), except with far more range, emotional expression, and power. As a songwriter, he has a great sense of complexity and melody and he commands a vast musical vocabulary.

"The Edge - Introduction" is the harrowing overture to this astonishing album. The gothic organ that opens this track sets a dark, haunting tone. In the middle interlude, the instrumental interplay is inventive and exciting. One might first suspect that the album is gearing up for nothing more than an accomplished foray into progressive metal's conventional territory. They would be wrong....

"Fly Away" is the paean of The Edge. Laden with piano and sweeping string synths that accompany the powerful guitars, this song is very moving. The chorus is memorable and beautiful, and Sudano's delivery is breathtaking. The heroic guitar solo is absolutely incredible. The high spirits of this one are very infectious.

"The Confession" had me thinking it was a lost song from Operation: Mindcrime. The thought of this song's premise gives me shivers: it's about a man who kills clergymen in confessionals to avenge his daughter, who was raped and murdered by a priest. Sudano's soaring vocal style of the first two songs changes completely here. Now he isolates the emotional distress of the character and sounds like a normal -- if mentally distraught -- fellow. The anger, the anguish...so perfectly captured by the Sudano's vocals and the cutting instrumentation. The inclusion of "Fortuna Imperatix Mundi" in the intro was an appropriate touch to set the tone.

"The Edge II - The Looking Glass" explores a medieval direction, both musically and lyrically. Jamie Mazur's keyboards establish the atmospheric orchestral backdrop, and Sudano's lyrics are cryptic metaphors for ethical issues. The spitfire guitar riffs build up the urgency before the vocals get start up. The chorus is shocking: Sudano sings an operatic falsetto. It's cool, but at that range Sudano's pronunciation comes apart. That is my only complaint with the entire album.

"A Day In Verse" begins with a sublime piano passage that I love. Sounds a lot like Styx's "Come Sail Away." Sudano's vocals are quieter and almost fragile, but he remains an expressive, visceral wonder. For the most part, "A Day In Verse" is a beautiful ballad, although the middle of the song is more aggressive. The instrumental interlude -- with the heavy throbbing bass, a charging guitar riff, and flamboyant strokes of piano -- is pure genius. It then returns to the quieter theme of the song that is oh so incredible in its evocative power and flow.

By now, Sudano and co. have proven to be infallible songwriters. It seems fitting that they now offer the difficult and mysterious "Imaginarium," which reminds me of Queensryche's "Roads to Madness." This 10-minute track opens with a dark acoustic guitar line, layered by a quiet mesmerizing synth, while the lyrics and vocals are elegiac. Slowly, almost teasingly, the song begins to build in intensity, then things explode into a speedy riff and fiery vocal lines. This undulating arrangement is repeated. Interesting melodic progressions and engaging, high-energy arrangements make this one great.

"The Edge III - Existence Chapter 1,000,009" is a quieter, eclectic piece with lushly pressing instrumental interplay and a subtle, galloping groove. The band shows off some dazzling instrumental interplay during the interlude where they quote classic Beethoven themes.

"The Edge of Madness" is the best recorded depiction of insanity you'll ever hear. Sudano effectively becomes the madman in the song, using close to ten different voices to convey unadulterated dementia. Melody shifts move from staccato guitar strikes to quiet piano passages to accompany the unpredictable change of bearing. It's stunning...but it gets better. In the middle section, Sudano starts cursing the band and the listener themselves! Who are they to tell his story and make money off it, or just sit their and listen to it to get some jollies? The leads in this song come hard, fast and furious.

"Rejection" seethes with anger, again conveyed perfectly in both a musical and vocal sense. You won't hear unqualified rhythmic violence or vocal fury like this from many progressive metal songs.

"Baptism By Fire" is compositionally colorful with mixes of exquisite piano, impassioned vocals, and mid-tempo riffery. Lyrically, it is about being enraged by the world but finding solace in the single, special person whom you love. It fits, given the way the song goes through so many melody shifts.

"The Edge, Legacy/Reprise" closes the album fittingly. By the time the reprise rolls around, you're almost saddened that the CD is ending. However, the dark, enigmatic tones of this album assures that it will prove fruitful for long-term exploration. You'll be listening to this one for a long time. In terms of diversity, the heterogeneous songs ensure that you'll never get bored. This album leaves an indelible mark, and is a must have.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Relayer

"Perplexing, daring, awesome prog."

Yes continued to ride upon their surging undulation of progressive ambition with Relayer, the most experimental of the band's disparate catalogue. As a fan who enjoyed the subtle beauty of Tales From Topographic Oceans, I initially found Relayer's abstruse music opaque and puzzling, in a sense that I couldn't 'get' the songs. After awhile, though, things began to click, and I now find Relayer to be one of the most interesting of all progressive rock albums.

The side long track here is the phenomenal "The Gates of Delirium," which is perhaps progressive rock's most evocative composition. It goes beyond the above any traditional approach to rock in a sense that it - for the most part - forsakes melody and "ROCKING" to generate vivid images and tell a (generalized) story. Innovative in its use of instruments, the song summons forth images of battle: the cacophony of clashing steel, cries of distress, the razing of buildings, et cetera. The percussive assault of Alan White's drums is astonishing, serving as the fundament for the dense tapestry of sounds that invokes the lucid image of war. It's quite amazing; close your eyes and let yourself become inundated in the intricate weaves of instrumental violence. When the dissonance comes to an end, a quiet, ethereal passage concludes the song. Here, Jon Anderson's delicate vocals soar with an ineffable heavenly quality that gives me shivers. Many know this last part because it was made into a single-edit, but believe me, it loses its punch when not preceded by the lengthy span of chaos.

The weird "Sound Chaser" follows. Here, new keyboardist Patrick Moraz's jazz influence is very evident, and Squire's adroit bass and White's meticulous drumming tear through the mix. This song, too, often trifles with dissonance, but with a different effect. This song is peppy and almost fun, and the vocals are catchy and almost evoke Yes Album melodies. Howe's solo is dangerously close to jarring with that grating pitch, but otherwise this is a neat song.

The album finishes with the soothing piece "To Be Over," a quiet aria that can lull me to sleep. Not because the song is boring, not at all. The vocal melodies are radiant, and the arrangements engaging. But the song is so peaceful and gives me a profound sense of mental solace. This song makes me feel like I'm floating...ahhh...

Since Relayer is something of an acquired taste, I think it takes at least five listens to understand the music. Then it probably takes at least a dozen listens to begin appreciating the depth of each composition. It's an involved piece of work, but well worth the effort to make it "stick."

MUSIC REVIEW: Dream Theater - Metropolis 2000, Scenes from New York (DVD)

"Astonishing live prog metal."

Dream Theater's concept album Scenes From A Memory is jaw-dropping on CD, but one gains a whole new level of appreciation for the work when one sees it performed. I mean, Dream Theater plays some really complex stuff here, and it's awesome to watch. "The Dance of Eternity" is insane, and the instrumental section of "Beyond this Life" has some really tough harmonization and unison lines. John Myung's dexterous bass playing is especially incredible to see because it's sometimes difficult to hear him in the mix on the CD. Jordan Rudess is truly a god among keyboardists, and I don't doubt that in a few years we'll regard him with the same deference as legends like Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson. It's almost uncanny how easily he plays everything. What's also interesting about him is that he doesn't use racks of keyboards; he controls everything from just one, and switches between sounds with a pedal. Very cool. For much of the show, I just sat there with my jaw constantly hitting the floor thinking, "How the freakin' heck do they do that?"

The band puts on an incredible show. The band usually has a sort of calm stage presence, but here they're gushing energy. LaBrie's vocals never miss their mark, and in some ways his performance is better here than on the CD. I hadn't realized he had this much live power (let's not forget that he's an operatically trained vocalist, too). The band recreates SFAM's story using images on the big screens, which is good for those who didn't quite grasp the plot. (I understood the story, but it was nice to finally see what the breaking glass was on "Finally Free.") The band also brings in the hypnotherapist, the gospel choir for "The Spirit Carries On," and Theresa Thomason to sing Victoria's lines on that same song. Here, they've essentially recreated the album better than I could have imagined.

The bonus material is great. Personally, I found the "Making Of" section very interesting, and the band's audio commentary for the concert is really quite funny. The "Deleted Scenes" are a dream come true. I never expected to see the band perform "A Mind Beside Itself" in its entirety, and the electric version of "The Silent Man" is an intense extension of the original song. "Learning to Live" is a great anthemic song, even better here because of LaBrie's vocal improvisation during Petrucci's heroic guitar solo (the one right after LaBrie's hits that high F). And the best of all... "A Change of Seasons" as an encore, with some fun embellishments during "IV. The Darkest of Winters.

What I'm getting at is...this DVD is incredible. If you're a DT fan, you absolutely need this.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Caress of Steel

"Lack of focus can't undermine quality of material."

Although this is one of Rush's most unfocused records, I've always really liked it. I guess the band hadn't quite cohered entirely at this point, and it's a bit weird to have one song about heroes fighting against an evil wizard and another song about getting old and losing your hair.

The side-long epic "The Fountain of Lamneth" shows that the band hadn't quite mastered the long format. For one, the song FEELS long (and it is, at twenty minutes), whereas later Rush epics seem to zip by. Still, it's got the requisite thematic integration, soft moments, loud rocking moments, and a catchy chorus during "Baccus Plateau". It's a favorite.

"The Necromancer" is basically three separate songs tied together by a little story about an evil sorceror and those who fight him. The narrator is hilarious because his emotion and pacing his so awful, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The song finishes with an triumphantly uplifting riff (the necromancer has been defeated!) that makes me want to raise my fist into the air.

The rest of the album is pretty ok. There is the laughably bad, ultra-generic "I Think I'm Going Bald," but "Bastille Day" is a solid rocker and "Lakeside Park" is mellow and catchy. The album is really worth it for the two long songs. It's easy to forget this one (it was the precursor to 2112, after all), but it's underrated and deserves recognition.

MUSIC REVIEW: Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons

"Dream Theater's ultimate epic."

I think we can thank the bootleg The Dance of Eternity for this fantastic release. The Dance of Eternity was recorded during the I&W tour, and at that show they played "A Change of Seasons" in its entirety. As the bootleg was distributed, demand grew for an official recording of the band's magnum opus. The band finally conceded and released the song a few years later with some bonus live material.

This 23-minute track encapsulates Dream Theater's greatness. Emotionally powerful, often heavy, sometimes soulful, audacious, and technically challenging music. The production here is very good, perhaps Dream Theater's best studio recording up to that point from that perspective. More importantly, the band understands how the write a captivating epic that never seems boring... in fact, it's so enthralling that you barely realize it's over. Written in seven movements, the seasons parallel an semi-autobiographical story about growing up and coming to terms with mortality. It is very touching at times, especially with the heart-wrenching licks of Petrucci's solo on "V. Another World." The virtuosity also makes an impression, especially the lightning fast solos and unison lines on "IV. The Darkest of Winters." LaBrie's vocals never miss their mark, and he further establishes himself as one of progressive rock/metal's most emotive singer. What you have here is perhaps the best song by progressive metal's greatest band.

The bonus live material is great. It's very cool hearing an Elton John song (of all things) that gets Dream Theater's magic treatment. I'm no Elton John fan, but the cover is good! "Perfect Strangers," (Deep Purple) is a perfectly fitting song for DT to play, while the Led Zeppelin covers and the "Big Medley" are also enjoyable. They had a bunch of room left on the disc, so I'm disappointed that they didn't include more songs from this show. I would have liked to see Metallica's "Damage Inc." and Tori Amos' "Winter" included here, and maybe the excerpts from Yes' "Starship Trooper" and "Siberian Khatru." Ah well...there's always the bootleg...

(Ignore people griping about the covers. Like them or not, it's just bonus material...concentrate on the actual song from which the EP draws its name. It's stupid to judge an album based on bonus material.)

Quite simply, you cannot qualify as a Dream Theater fan until you add this disc to your collection.

MUSIC REVIEW: Iron Maiden - Brave New World

"Iron Maiden's restitution."

It's been years since Iron Maiden has sounded so vibrant and creative. Brave New World is a fine achievement of quintessential heavy metal songwriting; a return to form for one of metal's preeminent bands. Maiden shows considerable growth here, but the energy captured on this record is nearly concordant with their zenith of intensity (I refer to albums like Piece of Mind and Powerslave). This is the album Maiden fans have awaited for years, ever since they began to lose their fervor with No Prayer for the Dying.

So, Blaze Bailey out, Bruce Dickinson in. A good trade, to say the least, but even better with the canny melodic sense and creativity of guitarist Adrian Smith, who also returns. This ups the line-up to three lead guitarists, which might sound excessive, but it's remarkable how well they make it work. The arrangements don't sound cluttered at all, and overall the band handles this approach intuitively. If anything, they should have explored more complex guitar harmonies than they did. The production is stunning and gritty, and succeeds and isolating and preserving the ineffably energy of Iron Maiden's music.

As always, Iron Maiden is defined by the impetus of heavy metal's intensity with a shrewd melodic awareness unique among metal bands. The difference is that the band shows considerable progression here. While there are cuts that just ooze the classic Maiden sound (like "Wicker Man," "The Mercenary," and "Fallen Angel"), while others explore the band's more ambitious tendencies. Shades of these inclinations have often been evident ("Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son," "Heaven Can Wait," for instance), but here the band delves into them farther. Behold the Middle Eastern influences of the epic "The Nomad," the mix of quiet and loud passages in "Thin Line Between Love and Hate," and the lush orchestrations of "Blood Brothers." So, while the band retains their classic feel, they also expand on this with rewarding results. Truly, they are one of the most sophisticated heavy metal bands ever. (Steve Harris does enjoy many progressive rock bands, you know.)

My only complaints are that the band sometimes protracted the songs unnecessarily. "Mercenary" and "Fallen Angel" are ok, save for the fact that they are too repetitive. "Dream of Mirrors" is, again, a great song, but it should have been 2 or 3 minutes shorter because a lot of it is needless repetition. I'm left thinking that the band was trying too hard to impress at times.

Still, despite these complaints, I can't deny that this truly is a recovery for Maiden. Good job boys. (Sweet cover art, too!) Now how about another solo album, Bruce?

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - A Farewell to Kings

"Add this to a list of 'Rush's Best.'"


While 2112 was the first Rush song I ever heard, A Farewell To Kings was the first Rush album I owned (the store didn't have 2112 at the time). Sentimentally, it's a favorite because it was among my first progressive rock albums, but beyond the gushiness I still love this album because it's great music.

For a band that critics hated, Rush had quite a following at this point, picking up numerous fans who'd been dazzled by the band's stunning musicianship, philosophical reflection typically disguised as fantasy/sci-fi stories (but not always...sometimes it was just a story), and the fact that they freakin' rocked. A Farewell To Kings produced one of the band's most popular songs, "Closer to the Heart," which continues to receive the attention of classic rock radio stations all over the place. I don't use superlatives too much, but I must say that this is the best rock song under three minutes EVER. The socially conscious title track squeezes a lot of "progression" into a 5 minute song. The highlights of this album are the mesmerizing epic "Xanadu" and the rockin' space adventure known as "Cygnus X-1, Book I." Even though the latter is best appreciated as a precursor to the phenomenal "Hemispheres," it's a great song even on its own. The first movement is ominous, the second is catchy and exciting, and the third is an insane rhythmic assault underscoring Lee's screaming vocals.

Finally, like most of Rush's work, this really doesn't sound dated at all, despite being released in the late 70s. Timeless music is great music!

Critics are retarded. Rush rules. Or something. But I'm pretty sure I'm right.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - 2112

"Totally awesome rockin' prog and memorable sci-fi story of heroism."


2112 was an important album for Rush, because it combined with breadth of scope that they'd previously flirted with combined with tighter songcraft. Not to mention, absolutely memorable proto-prog-metal rockin' awesomeness. Up to this point, it was their best album. It was also their breakthrough record (well, comparatively speaking), and showed that lots of people would like a twenty minute epic if it was done so well.

2112 is NOT a concept album (a lot of people mistakenly label it as such). Anyone who says it is has the burden of showing how the title track is at all related to any of the other songs. Trust me, no such connection will be made unless you've hit the bong about 1000 times.

In any case, the big title track does tell a heroic story about one man who fights for individualism in a collective world. Ostensibly inspired by Ayn Rand's novella "Anthem," it uses a frightening sci-fi setting to tackle the good old debate of the individual vs. the collective. For the first time, the band writes an epic that seems about half as long as it really is, with inflections of driving riffery, soft acoustic moments, and virtuoso proficiency throughout. Reams of ear-catching riffs drench the "Overture," and the song progresses through its seven movements of rocking euphoria. This SOB is one of my favorite Rush songs ever, and it's the one that really got me turned onto the band.

The rest of the album is pretty good, but "2112" is what this disc is all about. A must own rock album.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Hemispheres

"Awesome Rush."

Rush's days of progressive rock hit their zenith with Hemispheres. It was big, bold, pretentious, orchestral...and it rocked. The incredible piece, "Cygnus X-1 Book II," proved that the band had mastered the epic format. Written in six movements, tied together by thematic unity, and telling the story of the philosophical conflict between reason and passion, it is possibly their best epic. Here, the band combines classical music's sense of space and monumental scope with rock's raw power and energy. The mixture of loud and soft passages and crescendos do more than add to the dynamics of the arrangement, but also perform well in translating the emotion of the composition, which is important given the song's philosophical overtones. Eighteen minutes never went by so fast...which is complimentary. It takes considerable skill not to make an epic seem long, and even more to make it seem short. This is especially laudable in Rush's case, since they don't have the added dimension through an emphasis on keyboards that most progressive bands have.

Side 2 of the album features two short songs and a 10 minute instrumental. The short songs are stronger than most that have preceded this album. "Circumstances" is a classic short Rush song (they have so many!), characterized by Lee's trademark shriek (really high on this one!), tight riffs and a great melody. "The Trees" is another favorite. A forest is used as a metaphor for socio-economic issues. Corny? Nope, just really smart. The serene interlude complements the natural setting, with some inventive percussion from Peart. "La Villa Strangiato" is what the band called "an exercise in self-indulgence." Ten minutes of awesome instrumental virtuosity that affirms the skill of the band. They say it's pompous, but the song is good enough that non-musicians can still appreciate it. Lifeson's guitar solo here is one of the all-time best Rush moments.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory

"MY MAGIC SWORD!!!"

Now I'm the jerk who wrote the reviewderiding Rhapsody's exceedingly foreign vocals and cheesy lyrics. While I stand by that assessment, it was unfair for those characteristics to denigrate Dawn of Victory's rating. So this is meant to be a more "fair" review.

Rhapsody's story of fantasy adventure is something that generates emotional fuel. Even if the story is very generic, what counts is the feelings that come through. Metal bands these days are turgid and excessive in their negative attitudes, and Rhapsody's feeling of heroism is refreshing and pleasant. And, this is just my opinion, but I'd rather listen to songs about dragons and warriors than drinking beer, driving a truck, or having the hots for the girl at the office.

Rhapsody feels no embarrassment when tackling songcraft of this type. So it's the "good" kind of campiness. Because they are so enthusiastic about what they are doing, their energy is certainly infectious, aided by their excellent musicianship and Luca Turilli's incredible sense of melody. Many of these songs have the hooks of pop, but the energy and intensity of heavy metal. However, Rhapsody's inclusion of symphonic elements makes it something else entirely. Operatic choirs, REAL strings (not keyboards), among other things, all add credence to the band's style.

Unfortunately, the band seems to have lost some of its creativity since their previous release, Symphony of Enchanted Lands. SoEL is more creative, with greater ebbs and flows of diversity, and more interesting orchestral passages. While Dawn of Victory is still very good and has several great songs, they are more and more interchangeable with less emphasis on the orchestral side and a heavier lean towards the metal end. That's not necessarily a bad thing in itself, but doing so sacrifices an important factor of originality that they once possessed. Another drawback is the album becomes very homogenous sounding in the second half, whereas the first half has better songwriting and songs sound more variegated. Check out Symphony of Enchanted Lands before you check out this out.

A good album. It's cheesy, but that's part of what makes it great.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans

"Mystical and beautiful."

I can imagine the time when this album first came out. Yes fans must have praised the album for its daring, its ingenuity, its LENGTH. Now I can imagine things ten years later, with rock critics ridiculing the album for everything from its mystic lyrics, pompous songwriting, indulgent musicianship... everything for which progressive rock has been derided. Even Yes' diehard fans have decidedly mixed feelings regarding this epic work. To them, it could be the pinnacle achievement of Yes' estimable career, or it could the be the most unnecessarily grandiloquent prog album EVER.

On occasion I've tried to empathize with those who dislike this album, thinking that perhaps their criticisms have some merit. Still, I can't get over the fact that this is truly excellent work. I think the music is simply sublime, many of the most wonderful passages that Yes ever recorded. Not as cohesive as the epics on "Close to the Edge" (still my favorite Yes album), but certainly more dynamic, it takes countless listens to fully appreciate. Even 25 years after its release, I'm still finding new elements to this richly absorbing work.

It's all anchored by that awesome rhythm section of Alan White's drums and Chris Squire's mammoth bass guitar, while Wakeman's lush synthesizers add ambiance and depth, and Steve Howe's guitar artistry is sophisticated and engaging. Jon Anderson's trippy lyrics and soulful, elf-ish singing are topnotch. Although the lyrics are mostly confusing, I believe their meanings are meant to be vague. They rely on surreal and romantic imagery to generate feeling in the listener in musical context. It doesn't really matter because the lyrics attain an emotional connection regardless of what they are actually about. I've always believed that Yes' individual elements are impressive, but less important than the unified result of their efforts.

The songs could enjoin a complete review for each one, as each song is brimming with depth and complexity. "The Revealing Science of God" is absolutely spellbinding. From the moment you hear the unmistakable thematic development in the vocal section at the beginning, you know it's going to be something great. A mostly placid epic that occasionally drives into fast-paced energy. Approaching the song's finale, this one climaxes with a mind-bending solo from Wakeman. Cryptic lyrics focused on metaphysical objective values (I think; who really knows?) are tied some of the group's best arrangements.

"The Remembering" is a standout for Rick Wakeman. There's moments of fierce swirling synths and mellotrons, and him and Howe alternately repeat the song's main theme on different instruments. Lots of memorable melodies here, and the song gets pretty intense at times (like the "Relayer" passages).

"The Ancient" is the most difficult song to appreciate. But it is the best song on this album. Its heavy focus on abstruse instrumentation bores many people. That alien guitar tone and the clattering percussion is an amazing combination! I'm a huge fan of music that implements Eastern influences, and this track is filled with them. The band shows incredible versatility in their endeavor to underscore the idiosyncratic beauties of these cultural influences. Towards the end of the song, Howe's acoustic wizardry is displayed. Awesome!

"Ritual" is a sprawling piece that is very symphonic at times. A lengthy instrumental passage opens this one, and just when you think the track is starting to meander, it gets back on track. This one never gets too pretentious, and it's beautifully melodic and excitingly played and arranged. At the 15-minute mark, there's this unforgettable orchestral interlude with devastating percussion and harrowing strings (synthed, of course). The ending is gorgeous, with clean electric guitar/piano interplay and Anderson's delicate vocals.

Like complex jazz, some of Yes' music is far too esoteric to be appreciated by everyone. That's perfectly fine. I don't consider myself intellectually superior to the many who have no taste for this admittedly convoluted work of music. Still, it moves me, it engrosses me, and it never bores me. It may not tap the conventional spirit of music, but to me, that's part of what makes it special. I wouldn't want it any other way.

Honestly, I think that 'prog fans' who don't like this album just don't have TRUE PROG LOVE in their hearts.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Close to the Edge

"A timeless prog masterpiece."

I think it's great that Yes fans have such diverse tastes when it comes to their favorite albums. This shows that the band appealed to many different people on many different levels. One thing that's common from fan to fan, however, is that most favorites come from the glory days, those between The Yes Album -- when their progressive leanings began to appear in earnest -- and Going For The One -- when they started toning down on the experimentation. The reason is simple: during these years, Yes produced some of the best and most important progressive rock albums ever.

I like or love all of these albums, but to me, Close To The Edge is a big notch above the others in terms of supreme quality. This is Yes at their zenith, as a unified band brimming with originality. I still listen to it frequently, proving that great music oversteps trends. This sucker is a true masterpiece.

"Close to the Edge" is one of the band's best and most cohesive epics. I also think it's the most difficult to describe. The instrumentation is so wonderfully eclectic, and yet the music works so well together. The effect is only comparable to an orchestra, where each section works with others, aspiring for the overall effect, not individual elements. The ultimate synergy. Howe's compelling guitars create a hypnotic effect, while Wakeman's sublime flourishes serve as both an symphonic backdrop and a commanding lead instrument. Bruford's unique jazzy drumming affixes the solid rhythm section, and Squire's low-end bass rumblings straddle the line between maintaining rhythm and functioning as another lead instrument. The cacophonous opening that sunders the serene nature sounds is wonderfully crazy, with time signatures only a supercomputer could notate correctly. The lovely middle section "I Get Up, I Get Down" is beautiful, with Wakeman's soaring organ bringing it to its climax, then segueing into his incredible keyboard solo. The song culminates as it returns to its main theme with uplifting vocal harmonies that never fail to give me goose bumps.

This masterful work brings side one to a close (irrelevant on CD, of course), but Yes keeps you riding on that musical high for the next two songs.

I don't consider "And You and I" a love song, but somehow it's very beautiful, almost romantic. There's something imaginatively lovely about lines like "And you and I climb, crossing the shapes of the morning | And you and I reach over the sun to the river." The song begins with the simple charm of Howe's acoustic guitar and Anderson's folksy melodies. The song climaxes not once, but twice, as it goes through the two main themes. I think Anderson's delicate vocals are the highlight here. Awesome, awesome song.

"Siberian Khatru" is a cool tune. Some Eastern influences merge with gutsy rock n' roll, making for a snappy song that's remarkably catchy for such an in-depth piece. Lots of tight harmonies and intermittent melody shifts make this great song better.

Critics have called Yes' epics fragmented and meandering, but this is one album where that criticism fails. All the songs cohere intelligently, never meandering beyond the song's established musical themes. This album is absolutely perfect.

MUSIC REVIEW: The Flower Kings - Flower Power

"Prog rock. Lots of it."

The obvious highlight of this 2CD set is the massive suite "Garden of Dreams." Normally, this would be enough to satisfy the material for one album, but the Flower Kings better the package with another 80 or so minutes of music. A great deal, at the very least.

The 60-minute epic "Garden of Dreams" is divided into eighteen parts, and they run the aural gamut with countless musical styles. Gothic orchestral moments, straight ahead crass rock n' roll, virtuoso insanity, even some light opera (!), and way more. The suite is easily faulted for a lack of focus...even after several listens you won't pick up any musical or lyrical themes tying it all together. It just seems to disjointed overall. Nonetheless, taking each part on its own, the bits are pretty good. Recall every progressive rock cliché in the world, and you'll see that "Garden of Dreams" exemplifies all of them. Whether that's good or bad is up to you. Personally, I would have preferred a bit more unity or natural 'flow' to give "Garden of Dreams" the feel of a cohesive song.

To many "Garden of Dreams" will be the highlight, but the rest of the album's material is good enough to capture one's attention. Disc 2's eclectic collection of tunes has a lot of great stuff, but I suspect that some people won't like everything that's offered. It's plain to see that the Flower Kings are a peppy bunch, going for positive, happy progressive music over the turgid drama of some other prog artists. The silly ballad "Magic Pie" is delightfully serene (completely weird lyrics though), "Deaf, Numb & Blind's" tempo changes and Eastern chord progressions are fun, while "Stupid Girl" features a great jam moment at the end of song. These are just some of the highlights. There are countless more, but I don't want to get carried away.

As with most prog bands, all of FK's musicians are very tight. Main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Roine Stolt excels in the art of songcraft. He has a prog musician's knack for complexity and a pop producer's sense of melody. The album is brimming with catchy moments. Even though the lyrics are generic, even silly, in the context of the songs they work. One unique point about the Flower Kings is their use of two lead vocalists, Stolt and Hans Froberg. While Froberg is certainly the better singer, Stolt's vocal stylings are more suited to rock music, while Froberg's voice fits better for the mellower moments (like "Magic Pie" and part 8 of "Garden of Dreams"). I feel that this mix makes certain moments of the Flower Kings' music much more effective.

A good album, but it's very tough to take it all in...after all, there's a lot of material here. For those who love prog-style excesses, great playing, and catchy songs, The Flower Kings have your number. If you're trying this band out for the first time, I recommend starting with one of the band's shorter albums, like Space Revolver or maybe Retropolis. Or just go hardcore and check out my favorite of theirs, the other double-album Stardust We Are.

MUSIC REVIEW: Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I

"Terrific, unique."

Pain of Salvation is one of progressive metal's most promising bands. While I consider myself a pretty big fan in general, I think The Perfect Element (Part I) is probably their most defining album. Entropia was extremely original and mostly solid, but much the album's is kind of all over the place (which works for me, but I like that kind of eclectic stuff). One Hour By The Concrete Lake was an improvement, with better production and songs overall, but it was, dare I say, a little more more "straightforward" progressive metal (relatively speaking, of course! this is no Dream Theater clone!) and it lacked the striking originality of Entropia. Clearly, there was a balance that could be achieved.

With The Perfect Element, PoS has refined their sound, synthesizing the remarkable uniqueness of Entropia and the stronger songcraft of One Hour. Gone are the sometimes awkward herky-jerky musical passages, the needlessly embellished vocals, and turgid lyrics. Here, everything works. No, it's not perfect. But it's damn good.

The band's nature is very eclectic, for they change musical bearing unpredictably. The first tract, "Used," best exemplifies this. It begins with the harrowing coupling of heavy guitars and synths, with vocalist Daniel Gildenlow's dark, fierce intonations. With the chorus, the song undergoes a complete change as it suddenly shifts into a harmonious melody with sharply contrasting "lighter" vocals. (Sound familiar, PoS fans? It's like "!" from Entropia, but better.) "Used" is a pretty extreme example, for the rest of the album is more cohesive from song to song, but the fundaments of this versatile approach remain intact. For those who are new to PoS, this might sound almost annoying. Let me aver that the polarizing course of the music is one of its greatest merits. Why? Because the they does it incredibly well. When a band can blend so many musical ideas so seamlessly and naturally, taking you from hell to heaven and back again, it's definitely stunning.

More so than any other Pain of Salvation record, this one has the most equal balance of strident heaviness and balladry. Soft piano leads, clean electric and acoustic guitars are used as often as heavy guitar riffery. This dichotomy may irk those who favor the aggression to ballads, but this album is best thought of as a whole (it is a concept album, after all). In that respect, the balanced qualities work well.

Daniel Gildenlow's vocals have improved much since One Hour By The Concrete Lake. He still reveals some weaknesses in the higher octaves, but he seems to have a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. He has also improved his lyricism. On previous albums they were almost too cheesy and, I don't know... blatant? But now they are mostly just plain good. The poetic aptitude he shows in conveying this deeply emotional story about childhood is pretty impressive. As for the concept itself, the specifics are obscure, but this ensures that a lot of time will be spent unraveling this intricate story. For those listeners who don't care much about the lyrics, the album can be enjoyed simply by riding on the dynamic musical waves...

The album's only fault is its production. The production is actually good overall, but PoS' sound contains myriad textures, many of which are difficult to dissect because the production splatters everything into a blob of keyboards and guitars that is difficult to distinguish if your sound system isn't at least somewhat formidable. The guitar tone often makes it difficult to distinguish individual notes. When Gildenlow sings softy with a dense background of instrumentation, his words can be unintelligible. Similarly, when multiple vocal lines are concurrently sung, making out individual words his needlessly hard. The production is imperfect, for certain, but in other ways the band has never sounded better. The keyboards in particular sound stronger, and the crunching guitars are more raucous, and the vocals are strikingly visceral.

In the end, the production doesn't detract from the listening experience too much, because it is so strong on the whole. Hopefully, The Perfect Element Part II will retain all of this one's merits and tweak the production.

(Final note: If you see this in a store, don't get apprehensive about the band's photo on the back. Sure, they look like Korn or some other "nu metal" band, but the looks are where the similarities end. Enjoy!)