GENTLE GIANT - Cogs In Cogs (3:06)
Album: The Power And The Glory (Steven Wilson Remix) (2014)
Label/Distribution: Alucard/Soulfood
www.blazemonger.com
The first episode of a hopefully comprehensive remix series of the prog giants from the 1970s: Once again Steven Wilson has meticulously dedusted and polished the old tapes. All the better that with "The Power And The Glory" one of the strongest albums of the band makes the beginning. (RELEASE: 18.7.)
JOHN GARCIA - My Mind (4:01)
Album: John Garcia (2014)
Label/Distribution: Napalm/Universal
www.napalmrecords.com
Kyuss, Hermano, Slo Burn, Unida and currently Vista Chino are his bands. But the charismatic vocalist JOHN GARCIA can also do it under his own name. Dry, hard riffs are held either by the hurricane or by a blues rock pattern close to the ground. Stoner Rock from the desert! (RELEASE 25.7.)
SLEEPY SUN - Thielbar (6:20)
Album: Maui Tears (2014)
Label/Distribution: Dine Alone/Soulfood
www.sleepysun.net
It's amazing how contemporary the 70s rock can sound in 2014 as well. SLEEPY SUN from California prove on the new album "Maui Tears" that good songwriting, catchy melodies and above all a multi-faceted and clever guitar work never go out of fashion.
MARGIN - Landscapes On The Sky (8:06)
Album: Psychedelic Teatime (2014)
Label/Distribution: Madvedge/Oomoxx
www.madvedge.de
MARGIN is the new studio project of Lutz Meinert (For Your Pleasure). With his debut, the singer and multi-instrumentalist pays homage to art rock and prog bands of the 1970s such as Pink Floyd, Eloy and Camel. The whole thing is immersed again and again in psychedelic timbres as in the atmospheric "Landscapes On The Sky".
FLOOD OF RED - Whispers And Choirs (4:45)
Album: Throw (2014)
Label/Distribution: Superball/Universal
www.flood.dark-city.co.uk
Atmospheric rock from Scotland with a special note: in a positive sense pathetic, euphoric songs, produced in a contemporary way. Above all, the band always seems to be looking for the perfect melody, which "Whispers And Choirs" impressively proves.
EXCESSIVE VISAGE - The Power Flaw (4:12)
Album: Ruckus Array (2014)
Label/Distribution: self-produced/www.excessive-visage.de
www.excessive-visage.de
The original five-piece Berlin band EXCESSIVE VISAGE around singer Larissa Blau sounds like a mixture of Paatos, The Mars Volta and Pere Ubu on their first longplayer. It's hard to believe that these sounds, as complex as they are accessible, come from a newcomer and from Germany.
KAUKASUS - Lift The Memory (8:34)
Album: I (2014)
Label/Distribution: Autumnsongs/Just For Kicks
www.kaukasus.no
Under the name KAUKASUS, three greats of the Scandinavian prog scene have joined forces who are otherwise in the service of bands such as Jaga Jazzist, Opium Cartel and White Willow. Her debut album "I" combines various influences from Prog to Krautrock, with Rhys Marsh providing the vocal accents.
VOYAGER - Hyperventilating (4:41)
Album: V (2014)
Label/Distribution: IAV/Music By Mail
www.voyager-australia.com
Give me five! And hopefully there will be more albums to come, because the five Prog-Metallers from Australia will of course be back in their fifth Opus, and mostly in speed mode. Hymn-like high-gloss metal meets modern keyboard sounds. Often irresistible!
QUANTUM FANTAY - Aargh (4:37)
Album: Terragaia (2014)
Label/Distribution: Progressive Promotion
www.facebook.com/quantumfantay
Around the world in 70 minutes. QUANTUM FANTAY have proclaimed this motto on their new album "Terragaia. The album begins and ends with flawless Psych'n'Space. In between, the Belgians hop lively from continent to continent with ethnic sounds. But always beautiful colorful, funny and spacey.
SEVEN THAT SPELLS - Burning Blood (edit) (10:12)
Album: The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock: IO (2014)
Label/Distribution: Sulatron/Cargo
www.7thatspells.com
What SEVEN THAT SPELLS have produced on their new album could become a big success for the Croats. If they used to cultivate extreme psych, they are more moderate here: psych with ethno choirs, clear melodies, grooves to teeter with and - yes - shrill guitar orgies.
SPACE INVADERS & NIK TURNER - Stardust (Part 1) (9:33)
Album: Sonic Noise Opera (2014)
Label/Distribution: Nasoni
www.space-invasion.com
The SPACE INVADERS are already an all-star group of German psych and space bands. In addition there is a still lively legend with ex-Hawkwind flutist NIK TURNER. On "Sonic Noise Opera" long guitar-keyboard-bass-drums trips merge with extraterrestrial flutes. Fun to the power of three.
