Pink Floyd - This Day in Pink Floyd (iPhone and iPad App)

Neu! - Neu 75 (1975)

"Amongst fans this is simply known as "Neu '75" or the "Black Album". This was really the 3rd album released by these German pioneers of electonic space prog rock NEU! and IMHO is a simply killer album worthy of major praise. Without a question you need to have this album in your collection and now thanks to the folks at Astralwerks we can enjoy this in audio re- mastered brightness. NEU! in 1975 was Michael Rother (guitars, piano, synths), Thomas Dinger, Hans Lampe and Klaus Dinger (organ, percussion and guitar). This classic space rock album was recorded in the famous Krautrock kitchen of Konrad Plank studios.All 3 classic NEU albums shine in different yet connected light : where the first album is an adventure in minimalism, "Neu! '75" is more colorful and slightly more accessible although just as adventuras. NEU! were obsessed with sonic textures with this album dripping in crystalline images and frosted by deep tonal analogue synthesisers and pristine lead guitars. This is the perfect headphone experience album for those who love to still sit and get totally wrapped up in an album from start to finish. A masterpiece ! " - Loserboy - ProgArchives

- Klaus Dinger / voice, percussion, guitar, piano, organ
- Michael Rother / guitar, piano, synth orchestra, electronics, voice
- Thomas Dinger / drums (on 4, 5, 6)
- Hans Lampe / drums (on 4, 5, 6)

1. Isi (5:00)
2. Seeland (6:57)
3. Leb' wohl (8:51)
4. Hero (6:15)
5. E-Musik (10:50)
6. After Eight (4:42)

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Nucleus - Solar Plexus (1971)

"Ian Carr was working on this project even before the birth of Nucleus, as this was some kind of musical grant from England's Art council and under the patronage of Keith Winter (who incidentally will toy away with a VCS3 on these recordings). But as Carr was composing on a piano, it became clear to him that only Nucleus musicians could play what he was writing. If Ian Carr had only written 5 of 18 tracks over the two first Nucleus albums, he writes all of the material here
The project was to have two totally different themes, toy/expand them and then fused them altogether in the final track. However ambitious this was (especially for the times), this is only partially successful (IMHO) but also produces some great moments. The two themes are presented in the first tracks as Elements I & II, than the first one becomes very funky jazz rock in the second track and in the fifth track and the other element is developed in track 3 (with a great bowed double bass to start of and very subtle eastern music influences to follow) and 4 (Spirit Level is close to Free Jazz but fear not, nothing as Harsh as in KC's Moonchild or Providence, as it stays relatively wise).But both elements are to be fused into Snakehips' Dream to last for the 15 min+ with an eerie ending on the afore-mentioned VCS3. There are some lengths in the developments and some repetitions, but overall this is yet another great Nucleus recording. " - Sean Trane - ProgArchives

- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Karl Jenkins / oboe, Baritone Saxophone, E-piano, piano
- Brian Smith / Tenor Saxophone, Soprano saxophone, flute
- Chris Spedding / guitar
- Jeff Clyne / bass, contrabass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion

Guest musicians:
- Kenny Wheeler / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Harry Beckett / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Tony Roberts / Tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
- Ron Matthewson / bass
- Chris Karan / percussion
- Keith Winter / synthesizer

1. Elements I & II (2:12)
2. Changing Times (4:44)
3. Bedrock Deadlock (6:52)
4. Spirit Level (9:20)
5. Torso (6:12)
6. Snakehips Dream (15:16)

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Joe Walsh - Turn To Stone

Nucleus - We'll Talk About It Later (1970)

"Definitely a masterpiece of British Jazz-Rock/Fusion along with Neil Ardley's amazing Kaleidoscope of Rainbows. Here, Nucleus appear a much tighter group. After their stunning first album, they decided to create this amazing follow-up, as if the first album wasn't great to begin with. I can't even express in words how highly I regard this album, truly Nucleus's finest effort.The opening track is quite possibly the most famous Nucleus piece, and for a good reason. What a fantastic opener! By the way, for those who have heard Soft Machine's Bundles, Jenins decided to use the riff on "Song for the Bearded Lady" for "Hazard Profile Part 1." While this is by far my favorite piece on the album, the other ones are just as great; tons of wicked oboe, trumpet, guitar, etc.. pasages played by these virtuosos. This is, to my knowledge, the only Nucleus album with vocals, although they only appear on two tracks. Sure, they take some getting used to, but definitely do not affect the album in any negative way IMO. In fact, I think they even enhance the album, making it seem more coherent overall.Although I do not think that this album is quite as good as the Neil Ardley album I mentioned earlier, this is a MUST for all fans of Jazz-Rock, a masterpiece of the genre. Buy it, now, you won't be disappointed! In fact, you can get this and the first album in a 2-CD set from BGO, so you have no excuse. Highly recommended, 5 stars, no doubt in my mind! " - Zac M - ProgArchives

- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Karl Jenkins / electric piano, oboe, piano, baritone saxophone
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxes, flute
- Chris Spedding / guitars
- Jeff Clyne / bass, electric bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion

1. Song For The Bearded Lady (7:25)
2. Sun Child (5:19)
3. Lullaby For A Lonely Child (4:21)
4. We'll Talk About It Later (6:19)
5. Oasis (9:49)
6. Ballad of Joe Pimp (3:48)
7. Easter 1916 (8:47)

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Wishbone Ash - The King Will Come

New Trolls - UT (1972)

"This is definitively a good album (the last released before first New Trolls' split up), where the members of the band show their great musicianship wandering between progressive moods and hard rock.... After an album in English language ("Searching For A Land"), the band come back to Italian lyrics: the title of the album "Ut" is the first note of the Gregorian musical scale created by Guido d'Arezzo and the Italian poet Dante Alighieri is quoted on the album's jacket.The instrumental opener "Studio" is a Johann Baptist Cramer's studio for piano elaborated by Maurizio Salvi and it leads to another short instrumental "XXII^ strada", more jazzy and "proggy": both seem to be efforts to blend classical and rock influences with good results.Then comes "I cavalieri del lago dell'Ontario" (The Ontario Lake's Riders), my favourite track on this album, where drums and flute introduce a kind of military march while the vocals draw an epic and doomed Canadian landscape (don't forget that the bass player in this line up, Franck Laugelli, is from Toronto!). "The path is long and hard / I'm tired and I can't keep up / I lost my companions / When I'm back I will cry / The forest was hugging me / I couldn't think to return anymore / Red jackets blended to the blood / That Ontario River will bring away"... Then the music brings "echoes of war" before to come up to an end. "Everything ended so / Nobody never came back / And into the time will run / The march that accompanied us".The short folkish "Storia di una foglia" is the only weak moment in this album while the following "Nato adesso", a piano ballad that melts in a long acid guitar solo, is another great track. "C'è troppa Guerra" is a long "hard rock" song with a remarkable "aggressive" electric guitar work, but in my opinion Nico Di Palo's voice seems here too fragile to match up with the music. "Paolo e Francesca" and the amazing "Chi mi può capire"(Who can understand me) are more delicate and fit better to "New Trolls style". "Nobody can understand. I will leave silently / Without a goal / And you will come with me"In the whole this is a great album and it marks the end of New Trolls' progressive "Halcyon days". " - Andrea - ProgArchives

- Nico Di Palo / guitar, lead vocals
- Gianni Belleno / drums, vocals
- Frank Laugelli (Rhodes) / bass
- Maurizio Salvi / piano, organ, synthesizer
- Vittorio De Scalzi / guitar

1. Studio (3:09)
2. Xxii Strada (1:51)
3. I Cavalieri Del Lago dell'Ontario (5:02)
4. Storia Di Una Foglia (2:57)
5. Nato Adesso (7:53)
6. C'e' Troppa Guerra (9:53)
7. Paolo E Francesca (6:06)
8. Chi Mi Puo' Capire (4:35)

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Nucleus - Elastic Rock (1970)

"NUCLEUS were without a doubt one of the best Jazz bands around, and the UK's answer to Miles Davis.Their leader Ian Carr who played trumpet was a huge Miles fan and even wrote a Miles Davis' biography.Amazing to think that both he and Karl Jenkins were in the same group.Both are such great song writers and musicians.Karl and drummer John Marshall would later play together in SOFT MACHINE.It's not hard to tell it's John playing drums here.Karl would become SOFT MACHINE's leader, which doesn't surprise me.What a talent! The cover art here by the way is by Roger Dean. "1916" might be short but man i love this one.i keep hitting repeat.It opens with Marshall pounding away on his drums then these melancholic horns join in.That's it for just over a minute. "Elastic Rock" is such a smooth and gorgeous track.The light drums,gentle horns,piano and bass.The guitar melodies from Chris Spedding are so tasteful.Great tune. "Striation" is led by bowed bass. "Taranaki" is another light and tasteful track. "Twisted Track" is again smooth with horns, while guitar is gently played with light drums and bass.Sax and trumpet play around each other 2 1/2 minutes in as the song starts to build.Nice. "Crude Blues (Part 1)" opens with Jenkins on the aboe with gentle guitar helping out. "Crude Blues (Part 2)" is a lively tune with a good beat.Love the horns before a minute. "1916-The Battle Of Boogaloo" reprises the horns from the opening track.I like it! "Torrid Zone" is the longest track by far at around 8 1/2 minutes.A beat with drums,bass and guitar is joined by horns.Piano comes in then the song changes slightly after 2 minutes.Drums are more prominant as trumpet solos over top.Incredible sound here.The earlier soundscape is back 5 minutes in but with more atmosphere.Sax starts to solo over top.A fuller sound before 7 minutes.The last minute of the song is more like the beginning. "Stonescape" opens with piano and a horn melody.Some light drums come in. "Earth Mother" is the only track that all 6 members wrote together.Great sound to open as aboe comes in.It's building.Guitar,drums and bass dominate before 4 minutes to the end.Sax comes in late. "Speaking For Myself,Personally,In My Own Opinion,I Think..." is where Marshall does a drum solo,it makes me smile because he certainly did that enough with SOFT MACHINE as well. "Persephones Jive" is a great way to end it.So much going on here.Lots of interplay and intricate sounds.A collage of sounds really.Marshall impresses here too." - Mellotron Storm - ProgArchives

- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn
- Karl jenkins / electric piano, oboe, piano, baritone saxophone
- Brian Smith / tenor & soprano saxes, flute
- Chris Spedding / guitars
- Jeff Clyne / bass, electric bass
- John Marshall / drums, percussion

1. 1916 (1:11)
2. Elastic Rock (4:05)
3. Striation (2:15)
4. Taranaki (1:39)
5. Twisted Track (5:15)
6. Crude Blues, Pt. 1 (0:54)
7. Crude Blues, Pt. 2 (2:36)
8. 1916- The Battle of Boogaloo (3:04)
9. Torrid Zone (8:40)
10. Stonescape (2:39)
11. Earth Mother (0:51)
12. Speaking for Myself, Personally, in My Own (0:54)
13. Persephones Jive (2:15)

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