After our sabbatical, Something For The Weekend returns with a brand new format. Every month we will select five great albums, from across the progressive rock soundscape, that we believe require further attention.
For the most part, they will all have been released in the previous month and will have yet to have received a full review on the main DPRP website.
Each album comes with a mini review, plus all the necessary links you need to discover more about the artists, to listen to their music and, most importantly, to buy your own copy (the final step is more than a little helpful in encouraging/enabling the artist to make some more music!).
Published on 31 January 2019.
All words, selections and layout by Andy Read
1: MAD FELLAZ - III
Country: Italy
Sub-genre: Eclectic Progressive Rock
Description: If you like your prog to blend many different elements and for an album to have a sound and style very much of its own, then this third effort from the Italian co-operative Mad Fellaz, is an essential listen.
The first two albums from this band, both received gushing full reviews from the DPRP's Owen Davies (reviewed here and here ). This time a cast of 16 musicians bring their talents to an ever-evolving cornucopia of classic prog, avant, jazz and Canterbury - all delivered with that very specific Italian prog style. I am frequently reminded of US band Umphrey's McGee and, from the other side of the Atlantic, Big Big Train.
Whilst sounding similar, yet rather different from their first two albums, this should bring an even bigger torrent of glistening adjectives. Impressive stuff!
- Listen to it on Bandcamp
- Listen to it on Spotify
- Listen to it on itunes
- Band website
- Band on Facebook
- Watch the video on Youtube
2: ALTHEA - The Art of Trees
Country: Italy
Sub-genre: Heavy Prog
Description: Not much has been released in the opening month of the year to interest lovers of the more metallic styles of prog (quite a few such albums in the pipeline though). This is probably the heaviest disc to grab my attention so far - and the metallic elements are much less evident than on this band's debut offering Memories Have No Name.
With its clever cover, The Art of Trees is the second album from this Italian quartet and shows that this band has really improved since their debut. A clever blend of art rock, prog rock, guitars, keyboards and strong vocals, these ten tracks make a very enjoyable album.
- Listen to it on Bandcamp
- Listen to it on Spotify
- Listen to it on itunes
- Band website
- Band on Facebook
- Watch the video on Youtube
3: IN CONTINUUM - Acceleration Theory
Country: USA
Sub-genre: Modern Prog
Description: This is the latest project created by American prog-rock artist Dave Kerzner and there is definitely a stylistic similarity to Dimensionaut, the 2013 release from his previous outing under the Sound of Contact (SoC) banner - indeed several of the tracks came from the writing sessions for the yet-to-be-seen second SoC album.
I tend to err with applying the term 'supergroup', so let's just say that Kerzer has assembled a line-up with multiple singers and musicians (Marco Minnemann, Nick D'Virgilio, John Wesley, Jon Davison (Glass Hammer, Yes), Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery are just some of the contributors).
With a sci-fi theme to the storyline, and with the modern, crossover blend of classic prog rock and melodic alt rock with strong soundtrack elements in-between the main songs, this album should garner a wide appreciation.
- Listen to it on Bandcamp
- Listen to it on Spotify
- Listen to it on itunes
- Band website
- Band on Facebook
- Watch the video on Youtube
4: PreHistoric Animals - Consider it a Work of Art
Country: Sweden
Sub-genre: Progressive melodic rock
Description: Released in the closing weeks of 2018, there is a fair chance that few would have noticed this album had the band not be one of the surprise additions to this year's ProgPower Europe festival. Definitely an act with a greater emphasis on the 'Prog' than the 'Power', PreHistoric Animals is a two man prog/alternative rock band from Sweden.
Samuel Granath (drums and keys) and Stefan Altzar (guitar, bass and vocals) state that this set of ten compositions is "about good people, ignorant dictators and stupid people who after all just keep on being stupid". I would add that it is also about great compositions, memorable melodies and superb performances.
- Listen to it on Bandcamp
- Listen to it on Spotify
- Listen to it on itunes
- Band on Facebook
- Watch the video on Youtube
5. SLUG COMPARISON - When You Were Living Here
Country: Canada
Sub-genre: Crossover
Description: Regular readers will know my fondness for everything so far created by Canadian band Fen and more latterly their frontman/guitarist Doug Harrison under his inventively entitled solo project. Over the last two years Doug has released a series of singles/EPs (less imaginatively titled IIa, IIb, IIc and IId). Each showed a different aspect of his song writing.
Now all four EPs have been combined, along with two new tracks (Fine With It and One More Step), to form the second Slug Comparison album, with a full release on the Dutch-based Rock Company label. From the up-tempo alt rock of Exactly What To Do, through the acoustic thoughtfulness of Let Some Light and onto the progressively pastoral gothic vibe of the title track, this will please all fans of Doug's amazing voice and his ability to communicate a deep sense of meaning and emotion in his music.
- Listen to it on Bandcamp
- Listen to it on Spotify
- Listen to it on itunes
- Band website
- Band on Facebook
- Watch the video on Youtube
And finally ... we would like to give credit to the web blog newprogreleases for its fantastic listings of new releases. An invaluable resource for music lovers. Thanks.
http://newprogreleases.blogspot.com
- For more reviews, interviews, concert review and features on the world of progressive music visit our main page at dprp.net