Lazy Sunday Sounds

Porcupine Tree's debut is really one big in-joke, which actually makes for a better reason to record something that pretends to be profoundly deep through and through…

Manifold Records present Frozen Time - 50 Cool Winter Chill Sounds. 50 excellent Chillout tracks and a continuous mix with mixing duties handled by DJ Maretimo.

Reach up to the CD shelf and pull a handful of Fred Hersch CDS down. You'll find that the pianist has a good thing going with the Village Vanguard. Alive At The Vanguard (Palmetto Records, 2012) a stellar two CD set, and terrific solo set, Alone At the Vanguard (Palmetto Records, 2011), are Hersch's most recent recordings from the legendary venue; and now he and his trio offer up Sunday Night At the Vanguard. Hersch says this is his best trio album. Almost every artist says that about their latest—that this one's the best. But he might be right. The vote here would have gone to a studio recording, Whirl (Palmetto Records, 2010), a marvelous in-the-zone effort with this same trio—John Hebert on bass, Eric McPherson playing drums—until Sunday Night At The Vanguard rolled around.

Remastered in 2015 by Steven Wilson. Porcupine Tree's debut is really one big in-joke, which actually makes for a better reason to record something that pretends to be profoundly deep through and through. As released, it doesn't make mention of the tracks' origins as the supposed product of a mysterious cult psych/prog rock band, but the packaging and artwork (even the fonts) would make the Dukes of Stratosphear proud. Steven Wilson's singing is noticeably higher at points than it would be in later years - chalk it up to his relative youth or a desire to sound appropriately wispy (or on the lovely "Nine Cats," like David Gilmour). On a sheer technical level, though, Wilson can't be beat. Recording and producing his material solo (outside of a couple of guest appearances) before the big '90s revolution in home recording quality, he easily reaches the depth and reach of bands who could spend many times more to reach the same sound…

The sole album from this British progressive quartet was released only in Germany (in 1971) on Bellaphon label - home of the other little known UK bands, like Diabolus, Crazy Mabel and Little Big Horn. The sound of Sunday was a superb combination of a quite intensive and powerful Hammond organ-driven parts linked (in the background) with some piano notes, spontaneous electric guitar leads and powerful rhythm section - with more than a trace of blues and psychedelia. It can be compared to the Jody Grind (their member, Pete Gavin, was a drummer here…), Atomic Rooster, early Argent, Procol Harum (at their heaviest) and late 60' s Pink Floyd. This CD edition was carefully remastered from the original, analogue source and sounds really great!