National Health

Here’s something in 2024 worth celebrating without reservation or caveat or vague dread that it might go away: a new album from Inner Ear Brigade. It’s been a long time since Dromology, but Perkunas is proof that the band not only still exists, but still has all of the qualities that made that album so great. The band’s mainstays are Bill Wolter (guitar, keyboards) and Ivor Holloway (saxophone, EWI), who have been part of the project since the first album in 2011, and Chris Lauf (drums, percussion), who was with them on Dromology. Many other musicians also take part, some of whom have appeared on previous recordings, though not on every track. Stylistically, IEB is in a class of their own, with complex compositions reminiscent of other avant progressive bands like Thinking Plague, Cheer-Accident, and MoeTar, but also a tinge of jazz in the same way that Canterbury bands like National Health and Hatfield and the North did it…

Area's uncompromising blend of jazz-rock, ethnic folk, experimentation, and political philosophies made them a unique presence in Italy during the 1970s…

Empire is the creation of Rolf Munkes, one of the most talented German metal guitarists. Although he isn't much of a brainstorming judging by the band name, he is one hell of a string bender and song writer which he once again proves with the third Empire album. "The Raven Ride" is however lifted to an even higher level by the voice of Tony Martin (ex-Black Sabbath) whose experience comes in more than handy. As usual Munkes has scored an all-star line-up and Neil Murray provides his finger skills once again while André Hilgers (Axxis, Silent Force, Razorback) makes his debut behind the drums.

Brainville is a collaboration between Shimmy Disc founder Kramer and three of the legends of Canterbury rock, Gong founder Daevid Allen, Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper, and Pip Pyle, who drummed for Gong, Hatfield and the North, and National Health. Despite three of the musicians having made their names during the psychedelic and progressive rock eras, the band's music has a contemporary sound. Kramer collaborated with both Allen and Hopper on two albums each and so it was only a matter of time before he collaborated with both at once.

This fun band comes from Louisville (Kentucky) and has existed since 1983. Led by the leadership of bassist Mike Sary, French TV has released albums of music for musicians, deftly nodding to prog-masters like National Health, Soft Machine, Zappa, Brudford, Brand X, Happy The Man, and Samla Mammas Manna, among others. To describe French TV's music is simple and complicated… All the band's other issues contain moving moments; a hybrid of Canterbury, RIO, Fusion, and Insanity, not to mention random little snippets of other styles…