National Health

With a strong Canterbury influence implanted into their sound, Egg's first album has the band looking to establish their niche as a progressive group, with Dave Stewart's sharp, effective keyboard work outlining much of the album's overall feel. Mixing jazz and progressive rock drifts, the tracks on Egg contain rhythms and meters that are never at a standstill, with ongoing instrumental action encompassing nearly every track. Numerous classical overtones make for a familiar listen against a backdrop of loose-ended jazz fusion and an unordered yet inviting array of haphazard progressive spillages. The fragmented instrumentals sport an attractive inexperience, especially on "Bulb" and "The Song of McGillicudie the Pussilanimous," which also introduce Egg's lighthearted whimsy. Both "Blane" and "I Will Be Absorbed" represent the most colorful example of Egg's progressive rock fundamentals…

Italy's premiere progressive rock outfit produced five albums of peculiar and outlandish music in the '70s. Fronted by madcap vocalist Demitrio Stratos, Area provided backing to the John Cage collaborator's extended vocal techniques and bizarre verbal utterances. The ensemble arrangements drew on progressive rock, jazz, and improvisation, and coalesced into a sound akin to Soft Machine, National Health, or Caravan. Maledetti is a critically acclaimed Italian progressive album, yet the group bridges many genres, including jazz and avant-garde.

The Kinks are an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, in 1964 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965 (as a result of constant fighting between the brothers). Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned "You Really Got Me", became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States…

Rascal Reporters return on March 5th with an album of new music for the Avant-progressive / Rock In Opposition canon - 'Redux, Vol. 2: Rascals Revenge and the Great Reset'!

When Opeth released Heritage in 2011 - the wonderfully indulgent, somewhat unfocused exercise in prog rock aesthetics - some longstanding fans were offended because the band had abandoned death metal. Truthfully, they had been exploring prog in fits and starts since 2005's Ghost Reveries. Pale Communion completes the transition, proving that Heritage was not only a next step, but a new beginning altogether. Vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt has obviously been listening to loads of prog in the interim - ELP's debut, Deep Purple's In Rock, early King Crimson and Eloy, National Health, U.K., Bill Bruford's early solo work, Pär Lindh, and even jazz fusion. Produced by the singer and mixed by Steven Wilson, Pale Communion states its ambitions outright. Opener "Eternal Rains Will Come" explodes with knotty, labyrinthine organ (from new keyboardist Joakim Svalberg) and Martin Axenrot's skittering, propulsive drums…

Asaf Sirkis & The Inner Noise - We Are Falling (2005) {Konnex KCD5150}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 308 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 115 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 35 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2005 Konnex | KCD 5150
Jazz / Fusion / Spiritual Jazz / Progressive / Drums / Keyboards

Israeli ex-pat Asaf Sirkis has been gradually insinuating himself into the UK scene since moving to London in 1999. His most visible work to date has been with the controversial saxophonist Gilad Atzmon's Oriental House Ensemble where, in addition to playing drums, he's been able to take advantage of his background in ethnic percussion instruments. His broad orchestral approach to kit and hand percussion may, however, be best heard on woodwind multi-instrumentalist Tim Garland's sweeping and ambitious If the Sea Replied (Sirocco, 2005).

As long-time fans of the 'Canterbury School' style of jazz/rock, a very appealing, very English, sometimes slightly whimsical blend of electric jazz with complex rock have sadly learned, this style and sound is rarely invoked nowadays. Planeta Imaginario are a creative and extraordinary six piece Spanish jazz/rock band that take some of the best influences from Canterbury style music and blend it with an original, very Mediterranean feel for a end result that is strongly their own but that is also redolent of 40 years of creative work in bringing jazz and rock together. To get an idea of what their third album, Optical Delusions, has to offer, think of a great rhythm section of keyboards (Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes piano, acoustic piano, synths), electric bass and drums, influenced by creative rock bands like The Muffins, Hatfield, Caravan, National Health…

After playing in the Italian art pop band "Showmen 2", James Senese and Franco Del Prete formed what would become one of the most intriguing and unique bands of the early 70's. Centered around a fusion rock core, Napoli Centrale's debut album convincingly combined Jazz and Progressive rock. Once again this album defies simple categorization, but the music is highly exploratory and very progressive in approach. Kind of a mix of National Health with Gentle Giant, Herbie Hancock and a good dose of Weather Report. Instrumentally these guys love to groove with lots of sax, fender electric piano, bass and drums. Vocals are not central but are well done and sung in native Italian… kind of a nice full soulful voice.