US is a Dutch neo-prog band formed in 1998 by Jos Wernars (guitars) and Ernest Wernars (bass), but the musicians career dated back from 1978 when first incarnation of the band was named Saga, releasing one album and disappered in to oblivion. They reunite in 1998 and give the band name US, releasing first album in 2000. The second album from 2003 named "Eamon's Day" is a perfect neo-prog album. Everything is well done, elegant arrangements, brilliant vocal parts and above all the bass lines are very intristing. The voice of Stephan Christiaans is very smooth very good, with many jaw dropping moments and fits very well in the music they play. What is more intristing is that the bass is very predominant, sometimes is used like a prime instrument, with excellent chops and elegant interluding with the rest…
Brooklyn Rider is a string quartet based in Brooklyn led by violinist Johnny Gandelsman and including violinist Colin and cellist Eric Jacobsen who are among the founder-brothers of the orchestra known as the Knights; the group is filled out by violist Nicholas Cords. Passport is Brooklyn Rider's debut album and also the first issue on Gandelsman's label In a Circle Records, named after a concert series Gandelsman curated beginning in 2003.
First off, "Dream Come True" is maybe the most beautiful ballad ever. Why Lanni's lesser "Lost in You," which he recorded with Sheriff, came back from the dead instead of this pearl seems just plain unfair. Otherwise, this collection plays even more polished than Frozen Ghost's still-quirky debut, whereupon the Canadian duo established a superior level of professionalism and skill that works against the tunes this time around. Except for the Fixx-like first single, "Round and Round," there exists nothing simple about any of these songs. Nice Place to Visit almost echoes a new age atmosphere – i.e., dealing with outer (the memorable "Mother Nature") and inner ("Perfect World") solace. It's hard to recommend this CD to scratch any particular musical itch, but "Dream Come True" on a mixed tape could make anybody fall in love with you.
On this new recording from Orange Mountain Music, pianist Paul Barnes and renowned string quartet Brooklyn Rider collaborate on a new album of music by Philip Glass including two world premiere recordings of major works. The album begins with Philip Glass's 2018 Piano Quintet 'Annunciation' based on the 'Hymn of the Annunciation' from the Greek Orthodox tradition.