GERARDO BATIZ ‎– Arlequín (1982, LP, Mexico)

Very nice, mellow, electric progressive rock album. The wordless female vocals, approaching Zeuhl at times, defines this mature work. Piano and bass drive the music forward, and the contents are highly melodic. At times I'm reminded of some of the "lite Zeuhl" bands coming out of France in the 1980s like Foehn or Musique Noise. I even hear some Joe Jackson, and that's meant as a compliment. For me, it's better than all the aforementioned bands, and comes recommended. CDRWL

LA MUJER BARBUDA - Agridulce (2016, Argentina)

La MUJER BARBUDA have got started as an Argentine RIO quartet, founded by Martin Pantyrer (saxophones, clarinets), Sergio Álvarez (electric guitar), Franco Fontanarossa (bass), and Lulo Isod (drums, percussion). They've opened their monstrously innovative curtain with their debut album "Musica Para Cuando Aparece El Monstruo" in 2008, followed by their second reptilian shot "Lagartos Terribles" in 2011, released via an independent label S-Music.

MIRIODOR - Signal 9 (2017, Canada)

Studio Album, released in 2017

Songs / Tracks Listing 

1. Venin (4:32) 

2. Peinturé Dans Le Coin (4:32) 

3. Transit De Nuit À Jakarta (1:58) 

4. Portrait-robot (8:47) 

5. Déboires À Munich (1:18) 

6. Chapelle Lunaire (6:49) 

7. Cryogénie (1:35) 

8. Passage Secret (9:56) 

9. Gallinule D'Amérique (1:38) 

10. Douze Petites Asperges (2:37) 

11. Le Ventriloque Et Le Perroquet (8:13) 

Total time 51:55

Line-up / Musicians 

- Bernard Falaise / guitar, keyboards, turntables, production & mixing

- Pascal Globensky / keyboards, synths, piano

- Nicolas Lessard / bass, double bass, keyboards

- Rémi Leclerc / drums, percussion, electronics

CHEER-ACCIDENT - Putting Off Death (2017, Usa)

Tracklist:

01. Language Is 11:24

02. Immanence 04:12

03. Wishful Breathing 03:45

04. Falling World 03:40

05. More And Less 03:00

06. Lifetime Guarantee 06:59

07. Hymn 05:11

Line-up / Musicians:

Jeff Libersher / guitar, trumpet, vocals, keyboards

Dante Kester / bass, keyboards

Thymme Jones / drums, vocals, piano, trumpet, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, moog, noise

Carmen Armillas / vocals

With:

Mike Hagedorn / trombone

Teria Gartelos / vocals

Sacha Mullin / vocals

Cory Bengtsen / baritone sax

Beth Yates / flute

Julie Pomerleau / violin

Joan Morrone / French horn

Ross Feller / tenor sax

Rob Pleshar / tuba

Todd Fackler / tuba

ACCORDO DEI CONTRARI - Violato Intatto (2017, Italy)

Bandcamp

"Violated Intact" is the fourth Accordo dei Contrari album, one of the most authoritative and admired Italian progressive jazz formations in the world. Born in Bologna in 2001, Between 2007 and 2014, the band has released three albums and has played in numerous Italian and foreign festivals: thanks to the work in studio and live activity, Accordo dei Contrari has gained significant international consensus.
After joining the Crescendo Festival of Saint Palais sur Mer in France and the Time In Jazz by Paolo Fresu in Berchidda, Contrary of Contrari began working on the fourth album in instrumental trio without electric bass: with the arrival of saxophonist Stefano Radaelli And the involvement of guests like Alessandro Bonetti of Deus Ex Machina, has achieved the ambitious " Violato Intatto".
Accordo dei Contrari, inspired by a renewed commitment, the desire to explore new territories and to deepen the elements of the instrumental formula, three years away from the previous "AdC" album, expands its sound to rock, jazz and music: The result is " Violato Intatto", a album consisting of eleven long and adventurous tracks. Recorded live in studio with minimized overdubs and mastered by the great Udi Koomran (already with Ahvak, Present, 5uu's etc.), "Violato Intatto" raises the mastery and uniqueness of the Accordo dei Contrari: a continuous and evolved dialogue between Diversity for one of the most fascinating and original formations of the European landscape. Btf

BUBBLEMATH - Edit Peptide (2017, USA)

Right from the start, it is clear to me that Edit Peptide, the new album by American band Bubblemath, represents some sort of an hommage to Gentle Giant. In fact, fans of the great an influential British band, but also of Echolyn and early Spock's Beard, should certainly be very enthusiastic about their new album Edit Peptide.
The album starts with a bang! with ‘’Routine Maintenance'', perhaps the most GG influenced piece of the album. It mixes great vocal harmonies with very dynamic music.
The next two tracks keep the momentum going with some excellent lead guitar soloing, emotional vocals, complex harmonies and very dynamic keyboards. In fact Bubblemath comes closer to what Echolyn used to do on Suffocating The Bloom.
The next track, ‘’A Void That I Can Depart To'' is, in my opinion the jewel of the album. It starts with a beautiful opening section that naturally evolves to melodic and intense parts (i.e. Echolyn's ''Shades'' and Spock’s Beard ‘’The Door’’) and finally ends in a very moving and peaceful way. This piece offers great instrumentation and vocals (like the rest of the album btw).
‘’Get a Lawn’’ is near to being a ballad but still gives us some quirky and intense vocals with some complex instrumentation. The ‘’Making Light of Traffic’s’’ calm and retro sounding first part almost actually feels like a real Gentle Giant song but quickly the band returns to intense instrumentation and dynamic harmonies. It’s a song that nearly has an ''On Reflection'' moment and features killer saxophone and keyboard solos.
The last two songs continue in the same vein and end this very good album in great fashion
Those that like their melodic Prog to be busy and intense (somewhat of a paradox?), something that bands like Spock's Beard and Echolyn (even more so) have been giving us for nearly thirty years, should really get their hands on Edit Peptide by Bubblemath. Prognosis