Issue 2026-005

The Bob Lazar Story — From Mouth To Ear

Martin Burns

Christchurch based maverick musician Matt Deacon (guitars/keys) has released another of his strange, ear-disrupting, EPs From Mouth To Ear. Working again with bassist Mike Fudakowski and Chris Jago on drums they have produced another short release that is bursting, nay overflowing, with ideas and melodies that smashes every prog expectation you could possibly have, leaving your head reeling and trying to grasp on to recognisable structures that have been eviscerated and reconstructed in a faulty blender. Finding, at the same time, that it all works profoundly well.

The oddest thing is it works, just like the other EPs by The Bob Lazar Story such as The Ghost Of Foodstool and Self-Loathing Joe that I have heard, where detailed and virtuosic musicianship allows for a playful, disturbing and often spiky trip with a strictly no showboating ethos and above all a sense of serious fun.

The opener Park Up And See The Manager has sax contributions from Gareth Wyn Jones and its zigzag melody and blues accents makes me think of Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica. Odd harmonies clash on Jago Shuffle and My Dog Is Called Ringo both underpinned with intricate but funky drum patterns. According to the notes that came with this release Smells Like Wet Concrete 'this one fits the description of two small bands fighting on some stairs' and that is difficult to argue with.

The longest track Total Kaikoura Not Cheggers Plays Pop is 'roughly four tunes for the price of one' that all hang together terrifically well. Pop is expunged with backwards tapes followed by a riffing section, that opens out in a melody Cardiacs would have valued. On Immaculate Foodstool Hammond enters the fray, leaving you wishing it was longer. You Pigeon Fucks slower, bluesy dark organ and guitars closes the short album with a smattering of ambience.

And what do I do then? Yep, I press play again for another ride on the Unidentified Flying Object that is the music of The Bob Lazar Story. (Hey, it's only $3.00 on Bandcamp, whatcha waiting for.)

Chercán — Chercán

Ignacio Bernaola

I have a soft spot for debut albums. With a debut you don't have the history of the band in your head, no classic period, no fan expectations, no comparisons with their previous masterpiece. It's just you and the music, like opening a door to a room you've never been in. And honestly, that feeling is addictive, especially when the band is totally unknown to me, like Chercán was before pressing play.

Their self-titled debut is not an easy listen, at least not in the “instant hook, instant comfort” way. But that's exactly why it grabbed me. This is the kind of album that doesn't give you everything on the first run. It asks for patience, and then it rewards you with details: small, and not so small, rhythmic changes, subtle, and not so subtle, shifts in mood, little, and not so little, instrumental decisions that you only notice when you already know where the song is going.

After a couple of listens you start to recognise the internal logic, and suddenly the record feels less “difficult” and more like a world you can enter. If I had to give a sonic reference to locate it, I'd place it in that zone where progressive rock flirts with jazz-rock and a kind of cinematic drama. Not in a flashy fusion sense, not in the “look how many notes” category, but in the way the band uses different colours to build scenes.

The sax is a key ingredient here: sometimes warm and melodic, sometimes tense and slightly abrasive, like a second voice that can change the emotional direction of a section without asking permission. And when the music slows down and lets the atmosphere stretch, I get small flashes of Pink Floyd-like pacing. Not because it sounds like that London band, but because it understands how to hold a mood and make it meaningful. And, saving the obvious distances, there's also a bit of The Mars Volta energy in the mix: that feeling of controlled chaos, of jumping between ideas and still landing on your feet (most of the time).

About the language: they sing in Spanish, their mother tongue, and I like the attitude behind it. They don't seem interested in making it easier for the rest of the planet by switching to English. It's more like: this is who we are, this is how we speak, and if you want in, you come in on our terms. That fits the music perfectly, because the album has the same philosophy. It doesn't try to please, it doesn't try to look cool, it just commits to its own world.

The album also knows when to breathe. Desolación (En) is short, but it works as a reset between bigger moments, like a corridor between rooms. And then you have the two-part Relato De Una Obsesión, where the band goes more ambitious: longer structures, shifting dynamics, sections that feel almost cinematic. It's complex, yes, but it never feels cold. There is a human pulse under the arrangement, and that's probably the best compliment I can give to a record that could have gone full technical.

This debut also reminded me in spirit, not in sound, of last year's Vientos Moderados Del Este, another new band, this time coming from Spain. Their first album was impressive and honestly quite shocking in the best way: very different from what you usually hear in modern prog, and brave enough to ignore trends. Chercán is a different kind of beast, but both share something I value a lot: the willingness to take risks, to mix styles and ideas without looking for permission, and to create something that invites replay instead of instant consumption.

And that's where I'm at right now: I really liked this record, even if it asked me to work a bit for it. I also loved what Vientos Moderados Del Este did last year. And I'm genuinely excited to see what these bands will do next, because it feels like there are new currents again inside prog, opening new paths. That's the point of progressive rock, isn't it? Not to repeat the museum pieces forever but to progress.

EBB — The Mirror

Mark Hughes

The second full-length album from EBB sees the band getting deep into prog territory. Whereas previous releases, including those issued by guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Erin Bennet under her own name or with Sylvan prior to the formation of EBB, focused on mainly shorter songs in a more mainstream rock idiom, The Mirror sees the adoption of a greater depth in writing where boundaries are pushed and songs are allowed to go where they want without being limited to a set length.

This could partly be down to the fact that the band has been welcomed by prog audiences and EBB are an almost essential inclusion at any UK Prog festival: their performances are solid, their musicality is spot on, and the stage presentation is delivered with panache and humour. The line-up remains unchanged with Bennett ably assisted by Bad Dog (bass), Nikki Francis (Hammond organ, piano, synthesisers, saxophone, flute, and clarinet), Anna Fraser (drums and percussion), Suna Dasi (backing vocals and synthesisers) and Kitty Biscuits (backing vocals, percussion, spoken word poetry).

From the start of the album one gets the feeling that one is in for a treat. The relatively short Evenfall features layers of vocals and a solo piano that acts as a lovely and subtle introduction. The tempo ramps up, the piano becomes more frantic, and some solid and heavy guitar riffing take us into Reason. But it is somewhat of a misdirection, as things become more subdued during the song verses, where excellent backing vocals layer on the harmonies. A longish instrumental section gives Bennett the opportunity to show off her guitar abilities with plenty of interjections from other instruments. This is a great sounding album, the instruments are all clear in the mix, not an easy thing to achieve when you have a thundering bass alongside an acoustic piano.

The thunder and bombast continues into No One's Child with some delightful piano arpegios from Francis. Structurally quite similar to Reason, one could even consider them to be two parts of a greater whole, although both are self-contained songs. The title track The Mirror is the epic of the album and is surely destined to be the song that others will be compared against. It has that classic approach, the quiet introduction followed by a complex, almost orchestrated, interlude that threatens to explode before heading off in an unexpected direction. Naturally, things have to break out, and they do as we get to the last verse, but there is still a degree of restraint, the band are not yet ready to go full tilt. If anything, this adds to the tension and allows the other instrumentalists to ply their trade in a glorious and dignified manner.

The first half over, That's How It Goes begins with acoustic guitar and some Hammond (which, as a fan of that particular instrument, I think could have been more prominent and have a greater presence) before we head into synthesiser territory whose domination is thankfully brought to an end before it gets too annoying by the arrival of the second verse. There are some excellent musical ideas throughout the song that hint at all sorts of different musical directions. I thought the listener was going to be treated to a rollicking good last minute, but unfortunately, I found it a little disappointing. I think I need to spend more time with the song as it is yet to gel.

No such qualms about Cuckoo, four minutes of anyone's time that will never be wasted. Although there are lyrics in the CD booklet associated with this track, they are not sung during the song. There are some vocals underneath the musical layers, although they are spoken not sung and from what I can make out don't bear any relation to the printed lyrics! Perhaps it is metaphysical and like the Cuckoo laying its egg in another bird's nest, the lyrics have been flown in from elsewhere and don't really belong!! Cuckoo segues directly into Take To The Stars which kicks off with an excellent two-minute heavy instrumental passage. Great stuff with some wonderful synth sounds. The song portion is even better making the piece one of the standouts on the album; with this and the title track there is twenty minutes of great music that is worthy of your attention and the contents of your wallet or purse.

I am fairly confident is stating that the subject of Day 19 is unique to the prog genre. I mean as otherworldly as Jon Anderson can be and as bucolic an environment that Ian Anderson has been known to inhibit, neither has penned anything relating to the menstrual cycle! As I suspect there will predominantly be a male audience reading this, a biology lesson may be apposite. Day 19 of the menstrual cycle is frequently associated with the onset of mood swings and other uncomfortable symptoms caused by increases in progesterone. This is perfectly expressed, as far as a male can imagine, by the song, with fluctuations in atmosphere and mood from the peaceful to the manic. Thank goodness all I have to be bothered about is shaving.

The album closes with Geneva that starts off acoustically. The inclusion of some studio talk before the song begins gives the impression that this is a live recording, it is one of the songs that has been included in stage performances. It is also a very good song that brings the album to a brilliant conclusion. Bennett has certainly taken to writing longer, more involved/evolved songs with ease and showing that she and her band are more than ready to climb the heights of the prog firmament.

ICU — Now And Here - 30th Anniversary Edition

Jan Buddenberg

Take a trip back in time, ...

This lyrical fragment from Nektar's Remember The Future frequently comes to mind when I stand in front of my CD collection to select an album for listening. Lately this phrase tends to turn up quite often in other contexts as well. Particularly when it concerns album re-issues that celebrate a specific anniversary. One recent example is Ulysses' Neronia 30th Anniversary Remaster, which instantly took me on a trip to the highly memorable date when I witnessed them at the Aurora Borealis Festival In Tilburg.

ICU's Now And Here - 30th Anniversary Edition has the exact same effect. It firmly catapults me back to those decadent neo-progressive childhood days. A time of youth where Fish-era Marillion, Deyss, Galahad, Chandelier, IQ, Aragon, Final Conflict, Collage, Ulysses, and many others were all part of my insatiable music diet. By some miracle, the overlooked ICU, who also released Moonlit Flit (1993) and ICU (1997) before their breakup in late 1997, were never of any nutritious value to me at the time. In retrospect, a serious neglect on my part, because Here And Now in the here and now healthily rekindles my everlasting appreciation and love for this particular neo-prog movement from the 80s and 90s.

Released in 1995 with an alternate mix to the one originally created by ICU and sound engineer Angelo d'Angelico, this 30th anniversary edition of Here And Now offers a fully revised and remastered version of the original mix, which up to summer of 2024 was believed to be lost. It featuring a line up of Thomas Glönkler (electric and acoustic guitars), Ralf Großmann (lead vocals, rhythm and acoustic guitar), Steffen Herrmann (keyboards), Eva-marie Baumann (flute, harmony vocals), Hartwig Dieterich (bass), and Joachim Lauber (drums, percussion). It narrates a concept that thematically explores a healing process involving a dialogue between man and nature.

This calming sense of nature comes to life right from the start in (I) The Spirit Of Nature through a drawn-out, idyllic opening where elegant flute melodies create the feel of sitting by the waterfront, perfectly matching the pondering lyrics. It slowly builds momentum with Genesis guitar and distant whaling sounds before transitioning smoothly into (II) The Spirit Of Man where polished harmonies and melodic guitar imprint of mid-80s Marillion. III Magic Eyes grows into a flourishing passage of well-arranged melodies where guitar distinctly reminds of Mirek Gil (Collage).

The resemblance to Collage / Marillion / Deyss also comes to the surface in Another Life. Captivating from start to finish through plenty of spontaneous musical diversions and complementary atmospheric mood swings, this song in its powerful segments also adds finer impressions of Crayon Phase to this colourful sound collage.

Großmann's vocals are generally strong and emotionally expressive. It might take some getting used to in this last song as they are not entirely in tune from time to time. However, this is fully in tune to the stirring context at play and when seen from a different angle brings additional depth, meaning, and character to the thoughtful storyline.

A Pair Of Hands has zestful neo-prog and meticulously arranged performances that again dispense an electrifying edge of Collage. Challenge Of The Unknown shrouds proceedings in "atmosfears" of brooding mystery from which a feel of insecurity and loneliness is emitted. Church organ slowly creeps in and melodies intensify. Großmann's anxious, troubled voice starts to give way to impressions of comfort and safety. This is strengthened by a forcefully rocking bridge and a sequential uplifting coda in the form of (III) Here And Now. Finally, it is In Every Stranger's Eyes that rounds off the excellently detailed concept in the finest neo-prog spirit with great guitar work and a soothing closure.

To make this re-release of Here And Now all the more desirable, it not only comes along in a stylish digipack that comprises a sixteen-page lyric sheet and updated liner notes. Included is also a package-unique Bandcamp download code that grants access to a grand buffet of bonus material; two complete live-recordings of the album from 1995, the mix as originally released in 1995, video footage from the recording sessions in 1994, a photo gallery, and 67 minutes of additional live recordings, demos, and rarities.

Out of these extras, both the Sonnenberg and Pavillon recordings have seen earlier releases. Among themselves they don't differ much, apart from a few minor changes in playing arrangements and some noticeable sound and mixing differences. Their inclusion is nevertheless much welcomed. Because they provide great insights as to how ICU brought the concept of Here And Now confidently to the stage all those years ago.

Of greater interest is the original 1995 mix and the additional 67 minutes of miscellaneous song material. The former for the simple fact that it successfully illustrates the excellent sound transparency upgrade this 30th anniversary release has. The latter offers various unique rarities and live tracks, like the Here And Now Medley which captures the concept in compelling abridged form, and several (demo) tracks (Tina, Living On The Edge) that were not used or further developed.

If all this hasn't convinced you yet to check out this miracle album that needs to be on every neo-prog lover's menu. Thomas Glönkler is also offering a special bundle deal on Bandcamp that allows for simultaneous exploration of his most recent solo album Tiefenland at a discounted price. A very tempting win-win situation.

If you're a neo-progressive rock fan on the look-out for an exhilarating diverse album packed with good music and a beautiful concept, then Here And Now is a highly recommendable place to start looking. It caters to this exceptionally well. I'll certainly remember to play this album frequently in future for more delicious trips back in time!

Last Plane Out — Cautionary Tales

Sergey Nikulichev

In all honesty, this is my third attempt to write a review for Cautionary Tales. I erased the text twice to a blank page level, and one of the reasons was that, despite the relative simplicity, the music is not easy to pinpoint. The more often I had hit the play button, the less the parallels that I drew proved to be accurate or trustworthy. Or maybe these parallels do not exist outside this reviewer's wild imagination at all. Sometimes it's a burden to write about uncomplicated material!

Putting Last Plane Out on the prog tarmac field, so to say, the project came into being in the 20s, formed by Nils Erikson (keys and vocals for a couple of Karmakanic albums) and Anders Lindquist from a hard / classic rock venture Future Elephants?. Music on the duo's sophomore release is, I'd say, equally distant from both Karmakanic's pomp / sympho and the classic rock approach of Elephants.

Cautionary Tales promotes itself as a pop prog or art-pop release, but don't really expect any Roxy Music or Bowie vibes. A gloss of old-fashioned sophisti-pop shines throughout the record, indeed – but closer to acts like Barclay James Harvest or Manfred Mann (check the opening tracks Break The Chain and Young At Heart). The band makes a comment about the latter track: "The fact that we're not spring chickens any more creates a feeling of relief. The song celebrates the sense of liberation you feel when you've been around long enough to see through a lot of the stupidity that surrounds us – whether it's in trends, media, ads or politics – and choose to follow your own path."

As the album narrative develops, more influences come into light. The following Cautionary Tales and sorrowful Silver and Gold could have been penned by David Surkamp (Pavlov's Dog), while All Fools Day (also the album's well-justified single) channels more soft-rock akin to Mike and the Mechanics in a good way, actually. Step Out Tonight and folksy Four Hundred Days with a slightly satirical vibe and acoustic strumming reminded me of sing-along material by The Decemberists or Jump. What If has a charming piano arpeggio to support the main verse-chorus structure, but to me it seems like the weakest song on the CD, an attempt to involve darker harmonies to counter-balance the otherwise more lyrical bulk of the album.

The closing Butterfly Effect is the longest song on Cautionary Tales, however still not reaching the 5-minute barrier, an introspective piano ballad with specks of saxophone, to add more colours to the palette. This reminded me of Vigil / Exile / Suites era of a certain Scottish vocalist to the extent, that I can almost hear Fish, singing / half-speaking this tune in his trademark style that Nils captured with fabulous precision, deliberately or not.

Cautionary Tales, despite its relation to pop music, will more likely appeal to an audience that prefers an old-fashioned style of the aforementioned artists. It remains unblemished with modern tropes, overused by younger generations of musicians. The album is not even a niche product, falling in-between niches of prog, old pop and classic rock – which is both weakness and strength, depending on how you look at it. I have few doubts about the quality of the record, but I am baffled about whom to recommend it to.

Space Mirrors — Nexus Between Space And Art

Jerry Kranitz

Space Mirrors began as a collaboration between Russian multi-instrumentalist Alisa Coral and Australian guitarist Michael Blackman. Their 2004 debut, The Darker Side Of Art, featured space rock with healthy doses of metal and progressive rock. The album also included guest guitar and vocals by Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon). The next two albums gave hints of the more collective nature of Space Mirrors, with guest appearances from members of Hawkwind (current and alumni), Starfield, Litmus, Meads Of Asphodel and more. By the fourth album, In Darkness They Whisper, Blackman had left, and since then Space Mirrors has functioned under the guidance of ship commander Alisa, who has deftly managed the organisation of and contributions from a global cast of contributors.

At the risk of oversimplification, the main difference from one album to the next has been the balance between space rock and metal influences, often resulting in unique blends of these realms. Alisa has over the years juggled Space Mirrors with other projects, including the collaborative Psi Corp and her solo work with Neutron Star, Frozen Fields and, most recently, Alisa Coral's {Mono Chrome}.

The latest from Space Mirrors is Nexus Between Space And Art. We've got twelve tracks and lots of variety. The first six songs are new mixes of tracks that originally appeared on the early 2024 Interplanetary Oddities And Connections album. Soul Hunting opens the set and is inspired by Roger Zelazny's novel Lord Of Light. Alisa is in her realm with the sci-fi inspirations. It's a darkly upbeat space-prog instrumental with a steady rocking beat and an overall electronica feel.

The next two tracks, Transmission From Mars Pt. 1: Something's Moving and Transmission From Mars Pt. 2: No Humans Allowed Here, are what Alisa describes as "sort of" tributes to Helios Creed and Chrome. The music on Pt. 1 does sound like Chrome in spots, though the analogy is heard mostly in the space-industrial elements and effects that pepper what is a much cleaner sound than Chrome. I hear both Chrome and Hawkwind in Pt. 2. I like the creepy atmosphere, slowly rocking yet skittish groove, swaying cosmic melody, robot narration and bubbly effects. I'll call these tracks Space Mirrors with tips of the hat to Helios and Chrome.

Siddhartha is another tune inspired by Lord Of Light and sounds like space-prog with a soundtrack theme song feel. It has an unsettlingly off-kilter funereal beat and vibe that I love, and I like how shooting star effects rapidly rise and fall amidst the choppy dual keyboard melodies. Moon 44 features more soundtrack music, with swirly keys, dance-y electro beats, effects bouncing off the walls and an overall sense of the sinister, conjuring up images of a spacecraft floating surreptitiously through enemy territory. And 21st Century Electronic #2 is a freewheeling cavalcade of space effects. Maybe a nod to Hawkwind's Electronic No. 1?

The next six tracks are all new. The nearly 10-minute Kepler 442b is one of my favorites of the set. It starts off with an eerie deep space atmosphere, mind-bending guitar lead and alien effects. Pounding, warlike drumming kicks in around the halfway mark, along with soloing flute from the late Nik Turner, to create a moody, menacing yet strangely dreamy space rocker.

T Coronae Borealis is pure floating electronic space, spewing out waves of synth lines and steadily syncopated pulsations. The appropriately titled Cydonian Lullaby is very different, being a majestic piano-driven space-orchestral piece. KOI-4742 is another space excursion, in this case a haunting ride into floating yet foreboding space with sparse but effective use of effects. This put me into a narcotic dream state, only to be awakened by the bouncy, melodic rocking Awake In 2004, which develops into a powerhouse space rocking Dr. Who type theme. Finally, Crab Nebula wraps up the set in uplifting, symphonic space.

In summary, Nexus Between Space And Art is an outstanding collection, though maybe not the best place for newcomers from the progressive rock world to start. Of the more recent Space Mirrors albums I'd recommend 2023's Majestic Dreamquest - Tribute To Nik Turner as a solid introduction. Alisa's world is rich and varied and well worth exploring.