RICHARD FALK's REVIEWS

In

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In Concert (UK): In Concert (Zella ZEL LP 116, 1970)
Folk
Liz Duncan, Liz Cotterell
Housed in a wonderfully evocative silkscreened sleeve and with plain stickered labels, this was clearly a minuscule pressing, and only one copy has resurfaced on the collectors’ circuit. Without any artist credit as such, the album was the work of four folk musicians, who sometimes appear to play together and sometimes as two duos (one of the two men and the other of the two women). Musically it has a typical early seventies folk club sound, with some crystalline singing from the girls and with (mostly very good) versions of material like ‘Mr Tambourine Man’, ‘Summertime’, ‘The Boxer’, ‘Last Thing On My Mind’ et al. I have seen the disc compared to Marie Celeste, which makes sense, though occasionally (notably on the self-penned ‘Traffic Song’) there’s a bit more of a underground vibe that puts me in mind of the folkier cuts from Holyground albums like A-Austr and Astral Navigations. GRADE: C+.

In Each Hand A Cutlass (Singapore): A Universe Made Of Strings (No label, CD, 2011)
Progressive/Metal
Amanda Ling (keyboards, programming)
The obvious reference points for this Singaporean band’s majestic instrumental metal is Kong, though they also resemble a less experimental Rock Of Travolta. However, although almost every piece is driven by muscular riffing, they have a broad musical palette, with clear references to seventies prog and hard rock and a few post-rock touches too. As a bonus, it’s superbly recorded too, with the band making extensive use of the studio – so it’s a great test disc for audiophiles as well as a great album. GRADE: B.

In Each Hand A Cutlass (Singapore): The Kraken (No label, CD, 2015)
Progressive/Metal
Amanda Ling (keyboards, programming)
I don’t find this as striking or as surprising as their first, though it’s very much in the same vein. Nonetheless, this is still fine instrumental metal – energetic, bombastic and dynamic, with references to everything from the jazzy edges of Stinking Lizaveta to the casiopop touches of Rolo Tomassi. GRADE: B–.

Labyrint (Sweden): Mysteriernas Trädgård (No label, cassette, 1994)
Folk/Progressive
Karin Langhard-Gejel (percussion, flute, backing vocals)
With 24 shortish (though sometimes linked) tracks showcasing a broad spectrum of ethnic instruments (saz, zither, santoor, kena, bansuri and many others), this is an unusual and elegant set. Occasional rock interjections, including some well-judged electric guitar and Mellotron, prevent it from becoming mere world music or fringing new age, whilst two actual songs add further variety. The result is a remarkable 74-minute sonic journey, though I wish they’d included some longer and more involved suites. As a footnote, the album was reissued on CD as In The Garden Of Mysteries under the band’s new name of In The Labyrinth (Ad Perpetuam Memoriam APM 9613 AT/SYMPHILIS 5, 1996). GRADE: B–.​

In-Tension (Holland): Fragments (No label, CD, 2004)
Metal/Progressive
Noortje van de Voort (lead vocals)
With their rich melodies, understated soprano vocals and elegant melodies and riffs, In-Tension operate at the more relaxed end of symphonic metal. Those who shun bombast will find plenty to enjoy here, but those seeking music that is mould-breaking, startling or experimental may find the album too derivative or too much of a piece. GRADE: C+.

In The Labyrinth (Sweden): Walking On Clouds (TonArt Production/Record Heaven TAP/RHCD 21, CD, 1999)
World Music/Progressive
Helena Selander (occasional vocals), Miriam Oldenburg (accordion)
This is a bit more commercial than their first: brighter, catchier and more rock-oriented, including four actual songs. It’s also a better album, delivering a melodic, uplifting and constantly changing suite of music that harnesses unusual instruments and diverse musical traditions to great effect. GRADE: B.
In The Labyrinth (Sweden): Dryad (TonArt Production/Record Heaven TAP/RHCD 65, CD, 2002)
World Music/Progressive
Helena Selander (occasional vocals)
Their third and final album is the most commercial of all, once again mixing four catchy songs with seven richly arranged instrumentals. It’s nice stuff, with great melodies and intricate playing, providing a fitting end to their short but stellar career. GRADE: B–.

In The Summer Of The Mushroom Honey (USA): In The Summer Of The Mushroom Honey (Aether, with inserts, 1998)
Psychedelic
Richelle Toombs (lead vocals)
This one-off project, formed by members of a number of different psychedelic bands, recorded its sole album in a single day. The liner notes state that everything was improvised, but this has none of the aimlessness of much improvised music, offering an enjoyable selection of spacy and folky trips. The CD version from the following year (Aether AECD-105) substitutes a slightly longer version of ‘Deep Beneath The Water’ and adds three bonus tracks, including the 20-minute ‘Opening Impressions Of The Middle East’, which is probably the best thing they recorded. GRADE: C+.
See also Many Bright Things, Tombstone Valentine

In The Woods… (Norway): Omnio (Misanthropy AMAZON 011, CD, UK, 1997)
Metal/Progressive
Synne Larsen
The basic style here is rooted in doom metal, but that doesn’t really sum up the majestic, spacy, epic yet minimalist music on offer. In The Woods… generally forgo pummelling riffs for a relaxed mid-paced approach, with a few gothic touches from cello (though this doesn’t really qualify as gothic metal either). Lengthy, unpredictable song structures (especially on the 24-minute closing suite), dramatic tempo changes and philosophical lyrics indicate strong progressive influences, whilst the male and female vocalists occasionally resemble (of all things) quasi-operatic versions of Ian McCulloch and Siouxsie Sioux. There’s even some glissando guitar and a short snatch of a Gong-like rhythm in the title suite. In short, Omnio is odd through and through, and all the better for it. GRADE: B–.
In The Woods… (Norway): Strange In Stereo (Misanthropy AMAZON 020, CD, 1999)
Metal/Progressive
Synne Larsen
From the title, you might be expecting some weird production effects, but the recording is pretty straightforward, as is the music. This is solid enough metal, with a few hints of post-rock and trip-hop, but it doesn’t represent a step forward from the previous record and is never particularly exciting. GRADE: C+.
In The Woods… (Norway): Three Times Seven On A Pilgrimage (Prophecy Productions PRO 024, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, Germany, 1999)
Metal/Progressive/Psychedelic
Synne Larsen
This time round, the title does explain the contents: this compiles three singles (all cover versions) and their B-sides plus four other tracks. Such a piecemeal approach might suggest a mediocre album, but this is by far their best, adding psychedelic and space-rock elements to their sound. The covers – King Crimson’s ‘Epitaph’, Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ and best of all an amazing deconstruction of Pink Floyd’s ‘Let There Be More Light’ – are superb, whilst their own material concentrates more on atmosphere and mood, completing an impressive set. GRADE: B.

In The Woods… (Norway): Live At The Caledonien Hall (Karkakosmetix KKX001, double CD, with slipcase, 2003)
Metal/Progressive
Synne Larsen (joint lead vocals, finger cymbals)
Running for nearly two-and-a-half hours, this expansive live set summarised the band’s entire career and marked its dissolution. It’s an interesting and accomplished set, with a very spacy atmosphere, but it tends to confirm that their material is not only very understated but also not particularly varied. Some copies also featured a label sampler, with its own minisleeve; this includes solo cuts by a few band members and contains some fine music. GRADE: B–.

See also Green Carnation, Naervaer

Incredible Cherry Tree Band (UK): The Incredible Cherry Tree Band (Look LKLP 6037, 1976)
Jazz/Rock
Ros Thomas (lead vocals)
Some of this extremely rare private album’s cuts are unremarkable trad-ish jazz and fusion (the reading of ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ is particularly superfluous), but on others the band creates some superb Affinity-style progressive jazz/rock with lengthy, complex instrumental breaks that could easily have come out on Vertigo in the early seventies. GRADE: C+.

Incredible String Band (UK): Changing Horses (Elektra EKS 7457, 1969)
Folk/Psychedelic
Christina McKechnie (occasional vocals, guitar, organ, percussion, kazoo), Rose Simpson (occasional vocals, bass, percussion)
A country-flavoured opener (Robin Williamson’s ‘Big Ted’) and two cuts around the 15-minute mark (Mike Heron’s ‘White Bird’ and Williamson’s ‘Creation’) significantly mar the album, but elsewhere it’s as good – and occasionally as frustrating – as anything this whimsical, idiosyncratic and seminal acid-folk band ever produced. GRADE: C+.
Incredible String Band (UK): I Looked Up (Elektra EKS 74061, 1970)
Folk/Psychedelic
Christina McKechnie (occasional vocals, bass, drums, dulcimer), Rose Simpson (occasional vocals, bass, violin)
With Dave Mattacks guesting on drums on one track, in parts this sounds almost like conventional folk/rock. I said ‘almost’, though: elsewhere the weirdness quotient is nearly as high as usual. GRADE: C+.
Incredible String Band (UK): Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending (Island ILPS 9140, 1971)
Folk/Psychedelic/Progressive
Christina McKechnie (occasional vocals, organ, percussion, recorder, mandolin, kazoo), Rose Simpson (occasional vocals, bass, percussion, recorder)
With five relatively coherent songs on the first side and almost half-an-hour of baroque instrumental snippets from the film of the same name on the flip, this is one of their most enjoyable and uplifting LPs. GRADE: B–.
Incredible String Band (UK): U (Elektra 2665 001, with insert, double, 1970)
Folk/Psychedelic
Christina McKechnie (occasional vocals, guitar, percussion), Rose Simpson (occasional vocals, guitar, bass, tablas)
The soundtrack to a vast multi-media stage show, this 100-minute double album is by far their most ambitious work. It’s also one of their best, although the ISB being the ISB and a vast, sprawling double LP being a vast, sprawling double LP, several tracks don’t work too well – the country-flavoured ‘Bad Sadie Lee’ is rather inappropriate, and the 10-minute piano ballad ‘Light In Time Of Darkness/Glad To See You’ decidedly outstays its welcome. GRADE: B–.
Incredible String Band (UK): Liquid Acrobat As Regards The Air (Island ILPS 9172, 1971)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Christina McKechnie (occasional vocals, bass, keyboards, percussion, autoharp, kazoo)
In parts, this has stronger progressive rock influences than usual, but mostly it’s unusually straight stuff for them – one track is a heavy folk/rocker in Fairport Convention style, and another is a pop-reggae number. But it’s well up to their usual high standard, and could easily appeal to those who find their more meandering moments irritating. GRADE: C+.
Incredible String Band (UK): Earthspan (Island ILPS 9211, with inner, 1972)
Folk/Rock
Christina McKechnie (occasional vocals, bass)
It’s still decidedly odd and it’s still definitely the ISB, but Earthspan sees them moving even further towards the mainstream. In fact, several tracks have something of a singer/songwriter feel, and whilst they’re fairly well executed, this is certainly one of their less essential albums. GRADE: C+.

Indigo (USA): Indigo (Warner Brothers BS 2991, 1977)
Pop/Rock
Sherry Fox (joint lead vocals, piano), Sue Richman (joint lead vocals, piano)
This trio united singer and guitarist Rex Larsen with Sherry Fox (ex-RJ Fox, Oasis and Cookin’ Mama) and Sue Richman (ex-Genesis), with Larsen and Fox providing all the original material. Musically this recalls a slightly more rural version of mid-seventies Fleetwood Mac, offering engaging, well-crafted and slightly inconsequential melodic soft rock. GRADE: C+.
See also Cookin’ Mama, Genesis, Knickers, Oasis, RJ Fox, Starcrossed, Thieves

Ines (Germany): Hunting The Fox (WMMS 051, CD, 1994)
Rock/Progressive
Ines Fuchs (keyboards)
Why Ines Fuchs gets star billing as a solo artist is beyond me; she plays all the keyboards and composes nearly everything, but this is very much a band effort, featuring several different (male) vocalists. Musically, it’s polished, symphonic stadium-rock, with more than a hint of Pink Floyd circa A Momentary Lapse Of Reason, and appears to be some kind of concept album. GRADE: C+.
Ines (Germany): Eastern Dawning (WMMS 098, CD, 1996)
Rock/Progressive
Ines Fuchs (keyboards, backing vocals)
Broadly in the same style as their first, this is sometimes a little more relaxed and pastoral. But for the most part, it’s good-natured, tuneful mainstream rock with symphonic edges and a few minor progressive touches: pleasant, listenable, inoffensive and wholly unoriginal. GRADE: C+.
Ines (Germany): The Flow (Tempus Fugit 726221-2, CD, 1999)
Rock/Progressive
Ines Fuchs (occasional vocals, keyboards, accordion)
The third Ines album has some interesting moments, especially on the instrumentals, where she incorporates influences from African music. Some of the songs are slightly folkier than normal as well, with subtle use of accordion, violin and flute, but mostly this is her usual mid-paced tuneful rock. The sleeve notes describe the album as ‘complex music’, her ‘most sophisticated work’ and ‘a fascinating musical journey’, but really this is nothing of the kind. GRADE: C+.
Ines Project (Germany): Slipping Into The Unknown (Tempus Fugit 20733, CD, 2002)
Rock/Progressive
Ines Fuchs (occasional vocals, keyboards)
The final Ines album (sensibly issued under a band identity) offers her normal polished, atmospheric melodic rock and delivers no surprises. However, the excellent production and a few fine melodies mean that this is possibly the best of her oeuvre. GRADE: C+.

iNFiNiEN (USA): How To Accept (No label INFN01, CD, 2006)
Progressive/Jazz/Rock
Chrissie Loftus (lead vocals, keyboards)
The debut by iNFiNiEN (silly capitalisation theirs) offers densely arranged jazzy prog with lots of Eastern musical references, assertive playing and a fine recording. However, accomplished as it is, it lacks the one thing that would have taken it to the next level – songs as memorable as the performances are authoritative. GRADE: C+.
iNFiNiEN (USA): iNFiNiEN (No label, CD, 2009)
Progressive/Jazz/Rock
Chrissie Loftus (lead vocals, keyboards)
The jazz and Arabic elements are even more prominent here, but with its slightly sharp girlish vocals and knotty dense riffing, this is quintessentially American, bringing to mind District 97, early Bent Knee and Finneus Gauge. How much you like this will depend on how much you like that style of prog – although Bent Knee and Finneus Gauge have both released albums I rated B-, it’s not a favourite of mine and though this contains some fine and inventive material it’s still a strong C+. GRADE: C+.
iNFiNiEN (USA): Light At The Endless Tunnel (No label, CD, 2016)
Progressive/Jazz/Rock
Chrissie Loftus (lead vocals, keyboards, percussion)
iNFiNiEN’s first album in seven years is as varied, inventive and creative as their earlier work. Once again, it’s very American, sometimes sounding like District 97 without the metal elements, though at times I can hear the same influences that inspired Rosalie Cunningham. As such, this is a good album by any standard. But without any individually outstanding songs, it still isn’t a truly great one. GRADE: C+.
iNFiNiEN (USA): Live At Beardfest (No label, CD, 2019)
Progressive/Jazz/Rock
Chrissie Loftus (lead vocals, keyboards)
The live setting clearly suits iNFiNiEN (whose name becomes more irritating to type every time): this is a lively, dynamic and exploratory set, and after the first few songs I was ready to give it a B–. But ultimately, whether live or studio, their all-American sound just isn’t as compelling as their all-cylinders-firing performances. GRADE: C+.
iNFiNiEN (USA): Beyond The Veil (iNFiNiEN iNF-005, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2022)
Progressive/Jazz/Rock
Chrissie Loftus (lead vocals, keyboards)
Cutting back on the chunky riffing, this sounds more European than their earlier work, with some slight but definite Canterbury references. I find it musically articulate, reasonably inventive and broadly satisfying. However, I also find it generally unmemorable, which is my biggest problem with iNFiNiEN’s music. GRADE: C+.

Inner Circle (USA): Everybody Listen! (Gospel Tone GT-LP-195, 1971?)
MOR/Pop/Folk/Country
Gloria Majors (lead vocals), Sandy Mayrant (backing vocals)
This obscure Christian outfit clearly had money to burn, as this is very professionally recorded and lushly arranged, including strings and horns. That isn’t a compliment, as the end result is a dull, syrupy and lifeless MOR album drawing on country, folk and pop music. It’s a pity, as there are hints of talent here and there, but for the most part this is excruciating. GRADE: E.

Inner Dialogue (USA): Inner Dialogue (Ranwood R 8050, with insert, 1969)
Pop
Lynn Dolin (joint lead vocals), BJ Ward (joint lead vocals)
With dreamy dual female vocals and lots of sweeping strings, this is a charming if ultimately unexceptional baroque soft pop LP. Nonetheless, there is some complexity, not to mention pretension, on offer in both the music (the classically-tinged ‘Yesterday The Dog’) and lyrics (which often deal with psychological concerns, as the band name suggests). BJ Ward later went on to cut a sought-after solo album Vocal Ease. GRADE: C.
Inner Dialogue (USA): Friend (Ranwood R 8074, 1970)
Pop
Lynn Dolin (joint lead vocals), Kay Cole (joint lead vocals)
Whilst perfectly pleasant, this is rather less creative than their first: four cuts are covers, whilst the originals are fairly conventional MOR pop with nothing as out-there as ‘Yesterday The Dog’. This must have sounded quite dated even in 1970, and it’s hardly surprising that they never got to cut a third LP. GRADE: C.

Inner Drive (Russian Federation): Oasis (Lizard CD 0104, CD, Italy, 2014)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Natalia Filatova (flute)
This Russian jazz-fusion band’s album is richly melodic, beautifully crafted and very virtuosic, but there’s nothing surprising, fiery or particularly memorable here. In addition to flautist Natalia Filatova, a couple of female musicians guested on the album: Tatiana Kanevskaya plays guitar on ‘Chaos’ whilst Inna Klubochkina contributes violin to three tracks. GRADE: C+.

Inner Ear Brigade (USA): Rainbro (Altrock ALT 025, CD, Italy, 2012)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Melody Ferris (lead vocals)
The band describe themselves as RIO, but despite a passing resemblance to Cos, this is more a fusion of jazz/rock, sympho-prog and space-rock, with the emphasis on the former. With some rather wacky lyrics and a few mainstream rock leanings, it’s also distinctively American and although occasionally mildly experimental never becomes dissonant. A consistently good album, it’s ultimately more pleasant and inoffensive than it is startling and compelling. GRADE: C+.

Inner Ear Brigade (USA): Dromology (Altrock ALT-057, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2017)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Melody Ferris (lead vocals)
This time round, their musically is clearly RIO, right down to the deliberately off-key singing throughout. However, it’s definitely at the more conventional end of the genre – whereas I’d describe the greats of the style as radical, startling or even astonishing, I’d describe this as accomplished, mellow and pleasant. GRADE: C+.

Innovation (Canada): Innovation (Birchmount BM577, 1970)
Pop/Folk
Terry Murphey (joint lead vocals), Patty Lewis (joint lead vocals)
A quartet of two men and two women, whose obscure album is now quite rare. Despite their name, this is quaint harmony hippie folk/pop and pop/rock with a mixture of self-penned songs and covers, all with a gentle, summery feel. Even by the standards of the era, this is a short LP, at around 25 minutes. GRADE: C.

Inquisition (Denmark): Inquisition (Generation GRL 8518E, 1985)
Pop/Rock/Progressive
Tina Siel (occasional vocals), Dorthea Hermann (occasional vocals)
Blending mainstream rock and neoprog in a style similar to the Dutch band Kayak, this Danish project is a concept album about witchhunts using different singers on each track. Some of the more symphonic passages are rather pleasing, but the more uptempo numbers embody every eighties rock cliché. Although issued on what appears to be a private label, this was obviously quite a big-budget project, as the album comes with a very attractive book sleeve. GRADE: C–.

Inri-Ezel (Puerto Rico): Aunque La Tierra Tiemble Debemos De Cantar (Roka RK-316, 1972?)
Garage/Psychedelic
Teresa (joint lead vocals, pandereta)
This melodic garage psych album is one of the rarest private pressings from Puerto Rico, and also among the scarcest Christian LPs in the world. The religious message never detracts from the music, which is excellent (and very well recorded) basement guitar rock with some good riffs and solos. GRADE: C+.

Insect Ark (USA): Portal/Well (Autumnsongs AR025DL, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2015)
Metal/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Dana Schechter
This solo project by Dana Schechter offers a series of instrumental vignettes influenced by doom metal but also drawing subtly on the blues (and to a much lesser extent psychedelic and ambient music). The results are forlorn and rather eerie soundscapes that don’t exactly go anywhere, but are intriguing and original enough to make for an interesting listen. GRADE: B–.
Insect Ark (USA): Marrow Hymns (Profound Lore PLF-196, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2018)
Metal/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Dana Schechter
This is perhaps a bit heavier than their debut, though with this kind of outfit the variations are strictly within an established style. With slide guitar once again the dominant instrument, this is another unusual set of instrumental progressive metal, once again with a somewhat desolate and swampy feel. GRADE: B–.

Insect Ark (USA): The Vanishing (Profound Lore PLF-237, CD, with digipak and booklet, Canada, 2020)
Metal/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Dana Schechter (guitar, bass, synthesiser)
The opening ‘Tectonic’ is aptly named, opening with an earth-shaking bass riff and continuing with confident, menacing swagger. It sets the stage for what may be Insect Ark’s best album to date. However, with an outfit like this it's hard to articulate how this differs from their earlier work – indeed, I’m struggling to say whether it differs. GRADE: B–.
Insect Ark (USA): Raw Blood Singing (Debemur Morti Productions DMP0249, CD, with digipak, 2024)
Metal/Progressive
Dana Schechter (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards)
The introduction of vocals on half the cuts makes the band’s sound rather less distinctive – this gothic/doom crossover could have come from almost anyone or anywhere. It does not, however, make their music any worse, so this contains plenty of fine moments. GRADE: B–.

Insect Trust (USA): The Insect Trust (Capitol SKAO 109, 1968)
Jazz/Blues/Country/Folk/Psychedelic/Progressive
Nancy Jeffries (lead vocals, percussion)
First cut ‘The Skin Game’ begins as rootsy Americana, with an early-twentieth century flavour, before suddenly becoming an exciting and slightly avant-garde psychedelic freakout, finally returning to its original mood. It sets the style for one of the most interesting and inventive albums to emerge from the American underground in the late-sixties, fusing old-time jazz, blues, country and ragtime into contemporary progressive explorations. Even those who don’t like American roots music, like me, will find a great deal to treasure here. GRADE: B–.
Insect Trust (USA): Hoboken Saturday Night (Atco SD 33-313, 1970)
Jazz/Blues/Country/Folk
Nancy Jeffries (lead vocals)
Their somewhat different second and final album is even rootsier, with a heavier influence from pre-war jazz, and far fewer psychedelic or progressive elements. It’s well done, but I vastly prefer their debut – and I suspect most readers will too. GRADE: C+.

Inspiration (UK): Follow That White Line (Custom 003, 1975?)
Pop/Lounge/‘Incredibly Strange Music’
Lee Sanz (lead vocals)
Of equal interest to lounge and ‘real people’ collectors, this is a peculiar mixture of MOR, pop/rock and progressive, peaking on an astonishing version of ‘The Dambusters’ March’, with a weird improvised middle section of sound effects. Elsewhere, there are covers of songs like ‘Morning Has Broken’, manic drum solos, unexpected keyboard fugues and tempo changes, and plenty of cheesy, end-of-the-pier organ and clunky rhythms. In fact, the level of eccentricity almost approaches the notorious Jumble Lane at moments. GRADE: C.

Instant Flight (Japan/Italy/Czech Republic): Instant Flight (No label MALT 3582, CD, 2001)
Psychedelic
Lucie Rejchrtová (occasional vocals, keyboards)
Led by an Italian and based in the UK, this multinational band thank the Beatles and Syd Barrett in the liner notes to their debut EP. Those references are no accident, as this is excellent late sixties-style psychedelia, with heavy guitar work and rich layers of Hammond organ and Mellotron. Two of the four cuts were re-recorded for the band’s first album Colours And Lights three years later. GRADE: B–.
Instant Flight (UK/Italy/Czech Republic): Colours And Lights (Beard Of Stars BOS CD 41, CD, Italy, 2004)
Psychedelic
Lucie Rejchrtová (occasional vocals, keyboards)
The promise suggested by their EP is fully borne out by this fine album, which equals peak Petals whilst having a distinctly British sensibility. Once again, there’s some lovely Mellotron work sprinkled among the very varied tracks. As a footnote, Arthur Brown (with whom Lucie Rejchrtová also worked) sings lead on two cuts, whilst Sundial’s Gary Ramon contributes a guitar solo to one. GRADE: B–.
Instant Flight (UK/Italy/Czech Republic): Endless Journey (Headspin HS402CD, CD, 2008)
Psychedelic
Lucie Rejchrtová (keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals)
Again, this offers richly melodic psychedelia, with well-crafted, atmospheric songs. There’s nothing cutting-edge or experimental here, but Instant Flight are superb at what they do and there are few, if any, obvious weak moments. GRADE: B–.
Instant Flight (UK/Italy/Czech Republic): Around The Gates Of Morning (Rock ’n’ Rave, CDR, 2014)
Psychedelic
Lucie Rejchrtová (occasional vocals, keyboards)
This is their most expansive album, with 17 tracks and a playing time of over an hour. The instrumentals ‘Go Ahead And Don’t Look Back’ and ‘Slow Stroll’ take them into Shadows-like territory and some of the other tracks approach pastiches of late sixties and early seventies rock styles, but it’s all extremely well done and possibly their best LP overall. Whilst most of the songs are new, this appears to compile recordings from a number of sessions, including the entire 2001 EP. GRADE: B–.

Instruments (USA): Cast A Half Shadow (Orange Twin 023, 2006)
Folk/Rock
Heather McIntosh (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, cello)
With a mixture of folky songs and pleasant instrumentals (vaguely classical-edged, but certainly not progressive), this album is extremely difficult to describe. It is, however, a very pleasant listen. GRADE: C+.

Intensity (UK): Turn-About-Inside-Out Plastic-Coated Human (Eden LP 68, 1973)
Folk/Psychedelic
Jackie Bidwell (joint lead vocals)
This Christian-tinged album has an odd and distinctive sound: not quite acid-folk, although definitely folky, with a certain jazz influence as well, and decidedly psychedelic. The LP alternates between whimsical ballads, more than a little reminiscent of the Incredible String Band, and extended instrumental improvisations, with the key instruments being piano and clarinet. Laughably pretentious poems are interspersed between most of the tracks, hilariously delivered by a lisping aesthete whose monotone intonation strongly reminds me of Holly the computer (in its male incarnation) from ‘Red Dwarf’. GRADE: C+.

Interpose+ (Japan): Interpose+ (Muséa FGBG 4619.AR/Poseidon PRF-026, CD, France, 2005)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Sayuri Aruga (lead vocals)
This rather schizophrenic album mixes eighties-style Nippon sympho-prog (recalling bands like Teru’s Symphonia, though with less of a neoprog style) and complex jazz-fusion. They tackle both genres extremely well and even manage to mix them here and there, making for a very accomplished LP. GRADE: B–.
Interpose+ (Japan): Indifferent (Muséa FGBG 4706.AR/Poseidon PRF-042, CD, France, 2007)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Sayuri Aruga (lead vocals)
Whilst this isn’t quite as good as its predecessor – neither as diverse nor as fiery – it still contains many fine passages, making it one of the better modern Japanese albums of its type. GRADE: B–.

Interpose+ (Japan): Live 2008 (Poseidon PPS-005, DVD, 2008)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Sayuri Ayuga (lead vocals, tambourine)
Filmed at two concerts, this DVD is visually unspectacular, and their material doesn’t work as well onstage as in the studio. The result is a solid set, displaying some fine musicianship, but a far-from-essential purchase. GRADE: C+.

Interpose+ (Japan): Memories In The Wind (Muséa Parallèle MP 3297, CD, France, 2015)
Progressive
Sayuri Aruga (lead vocals)
Whilst I enjoyed their first two studio sets, this one gets off to a shaky start: the recording is mediocre, the drumming is sluggish and Sayuri Aruga is noticeably off-key. Things improve thereafter, but this has none of the intermittent inspiration of the earlier work, confirming the impression of a band that is steadily declining. GRADE: C+.
See also Ars Nova

Introitus (Sweden): Fantasy (Bender Production, CD, 2007)
Progressive
Anna Jobs Bender (lead vocals), Liselotte Hellström (violin), Matilda Kock (flute)
I’ve seen this album compared to Karnataka, but the resemblance is purely superficial: Karnataka are rather bland neoprog, whereas this is the real thing. The 26-minute title track is the centrepiece here, filled with dramatic instrumental diversions, heavy Dave Gilmour-esque guitar work and elements of Swedish folk. It gets a little cheesy towards the end of that suite and occasionally elsewhere, and the usual suspects demonstrate a strong influence (Curved Air, Renaissance, Pink Floyd and Camel all spring to mind). Nonetheless, this is majestic, confident, intelligent music with a few surprises, and the overall effect is impressive. GRADE: B–.
Introitus (Sweden): Elements (Progress PRCD 043, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2011)
Progressive
Anna Jobs Bender (lead vocals), Johanna Bender (keyboards, percussion, backing vocals)
Nowhere near as good as their first, this is heavier and more predictable neoprog. Even with three tracks over the ten-minute mark, there’s no feeling of the band pushing any boundaries, but in fairness this is perfectly competent throughout. GRADE: C+.
Introitus (Sweden): Anima (Progress PRCD058, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2014)
Progressive
Anna Jobs Bender (principal vocals), Johanna Bender (backing vocals)
Album number three offers richly crafted symphonic rock, with a mellifluous, organic flow and some lovely keyboard textures. However, this is still safe and unadventurous stuff, firmly rooted in neoprog, and it’s significant that the sole instrumental (apart from the brief intro and outro, the former of which hints towards Black Sabbath with its wintry sound effects) is by far the highpoint. GRADE: C+.

Introitus (Sweden): Shadows (Bad Elephant Music BEM069, CD, with digipak and booklet, UK, 2019)
Progressive
Anna Jobs Bender (principal vocals), Linnéa Syräjä (accordion, ocarina, chalumeau, backing vocals)
This is their best since their debut, though as with their last couple it’s a bit short on excitement and as with their first it’s occasionally a bit cheesy (the clearly heartfelt ‘My Hero’). Nonetheless, it wins through – if only just – thanks to its sheer consistency, creating a lovely mellow mood with some majestic moments and some nice folky diversions. GRADE: B–.

Invasion (UK): The Master Alchemist (This Is Music THISISM020, CD, with digipak, 2009)
Metal
Chantal Brown
This is certainly a wild ride, setting Chantal Brown’s manic soul-inflected vocals against harsh, dynamic riffing influenced by both doom and death metal. The whole thing lasts for only around 20 minutes – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as this is exhilarating in small doses but would become exhausting over the course of a 40-minute album. GRADE: C+.
See also Do Me Bad Things, Vôdûn

Invisible Opera Company Of Tibet (Australia/UK): Invisible Opera Company Of Tibet (Voiceprint VP106CD, CD, UK, 1991)
Pop/Psychedelic/World Music
Gilli Smyth (occasional vocals)
This Gong-related project was largely masterminded by Daevid Allen, Harry Williamson and singer/guitarist Russel Hibbs, but features a substantial cast of musicians. From a musical standpoint, it’s a rather odd mixture of straight rock (sometimes new wave-ish, with spoken vocals, and at others tending towards lounge, as on ‘Stormbirds’), world music elements (including quite a bit of didgeridoo and some almost Hawaiian choruses) and Gong-like spaciness, with Gilli Smyth’s space whisper. As such, it’s a mildly interesting curio but doesn’t really hang together. A UK version of the band (with no members in common, though Allen and Hibbs guested on some of their releases) was subsequently established. GRADE: C+.
See also Acid Mothers Gong, Orlando Allen, Glo, Goddess Trance, Gong, Gong Matrices, Mother Gong, Gilli Smyth