New and Updated

Updated 19th June:

Coltsblood (UK): Ascending Into Shimmering Darkness (Candelight Candle718327, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2017)
Metal
Jemma Mackay (guitar)
This is a significant step forward for Coltsblood: whilst the vocals are as distorted as always, the backing is quite atmospheric in parts, with a far greater emphasis on musicianship. That’s not to say, of course, that one should expect a high level of variety or any incendiary playing, but this still takes them places they’ve never gone before. GRADE: C+.
Coltsblood (UK): Obscured Into Nebulous Dusk (Translation Loss TL2221, grey, green and blue splatter vinyl, with insert, 2025)
Metal
Jemma Mackay (guitar)
With Coltsblood, even the album titles start to appear interchangeable. That isn’t to say that I don’t like their cavernous brand of sludgy doom, which is once again (relatively speaking) a tad more sophisticated here. But a key question remains. That question isn’t whether they may develop the sophistication and songwriting chops that would enable me to rate one of their albums a B–. The question is whether they’d want to. GRADE: C+.

Síntesis (Cuba): Síntesis (Areito LD-3736, 1978)
Progressive
Ele Valdés (principal vocals, synthesiser)
This delicate, charming folky symphonic prog albums effectovely blends lots of classical references with some spacy synthesisers, with occasional moments of rock energy lifting the mood significantly. However, beautiful and tranquil as it is, it isn’t particularly distinctive, with its most unusual feature being its origin. The album was issued in Mexico the following year as En Busca De Una Nueva Flor (NCL NCL-LP-0035) with completely different artwork. GRADE: C+.
Grupo Síntesis (Cuba): Grupo Síntesis (Areito LD-3951, 1981)
Progressive
Ele Valdés
This is also symphonic progressive, but of a completely different style from their debut. Eschewing the folky and neoclassical elements, this is rather more robust, with conventional rock structures overlaid with lush layers of synthesisers; whether this is better or worse than their first is moot, but it suffers from the same problem of being enjoyable whilst slightly anonymous. The album’s original title was clearly Aquí Estamos, as promotional copies have this title (along with a completely different cover). GRADE: C+.

Stormy Six (Italy/UK): Macchina Maccheronica (L’Orchestra OLPS 55009, with booklet, 1980)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Georgie Born (cello)
Some albums transcend language barriers whilst others don’t: the admittedly fascinating Macchina Maccheronica belongs in the second category. This Italian band pioneered Rock In Opposition during the seventies, issuing a string of albums (though this was the only one with Henry Cow alumna Georgie Born in the line-up), and here their sound blends Brechtian elements with Italian folk styles, chamber music, some circus-like elements and a few (fairly restrained) avant-rock edges. The end results are very interesting, but I suspect one would need some command of Italian to appreciate this to the full. GRADE: B–.
See also Lindsay Cooper, Feminist Improvising Group, Henry Cow, Officer!, Mike Westbrook Orchestra

Updated 12th June:

Arbatel (Mexico): Sumerios (Mylodon MyloCD074, CD, Chile, 2007)
Progressive
Rosario Mala Hernández (principal vocals)
The ethnic and world music stylings of the opening ‘Alabanza’ threw me completely, as I was expecting this to be typically dense Latin American sympho-prog. It’s completely uncharacteristic of the rest of the album, most of which is indeed typically dense Latin American sympho-prog, though significantly more varied and better than the norm, with some experimental and ambient touches thrown in. On ‘La Batalla (El Fin Del Mundo)’, Hernández sounds uncannily like both Dagmar Krause and Renate Knaup. GRADE: C+.

Lavinia Blackwall (UK): The Making (The Barne Society TBS20, 2025)
Singer/Songwriter
Lavinia Blackwall (lead vocals, keyboards, autoharp)
In many ways, Lavinia Blackwall could be seen as the spiritual successor to Sandy Denny (a comparison I’m sure she’d find flattering): The Making steps forward from folk music into sophisticated singer/songwriter sounds in the same way as The North Star Grassman And The Ravens. Blackwall places her own stamp on her music, though; her world is less melancholy and her stylings are more ethereal than Denny’s, and the album is none the worse for it. GRADE: B–.

Coltsblood (UK): Beyond The Lake Of Madness (No label, cassette, 2013)
Metal
Jemma Mackay (guitar)
Whilst the occasional tortured vocals don’t really add anything, Coltsblood’s sludgy doom is enjoyable enough, if ‘enjoyable’ is the right word for such funereal music. Whether these two snail's-paced 14-minute jams actually go anywhere is a different question entirely. GRADE: C+.

Coltsblood (UK): Into The Unfathomable Abyss (Candlelight CANDLE441CD, CD, 2014)
Metal
Jemma Mackay (guitar)
After a coiple of split releases, Coltsblood return with their first full album: an hour’s worth of anguished sludgy doom. ‘The sound of the past, the voices of ancestors, terrifying legends once roared with passiojn from around fires beneath open skies’ exclaims one source, before going on to claim that ‘war drums thunder… fires roar, terror resonates’. However, their songs are so much of a piece that this ultimately functions as background music and rather good background music at that. GRADE: C+.
Coltsblood (UK): Live In Helsinki (No label, cassette, 2015)
Metal
Jemma Mackay
The only real difference between this live Coltsblood set and a studio Coltsblood set is the between-songs banter, revealing the band to be great raconteurs and much more light-hearted than one would expect from song titles like ‘Beneath Black Skies’, ‘Grievous Molestation’ and ‘Abyss Of Aching Insanity’. I’m joking, of course. GRADE: C+.

Crisálida (Chile): Niños Dioses (Mylodon, download, 2024)
Metal/Progressive
Cinthia Santibañez (lead vocals)
Typically for Crisálida, this is pleasant, well-crafted symphonic heavy rock that’s both mellifluous and atmospheric. However, also typically for Crisálida, it's not exactly ambitious, with all the songs around the four-to-five-minute mark. GRADE: C+.

Kafod (Chile): Ciclos (Mylodon MRM132, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2023)
Progressive
Paula Demarco (keyboards, backing vocals)
This family band – father Carlos Cruz providing the material, production, lead vocals, guitars and bass, mother Paula on keyboards and 14-year-old son Juan Salvador on drums – deliver a lovely mellow album of folkish prog, drawing on both Latin American and Italian styles. Whilst this may be a little slight for a B–, with only the majestic coda to the closing ‘Estoy Cerca De Ti’ taking them anywhere beyond their comfort zone, the quality of Cruz’s singing, songwriting and arrangements ultimately wins through. As a footnote, the electronic press kit describes this as their third album but it appears to be their first, though Cruz had previously released albums with a couple of other projects. GRADE: B–.

Updated 5th June:

Softwire (UK): Modulation (No label, download, 2025)
Pop/Rock
Emily Feinson (joint lead vocals, synthesiser, harp), Cazminah (occasional vocals), Bianca Darotti (occasional vocals, guitar, keyboards), Sarah Binney (backing vocals)
This is less varied than previous Softwire albums, because it’s dominated by the contributions and musical sensibilities of long-term member Ben Below. As a result, it’s mostly rock: sometimes a bit punky, sometimes a bit indie, sometimes a bit AOR, always rather amateurish and not much different from what you could hear in any local rehearsal room. Thankfully another long-time member Emily Feinson contributes the gorgeous ballad ‘Summertime’ and the fine instrumental ‘Sometimes I’m An Angel, Mostly I’m The Devil’, led by fuzz harp (not an instrument I expected to encounter). The oddball, jazzy ‘Datahaus’, recorded by an entirely different set of musicians, is also mildly interesting, so this is not without its moments. GRADE: C+.

Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band (UK): Chapel And Tavern (Park PRKCD158, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2021, recorded 2007)
Folk/Classical
Maddy Prior (lead vocals)
This retrospective live set is beautifully performed, with tasteful arrangements and Prior in typically fine voice. Due to the daintiness and relative lack of variety, the Carnival Band has never been my favourite aspect of Prior’s multifaceted career, but this is a fine release by any standard. GRADE: C+.

Steeleye Span (UK/Ireland): Conflict (Park PRKCD148, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, UK, 2025)
Folk/Rock
Maddy Prior (principal vocals), Athena Octavia (violin, backing vocals)
Although they’ve never equalled their stellar run of albums from Hark! to Now We Are Six, Steeleye have intermittently produced some fine LPs since the eighties, the last two being Wintersmith and Est’d 1969. Conflict does not join that pantheon. The disc does everything you’d expect a Steeleye Span album to do – chugging mid-paced rockers, acapella numbers, a couple of more atmospheric pieces – and does it decently, but there isn’t any real sense of innovation or adventure here. It doesn’t help that, as with their last few albums, the mastering is unsympathetic in the extreme. GRADE: C+.

Updated 29th May:

Baghdaddies Featuring Nana Obscuri (UK): The Fabulous Sound Of Toon Tone (No label BAGHCD001, CD, 2000)
Jazz/Rock
Jane Bradfield (principal vocals)
Jane Bradfield extends her Nana Obscuri persona here (complete with faux-accented between-songs chats), though the Baghdaddies’ cod-Balkan backing is more robust than the Cheapsuit Oroonies’. In fact, as fasr as fun faux-world music goes, this is probably as good as it gets. GRADE: C+.

Red Balloon (UK): Hear There And Everywhere (No label, CDR, with gatefold minisleeve, 2025)
Pop/Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Lydia Twigger (joint lead vocals)
As Brave New World, this crew made the folk horror masterpiece ‘The Laddie’: one of the finest acid-folk tracks cut since the seventies. As Red Balloon, they’ve made a pleasant and accomplished album crossing modern indie sensibilities with a variety of late sixties and early seventies rock and folk styles, all featuring strong melodies and a nicely trippy sensibility throughout. GRADE: B–.

Devin Townsend Project (Canada/Holland): Addicted (HevyDevy DHR0507-2, CD, with autographed slipcase, Canada, 2009)
Metal/Progressive
Anneke van Giersbergen (occasional vocals)
The metal here is dynamic, taut and melodic, but perversely difficult to describe, drawing on everything from seventies glam (‘Bend It Like Becker!’) to hints of Pure Reasoin Revolution (‘The Way Home!’). Whilst not particularly exploratory, it’s also effectively spacy, especially on the extended closer ‘Awake!!’ and is notable as being one of Anneke van Giersbergen’s rare forays into metal after leaving the Gathering. With consistently strong material, it just about qualifies as a B–, even if it lacks the two or three truly killer songs that would have propelled it way over the line. GRADE: B–.
Devin Townsend Project (Canada/USA): Ghost (HevyDevy HDR-CD-5444, CD, with slipcase, Canada, 2011)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Katrina Natale (occasional vocals), Kat Epple (flute, woodwind)
The rather surprising addition of Kat Epple (from new age pioneers Emerald Web) makes sense when you hear the music: abandoning metal altogether, Ghost sees Townsend exploring ambient, rather proggy folk/rock. Along the way, the band create some lovely moods and a tranquil sonic trip, though once again the actual songs are enjoyable rather than exceptional. GRADE: B–.

Updated 22nd May:

Artnat (Portugal): The Mirror Effect (No label, CDR, with digipak and booklet, 2020)
Progressive
Sara Freitas (principal vocals)
This is one of those progressive albums where the melodies and rhythms always do what you least expect, with a fair bit of atonality and plenty of odd little twists and filigrees. It’s a style I tend to associate with modern American prog bands, making it all the odder that Artnat hail from Portugal; then again, if this were American there would be more heavy riffing as opposed to the sympho-jazz stylings here. How much you like this will depend on how much you appreciate this particular style of prog. I admire the album’s creativity and invention, but I can’t imagine myself wanting to listen to it again any time soon. GRADE: C+.
Artnat (Portugal): Two (No label, double CDR, with digipak and booklet, 2025)
Progressive
Sara Freitas (joint lead vocals)
Running for a gargantuan 101 minutes, Two is aptly named, as it’s a game of two halves. The first disc consists of songs, which are less frenetic than their debut and somewhat more mature. However, that’s a double-edged sword: whilst they’re more listenable, they’re also less exciting and sometimes border on the dreary, especially as Manuel Cardoso – who is not a good singer and much inferior to Sara Freitas – inexplicably takes a larger share of the vocal leads. In contrast, the second disc offers cool, jazzy instrumentals which are mostly rather good, with a faint Pierre Moerlen’s Gong vibe, suggesting a more satisfying path for the band to follow. GRADE: C+.

Crystal Teardrop (UK): …Is Forming (Popclaw POPCLAWLP007, clear vinyl, with die-cut sleeve, inner, poster and badges, 2025)
Psychedelic/Pop
Alexandra Rose (lead vocals, guitar)
In the world of Crystal Teardrop, it’s permanently late ’66 or early ’67: a time when trippy popsike ruled the airwaves and the West Coast was where it was all happening. Then again, maybe it’s the mid-eighties or the early nineties as quite a bit of retro stuff like this was released at that time, though little of it was as consistently enjoyable as this. Ultimately, an album this deliberately derivative begs two questions. The first is whether they bring anything new to the genre and the answer is no. The second is whether that matters when the music is as wonderful as this. The answer is also no. GRADE: B–.

Uffington Horse (USA): Enchantment (Sea Fire Productions SFP 0409, CD, with poster booklet, 2004)
Folk/Rock
Heather Alexander (lead vocals, guitar, violin)
This electric folk album features excellent original material by Heather Alexander and lively, if not particularly varied, arrangements. The relative narrowness of the band’s style becomes obvious over 14 songs and nearly 66 minutes, but there’s enough good stuff here to get it over the line to a B–. Ms Alexander made a number of solo albums, which I have not encountered. GRADE: B–.

Updated 15th May:

Ambassadors Of Sorrow (UK): Easterly (Spook SPOOKCD002, CD, with digipak, 2011)
Pop
Angeline Morrison (principal vocals, guitar, organ, glockenspiel, autoharp)
The Ambassadors’ gentle, garagy take on smoky sixties pop is charming, effortless and free of artifice. However, likeable as it is, it’s also a little insubstantial, especially with a running time of less than 32 minutes – though I suppose that’s authentically sixties in its own way too. GRADE: C+.

Argile (France): Je Louerai L’Éternel (Studio SM 30.13.41, with insert, 1985)
Folk/Rock
Florence Richard-Molard (joint lead vocals, guitar)
Accompanied by acoustic guitars, double bass and piano, this Christian folk trio offer music that’s refined, delicate and haunting – a world away from the jolly singalongs favoured by many of their compatriots. However, the occasional moment of rock energy wouldn’t have gone amiss and their material rarely crosses the boundary between merely pleasant and truly memorable. GRADE: C+.

Angeline Morrison (UK): Are You Ready Cat? (Freestyle FSRCD098, CD, 2013)
Pop/Soul/Jazz/Folk
Angeline Morrison (lead vocals, guitar, organ, glockenspiel)
Morrison’s solo debut steps forward from the soulful pop of the Ambassadors Of Sorrow but is better in every way – more sensual, more folky, more passionate and above all more mature. Once again it may be a leap for those used to her work as half of Rowan:Morrison, but many readers will thoroughly enjoy the 36 minutes they spend in this album’s company. GRADE: C+.

Updated 8th May:

Jet Set With Teina Millar (Australia): On Your Mark… Jet Set, Go-Go (CBS BP 233302, 1966)
Pop
Teina Millar (joint lead vocals)
Lively beat with florid organ work and an eclectic set of covers (everything from ‘Bill Bailey’ and ‘Hang On Sloopy’ to ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’). Pleasing mixture of female and male vocals songs and instrumentals, with Teina Miller displaying real energy and verve. Some occasional snotty fuzz guitar to up the ante, but nothing you won’t have heard before. If that review sounds somewhat lukewarm, this is a nice enough Aussie synthesis of American and British pop styles, delivered with economy and flair, but they don’t really add much of their own personality. GRADE: C+.

Julian Littman (UK): Goblin Market Music (No label, CDR, with digipak and booklet, 2021)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Maddy Prior (occasional vocals), Jane Milligan (occasional vocals), Caitlin Matthews (occasional vocals), Jessie May Smart (occasional vocals, violin)
For this concept album, Littman is backed by all his Steeleye Span colleagues and unsurprisingly this sounds very much like Steeleye. Specifically, it sounds like the follow-up to Wintersmith, one of their finest ventures since the seventies. Like Wintersmith, it would have benefited from some longer instrumental passages and a little more experimentation. Unlike Wintersmith, the songs and riffs here are mostly good rather than great, so this falls slightly short of a B–. GRADE: C+.

Lukas Tower Band (Germany): A Prophecy (Transformer LTBCD06, CD, 2025)
Progressive
Paola Ottaviani (lead vocals), Regina Willecke (saxophone, flute)
If I had to sum up A Prophecy in a single word, it would be ‘refined’. My second would be ‘sophisticated’. As usual, the band use classic poems as the basis of their lyrics, and their gentle, folky, subtly jazzy settings reflect the words admirably. The results, whilst charming and accomplished, can occasionally be a little dainty, particularly in the first half of the album, making me welcome the rock strength they begin to demonstrate in the second GRADE: C+.

Tintomara (Sweden): Lek (Amigo AMLP 838, 1981)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Elise Einarsdotter (piano), Yvonne Riggebo (drums), Katarina Fritzén (flute)
Lek is a touch more atmospheric and perhaps a mite more progressive than their first, making it the stronger of their two releases. However, whilst this is beautiful, virtuosic and superbly performed, it once again feels a mite academic, with no moments of crazy abandon and few real surprises. GRADE: C+.

Jean Turk With Mad Dog & Axe (USA/UK): Blue On Blue (Seelie Court Digital scd066, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, UK, 2025, recorded 1976 & 1977)
Rock
Jean Turk (lead vocals)
Supplementing Seelie Court’s early live set by Ms Turk and her band Truth, this collection of studio recordings features five songs recorded in 1976 with Northampton band Mad Dogs and a further six taped in 1977 with Axe. Boasting far superior sound quality to the live set, this features some excellent bluesy rock with fine guitar work and some powerful and assertive vocals – not what you’d call cutting-edge music, but a wonderful time capsule nonetheless. In particular, Tony Barford’s guitar work is – as expected – quite incendiary, though I wish he got to cut loose more often. GRADE: C+.

Yuka & Chronoship (Japan): Ribbon Butterfly (No label, download, 2025)
Progressive
Yuka Funakoshi (lead vocals, keyboards)
Whilst this hints towards neoprog at times, it avoids the clichés of the genre and boasts enough complexity and atmosphere to remain interesting throughout its 53 minutes. Once again, the music is almost all-instrumental, rendered as a near-continuous suite, and once again it falls on the right side of the divide between ‘mellifluous’ and ‘bland’. GRADE: B–.

Updated 1st May:

Glass Hammer (USA): Rogue (Sound Resources RO 4925, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2025)
Progressive
Olivia Tharpe (joint lead vocals)
Mellower and less bombastic than their last few outings, Rogue combines a rich symphonic sound, some dense instrumentation and clear pop influences to effective, though not particularly exploratory, effect. In particular, it’s noticeable how much the album improves with the two long tracks at the end, when the band finally stretches out and earns its prog spurs. GRADE: C+,

Sally Hilder (Australia): All My Friends Are Sinners (Galilee GA 2001, 1978)
Pop/Rock
Sally Hilder (lead vocals)
Most Christian albums are characterised by their amateurishness and a slight sense of dislocation, particularly when the artists try their hand at rock. From the glossy gatefold sleeve inwards, it’s immediately obvious that Sally Hilder’s sole LP is nothing like that. This is slick, mildly funky soft rock, with expressive vocals backed by highly professional arrangements and settings taking in everything from blues to folk, with swirling keyboards adding a symphonic edge. I could have done without the supperclub saxophone that pops up here and there, but otherwise this is near-faultless in its execution, though that alone may put off those who like amateurishness and a slight sense of dislocation. GRADE: C+.

Kimledios (Finland): Taivaan Isä Näkee (Anuco 1005, with inner, 1975)
Folk/Rock
Riita Manninen (joint lead vocals, tambourine)
The weird electronic effects and apocalyptic spoken vocals that open the LP make you expect some kind of avant-gardism, but this is actually garagy folk/rock with a haunting flavour and naïve atmosphere. Whilst this isn’t an exceptional example of its genre, one either loves this kind of stuff or one doesn’t – and I do. GRADE: C+.

Tintomara (Sweden): Tintomara (Abracadabra Production ABC 2013, Denmark, 1979)
Jazz/Rock
Jenny Wikström (bass), Elise Einarsdotter (piano), Marita Brodin (drums), Katarina Fritzén (percussion, flute)
This all-female jazz-fusion quartet eschew guitar entirely, making Katarina Fritzén’s eloquent flute playing the centrepiece of their wholly instrumental music. How much you enjoy this will depend on how much you like flute and jazz-fusion: I’m fond of the former and adore the latter when it’s virtuosic and fiery. This is virtuosic and rather restrained. GRADE: C+.

Updated 24th April:

Catherine AD (UK): Communion (Outsiderhood OUST004, black CD, with minisleeve, inserts and ribbon, 2011)
Singer/Songwriter
Catherine Anne Davies (lead vocals, keyboards, flute)
Backed by an all-female chamber orchestra, the artist subsequently known as the Anchoress delivers six haunting, beautiful and baroque songs totalling some 24½ minutes. This may be a little sedate for some ears, and certainly doesn’t have the eclecticism of her later work, but it’s delicate and engrossing stuff, setting the stage for later artists such as the Beatrix Players to explore similar territory. GRADE: B–.

Ambassadors Of Sorrow (UK): Easterly (Spook SPOOKCD001, CD, with digipak, 2009)
Pop
Angeline Morrison (lead vocals, guitar, organ, glockenspiel, autoharp)
The first release by the future Rowan Amber Mill collaborator is a world away from wyrd-folk – this is atmospheric, folky, sixties-influenced pop with a smoky nightclub ambience and plenty of atmosphere. GRADE: C+.

Game Theory (Philippines): Game Over (No label, download, 2011)
Rock/Metal
Not to be confused with the American eighties power-pop band of the same time, this Filipino crew play lively and knotty hard rock with some progressive edges. With 22½ minutes of music, this download-only EP isn’t particularly substantial, but aside ftom the closing remix (which made me wonder whether my equipment was glitching it’s a pleasant surprise from an unexpected corner of the globe. GRADE: C+.
Game Theory (Philippines): Oneirus (No label, download, 2014)
Rock/Metal/Progressive
At less than 17 minutes, this second and final instalment is even less substantial than their first, but the actual music is rather impressive: knottier and more progressive than their first, with strong math-rock touches, bolstered by a great command of dynamics and a fine recording. Their exotic locale, which has produced a small number of very interesting bands, is the icing on the cake. GRADE: C+.

Lemonade Influence (Greece): Lemonade Influence (Missing Vinyl MV997CD, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2013)
Progressive
Jenny Kapadai (occasional vocals)
From the band’s name and location, I expected this to be some kind of psychedelic pop but it’s actually stately and sophisticated progressive rock – mostly mellow and atmospheric, but with some impressive moments of rock strength. To these ears the two instrumentals outclass the five (still very accomplished songs, giving the album the impetus to move up to a B–. As a footnote, guest Jenny Kapadai provides occasional vocals on a couple of songs, but the vast bulk of the vocals are male. GRADE: B–.

Morning Song (USA): My First Love (Morning Song MS-777, with insert, 1980)
Folk/Rock
Dee Dee Gray (joint lead vocals, guitar)
This Christian folk/rock album has decent all-original material and an uplifting, joyous sound with well-judged electric arrangements. So far, so pro forma, but two things set it apart. The first is the lush keyboards, which add a welcome slight progressive edge. The second is the assertive lead guitar work, which adds unexpected rock strength. GRADE: C+.

Morning Star (USA): In Concert (Century 43042, 1974?)
Folk/Pop/MOR
Cindy Graves (joint lead vocals), Kathy Tacker (joint lead vocals), Peggy Hoffman (joint lead vocals), Cheryl Allen (joint lead vocals), Diana Riddle (joint lead vocals)
I expected this Christian album to be straight folk, but it actually combines massed vocals with mixed electric and acoustic backing, blending elements of folk, pop and soul. The whole thing is decidedly MOR and occasionally somewhat hymn-like but is beautifully sung and played so is somewhat better than that description might suggest. They cut two other albums that I haven’t encountered. GRADE: C.

MouthCrazy (UK): Center Of The World Ass Run Volume 4 (Ecstatic Yod, with insert, USA, 1996)
Avant-Garde/Psychedelic
Sharon Gal
Also known as Open/Openwide after the two album sides, this odd little LP offers a series of lo-fi vignettes – I can’t really call them songs or even jams – that are varied, intriguing and ultimately rather inconsequential. An obvious reference point would be Throbbing Gristle, and anyone who likes their music should enjoy this. GRADE: C+.

Peak Folk (UK): The Peak Folk (Folk Heritage FHR092, 1976)
Folk
Judy Aucott (joint lead vocals, keyboards, accordion)
Like many Folk Heritage releases, this offers solid acoustic folk mixing traditional and contemporary material. Also like many Folk Heritage albums, it lacks much in the way of personality or distinctiveness; it also lacks one or two really killer songs, though I do like ‘The Papist And The Hangman’, but that’s as much about the song as the interpretation. GRADE: C+.

Rain For A Day (Germany): Elemental (Point Music 10272, CD, 2004)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Miriam Schell (lead vocals)
Betwixt folk/rock, singer/songwriter and neoprogressive, this pleasant and atmospheric set by a duo of a singer and keyboardist plus guests is mostly delicate and ethereal. However, they employ full electric backing on many cuts and the album takes flight (perhaps unsurprisingly) on the extended pieces, where their proggy inclinations come to the fore. As a footnote, they had previously released two other albums which I have not encountered. GRADE: C+.

Linda Thompson (UK): Proxy Music (StorySound 161-059, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2024)
Folk/Rock
Kami Thompson (occasional vocals), Martha Wainwright (occasional vocals), Dori Freeman (occasional vocals), Eliza Carthy (occasional vocals), Rachel Unthank (occasional vocals), Becky Unthank (occasional vocals)
This unusual release features songs composed by Linda Thompson but sung by family members and other collaborators due to her vocal problems. As one would expect, it offers sophisticated and classy folk/rock with a singer/songwriter feel, probably peaking on the richly arranged, faintlly psychedelic ‘John Grant’. GRADE: C+.

Updated 17th April:

Elle E (South Africa): Stereo Child (No label, download, 2019)
Garage/Rock
Ellenie Eloff (lead vocals, guitar)
Backed by a rhythm section, Ms E(loff) offers fuzzy garage rock with a hefty beat, notable hard rock edges and considerable heft. Bolsteed by an excellent recording, it’s all good enough to make me wish this comprised more than three songs and eleven minutes of music. GRADE: C+.

Hos Anna (Denmark): Hos Anna (Charlatan CGM 177, with inner, 1977)
Rock
Hanne Rømer (joint lead vocals, guitar, saxophone), Lotte Rømer (joint lead vocals, bass, violin), Irene Becker (joint lead vocals, piano), Karen Mortensen (joint lead vocals, drums)
A friend described this as ’a pleasant surprise’ and ’the Danes channelling It’s A Beautiful Day’ but to me this all-female band’s debut is merely pleasant, mildly jazzy soft rock. They went on to cut several other albums, which I haven’t encountered. GRADE: C+.

NTT (Denmark): Sweet Mystery/Mirror Of Imagination/Sweet Diversion (Addiction ADO1, CD, 1993)
Pop
Tina Schäfer (lead vocals)
This three-track, 14-minute EP was clearly sold to me as some kind of prog but is actually electronic pop that’s pleasant, engaging and rather insubstantial. The duo throw in some industrial and experimental touches on the closing number, but is still likely to be too straight to appeal to most readers of this website. GRADE: C+.

Updated 10th April:

Alison O’ Donnell & Gayle Brogan (Ireland/UK): A Colloquy Of Birds (Sonido Polifonico SPCD003, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2025)
Folk
Alison O’ Donnell (principal vocals, omnichord, shruti box, psaltery, tambour), Gayle Brogan (occasional vocals, keyboards, chimes, violin, harp, zither)
This concept album about birds is haunting, beautiful, minimalist and sometimes quite eerie. However, an occasional change of pace or an intermittent jolt of folk/rock energy would have raised it considerably, though I’m arguably missing the point. GRADE: C+.

Other Side (USA): In The Shadows (No label, CD, 1995)
Rock/Progressive
Rebecca Westeren (lead vocals, keyboards)
Although lacking any extended tracks or improvisations, this lush, nimble rock album could appeal to some prog fans. It benefits from a clear and clean production, effective stripped-down arrangements and fine melodic vocals, though I’d struggle to pick out any individually outstanding tracks. GRADE; C+.

Solstice (UK): Clann (ProgRock.com’s Essentials PRE 0021, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, booklet and insert, 2025)
Progressive
Jess Holland (principal vocals), Ebony Buckle (occasional vocals), Jenny Newman (violin), Dyan Crutcher (backing vocals)
For a band I once considered to have a rather generic neoprogressive sound, Solstice have developed a pretty distinctive style over the year. Less classic prog and more a jam band with a slight pop sensibility, they deliver music that is unfailingly melodic, uplifting and heartfelt but never approaches any boundaries, let alone pushes them. GRADE: C+.

Updated 3rd April:

Beggar’s Opera (UK): The Leap (No label, download, 2023)
Rock/Progressive
Virginia Scott (lead vocals, keyboards)
Issued to commemorate the band’s late leader Ricky Gardiner, this short album (eight songs in 28 minutes) apparently consists of unreleased material from the group’s archive. A pleasant collection of spacy, somewhat proggy songs, it’s a nice enough addendum to their discography. GRADE: C+.

Breakout (Poland): Za Siódmą Góra (Kameleon KAMCD 42, CD plus DVD, 2016, recorded 1968-1969)
Rock
Mira Kubasińska (joint lead vocals)
Compiling radio sessions and live recordings from 1968 and 1969, this is a true time capsule: the music here, bridging beat and rock, is covered in stinging fuzz guitar and incredibly evocative of its era. The accompanying DVD includes black-and-white promotional footage for three songs, which is equally remarkable. As a footnote, several songs appear in a number of different versions across the set. GRADE: C+.

Danefae (Denmark): Tro (No label, green marbled vinyl, with inner, 2022)
Rock/Progressive
Anne Olesen (lead vocals, piano)
Danefae’s stock-in-trade is drama: their fairly short but lush songs are powerful, atmospheric, elegant and frequently spellbinding. They draw on Scandinavian folk traditions, metal, prog and ambient elements without really settling in any of those areas and manage to create a seventies sound whilst blending influences in a thoroughly modern way. The results are frequently stunning and more than a little difficult to describe. GRADE: B–.
Danefae (Denmark): Trøst (No label, white marbled vinyl, with booklet, 2025)
Rock/Metal/Progressive
Anne Olesen (principal vocals, piano)
This is both more progressive and more metallic than its predecessor, which broadly works in its favour. However, at times the changes make them sound more generic and occasionally the music threatens to summon up the dread spectre of neoprog. GRADE: B–.

Heather Findlay (UK): Wildflower (Black Sand, download, 2025)
Singer/Songwriter
Heather Findlay (principal vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, programming, woodwind)
Aside from an appearance by Troy Donockley on one song, Findlay sings, plays, arranges and produces everything herself, so in any ways it’s her most personal album. Her delicate songs, with her voice adding a plaintive country tinge and her acoustic guitar a sparse but warm backdrop, are lovely and at times so heartfelt that one almost feels like one is eavesdropping. GRADE: C+.

Jazz Orient (UK): Dangerous Ground (TRG 008, cassette, 1991)
World Music/Folk/Jazz
Linda Shanovitch (principal vocals, percussion)
Linda Shanovitch’s voice reminds me of another Linda’s, but this is nothing like Affinity: indeed the band name is apt, though this is folky more than jazzy. Its world music fusions – principally blending Indian and occasionally Far Eastern traditions with Western folk and acoustic jazz – are tranquil, haunting and virtuosic and always remain interesting enough to prevent this from falling into the abyss labelled ‘new age’. GRADE: C+.
Jazz Orient (UK): Bird Dancer (TRG 018, cassette, 1994)
World Music/Folk/Jazz
Linda Shanovitch (principal vocals, percussion, tanpura)
Like their first, this is both accomplished and relaxing, offering some wonderfully mellow and beautifully crafted grooves spanning folk, jazz and world music. Or as the inlay card puts it, “TRG is a cassette-only label producing quality new music: world music, jazz, acoustic and electronic and many styles that defy classification.” In this case they produced a clear winner whose quality is beyond dispute. GRADE: B–.

Phoenix (France): Magick (Barclay 91 028, with insert, 1979)
New Wave/Rock/Progressive
Elizabeth Wiener
The presence of Jannick Top as arranger (and possibly bassist, though there are no musician credits) and an eight-minute title track made me hope for zeuhl, but this is actually new wave-tinged rock. Mixing ballads and uptempo numbers, it’s all typically French, very quirky and quite sensual, with a few theatrical diversions (particularly on the extended number), adding up to a mildly interesting period piece. As a footnote, Elizabeth Wiener released several solo albums. GRADE: C+.

Julian Jay Savarin (Dominica): Beyond The Outer Mirr (Rise Above, LP plus 7", clear vinyl, with booklet and autographed photo, 2025, recorded 1974?)
Progressive
Jo Meek (lead vocals)
Apparently the unreleased follow-up to Waiters On The Dance, this is slightly straighter, with more guitar-oriented arrangements, but still contains numerous superb moments. The odd thing about it is how modern it sounds: the recording doesn’t really feel seventies in any way, though I suspect that’s more to do with the (modern) mixing and mastering than any possibility of fraud. GRADE: B–.

Updated 28th March:

Limite Acque Sicure (Italy): Limite Acque Secure (Minotauro M 2022-5. CD, with slipcase, 2022)
Progressive
Ambra Bianchi (percussion, flute, harp, backing vocals)
This is classic Rock Progressivo Italiano: richly textured, melodic, atmospheric and stately. But it’s also far more dynamic than the norm, spiced up with lots of tempo changes and some crunchy riffing. The results are frequently remarkable. GRADE: B–.

Puzzlepie (Germany): Sink Or Swim (Whoope WR 61487, CD, 2005)
Rock/Progressive
Sibylle Karpati (joint lead vocals), Fatuma Juma (joint lead vocals), Suzanne von Sicherer (joint lead vocals)
Quite different from their first, this concept album (I think) about the Israel-Gaza conflict consists of a suite of shortish songs covering a wide range of rock and folk territory. It’s all rather good and likely to appeal to fans of high quality neoprog; the only real link with their debut is the distinctly theatrical feel. GRADE: C+.

Stinking Lizaveta (USA): Stinking Lizaveta (No label, cassette, 1994)
Metal
Cheshire Agusta (drums)
This unusual band is basically a power trio, playing instrumental metal with a jazzy edge. Not a progressive or jam band as one might expect from the format, nor demonstrating any grunge or hardcore leanings despite Steve Albini producing, they offer a succession of deft and nimble pieces. Of course, there’s a limit to the variety that can be achieved with just three instruments, and this isn’t the world’s most significant album, but it’s certainly very enjoyable. As a footnote, this was their second demo; I have never encountered their first. GRADE: C+.
Stinking Lizaveta (USA): Live 2023 (SRA SRA061, 2025, recorded 2023)
Metal
Cheshire Agusta (drums)
Despite their instrumental format and jazzy proclivities, thits outfit don’t like to jam, so what does la Stinking Lizaveta live album sound like? A Stinking Lizaveta studio album with a little talking between the tracks, of course. GRADE: C+.

Valtozash (Australia): Wizard-Bird (No label, CDR, with digipak, 2017)
Jazz/Metal/Progressive
Moniqua Lowth (trombone)
Metal has brought us some fascinating cross-genre fusions over the years, but this blend of crushing riffs and big band jazz is something new. Wholly instrumental, Valtozash’s music has a certain early seventies feel: one could imagine much of this appearing on Vertigo, though of course minus the overt metal elements. If the album has a failing, there’s a limited amount of variety between the tracks – but then that’s often the way with innovative bands who have perfected a particular trick. GRADE: B–.
Valtozash (Australia): Boiling Solitude (No label, CDR, with digipak, 2021)
Jazz/Metal/Progressive
Moniqua Lowth (trombone)
The addition of occasional vocals – of the death variety, needless to say – does them few favours, but otherwise this is little short of astounding. Wilder, more daring and more experimental than their debut, it offers a continuous suite of music that’s always challenging, constantly dynamic and inventive, and remarkable in the confidence in which it melds diverse musical traditions to breathtaking effect. GRADE: B.

Updated 21st March:

Analog Missionary (USA): Transmitter (No label, CDR, with sticker, 2002)
Psychedelic/Progressive
Anstrom
Shorn of their soundtrack ambitions, Analog Missionary deliver a song-based album that’s radically different from their debut. After hearing one or two songs, this sounds like a B– thanks to the hard-riffing guitars, spacy atmospheres, soaring vocals and lashings of melodrama; however, they use the same modus operandi on nearly every track. But if that description makes you think you’ll adore this, it probably will be a B– for you. GRADE: C+.

Black Pie (Italy): Angels (Black Widow BWRCD 271-2, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2024)
Rock/Metal
Elena Villa (lead vocals, bass, mandolin)
These sorts of retro hard rock albums aren’t exactly uncommon – Italian and Swedish bands in particular seem to love this style and this brings to mind all the usual suspects (Blues Pills, Children Of The Sün and Ramrod, to name just three). I love this style too and this is a good example of the genre: whilst some cuts are better than others there is a fair amount of variety and some clever production touches, though my B– may be a little on the generous side. In contrast, E– would be generous for the mastering, which is some of the worst I’ve ever heard. GRADE: B–.

Envy Of None (USA/Canada): Envy Of None (Kscope KSCOPE582LP/CD, blue vinyl LP plus double CD, with booklet, UK, 2022)
Rock
Maiah Wynne (lead vocals, keyboards)
Alex Lifeson’s post-Rush supergroup can be summed up in two words: pure Garbage. That’s not a comment on the quality of the music, which is decent enough atmospheric rock, but an assertion that this takes most of its cues from Shirley Manson’s band: the same chunky guitars, sensual vocals, electronic embellishments and mildly trippy atmospheres. It’s a more than creditable pastiche and thoroughly deserving of a C+; had they written a ‘Stupid Girl’ or ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ it might have merited a B–. GRADE: C+.

Updated 14th March:

Mostly Autumn (UK): Seawater (Seawater (Mostly Autumn AUT0359, double CD, with digipak and booklet, 2025)|
Rock/Progressive
Olivia Sparnenn (joint lead vocals, keyboards), Angela Goldthorpe (flute, whistle, backing vocals)
One can’t accuse Mostly Autumn of lacking ambition: this epic double album runs for nearly two hours and includes a 19-minute title track plus another of nine. Their grandiosity doesn’t stop there: almost every song, rocker or ballad, builds to a majestic climax with a passionate chorus and one of Bryan Josh’s soaring Gilmour-esque solos. However, as that description implies one could accuse the band of lacking ideas, though this does help me to place them conceptually. I never really believed they wanted to be Pink Floyd, but now I think they want to be a stadium-rock band – these songs are made to be belted out by the multitudes. Had they formed 20 years earlier, it might have happened for them. GRADE: C+.

Hudson Swan Band (UK): Flyte Of Fancy (Lochshore CDLDL 1278, CD, 1998)
Folk/Rock
Sue Swan (lead vocals), Lindsey Hunt (keyboards, flute, backing vocals)
Whilst this retains some of the delicate acoustic moments and distinctive gauziness of their first, it’s much more rock-oriented, with drums (which mostly sound programmed, although a live drummer is credited) on many tracks plus some electric guitar. Which Swan Band album you prefer will depend on your taste for mainly acoustic versus partly electric folk, but to these ears they’re both excellent. GRADE: B–.

Viper Solfa (Norway): Carving An Icon (Massacre MAS CD0889, CD, Germany, 2015)
Metal
Miriam Elisabeth Renvåg (joint lead vocals)
This project, led by Trail Of Tears’ Ronny Thorsen, is uncannily similar to Renvåg’s old band Ram-Zet. Whether it’s quite the equal of Ram-Zet’s best work is debatable, but all the elements are here: the combination of blackened and melodic vocals, the same wild tempo changes and the same eclecticism. As with Ram-Zet, it’s all a bit relentless but it’s certainly inventive and bracing. GRADE: B–.
See also Ram-Zet

Updated 7th March:

Funeral (Norway): Gospel Of Bones (Season Of Mist SOM795D, CD, with digipak and booklet, France, 2024)
Metal
Kari Kleiven (occasional vocals), Ingvild Johannesen (strings, programming)
This funeral doom album is certainly majestic, with Ingevild Johanessen’s strings adding considerable gravitas to the proceedings. There’s also a fair level of variety as they’re not afraid to up the tempo when strictly necessary. I’m less convinced by the liturgical, almost basso profundo vocals: whilst well-executed, they make the music a little too gloomy and portentous (though this was probably the point) so the brief soprano contribution by guest Kari Kleiven on the opener lifts the mood significantly. GRADE: C+.
See also Ram-Zet

Grateful Dead (USA): Dave’s Picks Volume 53 (Rhino R2 726975, triple HDCD, with digipak and booklet, 2025, recorded 1976)
Rock/Psychedelic
Donna Godchaux (principal vocals)
This may be from 1976 but it sounds like more like ’77-vintage Dead, with the same metronomic slickness that made the legendary 8th May show so compelling. This doesn’t quite equal that benchmark show, but it’s one of the more impressive Dave’s Picks for some time. As a footnote, the album also includes the ive missing tracks from the 4th May 1977 show, allowing the entire show to be reconstructed. On doing so, I concluded this was another outstanding performance, also meriting a B. GRADE: B.

Grendel’s Sÿster (Germany): Katabasis Into The Abaton/Abstieg In Die Traumkammer (Cruz Del Sur Music CRUZ151, CD, 2024)
Metal/Folk
Caro (lead vocals)
At its best – the beautiful ballad ‘Golden Key (Won’t Fit)’, with plenty of Mellotron, and the majestic ‘The Fire That Lights Itself’ – this is stunning stuff. Elsewhere this sometimes crosses the line between ‘bracing’ and ‘hectoring’, but it’s altogether a more accomplished and confident set than their debut. Once again, all the songs are delivered first in English and then in German, at least in the download and CD versions: nine songs apiece, totalling 85 minutes for the former, and eight apiece for the latter, whilst the vinyl has just eight songs in English. GRADE: B–.

Malarchy Band (UK): One Thousand Years From Home (No label malcd4, CD, 2007)
Folk/Rock/World Music
Jane Harwood (bass, flute), Jo Levine (accordion), Nell Farrally (violin)
With both Russ Stanley and Jane Harwood involved, this could more-or-less be viewed as a continuation of the Cheapsuit Oroonies, but with a distinctly different musical style. Dropping that band’s psychedelic elements and surreal humour, this is a virtuosic, intricate set of world music and klezmer-influenced instrumentals with semi-electric arrangements, not a million miles away from, say, Tin Hat. Given the quality of the playing, it feels mean to give this a C+, but there’s not much variety here and with 25 shortish tracks segued together there’s nothing in the way of improvisation either. GRADE: C+.

See also Cheapsuit Oroonies, Oroonies

Second Oracle (Sweden): Second Oracle (Lazy Octopus LAZYORACLE001, with inner, 2019)
Psychedelic
Lisa Isaksson (joint lead vocals, guitar, flute), Rebecka Rolfart (joint lead vocals, bass), Karin Engqvist (keyboards), Josefina Pukitis (drums)
No prizes for guessing that this offshoot from Our Solar System offers spacy psychedelia, with lengthy, drifting organ and flute-led soundscapes. And since I’ve loved just about everything that has emerged from this particular pool of musicians, no prizes for guessing that is a B–. GRADE: B–.
See also Hashish, Laike, Life On Earth!, Lisa & Piu, Lüüp, Me & My Kites, Our Solar System

Jenny Sorrenti & Tullio Angelini (Italy): Néos Saint Just (MoreMusic Momus 015, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2024)
Singer/Songwriter/Ambient
Jenny Sorrenti (lead vocals, keyboards)
Despite the title, this is nothing like Saint Just: it’s essentially ambient music, with Jenny Sorrenti’s haunting voice and piano overlaid with electronics and occasionally other instruments. The results are haunting, beautiful and sepulchral, with a slight psychedelic edge, though with seven songs spanning 31½ minutes the term ‘slight’ also applies in a more pejorative context. GRADE: C+.

Hudson Swan Band (UK): Prospect Lane (Lochshore CDLDL 1239, CD, 1996)
Folk/Rock
Sue Swan (principal vocals), Lindsey Hunt (keyboards, whistle, backing vocals)
This band were from the north of England, but their album reminds me of seventies Clannad, with the same intricate acoustic arrangements occasionally leavened by some percussion to add a little rock energy. With settings based around guitar, bouzouki, keyboards and violin, they achieve a haunting and beautiful sound with lots of classical references, adding a shimmering sheen to the traditional songs and contemporary covers alike. GRADE: B–.

Verdun (USA): Verdun (RCI 829757-81682-1, CD, 2004)
Progressive/Metal/World Music/Avant-Garde
Martha Roebuck (joint lead vocals), Ngoc Hoàng (joint lead vocals)
Crossing experimental rock with Vietnamese music and some electronic elements, this is a thoroughly modern prog album – there are no 10-minute tracks, ostentatious tempo changes or spidery solos here. There is, however, an agreeable level of variety, from hard-riffing passages with off-kilter rhythms to almost ambient sections; they even throw in covers (or, perhaps more accurately, deconstructioms) of ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Stand By Your Man’ to keep us guessing. GRADE: B–.

Updated 28th February:

Analog Missionary (USA): Voyage Of The Demeter (No label, CDR, with sticker, 2000)
Psychedelic/Progressive
Anstrom
The track titles tell their own story: ‘The Black Carriage’, ‘Mina’s Letter’, ‘Passage To Bremen’ and ‘From Flight To Capture’ confirm that this is the soundtrack to a non-existent film rather than an album per se. The music is pitched somewhere between dreamy psychedelia and keyboard-led sympho-prog: I can hear strong echoes of Enya and a few hints of Popol Vuh, though there are several heavy rock-oriented numbers that effectively vary the pace. But whilst the music is well-crafted, atmospheric and absorbing, this suffers from the problem facing many soundtrack albums – it’s all a bit fragmentary and the music occasionally sounds secondary to the (non-existent) film. As a footnote, the packaging is very basic indeed – a slimlime CD case with no booklet or rear tray card. GRADE: C+.

Ava Marie (USA): The Night Of The House Fire (No lsbel, download, 2013)
Folk
Not a female soloist as one might expect, Ava Marie was a band including a female member. She contributes some backing vocals here and possibly some instrumentation, though this 26-minute EP is pretty minimalist – male vocals set against acoustic guitar and/or keyboard plus occasional spund effects, creating a wintry, sepulchral vibe. The slightly mannered, all-American singing style could divide opinions, however. GRADE: C+.

Byron (Finland): The Omega Evangelion (The Goatmancer GR07, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, Italy, 2021)
Metal
Johanna Eteläkari (principal vocals)
My favourite metal is eclectic, experimental or progressive and preferably some blend of all those things. This is none of them, being old-school seventies and eighties-influenced mainstream metal, but it is a particularly good example of the genre – nicely understated, with well-crafted mid-length songs and not a hint of Spinal Tap-esque clichés or histrionics. GRADE: B–.
Byron (Finland): Chapter II: The Lotus Covenant (The Goatmancer GR2401, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, Italy, 2024)
Metal
Johanna Eteläkari (principal vocals)
Despite the majestic title, this is even less substantial than their debut, clocking in at a fraction over 33 minutes. Nonetheless, it’s more confident and varied, with a beautiful symphonic ballad and some well-judged keyboards and cello. More importantly, once the again the melodies, riffs and tempos are spot on, making this as good an example of its style as you’re likely to find. GRADE: B–.

Crash Mighty (France): You Don’t Know Me (No label, download, 2018)
Rock/Metal
Dinny (lead vocals, tambourine)
They describe themselves as ‘math-rock’ and ‘punk’, but whilst the vocals are somewhat punky this is basically good old-fashioned hard rock with supple playing and some excellent leads. Then again, there’s a cliché that much seventies punk was badly played hard rock, so where does one draw the line? GRADE: C+.

Dark Mother (UK): Dark Mother (No label, cassette, 2015)
Metal
Holly Johnson (lead vocals, guitar), Tanya Byrne (bass), Bethan Louise (drums)
Like Tanya Byrne’s numerous other projects, this is sludgy doom metal, in this case with androgynous vocals creating a striking similarity with Windhand. With three songs totalling just under 13 minutes, it’s difficult to come to a definitive assessment of Dark Mother’s musical quality, but this is certainly pretty good (if not particularly distinctive) sludgy doom. GRADE: C+.
Dark Mother (UK): Dark Mother/Shrykull Split (Vedala VET023, 7", 2017)
Holly Johnson (lead vocals, guitar), Tanya Byrne (bass), Bethan Louise (drums)
There’s even less music to judge here: one song apiece from Dark Mother (the five-minute ‘Giving True’) and fellow (all-male) Nottingham band Skrykull (the six-minute ‘The Black Moon’). Again the Dark Mother track is rather good, whilst Shrykull’s contribution is in a doomdeath vein and less to my taste, though still perfectly listenable. GRADE: C+.

Dry Heart (UK): Dry Heart (No label, acetate, with inserts, 1970)
Folk/Psychedelic
Anne Rounce (joint lead vocals)
This actetate, created in a run of 10 copies, has such an incredible atmosphere that it almost acts as a time machine, transporting one back to an era when mournful, mildly trippy folk with an ISB influence was being created in bedrooms and low-budget studios up and down the land. As such, it functions in the same way as, say, masterpieces like Stone Angel or Courtyard Music Group or Caedmon. The only problem is that it doesn’t have great songs like Stone Angel or Courtyard Music Group or Caedmon. GRADE: B–.

Grendel’s Sÿster (Germany): Myrtle Wreath/Myrtenkranz (No label, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2019)
Metal/Folk
Caro (lead vocals)
Grendel’s Sÿster play folk metal, but in a completely different style from, say, Lumsk or Cruachan; despite being German, they also don’t sound like Ougenweide with heavy riffs. Instead they blend folk with power metal, solely using female vocals, electric guitars and drums: the results are often bracing and sometimes quite impressive, so in theory this should be a solid B–. But there’s a slight feeling of something missing, and I suspect that something is variety, in terms of both the arrangements and tempos, not helped by the fact they deliver the same set of songs first in English and then in German. Indeed, the one time they vary their formula, on the acapella closer, the album gets a significant lift and would have benefited from such innovations elsewhere. GRADE: C+.

Naomi (USA): Cottage Songs (Cottage, 1975)
Singer/Songwriter
Naomi Lewis (lead vocals, guitar, clarinet, ukelele, kazoo)
When I first heard this rare and expensive album I was somewhat underwhelmed, but listening to it again I find it genrle, charming and beatific. It's also welcome to find an American seventies singer/songwriter displaying no obvious influences from either Joni Mitchell or Carole King. On the downside, it sometimes crosses the line between delicate and twee, but perhaps that’s only to be expected from an LP with lyrics about love, nature, and occasionally Jesus Christ. GRADE: C+.
Naomi (USA): Seagulls And Sunflowers (Cottage, 1976)
Singer/Songwriter
Naomi Lewis (lead vocals, guitar)
Slightly more varied than her first, this ranges from the straight rock of ‘There Will Be Music’ and ‘Rock Me’ to the delicate instrumental title track. Once again, it’s sometimes a little too sweet and I can’t imagine her figuring among anyone’s all-time favourite singer/songwriters but Ms Lewis certainly had more talent than many of her contemporaries who landed major label deals. GRADE: C+.

Regan & Bricheno (UK): Apparitions (No label, download, 2024)
Folk/Rock
Julianne Bricheno (lead vocals, bass, keyboards, programming)
The big question here is about authenticity rather than a quality – it is possible in 2024 to recapture the unique atmosphere of a band that in the late eighties recaptured the unique atmosphere of the late sixties and early seventies? Apparitions doesn’t really provide a definitive answer: unlike the woeful Iceland this is consistently lovely and consistently true to the spirit of All About Eve. But there’s a still a slight feeling that there’s something missing: only once or twice could I believe I was actually listening to late eighties All About Eve and I’m not sure whether this is due to the absence of Andy Cousin or Paul Samwell-Smith or simply a few truly killer songs. GRADE: B–.

Updated 21st February:

9 Swans Repeat (Sweden): 9 Swans Repeat (GAC 007, CD, 2003)
Jazz/Avant-Garde
Lindha Svantesson (principal vocals), Nina De Heney (occasional vocals, contrabass)
With all the sounds created by dual double basses and female voices, this experimental jazz album is minimalist, haunting and sometimes quite spooky. It’'s varied too, from melodic folky passages to more typical free-jazz experimentation, complete with free-flying scat vocals. As such, this isn’t going to please every ear, but it’s certainly a fascinating and unusual set. GRADE: C+.

Dandelion Wine (UK): Model Village (English Garden ENG 1017CD, CD, 1996)
Psychedelic
Shirley Souter (occasional vocals)
This offshoot from Red Chair Fadeaway, masterminded by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tim Vass, offers exacty the same kind of pastoral psychedelia – charming, beatific, featherlight, delightful and occasionally a little too fey for its own good. Or to put it another way, this sounds exactly how you would expect an album called Model Village from a band called Dandelion Wine to sound. Shirley Souter sings lead on, and co-writes, one cut and contributes backing vocals elsewhere. GRADE: C+.
See also Red Chair Fadeaway

Oddleaf (France): Where Ideal And Denial Collide (Audiens/Golden Twigs ODDLEAF/I. CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2024)
Progressive
Adeline Gurtner (principal vocals), Carina Taurer (keyboards, backing vocals)
The brainchild of keyboardist Carina Taurer, who wrote all the material, Oddleaf unsurprisingly have a strongly keyboard-dominated sound. With tracks of up to 14½ minutes, they avoid most of the worst neoprogressive clichés; however, this is not particularly exploratory music, relying on mood and texture more than anything. It all peaks on the closing 11-minute instrumental, on which Taurer deploys her full box of tricks to create some fine moments, occasionally akin to Epidaurus. GRADE: C+.

Slať (Czech Republic): Elegie Propastná (Doomentia DOOM239-1-1, blue and black splatter vinyl, with insert, 2024)
Metal
Jana Kremace (joint lead vocals)
Betwixt doom and traditional metal, this features suitably crushing riffs, nicely stripped-down arrangements (just vocals, guitar, bass and drums) and an excellent recording. However, it also prominently features death growls, both male and female, and a low level of variety so falls just the wrong side of the dividing line between C+ and B–. GRADE: C+.

Various (Greece): I Pop Stin Athína – Zontanoí Sto K‎ýttaro (Zodiac SYZP 89023, LP plus 7", 1971)

Rock/Progressive

Stella Gadedi & Bourmpoulia, Despina Glezou

This compilation of supposedly live tracks (though the audience sounds overdubbed to me) features two excellent garage pop numbers from former Nostradmos member Despina Glezou. Meanwhile, Stella Gadedi & Boumpoulia offer nearly ten minutes of experimental prog, led by Gadedi’s occasional wordless vocals and eloquent flute playing. Among the non-female acts, Damon & Phidias deliver two pleasant contemporary folk songs and Exadaktylos offer a jazzy prog jam with spoken vocals (very vague reference points might include Catapilla and a sort of Greek version of Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes) and a straighter bluesy number. Finally, the best-known act here, Socrates Drank The Conium, provide a ten-minute blues jam covered in stinging fuzz guitar. GRADE: B–.