Pa-Pan

Paatos (Sweden): Timeloss (Stockholm 066 147-2, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2002)
Progressive
Petronella Netterrmalm (lead vocals, cello)
Both unashamedly modern and unmistakably Scandinavian, this atmospheric album weds arrangements similar to Anekdoten or to a lesser extent White Willow to elements of trip-hop, free jazz and a sort of noir songwriting style. The result is a record of chilly beauty, with some powerful instrumental textures and some excellent use of Mellotron, even if it feels a little inorganic. As a footnote, ‘Téa’ (also used as the B-side of their non-album single ‘Perception’ from the previous year) is a musical setting of a poem by Turid Lundqvist. GRADE: B–.
Paatos (Sweden): Kallocain (InsideOut 6 93723 01002 1, CD plus DVD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2004)
Progressive
Petronella Nettermalm (lead vocals, cello)
On the first track, they sound closer than ever to Anekdoten, but elsewhere this is more conventional than their first album whilst pursuing the same distinct style. Blending influences from alternative rock and trip-hop of the Portishead school, this, like its predecessor, is an interesting and creative album, if not always an engaging one. The initial run came with a bonus DVD featuring four excellent live tracks, plus unusual packaging including a tracing-paper lyric booklet. GRADE: B–.
Paatos (Sweden): Silence Of Another Kind (InsideOut SPV 48962 CD, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2006)
Progressive
Petronella Nettermalm (lead vocals, cello)
Although ‘Your Misery’ is once again very similar to Portishead, their third album largely drops trip-hop influences for a more rock-based sound. In parts, this is virtually a pastiche of Anekdoten, notwithstanding Petronella Nettermalm’s radically different vocal style; that said, this is their best album to date. GRADE: B–.
Paatos (Sweden): Sensors (Arcàngelo ARC-3018, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, inner, poster booklet and obi, Japan, 2007)
Progressive
Petronella Nettermalm (lead vocals)
Like the DVD accompanying Kallocain, this live album demonstrates that the band’s material works very well on stage. Sensors was also released in Europe, but the lavishly packaged Japanese version should be considered the definitive issue, with two additional tracks totalling more than thirteen minutes. GRADE: B–.
Paatos (Sweden): Breathing (GlassVille, CD, with digipak and booklet, Holland, 2011)
Progressive
Petronella Nettermalm (lead vocals, cello)
Like Silence Of Another Kind, this is very rock-oriented and very Anekdoten-esque, without the trip-hop and free jazz leanings of their earliest work. Overall, this is their best release, with some fine songwriting and well-judged musicianship, although anyone who’s heard Anekdoten’s recent music (or any previous Paatos) should not expect any surprises here. GRADE: B–.
Paatos (Sweden): V (GlassVille GVR009, CD, with digipak and booklet, Czech Republic, 2012)
Progressive
Petronella Nettermalm
Their modus operandi is a little odd this time around: four new songs in their familiar style (though hinting at a growing interest in hard rock and metal), two re-recordings of older songs in an acoustic folk style, and two remixes in an electronica vein. That it all sounds like Paatos – and all sounds excellent – is testament to their talent. What’s more, they don’t resemble Anekdoten much, for a change.

GRADE: B–.

Pacific Eardrum (UK/New Zealand/USA): Pacific Eardrum (Charisma CAS 1133, UK, 1977)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Joy Yates (principal vocals)
Incorporating both Esperanto vocalist Joy Yates and Mormos and Spoils Of War leader James Cuomo, Pacific Eardrum offered pleasant and virtuosic, if not particularly original, jazz-fusion. More than anything, this reminds me of efforts by German contemporaries like Embryo, Release Music Orchestra and Real Ax Band. GRADE: C+.
Pacific Eardrum (UK/New Zealand): Beyond Panic (Charisma CAS 1136, UK, 1978)
Pop/Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Joy Yates (principal vocals)
Their second largely drops the progressive edges for a more commercial blend of pop, rock, jazz, funk, soul and borderline disco influences. It’s all a bit slick and bland, with an over-reliance on mid-paced numbers with catchy choruses on side one; thankfully side two is better, with a few progressive touches creeping back in. GRADE: C.
Pacific Eardrum (New Zealand): Pacific Eardrum (CBS SBP 237519, 1980)
Pop/Jazz/Funk
Joy Yates (lead vocals)
Returning to their native New Zealand, singer Joy Yates and keyboardist Dave MacRae formed a new line-up to cut a third and final album. This drops all their progressive influences for straightforward and highly commercial pop with jazz and funk edges: catchy and well-crafted but utterly vapid. The best cut by far is ‘Listen’, which unites the band with a troupe of Maori singers. GRADE: C–.
See also Esperanto, Jubilation With Joy Yates & The Dave MacRae Beat

Bernard Paganotti (Algeria): Paga (Cream 120, 1985)
Progressive/Jazz/Funk
Maria Popkiewicz (occasional vocals), Carol Rowley (occasional vocals), Kokyu Okumara (occasional vocals), Chizuru Hosoya (occasional vocals), Naoko Paganotti (occasional vocals)
The first solo album by the former Magma (and later Etna) bassist is a mixed bag. A couple of cuts are mediocre pop and jazz/funk distinguished only by his distinctive bass playing, but others are good, if comparatively commercial, zeuhl. Paganotti handles some of the vocals himself, but a number of female singers (including fellow Magma alumnus Maria Popkiewicz) participate as well. GRADE: C+.
See also Pascal Duffard, Etna, Magma, Various ‘Hommage À La Musique De Christian Vander’, ZOU

Pageant (UK): Pageant (Real RR2002, 1975)
Folk
Pat Irving (occasional vocals)
Anyone familiar with engineer Alan Green’s interconnected Folk Heritage, Midas, Westwood and Real labels will know exactly what to expect here. This is nice contemporary folk from a five-piece band accompanying themselves on acoustic guitars, acoustic and electric bass and banjo on versions of songs like ‘Streets Of London’, ‘Turn A Deaf Ear’, ‘New York Gals’ and ‘Dirty Old Town’. It’s all very enjoyable, being well sung, played and recorded, but it’s also pretty generic. GRADE: C+.

Pageant (Japan): La Mosaïque De La Rêverie (Made In Japan MIJ-1005, with insert and obi, 1986)
Progressive
Hiroko Nagai (principal vocals, keyboards)
Closely connected with Mr Sirius (Hiroko Nagai and flautist and second guitarist Kazuhiro Miyatake were members of both bands at this stage), Pageant largely offered typically sumptuous eighties Japanese sympho-prog. On the plus side, they’re a little heavier than most bands in the genre, with a knack for a catchy hook and some nice chunky guitar riffs, peaking on the excellent ‘Echo’. GRADE: C+.
Pageant (Japan): Abysmal Masquerade (Made In Japan MIJ-1015, with insert and obi, 1987)
Progressive/Rock/Metal
Hiroko Nagai (lead vocals, keyboards)
Oddly, their second album consisted largely of reworkings (both live and studio) of material from their first. The sound is a little different, moving them away from sympho-prog towards a chunky, riff-driven hard rock sound. It’s a little cheesy in parts, but it’s superbly done, peaking on an excellent live version of ‘Echo’, interpolated with a segment of Kate Bush’s ‘James And The Cold Gun’. (Nagai clearly liked Bush’s work, as she also covered ‘Babooshka’ with Mr Sirius.) Overall, this is their best LP. GRADE: B–.
Pageant (Japan): The Pay For Dreamer’s Sin (King/Crime 292E 2008, CD, 1989)
Progressive
Hiroko Nagai (lead vocals, keyboards)
Their final album marks a return to a more symphonic sound, with lots of keyboards and some well-judged flute. It’s a charming and very mellifluous set, although also rather derivative and anonymous. GRADE: C+.
Pageant (Japan): Kamen No Egao (Made In Japan ALT-14, CD, with minisleeve, inserts and obi, 2005?, recorded 1986-1988)
Progressive
Hiroko Nagai (lead vocals, keyboards)
Kamen No Egai was originally released as a three-track 12" single (Vice 18EC-5, with insert and obi) featuring an alternate version of an Abysmal Masquerade track plus two exclusive cuts. This reissue adds four rare bonus tracks (one from a multi-artist set and three from promotional flexidiscs) to create a useful compilation. In contrast to their other albums, this disc largely focuses on ballads and material with a folky slant. As a footnote, all three tracks from the original EP were included on the reissue of Abysmal Masquerade (Made In Japan MJC-1008, CD, 1994). GRADE: C+.
See also Final Fantasy, Mr Sirius

Pageant Theatre Company (Australia): Here We Go Round The Prickly Pear (Troubadour Custom Recording TCM-73064, 1972?)
Rock
Ros Spiers (joint lead vocals), Isobelle Gidley (joint lead vocals, piano)
Rather like the Anglo-Manx Barrow Poets, Pageant Theatre Company set poetry (from sources as diverse as TS Eliot, WH Auden, Edgar Allan Poe and Roger McGough) to original music. Like Barrow Poets, they are often overly whimsical, but unlike Barrow Poets the music is firmly rooted in rock, alternating atmospheric piano-based ballads and light guitar-based rockers. Sadly, the cover photograph of a deranged-looking guitarist thrashing his instrument does not reflect the album’s contents, though several cuts are effectively trippy. GRADE: C+.

Pago Pago (West Germany): Downtown Holiday (Vibratone VIB 2003, 1981)
Pop/Funk
Ellen Meier (lead vocals)
This starts off as cheesy pop but with a certain rock strength and charm that makes me like it. Things quickly get worse with the reggae-flavoured ‘Madelaine’ and the bouncy rock and roller ‘Midnite Ska’. Side two continues in the same commercial, schizophrenic vein, with much of the album being as naff as the band logo and cover suggest. GRADE: C–.
See also Alto, Tomorrow’s Gift, Various ‘Love And Peace’

Paidarion (Finland): Hauras Silta (Seacrest SCR - 1003, CD, 2009)
Progressive/Jazz/Rock
Kristina Johnson (joint lead vocals)
Alternating between soft, folky symphonic rock (somewhat recalling eighties Renaissance) and jazzier progressive (with some funk touches as well), this is a good but patchy, sometimes excellent but occasionally frustrating album. The cuts fronted by Kristina Johnson are beautiful if derivative, but some of the male vocal numbers cross the boundary between being melodic and simply cheesy (especially with occasional contributions from a children’s choir). GRADE: C+.
Paidarion (Finland): Behind The Curtains (Seacrest SCR - 1005, CD, 2011)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Elina Hautakoski (principal vocals)
Lacking both the highpoints and lowpoints of its predecessor, this is basically a conventional jazz-fusion album interspersed with a few more symphonic instrumentals. Whilst anyone enjoying the style should find it a pleasant listen, there’s nothing here that you won’t have heard a hundred times before. GRADE: C+.

Paidarion Finlandia Project (Finland/UK/Romania): Two Worlds Encounter (Seacrest SCR - 1014, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, Finland, 2016)
Progressive
Jenny Darren (principal vocals)
My first concern was that this supergroup project – featuring the nucleus of Paidarion joined by Yesterdays mainman Ákos Bogáti-Bokor and British rock veterans Jenny Darren, Kev Moore and Robert Webb – might be unbearably bombastic, as such ventures tend to be. I needn’t have worried: this is pleasant soft rock and light prog that’s melodic, well-played, beautifully sung and completely inconsequential – not to mention entirely different to their last album. GRADE: C+.

Paladyn (West Germany): Die Zeiten Sind Vorbei!? (Crossover Productions CP 0010, with insert, 1979)
Pop/Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Jo Vanderdamm (lead vocals, percussion)
The obvious reference point here is the first Édition Spéciale album, as this blends funky pop with tricksy tempo changes in a similar way (but with much inferior songs and riffs). I can also hear occasional blues, hard rock and new wave influences and at times this resembles everyone from late Cos ro early Shakatak. There’s also a faint theatrical edge to the songs, confirmed by Jo Vanderdamm’s credit for providing ‘pantomime’ onstage. GRADE: C+.

Paley’s Watch (UK/Hungary): November (Plankton PCDN 144, CD, UK, 1994)
Progressive
Marianne Velvárt (principal vocals, guitar)
This concept album is ‘set in the Northern mill town of Bury during the early 1980s, telling the story of the lives of six characters during the month of November’. Unlike most such ventures, this one has genuinely poetic lyrics that deliver real insight into the characters’ lives and motivations, and the results are frequently very poignant. On the downside, the music often feels rather secondary to the lyrics, with a thin, lo-fi sound, although it steadily improves as the album progresses: the overall feel is of a low budget late seventies Pink Floyd, though there are also some classical references and a fondness for reggae rhythms. The other problem is Marianne Velvárt’s strong Hungarian accent, which sits oddly with the subject matter. GRADE: C+.
See also Various ‘Guat-A-Gig Live!’

Palmer Band (West Germany): What’s In Front Of You (Prisma 1C 064-46 044, with inner, 1980)
Rock
Jane Palmer (lead vocals)
From the cover, I expected this to be dumb AOR and hard rock. To a large extent it is, but most of the songs have new wave-ish edges, odd arrangement touches and unusual instrumental breaks that raise this slightly above the norm. I don’t particularly like Palmer’s throaty, very American style of singing, but they’re competent songwriters and even manage to pull off a cod-reggae number with aplomb. GRADE: C+.

Palmer•Coulson (UK): Home (Milk Toes MILKTOES 001, CD, with digipak, 2007)
Folk/Jazz
Hilary Palmer (lead vocals)
Hilary Palmer’s lovely, smoky voice and Tim Coulson’s simple but elegant acoustic guitar work combine with understated bass and percussion to create a lovely late night mood betwixt singer/songwriter, folk and jazz. As a bonus, all the material is self-penned, creating a charming and unassuming set that effectively showcases the duo’s talents. GRADE: C+.
See also Francis Lickerish, Secret Green

Pan (UK): Ology (Big Cat ABB 49 CD, CD, 1993)
Pop/Dance/Psychedelic
Hanna Burchill
I bought this years ago after it was mentioned in a book about modern psychedelic music; however the basic style here is nineties pop/dance, fringing acid-jazz. That said, there are added psychedelic touches aplenty, including snippets of sound effects, floating flute solos and lots of spacy synthesisers and languid grooves, hinting at a far more commercial sidestep from You-era Gong. With dub reggae moments and countercultural lyrics, it’s very much of its time, but it’s notable that they were good songwriters and excellent musicians, so from a musical standpoint I find this thoroughly enjoyable. The same cannot be said for the vocals: Hanna Burchill’s breathy, jazzy and soulful style does nothing for me and has dated just about as badly as the semi-spoken male vocals. The band also issued two cassettes, which I have not encountered, though I suspect this album compiles the bulk of them. GRADE: C+.

Panal (Chile): Panal (IRT ILS-144, 1973)
Latin/Rock/Psychedelic
Denise Corales (joint lead vocals)
Formed by Carlos and Denise Corales, formerly of Aguaturbia and Flaco (which issued one split EP), Panal was a very different beast. The music here is essentially tropicália, offering jazzy Latin versions of traditional folk tunes drenched in fuzz guitar and trippy effects. A fine example of its style, the disc is well worth hearing by anyone who likes early Gal Costa, Mutantes et al. The band broke up shortly after the LP’s release due to General Pinochet’s rise to power, and Carlos and Denise Corales fled to the States. She eventually cut a couple of solo albums, which I have not heard in their entirety (although extracts suggest that they are rather dull commercial blues/rock). GRADE: B–.
See also Aguaturbia

Panama Limited Jug Band (UK): Panama Limited Jug Band (Harvest SHVL 753, 1969)
Jugband
Liz Hanns
The rather psychedelic Hipgnosis cover – depicting the band posing with a banjo and an old-style American railroad car – captures the feel of the music perfectly, as this is quaint country blues and jugband music with a slightly surreal, stoned feel. It’s all well done, with decent singing and musicianship, but how it got a release on the nominally progressive Harvest label is beyond me. GRADE: C.
Panama Limited (UK): Indian Summer (Harvest SHVL 770, 1970)
Folk/Blues
Anne Matthews (joint lead vocals, harpsichord, percussion)
The change of name is revealing – their far superior and second final album drops all the jugband leanings. Instead, it offers swampy country blues and rural folk with a definite Captain Beefheart influence and beautifully judged, mainly acoustic instrumentation, creating a rather sinister, swampy feel. GRADE: C+.

Pancake (West Germany): No Illusions (Blubber Lips BL 809, 1979)
Progressive
Biggi Zmierczak (lead vocals)
This late progressive album isn’t original or distinctive in any way (particularly recalling the big names of German prog like Birth Control and Jane) but it’s consistently excellent from start to finish, with some great guitar work and strong melodies. The CD reissue (Garden Of Delights CD 197, 2012) adds three rough demos from 1980 (from sessions for the band’s aborted fourth LP) and three songs from a 2002 live reunion CDR that I have never managed to track down. Unfortunately there are some severe problems with the sound of the album proper, most notably at the end of track three and on track five, so this version really cannot be recommended. GRADE: B–.

Pandora Snail (Russian Federation): War And Peace (Art Beat AB-CD-12-2014-085, CD, with digibook, slipcase and obi, 2015)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Ulyana Gor (occasional vocals, keyboards)
Limited to 200 numbered copies, this beautifully packaged CD offers accomplished violin-led jazz/rock with a few funky edges and deft, though never ostentatious, playing. The result is a pleasant, unassuming album that should please anyone enjoying the lighter but more rocking end of jazz-fusion. GRADE: C+.

Pandora Snail (Russian Federation): Metamorphosis EP (No label, download, 2016)
Progressive/Dance
Ulyana Gor (keyboards)
If you ever wanted to hear borderline dance remixes – you know, that drifting modern quasi-trip hop style – of several tracks from the War And Peace album, here’s your chance. But whilst this is pleasant enough, with lots of spacy violin, I suspect you didn’t – and neither did I. GRADE: C+.
Pandora Snail (Russian Federation): Live At Babooinumfest (No label, download, 2017)
Jazz/Rock
Ulyana Gor (lead vocals, keyboards)
This live album, comprising entirely new material, marks a return to business as usual for Pandora Snail. Its violin-led instrumental jazz/rock is elegant, virtuosic and sometimes incendiary, but – not uncommonly for the genre – is perhaps a touch lacking in soul, which prevents me from grading it higher despite its exemplary musical quality. GRADE: C+.

Panic Room (UK): Visionary Position (Firefly Music FMCD001, CD, 2008)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, flute)
This is basically Karnataka under another name, but there’s little musical resemblance (probably because songwriters Ian and Rachel Jones are not present). Much more varied than their former incarnation, this is quite Eastern and psychedelic in parts and folky in others (with Liz Prendergast of Bluehorses adding some violin flourishes here and there). The downside is that at heart they have strong AOR leanings, expressed both through some formulaic power ballads and a fair bit of clichéd, portentous guitar work. It’s a shame, because when they’re not sounding so commercial or so American, this is often a pretty good album and occasionally an excellent one. GRADE: C+.
Panic Room (UK): Satellite (Firefly Music FMCD002-S, double CD, 2010)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards)
The really striking thing about Panic Room’s second album (and the limited edition EP that came with the first run) is the gulf between their level of craft (excellent) and their level of inspiration (zero). This collection of hard and soft rock songs, which often recalls Helder’s other band Mostly Autumn, is beautifully put together, with some great melodies and riffs, but it’s all so utterly vapid and clichéd: even the tunes sound borrowed. GRADE: C–.
Panic Room (UK): Skin (Cherry Red EANTCD 1006, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2012)
Rock
Annie-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar)
The band’s third album again offers very professional soft and hard rock, with lush arrangements and well-crafted hooks. But once again, it’s all very homogenous and unadventurous, and ultimately rather dull. GRADE: C.
Panic Room (UK): Incarnate (Firefly Music FFMCD006, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2014)
Rock
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica)
Once again, Panic Room offer accomplished melodic rock that’s high on polish but rather low on excitement. Nonetheless there are some decent moments here. In particular, the closing ‘Dust’ is wonderfully intense, hinting at considerable untapped potential. GRADE: C+.

Panic Room (UK): Essence (Firefly Music FFMCD008, CD, 2015)
Folk/Rock
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, flute)
Mostly consisting of re-recordings of older songs in a semi-unplugged style, Essence is a pleasant enough set. The songs are beautifully (re)arranged, electric guitars are used to good effect here and there, and forays into blues and even reggae provide some variety, but the compositions themselves remain solid rather than great. Early copies ordered from the band came with a bonus EP Altitude (Firefly Music FMCD003-EP, with minisleeve). This includes the lengthy ‘I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight?’, which is far better than anything on the album proper. GRADE: C+.

Panic Room (UK): Live At The Fleece – Official Bootleg – Set 1 (Firefly Music, download, 2016)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, percussion, flute)
As on their studio albums, Panic Room live are polished, melodic and pleasant. Unfortunately, just like their studio albums, the music here isn’t particularly exciting, adventurous or progressive. GRADE: C.
Panic Room (UK): Live At The Fleece – Official Bootleg – Set 2 (Firefly Music, download, 2016)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, percussion, flute)
The short break seems to have revived the band, as this is vastly livelier and more memorable than the first set – in fact, this is the best I’ve ever heard them. Why they chose to release the show in two halves, I’m not certain – my inner cynic says that it’s because they could charge separately for each, but being more charitable maybe it’s so you can buy this one and skip the lukewarm first instalment. GRADE: C+.

Panic Room (UK): Screens – Live In London (Firefly Music FFMDVD001-DL, double DVD, with digipak, 2017)
Rock
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, percussion, flute)
This well-filmed concert represents a decent live document of the band’s work: the first disc also includes an interview and a photo gallery, whilst the second (available only as a very expensive limited edition) features three additional songs, a soundcheck, a lengthy rehearsal and some backstage footage. As for the music: like the interconnected Mostly Autumn at their straightest, Panic Room occasionally do something heavy or proggy that hints at real potential then return to their usual diet of well-crafted, tuneful, mellow and rather unexciting melodic rock. GRADE: C+.

Panic Room (UK): Screens – Live In London (Firefly Music FFMCD009-DL, double CD, with digipak, booklet and slipcase, 2017)
Rock
Anne-Marie Helder (lead vocals, guitar, percussion, flute)
Listening to the CD version of the London gig a couple of weeks after watching the DVD, I’m inclined to think I’ve been harsh on Panic Room: their material is more catchy and better crafted than I remembered. However, it isn’t any more exciting, though people with fairly straight tastes in classic melodic rock could certainly do worse. GRADE: C+.

Panic Room (UK): Satellite – The Instrumental Album (Firefly Music, download, 2017, recorded 2010)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals)
The wrinkle of releasing instrumental mixes of albums as paid downloads seems to have become fashionable among a certain type of neoprogressive band – Magenta have tried it too. Whilst their Bandcamp pages notes that ‘the Instrumental Album series gives a fresh insight into the recording proess and the complexities of the Panic Room sound’ and that you can ‘hear guitar lines and keyboard melodies that you may have previously missed sparkle through and gain a new appreciation for the arrangements’, the suspicion remains that this is a good old-fashioned cash grab. On the plus side, I like this a lot more than the vocal version of the album – in fact, it’s very pleasant background music. Whether or not that’s a compliment is, of course, moot. GRADE: C+.
Panic Room (UK): Skin – The Instrumental Album (Firefly Music, download, 2017, recorded 2012)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (guitar, backing vocals)
Once again, they’re including some bonus material to add value – whereas the instrumental version of Satellite added the numbers from Little Satellite, this includes a demo and an alternate mix. And once again, I much prefer the instrumental version of the album. Perhaps they could do me a favour and go instrumental permanently? It would save me some cash and save them from some lukewarm reviews. GRADE: C+.
Panic Room (UK): Incarnate – The Instrumental Album (Firefly Music, download, 2017, recorded 2014)
Rock/Progressive
Anne-Marie Helder (guitar, keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals)
The improvement here over the vocal version is less pronounced – if it exists at all – since the original release was somewhat better than Satellite or Skin. As such, my overriding impression remains: the doomy ‘Dust’ is possibly the best and most atmospheric piece the band have recorded. GRADE: C+.
See also Anne-Marie Helder, Karnataka, Luna Rossa, Mostly Autumn, Parade

Panopticum (Belgium): Reflection (No label, CD, 2004)
Rock/Metal/Progressive
Shari Platteeuw (lead vocals)
The album is certainly well executed, with a good balance of heavy rock and progressive elements, but none of it really sticks in the mind. GRADE: C+.

Panta Rhei (East Germany): Panta Rhei (Amiga 8 55 318, 1973)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Veronika Fischer (joint lead vocals)
Opener ‘Alles Fliesst’ is superb, blending a base of snotty fuzz guitar and bass with manic unrestrained horns; the album never recaptures the same energy or intensity, but this is excellent jazzy prog throughout, with a good range of moods and textures. The CD reissue adds three bonus tracks (annoyingly, mixed in with the album proper rather than being separated out at the beginning or end), all of which also appear on the Die Frühen Jahre LP. GRADE: B–.
Panta Rhei (East Germany): Die Frühen Jahre (Amiga 8 55 820, 1981, originally released 1971-1974)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Veronika Fischer (joint lead vocals)
This compilation of rare tracks features three cuts from the Panta Rhei LP, three non-LP singles or B-sides, two tracks from compilations and the previously unreleased ‘Gib Dir Selber Eine Chance’. This is another fine album, peaking on two cuts fronted by Fischer: the heavy ‘Hier Wie Nebanen’ and the delicate ‘Nachts’ (basically a rewrite of ‘If I Were A Carpenter’, although it’s credited as an original tune). GRADE: B–.
See also Veronika Fischer

Pantokrator (Estonia): Pantokrator 1 (RiTonis C60 31341 006, 1991)
Progressive
Anne Türnpu (joint lead vocals)
This unusual progressive album blends ethnic and high-tech elements, with the instrumentation centred around drums, percussion and throat-style singing. It’s not always brilliant but it’s certainly interesting and from time to time achieves a considerable level of intensity. GRADE: C+.
Pantokraator (Estonia): Tormidesööjad (Pantokrator PKCD 003, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2009)
Rock/Progressive
Triini Taul (backing vocals)
Much straighter than their debut, this mostly consists of delicate ballads and somewhat symphonic rockers, occasionally spiced up by the ethnic and percussive touches that marked their first album. With some decent melodies and some nicely uplifting moods, it’s an enjoyable album if almost completely lacking in ambition. GRADE: C+.