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So-Sol

Katarzyna Sobczyk & Henryk Fabian With Czerwono-Czarni (Poland): Zakochani Sa Sami Na Swiecie (Pronit XL 0491, 1968?)
Pop
Katarzyna Sobczyk (joint lead vocals)
Backed by Czerwono-Czarni, Sobczyk and Fabian turn in a charming album of beat with period arrangements including fuzz guitar and organ. With few weak tracks, this is a solid album all through and a fine example of its style. Czerwono-Czarni also issued albums of their own, with Sobczyk and Fabian returning the favour by guesting as vocalists. GRADE: C+.
See also Czerwono-Czarni

Soft Rock (USA): Soft Rock (WC Knapp Recordings SR-8931, 1975?)
Folk/Jazz/Rock
Dede Thompson (principal vocals, guitar, percussion)
Despite the band name and title, this doesn’t contain any soft rock at all: it’s a mixture of gentle acoustic folk/rock songs and trad jazz instrumentals. Both types of material are well performed, with some precise playing and excellent recording quality, but most readers, like me, will probably prefer the songs. This is one of the scarcest American private pressings, selling for several hundred pounds. GRADE: C+.

Softeis (West Germany): The Colours Of A Rainbow (No label S 001, 1978)
Rock/Progressive
Eleonore Wittekindt (keyboards)
Light yet sumptuous and hard rocking, this is typical late seventies German prog, at times similar to McOil, Octopus or Pancake. After seven fairly short songs, the album closes with two instrumentals (also quite short): the symphonic ‘Illusion’ and the more unusual and inventive ‘Komposition Für Bass Und Schlagzeug’, which does what it says on the tin. GRADE: C+.
Softeis (West Germany): Eiskalt (No label PM 181, 1981)
Rock/Metal/Progressive
Eleonore Wittekindt (keyboards)
This is a touch more ambitious than its predecessor, with stronger hard rock and light metal edges, and a vastly better recording suggesting that their budget had increased significantly. Overall it’s a solid enough album, although their foray into reggae (on ‘Play The Reggae’, unsurprisingly enough) probably wasn’t a great move. GRADE: C+.

See also Anabis

Softwire (UK): Signal To Noise (No label, download, 2018)
Pop/Progressive
Emily Feinson, Sarah Binney, Yingxin Jiang
It’s not clear whether this 13-person collective is a loose band or whether this is a compilation of material by different singers and songwriters sharing some backing musicians. Either way, it’s a pleasant set that I’ve seen compared to Schnauser – which makes sense in terms of its melody and playfulness. However, this is much straighter, with the progressive elements coming from the three fine instrumentals; the remainder is sophisticated pop with plenty of hooks and some soulful and folky edges. GRADE: C+.

Softwire (UK): Bandwidth (No label, download, 2019)
Rock
Emily Feinson, Sarah Binney, Yingxin Jiang
‘All tracks will be at least 96% awesome, we promise’ says the Bandcamp page, but the loss of the progressive edges from Signal To Noise is regrettable. Instead, the collective here offer diverse modern rock, ranging from borderline progressive metal to indie to ballads and even a stab at rap – definitely above-average and packed with hooks but not exactly ‘96% awesome’. GRADE: C+.

Softwire (UK): Wavelength (No label, download, 2021)
Pop/Rock/Dance
Emily Feinson (joint lead vocals), Sarah Binney (keyboards)
Their claim of ‘awesomeness’ has risen to 97%, and once again it’s hyperbole: this album is probably of marginal interest to most people, especially as they’re continuing to move towards electronic pop (and borderline dance music). Nonetheless, there’s plenty of naïve charm here and a fair amount of variety too, including some singer/songwriter edges and even a mellow acoustic guitar instrumental, so if you like the idea of a modern-day York Pop Music Project you could do a lot worse. GRADE: C+.
Softwire (UK): Frequency (No label, download, 2021)
Folk/Rock
Emily Feinson (occasional vocals, guitar, synthesiser, clarinet), Sarah Binney (occasional vocals, piano)
Like the yang to Wavelength’s yin, this simultaneous release focuses on the folk and rock ends of the collective’s repertoire. There’s everything here from acapella folk to indie rock and borderline metal, and whilst not exactly ‘97% awesome’ it’s all rather good, and may have more appeal to readers of this website than Wavelength. GRADE: C+.

Softwire (UK): A Very Softwire Christmas (No label, download, 2021)
Pop/Rock
Emily Feinson (joint lead vocals, keyboards, drum programmes), Sarah Binney (keyboards, backing vocals)
A very Softwire Christmas indeed: mixing original songs and a couple of more familiar Christmas numbers, this offers everything from electric rock to electronic pop and even a quasi-mediaeval instrumental. Ultimately this is a short and somewhat incoherent LP, but the joyful naïveté that has characterised their previous albums is often in evidence, resulting in a charming and quirky little set. In any case, the best song is the least characteristic: Emily Feinson’s eerie synthesised rendition of ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’, which puts me in mind of psychedelic folk stylists like Rowan:Morrison. GRADE: C+.

Softwire (UK): Phase Shift (No label, download, 2022)
Folk/Rock
Emily Feinson (occasional vocals, guitar, keyboards, clarinet, harp, ukelele), Gabi Mikolajczak (occasional vocals), Sarah Binney (occasional vocals, piano), Wiesje van den Heerik (occasional vocals, spoons)
The assertive hard rock of the opening ‘Get High, Stay High’, complete with florid early seventies-style organ, is something completely new for Softwire and works remarkably well. It’s an impressive kick-off to possibly the collective’s best album yet: a rich and inventive musical tapestry spanning everything from haunting folk/rock to OMD-style early eighties synth excursions, from classical music to Ibiza-style trance, and from acapella singing to assertive rock. In its own way, this resembles a modern-day version of something like A-Austr, with the same ‘anything goes’ sense of derring-do and adventure, and the same complete isolation from commercial considerations. GRADE: C+.

Softwire (UK): Resonance (No label, download, 2023)
Pop
Emily Feinson (joint lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, shaker, clarinet, harp, ukelele), Gabi Mikolajczak (occasional vocals), Sarah Binney (organ, backing vocals), Clare Hurst (saxophone)
Softwire occasionally get too whimsical for their own good here – notably on the throwaway ‘It Has To Be Now’ and the fifties rockabilly-flavoured ‘Grow Grow’ – but this is counterbalanced elsewhere by lots of quirky musical twists and turns and some unexpectedly interesting lyrics. The resulting is a winsome grab-bag of sounds that few people will like from start to finish but that will delight many listeners now and then. GRADE: C+.

Softwire (UK): Amplitude (No label, download, 2024)

Rock

Emily Feinson (occasional vocals), Cazminah (occasional vocals), Caz Yang (occasional vocals), Gabi Mikolacjak (occasional vocals), Bianca Darolti (guitar, piano), Ruby Lavender (guitar, clarinet), Amelia Blackwall (guitar), Sarah Binney (keyboards, backing vocals), Chloë Lei (drums), Catalin Ursachi (backing vocals)

Softwire being Software (and essentially a ‘various artists’ project as much as a collective), this ranges from early seventies-style hard rock (quite a bit of hard rock, actually) to ballads, synth-pop and rap. As such, most listeners will have strong preferences between tracks, but overall this is as charming as usual and somehow just about manages to hang together. GRADE: C+.

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+.

Softwire (UK): Attenuation (No label, download, 2026)

Pop/Rock/Progressive

Emily Feinson (principal vocals, guitar, piano, harp, ukulele)

Since this runs for under 25 minutes, I wonder whether the title was intended sardonically. Nonetheless, this is a carefully constructed release, with the linked opening and closing tracks and occasional instrumental interludes adding a progressive flavour. As usual for Softwire, the songs vary between electropop and light rock, most of which might best be described as charmingly naïve, and the finest number by far is a classically-influenced instrumental by Emily Feinson that falls somewhere between prog and new age. GRADE: C+.

Solar Plexus (Sweden): Solar Plexus (EMI Odeon E 154-34573/4, double, 1972)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Monica Dominique (joint lead vocals, keyboards)
This debut double album is impressive in its scope and scale, not least for the twenty-four minute ‘Concerto Grosso För Popgrupp Och Symfoniorkester’. That said, the long suite is rather patchy and elsewhere the album includes a few musical jokes that don’t work well, so a little judicious editing could have seen a far more consistent single LP. Overall, Brian Auger seems to be their biggest infuence, although they cover quite a range of territory. This was also released in an alternate version featuring English rather than Swedish lyrics. GRADE: B–.
Solar Plexus (Sweden): Solar Plexus (EMI Odeon 4E 062-34797, 1973)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Monica Dominique (keyboards, flute, backing vocals)
Their second album comes with an identical front cover to their first, only with a slightly different colour scheme. Musically it’s far mellower, toning down the rock elements and often straying perilously close to lounge. That said, two classical pieces on side two (Händel’s ‘Silent Worship’ and Stravinsky’s ‘Danse Russe’) are much more interesting and adventurous, with the latter sounding like Renaissance if they based their music around organ rather then piano. GRADE: C+.
Solar Plexus (Sweden): Det Är Inte Båten Som Gungar – Det Är Havet Som Rör Sig (Harvest 4E 062-34975, 1975)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Monica Dominique (keyboards, backing vocals)
The opening title track has an effective groove, but the rest of this shows the band moving towards slick jazz/funk – even the seventeen-minute ‘Jorden Är Ett Underbart Ställe’ isn’t terribly adventurous or exploratory. Nonetheless, it’s all very well put together. GRADE: C+.
Solar Plexus (Sweden): Hellre Gycklare An Hycklare (Harvest 4E 062-35166, 1975)
Funk/Soul/Jazz/Progressive
Monica Dominique (keyboards, handclaps, backing vocals)
The fourth and final Solar Plexus album is a laid-back affair, with strong funk and soul edges; the only truly progressive cut is the closing ‘Vakna Morgon’. Like its two predecessors, this is a pleasant listen without being particularly exciting or creative. GRADE: C+.
See also Monica Dominique

Solar Plexus (USA): Solar Plexus (Evidence Music 43138, 1975)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Lin McPhillips (lead vocals)
Whilst operating in the same broad territory as their Swedish namesakes, this American band were completely unconnected. With strong Latin influences and arrangements dominated by percussion and horns, plus occasional wordless vocals, the album has a rather loungy feel but also some quite elaborate playing. As a footnote, whilst the disc was credited to their own Evidence Music imprint, it was actually issued by the famous custom label Century. GRADE: C+.
Randy Masters Featuring Solar Plexus With The University Of Santa Cruz Chamber Singers (USA): Voices (Evidence Music

43495, 1976)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Lin McPhillips (joint lead vocals, electronics), Elizabeth Bice (joint lead vocals), Nicole Bouché (joint lead vocals), Susan Brison (joint lead vocals), Kathy Caton (joint lead vocals), Rebekah Levy (joint lead vocals), Elizabeth A Rechard (joint lead vocals), Caroline Davis (joint lead vocals), Dawn Saari (joint lead vocals), Evelyn Shiro (joint lead vocals), Meri Tassano (joint lead vocals)
As the title suggests, this album unites Solar Plexus with a choir, making for a more ambitious set than their debut (particularly with tracks of 23 and 16 minutes). Again, the music is rooted in Latin sounds and is quite loungy, but there are some mildly experimental moments hinting towards Michal Urbaniak and Urszula Dudziak, and the longer songs really give the band a chance to stretch out and groove. GRADE: B–.
Solar Plexus (USA): Solar Plexus (Inner City IC 1067, 1979)
Jazz/Rock/Lounge/Avant-Garde
Lin McPhillips (lead vocals, percussion, electronics)
Their third and final album moves even closer to Urszula Dudziak (to whom one track is actually dedicated), though mostly at her loungiest and most Latin-esque. That said, this is a long and varied LP, with quite a few weird moments and touches of free jazz; it’s frequently very interesting, although unlike its predecessor it’s quite patchy too. GRADE: B–.

Solar Project (West Germany/Holland/Finland): The Final-Solution (No label SP 001, CD, with sticker, West Germany, 1990)
Progressive/Rock/Metal
Inka Kuopamäki (backing vocals)
A concept album called The Final-Solution by a German band could have been excruciating, but this actually concerns itself with the possibility of a computer-generated war. Musically, it’s a varied set of hard rock and neoprog songs, with a few good melodies but also a listless, low-budget sound that makes it rather forgettable. GRADE: C.
Solar Project (Germany/Holland): World Games (No label SP 002, CD, Germany, 1992)
Progressive/Rock/Metal
Anja Kiehle (joint lead vocals)
As demonstrated by the full colour booklet and much improved recording quality, they had a vastly bigger budget for their second album. Musically, however, this is in the same vein as their debut, whilst taking them a step closer towards full-blown rock opera. On the plus side, the disc avoids the pomposity associated with the genre, but it’s all very lukewarm, nondescript and inconsequential, despite obvious attempts to make some big political statements in the lyrics. GRADE: C.
Solar Project (Germany): The House Of S. Phrenia (No label SP 003, CD, Germany, 1995)
Progressive/Rock/Metal
Anja Kiechle (joint lead vocals)
This is a huge step forward for the band – it’s lively, dynamic, powerful and extremely well recorded. With tracks of up to nineteen minutes, it’s also quite ambitious, taking in elements of Indian music, folk and jazz, although the basic style is bluesy hard rock, sometimes hinting towards Pink Floyd. Of course, at heart it’s still neoprog, and once again their attempts to be profound don’t work particularly well, but this is a very accomplished record for what it is. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): …In Time (Muséa FGBG 4225.AR, CD, France, 1997)
Progressive/Rock
Anja Kiechle (joint lead vocals), Sonja Mischor (flute, backing vocals)
For the first couple of minutes, it sounds as though Solar Project have gone electropop, but the rest of the disc channels Pink Floyd and various bluesy and hard rock acts from the seventies through a neoprogressive prism. Early on, there’s some excellent Hammond organ work, and overall the instrumental sections easily outclass the rather uninspired songs. In particular, it becomes obvious how odd and how amateurish Anja Kiechle’s androgynous singing is, and how little the band actually has to say on the lofty topics it addresses. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): Five (Muséa FGBG 4372.AR, CD, France, 2000)
Progressive
Anja Kiechle (joint lead vocals), Sonja Mischor (occasional vocals, flute)
With all but one of the six tracks being well over ten minutes, this is by far their most progressive album to date. It’s also their closest to Pink Floyd, sometimes borrowing liberally from the band’s back catalogue (the verses of ‘The Air’ take both their rhythm and chord sequence from ‘Sheep’, for example). Not everything works well: the disc is occasionally tedious and never particularly exciting, but it’s well crafted, polished and highly listenable. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): Force Majeure (Muséa FGBG 4549.AR, CD, France, 2004)
Progressive
Bettina Wirtz (lead vocals), Jade (saxophone)
The opening ‘Days Of Wrath’ has a much more modern vibe, hinting towards bands like Anekdoten, but the rest of the disc shows the group moving back towards its usual late seventies Pink Floyd style. Despite one track of 30 minutes and another of 20, this is nowhere near as ambitious as its predecessor, mostly comprising spacy pastiches of The Wall et al. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): Chromagnitude (Muséa FGBG 4715.AR, CD, France, 2007)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (joint lead vocals, saxophone)
Slightly better than Force Majeure, this is a strong album of mid-paced Pink Floyd-style rock. Atmospheric and accomplished as it is, there’s very little variety on offer, and this certainly doesn’t break any new ground for the band. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): Aquarmada (Green Tree GTR 145, CD, 2014)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (joint lead vocals, saxophone)
Solar Project aren’t quite such blatant Floyd copyists as their Swiss contemporaries Cosmos, but there’s not much in it, making differentiations between their various LPs rather slight. Nonetheless, this is among the better ones, with a procession of stately, well-crafted songs and instrumentals with plenty of spacy Dave Gilmour-esque guitar work. GRADE: C+.

Solar Project (Germany): Here I Am (Green Tree GTR-151, CD, 2015)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (occasional vocals, saxophone)
The Floyd edges are downplayed a bit here, though this is in their usual relaxed and spacious mode. Both their songs and instrumentals are well crafted, placing them a tier above most modern prog bands, but excitement is in rather short supply. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): EMP – A Tribute To Pink Floyd/The Final-Solution – Limited Edition (Green Tree GTR 154, double CD,

with digipak and booklet, 2015)
Progressive
Anja Kiechle (occasional vocals), Sandra Baetzel (saxophone, backing vocals)
This ‘25th anniversary’ reissue of The Final-Solution adds a bonus disc of Pink Floyd covers. It opens with a superb version of ‘Echoes’ recorded in 2001 by an all-male trio, followed by a 2014 take on ‘Money’ by the line-up with Sandra Baetzel. This was never my favourite Floyd number, but it’s a solid version that extends the song with some effective rock jamming. Finally, there’s a truncated version of ‘Pigs’ (with a few moments of ‘Sheep’ and ‘Pigs On The Wing’ interpolated) recorded in 1999 with Anja Kiechle sharing the vocals. Grading a three-song covers album isn’t easy, but there’s no question that this is by far the best thing Solar Project has ever done, even if it graphically illustrates the gulf between their writing talents and those of the Floyd. My comments on The Final-Solution remain unchanged. GRADE: B–.

Solar Project (Germany): Paranoia (Green Tree GTR 158, CD, 2016)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (occasional vocals, saxophone)
Following on from their actual Floyd tribute album, this is once again very Floydian – not, as I’ve noted before, to the same extent as blatant clones Cosmos, maybe not even to the same extent as Fruitcake, but then again the differences aren’t necessarily in Solar Project’s favour: the least Floyd-like songs here are also the straightest. Like most of their albums, this is far from bad, but it has to say something that the old Solar Project LP I’ve ever rated above a C+ was the Floyd covers set. GRADE: C+.
Solar Project (Germany): Utopia (Green Tree GTR 174, CD, 2018)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (saxophone, backing vocals)
After implying in my review of their last that Solar Project would never produce a B– album of original material, I’m now having to eat my words as they’ve managed it here – well, just about. Paranoia’s big advantage is that it features two lengthy suites, allowing the band to stretch out and jam. Its even bigger advantage is that they’re sloughing off their most obvious Floyd influences, though that’s not to say this is particularly original – on the contrary, they sound distinctly German for the first time in years, channelling the chunky riffs and soaring Hammond organ of mid-seventies outfits like Jane and Birth Control. As such, don’t approach this expecting anything cutting-edge, but do expect a mainstream German prog sound delivered with style and élan. GRADE: B–.
Solar Project (Germany): Ghost Lights (Green Tree GTR 181, CD, 2020)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (occasional vocals, saxophone)
I don’t find this quite the equal of its predecessor, though it’s far from poor. Once again, it mixes mainstream seventies German prog influences with Pink Floyd, though this time with more emphasis on the latter (notwithstanding that ‘On The Run’ is an original song, not the Dark Side Of The Moon instrumental). In addition, vocalist Holger vom Bruch is becoming more eccentric, notably on ‘Chivvy’, which could lead to some interesting – in both the literal and pejorative senses – results on the next album if he continues down the same path.

GRADE: C+.

Solar Project (Germany): Restless (Green Tree GTR 185, CD, 2022)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (occasional vocals, saxophone)
This semi-concept album, divided into three suites, is certainly one of their better albums. Whether it quite crosses the divide from C+ to B– is another matter, though its Gimour-esque Floyd sound should please people enjoying that band’s eighties work. GRADE: C+.

Soldier String Quartet (USA): Sequence Girls (Rift 13, with insert, 1988)
Jazz/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Laura Seaton (harpsichord, violin), Mary Wooten (cello)
As their name suggests, the Soldier String Quartet were led by violinist and composer Dave Soldier. As their name doesn’t suggest, they were actually a sextet: a string quartet (with the first violin also playing a little harpsichord) plus a contrabassist and drummer. The music ranges from relatively conventional chamber orchestra sounds through settings of three blues tunes to mildly discordant avant-prog, and is extremely inventive and creative. The band went on to cut many more albums, which I haven’t heard. As a footnote, Soldier also worked with the Velvet Underground’s Maureen Tucker in the Kropotkins. GRADE: B–.

Solid British Hat Band (UK): Mister Monday And Other Songs For The Teaching Of English (Longman LG 0 582 56421 2,

with insert, 1971)
Folk/Rock
Dede Brewer (joint lead vocals, guitar, percussion, kazoo), Gil Eden (joint lead vocals, guitar, percussion)
Connected to Everyone Involved, this obscure folk/rock band issued two albums on the Longman label, both intended to be used for teaching English (as odd song titles like ‘Present Continuous Baby’, ‘Did You Use To Be Like Me?’ and ‘If You Go To Rome’ attest). This pleasant debut is rather similar to Faraway Folk circa Time And Tide, though more consistent in mood, with a dreamy and quite dated sound. Terry Cox from Pentangle is the drummer. GRADE: C+.
Ken Wilson & The Solid British Hat Band (UK): Goodbye Rainbow (Longman LG 567, with insert, 1974)
Folk/Rock
Dede Brewer (joint lead vocals), Gil Eden (joint lead vocals)
Much rarer than their debut, this is also much more contemporary, with a broader musical palette and far more electric instrumentation. Creating a hippie folk feel in parts, the album often bears a resemblance to Everyone Involved (as do the ecological and anti-car lyrics to ‘The Houses Are Built’ and ‘Not Enough Ways’). Altogether, it’s a fine album, completed by a stunning multicoloured psychedelic sleeve. GRADE: C+.

Solid Ground (West Germany): Backstage Love Affair (Omnibus BUS 1004, 1980)
Rock/Metal
Rita Dotzier (joint lead vocals)
Offering melodic hard rock with some funk and pop edges, this is a solid if not tremendously exciting album. The best moments feature some high-octane guitar work, with the heavier cuts definitely being the finest. GRADE: C+.

Solid Ground (Montenegro): Open Silence (No label, download, 2013)
Progressive/Metal/Jazz
Tamara Brajović (occasional vocals), Strahinja Kovačević (keyboards, trumpet, backing vocals)
This unusual and obscure album blends progressive rock, metal and jazz like Diablo Swing Orchestra, but in a completely different way. Whereas the Diablos are at heart avant-gardists, throwing a little of everything into the mix to see what will happen, Solid Ground is more an old-school jam band blending in heavy rock guitars and jazzy rhythms and trumpet. In keeping with their seventies leanings, the sound here is spare and sparse, eschewing the modern wall-of-sound favoured by the Diablos and reminding me more of Stinking Lizaveta, though this consists of lengthy songs rather than pure instrumentals. As such, those expecting devil-may-care mayhem won’t find it here, but, being far more restrained, this could have much wider appeal. GRADE: B–.

Soliloquy (Australia): Soliloquy (Record Collector RCLP 026, double, UK, with certificate of authenticity, 2018, recorded 1974)

Rock/Progressive

Carmel Chayne (lead vocals)

When I obtained this band’s extremely rare EP ‘Alive To Die’/‘Father Moonshine’/‘Asian Way’/‘Lady Tarantula’ (Moby Productions LYN 2868) I assumed them to be British or American and assumed from the music (knotty, angular, riff-driven, somewhat progressive rock) that it dated from around 1978. In fact, it was recorded in 1974, making the faint post-punk edges somewhat prescient, and the band turned out to be Australian: discovered by Maurice Gibb, they were transplanted to London to record an album, but despite the promotional EP on the Bee Gees’ Moby label they failed to gain a record deal. Listening to this double album, it may be because their music fell between two stools: too knotty to be mainstream rock but too unambitious to be full-blown prog (despite the presence of a side-long suite). Nonetheless, they were unquestionably a good band and occasionally an excellent one, so this comprehensive retrospective was long overdue. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): Silent Dance (Equinox EQRLP 001, 1984)
Progressive/Folk/Rock
Sandy Leigh (lead vocals)
Solstice was the only female-fronted band to emerge in the first wave of neoprogressive outfits, alongside higher-profile groups like Marillion, IQ and Pendragon. However, unlike those bands, they were very much a hippie outfit, and their debut album welds a neoprog musical palette with strong influences from folk, world and psychedelic music. With hints of Renaissance here and there and a fair bit of Curved Air or It’s A Beautiful Day-style violin, it’s quite an interesting record, although the rather average songwriting and dense, fairly lo-fi production (by noted folkie Nigel Mazlyn-Jones, no less) add up to a disc that’s more promising than it is polished. The second CD reissue (F2 Music 200709A, 2007) adds a bonus disc compiling the band’s two 1982 cassette EPs – First Light (as an all-male quartet) and Pathways (with Susan Robinson, also of Quasar, on vocals) – with a 1983 demo (featuring Robinson’s short-lived replacement, Shelley Patt), the Peace Tape cassette single, and a radio session from the same year. GRADE: C+.
Solstice (UK): New Life (Progressive International PRO 017, CD, 1992)
Progressive
Heidi Kemp (lead vocals)
Album number two, by a reformed line-up, is a lot less varied than its predecessor but also a great deal more consistent. This time round they sound like a folkier Pink Floyd with quite a few Curved Air touches; the results are elegant and mellifluous if a little short on invention. Once again, the band issued a ‘definitive edition’ as a double CD in 2007 (F2 Music 200709B), this time adding some live tracks from 1984 with an all-male line-up and almost a dozen studio and live numbers from 1985 with Barbara Deason on vocals. GRADE: C+.
Solstice (UK): Circles (A New Day AND CD13, CD, 1997)
Progressive
Emma Brown (lead vocals)
Mixing mid-paced rockers with a vaguely Celtic feel with a few moments of acoustic folk, this isn’t an enormously exciting record. However, it’s listenable enough, and it makes clear their influence on a new generation of neoprogressive bands, most notably Mostly Autumn. Once again, there was a ‘definitive edition’ reissue (F2 Music 200709C), but this time it only adds four bonus demos, which I actually like better than the album itself. As a footnote, Clive Bunker plays drums, which is presumably why this was released on the Jethro Tull-related label A New Day. GRADE: C+.
Solstice (UK): The Cropredy Set (A New Day AND CD53, CD, 2002)
Progressive
Emma Brown (lead vocals), Jenny Newman (violin, backing vocals)
This live album doesn’t quite live up to its billing, actually being recorded in the studio back in 1998 (since there were serious technical problems with the actual Cropredy recording). Nonetheless, it’s possibly their best outing, featuring a good cross-section of material performed with real energy. This time round, the ‘definitive edition’ (F2 Music 200707) adds a DVD of the show; I think this is synced to the studio CD, with onstage comments and applause interpolated, but the liner notes don’t make this clear. GRADE: C+.
Solstice (UK): Spirit (Festival Music 201002, CD plus DVD, 2010)
Progressive
Emma Brown (principal vocals), Jenny Newman (violin, backing vocals)
What’s surprising about the first half of this comeback (for a second time) album is how monotonous it is and how little the band has developed artistically. Musically, it’s their usual mid-paced folkish rock with slo-mo neoprog guitar and vaguely Celtic violin, whilst lyrically they’re still offering vague imprecations against capitalism and celebrating Native American traditions. Thankfully, things improve with the interesting ‘Oberon’s Folly’, which couples a Bronski Beat cover with an excellent instrumental from violinist Jenny Newman, and the intense, Eastern-flavoured ‘Here And Now’. The closing title track ends the disc on a rather soporific note, but whilst this is mostly underwhelming it does have its moments. The set also includes a lengthy DVD Solstice Live containing a fine performance with excellent audio quality though slightly fuzzy visuals. One of the highlights of the live set is a genuinely witty drum solo (not an adjective I ever expected to apply to that particular activity). If this set really demonstrates anything, it’s that Solstice are vastly better on stage than in the studio. GRADE: C+.
Solstice (UK): Kindred Spirits (Festival Music 201106, DVD plus CD, 2011)
Progressive
Emma Brown (lead vocals), Jenny Newman (violin)
Another day, another DVD: this one has better picture quality than Solstice Live and offers another solid live set. The humorous drum solo isn’t nearly as funny when seen for a second time, however, and I have no idea why they suddenly veer into goodtime ska territory with a cover of ‘Ducks’ (although the audience seem to enjoy it). The accompanying CD sensibly doesn’t duplicate the DVD tracklisting but offers a different performance, completing an enjoyable and well-assembled package. GRADE: C+.
Solstice (UK): Prophecy (Esoteric Antenna EANTCD 1024, CD, 2013)
Progressive
Emma Brown (principal vocals), Jenny Newman (violin)
Unusually, this combines five lengthy new songs plus three ‘bonus tracks’ – remixes by Steven Wilson of early recordings from the Sandy Leigh era. The new numbers are frequently so somnolent than one imagines the band has gone into hibernation, whilst all their usual lyrical motifs (principally environmentalism and Native American imagery) recur frequently. The remixes are perfectly pleasant, but mainly serve to confirm that the band has achieved zero artistic development or progression in nearly thirty years. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): Sia (Giant Electric Pea GEPCD1066, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2020)
Progressive
Jess Holland (lead vocals), Jenny Newman (violin)
On the opening ‘Shout’ – the longest and most complex track yet attempted by the band – Solstice sound revitalised, as well they might after a seven-year absence. The remaining tracks (five new songs plus a remake of ‘Cheyenne’) aren’t as adventurous, but then Solstice never operated at the most virtuosic – let alone most experimental – end of prog. Nevertheless, this collection of soft rockers and ballads is thoroughly satisfying, bolstered by an excellent recording, and they’re to be congratulated for their longevity. They should also be congratulated for releasing their best album to date, a remarkable 36 years after their debut. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): Sia Live (No label, download, 2021)
Progressive
Jess Holland (lead vocals), Jenny Newman (violin), Johanna Stroud (backing vocals), Olivia Armon (backing vocals), Meg Knightsbridge
(backing vocals)
Sia was arguably Solstice’s best album, so this live set – which features much of the LP plus a few older numbers – is also solid and enjoyable. If those don’t sound like the most effusive descriptors, they effectively summarise the band’s career as a whole: their work is rarely less than listenable but also rarely (if ever) exciting or challenging. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): Live In Veruno (No label, download, 2022)
Progressive
Jess Holland (lead vocals), Jenny Newman (violin), Johanna Stroud (backing vocals), Jen Sanin (backing vocals)
This download, kindly released free of charge by the band to its supporters, is pleasant and mellow and likeable, like all the Solstice I’ve heard. Also, like just about everything else I’ve heard from the band, I can’t really find anything specific to say about it, which in itself has to be a comment on their music. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): Light Up (Giant Electric Pea GEPCD1073, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2023)
Progressive
Jess Holland (lead vocals), Jenny Newman (violin, viola)
Some people believe that great art derives from pain and anger, but Solstice’s music comes from a different place entirely. At heart hippies, they specialise in mellow grooves that work equally well in a festival setting or through a home hifi, whilst Jess Holland delivers uplifting slogans and radiates positivity via her gentle, girlish voice. Like Sia, this is a good album by any standard – nicely composed, performed and recorded – and sometimes genuinely beautiful, as on the closing ‘Bulbul Tarang’. However, for the most part it stops short of greatness as it lacks much in the way of experimentation or, indeed, pain and anger – and I suspect those things may be connected. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): The Stables – Live (No label, download, 2023)
Progressive
Jess Holland, Jenny Newman, Ebony Buckle, Gwen Taylor
This live album (kindly offered as a freebie, in both video and audio form, to the band’s fans) showcases Solstice’s lively, likable music effectively. They’re clearly an excellent live act and very engaging people, but their music is always going to remain a little too straight – and a little too optimistic – for my tastes. GRADE: C+.

Solstice (UK): Return To Cropredy (Prog Rock.com’s Essentials PRE0016, Blu-ray plus CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2023)
Progressive
Jess Holland (lead vocals, guitar), Jenny Newman (violin, backing vocals), Ebony Buckle (backing vocals), Dyane Crutcher (backing vocals)
To say that Solstice are at heart hippies isn’t an original observation; it’s been obvious since their first album. But it’s central to understanding the appeal of their Cropredy reunion concert as they cavort around the stage in multicoloured clothes, with the women’s faces bejewelled, celebrating the joys of life and music. This glass-half-full approach, coupled with their funky and soulful riffs (something I genuinely hadn’t noticed before), is key to their appeal and I don’t doubt that both band and audience had a wonderful afternoon. As for me, I prefer my prog darker, weirder and more challenging, but there’s no disputing that this is a fine live set. The set is completed with a lengthy and very interesting documentary about the band’s history. 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 years. 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+.

Solstice (UK): Clann Live: The Colchester Gathering (No label, download, 2025)
Progressive
Jess Holland (principal vocals), Dyane Crutcher (occasional vocals), Ebony Buckle (occasional vocals), Jenny Newman (shaker, violin)
‘Gathering’s is the operative word, as Solstice keep the notion of eighties (rather than retro sixties) communality alive with their uplifting, melodic tunes and fiercely independent stance. That’s to be admired, but as usual I find their actual music pleasant and relaxing rather than admirable. GRADE: C+.
See also Quasar

Soluna (Argentina): Energia Natural (Microfón SUP-844, 1977)
Rock/Progressive
Mónica Campins (occasional vocals, organ, dulcimer)
The mellow folky and slightly jazzy rock here, with lots of tempo changes and unusual chord progressions, is both typical of the Argentine seventies underground and redolent of similar music from Canada. At its best – the lively, exploratory ‘Detrás De La Valla’ – it’s superb, but for most of the time it merely drifts by pleasantly, notable mainly for its high level of craft. GRADE: C+.