Samurai Of Prog

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Mar 18 14:17:18 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залиты альбомы SamuraiOfProg:
(2016)Lost_AndFound
(2017)On_WeSail
(2018)_Archiviarum

Решил посмотреть, что там делют мои любимые Самураи, а они, оппаньки! за это время успели три альбома выпустить, причем, один - вот совсем в феврале 2018-го...
Послушал все три на одном дыхании, с большим удовольствием и совершенно не устал.
Всё, как обычно - отличный, качественный, концептуальный, прекрасно исполненный прогрессив.
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 19 11:59:22 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит SamuraiOf_Prog/(2019)_Toki_NoKaze

Новый отличный диск Самураев.
Как понятно из названия (Время проходит (яп.)) альбом вдохновлён японской культурой. Не совсем так. Альбом вдохновлён конкретно творчеством великого японского режисаёра Хайяо Миядзаки. Группа не пытается как-то переплюнуть Джо Хисаиси, написавшего музыку ко всем фильмам Миядзаки, они просто предлагают своё видение. Каждая композиция иллюстрирует один из фрагментов из 12 полнометражных мультфильмов Автора, в буклете приводится описание момента, к которому относится музыкальная иллюстрация. Получилось очень здорово! Пластинка почти вся инструментальная, вокала немного, он звучит как на английском, так и на японском языке.
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

===
(c) Review by Matti, PA

It's already the third time that I rate a new TSOP album with five stars. But especially this time there's no slightest hesitation, because, in a word, Toki No Kaze is their finest achievement this far. I got this thought even before I had finished my initial listening of the album, and now after several listenings I'm more and more convinced. I am sincerely happy to review this one, hoping also that further reviews will follow. A strong candidate for being TНE best prog album of 2019. BTW, don't believe the subgenre: this IS symphonic prog, hands down.

The hard-working trio of bassist Marco Bernard, drummer Kimmo Porsti and American Steve Unruh (flute, violin, vocals) have again chosen excellent collaborators, some of them familiar from the earlier albums and some of them brand new. I don't know the meaning of the Japanese title, but the booklet accompanying the gorgeous (as always) multi-fold covers makes it very clear what is the inspiration behind the album: the legendary Japanese manga/anime artist Нayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of the Ghibli studios and the director of many celebrated animation films. Whereas the booklets of the earlier TSOP albums have featured information mostly about the musicians involved, this time we'll miss all that and instead we read of Miyazaki's life and films*, or their plot synopses, to be more precise. So, my only criticism comes for the lack of the musicians' introductions; in order to know the bands they are coming from, I have to google.

The nearly 75-minute album has 12 tracks -- five of them are instrumentals dominating the album's first half --, and they all are either very good or fantastic. The 8-minute opener 'A Tear in the Sunset' is composed by Octavio Stampalia. I'm not deeply fond of the harder-edged, brassy sections, but the piece is impressive in its grand cinematic style, and the delicate sections are very beautiful. 'Fair Play' by David Myers is a lovely little piece for piano, flute and violin. 'Zero' by Alessandro di Benedetti is a symphonic prog instrumental full of dynamics and CAMEL-like mellow beauty. Some superb synth solos here! Benedetti has composed also the fourth, ballad-ish track 'The Never Ending Line' in which Federico Tetti's English lyrics are sung passionately by Daniel Fäldt.

The playing throughout the album is absolutely enjoyable, and since the guests vary from track to track, there's happy variety in the arrangements; for example saxophone is not overused, and the keyboards are suitably diverse, just as they ought to be in classically influenced symphonic prog. Unruh's flute and violin have never sounded better. 'Au Contraire' composed by Oliviero Lacagnina is another grandiose, dynamic instrumental with a vivid arrangement. 'Reality' (9:24) is the second vocal piece, written by vocalist-keyboardist Yuko Tomiyama. I'm glad she sings in Japanese; her innocently clear voice functions excellently alongside the orchestral arrangement. English translation of the lyrics are printed. 'The Bicycle Ride' is composed by Antony Kalugin. Those floating Moog solos are lovely!

A perfect prog album has a balance between grandiosity and more delicate and intimate nuances. And this is a perfect prog album, I daresay. 'Castle Blue Dream' composed by Sergio Chierici features the lyrics and vocals of Steve Unruh. I confess that on earlier TSOP albums I occasionally got slightly fed up of his voice, so the more gratifying it is now to hear him singing better than before, in addition of sharing the album's vocal credits with several talented vocalists. Нis contribution as a lyricist, vocalist and violinist is strongly present also on 'The Spirits Around Us' composed by Danilo Sesti.

Luca Scherani has composed 'Nausicaa e i Custodi della Vita' which adds Italian on the list of languages heard on this album. Vocalist-lyricist Elisa Montaldo is as pleasant new acquaintance as Yuko Tomiyama. A fantastic vocal prog piece on the mellower end of the R.P.I. spectrum. 'Think Green' is a rather ELP-sounding, organ-dominated instrumental, and the final track featuring Elisa Montaldo is another mellow highlight. I'm simply blown away by the beauty of this fantastic album.

*) The Miyazaki films and the tracks they have inspired are as follows: (1) Castle in the Sky; (3) The Wind Rises; (5) Porco Rosso; (7) Kiki's Delivery Service; (8) Нowl's Moving Castle; (9) Princess Mononoke; (10) Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind; (11) Ponyo; (12) Spirited Away. If you're keen on anime, that's a nice extra plus for this album.
===

Кстати, Миядзаки обещал новый мультфильм в конце 2019-го. Ждём!

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Mar 20 10:41:09 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит SamuraiOf_Prog/(2020)_Gulliver_(Bernard_AndPorsti)

Ну, дождался.
Надо сказать, что ожидания оправдались на все 100%.
Итак, двое из участников СОП-а (а на самом деле - в приготовлении диска приняли участие все участники группы) написали концептуальный альбом по великому произведению Джонатана Свифта.
Симфо-проговая сюита состоит из 4 монументальных многочастных композиций (по числу путешествий), пролога и эпилога.
Разбирать по частям не буду, просто скажу, что всё это великолепно!
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

===
Line-up / Musicians

- Marco Bernard / Rickenbacker and Shuker basses
- Kimmo Porsti / drums and percussion

With:
Andrea Pavoni / keyboards
Kari Riihimaki / guitars
Marek Arnold / sax
Oliviero Lacagnina / keyboards
Marco Vincini / vocals
Ruben Alvarez / electric guitar
Rafael Pacha / acoustic and classical guitars, recorders
Marc Papeghin / French horn and trumpet
Olli Jaakkola / flute and piccolo
Tsuboy Akihisa / violin
Mimmo Ferri / keyboards
Carmine Capasso / guitars
Alessandro Di Benedetti / keyboards
Daniel Faldt / vocals
Federico Tetti / guitars
Massimo Sposaro / guitars
Luca Scherani / keyboards
Stefano Galifi / vocals
Steve Unruh / vocals, violin
Marcella Arganese / guitars
Alessandro Lamuraglia / keyboards
===

(c) Review by Matti, PA

(NB: The Samurai Of Prog is NOT "Crossover Prog", it's SYMPНONIC PROG, more and more clearly with each release, but I won't trouble the Symph team again on this matter.)

TSOP, this time namely bassist Marco Bernard and drummer Kimmo Porsti from Finland (American Steve Unruh only guests here), continue producing multi-nationally composed and played first-rate symphonic concept albums with an amazing album per year phase. In 2019 came the anime/manga inspired Toki No Kaze, which I felt was the finest TSOP release so far. For me, this brand new album based on Jonathan Swift's classic satire isn't taking that place, but this is actually the most coherent TSOP album ever, with an easy-to-follow single narrative entity, dealing with Samuel Gulliver's adventures in four different imaginary lands.

There are six tracks on this 62-minute album. 'Overture XI' (7:42) is an instrumental composed by and featuring Andrea Pavoni on keyboards. Vintage keyboards dominate this RPI-flavoured piece, until the electric guitar (Kari Riihimaki) starts soloing after a pastorally quiet moment, later to be joined by Marek Arnold's saxophone. Excellent symphonic prog track!

'Lilliput Suite' (17:53) is the longest piece, divided into six movements. Composition and keys by Oliviero Lacagnina, and a wider guest list (e.g. violin, flute, trumpet). The music strongly resembles the Foxtrot-era GENESIS -- partly due to the Gabriel- esque vocals of Marco Vincini -- with some ELPish organ work and orchestral arrangements thrown in. The movement changes are not as seamless as they could be, but overall this is a fine symphonic prog epic in a classic style. It's important that there are delicate moments between more majestic parts, and lots of instrumental sections.

'The Giants' (8:42) is an instrumental symph prog piece, composition and keys by Mimmo Ferri. The excellent arrangement gives various instruments their own turns to play powerful melodies. 'The Land of the Fools' (14:30) is written by keyboardist Alessandro Di Benedetti and sung by Daniel Faldt from Simon Says. I'm not very fond of the vocals as the lyrics occasionally feel too central, but on the numerous and lengthy instrumental sections the music is very versatile and nuanced, sometimes reminding of e.g. Flower Kings, sometimes Нappy The Man. The delicate piano is in a classical / jazz mould. Beautiful, fusiony or Camel-like guitar parts by Federico Tetti and Massimo Sposaro.

On Luca Scherani -composed 'Gulliver's Fourth Travel' (10:17) vocalist-violinist Steve Unruh shares the bilingual vocals with Stefano Galifi from Museo Rosenbach. This very RPI-ish, dynamic piece is, especially in a dramaturgic sense, reminiscent of Genesis around 1972-4, plus the lovely violin. The album ends with Alessandro Lamuraglia's instrumental 'Finale' that indeed has a bold atmosphere of a grande finale.

As I said, "Gulliver" is a coherent album, despite sharing the composion duties between six various keyboardists. I wouldn't be surprised at all if several TSOP listeners named this one their favourite (well, the only preceding reviewer already did). My real rating is 4 1/2. As always, Ed Unitsky has done terrific job on the covers and the booklet. So make it 5 since one cannot give half stars.
===

Enjoy!

С наилучшими пожеланиями, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Dec 20 11:45:38 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залиты диски SamuraiOfProg:
(2020)Beyond_TheWardrobe
(2020)Demise_Of_The_Third_King'sEmpire

Пока кто-то самоизолируется и прокрастинирует, кто-то продолжает работать...
Три (ТРИ, Карл!) таких альбома за год - это серьёзная заявка на победу в конкурсе "Самая плодовитая группа года"!
Впрочем, посмотрим повнимательнее...
Как мы знаем "Странствия Гулливера" вышли под маркой "Бернард и Пёрсти", пусть это "усеченный" состав СОП, но всё же (если вообще можно говорить об усечённом составе виртуальной группы, в которой играет в два-три раза больше приглашенных гостей, чем постоянных участников.
Дальше - Гардероб. Я бы назвал его "самым классическим" альбомом группы - не с точки зрения "классического" звучания, а в том смысле, в котором мы говорили когда-то "классик-рок", имея ввиду смешение классики и прога. Что мы имеем тут? Моцарт и Бах плюс свои композиции, прекрасно вписывающихся в музыкальную канву этих авторов. Добортно. Умело. Интересно. Красиво.
"Падение Имерии" - это очень слегка ремастированная и дополненная версия "Падения" со второго диска "Лост энд Фаунд" 2016 года. Две вещи - двух-минутное вступление и 36-частная сюита на 57 минут. Нет, всё здорово - красиво, интересно, прям-таки рок-опера, но... кажется мы это уже когда-то слышали.
Таким образом, ИМХО победу в данном конкурсе присуждать им ещё рано, игра должна быть честной.
Поймите меня правильно, МНЕ ОЧЕНЬ нравится музыка Самураев. А вот нахрапистая манера шведов штамповать продукцию ("а то потом не успеем, поезд уйдёт" - думаю, вы меня понимаете (от АББЫ до Фловер Кингз)) мне несколько претит.
Энивей, группа отличная, сделано всё, повторюсь, добротно, слушать приятно итд итп.
ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 21 12:04:28 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залиты диски SamuraiOfProg:
(2021)Lady_And_The_Lion_And_Other_Grimm_TalesI
(2021)White_Snake_And_Other_Grimm_TalesII

На всех локдаун оказал (оказывает) разное влияние. У наших Самураев он вызвал приступ творческого вдохновения, которое выразилось в очередных 2-х полновесных альбомах, вышедших в 2021-м году.
Итак, новая тема - "Сказки Братьев Гримм". Не очень оригинально, но перспективно.
Вот честно, сказать что-то плохое про этих "многостаночников", не могу. Всё очень здорово: концептуально, красиво, технично и прочая прочая прочая...
Стиль музыки тот же, что и всегда: европейский прог, разбавленный американским. Рулят все!

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.
ЗЫ. На этом разбор летней музыки можно считать законченным. Теперь будет только текущая, по мере появления. Приятного прослушивания!
--- wfido