PROG & ROLL Radio Show, including the 'Song of the Month' contest. The complete playlist...

Hello all!
  Last night, one more Prog & Roll Radio Show was on air, including the final stage of the Song of the Month contest. So, during the last part, we asked from our listeners to grade the songs that had the maximum average score from all the shows we did on May.
  We divided the 2 hours of the show into 4 parts, and once again we played different styles of music on each part. So, we begun with some "modern" songs, then we went back to the 60's and the 70's, we continued with some Folk-Rock, and then it was time for the contest.
  We had 4 songs participating on the contest this time, all of them very good ones. I had predicted that it was going to be a hard competition, and I was right. The winning song won with a very small margin from the second one, as you will see yourselves, by looking at the average scores. At the end of the show, we announced May's Song of the Month, which was Shesmovedon by Porcupine Tree!
Here's the whole playlist from last night:

1st Part: UNREAL CITY: Del Innocenza Perdata / THE MINSTREL’S GHOST: Merlin / PANIC ROOM: Changes / KARMAKANIC: Steer by the Stars. 

2nd Part: PHANTOM’S DIVINE COMEDY: Merlin / FANTASY: Paint a Picture / CRESSIDA: To Play Your Little Game / BEGGAR’S OPERA: The Witch / YES: Beyond and Before.

3rd PArt: FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Who Knows Where the Time Goes / ESPERS: Rosemary Lane / TREES: Geordie / MIDLAKE: Small Mountain.

4rth Part - The Song of the Month Contest: NAVARONE: Free Together (Av.Rat: 7.10) / PORCUPINE TREE: Shesmovedon (Av.Rat: 8.61) / TOOL: 10.000 Days (Pt.2) (Av.Rat: 7.83) / GENESIS: Watcher of the Skies (Av.Rat: 8.57).

I would like to thank all those who chose to spend their Sunday afternoon with our show. I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you all! 
Here's the winning song: PORCUPINE TREE: Shesmovedon

GFreedom's Juke Box No.194

Hello all!
After a long break, my usual weekly Top-5 song list is back.              
I listened to lots of songs during this week, so it wasn't easy to pick just 5.
But I think that the following songs are maybe the best ones:
QUEEN: Don't stop me now (Jazz - 1978)
TREES: Geordie (On the shore - 1970)
MOSTLY AUTUMN: Sight of day (Sight of day - 2017)
SIVERT HOYEM: Give it a whirl (Long slow distance - 2011)
NAVARONE: Free together (Oscillation - 2017)
I will conclude this post as usual, by adding the YouTube links for the songs I have in my list. In case you are interested, just click on the links and listen to them. Unfortunately I couldn't find the album version of Free together by Navarone.
Enjoy!
QUEEN: Don't stop me now
TREES: Geordie
MOSTLY AUTUMN: Sight of day
SIVERT HOYEM: Give it a whirl

PROG & ROLL Radio Show presents: The song of the month contest.

  I would like to inform you that on this Sunday's Prog & Roll radio show we are going to have the 'Song of the Month' contest, during which, our listeners will choose the best song of May.
  During the last show of each month, we are playing the songs that gathered the highest average rating throughout the whole month, according to our listener's grades. We ask from our listeners to grade them once more, but in a more "serious" manner let's say. This time we are going to play four songs, all of them very good ones. So, I believe that the competition will be fierce once more, despite that there are 2 songs that can be characterized as favourites.
  The contest will take place during the last part; but before that, we are going to play some excellent songs, from many music categories and sub-genres as usual. (In order to understand the wide musical range, here's a few names that are included in our playlist: Panic Room, Yes, Fantasy, Fairport Convention and Karmakanic).
 So, if you are free and in the mood for some good music on this Sunday afternoon, tune in to Prog & Roll. The show begins at 20.00 UK time.
We will be very glad to "see" you on our chatbox.
Here's the link of the radio station: www.justincaseradio.com
Thank you!

BAROCK PROJECT: Detachment (2017)

   Barock Project is an Italian quartet that has been active for almost a decade, during which, they released five studio and one live albums. What they are trying to do is, to play modern Progressive Rock with elements of Barock music, which sounds like a good idea. All their albums seem to be equally good, with just a few ups and downs.

   I learned about them with their previous work ‘Skyline’, and I must say that I was pleased with it. For that reason, I also added their brand new work ‘Detachment’ in my music collection.

  Detachment follows the path of Skyline, but it is slightly better in my opinion. The production is very good once more, and the songwriting is very “mature”. It includes 13 tracks, and has a total running time of 75 minutes.

  Here, you can find very beautiful and soft melodies mixed with some complex compositions, and an overall excellent musicianship. All the members of the band are very good musicians, and that is obvious throughout the album. As for the leading instruments, I would say that both guitar and piano are equally important here. Also, the vocals are in English, which is positive.

Very pleasant surprise was the addition of Peter Jones as guest singer, who is participating in 2 songs; both of them beautiful ones.

  I didn’t have the time to “digest” the album yet, but based upon the first 3 listenings, I must say that it is a very good and well-made album, that definitely deserves attention. I believe each person who is fond of Progressive Rock, modern or not, will find some songs that he/she will like.

As for me, the first songs I noticed immediately, are: Broken, Happy to See You and Rescue Me mostly, followed by Alone.

I will give 3.0 out of 5.0 stars, but maybe it deserves a little more than that…

By clicking on the following YouTube link you will be able to listen to Happy to See you, and have an idea...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wj1ghguu8c 

Radio Station's birthday party on Prog & Roll (21/5/17). The playlist and more...

  Last night, during Prog & Roll, we celebrated the radio station's 5th birthday, as I had announced a few days ago.
  Some of the radio station's producers gathered up, and altogether played some music during early afteroon. At about 19.30 (UK time), we cut the birthday cake on air, and right after that, it was the time for Prog & Roll to begin.
  When I was preparing the playlist during the week, I tried to make it a jolly and powerful one, in order to make it feel like an actualy party. And judging from the people's reactions, I think I made a good job. 
 We had a lot of people listening, from many countries once more, and the chatbox was on fire once again. We had also many musicians who tuned in, and altogether spend 2 hours filled with music and lots of fun. We also did 3 music quizzes, and the winner of each quiz took a cd as a prize. (All 3 Cd's were brand new releases). The winners of the 3 quizzes were: Filaraki from Greece, Ben Bell from England and Stefan Hepe from Germany. Congratulations guys, enjoy your Cd's!
 I really believe it was a fun show, and I would like to thank all those who tuned in last night. Further than that, I would also like to thank the bands who offered their CD's in order to give them as prizes. 
 Here you can take a look at the complete playlist:

1st Part: MARILLION: Market Square Heroes / DIFFERENT LIGHT: A Light in a day / ADVENTURE: Test of Time / GALAHAD: Secret Kingdoms / GANDALF’S FIST: Shadowborn. 

2nd Part: NIGHTWISH: Over the Hills and Far Away (quiz) / ELUVEITIE: The Call of the Mountains / WITHIN TEMPTATION: Stand My Ground / THRESHOLD: Paradox / CIRCUS MAXIMUS: Game of Life.

3rd Part: NEKTAR: Out of the Blue (quiz) / ROXY MUSIC: Do the Strand / DAVID BOWIE: Suffragette City / QUEEN: Great King Ratt / KANSAS: Carry on Wayward Son.

4rth Part: TRANSATLANTIC: Sylvia (quiz) / JETHRO TULL: Hunting Girl / TRAFFIC: Glad/Freedom Rider.

Radio Station's birthday party on Prog & Roll! (Sunday 21/5/2017)

   I would like to inform you that JustIn Case Prog Radio is celebrating its birthday this week, and during the weekend many events will take place. 
  The final and most fun event will be the "radio party" we are preapring, that will take place during Prog & Roll radio show, on Sunday the 21st of May, at 20.00 UK time.
  Many of the radio station's producers will gather up, and during Sunday's aftenoon will be playing music just for fun, chat with the people and the musicians that will be joining our chatbox. But all these things will happen 'till 20.00 UK Time. Then, Prog & Roll will begin, and the party will start!
  As far as I know, there will be a birthday cake, that we are going to cut on the air, there will be musicians on our chatbox, and for the first time, we are going to give 3CD's as presents to 3 people in our audience. But in order to win the CD's, they will have to win to one of the 3 music quizzes we are going to do. (Each quiz will give one CD as a prize to the winner).
  Especially for the ocassion, I preapared a very jolly and powerfull playlist, that is including many songs from famous bands of Rock, Progressive Rock, Neo-Prog, Heavy & Progressive Metal etc.
I really believe that it is going to be a very pleasant and fun show to listen to, that's why I am writing this post as an open invitation to you.
So, join Prog & Roll radio show on this Sunday at 20.00 UK time, for the music, the fun and maybe the CD's as well.
We will be there, waiting for you!
Just click on the following link: www.justincaseradio.com
Thank you! 

BIG BIG TRAIN: Grimspound (2017)

  Personally speaking, I think that Big Big Train reached the top with the release with the albums English Electric 1  & 2 and the release of Folklore was a major step back.

  Grimspound is the new album of this very talented Englsih band, which comes one year after Folklore. You can read the “review” I wrote about Folklore here: http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.gr/2016/06/big-big-train-folklore-2016-my-first.html

  I was kind of disappointed with Folklore, because the truth is that, I was waiting for something more after the 2 wonderful albums I mentioned above.

  In Grimspound, Big Big Train seems to leave the Folk influences aside, and concentrate to their usual melodic/mellow/romantic style.

  Beginning with the excellent 12-minute-long epic Brave Captain, the album begins to reveal to the listeners its beauty track by track. The musicianship of the band is at a very high standards once more, but that should not come as a surprise. The production is very good and the sound is crystal clear. Also, the participation of Judy Dyble (ex-Fairport Convention) in the song The Ivy Gate was a big surprise.

  Most of the compositions are rather long and complicated, in a beautiful and “gentle” way. (I can’t describe it otherwise, I’m sorry). Also, most of the songs are including so many major changes into their structure, that is impossible to say from the beginning where each song is going to “lead” you. A fine example of that, is the album’s second track, the instrumental On the Racing Line. I didn’t like the song at first, so after 2 minutes I skipped it. The same happened the second time I was listening to the album as well. But the third time, I was dealing with something and let it play. And right after the second minute, there is a major change of “direction” which changes the song so much, that I was wondering which song I am listening to.

  Further than the opening song, the album includes one more epic, the 15-minute-long A Mead Hall in Winter, which, together with Brave Captain, are some of the highlights of the album, (together with the wonderful Meadowland).

  To conclude this, Grimspound is one step higher than Folklore, and one step below English Electric 1&2.

  So, a rating of 3.5 out of 5.0 is a fair one I think.

  If you like Big Big Train, you should buy Grimspound. If you didn’t like Big Big Train so far, don’t bother. If you don’t know Big Big Train, this is a good album to begin with. But then I recommend to continue with English Electric 1 or 2.

By clicking on the following YT link you will be able to listen to Meadowland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcAfGElryJs