Top-10+1 albums of 2018. Part.3 (out of 3)

                 O A K: Giordano Bruno (Rock Opera)

  The Rock Opera Giordano Bruno by the Italian project O A K was something that caught me by surprise. I knew nothing of this band (or project if you like), until I discovered this album. It is a brilliant and very well made Rock Opera, based on the life and work of Giordano Bruno (1548 – 1600), including lots of famous musicians as guests. A few months ago, I wrote a detailed review, so in case you are interested, you can find it here:
http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/06/oak-giordano-bruno-rock-opera-2018-my.html

           RIVERSIDE: Wasteland

  Riverside’s latest work is an album that I wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did! It is the band’s 7^th studio album, and in my opinion the best one! Or at least, it is the album I listened and enjoyed the most! Here is the review I wrote about it a few months ago: 
http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/10/riverside-wasteland-2018-my-review.html

            THE WINDMILL: Tribus

  I discovered this wonderful album rather late, near the end of December, and for that reason it wasn’t included in the presentation for the best albums of 2018 that we did in the Prog n Roll radio show at the beginning of 2019. But with every new listen I realized that it was a really fantastic album, so I added it to my list now. Less than a month ago, I wrote a review for this album, which can be found here: 
http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/search?q=the+windmill

STEVEN WILSON: Home Invasion: In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall (Live)

  This is my +1 album, not because it is not as good as the previous ones, but because it is a live one. That means that it doesn't include any new material. Usually Top-10 lists do not include live albums, so this is extra. 

  A very enjoyable and well made album, that every fan of Steven Wilson should have. In case you want to learn more about it, here’s my review: 

http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/11/steven-wilson-home-invasion-in-concert.html

Top-10+1 albums of 2018. Part.2 (out of 3).

   Last week I uploaded here the 1st part of the list with the 10 best albums of 2018 (according to my opinion of course). Now, here's the 2nd part. There is going to be one more, that I will post here in the following days.

       IMPERIAL AGE: THE LEGACY OF ATLANTIS

  I discovered Imperial Age last year, with the release of The Legacy of Atlantis. After a couple of weeks, I saw them on stage as opening act for the concert of Therion and they were excellent! So, I paid extra attention to their album. They are from Moscow and they are playing a Symphonic/Power/Epic Metal, which sounds like something between Therion and Nightwish. Upon the album’s release, I wrote a review, which you can find here: http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/03/imperial-age-legacy-of-atlantis-2018.html

If you are into this kind of music, check this album!

                      KAYAK: SEVENTEEN

  This was of the most enjoyable albums of 2018. It was the 17th studio album of the Dutch band Kayak, hence the title...

I believe that most of the hard-core Proggers didn't like it, cause it is a light and melodic album, but I found it wonderful!

Upon its release I wrote a rather detailed review about it, which can be found here:

http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/02/kayak-seventeen-2018-my-review-on.html

          MAIDEN UNITED: EMPIRE OF THE CLOUDS

  This was one of the biggest surprises of 2018 for me! (Musically speaking of course).

I knew about this band, I already knew one or two of their cover versions, but I wasn't expecting something like this! The guys took the 18-minute-long Empire of the Clouds by Iron Maiden and transformed it into something amazing!

  This cover version is longer than the original, and it is divided into 4 parts, and each part includes narration and some special effects. It took me some time to get used to it, but when I did, I was listening to it every day!   When I found out about this album I wrote a review, which, in case you are interested, you can find it here:  http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/search?q=maiden+united

To be continued...

  

Top-10+1 albums of 2018. (Part.1)

 Hello all!

  A few weeks ago, in the radio show Prog n Roll we presented the 15 best albums of 2018; according to our opinion of course; but now it is time to present my personal list with the best albums of 2018. I made a few changes in the already existing list, removed some albums, added new ones, and finally it is ready.

  The list will be in alphabetical order and it will be in 3 (probably) parts. I hope that you will find it interesting and informative.

Let’s go!

       ARENA: DOUBLE VISION

  Last year, the Neo-Prog veterans Arena, returned with their new album Double Vision. It is surprisingly good, and I dare say that it is equally good with their old works. 

  Upon its release I wrote a review, which can be found here: http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/05/arena-double-vision-2018-my-review.html 

       DAMANEK: IN FLIGHT

  The 2^nd studio album of the English band Damanek was a very pleasant surprise to me. I had no idea about this band, until I discovered this wonderful album. 

  The “moving force” behind the band is Guy Manning, a very talented multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer, who has participated in a plethora of bands and projects. There are many musicians participating here, (further than the band’s members), playing a rather good variety of instruments, including, sax, mandolin, bouzouki and violin. Also, there is a choir in a couple of tracks.

  The style of the album is a rather rhythmic and uplifting Prog Rock with many Jazz elements in it. Although Jazz is not a music style that I like, the way that these guys are mixing Prog with Jazz is very interesting and definitely enjoyable for the listener.

  I discovered this album rather late, and although I always wanted to write a review for it, I never did.

  Almost all the songs have something to offer, and especially the 30-minute-long suite Big Eastern that closes the album is really something!

  I have been listening to this album on and on since the day I discovered it, and every time I discover something new in it. Give this album a chance, you won’t regret it.

GALAHAD: SEAS OF CHANGE 

  I have been a fan of Galahad for almost 10 years now. I have been  following their releases and I think that I got most of their albums.

Seas of Change is their latest album, which is not so easy, but it is wonderful!

  Upon its release, I wrote a review, which you can find here: 

http://gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/2018/01/galahad-seas-of-change-2018-my-review.html 

GHOST: PREQUELLE

  I never considered myself as a fan of Ghost. And although I got all their studio albums, I never understood what the fuss is all about. For me, they are just a good Hard Rock band, with a very good manager and a "catchy" image.

But with this 4rth album they proved that they are far above the average.

Prequelle, in comparison with their previous albums, is better by far in almost every aspect. It is actually a very good album! For that reason, you will see it included in most "best of" album lists of 2018. If not in the 1st position, then in one of the first ones.

  If you make a search on the internet you will find dozens of reviews, so I don't think that it is necessary to add one more.

  Prequelle is a very enjoyable album that you should definitely check! 

To be continued...

DAVID CROSS & DAVID JACKSON: Another Day (2018). My point of view...

I think I should begin this, by introducing these two excellent musicians to those who don’t know them. 

  David Cross was the violin player of King Crimson, during the years 1972 – 1974 and participated in the albums Larks Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red. Further than King Crimson, he played with many famous musicians and recorded lots of solo albums.

  David Jackson has been the saxophone player and a former member of Van Der Graaf Generator, until 2008. He also played with lots of musicians during his long career, like Peter Gabriel and Peter Hammill for example.

  This year, the two David’s decided to unite their musical forces and the result was the album Another Day that was released a few months ago.
  Another Day is an all-instrumental album, having as basic instruments the electric violin by David Cross and the saxophones of David Jackson, accompanied by bass, keyboards and drums. The style of the album is Jazz-Rock and it is not so easy to listen to, especially if you are not familiar with this specific music style. Personally speaking, I found it difficult to get used to it, and I’m not sure if I can appreciate it to the level it should be appreciated.

  There are some beautiful and melodic songs included here, like for example Going Nowhere, Millenium Toll and Anthem for Another Day, mixed with some others more Jazzy ones, which I didn’t like so much to be honest.

  I can say that I would recommend this album in general, because, as I wrote above, it’s not an easy one. But there are some wonderful moments, where the talent of those great musicians shine, and for that reason, I will give 3.0 out of 5.0 stars.

     

LOREENA McKENNITT: Lost Souls (2018). My review...

   A few months ago the famous Canadian musician, singer and composer Loreena McKennitt, released her 10^th studio album, named as Lost Souls. 

  It is kind of an important release, because it is the first album (since The Ancient Muse - 2006), that is including her own material, and not cover versions of traditional songs.

  For those who are familiar with her music, probably know already that it is impossible for her to release a bad album. Not that all her albums are masterpieces, but they have some quality standards that can’t be ignored.

  The same stands for Lost Souls, which is a really beautiful, melodic and easy going album, including the usual ingredients of McKennitt’s music. Strong doses of Celtic traditional music, mixed with Mediterranean tunes, a plethora of instruments, and of course, her beautiful voice.

  Lost Souls consists of – mostly – older and unreleased material of hers, so the listener will experience a variety of styles and sounds, “polished” with the usual Ethnic varnish.

  The instrumental performance is inspirational, and McKennitt’s voice has never sounded so good. And because no Loreena McKennitt's album is complete without instrumentals, the two that are included here, Sun, Moon and Stars and Manx Ayre are exquisite.

 In case you are interested, the album is available in CD and Vinyl edition. 

  With this album, Loreena McKennitt invites us into a beautiful travel, from the Irish cloudy landscape, up to the Mediterranean coastline. Do not hesitate to try it! Because Loreena McKennitt is back and the world is a better place…

                 My Rating: 4.0 (out of 5.0) stars.

Here's a sample: Sun, Moon and Stars

                    

KING’S RANSOM – A Musical by CLIVE NOLAN (2017). My review...

   Clive Nolan is one of the greatest musicians in the modern Progressive Rock music scene. His name is involved in a rather big number of bands or projects, such as Pendragon, Arena, Casino, Shadowland and others. 
  However, as Clive told me once, he always has been a great fan of musicals.  In 2008 he released his first musical named as She, under the name Caamora. (The story  was based on the book with the same name, written by H. Rider Haggard).

  His second musical was Alchemy and it was released in 2013, under his name this time. The plot took place in Victorian England in “Alchemy Universe”, and it was based on a fictional story, written by him.  
  When I bought Alchemy, I couldn’t believe how wonderful it was, and I have no idea how many times I listened to it! (Even today, it still is one of my most beloved albums of the last decade).    

  When I learned about King’s Ransom, which is the sequel of Alchemy, I wasn’t very surprised, mainly due to the fact that at the end of Alchemy there was a hint that the story could be continued in the future. I was also a little bit worried, because Alchemy was a really great album and I wasn’t sure if he could repeat something like that again. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded…  
  I pre-ordered King’s Ransom, and what I received was a box set, including 4 CD’s, 1 DVD and 3 booklets. A very impressive and expensive production as it seems.

       Now, let’s take a look at the album itself.
 It is divided in 2 parts (Act I & Act II), and includes 33 tracks in total. Don’t forget that it's not a Progressive Rock album, it’s a musical.

For the recordings of the album, Clive used 6 musicians and 11 singers who play the different characters of the story.
  In comparison with Alchemy, I think that King’s Ransom is more sophisticated, and a bit “darker”. The music is astonishing once more, and it changes according to the situations that the characters find themselves in. As for the performance of the singers, it is excellent on most occasions. (But that’s totally a matter of personal taste).   

  I will not get into details for each song separately, because that is an unfair thing to do. The songs follow a story line, and each of them has something to offer to the story. Therefore, there might be some songs not so “strong” like others, but they add something and they move the story forward.

Also, I enjoyed the dialogues that bind the songs together, because it gives a theatrical touch to the album.

  Despite the fact that I put the CD’s in my CD player and listen to them without skipping not even one song, there are some songs that I enjoy more than others. Some of them are the following:

Act I: Poison Runs the Course, Silent Army, The Deal is Made, Legend of the Unicorn Orchid, and of course the wonderful Solitary Man, with the fantastic voice of Gemma Ashley. (Goosebumps. Everytime!)

Act II: In Harm’s Way, Stand Fast, Turning the Tables, St Paul’s and Epilogue.

  I will conclude this post by saying that, King’s Ransom is a definite must-have for every fan of Clive Nolan, but not only for them. Every person can enjoy this, because it is definitely a serious piece of art! I don’t know about you, but I know I am going to enjoy it for a long long time.

  And as Clive Nolan writes in the first page of the booklet; “Turn the lights down, and the speakers up… and immerse yourself once more in the ‘Alchemy Universe’…
In case you are interested, check here: www.kingsransomthemusical.com 

   My rating: 5 solid stars without a second thought.

  By clicking on the following YouTube links you can watch a couple of trailers for King's Ransom and have a small idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiuz57TkCv8 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VawfdxfXt-A 

   

         

GFreedom's channel in youTube: the 1st birthday.

Hello all!
  I'm writing this post in order to inform you that today my channel on YouTube has its 1st birthday.
Exactly one year before, on the 22nd of April 2014 I uploaded the first video.
Today, after one year, here I am again writing down a few things about it.
  So, during this year I uploaded 297 songs in total from many different musical genres. Lately I don't upload so many videos like before, because I received 2 warnings. Which means that if I will receive 1 more, they will shut it down. So, I'm waiting for the penalty period to end, and I will start again. :-)
Let's take a look at some stats now:
 During this 12 months my channel had 186 subscribers in total, and the number of total views is almost 200.000. The total number of 'likes' is 1216, and of 'dislikes' is 11. That means most of the people are really enjoying the songs they find in there. Also, the number of 'shares' is 2120 in total.
  I have to say that I'm very pleased with these numbers, and also with the increase in the number of visits.
 You should know that in order to make it easier for you, I have created 5 playlists which are actually musical categories. 
 The playlists are:
Rock in General: Including 94 videos
Progressive: Including 170 videos
Hard & Heavy: Including 33 videos
Folk Rock: Including 25 videos
Other: Including 12 videos
In order to be able to locate my channel on YouTube, go to "channels search", and write George Eleftheriou. Mine is the one with the 'Jester' as an avatar.
Concluding this post, I would like to say a very big thanks to all those who subscribed, commented, shared and visited my channel. I hope you are enjoying the music I'm uploading.
Be sure I will continue doing so, and I will always try to improve it.
Thank you all very much! :-)

Goodies from GFreedom's Music Collection #10

FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Babbacomble Lee  (The first Folk-Rock Opera)

   Fairport Convention were formed in 1967, and are widely regarded as a very important and influential band in the English Folk-Rock scene. During the first years they had very important
musicians in their ranks such as Simon Nicol (Guitar, vovals), Dave Pegg (Bass, Mandolin, Backing Vocals), Judy Dyble (Piano, autoharp, Vocals), and Sandy Denny (Piano Vocals), just to name a few.
In their early years they were influenced from the American Folk-Rock scene and that's why many people were confused thinking they were from the States. Further than this, because of their name and especially the use of two lead singers (male & female) the British audience gave them the nickname the "British Jefferson Aiplane".
  Between 1967 and 1970 many members came and gone, but after the departure of Sandy Denny in
1970, Simon Nicol and Dave Pegg took over, and the band changed its musical direction.
   In 1971 Fairport Convention released their most ambitious work so far, which was the first Folk-Rock opera ever recorded, named 'Babbacomble Lee', and it was a concept album.
  The album follows John 'Babbacombe' Lee's life story, who was a Victorian-Era muderer, he got arrested, and condemned to death by hanging. But finally he was set free, when for 3 concecutive times the gallow didn't work properly!
  The songs describe his boyhood poverty, his time in the Royal Navy, and his  being invalided out. The album then describes how Lee went to work in the service of a Miss Keyes. While Lee was in her
service, she was murdered, and he was accused, tried and convicted of the crime, and sentenced to death. However, when authorities attempted to hang him, the gallows failed three times, resulting in his release. These events are all told in song, and all but one of those songs are originals.
   Although is not my favorite album by Fairport Convention, I have to admit that is a really serious and ambitious work, very important for the Folk-Rock scene of England. As for all those who are familiar with the female vocals in Fairport Convention's album, may find weird the fact that there are no female vocals at all.
   In the following video you can listen to one of my favorites from this album, 'The Time is Near'.
Thank you for reading! :)