 genre: heavy, blues country: germany quality: lossless (ape, cue, log, scans) time: 38'46" size: 258 mb misc.: 2004
Cosmic Dreams: This release marked the start of
Curt Cress' long and impressive career. He was then only 17
years old, and still studying the art of percussion, when the Orange Peel album was recorded
late in 1969 at the Dierks studio (actually one of the first Dierks productions I know about!).
The result was a vintage blend of progressive music, comparable to
Tomorrow's Gift (1st album) or
Nosferatu. The
four mainly instrumental tracks sounded somewhat unfinished. Orange Peel disbanded in 1970.
Bassist Helm Mohn replaced Michael Ertl in
Epsilon in time for their
second album Move On (1971), while Curt Cress went on to
Emergency,
Passport,
Atlantis and several other bands. Gradually he built up his
reputation as one of Germany's finest session drummers. If you have a special interest in
Orange Peel as a document of early German progressive rock you must he prepared to pay at least
150 DEM.
01. You Can't Change Them All 18:15
02. Faces That I Used to Know 3:11
03. Tobacco Road 7:17
04. We Still Try to Change 10:03
Curt Cress / drums, percussion
Peter Bischof / percussion, vocals
Leslie Link / guitar
Heinrich Mohn / bass
Ralph Wiltheiß / organ |
 genre: avant prog / rio country: italy quality: lossless (flac, cue, log, scans) time: 50'58" size: 229 mb misc.: japan
ItalianProg: A unique group in the italian scene, Opus Avantra mixed
together contemporary classical music with avantgarde and a light progressive
rock inflience, giving an original result that's often considered too difficult
to listen for straight prog rock ears. Their name was obtained from their three
main interests, opera, avantgarde and traditional music.
Formed in Veneto in 1973 around the nucleus of soprano
Donella Del Monaco (the niece of famous tenor Mario Del Monaco), pianist-composer
Alfredo Tisocco, philosopher Giorgio Bisotto and producer Renato Marengo, and
aided in the years by many other musicians, the group released their first
album in 1974, Opus Avantra - Donella Del
Monaco
(often referred to as Introspezione,
from the title
of the first track) on the collectible
Trident
label.
Usually considered their most accessible work, the album is built on
classical-inspired themes with complex arrangements and dominated by the nice
soprano voice of singer Del Monaco and good flute playing, with just an instrumental track, Rituale.
The band also had a good live activity promoting their album in Veneto and Rome.
Donella Del Monaco was absent on the second album Lord
Cromwell (plays
suite for seven vices), that follows in the same style as the previous work, being
replaced by an american chorus. Former
Nuova Idea
drummer Paolo Siani played on this album, that like the first one contains some
interesting passages for the adventurous listeners.
Both
Alfredo Tisocco (along with
Gruppo Italiano di
Danza Libera in 1975's Katharsis) and Donella Del Monaco (with 12
canzoni da battello in 1977 and Schoenberg Kabarett in 1978) also released
individual albums in the same vein, and the duo reunited under the name Opus Avantra
for a third album in 1989, Strata, and a CD-only fourth release in 1995, Lyrics. |
 genre: prog country: italy quality: lossless (flac, cue, log, scans) time: 59'31" size: 465 mb
ItalianProg: A six-piece from near Rome, Officina Meccanica deserve a mention because
judging from their Bambini innocenti single and the TV clip that was released
at the time, they could have been a very important group had they ever had the
chance of recording an album.
The band only released five singles, the first three on the elusive Picci label
that also produced La Seconda Genesi. They mixed brass rock influences
(including in the line-up a horn section) like in Stranger in his country or
Signora Marisa, with a dramatic prog feeling, like in the marvellous Bambini
innocenti or Un prato e poi sognare.
The band came to its end in 1978, and three of the original members (Maiozzi,
Barbati and Bentivegna) formed rock band Stazione Termini (from the name of
Rome central railway station) with three new members, being augmented by
Officina Meccanica bass player Canini in 1985.
Guitarist Gianni Barbati now plays in Genesis cover band Estro.
nice tribute to this group has arrived in 2007 with the release of the La
follia del mimo di fuoco CD, including some of the singles tracks and many
unreleased recordings, that show their strength, unfortunately unnoticed at the
time.
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 genre: sympho prog country: armenia quality: lossless (flac, cue, log, scans) time: 56'03" size: 355 mb
01. Anthem: The Unseen Land 0:48
02. Water Spark 6:26
03. Elfy 1:31
04. The Way Back Home 9:29
05. Talybont 2:47
06. On Reflection 4:41
07. Time Out 4:00
08. Conquest Of The Pacific (I. Jester's Pipe) 3:10
09. Conquest Of The Pacific (II. Merlin's Jig) 2:48
10. Conquest Of The Pacific (III. Across The Atlantic) 6:16
11. Conquest Of The Pacific (IV. Ocean's Web) 6:07
12. Conquest Of The Pacific (V. Golden Hind) 8:02
Vahagn Papayan / bass
Anna Adamyan / keyboards
Valery Tolstov / flute
Koryun Bobikyan / violin
Vardan Gasparyan / guitar
Ashot Korganyan / drums & percussion
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 genre: prog country: italy quality: lossless (flac, cue, log, scans) time: 37'56" size: 218 mb
Gnosis: Osanna's
debut album L'Uomo is a pretty sensational album. Basically, all the elements
of their sound are already present on their debut. The basis of their sound
here is original heavy guitar rock often in combination with amazing flute
solos. Additionally, more spacey, Pink Floydian parts and quiet interludes with
acoustic guitar and flute can be heard as well. Besides the great flute
playing, good vocals (if sung in Italian), the excellent guitar playing, and a
fairly active drummer are the most ear pleasing features. As a reference point,
think of a mix of Jethro Tull, early Roxy Music, the heavier side of Cream, and
ocassionally Focus. Otherwise imagine a more sophisticated version of Golden
Earring (of the early 70's). L'Uomo is a remarkably mature album and easily one
of the best Italian rock albums before 1972 (the year that the Italian prog
scene exploded with creativity).
01 - Introduzione 3:27
02 - L'Uomo 3:34
03 - Mirror Train 4:56
04 - Non Sei Vissuto Mai 6:00
05 - Vado Verso Una Meta 3:15
06 - In Un Vecchio Cieco 3:31
07 - L'Amore Vincera Di Nuovo 6:13
08 - Everybody's Gonna See You Die 3:04
09 - Lady Power 3:56 Elio D'anna / flute, piccolo, tenor sax, baritone sax
Lino Vairetti / vocals, 12 string guitar, harmonica, Hammond organ, synthesizer
Danilo Rustici / lead guitar, 12 string guitar, pipe organ, electronics
Lello Brandi / bass
Massimo Guarino / drums, percussion
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 genre: prog folk country: uk quality: lossless (flac, cue, log, scans) time: 41'49" size: 276 mb
From ProgressiveRock : By the time Anderson got around to writing this, Jethro Tull’s tenth studio album, he had moved outside London for a life in the country and presumably gotten over the fact that he was indeed too young to die. Although the subject matter of the album (and image on the cover) may have turned folksy, there’s little folk music on the album. The title track opens with Anderson’s multi-tracked vocals, before breaking into a typical Tull style rocker. The new man finally on board was longtime orchestral arranger David Palmer, now giving the band four hands on the keyboards. "Hunting Girl" and "Pibroch (Cap In Hand)" both featured a good arrangement, making the most of both keyboardists and some great guitar from Martin Barre. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells" was first released the previous November for the holiday season and managed to chart in the UK Top 40. The second side’s "Velvet Green" is primarily acoustic, while "The Whistler" has the folk hook and a great instrumental break. The single managed to chart in the US, albeit in the lower reaches of the singles chart. However, the album charted well, reaching No. 13 in the UK and No. 8 in the US. Jethro Tull completed their first tour of the UK in over three years later in the year.
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