Oldish Psych and Prog

genre: prog
country: germany
quality : mp3 128k, scans
time: 42'08"
size: 40 mb

Cosmic Dreams:
This is probably the best internationally known German symphonic rock band. Triumvirat's music was very keyboard-oriented, earning their reputation as the German equivalent of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Ekseption or P.F.M. It is tempting to think that these bands always attempted to outdo each other with their pompous, vast instrumental exhibitions, often based firmly on classical themes. In addition, Triumvirat's conceptual albums were often based around moments from European history. Organist and leader Jurgen Fritz assembled the original trio in 1970. In 1971 Hans Pape become their bassist and participated in the recording of their first album Mediterranean Tales in the Electrola Studio, Cologne, January 1972. Hans Pape later quit and was replaced by Helmut Kollen. Illusions On A Double Dimple (1974) did so well in the USA that it entered the Billboard charts! It was the combination of accessible symphonic-progressive music coupled with good marketing by EMI that made this possible! In Germany, however, the band wasn't able to sell its' records so well. In the press, their music was slaughtered by the overcool music journalists, then as now! Spartacus (1975) is considered by many to be Triumvirat's best album. Old Loves Die Hard (1976) saw the addition of the vocalist Barry Palmer and the re-instatement of former bassist Dick Frangenberg. This album sweetened their style, moving them dangerously close to supermarket-muzak.

genre: prog
country: italy
quality : lossless (ape, cue, log, scans)
time: 32'57" size: 203 mb

ItalianProg:
One of many english bands coming to Italy in search of success during the beat-era, The Trip included a young Ritchie Blackmore in their first line-up, along with founder members Andersen and Gray and drummer Ian Broad, but a line-up change brought two italians in, keyboards player Joe Vescovi from Savona (later the leading figure in the band) and drummer Pino Sinnone from Turin.
With a stable line-up the band had a good recording deal with RCA and released their first album in 1970, and a single taken from it.
The Trip (sometimes referred to as Musica Impressionistica, from a title on back cover) can't be yet considered a prog album, rather a rock-blues LP, with five long pieces led by guitar and organ. The long opening cut Prologo, is a good introduction to the band's sound that since their early days has always mixed english and italian-sung tracks in their production.
Also in 1970 the band members acted in the film Terzo canale - Avventura a Montecarlo, a nonsense comedy based on the story of a band trying to get to Montecarlo from Italy and playing the Rome Caracalla Pop Festival in the end.
With Caronte, in 1971, the Trip's sound became much more original, with more space to Joe Vescovi's keyboards. Since the first notes of Caronte I, the opening track, it's clear that a classical influence has enriched the band's sound. The long Two brothers is another highlight of a very important album.
 

genre: prog
country: spain
quality : lossless (ape, cue, log, scans)
time: 39'09" size: 268 mb
issue: 1988

ProgArchives:
TRIANA is the most legendary progressive rockband in Spain. Their stunning debut-album was a seminal blend of flamenco and progrock and paved the way to flamenco-inspired progrock in Spain, culminating in bands like AZAHAR, CAI, ALAMEDA, QUALDAQUIVIR, MEZQUITA and MEDINA AZAHARA. The story of TRIANA started in Seville, the beating heart of the flamenco. Jesus de la Rosa (keyboards/vocals) was a known musician in the local music scene and he even had international success with "Los Bravos" and their single "Black Is Black". But he wanted to form his own band to make progressive rock, so he recruited Eduardo Rodriquez Rodway (vocals/guitar) and Juan Jose Palacios 'Tele' (drums/percussion). The trio called themselves TRIANA, named after the most traditional part of the town and they moved to Madrid. With some help they were allowed to record their music in a studio with highly advanced equipment.
In '74 "Triana" first released a single titled "Bulerias 5x8" (it became a failure) and then the debut album "El Patio" ('75). Unfortunately their flamenco-progrock did little, eventually the album sold 1000 copies. But after a big presentation in Madrid in '76, things started to improve and in '77 the second album "Hijos Del Agobio" came out, followed by the single "Rumor". The emotional lyrics (about hope after the end of general Franco's dictatorship) were embraced by the Spanish youth when the radio started to play "Rumor". TRIANA's music boosted the youth's identity and it gave them a way to show their emotions. And how ironically, TRIANA's music became less progressive while the band became more and more famous. Their third LP "Sombra Y Luz" ('79) sold 300.000 copies and from the fourth album "Encuentro" ('80) TRIANA turned out to be Spain's most popular rockband. Further releases were "Triana" ('81) and "Llego El Dia" ('83) but then the story ended very sad because in '83 Jesus de la Rosa died in a tragic car incident and the other musicians decided to call it a day. Record company Fonomusic released some compilations, especially the beautifully packed 2-CD "Una Historia" ('95) is recommended.
The opener on the first album "El Patio Is Abre La Puerta" (almost 10 minutes), it starts with choir-Mellotron, piano and flamenco guitar (tremolo-technique). Then the typical sensitive and skillful flamenco guitar blends with piano and soft synthesizer chords. A fluent and tight rhythm-section carries the music to a powerful acceleration with the typical flamenco vocals, expressive and a bit wailing. The rest of this song contains lots of shifting moods that range from mellow with flamenco guitar and choir-Mellotron to propulsive with powerful drums and howling electric guitar, very moving. Most of the other six compositions are in the vein of "Abre La Puerta": beautiful shifting climates with typical flamenco elements like palmas (handclapping), rasgueado (quick downward strikes across all strings) and picados (quick runs on the guitar with two fingers), along with tasteful keyboards (organ, synthesizers, Mellotron and piano) and fine electric guitarplay. The final two tracks are splendid compositions: beautiful interplay between the flamenco - and electric guitar and a bombastic finale with rasgueado, organ and electric guitar in "En El Lago" and powerful drums and a howling and biting electric guitar in "Recuerdos De Una Noche". The second album "Hijos Del Agobio" is in the vein of "El Patio" but fails to generate the same excitement and the third "Sombra Y Luz" only sparks at some moments like the compelling titletrack. Later albums are tasteful but too polished poprock. ~ Erik Neuteboom, The NETHERLANDS
 

genre: neo prog
country: uk / us / sweden
quality : lossless (flac, cue, log, scans)
time: 1:17'33" + 37'11"
size: 877 mb

Gibraltar:

Transatlantic is a neo-prog "super-group" gathered together by Dream Theater's drummer Mike Portnoy. Mike really knew what guys must be in a neo-prog "super-group": there are Neal Morse (keyboardist and vocalist of Spock's Bread), Roine Stolt (guitarist and vocalist of my favourite neo-prog band The Flower Kings)and Pete Trewavas - bass player of good old Marillion. At the moment when I'm writing this review (March of 2002) they have already released two studio albums and one live album.
The first album called SMPTe was released in 2000 and has only five tracks on it. The centerpiece of the album is certainly 31-minute 6-part suite called "All Of The Above". This song is maybe my favourite neo-prog epic, full of great professional jamming, solid melodies, good pop vocal parts and almost Dream Theater-like heavy parts. Stolt's epic ("My New World") is only a little bit weaker (due to those cheesy vocal parts) and cover of Procol Harum's "In Held Twas In I" is a boring, but tasteful showcase for these guys' playing talents. Two shorter songs (Morse's "We All Need Some Light" and "Mystery Train") are just good AOR and nothing else.

The double live album called Live In America was released the year later and features some classy Beatles ("Strawberry Fields Forever" with a huge jamming part in the middle and short parts of "Magical Mystery Tour" and "She's So Heavy") and Genesis (the instrumental part of "Watcher Of The Skies" and the whole "Firth Of Fifth" gathered in one medley). Plus,there are all songs from SMPTe perfomed as well (with the exception of "In Held...", but that's no tragedy - believe me). The ending mini-suite of the album consists of The Flower Kings' "There Is More To This World", Spock's Beard's "Go The Way You Go", Marillion's "The Great Escape", Dream Theater's "Finally Free" and the above mentioned Beatles' "She's So Heavy".

genre: heavy
country: uk
quality : lossless (flac, cue, log, scans)
time: 39:11 size: 248 mb

Tapestry of Delights:
Formed in June 1969. Vocalist Cliff Bennett from Yiewsley, Middlesex was the guy of Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers fame, though his previous group had been named The Cliff Bennett Band. The Glasscock brothers and Ken Hensley had earlier been in Gods and wen Hensley departed it was to join Uriah Heep. Bennett's next port of call was Rebellion. Alan Kendall had been in Glass Menagerie and was later in The Bee Gees' backing band.
John Peel produced their two albums after they got a recording deal with the US label, Rare Earth. They toured the US a couple of times but it never quite happened for them. The albums now attract some interest from collectors. Their musical menu is hard rock. Two tracks on their debut, You Tried to Take it All and I Can't Believe were later versions of titles originally featured on the Head Machine album.
John Glassock went on to Chicken Shack and was eventually in a Jethro Tull line-up.