STEVEN WILSON, The Harmony Codex (SW Productions). The key to enjoying a new Steven Wilson album is relatively simple: forget about the last album. Wilson is not big on nostalgia where his music is concerned. He has no desire to repeat himself, often to the consternation of his fans. The Raven That Refused to Sing — often seen as his definitive solo outing — was a decade ago. And it’s not coming back. “Steven Wilson” and “fan service” rarely go hand-in-hand. That being said, there is something familiar about The Harmony Codex. Wilson seems to have found a sound that harkens (somewhat) back to both Insurgentes and The Future Bites. The progressive rock is there, as is the electronically-driven pop. The operative word here is balance, and Wilson appears to have found it. It’s a bit of a cliche, but there’s something in this album for just about everyone except the gatekeeping purist. The prog riffs are back. The electronics are back. Guest vocalist Ninet Tayeb is back. Codex has the feel of a “greatest hits” album that fails to include any of the old songs. And that’s fine. Simply put, The Harmony Codex sounds like exactly what it is: a Steven Wilson album. What happens from there is up to the listener. From here, it’s the best work Wilson has done in years.

https://youtu.be/Zmd-MNCt6u8?si=lKJBncyqb5QPTszn

THE FLOWER KINGS, Look At You Now (InsideOut Records). The progressive rock album for those eager to recapture the sound of the genres 1969-74 “golden age,” slightly updated. The Flower Kings in many ways seem to be channeling their inner Yes in more than a few ways, with occasionally interesting but relatively pedestrian results. The songs are ambitious, the arrangements and harmonies are tight, but there’s not enough there there. No new ground is being broken on multiple levels. It’s not bad music. It’s just a feeling of we’ve already been here before, and not just by this band. This might be one of those albums that needs to grow on you.

https://youtu.be/OIN8LIaMVn8?si=lZ3JYUQAuaPEYuU2

JAIMIE BRANCH, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) (International Anthem). A bright shining musical star was brutally extinguished when trumpeter/vocalist/composer Jaimie Branch unexpectedly passed away in 2022. Musically relentless, socially conscious, and with tone for days, Branch was continually the kick in the pants jazz needed to prevent it from becoming stale and increasingly formulaic. We can only wonder what the future had in store for us. Mercifully, Branch left us with one last statement of her Fly or Die series. It picks up from pretty much where the previous two albums left off, albeit with a more expansive arrangement and sound. The music is uplifting and celebratory even as it presents sober subject matter. Ambition is commonplace amongst musicians, but not nearly as many of them achieve the level of that ambition. Branch does, even though it wouldn’t be surprising if she disagreed with that assessment. Branch is gone, but we can thank our lucky stars that her musical legacy remains for us to take in and cherish.

https://youtu.be/yhSUtC50ahc?si=neEOyI0iOk2VYBKP

JOE DENINZON & STRATOSPHEERIUS, Behind the Curtain (Live at Progstock). While a segment of the music community may just be coming to know him as the new violinist/guitarist for Kansas, Joe Deninzon is a force unto himself. For evidence, look no further than the live efforts put forth by himself and his band, Stratospheerius. Recorded at the Progstock music festival in New Jersey, the band lands with the gentle subtlety of a flamethrower and just gets stronger from there. And while it might be easy to focus on the violinist and his seven electric strings of fury, don’t sleep for a second on the rest of the quartet. They have no trouble whatsoever keeping pace with their leader, forming a tightly arranged heavy prog rock bordering on metal sound. Deninzon’s vocals are rock-solid and the compositions are far from boring. There’s even a great take on King Crimson’s “Frame By Frame.” Proggers should walk away from this effort with a smile on their faces.

https://youtu.be/riBWgHo3MgE?si=cuuRXmr34_O7Ittl

RHIANNON GIDDENS, You’re the One (Nonesuch Records). Lets face the facts: Rhiannon Giddens could sing the phone book and make it one of the most compelling things you’ve ever heard. Her voice transcends genre, whether she’s visiting her bluegrass roots (you owe it to yourself to check out the Carolina Chocolate Drops, by the way), pop, or Memphis soul. We get a taste of all that and more by way of You’re the One. The traditional statement would be to say that Giddens’s voice cuts through the instrumentation. Not here. This time, the musicians are required to do the cutting. Rest assured, the band does a more than adequate job supporting their singer, but there’s NO doubting whose show this is. Songs like “Another Wasted Life” could be an easy Bond theme, especially given the chord progression. “You Louisiana Man” is as powerful as roots music gets. Regardless, Giddens has a once in a generation voice that it would be a real shame to miss. So, don’t!

https://youtu.be/j2oiQtAjcPk?si=0Q9WAmNLsxTktkvi

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, End (Temporary Residence Ltd.). The post-rock titans of Texas bring us a fresh collection of their somber signature sound, which has no doubt influenced a band or two in their wake. The guitars in End remain spacious, the bass grooves remain subtle but effective, and the drums propel the proceedings along nicely. But there is one word to describe this music that seems almost out of place for Explosions in the Sky: uptempo. Yes, things are practically brisk on this record. But it works, which adds another color to the band’s palate without the use of additional notes. And not to worry — the album’s title is not a harbinger. There’s plenty more music where this came from.

https://youtu.be/AASj-Wfbnxc?si=H7-Fmhvw5fmlmcUY

ROB HIRST/JIM MOGINIE/HAMISH STUART, Red Continent (Songland Records). With Australian rockers Midnight Oil on the back burner, two members of the band, Rob Hirst and Jim Moginie have teamed up with Scottish studio ace Hamish Stuart to produce Red Continent. Fans of the Oils will need about two seconds to recognize the music’s sound, pacing and environmentally friendly messages. In fact, the only thing missing from the music is Peter Garrett and his urgent voice. That being said, the music is more than competent, though it doesn’t have quite as much presence as the Oils would’ve given it. As EPs go, this is a good foundation. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, the trio does to expand on it.

https://youtu.be/6yexNQD8bas?si=Bdc9ll1fAF11n1_v

BUSTER WILLIAMS & MASSIMO FARAÒ, A Beautiful Friendship (Playaudio). Musical duets require, above all else, chemistry. One has to know what to play and when to make the music sound it’s very best. Which makes A Beautiful Friendship one of the most aptly names out there. It’s not just that bassist Buster Williams and pianist MASSIMO Faraò are top-shelf players. They also have a chemistry that comes from years of experience in jazz. A drummer isn’t necessary to provide the “swing” jazz musicians seek. It’s right there in Williams’s four strings. Better yet, it’s easy to sense the comfort level these two players have with one another. No doubt cues are being picked visually, inducing what to play and when. Whatever their methodology, these two players knock it out of the park in the smoothest ways possible.

https://youtu.be/xTav_B6_ghw?si=RmHfq5iqZ6dd7uow

CHESTER THOMPSON, Wake-Up Call (Progrock.com’s Essentials). When you’ve reached the status level of drummer Chester Thompson (Frank Zappa, Genesis, Weather Report), there’s really nothing left to prove. Anything he produces at this point of his career is pretty much gravy. So there’s no harm in producing an album of low-key fusion tunes that aren’t necessarily heavy, but they’re not all that light, either. There’s also a complete lack of drummer’s self indulgence (read, solos) to propel things along. Instead, Thompson relies on the likes of guitarist Akil Thompson, Robert “Peewee” Ellis on bass, and Michiko Hill on keyboards to help bring his musical message across. Thompson’s drumming sits nicely back in the pocket without demanding a ton of attention. Nor should it. These are the tunes you use to start a chill evening.

https://youtu.be/CEpr-FIdq2Q?si=Z1oMH89tJfe8bJbo

SOURCE, Emergence (listentosource.com). Don’t get hung up on who you think this band reminds you of, though there’s no doubting the influence of na popular progressive metal band. Source uses more than a few subtleties toward developing their own sound. In addition to some electronic overtones, the trio has a tight, locked in groove built in mutual musical understanding. Guitarist/vocalist Benjamin Gleason weaves his sound right through the mix, while bassist Pascal Faurie plays with the enthusiasm of a kid at recess and drummer Justin Mirack makes the most of not just his drums, but his cymbals to ring his way into the midrange, along with using a drum synthesizer for some serious low end. Everyone has something to bring to the table, and it shows.

https://youtu.be/tcLD3hJgjzM?si=werQ2LP0HaZ-crbl

#cirdecsongs

You can find all my socials here: https://linktr.ee/cirdecsongs

I am currently at work on my next book The Wizard of WOO: The Life and Music of Bernie Worrell.

Would you like to have your album reviewed? Please contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com