Anteater

Although many people are not aware of it, Japan's progressive rock scene, especially in the 80's and 90's, is quite vibrant and interesting to explore. This one such gem is from the era's peak, a debut work and the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Kazuhiro Miyatake, who plays everything from accordion to bass guitar while a very talented bilingual young lady named Hiroka Nagai takes care of vocals.

To be frank, this is among the most drop-dead gorgeous symphonic progressive rock albums ever put together, even when compared to all the greats from the progressive heyday over in the U.K., and hence I have a lot of praise for what's here. So many moods are brought to life to a near effortless degree, from the acoustics to the riverside Italian-feel accordion (Step Into Easter), to godlike flutework (Lagrima), along with some brilliant piano that ferments to an insanely catchy bombast (Eternal Jealousy). To put it one way, Barren Dream is amazing, if for nothing else, because if captures that mind-transporting fantastical mood at a level that only the best albums of progressive rock can realize. It reaches me where so many fail and burn, and no matter how much I play it the love does not lessen. It's one of a kind, and the only thing that prevented it from being acknowledged as the masterpiece it was back in 1987 was because it's from Japan! Grrrrrrrr!!

If there are any complaints that come to mind, its that the guitar playing has a slight late 80's feel to it, but such doesn't really detract in the slightest from arrangements that are so damn wonderful that I don't even have the words to express the words for how I feel as I listen to them.

Despite the fact that Japanese progressive rock is something most of you are unfamiliar with, I recommend Mr. Sirius's Barren Dream as the first and foremost stepping stone to get you started. It's damn near impeccable as a representative of what makes the scene good, being more memorable and beautiful in seven tracks than entire neo-prog bands can be in two or three decades of work.

I don't say this very often, but I'll say it here: Get This!

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Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

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Guybrush

Got this quite a while ago after you recommended me and I agree, it's a beautiful album.

Nice review! Looking forward to your next one!

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Schizotypic

Just finished reading all the reviews of the last 7 pages. Great picks, checked most of them out on youtube. Level 42 was meh. A fantastical and interesting thread non-the-less which has given me plenty of new names to check out. Thanks, I'll for sure be keeping an eye on this thing... I can't believe I've missed it for so long.

WeeLittleHobbit

Due to my extreme curiosity on The Vampires of Dartmoore, I took it upon myself to do a little research on the group. Turns out from what I've read, they were actually a fictional band, thought up by 2 library musicians, whose names are Horst Ackermann and Heribert Thusek. What's more, these two lads made a followup album of sorts, entitled Science Fiction Dance Party (although this album isn't under the VoD name, but a more futuristic name: The Science Fiction Corporation). I haven't gone searching for this one yet, not sure how hard it will be to find. And if you'd like to see my sources of information, I'll post some links. Anyway, this puts my mind to ease. I just knew there had to be SOME sort of info about this mysterious, obscure group. And now I've come to find that they aren't even really a "band" at all! Quite interesting...


Dusty Groove America - Search: Vampires Of Dartmoore (Ackermann & Thusek) -- All Categories -- All Formats

FACT magazine: music & art news, upfront videos, free downloads, classic vinyl, competitions, gigs, clubs, festivals & exhibitions - The month in...Reissues

http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/sto...c&UPC=BMS016CD

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Anteater

After three damn months of searching, I finally got ahold of this hellraising and criminally unknown slice of classic prog-rock, and GODDAMN what a find it is!

Built from a fantastic lineup of dual guitar, razor sharp bass, drums and some vocals here and there, Friendship Time were in existence for a mere six years or so back in progressive rock's heyday (1970-1976), before breaking up due to financial constraints and a failed contract with Virgin Records back in 1975 despite the existence of recorded material. The mastertapes, however, disappeared for nearly three decades after that until a former member rediscovered them in his attic in 2004. Two years later, the best cuts were remastered and issued on CD in 2006...and the result is, to put it lightly, mindblowing beyond belief.

Imagine Yes back in 1971, except with two Steve Howe's on two guitars (a nod to Wishbone Ash perhaps), no keyboards, Chris Squire playing bass on crack cocaine and a drummer who makes Neil Peart and Bill Bruford look like grade schoolers on Grade-F drumkits and you'll have a general idea at just how hella' dynamic these guys sounded back in 1975 when this was recorded. And with none of them older than 18 at the time!

Albums like this that make me a fan of this genre and time period. There's a quality about the playing here that's nearly gone from the scene today. It makes one wonder where and when the hell this kind of music really vanished, cause it certainly wasn't punk's fault!

So anyway...I recommend this unknown gem heartily to those who love that really drum n' bass emphasized sound that Yes possessed circa The Yes Album or Fragile...or if you just want something to blast out your speakers that sounds amazingly vibrant all these years later.

P.S.: This is a very rare album, which is why it took me so damn long to find. If you like what you hear in the below vid and want an up, feel free to PM me!

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Anteater

Although not a particularly experimental or famous figure in today's modern jazz world, Steve Cole is a saxman from Chicago who is notable for one thing in particular that should raise a few eyebrows: He. Makes. Smooth. Jazz. LISTENABLE, unlike the music of another certain someone-



Seriously, good smooth jazz?! The very phrase is an oxymoron! It must be bullshit right? RIGHT??!

Well, not exactly. Hell, under normal circumstances I'd be just as skeptical, but after going through this guy's last three albums I've become completely conviced otherwise. Basically, Steve Cole is a smooth jazz sax player who incorporates, among other things, soul and R&B into a genre that has been considered nothing more than elevator music for the past twenty years or so, and even if the result isn't groundbreaking, it's certainly better than one would expect.

Regarding the dude's discography, NY LA in particular is a particularly strong example of why Cole works while people like Kenny G do not. The opening title track alone is leagues better than an entire stack of 90's smooth jazz albums combined; it's got energy, some memorable melody lines, great percussion and even a touch of funk. 'Everyday' tones the energy down a bit, though its got a nice backbeat, and quieter interludes such as 'Missing You' and 'Love Letter' have some elegant, yet respectively different touches to their melancholy, and even pop-soul tracks featuring vocals such as 'Every Little Thing' and 'Tonight It's On' go very far into distingushing this record's diversity compared to the works of artists in a similar vein.

The final cut in particular though, 'Keep It Live' (unsurprisingly a live piece) is actually somewhat experimental in approach and the real highlight of the album. For lack of better comparisons, it reminds me a bit of some of A Tribe Called Quest's earlier material or maybe a Liquid Soul improv., but Cole's presence is distinctive enough to make the song his own without too much trouble.

The verdict then? Smooth Jazz is one of those genres that on its own is fairly mediocre through and through without exception, to the extent where even mainstream listeners have gotten bored of it here in the 21st century. However, in taking cues and a few nods from other genres as well as having an appreciation for actual jazz and improvisation, Steve Cole proves on NY LA that even trash can be turned into treasure when a skilled but strangely obscure musician works his creative alchemy upon it. A commendable effort!

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Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

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Anteater

Folk has always been a genre that I've held in high esteem for reasons both understandable and in ways that I can't quite put into words. Regardless of whether its simple or being blended with a multitude of other genres, there's usually something of interest for me. There are always pleasant surprises, twists, turns, and usually a hella lot of great playing. And best of all, most of its is absolutely timeless, conjuring up visions of nature, the past...even what may lie ahead of us.

However, this debut from German folk group Hölderlin is on an entirelly different level than even some of the classics, a little-known pastoral wonder that strikes a precarious balance somewhere between Fairport Convention at thier most blissful and nightmarish landscapes that fans of Comus's First Utterance will find deliciously familiar. It is also curiously psychedelic at times, though given the time period such is not surprising.

Instrumentally, the elements we all expect from folk all reside here; there's the flutes and stringed acoustics as well as bongo drums, but with a nod to Jethro Tull we also have guitar and bass, which give Traum a progressive rock feel at times. The vocals, while sung in German, are quite lovely, as showcased in pieces like "Wetterbericht".

Overall, this is a very vivid work. The playing, the singing, the mood-setting, everything is top-notch and evocative in the best sense of the word. You'll see mountains at sunset, forests where man fears to tread and beautiful rolling hills of fertile green at dawn's breaking.

Fans of folk music, especially of the somewhat strange variety, should pick this up immediately.

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Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

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Anteater

When the name Vangelis comes up, I'm sure images of broken cities and flaming chariots and New Age wankery are brought to mind for most who are familiar with his reputation. Hence my surprise then to find out out that Vangelis's earliest album within his vast body of work is also the most interesting and striking music he's ever brought to completion, a very rare and brilliantly illustrated little slice of jammin' psychedelia simply called The Dragon, which is the subject of this revew.

This trio of pieces, each liquid in their flow/structure and hinged upon setting mood and pace by alternating between frenzied acoustics and chilled out Middle Eastern jams, is truly inspired stuff if truth be told. Opening title track encapsulates the mood of an oriential Opium den with some VERY thick feedback and drumming. Although nothing groundbreaking, its one of the better psychedelic jams from the early 70's and fairly memorable on the whole despite the 15-minute length.



The remaining two pieces, 'Stuffed Aubergine' and 'Stuffed Tomato' respectively, are welcome contrasts to the weight of the opener. 'Aubergine' specifically, which is my favorite track here, possesses a particularly bright mood using flutes and the strumming of an acoustic guitar to evoke the morning rising over a sea somewhere. Very easy to get lost in when you aren't paying attention, but that's probably the point.

Overall, although far from well known and disliked by Vangelis himself for some reason, its refreshingly different from nearly anything else you'll find in this bloke's discography and will appeal to anyone looking for some extremely well done psychedelia from the genre's prime years.

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Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

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Schizotypic

Finally this thread is alive and kicking again! I wouldn't dream of unsubscribing to this baby, keep the gems rolling at me Anteater! Great reviews by the way, short enough to leave extra time to just listen to the last half of the song you posted, but also hits all the things I'd want to know about before downloading. Saves me a lot of time actually.

Anteater

Underrated to an extent that I find unbelievable at times, Jeremy Steig is an American flautist who has been doing music in various jazz circles since the early 60's to the present day despite the fact that up until the 1990's or so half his face was paralyzed due to a motorcycle accident he had when he was only 19.

Although this guy has collaborated with a variety of interesting figures, from Bill Evans to Denny Zeitlin to Eddie Gomez, it was this 1977 work that marked a major change in focus on Steig's part, taking his remarkable ability into a late 70's funk/soul context. Not only that, but he got one of the smoothest sounding female vocalists from that period, Googie Coppola, to front the whole thing. But if that was not the icing on the cake, jazz producer extraordinaire Creed Taylor was the one who mixed this in studio, resulting in some real fiery ear candy that literally leaps from your speakers.

Plenty of highlights and oodles of excitement are in abundance within the confines of Firefly, reaching a crescendo on the three minutes of bliss that is 'Everything Is Coming To The Light", but the deliciously funky title suite and Shaft-esque tribal workout "Grasshopper" give plenty to chew on as well.

Although I can't find any vids to illustrate just how wonderful and rhythmic this album is, I feel that Jeremy Steig, and in particular Firefly, deserve a place in the collection of anyone looking for that buried jewel somewhere in that mines of funk and jazz forgotten by time.

Search this one out folks or drop me a line whenever. Killer grooves and flutage are just a PM or download away!

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Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

Anteater's Daily Tune Roulette