Bill Knispel's Top 10 of 2007

This was tough; there’s been quite a bit of good music that has come out this year. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to come up with 10…in the end, I had to decide what to keep off the list. You’ll notice, I hope, a little bit of diversity in this list. Sure, there’s some wonderful melodic progressive music, but there’s also some extreme metal, some industrial, some releases verging on ambient. I wish I could have listened to twice or three times the amount I did this year…there just wasn’t enough time to do so, unfortunately. I’ve also broken out two additional categories, giving me a total of 15 releases on the list. The first are a small selection of what were, for me, the best music DVD releases I saw this year. The second category is for reissues…the album reissues that I felt set the standard for the year. Without further ado, and with some brief notes on each entry, here’s my list: Ritual - The Hemulic Voluntary Band: “I really can’t say enough about Ritual here. Lundström’s vocals are emotive and rich, showing variety in delivery and sound to match the needs of the song. Jon Gamble’s contributions on a variety of keyboards add richness and colour to these varied compositions, while Fredrik Lindqvist’s use of diverse and interesting instrumentation (bouzouki, mandolin, et cetera) simply multiply that richness. Finally, Johan Nordgren’s drumming is precise and tight; his additional percussion contributions again adding to songs. Combined, the quartet that makes up Ritual bring some serious instrumental capabilities to bear in the six songs that make up The Hemulic Voluntary Band, but this shouldn’t overshadow the almost more impressive songwriting skills required to craft a tight 50 minute prog album that maintains interest from opening note to close.” The full review is here. Beardfish - Sleeping in Traffic Part I: “…every song offers up several moments that left me pointing to the speakers and saying “I like that.” This reviewer is not one to be swept up in hype very often (ref. Wobbler, La Torre dell’Alchemista), but Sleeping in Traffic: Part One by Beardfish lives up to the expectations that came with the album...and perhaps even exceeds them. Well worth picking up and unconditionally recommended.”. The full review is here. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - In Glorious Times: The masters of Metal in Opposition/Rock against Rock return with their heaviest and most difficult album to date. A slightly retooled lineup pushes the material on In Glorious Times to the edge and then gleefully watches as it goes over that edge, Nils Frykdahl and Carla Kihlstedt and Dan Rathburn (all long time SGM-ies) dancing around an infernal bonfire. I think SGM has the biggest chance to push outside the prog boundaries and draw in a strong fanbase from metalheads as well…and In Glorious Times as much as any previous release shows just how vital the underside of prog is right now. Frogg Cafe - The Safenzee Diaries: “Frogg Cafe is, much like King Crimson, a band that shines in a live setting. As good as their studio albums are (and their last two releases, Creatures and Fortunate Observer of Time, are as close to “all killer no filler” as one can hope to get), the band really comes alive on stage in front of an audience. Furthermore, Frogg Cafe is a band that excels at intelligent improvisation; rather than amble mindlessly over a vamp, the musicians in Frogg Cafe are adept at taking the listener on an enjoyable and unscripted musical adventure, dropping them off pretty damned close to where they were picked up…The Safenzee Diaries is the latest in a series of incredibly strong releases from Long Island based band Frogg Cafe. It is an indispensable addition to the hardcore FC fan’s collection, while simultaneously being an excellent starting point for neophyte listeners.”. The full review is here. Aziola Cry - Ghost Conversations: “Ghost Conversations is all too short with a length just over 23 minutes. It is a listening experience that will leave you breathless and exhilarated...and potentially afraid to see what lurks around the corner.”. The full review is here. Porcupine Tree - Nil Recurring: Four tracks excised from the Fear of a Blank Planet sessions, including one played live on the Fall 2006 mini-tour of the US and Europe, the material on Nil Recurring holds together impossibly well. Porcupine Tree could have released FOABP as a 2 CD set and not had a weaker release. With Robert Fripp guesting on the title track with one of his most blistering solos of the past 10 years, Nil Recurring shows Porcupine Tree poised on the brink of something larger. It feels odd to be selecting this and not the full album, but that’s how much the 28 minutes on this release blew me away. Ministry - The Last Sucker: Alain Jourgensen hitches his carriage to the horse that is George W. Bush for one last ride into the sunset. It’s not Psalm 69 or Houses of the Molé…then again, it’s thankfully not Filth Pig or Rio Grande Blood. Heavy, relentless, kicking ass and taking names from opening burst to ending fade, Ministry’s last album release has them leaving on a high note. Besides, the album features an uproarious Doors cover and a nearly 14-minute epic…that’s prog, right??? Opeth - The Roundhouse Tapes: Opeth’s Lamentations was a great live release, except that it’s only available on CD as part of a boxed set with a bunch of studio albums most fans already have. Factor in the fact that it features their acoustic material most heavily, and it’s not quite a representative release. This 2 CD live album, recorded last year at the Roundhouse in London, covers the entire breadth and scope of the band’s many talents. Featuring the last recordings with longtime guitarist Peter Lindgren, and the first recordings with new drummer Martin Axenrot, The Roundhouse Tapes covers material as disparate as “Windowpane,” “Ghost of Perdition,” and long time fan fave “Demon of the Fall.” Essential progressive death metal. Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup: Can black metal be party music? It can if Finntroll is playing it. And it might help if you’re involved in live action roleplaying, SCA, or medieval re-enactment. Or love costumes. Or during Halloween. Seriously, if you like your metal flavoured with folk music and a little bit of humppa (Finnish polka), Finntroll may be for you. But don’t be scared off by the description…this is no novelty band. Ur Jordens Djup introduces new vocalist Vreth to the band’s rabid fanbase, with former vocalist Jan "Katla" Jämsen (retired due to throat tumors which forced him to stop singing) contributing vocals. Finntroll’s newest release relies on epic slabs of keyboard flourish and heavy guitar to drive the listener into a flailing, rocking frenzy. Bring your own mead. Bruce Springsteen - Magic: Just about the furthest thing from prog on this list, but it achieves the top ten for good reason. Solid songwriting, restrained, refined playing, and more emotion than you can shake a stick at. People who raved over Springsteen’s last rock record (The Rising, released in the aftermath of 9/11) should go nuts over Magic. No longer just the voice of New Jersey teens looking for a way out, Springsteen has become a voice for anyone feeling the effects of powerlessness. Listen to “Last to Die,” and see if you don’t respond to the heavy emotional integrity. Another classic Bruce record. Top Re-Releases of 2007: Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn: “This reissue of Pink Floyd’s classic debut album achieves a number of things. Not only does it do a fine job of memorializing the pop genius of their earliest leader, it does so in packaging that is exquisite and beautiful. For many listeners and fans of the band, it will allow for a reevaluation of the material in more than one form. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is one of the seminal proto-progressive and psychedelic albums, and this reissue should hopefully get it into more hands. Seek out the 3-CD version if at all possible…the extra material and packaging is certainly worth it.” The full review is here. King Crimson: The Great Deceiver: The newer of the two re-releases (the original boxed set was issued in 1992), The Great Deceiver compiles 4 discs of live concert material from the 1973-1974 quartet line up, generally considered by fans as the band’s strongest era. This set forced a reappraisal of the band for critics, exposing Crimson as more than just a lumbering metal band at that time, but a band equally capable of gentle restraint and wild, free, improvisational playing. Now available as 2 2-CD sets, this is that most British of progressive rock bands during some of their finest hours. Did you miss it the first time around? Now’s your chance to see why Crimson changed so many people’s perceptions of music. More than essential…required listening for any serious prog fan. Top Music DVDs of 2007: Magma - Mythes et Legendes Epok III: “Much like the previous DVD releases in this series, Mythes Et Legendes III brings viewers one step closer to experiencing the band at their best, breathing continued life and vitality into their life’s work. If the viewer can accept the vocals (again, extensively Kobaian, as the band had not yet fully divested themselves of the Kobaian mythos at this point in their career) as another musical voice and instrument, one may find the act of viewing the band play these compositions moves the viewer beyond appreciation and closer to fandom.” The full review is here. Kenso - Live in USA: “When one considers the extra care and consideration put into this release, along with the unique and interesting packaging, it is easy to see that Live in USA is likely the definitive Kenso DVD release, setting a standard for concert DVD releases in general to follow…Taking everything into consideration (packaging, video quality, audio quality, special features), Live in USA is an essential release, not only for fans of the band, but for fans of symphonic rock and jazz-fusion as well.” The full review is here. NEARfest 2005 - Rising to the Surface: “The picture holds up well on large …the sound mix breathes and has incredible life. In fact, one might be tempted to play the DVD without the TV on, treating it as one 3+ hour musical experience…NEARfest 2005: Rising to the Surface is a fantastic video debut from the festival and sets a high standard for future releases to meet.”. The full review is here.