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                                          TOP 40 CHOICES FOR 2017

 I simply have the choices below in alphabetical order. That way the idea of a #1 or such, is off the table. The choices are from over a years worth of listening and picking my favorite recordings. As my taste reveals, there is a lot of variety and styles mixed amoung the releases. This is a different kind of Top 40.
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1. 7C - Compartment C  (DeAmbula Records)
2. theBABAorchestra - Another Ride on the Elephant Slide (Thirsty Owl Records)
3. MARTYN BATES - I Said To Love (A-Scale Recordings)
4. PETER BLEGVAD, CHRIS CUTLER, JOHN GREAVES, KAREN MANTLER, BOB DRAKE - Go Figure ‎ (ReR Megcorp)
5. BENT KNEE - Land Animal (Inside Out Music)
6. CAMEMBERT - Negative Toe (Ma Ra Cash)
7. CHARLIE CAWOOD - The Divine Abstract (Bad Elephant Music)
8. CHEER ACCIDENT - Putting Off Death (Cuneiform Records)
9. ARTHUR CORMACK - Buanes (Skye)
10. AMY DENIO - The Big Embrace (Spoot)
11. DLM - Davis Lindley Mullan (self release)
12. JEREMY ENIGK - Ghosts (Lewis Hollow)
13. FIELD MUSIC - Open Here (Memphis Industries)
14. GRICE - The Grey of Granite Stone [5 song EP] (Hungersleep)
15. INNER EAR BRIGADE - Dromology (AltrOck Records)
16. DUSAN JEVTOVIC - No Answer (MoonJune Records)
17. LOUISA JOHN-KROL - Elderbrook [2 CDs] (Blue Tree)
18. KILLING TIME - Ultimate [4 CD Box-Japan only] (Sony)
19. KING CRIMSON - Live In Chicago : June 28, 2017 (Inner Knot)
20. DAVEY LANE - I'm Gonna Burn Out Bright (Capgun Kids)
21. LES FILLES DE ILLIGHADAD - Eghass Malan (Sahel Sounds)
22. ANDRE MARQUES SEXTETO  ‎– DiverCidades (self released - Brazil)
23. MOTORPSYCHO - The Tower [2 CDs] (Rune Grammofon)
24. NITS - Angst (Werf Records)
25. ODDFELLOW’S CASINO -Oh Sealand (At The Helm Records)
26. THE OH HELLOS - Notos (self released)
27. ORCHESTRA OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE - Theta Three:O3 [2 CDs] (Discus Music)
28. HERMETO PASCOAL - Nos Mundo Dos Sons [2 CDs] (Selo)
29. J-P PIIRAINENE - Twined (Bafe's Factory)
30. PRESCOTT - Thing or Two (Thoofa)
31. NICK PROL & THE PROLETARIANS - Loon Attic (Daba Da Recordings)
32. JUDITH RING - The Ring Lieder [4 song EP] (self release)
33. SECURITY PROJECT - Contact (7d Media)
34. SINGLE CELLED ORGANISM - Splinter In The Eye (Cargo Records)
35. AL SWAINGER’S POINTLESS BEAUTY - After & Before (Other Compass Records)
36. TAYLOR’S UNIVERSE - Almost Perfected (Marvel Of Beauty Records)
37. VALDEZ - This (Bad Elephant)
38. YONDER POND - Pondering Aloud (Remy - self release)
39. JAMES WARREN - Innocent Bystander (Angle Air)
40. WINGFIELD REUTER SIRKIS - Lighthouse (MoonJune Records)
 
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BIG BEAUTIFUL NOISE
 

A  magazine focused on inventive, progressive, and creative music in any genre that stands out from the rest
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ACQUA FRAGILE
Moving Fragments
(2023 - Maracash - Italy)


https://maracashrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-fragments


  A group who have the uncanny talent of keeping their classic  sound along with staying up tpo date. This amazing return is from 1970's Italian progressive rock outfit, with frontier man lead vocal Bernardo Lanzetti, who made this band and some PFM albums so specifically brilliant. At this decade, to expect more beauty would be a fantasy, yet it is set before your ears, even with the first notes, this masterpiece of Italian, (and not only Italian) progressive rock that certainly grasps the notion of what the genre of "progressive" was always meant to be. ACQUA FRAGILE create another sweetly classic knockout recording, not with even a heavy breath of past to present effort.  In fact, it sounds and feels more authentic than ever.  Bernardo sounds as if he never aged a week, and all muscians present are at full force, not passing up the chance to make another massively classic album.   An album to put Acqua Fragile at the top of the few chosen progressive rock choices of all time. The first song ('Her Shadlows Torture' 05:52 - editors note:  A misspell on the 'Shadows' which is on Bandcamp at this writing - but is correct as 'Her Shadow's Torture' on physical CD)  hug you and give all relief, as to any possible doubts of a long awaited fourth album by this top notch Italian band. I claim it will leave your heart lay bleeding. Grab the spectral energy and enjoy a glimpse of beautiful cocoon birth.

  Not one song is with sacrifice, even a wink of lamb. In fact, some elements are added to further enchance and stun the audience, such as inclusive female vocals by Rossella Volta. The bulk of the outfit is Piero Canavera (drums, percussion, vocals),  Franz Dondi (bass), Bernardo Lanzetti (lead vocals, guitar, Glovox),  Stefano Pantaleoni (keyboards),  Claudio Tuma (guitars), with special aid by (aforementioned vocalist Rosella Voita) ,  Gigi Cavalli Cocchi - drums (1,6),  Sergio Ponti - drums (4,9), Stef Burns- guitar (2),  Brian Belloni - guitar (4),  Davide Piombino - 7 string guitar (5),  and David Jackson - sax & flute (6). Could you ask for more?   After one listen you cannot want more. Thank Maracash label (Italy) for standing behind so many great Italian artists who have done the blood, sweat, and tears in earlier years, and deserve the attention now.
Although the band name translates to 'Fragile Water', it might be better described as Precious Water at this point and time in our decreasingly cared for world. Perhaps even better, Rare Water. The beauty of this entire recording is apparent, true, sincere, and a step forward. Better than one would dream of, past the point of how all old fans could imagine, and  actually done in the upper atmospheres of what anyone could have dreamed of. Everyone is top notch and most of all, Lanzetti is 100% present, making it another masterpiece.  It is my deep recommendartion for all fans of both classic progressive rock and the new fields of progressive music to give this a direct and full attention (no distractions) listen. RECOMMENDED.
  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 1 - 19 - 2024


 

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