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                        TOP 42 CHOICES  OF 2018  (adding 2 more than 2017 picks)
By Lee Henderson


First I must include my choices for best BOX SETS of 2018 (The Kate Bush, Supersister, and ZNR include reissued (some remastered) releases that add unreleased and rare material. Great places to start for the new comer, and valued boxes for fans. The Unthanks is all brand new and stunningly beautiful.


KATE BUSH - Remastered: Part 1 [7 Cds] (Rhino)
KATE BUSH - Remastered:Part 2 [11 Cds] (Rhino)
SUPERSISTER - Memories Are New  [6CD box features the albums Present From Nancy, To The Highest Bidder, Pudding en Gisteren, Iskander, Sweet Okay Supersister / Spiral Staircase Sass, plus a singles collection bonus CD. (Universal)
THE UNTHANKS - Lines [Parts One, Two, Three in special edition box set] (RabbleRouser)
ZNR - ZNRchive Box (ReR Megacorp)
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(Except for my 'RECORDING OF THE YEAR' ,titles are in alphabetical order, same format as 2017 list, and no numerical value is representing the highest choice verses a lower one. There are 42 titles below, and some box sets above, which simply are to say, all of these are top picks for the year of 2018 at Big Beautiful Noise)
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RECORDING OF THE YEAR (click on title for review page)
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****CAROLINA HOLZAPFEL TRIO - Contentate Con Poquito (Mauco Records)****
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 1. ARMY OF MOTHS - Sorry to Disturb You (self release)
 2. CRAYOLA LECTERN - Happy Endings (Onomatopoeia Records)
 3. DEEP ENERGY ORCHESTRA - Playing With Fire (7D Media)
 4. DWIKI DHARMAWAN  - Rumah Batu (MoonJune Records)
 5. DIALETO - Live With David Cross (Chromatic Records/dist by MoonJune)
 6. DINOSAUR - Wonder Trail (Edition Records)
 7. BOB DRAKE - L'Isola Dei Lupi [subscription edition with book of photos] (RER Megacorp)
 8. EYELESS IN GAZA - Winter Sang (A-Scale)
 9. FLAT EARTH SOCIETY - Untitled # 0 (Igloo Records)
10. FORGAS BAND PHENOMENA - L'Oreille Electrique (Cuneiform Records)
11. ANJA GARBAREK - The Road is Just a Surface [comes in full length theatrical version and also standard edition] (Grappa)
12. GRYPHON - Reinvention (self release)
13. HE WAS EATEN BY OWLS - Inchoate With The Light I Go (Fu Inle Records)
14. HOMUNCULUS RES - Della stessa sostanza dei sogni (Ma Ra Cash)
15. JACK O' THE CLOCK - Repetitions of the Old City: II (self release)
16. KEEP MIN 2 DOT - Wounded Golden Section (self release)
17. KING CRIMSON - Meltdown - Live in Mexico [3cd+1 Bluray box set] (DGM)
18. KOENJIHYAKKEI - Dhorimviskha (Skin Graft Records)
19. THE LEMON TWIGS - Go To School  (4 AD)
20. BEN LEVIN GROUP - Our Place (self release)
21. MATS/MORGAN - Live with Norrlandsoperan Symphoney Orchestra [DVD + 2 CD] (Morgan Records)
22. MYRA MELFORD's SNOWY EGRET - The Other Side of Air (Firehouse 12 Records)
23. MOMUS - Pantaloon (American Patchwork)
24. OFFICER! - Earlier Music (Klanggalerie)
25. OTEME - Il Corpo Nel Sogno (Ma Ra Cash Records)
26. FERNANDO PERDOMO - Zebra Crossing (Forward Motion Records)
27. PINOIL - Bran Coucou  (Dur et Doux)
28. REGAL WORM - Pig Views (Uranium Club)
29. ROPHONIC - In With The Out Crowd (Discus Music)
30. SIX-RING CIRCUS - Six-Ring Circus (self release)
31. SOLJU - Odda Aigodat - New Times (Bafe’s Factory)
32. SONAR - Live at Moods (7d Media)
33. PAUL STEEL - Carousel Kites : April & II (Raygun Records)
34. STERBUS - Real Estate/Fake Inverno (self release/distributed by Zillion Watt Records)
35. STOP MOTION ORCHESTRA - Lightworks (Megaphone / Knock 'em Dead)
36. COURTNEY SWAIN - Growing Pains [EP] (self release)
37. SYRINX CALL - The Moon on a Stick (Cargo Records)
38. THUMPERMONKEY - Make Me Young Etc (Rockosmos)
39. KAVUS TORIBA - Solar Divination ‎[EP] (Believers Roast)
40. MARK WINGFIELD - Tales from the Dreaming City (MoonJune Records)
41. THE WRONG OBJECT - Into The Herd (Off Records, powered by MoonJune)
42. ITIBERE ZWARG & GRUPO - Intuitivo (Selo)

 

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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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