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COURTNEY SWAIN
Between Blood And Ocean
(2019 - self release - USA)

https://courtneyswain.bandcamp.com/

Courtney Swain has a voice that carries an old soul, a gentle spirit, with quick change and emotions galore, and all that in one song at times. From fragile to potent and powerful, her ability to transfer visual audio to the listener is unreal. Add her fantastic compositional skills, her significant keyboard proficiency, and you have the whole package. Coming from Providence, Rhode Island, this is her 5th release (including singles/EPs) and on it she shows more versatility than ever. Along with breathy ballads, she throws in one 80's style rocker 'Don't Look At Me' (track #4) that could have come from a Kim Wilde album (well almost). The huge epic 'Snowflakes' (track #5) and 'Black Sheep' (track #8) have a slice of the raw emotions that make Annie Lennox and Adele appealing to many. The third song 'I'd Kill' will throw fans a new look as well, with a upbeat blues banger hybrid that keeps Swain's stamp alive and well. But no worries for the people who crave Courtney's marvelous dreamy ballads that are always soaked with rapture, as there are plenty to chose from ('Uranium City', 'Sweet Snow', 'Silver Needle of Pine', and several others).

While she has had a solo career since 2013, she is well known as singer and keyboardist for Bent Knee, who have broken the mold in the avant rock/art pop world over and over again. However, Courtney's solo work is mostly an escape from that, with very personal lyrics, an intimate relationship between voice, her keyboards, and the audience. As with her previous release 'Growing Pains' (2017), the fans are a witness to her yearly germination. This album was a result from a stay at Martha’s Vineyard during a residency awarded by the Turkey Land Cove Foundation. It was a strong collaborative project with fellow musicians Asher Kurtz - guitar/ Jed Lingat - bass/ Kyle Harris - drums/ and Tim Doherty - guitar (on 'Sweet Snow'). And also completed with the cheerful and kind technical aid of Vince Welch (producer), Bradford Krieger at Big  Nice Studio (engineer), Dave Minehan at Woolly  Mammoth Sound (engineer) , Randy Roos at Squam Sound (mastering), Chisato Tanaka (artwork), and Scott Siskind (album layout). All songs written by Courtney Swain.

  'White Trees' gets big and brings in the techno pop to a overwhelming plateau, ending with the one and only Courtney way. 'Good Things Come' is a short whiff (46 seconds) of her soundscape skills, creating a gorgeous floating cloud of dreams. 'Between Blood And Ocean' ends with a treasure ballad 'Sand Angels', that equals in measure, anything she has ever done. As well, this is one of those tearjerker ballads that the audience will swoon over. The album is robust and overflowing with passion, sometimes tender, other times muscular. We can only thank the artist for baring her soul and expressing it in these beautiful compositions. It is rare to have such candor in this world, from a musician who can translate the range of deeply hidden inner thoughts, into such melody and atmosphere. RECOMMENDED.

  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 7 - 21 - 2019
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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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