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SONAR

Live at Moods

(2018 – 7d Media – Europe)

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https://sonar7d.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-moods

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ONsovhVdmI

 

The momentous mathematical polyrhythm tritone masters present you with a striking live show at Moods Jazz Club (Zurich, Switzerland) played on May 24, 2018. If you were bowled over with their last studio release ‘Vortex’, with producer, guitar extraordinaire David Torn as a member, then you will want this, which also features Torn on every cut. STUNNING!

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‘Live at Moods’ has three compositions from ‘Vortex’ (‘Waves and Particles’, ‘Red Shift’, and ‘Lookface’) and one from their album ‘Static Motion’ (‘Twofold Covering’). Also included is ‘Tromso’, which was originally without Torn on Sonar’s debut album ‘A Flaw of Nature’. And a bonus called ‘For Lost Sailors’, which is an ingenious improvisation by David Torn. Six showcase pieces to thrill and supercharge the audience/listener’s senses. Most cuts at over 10 minutes, the CD opens with ‘Twofold Covering’ ( a work that was written with the guitar pattern played half as fast and two octaves below the duplicated bass line). Add the out of this world guitar soundscaping, and wizard lead of Torn, the precision Fripp-like tritone guitar genius of founder, composer, and master of Sonar, Stephan Thelen, and life is fantastic! (see You Tube link provided at top with bandcamp link).

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As a five piece, Stephan Thelen: Tritone Guitar/ Bernhard Wagner: Tritone Guitar/ Christian Kuntner: Tritone Bass/ Manuel Pasquinelli: Drums/ and David Torn: Electric Guitar & Live Looping, the band has never been better. They have a magic carpet now, and these last two releases (‘Vortex’ and ‘Live at Moods’) have been one exclusive ride in the greatest of all universes. All without keyboards. Every song is done with amazing precision, full blown enthusiasm, great intelligence, and a much deserved dignity. Pasquinelli shows not only an incredible steadiness on drums, with dozens of webbed rhythms, but also a powerful ability with fills and short solo work within a maze of music (re: ‘Twofold Covering’). The three tritone artists (2 guitarists, 1 bass) have a naturally honed skill to create beautifully balanced structures of music, while Torn is often given freedom to dive, dart, soar, and tangle his technical pathfinder guitar virtuoso.

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It is evident that Torn has put a new spark plug into the engine of Sonar, but to be fair, the writing of Stephan Thelen, and execution of all of the members are what allows things as a whole to exist and thrive in the band. ‘Live at Moods’ is a topflight concert and it is a privilege to listen to it on a CD, on a fine stereo, where the listener can absorb, embrace, and enjoy this stellar performance as it was delivered. Can we all beg for a live DVD of one of these shows?  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Reviewed by Lee Henderson 12 – 13 – 2018

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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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