Home » Search Center » Results: Michael Askounes
Results for "Michael Askounes"
Hess: Opus 1
by Michael Askounes
If I had a nickel for every fret-banging guitar virtuoso that released a CD filled with “monster RAWK chops" and warp speed arpeggios, I'd be a very rich man. Speed is certainly the most “showy" of guitar disciplines, but guitarists often forget that speed alone does not make an interesting piece of music. When every accelerated ...
Patrimonio: Tryo
by Michael Askounes
Chilean progressive band Tryo's third release Patrimonio is a case where a mixture of many different influences - not the least of which is King Crimson - can somehow result in a whole that is in itself distinct and refreshing. Patrimonio is a well produced, well written example of how good progressive music can sound forward-thinking, ...
SubArachoid Space: These Things Take Time
by Michael Askounes
Jimi Hendrix. That’s the very first thing that came to my mind as I was listening to groovy trip-rockers SubArachnoid Space’s latest release These Things Take Time. The CD is a sonic acid flashback, and when I closed my eyes real tight I could almost swear I was listening to Jimi, Noel, and Mitch in one ...
Ozone Player: Insane Logic
by Michael Askounes
Light, ethereal, airey... these are things that some folks look for in their music. To journey “beyond" the music and into the subconscious (mindless?) realm of white noise is a goal of many fans of the ambient genre. Unfortunately, chord changes that takes minutes, bird sounds, off-key samples and discordant chord structures are not usually my ...
Tomas Bodin: An Ordinary Night in my Ordinary Life
by Michael Askounes
As if trying to prove that EVERY member of the top-notch Swedish prog band The Flower Kings is blessed with more talent than should be allowed, keyboardist Tomas Bodin has decided to strike off on his own with An Ordinary Night in my Ordinary Life - a showcase of quality compositional skills and home of some ...
Dave Beegle: Clearing the Tracks
by Michael Askounes
Dave Beegle – session man and member of the instrumental outfit The Fourth Estate – is on a mission to prove that true rock guitar playing is alive and well with his compilation release Clear the Tracks. The CD contains tracks spanning Beegle’s ten year career with bands such as The BOQ Trio, Artifact Symphony, Blinddog ...
The Flower Kings: Flower Power
by Michael Askounes
It takes both confidence and talent to pull of a 60 minute long, 18 movement progressive rock composition. You must first have enough musical ideas in your head to fill up an hour, but then you must also have the backing musicians to perform it proficiently and enough eclecticism to keep listeners interested for this length ...
Yochk'o Seffer Big Band: YOG 3
by Michael Askounes
To say that Yochk'o Seffer's Big Band release YOG 3 is an acquired taste is an incredible understatement. This is Jazz in Opposition at its core - the musical landscapes used here most certainly have their roots in music other than the traditional Western composers. I'll be right up front about YOG 3 - with a ...
Samla Mammas Manna: Kaka
by Michael Askounes
70's Swedish avant-garde jazz-ers Samla Mammas Manna may not be accessible enough to tickle everyone's fancy. Some folks might think that they're too bizarre and unstructured. Some folks may be turned off by the off-key chanting and yelling that peppers their releases. Some people won't like the heavy use of uncongenial instruments such as the marimba, ...
Arena: Immortal?
by Michael Askounes
Arena’s latest CD, Immortal? is a relatively standard progressive effort with all the neo-trimmings – Rothery-esque guitar solos, bombastic keyboards, and vocals that are not so much sung as they are acted. Arena also tosses in a little metal-prog for good measure, and in the end Immortal? turns out being merely a decent prog release – ...
