01. IQ – "Frequency" : IMO, the best since Subterranea. And without Martin Orford, who I thought was the main leader all this time! Obviously there is quite a bit of talent left in this classic band. ***
02. Kevin Gilbert - "Nuts" & Kevin Gilbert - "Bolts" : I’ve been waiting what seems like forever for these two releases (since KG passed over a decade ago), and it was well worth it. If you like intelligent pop music with prog overtones, it’s for you. ++
03. Darwin’s Radio – Template for a Generation: Why did I wait so long to pick up a CD by this band? Still have to pickup the first one. If it’s half as good as this, it will be in my player for quite a few weeks.
05. Transatlantic – "The Whirlwind" : Long awaited and again, a quality piece. These are (or were) members of some of my favorite bands, why wouldn’t it be great? ***
06. Izz – "The Darkened Room" : A little less immediately catchy and a bit darker than previous recordings by this group, but very rewarding after several listens.
07. Minimum Vital – "Capitaines" : It’s the kind of prog record I can play for my wife and she won’t ask me to turn it down or complain about the “Mad Organ Player.”
08. N.y.X. - "Down In Shadows" : Art Prog with a King Crimson flavor. It gets silly and manic at times, but maintains an excellent prog feel. ++
09. Shadow Circus – "Whispers and Screams" : I loved their debut, and this one takes a step further in quality.
10. Dear Hunter - "Act III-Life and Death" : Like Jellyfish meets The Mars Volta. Highly recommended if that sounds intriguing to you.
11. The Syn – "Big Sky" : More akin to a singer-songwriter style than outwardly prog, but I like it much better than the others I’ve heard from Syn.
20. UKZ - "Radiation" : A little disappointing, but still good. Look what Eddie Jobson and company had to live up to however!!
Other great things from 2009
City Boy – "It’s Personal" : I have been a big fan of City Boy and own all of their albums except this one that has been impossible to get a hold of for too long. This first ever CD release has been a long time coming.
Sweet – "Actions: Anthology" : A two-disc retrospective of their career that includes almost anything you might want to hear from the best hard rock/pop band ever! Everything from “Little Willy” to “Ballroom Blitz” to “Love Is Like Oxygen.”
Genesis "Live: Is this the last of the box sets? It seems so.
Classic Rock Presents Prog : The compilation discs from this new magazine devoted to our favorite form of music have been enlightening. The magazine is expensive (Exchange rate from England doesn’t help either), but excellent and deserves your support. Anything that furthers the popularity of Progressive Rock music deserves it!
