The More You Live, The More You Love

WHITE WILLOW Terminal Twilight (Termo Records TERMOCD009) White Willow belongs, since the release of their debut album Ignis Fatuus, to a small select group of bands, which with every new release raises high expectations. With the return of Sylvia Skjellestad they should consider themself lucky, because she has a wonderful voice that fits with White Willow. The listener therefore is not disappointed. Besides vocally, musically this album sounds great, which strongly depends to the 70's prog with a mix of jazz rock, fusion and folk, where the reference goes from King Crimson to Weather Report and Genesis to Muse with surprising contributions of Tim Bowness, David Lindberg and Michael S. Judge. Bowness together with Jacob Holm-Lupo wrote the No-Man-like Kansas Regrets, which in the second part recalls the days of Nurcery Crime, complete with vintage keyboards and whistles. Leaves in Bed, dedicated to Tony Banks, again follows the pattern of Genesis and in Floor 67 White Willow follow...

Konchordat The New Cruisade (Konchordat Music KMCD1002) Konchordat for me is a new name, though it appears the group released an album called English Ghosts in 2009. Driving force behind the group is Steve Cork (bass, keyboards and bass pedals) who in Stuart Martin (vocals, guitar and keyboards) found a new partner in crime. Martin was one of guest guitarists on English Ghosts. On The New Crusade, they are assisted by Liam Green on drums. Listening to the six-track album, I can only conclude that the gentlemen put their ears to a listen to Magellan, IQ and It Bites and they have forged their style. Frequently the keyboards, usually in combination with the guitar playing the same melody, bring the magnum opus of It Bites, Once Around The World, in mind, while the very sudden breaks and heavy pounding work with bombastic bladder samples have a strong Magellan’s Magna Carta reminiscent. Throw in the symphonic sauce of IQ, especially in the spherical portions, and a new Konchordat i...