A Soundtrack To The Wheel of Time Review by Gary Hill A Soundtrack To The Wheel of Time is an album created not as a soundtrack to a film, but rather to a series of books. The fantasy books are written by Robert Jordan who has officially endorsed this album. More...
Prime Cuts Review by Gary Hill The latest release in the Magna Carta series Prime Cuts, this time the attention is turned on Robert Berry's considerable work on the label. The first point I need to bring up is somewhat of a mixed one here.
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Interviews
Robert Berry Interview by Gary Hill Interview with Robert Berry from 2006
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Robert Berry Interview by Gary Hill Interview With December People's Robert Berry from 2001
Tempest - 10th Anniversary Compilation Review by Gary Hill The latest release from Celtic prog band Tempest, this CD is a compilation, but in an unusual way. Although these are all older Tempest songs, they are new performances of those songs.
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Tempest - 15th Anniversary Collection Review by Gary Hill This box set shows just how much integrity and talent Tempest has. The Celtic based prog rock outfit could have simply put out a collection of their best known pieces and added in a few unreleased gems here and there.
Tempest - Balance Review by Gary Hill Although 1999's 10th Anniversary Compilation included new recordings of the group's older material, this disc is the first album of truly "new" songs by this band since 1997's Gravel Walk.
Tempest - Double Cross Review by Gary Hill The latest disc from Celtic proggers Tempest is Double Cross and it's a very strong addition to the band's catalog. While I personally don't find it as potent as their last one Shapeshifter, that's more a matter of personal taste than anything.
3 was essentially a variant on Emerson, Lake and Palmer, but it was its own band, too. The group played ELP music, but also their own stuff that leaned a little more on the mainstream rock sound.
Various Artists - Encores, Legends and Paradoxes Review by Gary Hill With a cast of players that reads like a prog "who`s who", this ELP tribute takes the classics and makes them fresh and new again. The result is an incredibly listenable piece of music that really entertains.
Magellan - Hundred Year Flood Review by Gary Hill Taking their name from the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, one should see this group as wanting to take us on a musical journey of exploration.
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Various Artists - Leonardo The Absolute Man Review by Gary Hill This is a rock opera based on the life of Leonardo da Vinci. Although this album says "original cast recording" and I have (as does Magna Carta on their website) listed it here as by "Various Artists", it is probably closer to the truth to say that it is by Trent Gardner and friends.
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Various Artists - Magna Carta Guitar Greats – Volume I Review by Grant Hill These Magna Carta sampler discs serve as a great way for people to sample a number of their releases without having to shell out the cash for each and every one of them. I'd have to say that as these things go, this is one of the better ones – and they are all quite good.
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Jordan Rudess - Prime Cuts Review by Josh Turner Jordan Rudess is "technically" the best keyboardist in the business. When you limit this contest to progressive rock, it's a no-brainer.
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Jack Foster III - Raptorgnosis Review by Gary Hill While I don't think this entire album truly qualifies as progressive rock, much of it does. Add to that fact the presence of prog rockers Trent Gardner and Robert Berry and it should be obvious why I put the disc into that category.
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Tempest - Shapeshifter Review by Gary Hill As someone who has followed Tempest for quite a while it is very rewarding to see them release a disc as good as this one. They have nothing in their catalog to compare really.
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December People - Sounds Like Christmas Review by Gary Hill To get you in the spirit of the holiday, The December People have released a fresh collection of progressive rock takes on Christmas music. Feeling out of sorts for not knowing who the December People are?
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Various Artists - Subdivisions - A Tribute To Rush Review by Gary Hill Subdivisions is a new Tribute album devoted to the music of Rush from Magna Carta Records. Those paying close attention and with a good memory, may be saying now; "didn't they do one before?"
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Various Artists - Supper`s Ready Review by Gary Hill A tribute album devoted to the music of Genesis, Supper`s Ready is a strong work. The renditions here stay more true to the original performances than on some similar albums, but this does not take away from the relevance of the CD.
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Magellan - Symphony for a Misanthrope Review by Gary Hill I've seen pictures of the Gardner brothers, the backbone of Magellan, and if I didn't know any better I'd have sworn that I opened up a 401k with them.
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Various Artists - Tales From Yesterday Review by Gary Hill A tribute to the music of Yes, Tales From Yesterday, features some very fine renditions of Yessongs performed by a variety of artists (including several past and present members of Yes). This is a mixed bag. Some of the tracks are quite faithful to the original, while others represent major reworkings.
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Jack Foster III - Tame Until Hungry Review by Gary Hill Jack Foster III is building up quite a catalog of killer hard-edged modern progressive rock. Tame Until Hungry is his latest, and as in the past he’s joined by (among others) Trent Gardner and Robert Berry on this.
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Tempest - The Gravel Walk Review by Gary Hill Fans of Jethro Tull should really check this album out. This is good solid rock, in the vein of Tull, but with a more solid Celtic tradition.
Various Artists - To Cry You A Song: A Collection of Tull Tales Review by Gary Hill One of the first tribute albums ever done by Magna Carta, this one includes some intriguing arrangements of Jethro Tull songs. There are some definite winners here (witness Aqualung, To Cry You a Song, and Locomotive Breath) and no real losers.
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Various Artists - Working Man Review by Gary Hill One of the early Magna Carta tribute CD's, this one is definitely not one of their finest. It does have some strong points, though, and the main area in which it is lacking is vocals.
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