TEE "The Earth Explorer"

TEE is a five piece flute front progressive rock band from Tokyo, Japan. Their so-called 'European' sound is unique considering their far-east origin. The imaginative tunes with complex ensembles and rhythms will definitely catch the attention of prog lovers all over the world. Their sound will remind you bands like Camel, King Crimson, Asia Minor or even Frank Zappa on some parts. The band was formed in 2004 when... more

Kevin BARTLETT

You may not know his name but you have definitely heard his music more than once or twice in your life. Maybe on HBO, or on MTV, or on VH1, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel. Doesn't ring the bell? How about American Idol Rewind, or Dr. 90210? We had interviewed Kevin Bartlett a couple of years ago when his second solo album GLOW IN THE DARK was released. Bartlett has been quiet since that time but but he has been secretly brewing new projects. A few months ago he had put a new song...more

Peter Hammill, founding member of Van Der Graaf Generator, released his 28th solo album " nearly 3 months ago. He recently got back home from a short tour covering North America, Canada and Italy. In the 70's when bands like...more

FRIGHT PIG Barque At The Lune *** REVERSAL OF GRAVITY Scuba Gear ***

JUDY DYBLE / TALKING WITH STRANGERS

Judy Dyble's newest album Talking With Strangers could easily be the single most important album of her career. Many times you'll hear fans of a particular artist say something like "this album is good, but it's not like the glory days". Often times this sentiment is expressed as a result of a fan's longing for their own glory days and sometimes it's intimated in part from the fan's resistance to change coming from their favorite artist. It's human nature in all of us to have a particular song, or even an entire album to historically mark a point in our lives as if it is the soundtrack to that moment in time. Whatever the reasons, we often do not take into account the artists themselves and the journey that brought them to where they are as they offer their most recent music for awaiting ears.

With that perspective, consider Judy Dyble. The name may be known to you, or it may not. She made her mark with a career full of beginnings. The beginning of what was to become King Crimson or the beginning of Fairport Convention, etc. Although her unforgettable voice was recorded for all time, her name seemed to be relegated to liner notes, credit lists and CD rarities of special appearances. A name perhaps known only in Rock and Roll encyclopedias or Who's Who in music. And so, when the beginnings passed, Judy lived a sort of relegated life on her own terms as a librarian. Don't be mistaken, "the missing years" were being lived richly indeed. She has seen her children grow to adulthood, her beloved husband passing in '96, and all the while watching her past affiliations go on to expand their careers in the music she once reveled in.

...but the music never dies. As if beckoning her from the shelves in the library, seeing the music around every corner. Life experiences were forming a living melody that is stored in her psyche, maybe without a definitive plan, but carefully cataloged and remembered for future reference. A book of her life to be borrowed in the future.

Ok, maybe I'm putting way too much into this. Perhaps I read into Judy's life a bit much. After all, this is a review of her newest album "Talking With Strangers" and I am going on and on with guesses about how she lived her daily life leading up to this album. However I bet I am not far off target, because the depth and soul in her voice is dripping with experience. Not just musical experience, it's much much more than that. These 8 tracks will no doubt impress you with it's collection of musical greats like Ian McDonald, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp & Tim Bowness (to name a few), but Judy's transparency and invitation to share in her state of mind is the starting point and it shows. It's impossible to listen to this album without letting your guard down, so don't resist it - give in to it.

Imagine you have a top of the line car stereo that cost you ten thousand dollars (does such a component exist?) You don't even have a car, but you know you are not going to install this fine piece of equipment in your beat up jalopy in the garage. So you start to build a plan around the ownership of this stereo. In this case, the egg came before the chicken and you find yourself making sure the car that will house this stereo system is worthy. Maybe it's a bad analogy, but it's what comes to mind when I think of the "extras" on this album. First of all, the production and engineering on this album is a work of art, and why shouldn't it be? It is meant to house Judy's music. Tim Bowness (No-Man) & Alistair Murphy (Half-Life) didn't just control levels in the mix, these guys understood what Ms Dyble was aiming for and delivered, which is why they took part in co-writing. Other guests on the album include John Gillies (The Conspirators), Rachel Hall (Sarah Menage), Simon Nicol (FC of course, but also Albion Band), Paul Robinson (Christmas Jug Band), and more... but a special note must be said about Ian McDonald's participation.

Unless I'm mistaken, we haven't seen Ian take part in anything musically with Judy since the early incarnation of Giles, Giles & Fripp. Perhaps also we have the musical inter mediator Judy Dyble to thank for bringing Robert Fripp and Ian together again on the same album and even the same twenty minute track Harpsong. Ian's performances are nothing short of captivating on this album. His flute solo on Jazzbirds (he plays a Haynes from the 30's) will knock your socks off, his alto-flute offering on Dreamtime will pierce you, but... hold on to your seats now... Ukulele. Yes, you read that right. Prog royalty Mr McDonald plays the uke on Harpsong, reminding us that he is no less innovative 40 years after Crimson.

Returning now to Judy's voice. The golden crown on this album. Feathered with a minimalist sensitivity, but textured with a vocal thickness like nobody's business. Singing her songs like Hemingway would read aloud his writings, you can't help but believe every single word as she verbalizes "I turned to books and changed my looks. I moved away from where we played. I closed my ears for thirty years." Judy Dyble has an uncanny gift for breathing her own lyrics as if she has written them for the first time, as if she's expressing these thoughts to you in her living room at home, as if you are a very special guest invited in to listen to the story of her life. And you are welcome, enjoy the visit, it will be like none other.

Dale JUDAY