Jeremy Allen

Articles by: Jeremy Allen

Mercury Rev

“My new voice can seem quite startling – maybe even polarising. It caught me the same way. I struggled with it”: The humbling experience that’s made Mercury Rev into a different animal

By Jeremy Allen published

Latest line-up’s new album Born Horses is many things, but Jonathan Donahue says it’s not pop-friendly, radio-friendly, pristine, clear, easier to mix… and it’s not de-seagulled either

Public Service Broadcasting

“It’s a case of writing something you thought was wryly amusing, then it just won’t leave you”: Horrified by his own mission statement, Public Service Broadcasting’s J. Willgoose Esq. calls himself a pessimist with impostor syndrome

By Jeremy Allen published

He says his natural negativity didn’t top him presenting a positive take on Amelia Earhart’s final adventure on latest album The Last Flight, as he considers where the emotional power of his band’s output comes from

Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Blu-Ray

“Defiantly lo-fi, reassuring us that wrongness can feel so right sometimes”: The Flaming Lips’ Blu-ray edition of Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

By Jeremy Allen published

Lauded concept album from Oklahoma City’s finest has lost nothing in 22 years, while gaining new nuance in Dolby Atmos

Aphrodite's Child – 666

“Pure alchemy – and rendered in Vangelis’ Atmos mix, it makes Armageddon sound surprisingly inviting”: Aphrodite’s Child witness the end of the world again with a repackaged 666

By Jeremy Allen published

The Greek trio’s musical take on the apocalyptic Gospel of John returns 52 years on with far less controversy and unbroken artistic impact

Hawklords - Relativity

“More in common with the original Hawkwind Zoo than the current incarnation”: Hawklords’ Relativity casts them as worriers on the edge of time

By Jeremy Allen published

Jerry Richards’ band delivers grooves, hooks and vitality on 11th album, amid a concept story of AI and machines

Frank Zappa - Apostrophe

“A cornucopia… Most impressive of all are the alternative monitor mixes”: Frank Zappa’s Apostrophe (’) 50th anniversary edition

By Jeremy Allen published

Dazzling deluxe expansion of his best-loved solo album

Tim Bowness

“Bands that went from beauty to absolute hideousness attracted me – Van der Graaf and King Crimson managed to create fragile music that was then utterly destroyed”: The roots of Tim Bowness’ Powder Dry

By Jeremy Allen published

Struggling to express conviction, the serial band member and collaborator went it alone for his most experimental album to date… although he didn’t use the pedalboard Peter Hammill lent him

Marjana Semkina

“They arrested a girl who had a blank piece of paper. She was making the point that even doing that would send someone to jail”: Iamthemorning’s Marjana Semkina hated mixing politics with art – until her native Russia’s war on Ukraine

By Jeremy Allen published

Her second solo album, Sirin, finds her in a more confident and assertive place – she’s even reverted to the original spelling of her name

And So I Watch You From Afar - Megafauna

“A mighty and nimble love letter to the world they grew up in”: And So I Watch You From Afar’s Megafauna

By Jeremy Allen published

Northern Irish art rockers’ seventh album proves yet again they can deliver emotion without language

Portishead - Dummy

“There’s a virtuosic methodology you might associate with King Crimson, even if the results are very different”: Why Portishead’s Dummy qualifies as a prog album

By Jeremy Allen published

Many progressive musicians would recognise and admire the attention to detail in the band’s 1994 debut

Bass Communion

“Meditative passages that are bravely expansive… Steven Wilson continues to deconstruct sound as much as he makes it”: Bass Communion’s The Itself Of Itself

By Jeremy Allen published

Noise and abstract beauty abound in a work that slows the world down to the point of being liminal

Jean-Luc Ponty - Life Enigma

“It throws up the confounding realisation that the world’s most famous fusion violinist is au fait with drum’n’ bass”: Jean-Luc Ponty’s Life Enigma reissue

By Jeremy Allen published

“Fusion violinist proves he’s au fait with drum’n’ bass”: Jean-Luc Ponty’s Life Enigma

Pink Floyd - Animals Dolby Atmos Edition

“The band start to sound like the musique concrète pioneers they were, rather than keepers of a farmful of flatulent quadrupeds”: Pink Floyd’s Animals – Dolby Atmos Edition

By Jeremy Allen published

Pioneers’ ‘punkest’ record gets the Atmos Blu-ray treatment to impressive effect, claiming the music back for proggers

Hawkwind - Tales From Time And Space

“Transportative music… a deeply cosmic record that might be out there with their very best”: Hawkwind’s Stories From Time And Space

By Jeremy Allen published

The space rock icons’ late-career renaissance continues on their 36th studio album

Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel's i/o. "The world has changed since 2002, mostly for the worst, but it’s a better place with i/o in it."

By Jeremy Allen published

The ex-Genesis singer returns to the big time with his first album in 21 years to reassert his place as the doyen of cerebral art-pop.

XTC - The Big Express

“It’s ostentatious and even maddening at times, but there’s no faulting the ambition”: XTC’s The Big Express

By Jeremy Allen published

Neglected 80s progressive pop gem gets the Steven Wilson treatment

Soft Machine Other Doors album

Soft Machine: less a band and more an organism which is constantly evolving

By Jeremy Allen published

Soft Machine's Other Doors review: The fêted fusionists come knocking again with 12th studio album.

Karl Bartos

Karl Bartos and Kraftwerk: "The endless cycling didn’t help invent new music!"

By Jeremy Allen published

The former Kraftwerk musician and composer looks back over his career and discusses working with 'his former partners'!

Prog Must

Five cool new prog acts you need to hear this March

By Jerry Ewing, Jeremy Allen, Gary Mackenzie, Matt Mills, Dom Lawson published

Check out Moundrag, EBB, Cabiria, Wizrd and Shell Beach – five great new up and coming prog artists

composite image of Circles, Gaupa, Astrosaur, Grace And Fire and Onsegen Ensemble

5 new prog acts you must hear in January 2023

By Natasha Scharf published

Check out Gaupa, Circles, Grace And Fire, Astrosaur and Onsegen Ensemble – five great new up and coming prog artists

Hawkwind: We Are Looking In On You cover art

Hawkwind - We Are Looking In On You: "There’s plenty of life in the old bird yet!"

By Jeremy Allen published

Not yet rated

The space rock juggernaut rolls on with 13th live album.

Flavien Berger

Introducing Limelight artist Flavien Berger

By Jeremy Allen published

Reluctant French maestro traverses trippy landscapes and pop with bite…