Here's a problem for you: What do you get if you add a solute to a solvent? That's right, you get a solution. But that doesn't mean you can dissolve every problem. When I was a student, I had a summer vacation job at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, an official establishment that analyses…Read more Solution
progressive rock
In Disequilibrium
"Well, it's all topsy-turvy", sings Peter Hammill as his second collaboration with Isildurs Bane starts to swing. "Everything's turned upside-down", he continues as In Disequilibrium, part 1 kicks off their latest album. It's the first section of a three-part title track, and it sets us up nicely for 45 minutes of good, old-fashioned symphonic prog…Read more In Disequilibrium
Altitude
The Airbus Perlan II glider in flight. On 2nd September 2018 the Airbus Perlan II glider claimed a record for "the highest sustained flight by a winged, manned, subsonic aircraft", recording an altitude of 76,000 ft (approximately 23 km) soaring over Argentina on the high stratospheric winds pushed upwards by the Andes mountain range. Another…Read more Altitude
Pymlico
A house in Pimlico, London Today, Crotchety Man has followed the sign at the Burning Shed, and headed in the direction of Pymlico. We have agreed to meet there on 20th May to celebrate the release of that band's seventh album, Supermassive. In the meantime, I have been mugging up on both the Pymlico band…Read more Pymlico
Kaipa
Ura Kaipa was the name of a Swedish chieftain, and also the original name of the Swedish prog rock band, Kaipa. Less original was the title of their first album, Kaipa, which was released in 1975. The band was unknown to Crotchety Man until it was brought to my attention by the latest issue of…Read more Kaipa
Diagonal
Scanning through the list of artists, albums and tracks earmarked for further investigation, I noticed that one band appeared twice. Diagonal's latest two albums, Arc (2019) and 4 (2021), each had an entry. With nothing else begging to be heard, it was time to follow this oblique reference and acquaint myself with the band. Information…Read more Diagonal
Plugging the Gaps
Santa Claus brought Crotchety Man much music this year. The cash vouchers were used to plug some of the gaps in the house collection. Just two vouchers funded five purchases, which together delivered 11 albums and very nearly 9 hours of listening. Now that's what I call music! For the record (no pun intended), those…Read more Plugging the Gaps
Lightning Blog
Crotchety Man is spoilt for choice and pushed for time this week, so this will be a lightning blog covering a very mixed bag of musical delights. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/30KeiOLVyhGOxkhIwhxkPd?si=1bff15e7d15b4b0e We start this Spotify playlist with a band I damned with faint praise in this post back in January 2020. But Rick Mitarotonda's Goose has a knack…Read more Lightning Blog
Inventioning
The biggest surprise on my Spotify Release Radar this week was a song called Some People. It was by a band I'd not heard of, but with featured artists of Jean-Luc Ponty and Jon Anderson it had to be worth giving it my full attention. It turned out to be a stomping song that would…Read more Inventioning
The Quest
Crotchety Man is on a quest. Or rather, his alter ego in the real world is. The details of the journey and the destination are not relevant here, suffice it to say that I have come to an impasse. Standing in my way is a small group of people who are resistant to change. To…Read more The Quest
Crotchety Man 