Porcupine Tree - Octane Twisted

It's fanboy time! But this time with a sigh, as right now Octane Twisted seems to be a logical conclusion to the career of Steven Wilson's long running mainstream prog rock band. You get the feeling that the music he's creating now is what he really wants to do, and continuing Porcupine Tree now that they have found a higher level of success could only result in artistic compromise, as the newer fans demand Fear Of A Blank Planet Part 2 (gawd forbid) or Another Incident (preferable, but it ain't Signify or The Sky Moves Sideways, is it?). There, told you it was fanboy time.

Back in October 2010 as we sat in the wonderful venue that is London's Royal Albert Hall, it seemed only natural that the pinnacle gig of Porcupine Tree's lengthy existence should have been recorded, and now, two years later we are treated to but three songs from that special performance on this album. According to Steven he felt that the performance back at the RAH was not that good, and so is only releasing what he feels were the best bits. You see, that's what makes Steven Wilson an artist and not an entertainer. Bands that release everything they do, especially live albums, take note; although to be fair I suppose you'd have to be in a financially secure position to take such a praiseworthy but lofty decision.

The main bulk of the 2 CDs is a gig recorded in Chicago's The Riviera on 30th April 2010 on The Incident tour, and so we get a full rendering of that album plus a few corking highlights from years gone by. Some accuse Steven of a "cold" production, and that this album is too quiet, but they forget that he eschews the awful modern technique of recording everything louder than everything else, resulting in audible digital distortion, that is if you play your music on what is now becoming an increasingly unfashionable "proper hi-fi" rather than an iPod or worse, a mobile phone (Why???). It's odd that despite the ever advancing technologies involved in audio reproduction, yer average consumer is actually regressing back to a time of transistor radios under the bedcovers, metaphorically at least.



The best things about The Incident are THAT recurrent riff and Time Flies, probably the best song Pink Floyd never wrote. The stylistic homage is deliberate by the way, and very much a one-off, so the regressive rock element is thankfully kept to a minimum, and as a single song it works very well indeed. The performance is top notch, and the crowd obviously love it, and now with the hindsight of Steven's current activities and his less than enthusiastic pronouncements on the future of the band, The Incident could well be the last Porcupine Tree album. It is difficult to imagine where the band can go from here, and if we've had our lot, then so be it. Onwards and upwards as they say, and thanks for the music.

The three tracks from the RAH on Octane Twisted that end the second CD are Even Less, a rare outing for the long version, which opened the main set back then. A slightly nervous performance, understandably perhaps, but epic nonetheless. Better is the following Dislocated Day from my favourite album by the Porkie's, 1995's The Sky Moves Sideways, with its Eastern-tinged motif, and some splendid guitar work from Steven over Gavin's faultless timekeeping. Nice! Ending proceedings is an equally fab Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, from what for me was their last truly great album, 2005's Deadwing. A slight return to the space-rock vibe of old, this is a lovely atmospheric rendering of a great song that soars away into the stratosphere, and who knows, perhaps much like the band, never to return?

Tracklist:
CD1
The Incident:
1. Occam's Razor
2. The Blind House
3. Great Expectations
4. Kneel And Disconnect
5. Drawing The Line
6. The Incident
7. Your Unpleasant Family
8. The Yellow Windows Of The Evening Train
9. Time Flies
10. Degree Zero Of Liberty
11. Octane Twisted
12. The Seance
13. Circle Of Manias
14. I Drive The Hearse

CD2
1. Hatesong (9.57)
2. Russia On Ice / The Pills I'm Taking (15.02)
3. Stars Die (5.57)
4. Bonnie The Cat (6.11)
5. Even Less (14.28)
6. Dislocated Day (7.05)
7. Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (12:59)

DVD
As CD1

Line up:
- Steven Wilson / vocals, guitar, piano
- Richard Barbieri / keyboards, synthesizer
- Colin Edwin / bass guitar
- Gavin Harrison / drums

With:
John Wesley / vocals, guitar

Buy various versions from Burning Shed

Neo-prog - a cryme too far

Neo-prog is a sub-genre that I have little time for, let alone understand why it even exists, so when I volunteered to be part of DPRP's "Round Table Review" for Galahad's latest waxing Beyond The Realms Of Euphoria I thought here's a chance to deliver some home truths. Then came the debacle in the aftermath of my good mate Baz's righteous shredding (pun intended) of prosaic prog-metal band Threshold's offering for the same site.

As we all know the internet is full of needy fat (in mind if not in body) nerds who seem to have nothing better to do than force their rancid opinions down the virtual gullet of anyone daft enough to engage them in conversation. One of the species, albeit a fairly mild example, took umbrage to Baz's ultimately bang-on review, and to cut a long story short, firstly I decided that my Galahad review, which would almost certainly have resulted in a similar feast of frenzy, was simply not worth the trouble; at the end of the day I do this reviewing lark for fun and I do not need the grief. Secondly, approaching a review from a starting point of disliking a band or a genre is probably not the best approach, as some kind of "professional" objectivity is always my aim when scribbling these meandering missives, although I've no idea why, it's not like I'm getting paid for it after all.

You might be wondering what all the fuss is, or would have been about, well, here it is in all its glory:


Galahad - Beyond The Realms Of Euphoria

Galahad is filed under that dreadful category “neo-prog” on PA, a category that by definition should not be there at all. Surely something is or is not “prog”, whatever your particular definition? The label does have its uses though, in that the majority of what is classed “neo-prog”, is, in my ‘umble opinion about as far removed from being progressive music as a certain Chelsea FC captain is from being a decent human being, and therefore is to be avoided at all costs.

Galahad is also one of the stalwarts of the second wave of UK prog, and the band celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Along with the likes of Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Pallas, etc, these are all bands that largely passed me by at the time as their style was and is not at all near anything that I was into then, or now.

However, the fact they are still going attests to the loyalty of their audience, and good luck to them. Tragically, the band suffered the passing of bass player Neil Pepper who sadly went the way of cancer soon after the recording of this album was completed. We all know someone who has died from that dreadful disease before their time, and my condolences go to his family and friends. Should that sad fact temper any criticism of the album he and his mates left behind? Personally I don’t think so, so if you’re expecting a tribute to Mr Pepper, look away now.

The first song surprises me as it comes over all Klaus Schulze; space-rock sequencers bubbling under a disembodied voice, followed by an almost Euro-pop melody; not groundbreaking but entirely different to what I was expecting, even allowing for the hint of AOR riffage in the background. Salvation II continues the theme and for nearly half of its 6 minutes turns into a pop confection that is not a million miles away from Duran Duran with balls. OK, maybe not my usual fare but not as stale as my care worn lugoles were expecting, by any stretch of the imagination. Unfortunately just as I think my admittedly negative preconceptions are about to be kicked into touch along comes the rest of the song which is full of the kind of clichéd prog-metal riffing that could have come from any album made in the last 20 years in that dull genre, where an initially quite good idea was flogged to death until it became the turgid lumpen dreck that it is today. “If it moves, riff it to death, if it’s not moving riff it ‘til it does” seems to be the motto, and a more painful replacement for imagination is hard to fathom.

From here on in the riffing is only used sparingly, thank gawd, but the songs sound tired and weary. The over-long Guardian Angel is driven...actually “prodded” is probably a better word...by a lethargic beat over which the singer sounds uninspired as does the guitarist, whose melody and chord progressions you can predict well before they happen. Although it livens up towards the end, it’s one of those “long because the fans expect it” songs as far as I can see. Looking at the track listing, there’s a reprise to look forward to later, all 6 bleedin’ minutes of it. I wouldn’t bother trying to resuscitate it lads, it’s pointless. Secret Kingdoms... starts with the kind of prole-riffage that I crossed the street to avoid a quarter of a century ago. Fast Eddie Clark this guy isn’t. It’s another tired song that meanders along in a tame and predictable fashion until it eventually runs into ...And Secret Worlds which starts with an ersatz classical piano sequence that makes a nice change from what has gone before, even though it may well be the kind of thing that Muse do far better. Bloody hell, I just praised Muse, whatever next?

It’s fairly obvious to me that the keyboard player is a cut above the rest of the band and, for once, as usually keyboard dominated neo-prog has "terrible" as a benchmark, had he been allowed his head more often the whole thing might have been a bit more palatable. Although the latter half of ...And Secret Worlds nearly keels over under the weight of its own bombast, it is actually quite fun, histrionic plank spanking adding an extra layer of chuckle, although I sadly suspect it’s all meant to be taken seriously.

Apparently the band has revived old songs to end recent albums, and this one ends with Richelieu's Prayer 2012 but as I have not heard the original and have no intention of torturing myself, I’ll take it on its own merits. Actually, it’s not that bad and displays a deftness of touch largely absent from what has gone before. Again it won’t win any awards for originality, but it is a decent “lighters aloft” song; blimey, there’s even harmonies on it!

All joking aside, this is Galahad’s second studio album this year, and it would appear that they have stretched themselves way too thin on this one. For all of you no doubt by now apoplectic fans of the band, firstly I did warn you to look away, and secondly may I point out that 2012’s earlier release Battle Scars got glowing reviews here on DPRP, and if everyone thought the same way the world would be a very boring place indeed.

Normally I would not quote another reviewer, but the little gem that follows was simply too incredulous to resist. I find it hard to believe that anyone in their right mind could describe this as “...one of the finest prog albums that you will ever hear”, as this other reviewer puts it, unless they are either related to a band member or are one those poor unfortunates who reckon that “prog” is a style and not an attitude, or, heaven forfend, an abbreviation of the word progressive. Even that scribbler cannot surely believe he or she will be playing this patchy and plodding effort as often as Close To The Edge, or whatever his or her classic prog album of choice is in 10 years time, ridden as is it is with more cliché than you would find in a cliché pie covered in cliché sauce? The similarly hackneyed cover at least describes the contents, the only surprise being that the stylised young lady it features is not flashing some flesh, as was the case with the previous album.

Unfortunately this is a bland and unadventurous album and for the most part curiously flat and joyless, apart from Secret Worlds and to a lesser extent the last track, these being the only moments on the thing where the whole band appear to be having fun. Of course, the workman-like prog-by-numbers atmosphere of the rest was probably down to the rest of the band’s increasing awareness of the deteriorating health of their bass player, but, if that was the case, why release the album at all? For that reason and out of respect, I will not give a mark out of 10 to this album, as is the tradition on these pages.

I will now don a tin hat and go into hiding.

Conclusion - Unrated

All quite reasonable if you ask me, and yes Baz, I am a cowardly lion! A friend came up with a great description I'm determined will end up in a review one day, but even this nonsense did not deserve the description "AOR bukkake"!!

Pokerface - Transeo

Pokerface is multi-talented Swede Stefan Heidevik and a plethora of session musicians and guests who have created a mind-melting mix of ultra-modern electronica and progressive musics that while at times redolent of the Pat Mastelotto/Trey Gunn project TU, has dug out its own deeply-ploughed furrow of synapse-stretching weirdness. That's a compliment, by the way!


You can listen to it here, while reading on...



A mix of studio and live tracks, the latter sound more organic, more human, as indeed it should be. It seems a real drummer is used on Quicksand/Concrete in addition to electronic percussion and some really nice jazz trumpet.

Veering from future projected madly clattering Aphex Twin percussion to implied jazz and eerie soundscapes on Beginnings and Endings, this one track sums up the unusual auditory experience that awaits the listener on Transeo. This album is at once unsettling, edgy, discordant, but for all that strangely compelling.

The frenzied percussion can get a bit overpowering, as it seems that every available space is taken up by something being hit, or a sample of some other things being hit, but I suppose as Pokerface evolved from a hip-hop outfit this only to be expected. The downside of the claustrophobic feel of the music is leaving the listener with no air to breathe. Even on a slower track like Miss You, the "drum kit" is still falling down the stairs, albeit in slow motion.

For once, the beat keeps relatively simple on Real Real Reality and a spoken-word oratory of dark menace that actually does have room to manoeuvre shows what can be done with a bit of "less is more" in the percussion department. Things become even more spaced out on For Those Who Have Fallen which meanders through slabs of heavy chords marching to militaristic beats and all sorts of odd electronica with neo-operatic vocals; zeuhl-hop anyone?

Next, we're back to the robots-on-powders jigging excesses, although Spider could well be Kraftwerk dragged into the 21st century, before Bryan Baker contributes a fast dissonant and angular guitar run that flies in and out a jazz-fusion tangent. Because of the guitar (I'm an old-fashioned guy), this is my favourite track on the album, as it has a different colour to anything else here.

The following and last six tracks on Transeo are tagged "bonus tracks" but are really part of the whole as I doubt you could get hold of this without them. Mattis Karlsson contributes a Terje Rypdal influenced and almost ambient layer to the hymnal Ending, and things get real strung out on the scratchy Stagger, random trumpet and guitar jitterbugging all over the shop; very odd indeed.

It has to be said that the end half of this album is more fulfilling than the beginning for this listener at least. For some reason Red Room First takes me back to Peter Hammill's Gog/Magog from In Camera, a similar dystopian fearfest looming over the listener like a toxic cloud. Dark dark ambience and modernistic dislocation have replaced the percussive fury of the early part of the album and although this is a thousand miles and more from easy listening, it's a preferred jerky version of the nightmare in this house. The groovily titled Born To Murder The World sounds like Leftfield on baaad drugs having a dance with IEM, and Morning Storm belies description...ok...if Faust were a jungle band they would not sound anything like this oddity...how's that?

Transeo is not for the faint-hearted, but get it on Bandcamp for as little as you want to contribute - what have you got to lose?

Stefan is, according to his Bandcamp page, "Currently working on a new album, featuring contributions by Morgan Ågren (Mats/Morgan Band, Trey Gunn, Devin Townsend) and Bryan Baker (Steps Ahead, Yellowjackets, Till Brönner)." Should be interesting!


Track listing:
1. Hypocrites (5:06)
2. Krtek Ve Snu (5:02)
3. Buildings - featuring Mike Lloyd (6:30)
4. Beginnings And Endings (7:18)
5. Quicksand / Concrete - Live (4:17)
6. Like Love - Live (4:36)
7. Miss You - Live (4:14)
8. Really Real Reality - featuring Michael Horvath - Live (3:37)
9. For Those Who Have Fallen - Live (3:56)
10. Spider - featuring Bryan Baker (6:26)
Bonus Tracks
11. Ending - featuring Mikael Karlsson (5:52)
12. Stagger - featuring Bryan Baker (3:16)
13. Red Room First (7:20)
14. Born To Murder The World - featuring Michael Horvath (2:15)
15. Morning Storm (7:16)
16. Nana-Dudeh (Remix) (3:19)

Total running time: 80:29

Line up:
- Stefan Heidevik / synthesizer, programming, glockenspiel, percussion, voices
- Michael Horvath / voices
- Olle Prim / drums
- Mattis Karlsson / guitar
- Per Eriksson / saxophone, clarinet
- Bryan Baker / guitar
- Anna Sahlin / cello
- Karin Svensson Nordberg / violin
- Mike Lloyd / trumpet

Dennis Rea - The Discography

...and now, following from The Interview, here's The Discography, in his own words, in chronological order, earliest first. Take it away, Dennis!

Earthstar: Salterbarty Tales (Moontower Records 1978)
My first appearance on record, as a guest contributor to my hometown friend Craig Wuest's electroacoustic project Earthstar. Craig soon relocated to Germany, where I later joined him for additional sessions. Earthstar had the distinction of being the only American group to participate in the German kosmische musik scene while it was still at its height.

Earthstar: French Skyline (Sky Records 1979)
The second Earthstar LP, recorded in Germany with electronic music legend Klaus Schulze producing and a cast of international musicians. I appear on a remix of a track that first appeared on Salterbarty Tales. (Titbit: This session was recorded on a recycled Popol Vuh master tape.)

Earthstar: Atomkraft? Nein, Danke! (Sky Records 1981)
The third Earthstar LP, also recorded in Germany and a bit of a departure from the long-form pieces that characterized the previous LPs. I appear on two tracks.

Savant: The Neo-Realist (At Risk) (Palace Of Lights 1983)
The only full-length LP from K. Leimer's early '80s Seattle-based collective Savant, which combined physical instruments with tape manipulation in the pre-sampling era. I was a key contributor to three pieces, one of which ("Shadow in Deceit") is constructed almost entirely of percussive multitracked guitar and bass parts.

Earthstar, various: Schwingungen Vol. II (Sky Records 1985)
A Sky Records sampler that includes a track by Earthstar, this collection is notable for also featuring tracks by Cluster & Eno, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Dieter Moebius, and others. Erroneously subtitled "New Age Music" to cash in on the '80s craze.

Color Anxiety, various: Secretions (C/Z Records 1988)
A sampler LP documenting the state of the pre-Grunge mid-'80s Seattle rock scene, including such notables as Amy Denio, Tad, and Soundgarden/Pearl Jam's Matt Cameron. I appear on a track by the dual-guitar avant-funk outfit Color Anxiety, a sort of mutant hybrid of '80s Crimson and Fishbone.

The Shredders: Shredder Orpheus soundtrack (1990)
Throughout the soundtrack to this campy feature film I was the sonic alter ego of the lead character Orpheus, a guitarist who acquires a stringed instrument called the Lyrax that imparts supernatural powers. Music composed by Roland Barker and performed by myself, Amy Denio, and Bill Rieflin (Ministry, REM, Robert Fripp). Probably the 'heaviest' guitar playing I've committed to tape. Plans are afoot to issue the soundtrack on CD soon.

Dennis Rea: Shadow in Dreams (China Record Company 1990)
One of the first recordings of adventurous music released by a foreign musician in communist China, to my everalsting astonishment Shadow in Dreams sold an estimated 40,000 copies and was listed among the year's 10 best recordings by China Youth Daily. The record was made under less than ideal conditions, so I prefer to keep it under wraps ;) A second album was recorded for CRC by my Taiwan-based fusion group Identity Crisis, but its release was held up by authorities in Beijing who were steamed over the producer's failure to obtain permission to record a suspect foreign act.

LAND: LAND (Extreme 1995), Archipelago (Periplum 1997), and Road Movies (First World Music 2001)
Celebrated electronic musician Jeff Greinke's collaborative project LAND proferred an unusual blend of jazz, rock, and electronic music marked by ethnic overtones and expansive improvisation. I was a charter member (along with trumpet player Lesli Dalaba) and remained with the group through several lineup changes. The final version of the band, with bassist Fred Chalenor (Tone Dogs, Hughscore, Curlew) and drummer Bill Rieflin, tilted more toward avant-rock. LAND toured China, Hong Kong, and Macau in 1996.

Jeff Greinke: Big Weather (Linden Music 1994) and Swimming (Prudence Cosmopolitan Music 1998)
I contributed guitar to a track or two on each of these solo releases by my longtime collaborator and bandmate in LAND. Pre-electronica-era ambient music.

Eric Apoe: Songs of Love and Doom, Dream Asylum, Radioation, Book of Puzzles, and The Man in the Sun (All Soundtrack Boulevard Music 1996, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008) For ten years I played guitar in the bands of Eric Apoe, one of the Pacific Northwest's finest singer-songwriters, whose vast repertoire spans rock, jazz, blues, Americana, and Old World influences. Eric is as original and prolific as Tom Waits and richly deserves commensurate recognition. Playing such a varied songbook was an invaluable learning experience for me as a guitarist.

Craig Flory & Doug Haire: Wigwam Bendix (Franchise Records 1998)
Saxophonist extraordinaire Flory and sound engineer supreme Doug Haire's wacky improvised music project involving a who's who of the 1990s Seattle creative music scene, many of whom went on to earn international acclaim (e.g., Michael Bisio, Eyvind Kang, Skerik, Timothy Young). I performed on a rather cacophonous track together with Flory, three guitarists, a cellist, and two drummers.

Rik Wright: Bleeding Laughter (HipSync Records 2000)
Jazz Guitarist Rik Wright's improvised meetings with myself (one track), guitarist Ed Petry, saxophonist Wally Shoup, and drummers Toshi Makihara and Jeph Jerman. Rik and I currently co-present Zero-G Concerts, a creative music series that takes place regularly in various Seattle venues.

Infrasound Collective (various): Owasso Night Atlas (Infrasound 2000)
I appear on two tracks of this wide-ranging compilation: a studio improvisation with the Edge Trio (with saxophonists Paul Chuey and Michael Monhart) and an excerpt from a large-group improvisation hosted by The Tentacle journal of Pacific Northwest creative music (of which I was co-publisher at the time) in an abandoned Seattle steel mill, involving instruments and (sometimes huge) found objects.

Stackpole: Stackpole (First World Music 2001)
Described by one listener as "Seattle's Last Exit," Stackpole was a free-jazz juggernaut featuring veteran Seattle improvisers Wally Shoup (alto saxophone), Geoff Harper (bassist), and drum legend Gregg Keplinger. It was also the first record for which I assumed production duties.

Hector Zazou: Strong Currents (Materiali Sonori (Italy) & Taktic Music (France) - both 2003)
Acclaimed French composer Zazou’s Strong Currents is a collection of songs composed for a top-flight cast of female singers including Laurie Anderson, Jane Birkin, and Melanie Gabriel (daughter of Peter). My guitar serves as the backbone for the track “In the Middle of the Night,” sung by Lori Carson (Golden Palominos). Other musicians on the album include Ryuichi Sakamoto, Stefano Bollani, and Bill Rieflin. Definitely the highest-profile release I've ever appeared on. Released in both Italian and French editions, with different covers.

Wang Yong / Han Bennink / Andreas Schreiber / Dennis Rea / Steffen Schorn / Claudio Puntin / Lesli Dalaba: Free Touching: Live in Beijing at Keep in Touch (Noise Asia 2004)
A two-CD set documenting two evenings of free improvisations by an international cast of musicians who were in town to play the Beijing International Jazz Festival, hosted by guzheng (Chinese horizontal zither) virtuoso Wang Yong. I was especially thrilled to play with the legendary drummer Han Bennink.

Chekov: Born to be Quiet (Self released 2008)
I play an ebow-plus-ring-modulator solo on one track ("For Absent Friends") of this release by my longtime collaborator Andreas Vath's (AKA Atze Ton) groove-based electro-jazz group, recorded in Munich in 2007.

Ting Bu Dong: Ting Bu Dong
(Self released 2008)
A CD EP featuring five of my compositions in a classic jazz-rock fusion mode, from sessions recorded in Munich in 2007 with bassist/engineer Andreas Vath, keyboardist Volker Wiedersheim, and drummer Olli Klomp. Chinese for "I hear, but I don't undrestand," Ting Bu Dong toured major Taiwanese cities in 2008.

Moraine: manifest deNsity (MoonJune 2009)
The first Moraine release, recorded on a tiny budget and featuring the 'string quartet plus drums' version of the band with Ruth Davidson on cello and our original drummer Jay Jaskot.

Iron Kim Style: Iron Kim Style (MoonJune 2010)
Paeans of praise for the Dear Leader in an exploded jazz-rock modality, improvised live in the studio at the instigation of bassist Ryan Berg.

Dennis Rea: Views from Chicheng Precipice (MoonJune 2010)
In formulating these arrangements of some of my favorite Chinese, Taiwanese, and East Asian ethnic minority pieces, I sometimes chose to honor traditional formal constraints, e.g., limiting improvisers to a particular set of scale tones, or eschewing the use of Western-style functional harmony. In other cases I threw custom to the winds—harmonizing passages, employing atypical instrumentation, and incorporating noise, chromaticism, free improvisation, and amplification—while striving to remain faithful to the spirit of my models.

Moraine: Metamorphic Rock: Live at NEARfest (MoonJune 2011)
Moraine Mark II (with woodwind player James DeJoie and drummer Stephen Cavit) in full flight at the world's preeminent progressive rock festival, performing new compositions plus reworked versions of tunes from manifest deNsity and Views from Chicheng Precipice. Remixed and coproduced by legendary Pacific Northwest producer Steve Fisk.

Dennis Rea, Wally Shoup & Tom Zgonc: Subduction Zone (Nunatak 2012)
A set of uninhibited improvisations from Seattle improvisers Rea, Shoup (alto saxophone), and Zgonc (drums), ranging from hyperkinetic fusion to noir jazz to eldritch experimentalia. Some of my wildest guitar on record.

Tempered Steel: Tempered Steel
(Nunatak 2012)
A set of amplified, electronically processed thumb piano improvisations with collaborators Ffej and Frank Junk. Recommended for partisans of Harry Partch, John Cage's prepared piano music, and Konono No. 1.




As well as the currently available MoonJune & Nunatak releases, Dennis tells me that all three LAND CDs are still available through Amazon, as are these:

• Savant: The Neo-Realist (At Risk)
• Hector Zazou: Strong Currents
• Stackpole
• All of the Eric Apoe titles
• Owasso Night Atlas
• Rik Wright: Bleeding Laughter
• Jeff Greinke: Big Weather and Swimming

 ...and this is also available:

• Free Touching: Live in Beijing at Keep in Touch (http://www.noiseasia.com/content/product/88)

...and there you have it. There is some highly interesting music in there, and I will have fun investigating further, as indeed, should you!