FEATURED CD - Izz : My River Flows

[Duncan Glenday]

Izz members (Brian) have long been PE friends. Per PE's 'Garion' (also Brian), as posted on PA:

IZZ is a typical progressive band from this day and age in that they do this part time. What is not so typical is the pains they take to not make it seem that way. The recording is top notch (although get rid of the vocal effects please!), the musicianship is superb and the composition is very good. IZZ is a band that while drawing from their influences do not get trapped in them. It is for certain this band likes the Beatles and Yes and ELP to be sure but they also retain some of the American sound of Kansas and Spocks Beard as well. This release My River flows captures all of these influences while making them unmistakably IZZ.

Late Night Salvation could be one the top five prog tracks of the new century. The opening guitar riff makes you know that in the first few moments of the song. The vocals and lyrics are almost perfect with a great bass and drum line behind. The drum Solo which I remember from CalProg 2005 is tight and well formed. The keyboards are a perfect mix of solo and rhythm. Brian Corallen and Greg DiMiceli are as tight as two percussionists could be.

Deception shows off the marvelous talents of lead guitarist Paul Bremmer. Brems sounds like Alan Holdsworth in spots. I absolutely love his guitar sound as well. Crossfire is a great song in the mold of Kansas. Very nice melodies with some in your face rock built around it. Kudos to Tom Galganao for his keyboard work on this track it is stellar. Deafening Silence is a very good epic but it does have filler in it that could be dropped but the vocal harmonies by Laura Meadeand Anamarie Byrnes are fantastic on this one. I really like it but it tends to go on a bit and I don't listen to it all the way through each time. A couple of nice Beatlesesqe ballads round out the CD.

Every band has one like this in its collection. One that goes forward but does not yet grab you. Does this album progress form the earlier works? Yes but I don't think this is their best yet. IZZ is just hitting stride. Look at ELP Trilogy, Kansas Masque or Yes Fragile for reference. 4 solid stars.

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=9980

[GuitarGeek]

A fine album. Of the three albums I have by them, this is probably the one I like best.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I've got this one. Very sweet stuff. Good playing, some interesting twists of "pop-prog" quirkiness.

I like it.

[Radiohost]

AFTERGLOW ON WMUH
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Afterglow airs from 8:00 am to 9:30 am EDT/GMT-4 every Thursday morning. Tune in for a delightful mix of eclectic musical genres including a healthy dose of Progressive Rock. Tune in at WMUH 91.7 FM or on the internet at http://muhlenberg.edu/wmuh/stream.html

In Phase 2, you'll hear music from Nick D’Virgilio. He and Randy McStine will play a NJProghouse concert on December 5. You'll also hear music from today's Progressive Ears Featured CD, "My River Flows" by IZZ.

[infandous]

My favorite Izz album. I actually heard the first two before this, and wasn't very interested (they were good, but not my cup of tea). I got this on a whim a few years ago, and fell in love. Since then, I've bought all their stuff, seen them live twice, and consider them one of the finest modern prog bands around (certainly in the US). I think their more recent albums are more refined and probably even more "proggy" in many ways, but this one will always be my favorite.

[miamiscot]

I think this is my favorite of theirs.

[rickawakeman]

While the "Darkened Room " trilogy may be more sophisticated offerings (which I love), I really like this one. I also fell in love with IZZ after seeing them at MarProg years back, picked up the live DVD at that show and enjoyed them live again at NJ Proghouse Homecoming weekend, then filled in the gaps in my collection.

[Just Eric]

Love IZZ and fortunate to have seen them perform twice. I Move might be my favorite as I happen to love the Pop-Prog sound, but all are good and My River Flows gets many spins a year.

[JAMOOL]

Just wanna say, Late Nate Salvation is soooo damn good

[arabicadabra]

Take an eclectic bunch of great songwriters, give them 2 percussionists that have equal love for Ringo and Virgil Donati and know when to emulate both, throw in angelic female voices, a keyboard virtuoso and the one lead guitarist on earth that has never played an unemotional solo - and you get IZZ, the band that many of us hold up as a gold standard in composition.

[Staun]

Just a cool album. I like playing music for my non prog friends so I played Crush for them. They thought it was beautiful and actually purchased a copy. This made me feel really good as I was able to use IZZ as an example. Maybe it's just a matter of what we play, for the nonbelievers.

[Man In The Mountain]

Been a huge fan for a very long time, since their 2nd album came out "I Move". I have never seen them live however, they have yet to come to the Midwest.

"My River Flows" is a cool album, but not one of my favorites. I believe it's among their proggiest, most epic sounding album. But, I prefer the more melodic pop-prog offerings they usually deliver. Love the recent "Darkened Room" album is one of my favorites, and their first two albums are jems.

[SteveSly]

Might be my favorite from them. Great stuff!

[perpetual strange]

Was only able to handle about a minute of the above clip. Didn't sound proggy at all to me, just basic rock? Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, or maybe I need to listen to more. I do remember hearing a song from IZZ a couple years ago that I really liked.

[Just Eric]

Was only able to handle about a minute of the above clip. Didn't sound proggy at all to me, just basic rock? Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, or maybe I need to listen to more. I do remember hearing a song from IZZ a couple years ago that I really liked.

See if this is more to your liking...
https://youtu.be/Y_9W28U-1eI

[perpetual strange]

See if this is more to your liking...
https://youtu.be/Y_9W28U-1eI

Wow, very much so! I would never imagine based on the OP's clip that they were capable of this. Thanks!

[TheH]

Although I like the Album I would have prefered if they had returned to the much more daring "I Move" style.

My favourite Izz song:

[Bigpicturekeys]

Own them all, love them all!

[nycsteve]

Have a bunch of their stuff, I really like them. Great live show. Im partial to Darkened Room.

[Boceephus]

My PA review:
After an agonizing year long wait, IZZ finally brings forth the goods. Some of these tunes have been honed at Cal-Prog and other concerts over the past couple of years, I remember hearing "Crossfire" at Cal-Prog '04. I was immediately stunned at the production quality of MRF, I could FEEL the bass and kick drum, powerful stuff!
There is a lot of growth on this record, as in a more cohesive band, thoughtful lyrical content, individual instrumental prowess and shared duties. Anmarie, Laura and John Galgano share more lead vocal time then on previous albums. John Galgano's voice has improved tremendously and his bass playing is superb, getting a lot of presence to his fills and runs. Greg Dimiceli and Brian Coralian absolutely meld into a single eight limbed octo-drummer, locked in synchronistic harmony. Tom Galgano is in fine voice and, as a lead soloist, plays for the song and doesn't get "over the top." The biggest standout, though, is Paul Bremner. Brems really makes the most of every moment. His tone graces each tune with alternating power chords, deft flurries of razor sharp notes, ebow driven legato and sweet linear runs. Fabulous.

The tunes: Beatlesque melodies appear on Anything I Can Dream and Rose Colored Glasses. Muscular workouts, like Late Night Salvation and My River Flows. An epic showcase of musical twists and turns, choir-like passages, spiritual redemption and the kitchen sink on Deafening Silence. A sweet lullaby, Abby's Song. Social commentary on Deception. The band covers a lot of territory on this release, something for everyone.

I find myself skipping the title track and the finale. Why? For some reason, My River Flows doesn't click between the vocal melody and the chord structure. I felt the same way at Cal-Prog when they opened the show with this song. I can't put my finger on it, but something just doesn't fit. Deafening Silence is a huge tune, very hard to make it through in one sitting. I think it may be a case of a band trying to write an epic, rather than a song that demands it. I could hear DS broken down into three shorter pieces that would have worked much better. Rather than writing their Close to the Edge, they came up with a Tales from the Topographic moment. Too much padding, trying too hard? I don't know. Still, some fantastic interludes.

Why should you own this album? Late Night Salvation may be THE best prog tune of 2005. It is an awesome tune on every level; musically, lyrically, vocally and production quality. I remember the first time I heard Roundabout when I was a kid. I was shocked. LNS gave me that same feeling. Even with the small short-comings, My River Flows is an excellent addition to any prog collection. Cheers Greg!




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[aith01]

This is the only IZZ album I've got, and I remember liking it well enough but it has been years since I've listened to it. I'm going to get it off the shelf and give it another spin to reacquaint myself.

Also, going to check out I Move after hearing so much good stuff about it. "Prog-pop" is one of my favorite things.

[arabicadabra]

I love this record! After hearing the triumphantly exultant melodic Brems playing on I Move, on this album we find out he has a dark side, and it cavorts with sinister glee every chance it gets. The final epic is challenging but repeat listens will uncover the rewards contained therein.