RHÙN - EVIL ERBEZ

• Rhùn: Evil Erbez
      (2026, cd, France, baboon fish label bfl 23)

French Zeuhl and R.I.O. (Rock in Opposition) pioneers Rhùn released their first demo in 2008.
Their latest album, recorded live in 2024, captures their frenetic energy in peak form.

Recorded at the Soleil Zeuhl festival in Belleville, this 7-track album documents the 5-piece band's multi-instrumental lineup as they showcase their trademark avant-garde sound.

Compared to their previous albums, "Evil Erbez" is a departure from the tightly controlled, studio wizardry. Where "Tozïh" (2023) and "Tozzos" (2024) allowed for layered, astral noodling, "Evil Erbez" trades atmospheric pacing for raw, explosive, high-octane velocity.
Koenjihyakkei comes to mind.
I'd even call it avant-garde jazz.

"Evil Erbez" proves that Rhùn also is an incredible live act. And excellent addition to their discography.
Out on the Baboon Fish record label, and on Bandcamp.
Check it out:

-- info: Danny Mathys

SEBASTIAN GRAMMS' HELIX PROJECT

"Sebastian Gramss' HELIX" Documentary by Maurice Graf.

GOOSE - 2026/05/25 LA MADELEINE, BRUSSELS, BE

• Goose: 2026/05/25 La Madeleine, Brussels, BE
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

American jam-band Goose has the good habit to make recordings of their concerts available through Bandcamp.
I didn't attend their recent gig in Brussels, but I am more than happy to enjoy the recording.

Great atmosphere. Superb sound, beautiful pieces and lovely improvisations.
And, yes, 'I Would Die 4 You' is the Prince song.

Feel-good music.

Around 2019, Goose included Frank Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia' in their setlist a couple of times.
Also available through Bandcamp.

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

NEAL SCHON - UNIVERSE

• Neal Schon: Universe
      (2020, cd, USA, straxar)

If you're into instrumental rock guitar music, you definitely need to check out Neal Schon's "Universe" album.
Neal Schon joined Carlos Santana's band at a young age, only to become part of Journey at the age of 19.

"Universe" was Neal's eleventh album. The unlikely aspect of the album is the choice of songs.
Imagine having been a guitar hero all of your life, both as a solo artist and as part of one of the biggest rock bands around. And then you decide to record a bunch of songs that you like. Original material but also songs by Prince, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix,... All as instrumental versions.

Simply brilliant.

Neal Schon: I Believe (S. Wonder)

PINO PALLADINO & BLAKE MILLS - NOTES WITH ATTACHMENTS

• Pino Palladino & Blake Mills: Notes With Attachments
      (2021, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2021, cd, --, impulse)
      (2021, lp, --, impulse)

Yesterday, I received a digital download copy of "Notes With Attachments", the 2021 album by Pino Palladino and Blake Mills.
The first piece of the album, 'Just Wrong', had me all puzzled. It felt like there were a lot of clues to Frank Zappa's early music / Mothers Of Invention area. Was it the chord structure, parts of the melody, the instrumentation? I still can't lay my finger on it. But it sure got me intrigued.

Did I get the same reaction to the other tracks on the album?
Well, not really, but I did really enjoy the other pieces as well.

 All instrumental.
Experimental, jazz-adjacent, and genre-defying soundscapes.

ROBERT DAVIDSON'S ICONIC PICTURE OF FRANK ZAPPA

Andrew Greenaway posted some excellent news on https://www.zappanews.co.uk/.
Kickstarter coming soon to help Wild Dog Film finish this documentary about Robert Davidson and his iconic photo of Frank Zappa

https://www.wilddogworld.com/zappa-and-me-the-image-that-created-an-icon/

K² - BOOK OF THE DEAD

• K²: Book Of The Dead
      (2004, cd, --, progrock records)

American progressive rock band K² got founded by Ken Jaquesss in 2001 in Los Angeles.
The band released two albums and two DVDs.

Their first album, "Book Of The Dead", featured Allan Holdsworth on the guitar !

Prog rock with an Allan Holdsworth lead guitar fusion injection...

I stumbled upon the below YouTube video by accident and ordered the CD right away.
Awesome.

DIVINE HAND ORCHESTRA - ARIA 51 (PICTURE DISC)

• Divine Hand Orchestra: Aria 51
      (2024, lp picture disc, USA, private release / label51recordings)

Led by Mano Divina Giannone on Theremins and on Tesla Coils, the eleven-piece Divine Hand Orchestra also features Dave Hartl on accordion and organ (who released an album with Frank Zappa tunes in 2019).

“Aria 51” was the ensemble’s fist release.

Subtitled “Songs From The 20th Century Voiced With Singing Electricity” the album offered classical pieces as well as pop songs.
The first piece on the album was FZ’s ‘Peaches En Regalia’.

Made available as a digital / download release on Bandcamp, the album also got issued on CD, on 5 color confetti vinyl LP, and (as I only recently learned) even on picture disc LP.

Here's a promising concert fragment. It's from a while ago already, but as the ensemble is preparing a Zappa tribute album at this very moment, this might be one of the pieces...

 

UNIT WAIL - PETROCHEMICALS CORP.

• Unit Wail: Petrochemicals Corp.
      (2026, cd, France, soleil mutant 65)

 After 7 years, French rock band Unit Wail is back with a new album.
"Petrochemical Corp." is a conceptual album with song titles focusing heavily on the ecological, social, and physical impacts of the petroleum industry.

"Petrochemicals Corp." still maintains strong Zeuhl ties, but the band expands their sound into much heavier and darker musical territory. While their early albums were firmly rooted in Magma-inspired Zeuhl and avant-prog, this fifth release heavily incorporates dystopian atmospheres.

Recommended listening !

-- info: Danny Mathys

PILI COÏT ET LES EXOCRINES

For their latest project, Pili Coït uses King Solomon's "Song Of Songs" as an inspiration.
The duo got expanded and the sound got more complex.

Experimental and fascinating.