Selected Reviews
Fans of Emerson Lake & Palmer, Yes, King Crimson, Marillion, Gentle Giant, etc., get ready because here’s an album and band to whet your prog appetite! House of Usher indeed draw from the aforementioned influences to be sure, but they are redefining and reshaping them for a ’90s audience. All the progressive touchstones are here, from the symphonic leanings of “Don’t Remind Me” to the staccato intro of “C’est Pas Finit,” their music reflects heavy elements of European classical, fusion, rock and even jazz music. Body of Mind is one of those rare albums that is difficult to categorize because of its diversity and sincere originality. Add House of Usher to the top of the progressive rung.
—Jam Rag (October, 1998)
Not since Marillion‘s classic album Brave has there been such a prime example of a good vocal oriented concept album. Some choice stuff from these boys in Detroit: What is in the water over there? Consider Body of Mind to be on your “Hot Adds” list for new prog albums of 1999.
—Exposé #17 (Spring, 1999)
Time to explore another new venue–this time the Magic Bag in fashionable Ferndale. The occasion was the Motor City Progshow ’95 , a festival of progressive music featuring three very talented bands. The first band was House of Usher, and they were fantastic. Their vocalist sounded like the singer for Saga, their rhythm section smoked and their guitarist (who plays Flamenco about half the time) and keyboardist were not only first rate, they worked together so well that it was hard to tell who was doing what at times. This band’s overall presentation defies any comparisons, so I won’t attempt any. What I will say is that if you like truly talented musicians playing really great music, check them out.
—The Raven (December 1995)
The Motor City’s House of Usher played an hour plus set that was nothing short of stunning! They hit the stage with the fervor and passion of seasoned pros really bringing their symphonic dynamically-oriented rock to life! They had a lot to celebrate as this gig served as their CD release party for their debut entitled Body of Mind. They performed the entire album along with a couple of new songs, which seemed to dazzle the attentive crowd. Fans of prog, or just superb music in general, should pick up on their live shows and album.
—Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter (May, 1999)
House of Usher are very much a melodic, progressive rock outfit with most of the work shared between the guitar of Michael Allen Moore and the keyboards of Richard Kaczynski (you are highly recommended to check out some of the sublime piano moments on this album). Softly flowing, well-crafted tracks with intelligent lyrics played with passion make this a pleasant surprise. The 12 minute “C’est Pas Fini” is perhaps the highlight of the album but all the material on display is very strong and if this is their debut release then they ought to be very proud of themselves.
—Wondrous Stories (England, March, 1999)
House of Usher’s first album Body of Mind, recorded in 1998 and released January 1999, reveals upon first listen a refined progressive rock, with marked symphonic coloring and offering a rich and complex harmonic unit. If House of Usher is able to obtain the means to match production quality to its talent and mature writing, this group has the potential to attain a formative scale on the progressive scene of our time.
—Highlands: L’actualité du rock progressif (France, August, 1999)
The Uzbekistan Prog Rock Pages calls Body of Mind a masterpiece, featuring an CD extensive review.