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The Fierce and the Dead Sign with Bad Elephant Music
The Fierce And The Dead
Photo © TheChaosEngineers. For information: info@thechaosengineers.com
B.E.M. is delighted to announce partnering with The Fierce And The Dead for the production, release and worldwide distribution of the band’s second full-length album.
The Fierce And The Dead – guitarists Matt Stevens and Steve Cleaton, bassist and producer Kev Feazey and drummer Stuart Marshall – was originally born out of sonic experimentation when making Matt’s second solo album, Ghost, and they’ve developed into one of the most original bands in the UK rock scene. Their unique brand of instrumental rock music, fusing rock, post-rock, punk and progressive elements, has made a big impression through one full-length album and two EPs, and their incendiary live performances, most recently as part of the Stabbing a Dead Horse tour of the UK with Knifeworld and Trojan Horse.
David Elliott, founder and CEO of Bad Elephant Music said: “We’re proper made up to be working with The Fierce And The Dead. They’re absolutely our kind of band, and lovely guys too. I’m looking forward to hearing what Matt, Kev, Stuart and Steve are going to produce for us, and of course it will be an absolute monster. Collaborating with a band of TFATD’s calibre is a huge honour for us, and we welcome them with open arms to the B.E.M. family.”
David Elliott, founder of BEM.
Matt Stevens, on behalf of The Fierce And The Dead, said: “We are extremely pleased to partner with Bad Elephant on this album, they are true music lovers and believe in supporting the artist. This will allow us to make the music we want to make and have the support to help us gain a wider audience, without in anyway compromising our vision for our new album. And they like a good curry, which is nice.”
The as yet untitled album is scheduled for release in the Autumn of 2013.
Nosound–Quite the Contrary
There can be no doubt that this will be one very, very great year for Prog. We’ve already had masterpieces from Big Big Train and Cosmograf. Sanguine Hum has released its second, though it’s still not available in North America. Matt Stevens, Ayreon, Heliopolis, Advent, and the Tin Spirits are working on new albums as well. Very exciting.
One of the albums I’m most looking forward to this year is the new studio album (KScope–May 6, 2013) from Nosound, “Afterthoughts.” It will be their fourth studio release.
Sea of Tranquility was able to get a hold of a pre-release copy and has offered an excellent review. You can read it here.
I’ve been a huge fan of this Italian (now, Anglo-Italian with the addition of Chris Maitland on drums) post-prog act for coming up on a decade now. Indeed, I find Lightdark (2008) and A Sense of Loss (2009) to be essential parts of any serious progger’s library. When music historians look back on this current revival of prog, the albums of Nosound will stand at the forefront–along with the works of Big Big Train, Glass Hammer, Gazpacho, Cosmograf, Ayreon, and The Fierce and the Dead . . . and many others (what a great time to be a prog fan!).
This music is contemplative and wave-like, without ever descending into the abyss of self-absorption or ascending into the madness of over-the-top ELPism. Probably the best descriptive of Nosound’s perfectionist sound would be: tasteful.
Nosound’s official website is: http://nosound.net/. I preordered “Afterthoughts” the moment the CD was announced, and I very much look forward to reviewing it.
Fierce And The Dead sign to Bad Elephant Music for 2nd Album
[I was very happy to wake up on this Sunday morning to find this press release and this note from one of our friend, Matt Stevens, and his outstanding and innovative band, The Fierce and the Dead--Brad, ed.]
Photo © TheChaosEngineers. For information: info@thechaosengineers.com
B.E.M. is delighted to announce partnering with The Fierce And The Dead for the production, release and worldwide distribution of the band’s second full-length album.
The Fierce And The Dead – guitarists Matt Stevens and Steve Cleaton, bassist and producer Kev Feazey and drummer Stuart Marshall – was originally born out of sonic experimentation when making Matt’s second solo album, Ghost, and they’ve developed into one of the most original bands in the UK rock scene. Their unique brand of instrumental rock music, fusing rock, post-rock, punk and progressive elements, has made a big impression though one full-length album and two EPs, and their incendiary live performances, most recently as part of the Stabbing a Dead Horse tour of the UK with Knifeworld and Trojan Horse.
David Elliott, founder and CEO of Bad Elephant Music said: “We’re proper made up to be working with The Fierce And The Dead. They’re absolutely our kind of band, and lovely guys too. I’m looking forward to hearing what Matt, Kev, Stuart and Steve are going to produce for us, and of course it will be an absolute monster. Collaborating with a band of TFATD’s calibre is a huge honour for us, and we welcome them with open arms to the BEM family.”
Matt Stevens, on behalf of The Fierce And The Dead, said: “We are extremely pleased to partner with Bad Elephant on this album, they are true music lovers and believe in supporting the artist. This will allow us to make the music we want to make and have the support to help us gain a wider audience, without in anyway compromising our vision for our new album. And they like a good curry, which is nice.”
The as yet untitled album is scheduled for release in the Autumn of 2013.
The Modern Condition: Cosmograf’s “The Man Left In Space”
From its cover image reminiscent of the all-seeing camera eye of 2001: A Space Odyssey‘s HAL computer, to the final track “When the Air Runs Out”, Cosmograf’s new album, The Man Left in Space, is a profound meditation on the tragedy of modern man’s surrender to ambition and technology, and the ensuing isolation that results.
Beginning with a bewildered astronaut, Sam, asking, “How did I get here?”, the listener is transported to the near-future, where Sam is questioning his motives for agreeing to a mission to “change the human race”. Can over-achievement bring satisfaction and happiness?
Ambition brought me here.
A winner in my field.
Dare to be a dreamer.
Find your fate is sealed.
Hidden truths revealed.
Through memory flashbacks, snippets of dialog with the ship’s android, and sampled audio of actual NASA space missions, we share Sam’s growing sense of melancholic disconnection with reality.
I take these pills. They help me numb the pain.
They stop me from feeling blue.
I feel the days getting longer now.
I’d like to dream, but I’ve forgotten how.
He’s even reduced to crooning a love song to his “beautiful treadmill” that will “keep my soul in grace”. Throughout, the ship’s android is monitoring Sam and vainly attempting to create a normal environment. Earth’s Mission Control tries to contact him, but they cannot get through. Sam realizes that without human contact, he will eventually slide into madness. No simulation, no matter how realistic, can replace the touch of another person.
Eventually, the “man left in space” is forced to face his own mortality:
10 minutes more and the air will run out.
This craft will fall into the sun.
My chance of returning is none. None. None.
As the last chords of the final song fade away, the ship’s android repeatedly asks, “Please respond, Sam?”
Robin Armstrong, who is Cosmograf, has constructed a beautiful, allegorical warning for those of us who would replace face-to-face communication with all the technological means at our fingertips: emailing, texting, Tweeting, “liking” on Facebook, etc. Right on cue, Google is coming out with “Google Glass“, which will add even more distractions to our interactions with others. We must resist the temptation to withdraw into self-imposed isolation and foster real relationships, regardless of the risks.
The Man Left In Space would not be the success it is without having superb music to complement its message. Every track is extraordinary, and the album really must be listened to in its entirety. Highlights include “Aspire, Achieve”, which begins with a delicate acoustic guitar melody and vocal harmonies that shift into crunching metal worthy of Ayreon’s best work. “Beautiful Treadmill” has an indelible hook that will have you singing along in no time. The instrumental, “The Vacuum That I Fly Through”, featuring the marvelous Matt Stevens on guitar and Big Big Train’s Nick D’Virgilio and Greg Spawton on drums and bass respectively, rivals anything Pink Floyd ever committed to tape. Trust me, it’s that good.
Finally, some praise for the artwork. In this age of digital downloads, it’s worth it to get the physical CD. The booklet that comes with the album is essential to fully appreciating the album. The illustrations remind me of the incredibly realistic sci-fi artwork Shusei Nagaoka did for Electric Light Orchestra’s Out of the Blue album from the late ’70s. The attention to detail is amazing: every page features readouts of various gauges, creating the feeling that you are involved in monitoring Sam throughout his doomed journey. The ship’s android is named ESA-1410-4MY, which pops up in several places and adds to the sense of technological surveillance and control of Sam.
Even though we have yet to finish the first quarter of 2013, Cosmograf’s The Man Left In Space is certain to be in many Top Ten Albums of the Year lists.
Enjoy “The Vacuum That I Fly Through”:
Update: A brief, but illuminating interview with Robin Armstrong.
Chronometry, Cosmograf, and Perfection: The Man Left in Space
By Brad Birzer
As you’ve probably noticed, we’ve been having a Big Big Train-love fest for the past several days at Progarchy. Even our criticisms (well, not mine; but I won’t point fingers) have been written out of love and respect.
Another recent release that deserves a massive amount of attention is the fourth cd by Robin Armstrong, writing under the name, Cosmograf. Yes, it deserves a MASSIVE (Ok, I’m yelling at you, fair reader; it’s not personal, I promise!) amount of attention. Massive.
Following Cosmograf’s history, it comes across far more as a project than a band. I’m not sure Robin would put it this way, but this is how it strikes me. Each album has been a concept with a variety of guest musicians. For this current album, The Man Left in Space, Robin has chosen the best of the best: Greg Spawton (who wouldn’t love this guy), Nick d’Virgilio (giving Peart a run for his money since 1990!), Matt Stevens (a young guy already inducted in the Anglo-Saxon pantheon of guitar gods), and other brilliant folks such as Dave Meros (ye, of the Beard!), Luke Machin, and Steve Dunn. Robin knows how to get the absolute best, and he knows how to bring the best out of his guests. Then, add the additional production of the ultimate audiophile of our time, Rob Aubrey. Can it really get much better than this? Not really.
By profession, Robin is a master of all things time-related. He’s a watch dealer and a watch repairman. I find this so very appropriate. What better thing for a musician and composer to be than to be a master Chronometer (I have no idea if this is the proper term, but I like the sound of it). Chronometrician? Ok, I’m floundering here, but I assume you get the point. Precision, mystery, time, eternity, space, place, humanity. . . Robin Armstrong. Read the rest of this entry
Cosmograf–only 3 days before release
Make sure you head over to http://www.cosmograf.com to order Robin’s latest album. It will be released in three days. So, make sure to order now. Lots of our progarchy favorites–including Greg Spawton, Nick D’Virgilio, and Matt Stevens–contribute to the album. Also, the web is buzzing about what a great album it is–Robin’s best. So, order away!
Andy Tillison and Geoff Banks
If you’re free for the next 45 minutes, it’s definitely work checking into the Prog Dog Radio Show.
http://myradiostream.com/progdog
Geoff Banks is an excellent radio host, and Andy Tillison is an equally interesting guest. Banks and Tillison are talking about the nature of progressive rock as well as engaging one another on a variety of topics. On the nature of Prog: Geoff is arguing that prog is ”music that will stand the test of time.” It is the classical music of our day. Andy’s response: Progressive rock is “serious electric music.”
Andy, sounding very much like Owen Barfield or J.R.R. Tolkien of the Inklings stated that his brainchild, The Tangent, is much bigger than himself or a supergroup. He hopes it will keep going long after he’s retired.
The chat room is especially interesting: Alison Henderson, Blake Carpenter (Minstrel’s Ghost), Sally Collyer, and Matt Stevens are all contributing.
Kevin McCormick’s Squall (1999)
Kevin McCormick, Squall (1999). To my mind, this is some of the best rock music ever written—but tempered with very serious classical sensibilities and lacking the over-the-top bombast present in even some the best of 1970s progressive rock.
If one had to label his music, it would most likely be a post-prog, post-rock, or, simply put post-Talk Talk. In the current realm of music, one might think of a mixture of Matt Stevens, Gazpacho, and Nosound.
McCormick incorporates his profound poetry as lyrics. Each word—and the way Kevin sings it—seems utterly filled with grace and conviction. This is part two of a rock/post-rock trilogy (he’s currently working on number three). And, it’s hard to listen to Squall without listening to its equally fine predecessor, With the Coming of Evening (1993). Kevin really has it all: a great voice, the ability to write poetry as lyrics, and the training of a classical guitarist.
Before I write any more, let me admit my bias. Kevin is one of my closest friends, and he has been since we first met in the fall of 1986 as freshman at the University of Notre Dame. We still talk and correspond frequently. Kevin is the godfather of my oldest son, and I of his second daughter.
We bonded immediately on matters of music back in 1986.
Kevin and his two brothers had a well-known Texas band in the mid 1980s, and Kevin formed the finest band at Notre Dame, St. Paul and the Martyrs, during our years there. Toward the end of our senior year, St. Paul and the Martyrs opened for the-then unknown progressive jam band, Phish.
During our years in college, Kevin and I traveled throughout the U.S. and England together (making sure to visit Trident studios as well as EMI (hoping to catch a glimpse of Mark Hollis) while journeying through the mother land of prog and New Wave), co-produced a “Dark Side of the Moon” charity show, complete with an angsty-movie backing a full performance of the album by the Marytrs, talked music and lyrics until late into the nights, and even co-hosted a prog rock radio show on Friday nights.
Not surprisingly, one of my greatest memories of Kevin in college was listening to the entirety of Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden in 1988. We remained completely silent for a very long time after its completion, stunned by the immensity of its beauty.
Kevin is extremely talented in a number of ways. Not only is he the father of our beautiful daughters, but he has won national poetry as well as classical guitar composition awards. In addition to the two post-prog albums (With the Coming of Evening and Squall) already mentioned, Kevin has also released several albums of solo classical guitar as well as an album of Americana, all recorded on an 1840s Martin.
His music has been praised publicly by many (see, for example, his entry at Allmusic) and privately by such luminaries as Phill Brown and Greg Spawton.
As of this afternoon, Kevin has finished mixing a Christmas CD, recorded with his oldest daughter on vocals, to be released next Christmas season. And, as mentioned above, he is currently working on the completion of his post-rock trilogy.
Here’s Kevin’s music at CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/KevinMcCormick
Here’s Kevin’s official site: http://www.kevin-mccormick.com/KM/index.html
I know we at Progarchy have offered lots and lots of suggestions for worthwhile purchases over the last three months. But, as we begin this near year, I can state unequivocally that it’s worth supporting Kevin, especially as he prepares to record his new post-prog album. I’ve only heard bits and pieces, but Kevin is a man of absolute integrity. He is, like so many of us who either play prog or simply listen to prog, a perfectionist. He also possesses one of the finest senses of beauty I’ve ever encountered in another. So, while 2013 will probably NOT be the year of Kevin McCormick in the prog world, 2014 almost certainly will be.
Certainly, Kevin’s album should be one of the most anticipated releases of the next two years. It’s worth beginning to anticipate today, January 1, 2013.
***
Some video links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umMMJ4B-D6k
The Best 15 Albums of 2012, The Greatest Year in Prog. Ever.
by Brad Birzer, Progarchy editor
One of my greatest pleasures of 2012–and there have been many–has been listening to massive quantities of progressive rock, mostly for pleasure.
Being a literary and humanities guy, I’d contemplated rejecting the entire numerical ranking scheme. Rather, I thought about labeling each of my best albums with various qualities of myth. These albums achieved the level of Virgil; these of Dante; these of Tolkien, etc. But, I finally decided this was way too pretentious . . . even for me.
Below are my rankings for the year. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised by any of these choices. I’m not exactly subtle in what I like and dislike. Before listing them, though, I must state three things.
First, I loved all of these albums, or I wouldn’t be listing them here. That is, once you’ve made it to Valhalla or Olympus, why bother with too many distinctions. The differences between my appreciation of number 8 and number 2, for example, are marginal at best.
Second, I am intentionally leaving a couple of releases out of the rankings: releases from Echolyn, The Enid, Minstrel’s Ghost, Galahad, and Kompendium, in particular, as I simply did not have time to digest them. Though, from what I’ve heard, I like each very much.
Third, I think that 2012 has proven to be the single greatest year in prog history. DPRP’s Brian Watson has argued that we’re in the “third wave of prog.” He might very well be right. But, I don’t think we’ve ever surpassed the sheer quality of albums released this year. This is not to belittle anything that has come before. Quite the contrary. I am, after all, a historian by profession and training. The past is always prologue. Close to the Edge, Selling England by the Pound, and Spirit of Eden will always be the great markers of the past.
Ok, be quiet, Brad. On with the rankings.
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