Author: bradbirzer

By day, I'm a father of seven and husband of one. By night, I'm an author, a biographer, and a prog rocker. Interests: Rush, progressive rock, cultural criticisms, the Rocky Mountains, individual liberty, history, hiking, and science fiction.

Album Of The Year 2013 – Number 1

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If you haven’t yet, make sure you follow Man of Much Metal. I (ed., Brad) am not generally a metal guy. But, when I want metal, I definitely look to Man of Much Metal.

manofmuchmetal's avatar

And so here we are. It has been an epic journey I’m sure you’ll agree but we’ve made it. With your support, I have once again made some tough choices, worked long and hard and have finally completed my ‘Album of the Year 2013’ countdown. The past 20 posts have hopefully given you a better insight into the kind of music that makes me tick and I hope that I’ve either reinforced your own choices or made you take a look at a few bands that you might otherwise never have tried. If I’ve done either, I will be happy.

But, without any further ado, I bring you my number 1 choice, my gold medal album for 2013:

haken mountainHAKEN
‘The Mountain’
InsideOut Music

I’m almost certain that this is no surprise to many of you. I’m sure that those who know me personally or via this blog will have half…

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Progzilla #34–Cliff and Alison Take the UK by Storm!

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One of our favorite music men, Cliff, got together with one of our favorite music women, Lady Alison.  And, here is the lovely result.  Enjoy!

#34, Cliff and Alison

Shakespearean Prog: Galahad’s Lastest Video, SEIZE THE DAY

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The first of several EPs from Galahad in 2014.
The first of several EPs from Galahad in 2014.

Granted, it would make far more sense to think of Galahad, at least by the band’s title, as Arthurian prog, but Stu Nicholson’s profound sense of drama carries with it a distinctly Shakespearean air.  I, for one, am completely taken with it.

Glad to see Galahad release this video today.  Very nice cinematography and sound, and it’s inspiring to witness and enjoy the energy Stu and the band bring to the stage.  Not to be missed.

The video’s release coincides with the release of the latest ep from the band, SEIZE THE DAY.  Please support this brilliant band in any way you can.

Three Major Awards for Big Big Train

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music3 Comments
This photo was rather unceremoniously stolen from Steve Llewellyn's Facebook page. Let's hope he doesn't mind!
This photo was rather unceremoniously stolen from Steve Llewellyn’s Facebook page. Let’s hope he doesn’t mind!

If you’ve not noticed before, we progarchists kind of, sort of, really, really like Big Big Train.  So. . . it’s with much excitement that we report this.

The Classic Rock Society of the U.K. has just awarded BBT with three well-deserved awards: 1) David Longdon for best vocals; 2) “East Coast Racer” as the best track of the year; and 3) Big Big Train as Great Britain’s best band.

The progarchists of progarchy hq in central Hillsdale County of Michigan are doing a little victory dance for our friends across the Atlantic.

Congratulations to Greg Spawton, David Longdon, Nick D’Virgilio, Dave Gregory, Danny Manners, Andy Poole, and Rob Aubrey.  And, of course, to Jim Trainer as well.  Amazing and brilliant and wonderful.

Brendan Foht at First Things: Neal Morse, Prog, and Christianity

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First Things, a moderate to rightish Roman Catholic periodical, has a nice piece on Neal Morse, progressive rock, and Christianity this morning.  Foht is a great writer, and he certainly offers much to think about.

On February 9, I had the pleasure of finally seeing one of my favorite bands for the first time—a progressive rock supergroup called Transatlantic. Because all of my friends are too respectable for such things, I made my journey to the concert alone. For a progressive rock supergroup, however, Transatlantic has an excellent pedigree: The band was founded in 1999 as a side project of four progressive rock musicians from America and Europe (hence the name Transatlantic): Neal Morse, then of Spock’s Beard; Mike Portnoy, then the drummer for Dream Theater; Roine Stolt, the lead guitarist of The Flower Kings; and Pete Trewevas, the bassist from Marillion.

Neal Morse represents part of the growing movement of Christian progressive rock, having converted to Christianity (of a sort) in 2002. The overall terrible quality of Christian rock is well-known, and since progressive rock is already a somewhat disreputable genre, you might think Christian progressive rock is the worst of both worlds. But you also might be wrong.

To keep reading, go here: http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2014/02/progressive-rock-redeemed

John Bassett–Stay Away from the Dark

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jkbbKingbathmat’s masterful leader has released his first single from his forthcoming first solo album.  It’s a must listen.  Folkish acidish proggish.

Well, however we might label it–it’s simply excellent.

Enjoy.

Hollow Branches/The Hum

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Received this, this afternoon.  Looks great.

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Singles of “The Hum”

Hollow Branches recently released the new single “Weave Unweave” – the third single of a total of four, all of them a part of an EP called “The Hum” which are being released one track at a time.

Produced by Marius Sjøli and Robert Osgood, and with recording ongoing through the first winter months of 2013/2014 at Sjøli and Catl Prod Studios, “The Hum” is a stripped back collection of songs which the duo plan to release separately across the winter 2013/2014 – as each mix is completed.

“Weave Unweave” along with the singles “The Utopian” and “Silence so Clear” can be streamed on Bandcamp, Spotify and is also available through iTunes and Amazon.

http://hollowbranches.bandcamp.com

Line up for the EP:

Robert Osgood: Vocals, guitars, keyboards and sound design

Marius Sjøli: Guitars, backing vocals, keyboards and sound design

 

New upcoming full length album:

Hollow Branches also recently recorded drums for a upcoming full length album at IKA Studios. Contrasted with our previous full length, the acoustic driven, “Okanagana Waves”, the new album has a greater focus on electric guitar, vintage synth, and heavy, progressive arrangements.

Current line up for the full length:

Robert Osgood: Vocals, guitars, keyboards and sound design

Marius Sjøli: Guitars, backing vocals, keyboards and sound design

Mathew Kennedy: Bass guitar

Kenneth Mellum: Drums

 

Thanks for reading,

Marius Sjøli

Hollow Branches

My Ode to John Hughes and The Breakfast Club

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John-Hughes-800-300x168

This post isn’t about music, but John Hughes (1950-2009) did much to introduce my generation to great English New Wave.  My ode to him at my other website, The Imaginative Conservative.

http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2014/02/genius-john-hughes.html