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.
No. 5. Cosmograf, HAY MAN DREAMS. I’m pretty much a shoo-in for purchasing every thing Robin Armstrong—master of all things chronometry—does. I love the angst and the seriousness he brings to each and every note and lyric. Spirited without being gushy, and thoughtful without being pedantic. I also love how entrepreneurial he is in his approach to music—finding the best musician to fit each part he’s written. Whatever Armstrong does, he always achieves something serious and meaningful. The HAY-MAN DREAMS is no different. As with everything Armstrong does, there is gravitas.
As you all happily know, Timelord has announced his top albums of 2017 already. When he did, I was a bit surprised. Wait, is it that time of year already? What about albums that come out in December? The more I thought about it, the more I thought Timelord was absolutely right to announce his top picks. Not much is going to happen this month, and, even if something does come out, it will be hard to measure against what already exists. Should something come out and shake up my list, I will, of course, be happy. For any thing that could possibly shake up this list would have to be really, really good.
And, as you also happily know, Tad Wert took a unique perspective on his top picks, focusing on the live releases of the year rather than on the studio releases. Bravo!
Unlike 2012-2016, this is the first year that I found actually easy when ranking. That is, picking and ranking has been relatively easy. As some of the other progarchists have said over the past half decade, so much prog had come out in any previous years that it felt like “taking a sip from the fire hose.”
This year, 2017, just feels different. The quality definitely outdid the quantity.
Before starting rankings, though, I would be dead wrong not to mention two critical things.
Our Fearless Leader, Jerry Ewing.
First, God bless, Jerry Ewing, and his glorious PROG magazine. For a time there, we all thought the ship was gone, our captain lost at sea in a corporate hurricane of insanity and avarice. Then, Ewing emerged—and stronger than ever. Congratulations, Jerry. Long may you lead our little platoon of prog-loving weirdos.
Second, may God bless, Tim Hall (Kaylr). I never actually met Tim, but I really appreciated his views on everything. He was always intelligent and prudent, and our loss is heaven’s gain. Tim, if you can, please say hello to Hendrix, Morrison, Emerson, Lake, Squire, and all of the other greats of the last half century. And, say hi to my dad, my grandparents, and my daughter, Cecilia Rose, as well. Someday, brother, someday. . .
I’m thrilled by this news. The first three albums were extraordinary, and I’m sure #4 will live up to expectations. And, to make it all even better, FRACTAL MIRROR is now a part of the Bad Elephant Music family. In addition to Kscope and Karisma, who doesn’t love Bad Elephant!!!
No. 4
Bad Elephant Music is delighted to announce that internationally renowned progressive rock band Fractal Mirror is joining the family for the release of its new album, Close To Vapour, in early 2018.
For this, their fourth album, core members Leo Koperdraat and Frank L Urbaniak are joined once again by Brett Kull (of Echolyn, and producer for label-mates Valdez) and founder member Ed van Haagen guesting.
“We’re extremely pleased to join the diverse Bad Elephant Music family”, said Frank. “We are confident that together we’ll be reach a wider audience with Close to Vapour. For us this reflects a dramatic step forward in both composition and production, and we’re grateful for BEM giving us this opportunity, and for the confidence they’ve shown in us”.
David Elliott from Bad Elephant had this to say: “I’ve been a keen follower of Fractal Mirror’s music since Strange Attractors, their first album, and we’ve been talking over the last couple of years about working together. The stars finally aligned after I met Frank at RoSFest this year, and with Close To Vapourthey’ve produced their finest work yet. We’re proud to be associated with the guys, and delighted to be once again working with Brett!”
Close To Vapour will be released on CD and high quality digital download in the first quarter of 2018.
Fractal Mirror are: Leo Koperdraat: voice, Mellotron, guitars, keyboards, recorder and programming Frank L. Urbaniak: drums & percussion
with: Brett Kull: guitars, bass, keyboards, backing vocals Ed van Haagen: occasional keyboards
Leo and Frank formed the band in 2013 (with Ed van Haagen, pictured above), after discovering each other’s demos posted on online music forums. Both have long been involved in the progressive music scenes in their relevant home countries, The Netherlands and the United States. Frank was involved in the progressive scene during his college years in Essence, with Larry Fast, which led to Synergy and Larry’s involvement with Peter Gabriel and others.
Fractal Mirror’s music represents a multitude of progressive, pop, rock and indie influences, having drawn comparisons to David Bowie, Tears for Fears, R.E.M. Psychedelic Furs, Blackfield and No-Man. Their debut album, Strange Attractors, gained positive reviews, with follow up Garden of Ghosts, making the shortlist for a Grammy award nomination. By third album Slow Burn1 the band had secured the talents of Brett Kull (Echolyn) as producer, and to add additional musical embellishments.
Their new album, Close to Vapour, introduces further influences from the likes of The Grays, Jellyfish, Pugwash and Beck. Lush vocal harmonies abound, with perhaps a rougher musical edge being introduced, all without losing the characteristic Fractal Mirror sound.Close To Vapour will be released by Bad Elephant Music in the first quarter of 2018.
Thank you to everyone who booked tickets for the Fierce And The Dead album launch show next May, only 18 tickets left then we have our first London headlining show sold out! Incredible! If you want one of the last ones it’s:
Let me just state from the outset that I love that Chris had the gumption to post his favorites albums of the year already. We’re not even in December, Chris! Love it.
So, just as an experiment, I checked my player’s settings and calculated the albums I listened to the most. While I can’t claim this to be a fair statement of what I think the best of the year was–after all, some albums, such as Glass Hammer’s UNTOLD TALES. It’s only had a month to compete against some albums that have had 11 months. Still, it’s a marker.
Additionally, because my player calculates the number of plays for the year total, it registers all albums in my collections, not just those that came out in 2017. So, by the number, folks, by the numbers—the ten most played albums in the Birzer house for the last 11 months.
Mike Portnoy talked about being a member of so many bands at once – specifically the Neal Morse Band, Flying Colors, Transatlantic, The Winery Dogs and Sons of Apollo – explaining to Metal Wani about how he handles the whole situation: “I have to approach each of them differently because there’s so many different styles…
I have absolutely no idea why, but I’ve spent the last few weeks re-visiting music I’ve not listened to in decades. Perhaps it’s because I turned 50 this year, and I’m trying to explore some of my past. Recapture elements of my youth? Play the historian?
I honestly have no idea why. The past is my business, though.
Regardless, I’ve been drawn back to what was once called “New Wave.” If you ask me to define “New Wave,” I couldn’t. I remember from my junior high and high school years that it was that type of music that was not prog, not rock, not pop, and not punk, though it often had elements of each, usually mixed around driving beats, minimalist guitats, and wild keyboard flourishes. Well, at least the kind of New Wave I’ve been listening to.
Let me offer a few thoughts and maybe even a few suggestions and warnings. I picked up my old INXS albums. KICK, to my mind, is way too overproduced and slick. LISTEN LIKE THIEVES is too monotonous. SHABOOH SHOOBAH has some glittering moments mixed with some mediocre ones.
But, THE SWING. THE SWING. THE SWING is a work of sheer genius. The catchiness of the tunes, the variation from song to song, and the intriguing lyrical content all make this an all too forgotten work of excellence.
I also re-listened to The Monks, BAD HABITS. It is just weird.
I re-listened to B-Movie’s FOREVER RUNNING. It is just quirky and a little too poppy for my tastes.
But, then I go back to THE SWING. I think I’ll stay there for a while.
Listening to this album is more of an affair than an adventure.
Ten year ago this fall, the brilliant Giancarlo Erra was in the studios writing, recording, and mixing what would become his magnum opus, LIGHTDARK, one of the first releases from the then-brand new KScope Records. Nothing Erra writes and records is unimportant, of course, but nothing he has done has quite matched the flawless LIGHTDARK, in its composition, its harmonies, its reach, and its flow. Never could this be wallpaper music. It is music that demands full immersion. As with T.S Eliot’s Four Quartets, Erra’s LIGHTDARK demands that we the listener stand within the art itself, seeing the world form the perspective of the art. As such, Erra is a genius, bringing us fully into his music.
As with some of the best composers of the past century, Erra eschews all forms of bombast as he whispers longingly toward the true, the good, and the beautiful. He is not afraid of silence, knowing that the notes that surround silence, do so affectionately and even passionately.
Imagine Mark Hollis writing music for Pink Floyd while serving as the backup band to Arvo Part, and you might get close to the genius and talent of Giancarlo Erra.
It seems way too long since we heard from one of the best bands too few folks know about, Tin Spirits. Adventurous poppy prog with seriously meaningful lyrics. The first two albums are must owns, and I’m sure the third will be as well.
The second.
Here’s the post that appeared on social media about an hour ago:
Dear Tins fans, we are delighted to let you know that after a lengthy leave of absence, work on the new album has begun. Will keep you updated but it’s so great to be back in a room making music
No. 5. Cosmograf, HAY MAN DREAMS. I’m pretty much a shoo-in for purchasing every thing Robin Armstrong—master of all things chronometry—does. I love the angst and the seriousness he brings to each and every note and lyric. Spirited without being gushy, and thoughtful without being pedantic. I also love how entrepreneurial he is in his approach to music—finding the best musician to fit each part he’s written. Whatever Armstrong does, he always achieves something serious and meaningful. The HAY-MAN DREAMS is no different. As with everything Armstrong does, there is gravitas.
Progarchy 