It would be hard to find a more appropriate word to describe the outstanding music of Jason Rubenstein than “focus.” Focused, he most certainly is. And, we’re all the better for it.
This past week, Rubenstein released an EP, FOUR POINTS OF FOCUS, roughly eighteen minutes of deeply intelligent and cinematic instrumental music, all centered around piano.
The Elf King, Tom Timely, has finally released his new (old?) single on Youtube. Previously, I’d only found it on Facebook. Glad to see it more accessible.
Here’s what he wrote about it:
I’ve been a prog fan, perhaps the ULTIMATE prog fan for many years. In the 80’s I had a band called “The Elf King” but we never made it to the studio. Decades later I’ve finally recorded my first track, The Elf King which will hopefully later become the title track for my first album, The Elf King. It is my belief that music can literally transport you back in time, and that is what I am attempting with this recording. Remind yourself of an earlier time over and over…until it becomes your reality. Think of the things you could do if you had the key to unlock the past….You could change things! Some call it nostalgia, I call it the key. Check out my song and see if it takes you back.
Uncertain Times is a limited edition double 45rpm 10” EP vinyl release in gatefold sleeve.
Featuring 4 tracks – 1 per side drawn from the three most recent King Crimson live albums plus 1 track from the forthcoming Live In Mexico set – recorded between 2015 and 2017, Uncertain Times ably demonstrates why Crimso’s current line-up is shaping up to be one of the most revered yet.
Painted by Francesca Sundsten, each side of the gatefold sleeve features one of the 4 pictures which form the main image of the 2018 tour poster.
In stock.
SWAN HUNTER by Big Big Train
Three times Progressive Music Award winning band, Big Big Train, will be releasing the Swan Hunter single on 13thJuly 2018.
Swan Hunter is an elegy for the shipbuilding communities of the north-east.
Vocalist David Longdon says:
Imagine being a child who grew up within this community, seeing these huge vessels grow daily until their launch. Imagine the relentless sound of machinery and construction workers. Your father most likely would have worked there and probably his father before him. It must have been almost impossible back then to imagine a time when this way of life would come to an end. This is what you knew and it defined you.
The single release features a remix of the studio album version and a live performance of Swan Hunter, alongside two previously unreleased tracks.
Swan Hunter is available on CD, download and streaming from 13thJuly.
Big Big Train Live:
Big Big Train will be playing at The Anvil, Basingstoke, England on 11thJuly and at Loreley, Night of the Prog festival, Germany, on 13thJuly.
Press and radio comments:
‘Big Big Train have revisited the sound world of early Genesis and Yes and have managed to create music with great emotional clout’ John Bungey, THE TIMES
‘They make beautiful, pastoral quintessentially English music: their name is Big Big Train’Bob Harris, BBC Radio Two
‘Beautifully understated yet consistently enthralling, Big Big Train wield pathos and poignancy with elegance and relish, amidst a musical backdrop that is as vivid as it is finessed’ Dom Lawson, PROG magazine
A copy of the new 3RDegree album arrived at progarchy HQ this weekend. Very much looking forward to listening. 3RDegree are always extraordinary in their passionate intellect as well as in their perfectionist presentation.
One of America’s finest, to be sure.
To order a copy, go here: https://3rdegree.bandcamp.com/album/ones-zeros-vol-0
Rites At Dawn – Wobbler Introduction… With the release of their 2nd album Afterglow back in April of 2009 doing quite well and the departure of their singer Tony Johannessen. There was no time to stop and a month later the 4 remaining members of the band started work on what was to be the bands […]
Tom Timely has written, produced, and released a single under the title, “The Elf King.” Unfortunately, at the moment, it seems only to be available as a Facebook video. Here’s hoping Timely will move it to Youtube.
Somewhat astoundingly, Timely begins his video with “Introducing A Prog-Rock Masterpiece,” all in Tolkienian, Elven script.
Indeed, he writes on his Facebook post:
My new song! Remind yourself of an earlier time over and over…until it becomes your reality. Think of the things you could do if you had the key to unlock the past….You could change things! Some call it nostalgia, I call it the key. Check out my song and see if it takes you back.
So, kudos to Mr. Timely for possessing so much confidence. His pronouncement of “introducing” a “classic” reminds me of the founding father Benjamin Franklin when he wrote, rather proudly, that he possessed the virtue of humility.
Some things, simply put, cannot be bestowed on one’s self. Anyway, I’ll just take this as Mr. Timely’s enthusiasm.
The single, “The Elf King,” is quite excellent, introducing us to some very Yes-ish bass, combined with Kansas and Genesis-like keyboards throughout much of the song, though harpsicord is the first instrument the listener hears. I can’t quite place the voice, but Timely (I’m assuming it’s Timely on vocals) has a Styx-like feel to me. While the entire middle and sections sound very reminiscent of Tony Banks’s work on Gabriel-era Genesis, the song itself seems to have been a long, forgotten part of Leftoverature.
Since I’ve referenced Yes, Genesis, Kansas, and Styx, you might very well get the opinion that this is pure nostalgia prog. Heck, even Timely himself admits the element of nostalgia. Yet, this song is definitely more than a sum of its parts, and no one of the bands mentioned above could’ve written this song as is. Thus, there’s a real genius in the way Timely pulls all of this older pieces together into a new whole.
I have a feeling Timely might very well have introduced a masterpiece. What say you???
In my previous post on Glass Hammer News, I forgot (rather stupidly) to include Tad Wert’s excellent review of Glass Hammer’s Mostly Live in Italy. No time like the immediate to fix a mistake.
Here, for one and all–wonderful Wert’s wonderful (yes, I employed “wonderful” several times) review: https://progarchy.com/2018/05/05/glass-hammer-lives-it-up-in-italy/
America’s greatest rock band has released some teasing but enticing words about their forthcoming album. And, praise the Lord above, it’s going to be a concept album. Glass Hammer–the best. Concept albums–the best. Glass Hammer concept album? Yes, you guessed it. . . the best.
Big surprises on the new album…some cool cameos, some obscure cameos…some familiar Glass Hammer styles and some you haven’t heard. The concept is bizarre…but we think it might be a home run with you guys.
For more on this stunning band, go to any of the progarchist articles listed:
Glass Hammer – Chronometree – 2000 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Lex Rex – 2002 – Video Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Live at Belmont – 2006 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Live at the Tivoli – 2006 / 2008 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Perilous – 2012 – Brief review of lyrics by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Ode to Echo – 2014 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Ode to Echo – 2014 – Review by Tad Wert
Glass Hammer – The Breaking of the World – 2015 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – The Breaking of the World – 2015 – Review by Tad Wert
Glass Hammer – Double Live – 2015 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer – Valkyrie – 2016 – Review by Brad Birzer (supplement to Brad’s review here)
Glass Hammer – Untold Tales – 2017 – Review by Brad Birzer
Glass Hammer–Lives It Up in Italy–Review by Tad Wert
Tom Timely, the “Elf King,” released a brand new single today. He is already proclaiming his song a “masterpiece.” Well, I do appreciate confidence. . . .
Progarchy 