Author: Bryan Morey

Public historian and museum professional working with historical artifacts. Music reviewer at Progarchy and Dutch Progressive Rock Page.

Dream Theater – Breaking the Fourth Wall – ♫♫♫♫♪

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock music7 Comments

37885Dream Theater have shown, with their latest live album, Breaking the Fourth Wall, that they are the kings of progressive metal. This album, recorded live at the Boston Opera House on March 25, 2014, brilliantly embraces all aspects of the band’s incredible career. I purchased the Blu-ray version of the show, mainly because I am completely enamored by their latest studio album, Dream Theater. Breaking the Fourth Wall goes further beyond their last album.

I am relatively new to Dream Theater, being introduced to the band by their latest album. I am still sifting through their back catalogue, and I am certainly enjoying it. It seems that many long-time Dream Theater fans disliked their latest album, and I’m not really sure why. Yeah, Mike Portnoy isn’t a part of the band anymore, but Mike Mangini is a more than capable drummer who brings his own heavier style to their music. For those that say the new album is missing soul or heart, just read the lyrics. It is probably the most personal and spiritual album that the band has ever made. Do I miss Portnoy? Yes and no. I have become a massive Mike Portnoy fan in the past year, and he has been making some incredible music outside of Dream Theater – music that probably wouldn’t have been made had he still been a member of DT.

Alright, enough of my defense of Dream Theater. Their music can stand as a defense.

51SzQGn9PaLAct 1 of the album begins with a rocking rendition of the grammy nominated “The Enemy Inside.” We then bounce back to music from Black Clouds and Silver Linings, Falling Into Infinity, A Dramatic Turn of Events, and Dream Theater. While it is all awesome, especially enjoyable are “The Looking Glass,” “Trial of Tears,” and “Enigma Machine” (instrumental). The first two songs have clear Rush influences, with “The Looking Glass” sounding like a Rush arena rock song such as “Spirit of the Radio,” and “Trial of Tears” beginning and ending like “Xanadu.” As usual, the musicianship is in top form, and the concert gets off to a rousing start.

Act 2 begins with several songs off of 1994’s Awake album. It was really nice to hear the band play the older music, and it was interesting to hear the differences in drumming styles throughout the concert. Mangini Dream Theater is definitely heavier (in a Bonham way) than Portnoy Dream Theater. It isn’t particularly noticeable until music from across their catalogue is played together at once. The Act ends with the emergence of the Berklee College of Music Orchestra and Choir to aid in “Illumination Theory.” Wow! I’m often skeptical of orchestras and rock bands, but this combination was perfect. The melding of the band with the choir and the orchestra creates a full and beautiful sound.

The Encore consists of portions of Scenes from a Memory, on which the orchestra and choir continue to aid. I found this choice of music for the encore interesting, considering the tour was for their latest album. At the end of the show, you are left wondering if you saw a tour for Dream Theater, or DT playing some of their favorite overlooked music from the years. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering how good the show sounded as a whole.

I think my favorite part of this show is Jordan Rudess. He clearly loves what he is doing, and he is a true wizard on the keyboards. At some points, I wish he had been playing a Steinway because it would have sounded so much better and much more epic. For me, what truly distinguishes a good band from a great one is their keyboardist. What do Genesis, Yes, ELP, Queen, Muse, and Dream Theater all have in common? A pianist who can play anything from Brahms to hard metal and do it with such virtuosity as to make the most elitist music connoisseurs stand in awe.

Particularly nice is the quality of James LaBrie’s vocals. He sounds good at this show. Either he was in fantastic form, or they did a bit of adjusting in the studio… or both. Either way, it makes for a great show to watch. Whether or not he actually hit those high notes live doesn’t really matter to me since I am watching the Blu-ray, and I paid to see a great show.

My disappointment with this live show comes not from the musicianship, but from the production and mixing. Overall, the mixing is pretty good, especially for the drums. The drums sound great with surround sound – so great that you almost feel like you are sitting in the middle of the drum set. The biggest annoyance is John Myung’s bass is far too low in the mix. On the album, Dream Theater, his bass is front and center, but here he often seems to blend into the background. The overall sound still has a heavy bass feel from the combination of Myung’s bass and Mangini’s bass drums. James LaBrie’s vocals are also too low in the mix, which can make it difficult to understand what he is saying sometimes. Annoyingly, the crowd is up too high in the mix at some points, especially early on in the show.

Further disappointment comes during the middle of the Awake set, in which the editor felt it necessary to play some weird, indiscernible background image over the footage of the musicians. It makes it so that you can’t clearly see the musicians, and it pulls you out of the music. It is needlessly distracting. Other than that, the rest of the show has beautiful HD footage, from many different camera angles. What I especially like is the footage doesn’t jump around every 1/2 second (like on ACDC’s Live at River Platte concert). They give enough time to each shot before moving on. Unfortunately, John Myung is not shown nearly enough in the footage, which I don’t understand at all. Everybody else is shown quite a bit, with John Petrucci shown a lot, but not enough of Myung.

I also wish the entire Dream Theater album had been played, especially “The Bigger Picture,” my favorite song from the album. For me, an inclusion of those songs would have pushed this show over the top.

My disappointments with Breaking the Fourth Wall are rather minor, and they should not keep anyone from purchasing this album. It is probably the best live music DVD/Blu-ray/cd released this year. The music consists of a wide array of pieces from across the Dream Theater collection, and the package itself includes a nice booklet detailing everyone involved in the production of the show and tour. Dream Theater continues to show why they are the leaders of progressive metal and have been for over 20 years.

 

The prog dog - Snickers. She thoroughly enjoyed Breaking the Fourth Wall from the comfort of my lap. Metal puts her right to sleep.
The prog dog – Snickers. She thoroughly enjoyed Breaking the Fourth Wall from the comfort of my lap. Metal puts her right to sleep.

Bryan’s Best of 2014

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock music2 Comments

Without a doubt, 2014 has been a great year for Prog. It seems as if we have been barraged by great music from all sides.  The string of excellence continues. This list is my arbitrary ordering of what I liked best from this year. I’m really not a huge fan of “best of” lists because I don’t think you can really judge art in that way. So, consider this a list of what I enjoyed. The order of numbers 10-3 is relatively interchangeable.

10. Dream the Electric Sleep – Heretics 8530215

I should have reviewed this album when it came out back in January, but I’m lazy. This was a fantastic sophomore release by the Lexington, Kentucky prog outfit. Their first album, Lost and Gone Forever, was an excellent concept album. These guys do a fantastic job of combining classic prog influences with a harder rock edge. The beginning of the album sounds almost Pink Floydian, and there are definite nods to The Wall. The singer also sounds a bit like Roger Waters. Heretics is another concept album, and it clocks in at over 70 minutes in length. Check these guys out – they are ascending as a band and are making some great music.

http://www.dreamtheelectricsleep.com

9. Cosmograf – CapacitorCapacitor

Robin Armstrong’s latest offering, combined with the efforts of such wizards as Andy Tillison, Nick D’Virgilio, and Matt Stevens, is a fresh take on prog rock. As of right now, I haven’t listened to any other Cosmograf albums, but this one is quite good. I’m sure there are others here at Progarchy that could tell you more about the band, and I’ll wager they would be more than happy to. Capacitor is definitely worthy of any 2014 “top 10” list.

http://www.cosmograf.com

8. Bigelf – Into the Maelstrom Into the Maelstrom

Three words – Mike freaking Portnoy. He teamed up with Bigelf to drum on their latest album, and it was insane. He has to be the hardest working musician in prog. This isn’t the last we shall hear from him on this list.

Bigelf’s breed of prog metal is unlike anything I have heard before. Maybe it’s lead singer Damon Fox’s awesomely bizarre vocals, or their fantastic combination of metal and classic rock, or maybe it’s Portnoy. Or all of the above. Whatever it is, Bigelf has created something special with Into the Maelstrom. They have been around since the early 1990s, have four studio albums, and have toured with Dream Theater, so they know their way around the business. Certainly worth the time for any Mike Portnoy fan, as well as any fan of prog metal.

https://www.facebook.com/bigelfmusic/info?tab=page_info

http://www.bigelf.com

7. The Gift – Land of Shadowscover

London’s The Gift masterfully combine prog metal with symphonic metal and Gabriel-era Genesis prog. This album is refreshing in its tonal clarity and its thematic prowess. It is definitely an album worth listening to over and over again through the years. Here’s my review of it from several months back:

https://progarchy.com/2014/07/20/the-gift-land-of-shadows/

http://www.thegiftmusic.com/index.php

 

6. Voyager – Vimage013

Australian prog metal outfit Voyager have released a very solid album this year. While I feel like it could have been more tightly constructed and some of the songs featured unnecessary repetition, there are some awesome riffs to be found here. This band rocks, and they rock hard. Many comment that the second half of the album is a let down, but I think it is just the opposite. Voyager ventures into the wonderful void of prog in the second half of V, including some softer songs. Time Lord wrote a very nice review of the album earlier this year:

https://progarchy.com/2014/07/05/voyager-v/

http://voyager-australia.com

5. Transatlantic – Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope (Kaleidoscope)

I told you Mike Portnoy would be heard from again on this list. Supergroup Transatlantic cranked out a fantastic album this year. Made up of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas, Transatlantic has several albums under their belt, and they continue to impress. Kaleidoscope was my first introduction to Transatlantic, and it was an excellent first impression. The cover songs found on the accompanying special edition are all excellent. Anyone who can cover Yes, King Crimson, Elton John, Focus, Moody Blues, and a few others while still sounding entirely unique deserves immense respect. The live album, KaLIVEoscope, that came out in October, was equally brilliant, with three hours of musical genius. The collective talent in this band is shocking, and it clearly shows on Kaleidoscope.

http://www.transatlanticweb.com

4. Chevelle – La GárgolaLaGargola

No, this isn’t a prog album. However, Chevelle released one of the best albums of their career with La Gárgola. Their heavy, yet not overly heavy, style of metal has been a staple of contemporary hard rock over the past 15 years. Their excellent vocals, steady bass, clear guitar, proficient drumming, and haunting lyrics makes Chevelle one of the most interesting metal bands of the 21st Century. I found this album to be an excellent return to their heavier beginnings, while simultaneously exploring new and more complicated territory.

http://getmorechevelle.com/home.php

https://progarchy.com/2014/08/26/chevelle-la-gargola/

3. Pink Floyd – The Endless RiverThe Endless River

Is Pink Floyd even capable of making an album that isn’t good? Their latest (and final) album combines extra recordings from The Division Bell with recordings from David Gilmour and Nick Mason, as well as studio musicians. Mainly instrumental (only one song has singing), this album hearkens back to the instrumentation found in Wish You Were Here and Animals. The one thing missing, in my opinion, is Roger Waters’ bass. I feel like his involvement in this album would have made it even more spectacular, as well as thrill millions of fans. Even so, this is clearly Pink Floyd, and any fan of psychedelic prog will love this album. The album serves as a worthy sendoff for Richard Wright.

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/index2.php

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/theendlessriver/

2. Vanden Plas – Chronicles of the Immortals – Netherworld397022

Vanden Plas’ latest album might very well be the best progressive metal album I have ever heard, with no disrespect to Dream Theater’s Images and Words. It is just that Netherworld so beautifully captures the intricacies of metal, “high prog,” and magnificent story telling. There have been some excellent albums released this year, but few reach the brilliance of Vanden Plas. Having listened to some of their previous work, this album is not out of the ordinary for them. One of the nicest things about this band is the vocals are not your traditional “metal” vocals – there is no screaming, yelling, whining, etc. Andy Kuntz’s voice is beautifully melodic and mysterious, and it is perfect for this album. Vanden Plas perfectly crosses over between the worlds of full-on head banging metal riffs and quieter, classic progressive rock. This album also has one of the best beginnings and endings of any album I have ever heard. There is a clear and definite start and resolution – you aren’t left hanging or wishing there was more. It is perfect just as it is.

Check out Gianna’s and Time Lord’s reviews of Chronicles of the Immortals – Netherworld.

http://www.vandenplas.de

1. Flying Colors – Second NatureSecond Nature

Mike Portnoy again. The guy sure does get around. Neal Morse again too. Go figure. Also in the band are Steve Morse, Casey McPhersen, and Dave Larue.

Second Nature is one of the best albums I have ever heard. Flying Colors combine prog rock and pop rock in a way not seen since the glory days of Styx and Kansas. Seeing them live merely solidified my position on the matter. Catchy yet complicated riffs abound, as well as thoughtful lyrics. If prog wants to become mainstream and popular again, then bands need to take note of Flying Colors.

Check out my review of Second Nature, as well as my review of their live show.

http://flyingcolorsmusic.com

***

Well, there’s my top 10 of 2014. A fair mixture of metal, prog metal, and straight up prog. Honorable mention should go to Ian Anderson’s Homo Erraticus, Fire Garden’s Sound of Majestic Colors (which I thought had far too much of a “garage band” mixing to make my top 10 list), Fractal Mirror’s Garden of Ghosts, Salander’s STENDEC, and Glass Hammer’s Ode to Echo. Special mention goes to Haken’s recent EP, Restoration EP. Had this been an album, I would have placed it in my top 5. Dishonorable mention goes to Yes’ Heaven and Earth.

Top concert of the year goes to Dennis DeYoung. His voice has not changed in 40 years, and his backup band and vocalists are better than Styx. He also has a singer who sounds better than Tommy Shaw did 40 years ago. Runner up for best show goes to Flying Colors, from their brief Second Nature tour. The reason I’m not placing them as best live show of the year is because of the audio problems they had during the show. The sound system for Dennis DeYoung’s show was superb, with no feedback issues during the show. I also had a wonderful time at the B.B. King concert, as well as seeing the CSO perform the music to Return of the King live. It was a great year for concerts!

I would also like to mention Dream Theater’s self-titled album as one of my most listened to albums of 2014. Everything about this album was fantastic, including the live album on Blu-Ray they released a few months back. From the metal virtuosity to the lyrics, this album will be on the rotation for years to come.

2014 has been another fantastic year for prog, and I look forward to more of the same in 2015. Neal Morse’s next project, The Neal Morse Band The Grand Experiment, comes out in February. Take a wild guess at who the drummer is. Muse will also be releasing an album in 2015, one which they claim will return to their rockier roots. There is also talk of a Rush 41st anniversary tour (I think there is, anyways). Much to look forward to in the coming year, and much to appreciate from 2014.

Prog on, Progarchy!

 

Flying Colors “A Place in Your World” Video

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

Flying Colors released a music video for their song, “A Place in Your World,” a few weeks ago. Enjoy.

Flying Colors – “Second Nature” – Rock Brilliance

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

album

Flying Colors’ sophomore release, Second Nature, may very well be the best album of 2014. If it weren’t for Big Big Train’s English Electric, I would say this may be the best album of the past ten years. It is that good. Seeing the band live only confirmed this suspicion for me. Many times, so-called “supergroups” don’t turn out to be so super. While the idea of putting some of the best musicians in the world in the same band sounds like a recipe for success, the results are often the opposite. I find it easy to believe that egos could often get in the way of making fine music. Not so with Flying Colors. This band combines some of the greatest musicians in the world, and they fit together as band members perfectly. In fact, for several of them, this band may be some of their best work. With Second Nature, the band has an album and a tour under their belts, and they have developed a good relationship.

For those of you unfamiliar with Flying Colors (like I basically was about a month ago), the band is made up of :

Mike Portnoy – drums, backup vocals (co-founder of Dream Theater, member of Transatlantic and The Winery Dogs)

Neal Morse – keyboards and vocals (Spocks Beard, Transatlantic)

Steve Morse – lead guitar (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple)

Dave Larue – bass (Dixie Dregs)

Casey McPhersen – lead vocals and guitar (Alpha Rev)

The talent in this band certainly is not lacking. The same can easily be said of their new album. When I first heard it a few weeks ago, I was blown away. Then I listened to it again. Wow. It has been played basically every day since then. I went back and listened to their first, self-titled, album and their live album, and I was thoroughly impressed. I knew I just had to see them live.

The album itself begins with the over 12 minute long progressive epic, “Open Your Eyes.” This song combines the musical virtuosity of these amazing artists with McPherson’s haunting vocals. The album quickly shifts gear with the second song, “Mask Machine,” probably the most “radio friendly” song on the album. This song masterfully combines prog and pop rock. The next song, “Bombs Away,” is probably the heaviest song on the album, with an awesome bass line courtesy of Dave Larue. That guy rocks, quite literally. From the heaviest song on the album, we move to one of the quietest on the album, and one of my favorites, “The Fury of My Love.” I identify with this song: it isn’t anger, it’s intensity (listen to the song and you’ll understand what I mean). The next three songs, “A Place in Your World,” “Lost Without You,” and “One Love Forever” are straight up classic hard rock songs. Great guitars, strong keyboards, steady bass, driving drums (it’s Portnoy, what do you expect), and great lyrics. The 8th song on the album, “Peaceful Harbor,” is my favorite on the album, if not my favorite song of the year. Brad mentioned in a comment on another Flying Colors post that “Peaceful Harbor” is like “Dust in the Wind” revisited. I couldn’t agree more. The song starts quietly, in a brilliant fashion, and gradually builds to an epic guitar solo with choral singing reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig in the Sky.” This song is good, true, and beautiful. The album finishes with another prog epic, “Cosmic Symphony.” Made up of three parts (I. Still Life Of The World; II. Searching For The Air; III. Pound For Pound), this song ends the album perfectly. The name of the song is perfect, as it sounds symphonic. In concert, I couldn’t help but sing along with “Pound for Pound.”

One of the elements that I like the most about the music of Flying Colors is the upbeat tempo that it has. I’m no expert on the technical side of music, but I don’t think any of their songs are in minor key. This isn’t really a metal album (although you certainly hear metal elements in Portnoy’s drumming). From the music to the lyrics, you are uplifted the whole time. Furthermore, Flying Colors doesn’t go overboard trying to make their music sound complicated. It seems as if many bands in the progressive genre these days are making their albums overly complicated in studio with so many extra instruments that they can’t possibly go on tour. Flying Colors keeps it simple by only recording what they can play in concert, and they do a fantastic job with it.

As a whole, Second Nature is a masterpiece of progressive rock, as well as AOR rock. This album belongs in the rock annals with the likes of Leftoverture, Journey’s Escape, Moving Pictures, The Grand Illusion, and many other classics of progressive and arena rock. It is that good. This album is, in my opinion, an instant classic, and it pains me to think that so few people will appreciate this masterpiece. This is an album that should be blasted loud to annoy the neighbors (and to hopefully win them over to prog!).

I highly recommend Flying Colors’ new album, Second Nature, to anyone who is a fan of rock. From the guitars, to the keyboards, bass and drums, to the amazing vocals, this album is a must have. You will not be disappointed, as it is one of the best albums made in any genre over the past several years.

http://flyingcolorsmusic.com

flyingcolors1-hr

Flying Colors – Live in St. Charles, IL – 10/3/14

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock music5 Comments
Flying Colors - Left to right, Steve Morse, Casey McPherson, Neal Morse, Dave Larue, and Mike Portnoy
Flying Colors – Left to right: Steve Morse, Casey McPherson, Neal Morse, Dave Larue, and Mike Portnoy

Last night, I had the great pleasure of seeing Flying Colors perform songs from their first and second albums live on the second show of their tour. Held at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL (western suburb of Chicago), the show got off to a rather slow start. Two hours slow, to be exact. The concert was supposed to start at 8PM, with seating to begin at 7. That didn’t happen, due to the fact that the FAA is yet another incompetent government agency run by morons and buffoons. Weather might have also played a part in the fact that the band’s flight from California was late, but I blame the FAA. (The Air Traffic Control facility in Chicago was lit on fire by a “disgruntled” employee last week, and they are still recovering.) Mike Portnoy claimed the band hadn’t slept in a couple of days, but it sure didn’t show while they were playing. So, considering the circumstances, it was almost a miracle the show happened at all, so props to Flying Colors for making it happen.

The Flying Colors began playing at 10, but they had a touring band called Bend Sinister, of Vancouver, Canada, open for them at 9 PM. According to the theater people, Flying Colors didn’t inform the theater that Bend Sinister would also be playing. Shoutout to the band manager for a job well done (sarcasm). Bend Sinister’s music can be best described as classic hard rock. They had guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, and a singer with the vocal range of Steve Perry (I’m not kidding, the dude was amazing). They played loud, and were a fairly solid opening act. They finished their act with a cover of Supertramp’s “The Logical Song,” and they did a great job with that. I kind of felt bad for not buying one of their albums to support them, but I’m a poor college student. The bassist gave me a business card after the show though, so there’s that.

Flying Colors finally took the stage around 10, and, boy, was the crowd ready. I don’t remember the setlist, which doesn’t much matter because they ended up playing a song that wasn’t on it. All the songs were from their first two albums, except for one acoustic song done by Casey McPherson from his band, Alpha Rev. He phased that song right into the beginning of “Peaceful Harbor,” and it worked perfectly.

Right from the get go, Flying Colors was rockin’ the roof off the joint. I was so excited to finally get to see Mike Portnoy, my second favorite drummer behind Neal Peart (who else?). After listening to my review copy of Second Nature a few weeks ago, I knew I had to hear more from this band. I acquired their first album (thanks, Brad), and I listened to both of Flying Colors albums almost daily for the past two weeks, until I decided to buy a ticket on Wednesday. They did not disappoint in concert. Everything from Steve Morse’s unworldly guitar work, to Portnoy’s always amazing drum work, to Dave Larue’s steady and technical bass work, this band has it all. I don’t think it is too much to say that this is one of the best “supergroups” ever.

The frustrating part of the evening, both for me and obviously for the band, was the feedback problems they had with their audio system. I think all of the problems were coming from Casey’s amps, as he said a couple of times that he blew a few amps, and the audio guy was on stage half the show messing with Casey’s guitar and amps trying to fix the problem. He never did, unfortunately. But, it was only noticeable on the quiet songs. Despite the setback, the band still performed flawlessly, and they really deserve credit for fighting through yet another setback. The crowd was more than gracious, which I’m sure the band appreciated.

IMG_1217
Dave Larue on bass

If you have listened to any of the Flying Colors catalogue, you know how amazing these guys are. In concert, they take it to the max. In fact, some of their songs sound even better live, especially “Infinite Fire,” which was the encore, and “Peaceful Harbor.” The beautiful thing about this band is they don’t play loud for the sake of playing loud. Even though I left with about 1/4 of the hearing capacity I arrived with, each instrument could be heard (or felt) clearly and distinctly. It wasn’t just loud noise, like some bands. As a lead singer, arguably the least famous member of the band, Casey McPhersen has an excellent stage presence and a fantastic voice with great pitch and range. He never missed a note. Neal Morse sounded good as well, and he was a whiz on the keyboards. Even Portnoy sang, which was cool to see the drummer do. He talked to the audience a lot as well, explaining their difficulties getting to Chicago. The Arcada Theater has become his “home away from home,” as this was the third show he has played there this year, all with different bands. Dave Larue is incredible on the bass, and he bears an uncanny resemblance to Geddy Lee. Steve Morse is a god on guitar, enough said.

Throughout the night, the band played a good mix of songs from both of their albums. It was probably about 50/50, but they may have played more from Second Nature. I think they opened with “Open Your Eyes,” but I can’t rightly remember. (I’m better at remembering albums, since I usually listen to albums in their entirety and never look at what song is playing. That’s why I love TaaB!) In no specific order, they also played, “Cosmic Symphony,” “Mask Machine,” “Bombs Away” (freakin’ amazing bass!), “The Fury of My Love,” “Peaceful Harbor,” Shoulda Coulda Woulda,” “Kayla,” “The Storm,” “Infinite Fire,” and several other songs I’m forgetting. It was all awesome, and there isn’t a Flying Colors song that I don’t like.

In the end, this was a fantastic concert. The band did a great job of overcoming adversity, especially when the venue was nowhere near sold out. They truly love their fans, because they showed nothing but appreciation to the crowd. In my mind, the only thing holding them back is the airlines, equipment failure, and whoever the hell set up the sound equipment.

Tonight was the last American show, held in Philadelphia. However, for European fans, there are seven more shows in the tour spread out around the continent. My recommendation: go! You won’t regret it. And go buy Second Nature. Great job Flying Colors!

http://flyingcolorsmusic.com

My iPhone takes garbage photos. I think a polaroid from the 70s could do better. My dad has color slides from a Journey concert that are clearer than this.
My iPhone takes garbage photos. I think a polaroid from the 70s could do better. My dad has color slides from a Journey concert that are clearer than this.

Steve Walsh Has Retired from Kansas

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock music1 Comment

th-2

This makes me sad. Apparently, a few months ago, Steve Walsh announced his retirement from the great American band, Kansas. He performed his last concert with them on August 16. His absence leaves Phil Ehart and Rich Williams as the only original members left in the band. The band has a replacement singer, but I know that it just isn’t the same, just like David Ragsdale, while a fine violinist, isn’t Robby Steinhardt, and Billy Greer isn’t Dave Hope. They never even tried to replace Kerry Livgren, a seemingly impossible task.

Ronnie Platt is the new singer and keyboardist, and his first show with the band is today, September 12. David Manion has also joined the band to handle the majority of the keyboard work, as well as vocals. Honestly, I would have liked to see John Elefante rejoin the band, but I doubt if that’s what he wants to do at this point in his life. Oh well.

From the Kansas Facebook page:

On June 30, 2014, Steve Walsh informed the members of KANSAS that he is resigning from the band. His last performance with KANSAS will be August 16, 2014, in Sioux City, Iowa, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

As KANSAS continues on, the band wishes Steve only the best in his future endeavors, and thanks him for the 41 years.

I’m going to go pout about the sad decline of arguably the greatest American progressive rock band ever. I’m glad I got to see them live with Steve Walsh, Rich Williams, and Phil Ehart several years ago.

Just thought of an epic supergroup, though. Kerry Livgren, John Elefante, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy or Phil Ehart, and Dave Hope. Ya, sounds more like a reincarnation of Kansas. But, with Morse, it could be the best attempt at Christian rock ever. Ok, fantasy time over. Bye Steve Walsh.

A Note From BONO

On By Bryan MoreyIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

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BONO, the lead singer for U2, has written a letter on the band’s website explaining why iTunes is offering their new album, Songs of Innocence, for free. Read on.

Hello, bonjour, ciao, hola, hallo, zdravo, dobar dan, Dia duit, hæ, hej,hei, cześć, olá, ćao, namaste, sawatdee, jambo, pozdravi, Γεια σου, привіт, שלום, مرحبا, こんにちは, , سلام, 你好, Привет….

Remember us? Pleased to announce myself, Edge, Adam and Larry have finally given birth to our new baby… Songs of Innocence. It’s been a while. We wanted to get it right for you/us. We just finished it last week and thanks to Apple and iTunes it’s with you today. That’s already amazing to me as it normally takes a few months to turn this stuff around.

Part of the DNA of this band has always been the desire to get our music to as many people as possible. In the next 24 hours, over a half a billion people are going to have Songs of Innocence… should they choose to check it out. That is so exciting. People who haven’t heard our music, or weren’t remotely interested, might play us for the first time because we’re in their library. Country fans, hip hop afficionados from east LA, electro poppers from Seoul, Bhangra fans from New Delhi, Highlifers in Accra… might JUST be tempted to check us out, even for a moment. What a mind blowing, head scratching, 21st century situation. Over 500 million people… that’s a billion ears. And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail.

You’ll have noticed the album is free to U2.com’ers from the band. It’s also free to everyone on iTunes thanks to Apple. To celebrate the ten year anniversary of our iPod commercial, they bought it as a gift to give to all their music customers. Free, but paid for. Because if no-one’s paying anything for it, we’re not sure “free” music is really that free. It usually comes at a cost to the art form and the artist… which has big implications, not for us in U2, but for future musicians and their music… all the songs that have yet to be written by the talents of the future… who need to make a living to write them.

We’re collaborating with Apple on some cool stuff over the next couple of years, innovations that will transform the way music is listened to and viewed. We’ll keep you posted. If you like Songs of Innocence, stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough… although I know I’ve said that before…

I hope after listening to our new long player a few times, you’ll understand why it took so long. We really went there… it’s a very, very personal album. Apologies if that gets excruciating… actually, I take that back. No apologies if it gets excruciating. What’s the point in being in U2 if you can’t go there?
There is no end to LOVE.’
BONO

Original Jethro Tull Bassist Glenn Cornick Passes at Age 67

On By Bryan MoreyIn Uncategorized3 Comments

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I just saw over on the Jethro Tull website that original bassist Glenn Cornick passed away on Friday, August 29, at his home in Hawaii. He died of congestive heart failure. Ian Anderson writes:

It is with great sadness that we learned today of the passing of Glenn Cornick, bass player with Jethro Tull from the band’s inception 1968 until 1970. Of course, he had also played with the John Evan Band for the year during 1967 and so his contribution to the geographical transition from Blackpool to London and into the professional music scene was considerable.

Glenn was a man of great bonhomie and ready to befriend anyone – especially fellow musicians. Always cheerful, he brought to the early stage performances of Tull a lively bravado both as a personality and a musician.

His background in the beat groups of the North of England and his broad knowledge of music were always helpful in establishing the arrangements of the early Tull.

During the many years since then, Glenn continued to play in various bands and was a frequent guest at Tull fan conventions where he would join in with gusto to rekindle the musical moments of the early repertoire.

We will miss him hugely and our condolences go to his wife Brigitte and children.

On behalf of Progarchy, I send our sincerest condolences to Glenn Cornick’s family. He certainly contributed much to Jethro Tull’s first three albums, This Was, Stand Up, and Benefit.

From Summer to Winter – Mike Kershaw’s “Ice Age”

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock music1 Comment

2480067Admittedly, Mike Kershaw’s music is new to me, and his style is not something I typically listen to. However, I have found Ice Age
to be a detailed and complex album, definitely worthy of attention. The lyrics are hauntingly beautiful, and the keyboard driven music draws upon music from the 1970s and 80s, yet it still strikes me as being mysterious and unique. The steady drums and the interplay of the soft guitar make it all the more enjoyable to listen to.

Interestingly enough, after listening to the album, it struck me as being very “northern European.” Being an American with strictly northern and northeastern European ancestry, this music seems vaguely familiar. It is cold, yet warm underneath. It seems unapproachable at first, but once you give it a listen, it draws you in. Ice Age is an album that I believe J.R.R. Tolkien’s character Túrin Turambar, from The Silmarillion, would have on his iPod. If you haven’t read the book, you have no idea what I’m talking about. If you have, I think you might agree that this album has a very dark, brooding, and foreboding nature to it, much like Túrin. The album questions the future while looking back to warmer and happier days.

Ice Age maintains a very serious tone throughout the album, yet it becomes steadily more upbeat as the album progresses. Lyrically, the album is more hopeful in the beginning, focusing on a remembrance of happier times, yet still acknowledging turmoil ahead. As the album moves on, the lyrics become darker and focus on mere survival in the impending ice age. Yet, through all of that, aurally the album becomes more upbeat beginning with the 7th (of 9) song, “Tomorrow’s Door.” There is a distinct turn in the album with that song. The pace of the music quickens, almost as if someone has turned a pleasant walk into a jog. By the end the jog turns into a run. I find it interesting that Mr. Kershaw chose to make the album lyrically darker as it became aurally brighter. It reminds me of a bright winter day in northern Illinois, where the sun is shining, yet the temperature is -30 degrees Fahrenheit. Things can seem bright and cheery, but they really aren’t.

With that said, the cover art for this album is perfect. You see remnants of civilization, with what I believe is a streetlamp, with glaciers rising behind it, and in the shadow of the ice age, you see a single, solitary individual. You see the brightness of the sun reflecting off the ice and snow, yet the lyrics remind you of the cold and despair. It isn’t often when the artwork for an album so perfectly depicts the point the music is trying to get across.

Interspersed throughout the lyrics of the album, I found a gem that I particularly like. In the 5th song, entitled “Blossom Falls,” Kershaw sings:

We give our lives to progress

We pour them down the drain

These lines could not be more true, and he echoes the same sentiment elsewhere in the album. So often people devote their lives to an Aristotelian ideal of progress without remembering the mistakes and consequences of the past. When we do that, we wage the risk of wasting our lives by making the same past mistakes. Well said Mr. Kershaw. The lyrics of this album, for me, are definitely the best part of the music.

In the end, Ice Age, I believe, may take some effort to enjoy. To appreciate the complexity of the album, one really needs to devote their whole attention to it for the duration of the album. Believe me, though, it is worth it. I look forward to future releases from Mike Kershaw. The haunting beauty of his deep voice, the keyboards, drums, and guitars makes for an enthralling album.

http://www.kershmusic.com/home

http://mikekershaw.bandcamp.com

Chevelle – “La Gárgola”

On By Bryan MoreyIn Uncategorized1 Comment

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Chicago rock band Chevelle released their seventh studio album back in February of this year, and boy is it good. Don’t get me wrong, in the fifteen years since their first album, Point # 1, Chevelle has yet to release a bad album. La Gárgola (which means the gargoyle in Spanish) just happens to be amazing. While Chevelle isn’t prog, it is certainly very good hard rock/metal music. Interestingly enough, they have been compared to Tool for years, so they sort of have a Prog connection, although I don’t really hear the similarity. Chevelle has also released a few “concept” albums, most notably 2009’s Sci-Fi Crimes and 2014’s La Gárgola. By concept, I mean the whole album more or less revolves around a particular theme. In Sci-Fi Crimes, it was aliens, supernatural beings and other cool stuff like that. In la Gárgola, it loosely draws upon themes that a gargoyle might conjure up.

So who are Chevelle? Pete Loeffler – guitars and vocals. Sam Loeffler – drums. Dean Bernardini (Pete and Sam’s brother-in-law) – bass and backup vocals. Chevelle has always been a family affair, with Pete and Sam’s brother Joe originally playing bass for the band until 2005. All are very proficient with their instruments, and Pete’s voice is incredibly unique. He has a great range, and when he screams, it is not “cookie monster” screaming. His screams come from passion and anger, and never just to please screamo fans (Chevelle in no way, shape, or form resembles anything remotely related to screamo). His voice, instead, is very mellow yet powerful. One of the things that I like best about Chevelle is they, unlike many metal bands, are not obnoxiously or overly loud. While they are loud, you can still hear each individual instrument, which is great for someone like me who loves to hear and feel the bass. It’s also difficult to believe that their sound can only come from three musicians, because the interplay between the guitars, bass, drums, and Pete’s voice make it sound like so much more. Very impressive indeed.

LaGargola

Earlier I said that Chevelle have yet to release a bad album. While I believe this is true, I think that La Gárgola is their best album since their second album, 2002’s Wonder What’s Next, which was brilliant in its heaviness. 2007’s Vena Sera came close (in fact it is probably their most popular album), but La Gárgola is the only album to equal Wonder What’s Next. This album beautifully combines elements from each of their albums. It brings in the raw edge from their first album, the heaviness from their second, third, and fourth albums, the idea of a “concept” and the ability to do quieter songs from Sci-Fi Crimes, and the drive of 2011’s Hats Off to the Bull. It is as if Chevelle took the best bits from their past and matured into a totally new sound that is still very familiar.

La Gárgola also sounds more technically complicated than their previous albums, especially in the percussion department. Sam (and Dean, who recorded drums on one of the songs) certainly experimented with different drum sounds and instruments. The guitar takes you on all kinds of wild adventures throughout the album, but the driving bass keeps you grounded. From songs like “Take Out the Gunman,” which addresses the recent media attention at different mass shootings, to “One Ocean”, which is by far Chevelle’s best quiet(er) song, it is hard to get bored listening to this album. La Gárgola has so much to offer, from heavier metal songs typical of past Chevelle albums, to quieter rock songs which force you to really think about what is being said.

One of Chevelle’s best traits is the lyrics, written mainly by Pete Loeffler. Unlike so many rock bands, who are blatantly obvious with what they are talking about in their songs, Chevelle’s lyrics are cryptic, yet simple with repetition of certain lines throughout the song. I know some people don’t like repetition, but the way in which Chevelle work it, it really doesn’t feel like there is any repetition at all. While some bands use expletives to convey that they are… well, pissed off, Chevelle conveys that through tone of music and lyrical undertones. Chevelle rarely swears in their songs, unless it is absolutely necessary, and none of their songs (in any album) are labeled as explicit. Also, Chevelle is not one to talk about relationships and dating and crap like that. They prefer to keep their lyrics conceptual and open to interpretation, which forces the listener to think. La Gárgola certainly continues the Chevelle tradition when it comes to lyrics.

While Chevelle certainly isn’t prog, they come close in many respects, and they deserve respect from progressive rock fans. Chevelle is one of several bands throughout the early 2000s, along with Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down, Three Days Grace, and many others, who were able to keep rock and metal popular even while the musical atrocities of the pop and country genres rose in popularity. Chevelle have been very successful, yet they have never sacrificed what they do best – rock. So far, La Gárgola is one of my favorite albums of 2014, and I will certainly be listening to it for years to come. If you like metal, hard rock, and prog, give Chevelle a listen. They have many great songs across their expansive catalog, and their albums are a joy to listen to.