Due to be released on July 15, you can pre-order the album now at http://www.levinminnemannrudess.com. This should be a great album from three of prog’s finest.
Author: Connor Mullin
A Concise Review: Shiny Eyed Babies
Here is my brief review of the recent Bent Knee album, Shiny Eyed Babies. Here goes:
Imagine if Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Van der Graaf Generator, Radiohead, Soundgarden, and any other avant-garde band you can think of got together and produced an album. And the product was wonderful. This is Bent Knee’s Shiny Eyed Babies in a nutshell.
All the members, from the violinist to the drummer, are top-notch musicians, but frontwoman and lead singer Courtney Swain really stands out. Her vocal range is incredible, and she can play keyboards pretty well, too.
Bent Knee, whose members hail from the Boston area (my neck of the woods), will release a new album, Say So, next week. Check these guys out. It will be worth your time.
Put Me In Coach: It’s Opening Day!
I know it would be hard to argue that this is a progressive rock song, but I could not resist celebrating one of the most important days on the American calendar: the Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season! And what better way to celebrate the National Pastime than by watching a ballgame and listening to John Fogerty’s classic, “Centerfield.” Enjoy!
Relayer: A Brief Retrospective
A visually stunning album cover. Profound and thought-provoking lyrics. Epic instrumentation and vocals. I could be describing almost any progressive rock album of note, but I am specifically referring to the underrated Yes album Relayer in this case. I say underrated because this album, featuring only three songs, all of which are worthy of the designation “progressive,” ended up wedged in between the controversial Tales from Topographic Oceans and the (relatively) lackluster Yes albums of the late 1970s/early 1980s.
First a brief comment on the sleeve design. Roger Dean is an integral part of Yes’ image, and his design for Relayer only bolsters the importance of his role. Inspired by images of war and the Knights Templar, Dean draws the viewer in to a world of fantastical images and drama, as the knights on horseback arrive to do battle with the twin snakes. Before one even listens to the album, he can already grasp its focus and themes: war and peace, victory and hope. Dean can capture in an image what Anderson, Squire, and Howe can capture in music.
The three songs are not only well-written, but they are also well-performed. This may seem like an understatement in regards to Yes, but this cannot be said about every song they released. The epic opener Gates of Delirium, inspired by Tolstoy’s even longer epic War and Peace, and featuring superb work on keys and synths from Patrick Moraz on his only Yes album, was best described by Jon Anderson: it is a “war song,” but not one that seeks to explain or denounce war, but rather a song that explores war’s aspects: there is a “prelude, a charge, a victory tune, and peace at the end, with hope for the future.” Sound Chaser, a frenetically paced tune featuring a true guitar solo from Steve Howe, solid drumming courtesy of Alan White, and a sizzling performance on bass guitar from the late, great Chris Squire, allows Yes to explore their jazzier side. The final tune, To Be Over, moves at a more relaxed pace, anchored by Howe’s electric sitar. It is a beautifully straightforward song, and it provides the perfect final touch on a visually and acoustically stunning album.
In sum, Relayer may not be the most renowned album in Yes’ extensive catalogue, but in this reviewer’s humble opinion, it is one of their finest works overall, and one that deserves more attention and respect.
Keith Emerson: 1944-2016
A tragic loss for the prog world. Keith Emerson, one third of the great trio Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, passed away last night at the age of 71. More information in the link below.
http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2016-03-11/keith-emerson-dead-at-71
RIP, Glenn Frey (1948-2016)
It is with regret that I post another obituary on this site, but the rock world has lost another legend. Glenn Frey, co-founder of the Eagles, passed away this Monday after a lengthy battle with various illnesses. Although not a progressive rocker, Frey was nevertheless one of the most influential musicians in rock history. He will be sorely missed. Let’s hope he can now “take it easy.”
RIP, David Bowie (1947-2016)
Just days after celebrating his 69th birthday and the release of his latest album Blackstar (to critical acclaim, I might add), rock legend David Bowie lost his battle with cancer. Another sad loss for the rock world.
http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2016-01-11/david-bowie-dead-at-69
Happy Birthday, Ol’ Blue Eyes!
Born one hundred years ago today, Frank Sinatra remains an American icon.
Happy Halloween!
Well, my favorite month of the year ends today, but not before the celebration of All Hallows’ Eve! Enjoy some “Halloween” prog, courtesy of Jethro Tull!
Ciro Manna: XY
Last month, Italian guitar virtuoso Ciro Manna released his second album, XY, eight years after his impressive debut, Feel’n’Groove. Dominated by the sound of the electric guitar, XY takes the listener on a roller-coaster ride of fast-paced jazz/blues fusion pieces (with a heavy edge to them). Although Manna’s style may resemble that of the master of fusion, Jeff Beck, Manna allows his own sound to shine through. Manna’s talent also manifests itself in his ability to surround himself with some of the industry’s best, including drummer Simon Phillips of Toto fame and Guthrie Govan, one of prog’s finest and most requested guitarists. Here’s a breakdown of the album:
The first three pieces (X1, X2, and X3) are instrumental, and all three feature skillful guitar-bass-drum interplay.
Fear and Fire interrupts the instrumentals to showcase the soulful vocals of Italian singer Illaria Palmieri.
The next three songs (Mosaika Rock, Drivin’ On, and Bad Brakes) return to instrument-only fusion.
Secret Potion, the second and last song to interrupt the instrumental pieces, features the bluesy (and quite impressive) vocals of Patrix Duenas.
The album closes with three more instrumentals (XY, Wheels on Fire, Just In Time), the last piece featuring a neat jazzy keyboard interlude.
Overall, this album is more than a worthy sophomore effort by Manna. Capturing the best of jazz fusion, he utilizes the standard guitar, bass, and drum trifecta to their utmost effect. Furthermore, by incorporating the talents of prog luminaries such as Phillips and Govan, he gives the album a notable progressive edge not found in the work of other jazz fusion artists. This album is definitely worth a listen.
For more information, check out http://www.ciromanna.com
Progarchy 