Author: kruekutt

Grateful for my beloved wife, son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and siblings. Also a lover of theology, music, history, philosophy, classic novels, science fiction, fantasy and Looney Tunes.

Kinetic Element, The Face of Life

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock1 Comment

I first encountered Kinetic Element at 2017’s Progtoberfest III in Chicago:

As I entered Reggie’s Rock Club on the final day of Progtoberfest, the Virginia band Kinetic Element were winding up their set … their take on classic prog, spearheaded by keyboardist Mike Visaggio, sounded accomplished and intriguing; I wished I could have arrived earlier and heard more. Plus, you gotta love a band with a lead singer in a kilt!

I’m still working on arriving earlier; fortunately, Kinetic Element has stepped up with more to hear.  Forged in the crucible of key personnel changes, KE’s new The Face of Life is a sturdy album of ambitious, appealing prog from the grassroots.  Visaggio, longtime drummer Michael Murray, bassist Mark Tupko, vocalist Saint John Coleman (he of the kilt), and new guitarist Peter Matuchniak rise to a tricky challenge — shaping music that’s steeped in the “founding proggers” while striving for fresh sonic territory and aptly framing the cultural and spiritual musings of Visaggio’s lyrics.

Album opener “Epistle” lays out Kinetic Element’s approach; seven minutes of space-age blues melded with a modernized take on 1 Corinthians 13, it’s a driving showcase for Tupko and Murray’s grounded groove, Visaggio and Matuchniak’s timbral variations and upbeat solo flights, and Coleman’s forthright delivery.   The epic “All Open Eyes” admittedly kicks off in familiar Yes Album territory, as a cappella vocals trade off with wistful guitar/mellotron licks.  But KE quickly heads their own way, building from a ear-catching symphonic overture through dramatic piano-led balladry (which Coleman aces) into an exciting instrumental with hot licks aplenty from Matuchniak, Tupko and Visaggio, as tempos, textures and the players’ roles constantly shift.  The return to the ballad for the big finish is a classic prog move (just ask Neal Morse), but Coleman’s portrayal of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting is utterly committed, and Tupko’s “Heart of the Sunrise” tribute toward the end tastes like a delicious cherry on top, not like half-baked leftovers.

Similarly, the title track’s opening can’t help but recall Going for the One’s “Awaken” to my ears.  But again, there’s a swift upshift to a more aggressive vibe, as Matuchniak and Visaggio push hard atop Tupko and Murray’s steamrolling riffs, Coleman testifies over gospel-inflected piano, and the band cycles through an organic, consistently surprising rotation of related ideas.   “Last Words” is an affecting coda to the album, a two-verse meditation sung first to Visaggio’s digital string quartet, then to a full band backing that floats to a serene conclusion.  Throughout, the mix by Glass Hammer’s Fred Schendel and Steve Babb is full, present and warm.

So if you want meat and potatoes prog that’s more than a hackneyed rehash of the past, Kinetic Element’s proudly blue collar efforts fill the bill.  The Face of Life is a satisfying listen and a genuine achievement, splendidly realizing the latent potential of a fine band.

For more on Kinetic Element and the new album, check out this article at (of all places) Broadway World.  The Face of Life is released on February 28, when physical and digital versions will be available from Bandcamp, Melodic Revolution Records, CD Baby, and Syn-Phonic Music.  Or, to pre-order the new album (along with previous albums and t-shirts) direct from the band, message Mike Visaggio on Facebook.  I did!

— Rick Krueger

kinetic element

The Neal Morse Band, The Great Adventure

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock10 Comments

I was skeptical when I heard about the Neal Morse Band’s new project.  A concept album that’s a sequel to their previous concept album?  Might Neal, Eric Gillette, Bill Hubauer, Randy George and the ever-prolific Mike Portnoy have finally taken this “epic of epic epicness” thing too far?

But then, I was skeptical about 2016’s The Similitude of a Dream, too.  A double album based on John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress sounded like a disaster in the making to me.  (Yes, this lifelong Lutheran still bore psychological scars from Morse’s Sola Scriptura.)  But, to my ears, Morse and crew rose to the challenge, unreeling Bunyan’s basic narrative with an enticing flow of steady invention, high style, and hearty commitment. And on the evidence of the Similitude of a Dream Live and Morsefest 2017 videos, the work got sharper, more dramatic and more engrossing the more the NMB played it.   At this point, along with the two Testimony sets and ?, Similitude is firmly ensconced in my Top Ten of Morse-led albums.  (Which Transatlantic still rules.  But I digress.)

So I gave The Great Adventure a chance — and I’m glad I did.   It’s got enough continuity with Similitude to feel like a genuine sequel, but also enough musical and lyrical freshness to stand on its own merits.  On initial hearings, I think it’s a smashing success that will reward repeated listens.

Continue reading “The Neal Morse Band, The Great Adventure” →

Andy Tillison – Now on Bandcamp!

On By kruekuttIn Andy Tillison, progressive rock, The TangentLeave a comment

From Andy Tillison, posting on the Tangent’s Facebook group page:

Hello – and as promised, here is a link to my very own Bandcamp page. I would like you to consider this a BETA, or work in progress. A few things I need to make clear. These are flac/wav/mp3 downloads only. I am doing this to make the music available – the re-release of these limited interest titles on any form of media would be impossible to finance. I’m sorry that the world ended up like that. However, the quality is exactly the same as the original CD releases. Nothing for your shelves… but plenty for your ears. …

Yes – the albums have to be paid for, I’m sorry but assure you that I plough as much as possible into the development of new work. Most of you realise this. More titles are in preparation from Po90, The Tangent and my own solo work.  Same time next week?

What’s in Tillison’s first wave of Bandcamp releases, you ask?  Follow the jump for the details!
Continue reading “Andy Tillison – Now on Bandcamp!” →

Steve Hackett North American Tour Dates

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock4 Comments

I finished yesterday’s review of Steve Hackett’s new album At the Edge of Light like so:

Here’s hoping his 2019 tour (also featuring Spectral Mornings and Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound) crosses the pond to North America!

Not even 24 hours later, here are Hackett’s complete North American tour dates.  Note that the Quebec, Oakville, Montreal and Vancouver shows are already on sale.  Direct links for tickets are included with the official listing on Hackett’s Tour Dates page.

  • 12 September – Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, NY (Onsale 1 February)
  • 13 September – State Theatre, Ithaca, NY (Onsale 1 February)
  • 15 September – Grand Theatre de Quebec, Quebec, CANADA
  • 17-18 September – Oakville Centre for Performing Arts, Oakville, CANADA
  • 20 September – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, CANADA (Onsale 1 February)
  • 21 September – Place des Arts Theatre Maisonneuve, Montreal, CANADA – * SOLD OUT *
  • 22 September – Place des Arts Theatre Maisonneuve, Montreal, CANADA
  • 24 September – Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA (Onsale 1 February; Pre-sale code: BOSTON)
  • 25 September – Beacon Theatre, NYC, NY (Onsale 1 February)
  • 26 September – The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT (Onsale 1 February)
  • 27-28 September – Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA (Onsale 1 February)
  • 1 October – Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead, Munhall, PA (Onsale 1 February; pre-sale code: musichall)
  • 2 October – Masonic Auditorium, Cleveland, OH (Onsale 1 February)
  • 3 October – 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids, MI  US (Onsale 1 February)
  • 4 October – The Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, US (Onsale 1 February; pre-sale code: GENESIS)
  • 5 October – The Copernicus Center, Chicago, IL (Onsale 8 February)
  • 7 October – Pantages Theatre of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN (Onsale 1 February; Pre-sale code: WALRUS)
  • 10 October – Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA (Onsale 1 February; pre-sale code: WALRUS)
  • 11 October – Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, CANADA
  • 12 October – Revolution Hall, Portland, OR (Onsale 1 February)
  • 16 October – Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ, US – Ticket link to follow
  • 17 October – The Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ (Onsale 8 February)
  • 18 October – Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (Onsale 1 February)
  • 19 October – Crest Theatre, Sacramento, CA – Ticket link to follow
  • 20 October – Fox Theater, Oakland, CA (Onsale 1 February)

 

— Rick Krueger

Steve Hackett, At the Edge of Light

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock8 Comments

This is Steve Hackett at his best: inventive, exciting and utterly musical.  At the Edge of Light features his most consistent singing yet, typically dazzling guitar work, and bracing new compositions  — driven at high velocity through unexpected twists, turns and switchbacks to surprising, satisfying destinations.

Admittedly, the album kicks off in a familiar place with “Fallen Walls and Pedestals”: a spacious stomp a la Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” or Hackett’s “The Steppes”, with sinuous riffs anchoring keening melodies and high-velocity shredding.  Hackett’s guitar croons above Roger King’s plush keyboards and orchestrations over a hard-driving rhythm section — there’s even an exotic intro by Malik Mansurov on tar.  So far, so fine — but then Hackett, King and company head off-road and ditch the map!

From there, I defy anyone to predict what’s coming next.  “Beasts in Our Time’s” creepy orchestral decadence slams into desolate guitar/vocal laments for a world on the brink and scarifying solos by saxophonist Rob Townsend and Hackett, collapsing in an atonal heap after a brutal uptempo shuffle.  The gospel flavored “Underground Railroad” plows through rich, soulful singing by Durga and Lorelei McBroom, dobro-based grooves and steaming locomotive boogie, morphing from menace to triumph for the soaring playout.  Hackett and sitarist Sheema Mukherjee evoke the banks of India’s Ganges River on “Shadow and Flame”; “Hungry Years” is a killer pop song with tight harmonies, Byrds-flavored electric 12-string, and a guitar solo fade that paradoxically builds and builds … and builds …

It’s the way Hackett mixes, matches and juxtaposes his ingredients that makes this new material so thrilling.  “Those Golden Wings” is another prime example: Hackett tosses off flamenco flourishes in a minor key, joined by King’s cushion of strings.  Then a chugging major-key orchestral riff ramps up, as Nick d’Virgilio’s meaty beat propels the song forward under the lead vocal.  An instrumental verse with more electric 12-string hops to a different minor key, then stops dead for an ambient string/chorus interlude.  Then a dose of “spacious guitar stomp”, an electric 12-string reprise, a final vocal verse, another flamenco solo, more strings and chorus — and one last extended stomp, as both Hackett and d’Virgilio rock out for the fade.  Whew!

And though there’s plenty of darkness afoot in these songs, Hackett holds out for the dawn, as portrayed in the album’s devastating concluding triptych. “Descent” evokes Gustav Holst’s “Mars” with pulsing strings, punishing power chords and howling feedback; “Conflict” is lashed with dark orchestral riffs and plummeting guitar spirals over a doomy mechanical loop.  But then comes “Peace” — a gorgeous piano-based ballad, with Hackett stepping up for what may be his best vocal ever.  And even “Peace” defies any expectations of Genesis’ “Afterglow” redone, easing into a power groove with mass choir vocals, whipsawing through a solo verse over reharmonized changes, melding chordal guitar plunges with the chorale.  Then freezing on one note.  Then a final, ravishing Hackett solo over the orchestra, hanging in your memory even after the last string chord reluctantly resolves.

I’m in total agreement with fellow Progarchist Bryan Morey here: At the Edge of Light is audacious, gorgeous, humanistic in the best sense of the word, powerful, musically deep — in sum, outright brilliant.  After just a couple of listens, it’s easily my favorite album from Steve Hackett’s creative resurgence of the past decade; in fact, it may be my favorite Hackett album since 1979’s Spectral Mornings.  Here’s hoping his 2019 tour (also featuring Spectral Mornings and Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound) crosses the pond to North America!  In the meantime, listen for yourself:

 

— Rick Krueger

kruekutt’s 2018 Favorites: Live Recordings

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock1 Comment

Note: my favorite new albums of 2018 are here.  My favorite reissues of 2018 are here.

One idea afoot in the online prog world I’ve only encountered since I began writing here is the thesis that live recordings shouldn’t be on reviewers’ “best of the year” lists. As I understand it, the basic idea is that live albums are: a) a different breed of cat than studio albums, and; b) not usually recorded in the year they’re released, so they’re not really from the year in question.  (Commenters can certainly enlighten me if I’m misreading the idea, or have other reasons the thesis is valid.)

Two arguments I’d have against this idea are: 1) my Top Favorite album of 2017, King Crimson’s Live in Chicago, was released the same year it was recorded (and, since it was the best rock gig I’ve ever seen, deserved a “best of” listing), and;  2) given record companies’ release cycles, most studio albums from the first half of a given year were probably recorded during the year before anyway.

But it’s true that live albums are usually meant to be different than a studio album: a momento or snapshot of a band performing repertoire from their studio output, caught on a given night, nights or tour — Robert Fripp’s “hot date” as opposed to a more considered “love letter”.  And live albums from an archive (be it a band’s or a corporation’s) are definitely more akin to a reissue than to new music.

Anyhow, without necessarily conceding the point, my favorite live recordings released in 2018 (separated out in their own post) follow the jump.  But first, a graphic tease:

Continue reading “kruekutt’s 2018 Favorites: Live Recordings” →

kruekutt’s 2018 Favorites: Reissues

On By kruekuttIn art rock, pop, progressive rock, Rock and Roll1 Comment

Following the jump, the reissues and compilations from this past year that:

  • For one reason or another, I absolutely had to buy (whether I previously had a copy or not), and
  • That grabbed me on first listen and haven’t let go through repeated plays.  Except for my Top Favorite at the end of the post, I haven’t ranked them — in my opinion, they’re all worth your time.  But first, a graphic tease …

 

Continue reading “kruekutt’s 2018 Favorites: Reissues” →

Happy International Rush Day!

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock1 Comment

It is 21/12, after all …

More on this lovely confected holiday at Rush Is A Band.

Makes me want to go out and splurge on Geddy Lee’s new Big Beautiful Book of Bass.  Though my wallet and my hernia might regret it …

glebbbb

— Rick Krueger

kruekutt’s 2018 Favorites: New Albums

On By kruekuttIn jazz, progressive rock2 Comments

Here are the albums of new music from 2018 that grabbed me on first or second listen, then compelled repeated plays. I’m not gonna rank them except for those that achieved Top Favorite status, which I’ll save for the very end. The others are listed alphabetically by artist. (Old school style, that is — last names first where necessary!) Links to the ones I’ve previously reviewed are embedded in the album titles.  But first, a graphic tease …

Continue reading “kruekutt’s 2018 Favorites: New Albums” →

King Crimson: 50th Anniversary Tour Is On!

On By kruekuttIn progressive rock1 Comment

King Crimson have announced three live dates in the USA for the fall of 2019:

  • Tuesday, September 3: The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles CA
  • Tuesday, September 10: Roosevelt University Auditorium, Chicago IL
  • Friday, September 21: Radio City Music Hall, New York NY

VIP Celebration Packages (60 people per show) for Los Angeles are available at Discipline Global Mobile; Chicago & New York packages are already sold out.  General ticket sales will begin soon.

Following up on this announcement (along with previous announcements of shows in London and Germany), Robert Fripp commented:

the countries being visited (although not extensively) are: Germany, UK, (likely) Holland, Poland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Chile. This assumes the world doesn’t get much crazier than it is already, noting that it will.

And DGM head honcho David Singleton reveals a bit more:

The exact timing of announcements for shows has to be agreed with the different promoters in different territories. We are also playing festivals, which have their own schedule. Some show-dates and contracts are still being finalized. This means that we cannot announce a full list. We do however insist that the first announcement comes from the DGMLive website, and that we have at least a week in advance to sell Celebration packages where they exist (it is not normally possible at festivals).

More tour date announcements are coming in 2019.

And yes, I ponied up for a Celebration Package in Chicago.  Lord willing, I’m ready and raring to hear the Mighty Crim for the 9th time next September!

 

— Rick Krueger