Do you remember that scene in the original Star Wars movie where Luke is watching nightfall on Tatooine and we see two suns sinking beyond the horizon… Well, scientists not that long ago in their search of the Heavens came across a similar phenomenon 200 light years away which they like to call a circumbinary planet — a planet orbiting two stars. These scientists obviously are not into Prog Rock because we could have told them they should have searched a lot closer to home and discovered two stars orbiting us who have recently put out an album called “Invention Of Knowledge.”
To those of you who own Kanye West albums, Anderson/Stolt are Jon Anderson (ex-Yes, ABWH, APB, ARW and other assorted projects) and Roine Stolt (Kaipa, The Flower Kings, Transatalantic, Agents Of Mercy and equally other assorted projects), and thanks to a little boat ride out to sea they’ve hung out together over many thousand miles apart to create a real gem of a Prog album. Oh, did I mention it is a PROG album? Welcome back, Jon. You’ve been sorely missed.
Crashride is a debut album made by French Canadians Jean-Sébastien Côté (composer, sound designer) and François Therriault (guitarist, composer), and has different musicians contributing on several tracks. The sleeve looks very interesting, it reminds me of a microscopic cluster of plant cells. The music itself is mostly instrumental. It is dreamy progressive and electronic music, with lovely ambient and soundscape moments, which I find very beautiful. Twelve tracks that are between three and six minutes long, which sound very good. Keyboards/synthesizers, guitars, bass, Chapman stick and v-drums are mostly presented. Frédérike Bédard provides vocals on some of the songs. This is a tough album to review track by track, because the instruments you hear are often merged together perfectly, making it one gamut of musicality. Continue reading “Crashride – Crashride (2015) — Grendel HeadQuarters”→
That greatest and most mischiveous redheaded bard of the 21st century, Andy Tillison, has announced that this coming Monday, August 15, The Tangent will be releasing a new single and a film to go with that single.
The title of the single is “A Few Steps Down the Wrong Road,” and it comes in at over 19 minutes.
Having been privileged enough to have a glimpse of this new film, I can state that Tillison and The Tangent fully return the spirit of rock to the spirit of rebellion of the late 1960s.
This is blatantly art as protest.
Whether or not you agree with Tillison’s views, you will happily recognize the importance of what The Tangent is doing and the significance of the film itself in the history of rock. Tillison, who describes himself as a leftist-anarchist, has never shied away from expressing his politics in music. “A Few Steps Down the Wrong Road,” however, takes Tillison’s art and views to an entirely new level.
Again, whether you agree or disagree with Tillison, you should never make the mistake of NOT taking him and his ideas seriously.
Progarchy (and yours truly) is extremely eager to see where all of this leads.
Rage on, Mr. Diskdrive. Rage on.
Square Brad with ultrahip Andy and Sally, Boulder, Colorado, February 2015.
August 8, 2016, Martin Theatre, Ravinia, Highland Park, IL
Brahms – Four Ballades, Op. 10 Brahms – Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79 Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition
Last night, I was fortunate enough to see Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, as well as some selections from Brahms, performed live by brilliant pianist, Vladimir Feltsman. Feltsman was born in Russia in 1952, and he made his piano debut at age 11 with the Moscow Philharmonic. He continued his study at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in 1969, later studying conducting at the Moscow and Leningrad Conservatories. In 1979, after years of growing increasingly frustrated with the Soviet Union’s communist suppression of artistic freedom, Feltsman applied for an exit visa. The communists responded by banning him from giving public performances and suppressing his recordings. After eight years of this, he was allowed to leave the Soviet Union and move to America, where he soon made his debut performance at Carnegie Hall. He is now an American citizen, and he currently lives in upstate New York with his wife. All this to say, the man is a brilliant musician and a lover and defender of freedom.
Photo courtesy of Ravinia Festival – this was not taken at last night’s concert
Ravinia is probably the finest music venue in the Chicago area, if not the entire country. Ravinia opened in northside Chicago suburb Highland Park in 1904, and it has been the summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. It even hosted one of George Gershwin’s final public performances of Rhapsody in Blue. It is also the oldest outdoor music festival in the United States.The venue is situated mere blocks from Lake Michigan in a lovely older suburban area. The park has a covered pavilion with seats, as well as a much larger lawn area, complete with old oak, maple, and birch trees, among many others. The site also features the Martin Theatre, which has beautiful prairie style architecture, stained glass windows, and chandeliers, as well as wonderful motifs painted on the ceiling. It is a wonderful example of early 20th century prairie style architecture. The park also includes multiple high class restaurants with excellent cuisine, with a menu that changes for each performance.
Dodson and Fogg have just released their latest album, White House on the Hill.
The musicians joining Chris Wade include Georgia Cooke on flute, John Garner on Violin, Kevin Scott on guitar, and special guest and music legend, Toyah. The album is full of varied styles, from jazz and folk to psychedelia and rock. Cover art was created by Linzi Napier.
A review of SAND (Sam Healy), A SLEEPER, JUST AWAKE (forthcoming, September 30, 2016). 9 tracks.
SAND, A SLEEPER JUST AWAKE (forthcoming, September 30, 2016)
As much as I’d like to start with something artsy (the album deserves it), I’ll just be really, utterly, completely, and totally blunt. This album is extraordinary. After a summer of horrors and violence (not personally, but around the world), this album seems like the necessary art to calm the savage soul. I think this is, quite possibly, Healy’s best.
As I’ve written a number of times before when writing about Healy (solo) and about North Atlantic Oscillation, he does three things with unadulterated excellence.
In early May, I received an email from a certain guy named Steve Vantsis. He asked if I was interested in reviewing his album that was going to be released in late June. Not knowing who Steve was, I was interested in this album he was talking about. I should be ashamed, because I didn’t know that Steve is the bassist of Fish’s band! Stupid me! … Anyway, let’s talk about the album! Continue reading “Must have album: TILT – Hinterland (2016) — Grendel HeadQuarters”→
