Eric Gillette’s Second Solo Album: May 2, 2016

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rock1 Comment
Eric Gillette Announces New Solo Album
“The Great Unknown”
We are excited to announce the upcoming release of Eric Gillette’s new solo album,
“The Great Unknown”, featuring Eric on Lead Vocals and Guitar, as well as an incredible collection of musicians including the extraordinary Thomas Lang on Drums. The group is rounded out by Haken members, Diego Tejeida on Keyboards, and Connor Green on Bass.
“The Great Unknown”, due out on May 2, 2016, boasts 7 original tracks, including
the 18 minute epic “Escape” and is produced by Eric Gillette and Chris Thompson,
in partnership with T4 Music.
 The album will be mastered by audio genius, Rich Mouser (Transatlantic, Spock’s Beard, Neal Morse) at Mouse House Studio.

Available in April for worldwide pre-sale, through
Releasing worldwide on May 2, 2016!

Sign up for Eric’s newsletter to receive the latest updates and exclusive deals at www.ericgillettemusic.com

and follow Eric on Facebook at: EricGiletteMusic
and on Twitter at: @EricGillette 

Genius at Work: The Neal Morse Band

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rock1 Comment

Chris Thompson just posted this wonderful shot of the Neal Morse Band (minus Mike Portnoy, sadly), hard at work.  So much talent in one room. . . .

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RIP, David Bowie (1947-2016)

On By Connor MullinIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

david-bowie

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

Best of 2015: Symphony X — Underworld

On By Time LordIn ProgarchyLeave a comment

The Man of Much Metal has a really great review articulating why Symphony X’s Underworld deserves to be among his top ten for 2015.

I couldn’t agree more! The MMM totally nails down so many of the reasons why I included it on my own list of the top albums for 2015.

But the MMM’s review does seem a bit rushed. Certainly, I agree with him about the epic stature of “To Hell and Back” (which is the track that really grabbed my attention for this album, because up until I heard it I wasn’t warming up to the odd numbered tracks on the album — namely: 1, 3, and 5 — but when “To Hell and Back” came up as #7, I was immediately captivated and willing to re-listen to the entire album again and again until it grew on me in its totality, odd numbers and all). But I do think the MMM missed his golden chance to mention how it is really the last three tracks of the album that take things to a whole new level.

To my ears, tracks 7 through 11 (the last half of the album) are the absolute best. After the epic-length “To Hell and Back” (9:23), we get a bit of a breather with “In My Darkest Hour” (4:22), since it is shorter than the final three tracks which follow it. But then the unexpected fun really begins.

“Run With the Devil” has a killer riff that sounds like one that The Winery Dogs would toss off when operating at their finest. When I have time to listen to only one track from this album, this is the one I pick. It is mind-blowing in its virtuosity.

“Swan Song” fooled me, with its title, into thinking it was the album’s final track. Its epic length (7:29) and epic vocals and epic sense of conclusion and finality had me thinking that nothing could top such an amazingly operatic song as an album closer. But then Symphony X pulls out an even more epic album closer…

“Legend” never fails to instantly excite me, and it’s because the way it starts off totally sounds like Rush. In fact, the last time Rush sounded this good, it was the 80s! So, it’s even Rushier than Rush.

Yes, I like how “Legend” starts and ends in that classic Rushy vein. But even better, everything in-between is totally awesome as well, as Symphony X shows off also how they are truly their own band. Yet, in my mind, I take the song as a secret tribute to Rush, because of the pinnacle lyric: “The legend never dies.”

Symphony X, in their finest hour. The legend never dies, indeed!

A Primer For Finding the Best Music: John Simms

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 11.01.19 AM

An excellent primer by our progarchist friend, John Simms.  Where to look for the best in prog and art rock.

http://flightoftheskypilot.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/finding-new-music.html?spref=fb

Songs in the Key of X: Short Stories of Horror and Paranoia

On By bradbirzerIn Progressive rock6 Comments
xfiles album
Honoring the Pulp Glory of TV’s Finest Hour since the Original Star Trek

For us old guys who love music, 1996 was a pretty memorable year.  As always at progarchy.com, we’ll pay tribute to that year throughout this year.  We’ll look back at 1986 and 2006 as well.  Anniversaries matter.

One of my favorite releases of 1996 was the outstanding compilation album celebrating the weirdness (the prog-ness?) of the TV show, X-Files, SONGS IN THE KEY OF X.  As with probably most of us who write for and read progarchy, I was and remain an “album” guy.  Singles are fine. . . every once in a while.  But, I want something to sink my teeth into.  Compilations rarely do.

This one was an exception, as it has a bizarre–almost pulpish–consistency in the music, ranging from grunge to country to experimental to pop to heavy metal.  Everyone from Sheryl Crow to Nick Cave to Elvis Costello to Brian Eno to William S. Burroughs appeared on the album.  Stunning, really.  Even the CD insert was great–a thick cardboard poster, folded over, and adorned in cartoonish horror.

And, it was all put together by X-Files creator and mastermind, Chris Carter.

Strangely enough, I remember day SONGS IN THE KEY OF X was released, as it was March 19, 1996, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, a family feast day (on my mother’s side).

Here I am, twenty years later, still thoroughly enjoying every aspect of this CD, from its music to its art.  A thing to hold and behold.