You learned from Rush that “you don’t get something for nothing,” right?
Well, here’s a case where you can get “Nothing” for nothing!
Download the Radio Edit version of Dave Kerzner’s “Nothing” for free for a limited time only.
Review: Vederkast – Northern Gothic
Vederkast is an unsigned band out of Tromso, Norway, and like many young bands around, they are clearly influenced by a wide range of progressive rock, while largely based on heavy/stoner rock. All that means that “Northern Gothic” is heavy on guitar tone with soaring vocals and epic songwriting. It’s the type of music that typically either works or doesn’t with little room for error.
Interestingly, Vederkast finds itself in neither camp. “Northern Gothic” is a perfect album, but it also offers up a template for future success. Album opener “Skirmish” is one of the heavier tracks on the album, with a great on-top-of-lungs chorus. “My Burden” is a slow burner that feels too slow burning but reveals itself through an underlying melody. “Leave Them Behind” and “Forget Me Not” are solid doses of stoner rock energy.
Overall, Vederkast feels like they developed their identity fully. There are shades of many different styles traced in their music, and that makes “Northern Gothic” a very pleasant surprise. As it is, the group is still in the growing phase, but “Northern Gothic” is a sign that the band is one to watch.
“Northern Gothic” is available from Bandcamp. Vederkast is on Facebook.
Rhys Marsh’s Glorious Song Cycle
Rhys Marsh, THE BLACK SUN SHINING (Autumnsong, 2015). A Song Cycle divided into seven parts: I Hear, I Know; Down to the Waves; Wondering Stars; One Step Inwards; Find Another Way; Soothe the Fear; and In the Summer Light.
So, Mark Hollis, Robert Smith, and Sam Healey walk into a bar. . . . Out comes Rhys Marsh.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the perfectionist Anglo-Norwegian beatnik, Rhys Marsh, who must never sleep, has released yet another album this year. A sequel to last year’s stunning SENTIMENT, 2015’s THE BLACK SUN SHINING follows closely after his Mandala and Kaukasus releases. I’m usually fairly impressed with my own productivity as a writer, but I’ve got nothing on Marsh’s productivity as a musician. The guy is as astounding in his output as he is immensely talented.
Much darker and less psychedelic than the first solo album, THE BLACK SUN SHINING revels in gothic gloom, steady explosions of primitive and driving percussion, as well as heart-felt lyrics. Listening to it demands immersion. Preferably with headphones and in a dark room. Impressively, Marsh has written the album as a seven-part song-cycle. Even the track listing claims only one track, divided into seven parts, separated as a-g.
As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not quite sure what the song cycle is about. It’s either about the death of a man who ends by finding the light of eternity, or it’s about severe depression that ends in finding real love and starting anew. Either of these themes fit the lyrics, and, frankly, at least at some level, they fit each other.
There’s nothing Marsh does that doesn’t impress me, but this is—to my mind—his absolute finest effort. The flow of the music is nothing short of astounding, but what impresses me most is how the music fits the words just so perfectly. The two best moments of the album:
First, at roughly 13 minutes into the album, when the percussion explodes, taking the listener from something previously mesmerizing to something ecstatic.
Second, at the beginning of the fifth part (e) of the song cycle, when Marsh brings us down again, not into the mesmerism of the first 13 minutes of the album, but into a kind of purgatorial drifting.
Each of these points make the listener realize just how completely invested he is in the music.
As I jokingly (well, my attempt at humor) mentioned above, Marsh combines the talents of numerous great musicians, but especially Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis, The Cure’s Robert Smith (the dark Smith, not the bubble-gum smith), and NAO’s Sam Healey. Given its influences (or at least the ones that seem to me to be influential), the entrancing cover of the new solo album resembles an artsy and gothic rendering of New Order’s POWER CORRUPTION AND LIES.
2015 has proven to be one of the best years in the history of rock music. As the year comes to a close, do not–for a moment–bypass Marsh’s THE BLACK SUN SHINING. It is not only one of the finest albums of 2015, it’s one of the finest albums I’ve ever had the privilege to hear.
Buy it now, and immerse yourself fully.
New music video: “Nothing” from @DaveKerzner prog rock concept album New World
New World is one of the very best albums of 2015.
Here’s a new music video for “Nothing,” which is one of its many killer tracks:
You can also watch cool videos of more great tracks from the album over at Dave Kerzner’s Web site.
Review: Darkening – Augür
Formed by multi-instrumentalist and composer Jeff Carter in 2012, Darkening’s goal was to deliver an atmospheric death metal package with elements borrowed from black, death and progressive metal. Fast-forward to 2015, and Carter delivers that package through the debut album called “Augür.”
This debut release is a strong statement of intent for what is hopefully going to be the first of many releases over the coming years. Opener “Departure” is a powerful and dark track, laden with a thick and palpable atmosphere throughout. It has a very clean, modern atmospheric doom sound to it.
“Stare at the Faceless Sun” begins with a short ambient intro, but it doesn’t take so long until the cannonade of riffs accompanied with a melodic outburst of vocals and acoustic guitars kicks in. Imagine early Opeth with a much more polished production, and you’ll have a rough idea of how the heavier portions of this track sound. “Whispers in the Trees” is built upon a cold, eerie sounding riff that wouldn’t sound out of place in many Black Metal anthems. The rest of a track moves forward rapidly, which really helps bring these riffs and the drums to life in many regards. Although I wish that drums would be more creative. This is quite easily the second best track on here, and could very well stand as the cornerstone of their repertoire in years to come. The best track is the “Etched Within”; this is the point where this album reaches its true climax, with confident, well played guitar parts, primal drumming and a real showcase of Carter’s vocal talents, not to mention the technical prowess on both guitars and bass. Once we reach the song which ends this release, “Imminence”, your appetite for great tunes has already been satisfied. And this song definitely is another one that is positively brimming with great music and talent, and is a great way to wind down “Augür.”
If you heard this album without any knowledge of the man that wrote and performed it, you’d be forgiven for believing that this is a band that has been going for a while. The musical image of this band is already fully formed. As far as debut releases go, this is a great one. Hopefully the ones that follow it will surpass the lofty standards that this album has set.
Get “Augür” from Bandcamp.
Review: Bangbakc – Lot Lizards
Like stylistic siblings The Mercury Tree and the Kayo Dot, Portland-based power trio Bangbakc assault listeners’ ears with highly energetic and sporadic bursts of brilliant dynamics. Colorful, complex, and superbly catchy, the band’s debut album, 2014’s “echocomplexities,” was an exceptional collection of hyperactive post-rock and noisy flights of fancy, with momentous musicianship infectious hooks scattered throughout. Arriving a year later, the group’s sophomore effort, “Lot Lizards,” offers a substantially different approach. Although it’s not as hypnotically accessible as “echocomplexities,” this new album is far more adventurous, imaginative, and surprising. In fact, it’s the most fearless and unique album I’ve heard this year.
The eleven minute “The Theme to Lot Lizards” kickstarts “Lot Lizards” like an auditory coma. Though I cannot tell with assurance who sings where on the album as all of the members are listed as vocalists, vocalist on the album opener roars with a sharp attitude whilst interjecting soulful harmonies. Meanwhile, the music jolts with a start/stop frenzy that’s too tremendous to ignore. The singer (no. 1) provides an impassioned melody for each wildly creative rhythmic shift, which vary between hectic, tranquil, and atmospheric. Best of all, this song proves to be one of the most inventive and unforeseen tracks I’ve heard all year.
The psyched-out guitar work is seductive, and the instrumentation on “Lot Lizards” veers more towards psychedelic swing than anything progressive. It bleeds into the equally exciting “Season 1: Things Feel Good Yeah” and its follow-up “Season 2: Scenes From My Tea Shop,” making for completely unexpected stylistic shifts. The latter in particular is like an outtake from a King Crimson record.
Further on, “Commercial Break: Smokin’ Joe’s Crab Attack” lives up to the zany awesomeness of its title. It’s luscious, multifarious, and wholly confident—especially considering it features the accordion, performed by Dave Willey.
The binary titled “010100010” is perhaps the most experimental piece on the album, and definitely one of the biggest highlights of “Lot Lizards.” “Echocomplexities Part II” features The Mercury Tree’s Ben Spees on keyboards and synths, and is a mathematically elegant piece with soaring vocals and tasteful melody.
“Lot Lizards” is so inimitable. Rarely have I been so impressed with the sheer nonconformity of an album. The again, it’s equally rare to find a modern band who strives so hard to set itself apart from the pack. Without a doubt, this one is special.
“Lot Lizards” is available from Bandcamp. You can follow Bangbakc on Facebook here.
Frank Sinatra: Grandfather of Prog Rock?
I originally posted this a year ago, to mark the 99th anniversary of Sinatra’s birthday on December 12th. After reading this USA Today article on Sinatra’s influence on “the world”, I thought it made sense to re-post it to mark the centenary of his birth.
“Well, yes, of course,” you said, upon reading the headline. “Everyone knows that Old Blue Eyes was not just a crooner, but a prog crooner, and thus the grandfather of prog rock! Does it really need to be said again?” Yes, it probably should, despite the abundance of articles on the topic (ahem). Especially since today marks what would have been The Chairman of the Board’s 99th birthday if he was still among us. Sinatra was born on this day in 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey, and would go on to be one of the best-known, best-selling musical artists of the 20th century, rivaled in sales and popularity by only a handful of artists and groups.
Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that Sinatra was a “prog rocker”. I might be a Sinatra fanboy—I have over 1,200 Sinatra songs in my iTunes library and listen to some of his music nearly every day—but I’m not insane. At least not that insane. What I am saying is that Sinatra did a number of things on the musical front that were either quite unique or very notable (and probably little known to most people), that pointed toward key elements and attitudes making up what we now call “prog”.
Here, then, are five things that make The Voice the Grandfather of Prog: Continue reading “Frank Sinatra: Grandfather of Prog Rock?”
Geddy Lee insists drummer Neil Peart hasn’t retired!
Rush lives! At least according to Geddy:
Asked whether he feels Peart’s quote was taken out of context, Lee adds: “I think that’s absolutely right. That’s their job. Talking about something when there’s nothing to talk about.”
Metal Mondays: Amerikhastan
From New Yorqatar to Califarabia…
Progarchy 