As we approach our third anniversary, it’s fun to look at the stats for the site. And, one stat really sticks out. One man has commented on nearly half of our posts, sometimes more than once. Thanks, Indieun7! We really appreciate the support.
And, here’s all we know of him. He’s an American man of mystery.
I’m a mild-mannered Native-American writer who’s true-identity is the superhero known as “SUPA-NATIVE”!!!
Seriously though……….I’m a writer who writes WHAT he feels,WHEN he feels it!!! The one true thing I can guarantee You after reading my words,ARE…… it’s complete and total “Honesty”!!! For Honesty is NOT what You “think”……but what You “Feel”…….and in this case………ALSO……..what I “write”!!! ~Peace~
According to various online source, the definition of the term “telergy” is “a hypothetical action of one person’s thought and desire upon the brain of another person by the transmission of some unknown form of energy.” Somehow this very description feels very fitting with the subject of this review.
I’m always on the lookout for new prog bands releasing new albums, so I was quite pleased when I received Telergy’s third studio album “Hypatia” from the good folks at Prog Sphere Promotions. I was even happier when I started listening and found out that I loved the album. I’ll go more into detail on the music itself in a little bit, but first, some history.
Robert McClung is a New Hampshire based composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist with a long history in the music business. In 2009 he decided to abandon the world of popular music and dedicate himself full time to the music he truly loved – instrumental, symphonic, progressive rock. He wanted to create a project that could feature amazing artists from all over the world and provide the framework for the epic, classically inspired music he longed to create, and thus, Telergy was born.
Over the last three albums (including the newest release “Hypatia”), Telergy has featured performers from groups such as Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Yes, Kansas, Queensrӱche, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Living Colour, Symphony X, Kamelot, Rhapsody of Fire, Savatage, Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, Night Ranger, Porcupine Tree, Hawkwind, Spock’s Beard and more, as well as musicians from some of the world’s finest orchestras and opera companies.
Now that I’ve bored you all to the verge of leaving this page forever, let’s get back to music.
“Hypatia” is divided into 17 tracks, from which the odd numbers are the spoken-word tracks which actually tell the story that inspired this record, and that is Hypatia – the mathematician and philosopher of Alexandria, who was the daughter of the mathematician Theon Alexandricus. The most obvious thing about this record is, as mentioned above, the presence of guest contributors who helped Robert McClung present the work: Chris Caffery, Durga McBroom-Hudson, Bryan Hicks, Mike LePond, Oliver Holzwarth, David Ragsdale, Anna Phoebe, Oliver Palotai, to name but a few.
The whole album exudes an inspiring atmosphere, and symphonic harmonies go in favour to that. Unlike previous two albums, “Hypatia” moves away from regular song structures in exchange for a more spontaneous theatrical flow; the musical ideas feel structured episodically. Perhaps that has a lot to do with how the whole album is conceptualised and adjusted to story-telling. There are nine “scenes,” spoken-word tracks that help to understand the story of “Hypatia.” These scenes are intersected with “standard” songs that musically follow up. Fusion of traditional progressive metal, ambient, and classical music really shines here, and this eclectic approach to instrumentation and style feels consistently fresh and engaging.
“Hypatia” has so many brilliant moments that deserve to be heard by any self-respecting fan of modern prog. Telergy have once again delivered a complex, bombastic, no-holds-barred progressive rock epic with “Hypatia.” It will be really interesting to hear what comes next.
The next best thing to a vinyl gatefold album. Iron Maiden for the win!
Well well well… look what arrived in the mail just in time for METAL MONDAYS here at Progarchy… Iron Maiden’s latest, The Book of Souls, which is 2 CDs full of prog-length metal goodness!
If you’re going to buy the album, this is the package to get. It’s the deluxe edition that comes with the lyrics, pictures, and liner notes all nicely laid out in multiple pages in a hardcover book that is the size of a typical paperback book. It will look great on the bookshelf next to Samuel Taylor Coleridge!
If we can’t have gatefold vinyl on a regular basis anymore (those were the days!), then I say that this is the way to go. Buy a digital download, sure, but follow through by getting a physical copy that is the right size for your hands to peruse at glorious leisure… just like this. Nicely done, dudes!
Spock’s Beard Releases “Best Of” Collection with a NEW track written by Neal Morse featuring all members of Spock’s past and present!
Legendary Californian progressive-rockers Spock’s Beard are set to release ‘The First Twenty Years’ collection on November 20, 2015. Arriving as a special 2CD & DVD package, it includes a selection of the best tracks from their entire career, as well as a brand new 19-minute long track titled ‘Falling For Forever’ that features every member of Spock’s Beard past and present performing, including Neal Morse (who also wrote the track), Nick D’Virgilio & current vocalist Ted Leonard. All the tracks have also been re-mastered by long-term collaborator Rich Mouser, and the DVD portion of the release will include rare footage of the band in the 90’s, featuring vintage live performances from Progfest ’97 as well as the band rehearsing and recording “The Kindness of Strangers” album.
Pre-orders begin Now!
And..
In 2014, on the 8th show of their fall tour, Flying Colors took to the stage at Switzerland’s storied Z7 venue, and on film, captured a breathtaking live performance. With their critically acclaimed sophomore album Second Nature out for only a week, the concert recorded an exceptional rarity: band and audience, together, discovering an album for the first time. Release date November 13, 2015
We have bundled these 2 great releases in a special package and the first 200 people to pre-order this bundle will receive an exclusive signed frameable graphic signed by ALL seven members of Spock’s Beard past and present!
Pre-Order NOW!!!
Don’t miss your chance to get these 2 great releases at a great price and the free signed rare collectors item!
Instrumental rock band from Brno in Czech Republic, Ucan2 have recently put out their new single titled “Pompeii.” Check out what the band had to say about it, among other things.
How do you feel now that “Pompeii” has been unleashed?
We are so amazed for all the reactions we got from all over the world, it’s just amazing! We didn’t expect that at all, thank you everybody for downloading and for listening! The numbers speak for themselves, just great!
Are you satisfied with feedback you received so far for the new single?
YES, very satisfied! Lots of new fans and a lot of questions which we answered concerning gigs all over the world. We promise that we’ll do our best to fulfill our fans’ wishes to perform for them live in their city.
What was recording process like for “Pompeii”?
We had the song quite well prepared and figured out so it was just about going to the studio. As usual we recorded the drum track and then layed down the bass and guitars. Everything was recorded on Positive Grid app, great mature sound and no time wasted on setting up the mics in the studio, then we just did the master mix in the studio. We played a bit with the pans of the guitars and some sounds thats true, so we made 6 different versions and then just sat down and picked the one closest to what we felt is truly us.
How do you feel about the single’s production?
We did it all by ourselves so we had full control of the out come but the promoters did a great job, it just couldn’t do any better.
What inspired “Pompeii”? Any references to Pink Floyd?
No, we didn’t even thought of Pink Floyd when naming the song. It was about the feeling we had inside of us when we first played the whole song through, and it was definitely a crazy/burning feeling in the chest. So we looked for the right word and Pompeii came as the best one.
How do you feel “Pompeii” differs musically from the previous work?
Previously, Petr wrote all the music and the rest of the band did some tweaks here and there so it would be fun for the whole band to play, but this time, on the single we started writting together and more thought out the little details which make the song special, the Indian part in the middle with the 12 string acoustic was obvious right from the start.
Are you working on the album no. 2, when can we expect to see it out?
We are waiting for the right time, we are really not in a hurry, all the preparations just take time and we want it to be BIG next year. At this moment we are leaving Pompeii do its work for the band, we have been introduced to the world of music by this song and there is still our 1st record which we would like the new fans to discover and get used to our work.
What does the future hold for Ucan2?
We have in plan to record two more records named after the rest of two elements left, which will close one chapter of our band’s life. Other than that we think the most important thing nowadays is to play gigs all around Europe since we got so many invitations we would have to quit our work to perform everywhere. So we’ll do our best. We all love travelling and meeting new people and fans. We love to go site seeing in every city before we perform there just to feel the energy of the city and learn a little bit of the culture. Our biggest plan is to fly to Japan.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yeah, we are having a great time and we enjoy every little bit of it.
“Pompeii” is now available from Bandcamp. Check out the band on Facebook here.
Brisbane prog metallers, Therein recently re-released their debut album “Nobelium.” Guitarist, singer and mandolinist Cameron Whelan answered our questions.
How did you guys come together in Therein?
I moved to Brisbane to recruit people for Therein, and I was introduced to Kned (drums) through a mutual friend. Then I met our old bassist Krishan at uni. Shortly after, Ryan (guitar) joined as he happened to be studying with Kned and was keen on some Prog. It all came together rather easily come to think of it.
Your debut album is titled “Nobelium.” What does its name mean, and how does it reflect on the material?
It’s sort of a silly title, but it stuck. Nobelium is a synthetic element, and it’s chemical properties are not entirely known yet. But it definitely exists. It also sounds like an imaginary place. I’m not sure exactly how it came to be, but I felt it was an appropriate title when Nobelium first came together. We had just finished our first collection of recordings and it felt complete, it made sense. But it was something new for us, we didn’t fully understand it.
“Nobelium” was recently reissued . I suppose that there were quite a few outtakes from the original recording, is that right?
Actually, no! The extra tracks were recorded during the years after it’s initial release, but we felt that they belonged on Nobelium.
What are some of the themes you explore in your lyrics?
Quite a few things. On Nobelium we have (in tracklist order) – Greed, introspection and self-repair, optimism, debauchery, sadness, horror and possession, fishing and fighting, and culture. So human things mostly, though it really depends on the song. One of our new songs is about a meteorite!
What are you referring to when saying “Every changing of habit makes a change in the machine” in “Introspect”?
It’s a quote from George Gurdjieff. I don’t follow his teachings or anything, but he had some good ideas. It’s the last line of the song, everything before it was pointing to looking inwards and realizing you are the cause of your own problems. So in this context the line is saying that for every small change you make to fix it, you make a change in yourself as a person.
Are you satisfied with how “Nobelium” turned out? Do you believe in improvement?
Yes, for both questions. Nobelium was our first real crack at recorded work. I think it turned out pretty well for the time, but we’ve improved significantly since then. As long as we’re working, there will always be room for improvement.
I guess that “Samual’s Reel” is a showcase of your Tom Waits influences. What is your way in general to maintain a good balance between employment of acoustic and electric guitars in a song?
Firstly I just need to point out that Tom Waits has nothing to do with Samual’s Reel. We’ve had this comparison once before. It’s very much rooted in Celtic music and Tom Waits is… well, Tom Waits. Experimental Jazzy-Blues-Something… I’m not sure what to call his music. But it’s pretty great, even if it isn’t Irish!
But, to answer your question. I think a good way to maintain that balance is to identify which guitar is the lead, and build the other guitar parts around that. In the case of Samual’s Reel, the acoustic guitar took the lead. So the electric parts bounced off of that to draw out some of the rhythmic and melodic elements.
What do you guys do in your spare time?
Drink beer and play music… Sounds awfully similar to what happens during our working hours too.
What is the last concert you attended?
WACKEN.
Oh, and Plini.
To people who don’t know about Therein, what would be your message in order to get their attention?
Listen up!
You can buy “Nobelium” from Bandcamp, and like the band on Facebook.
Yes played a true fan’s dream concert with a set list stacked with both obscure delights and time-tested classic favorites. Here you can see them perfectly executing a stunning live version of one of Yes’ greatest but least appreciated songs: “Tempus Fugit.” Props to Billy Sherwood for tying it all together seamlessly with that genius Chris Squire signature bass line. And all the vocals were uniformly superb in an expertly balanced and crystal-clear live mix.
It was a mind-blowing two concerts in one.
Toto took the stage promptly at 8pm and then played a perfectly-paced, flawlessly professional 90-minute set. Then after an intermission for the equipment on stage to be switched out and in, and for concertgoers to have a bathroom break and buy more libations at the bar, Yes began their own 90-minute set with a classy tribute to Chris Squire at 10pm: a single spotlight on his bass, a video tribute in the background, and “Onward” played over the speakers.
I hadn’t read about the tour, so I was unprepared for the delightful surprises that ensued. Yes took the stage and proceeded to fill their set with a bunch of obscure songs that only true fans would know about and be thrilled to hear! It was pure Yes heaven, not only for that reason, but also because I have never heard a better sound mix at a Yes concert: everything was clean and crisp and detailed and pure sonic perfection. Toto’s mix was a little muddy with vocals and keyboards often being somewhat lost, which I have heard even at shows by Yes in the past, but this time Yes’s mix was everything I could ever ask for and then some: it was even better than listening to an album version!
And how many times can you say that about a band? Usually not. But on this night Yes proved to me that they are in a whole musical class by themselves, with definitive and irrefutable sonic proof. Even the Steven Wilson and Rush concerts I saw in the summer didn’t sound this good.
Despite some audience members being baffled (obviously the Toto-only fans) by the set list, once the band played “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” the crowd again rushed the stage and started back up with the frenzied audience participation that had marked the Toto set. Those antics from the previous two hours had been expertly stoked, thanks to Toto’s expert intuition for fulfilling every audience craving and for executing truly genius live arrangements designed to give the crowd maximum enjoyment.
From this “Lonely Heart” point on, Yes played more of their classic “greatest hits” and basked in the intense love from an appreciative audience. You know, I must note that the audience was having so much fun at this prog double bill that the joy echoed even in the banter in the restroom at intermission. As the washroom jammed up with a massive crowd (the mature crowd obviously had treated themselves to multiple rounds at the bar that they never could have afforded in their younger days), concertgoers loudly traded, above the din of the water closet, their respective happy memories of Yes concerts they had seen in the past. It was proggy locker-room camaraderie at its finest and it was totally hilarious. And the concert was still only half over!
Blame Toto for it, I guess, because they had whipped the audience into such a delirious state of prog bliss. Radio hits like “Rosanna” and “Africa” were extended into concert-tailored specialities with extra, prog-length guitar and keyboard solos and audience participation-singing shenanigans.
It’s hard to pick a favorite song from the Toto set, because every single song was live perfection, but personal highlights for me included the chance to hear “Great Expectations” live, as well as “Orphan”, off of Toto’s XIV — easily, but surprisingly, one of the very best albums of 2015 (and much better than Yes’s recent Heaven and Earth which sounds shockingly unfinished and I have to blame the producer for that failure). “I’ll Supply the Love” also blew me away live.
In fact, “Running Out of Time,” which Toto opened with, was so blisteringly perfect and infectious the I could not get it out of my mind for the whole night after the concert ended. I couldn’t stop singing it during post-concert burgers! Which just goes to show you how Toto has achieved total Jedi mastery of sonic hooks; somehow, I think those amazing vocal harmonies must be part of the method by which they can pull off such mind tricks.
I was stunned by how perfect the vocals sounded live. These guys are totally pro and settle for nothing less than the heights of musicianship. It is very satisfying to see such standards upheld in today’s live venues and I am proud to be part of the Toto generation that carries this torch.
And Billy Sherwood really impressed me with the undeniable vitality he brought to Yes’s sound, as his vocals blended in perfectly with everything and his bass skills were an exquisite match for the virtuosity of Steve Howe.
As I listened to Steve, I had to say to myself that this guy is the greatest guitarist on the planet; he sounds like he has gotten better with age, if that makes any sense. And it does. Perfect sense. His playing is so tasteful and not a single note is wasted or ever excessive, which is quite the realization once you remember the conventional knock against prog.
Geoff Downes totally shone at the keyboards and laced everything together with his nimble playing. Every note could be heard with such clarity that it was a real treat. To hear such music on a record makes your jaw drop, but to hear it so effortlessly reproduced live without missing a beat is unbelievable.
But what I liked best was how Geoff even selected a bunch of unique keyboard sounds and timbres that were not in the original recordings but that were truly surprising and delightful live, making you wonder if you have just heard the greatest version of that Yes song ever! Probably. And you will never be able to hear it again! Wah. But what a happy memory!
Alan White, what can I say, the dude is amazing. He is so humble and does his thing without showing off but any musician with a brain knows just how essential what he does is. I envy the lucky fan that Jon Davison gave one of Alan’s drumsticks to. Alan makes me want to applaud his every drum fill, but I contain myself so that the other audience members can hear the show.
And finally we should note what a bundle of positive energy Jon Davison is, making him the perfect guy to lead up front. When he flashes that peace sign in “Your Move,” you cannot stop from smiling because it’s 100% genuine and no pose. With the rest of us true believers in the spiritual positivity of Yes, it is only something to which I can say, “YES!” Yes, Jon, you are awesome, and thank you for keeping Yes to be the greatest band ever (to quote Toto).
And on that note, total thumbs up to Toto for being such unrestrained Yes fans. They kept praising Yes throughout their set, which shows you what a class act they are. And those were not empty words: what better tribute can be paid to your lifelong inspiration, other than to make your own music that is perfect in its integrity and sealed with the highest standards of musicality?
Steve Lukather (guitar), David Paich (keys), Steve Porcaro (keys), Joseph Williams (vox), David Hungate (bass), Shannon Forrest (drums), you guys are incredible, and your integration of Mabvuto Carpenter (vox), Lenny Castro (perc), and Jenny Douglas-Foote (vox) into the show is totally pro. I admire your intense dedication to giving people a live experience that can never be matched by any audio reproduction. You may consider your musical flights to be lesser in comparison to Yes, but all I can say is, hey, “little wing,” fly on! (Yes, Steve, our minds are still blown by your solo.)
If you were lucky enough to catch this tour, count your blessings. For me, it was a rare and special occasion the likes of which we may never see again. Just last year, I was taking for granted meeting Chris Squire at a concert. Now, today, I look at that photo and I know that you never know what tomorrow may bring. So, carpe diem and savor those notes while you can. Long live prog!
A match made in prog heaven, Yes and Toto closed their 2015 Summer Tour with a flawless show in Vancouver, Canada.
TOTO SET LIST:
Running Out of Time
I’ll Supply the Love
Hydra
Hold the Line
Afraid of Love
Holy War
Pamela
Instrumental (Steve Porcaro duet with Lenny Castro)
Keyboard Solo (David Paich)
Great Expectations
Without Your Love
Little Wing
On the Run / Goodbye Elenore
Orphan
Rosanna
Africa
YES SET LIST:
Onward (song played over speakers, with video as a tribute to Chris Squire)
Don’t Kill the Whale
Tempus Fugit
America
Going for the One
Time and a Word
Siberian Khatru
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Roundabout
Starship Trooper
As any Neil Peart fan well knows, the great man just celebrated his 63rd birthday and his sequel to his co-authored novel, CLOCKWORK LIVES, comes out tomorrow. We all eagerly await with intense and immense anticipation this new work by Peart and Hugo-nominated science-fiction author, Kevin J. Anderson.
Out September 15, 2015.
I must also proudly note that my intellectual biography of the world’s greatest drummer comes out tomorrow as well. NEIL PEART: CULTURAL (RE)PERCUSSIONS (WordFire Press). It will be available in paperback ($14.99) and ebook ($5.99) but is now available for pre-order.
I have to thank a lot of folks for their encouragement with this book project, and I hope I give everyone due credit in the book. When I read the works of Steve Horwitz and Rob Freedman, I just knew that I had to write a book on Peart. I’ve loved Neil Peart’s words and musicianship since first encountering MOVING PICTURES in March 1981. I was in seventh grade, and I’ve never been the same. To me, Peart fits in the same category as J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, and Milton Friedman as influences on my young life. As Peart has grown, so have I. And, so, I presume have most of us.
This book also turns out to be my fifth published biography. The other biographies, however, have been almost completely academic. When I first started to write this book, I’d wanted to write an autobiography with the emphasis on how Peart shaped my own life and thoughts on a variety of things. Even during the first draft, I started deviating from this plan. By the final product, I’d left in only a few personal experiences. There are two reasons for this.
First, almost everyone who reads the book wants to know about Peart, not me. Second, some of the experiences are still too painful to make public fully. I can only state that Peart’s art and example has meant as much to me and my life as any figure outside of my family.
In the book, I focus on Peart as a man of letters, one of our greatest in the English language. I was pretty thrilled when PROG’s Johnny Sharp wrote:
But author Bradley Birzer does go a little over the top in his gushing praise of his subject. When an intro mentions Peart in the same sentence as Socrates and Cicero. . .
He’s completely correct, of course. But, you should’ve seen earlier drafts! Ha. Anyway, if you like what we do at progarchy, you’ll like the bio.
Actually, I was just thrilled that my favorite magazine reviewed my book! Even if Sharp had hated it, I’d still be pretty honored that Jerry Ewing and Grant Moon took it seriously enough to review. Still, I’m so glad Sharp actually enjoyed it!
As Dream Theater quietly celebrates their 30th anniversary as a band this year, I bring you a look back at what is likely the group’s best album, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory. Many might argue that Images and Words is their best, but I believe that Dream Theater reached unmatched levels of brilliance on their 1999 album. It is also one of the greatest albums ever created, in my humble opinion.
In the grand scheme of things, I’m a very recent fan of Dream Theater. I didn’t really “get into” the band in earnest until early this year. Somehow, though, I feel as if I have been listening to the band for years. Their music seems to transcend time and emotion, particularly on Scenes from a Memory. This album manages to capture so much emotion, feeling, and spirit through both the lyrics and the music itself. From the seemingly strange concept of a man discovering he is a reincarnation of a woman murdered in the 1920s to the blisteringly brilliant musicianship, Scenes From a Memory grabs the listener and doesn’t let go. The album also manages to reach back to the band’s first album with James Labrie, 1992’s Images and Words. As many of you know, Scenes From a Memory is an extension of the song, “Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper,” and the album manages to include and build upon many of the themes and musical motifs introduced in that song. Continue reading “Metal Mondays – 30 Years of Dream Theater – Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory”→
Progarchy 