My Best of 2014, Part I: By the Way. Which one is Pink?

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music8 Comments

PINK-FLOYD-THE-ENDLESS-RIVER-album-artwork-low-res-600x350In a previous post or two, I’ve tried to explain what I mean by 2014 being a significant year in the history of progressive rock.  Something(s)—though I still can’t quite get my fingers exactly on it—is quite different.  That is, 2014 is not 2013, in the way that 2013 resembled but improved upon 2012, 2011, and 2010.

And, just to be clear, I’m not one of those proggers who actually thinks all new music must progress in the sense of offering some new technique the world has never heard before.  Sure, I love innovation.  But, never for innovation’s sake.  Innovation, by its very nature, is always momentary.  I want permanence.  And, permanence comes only with the discovery and uncovering of beauty.  If the new technique or innovation leads to a better understanding of beauty, so be it.  But, I would, I hope, always choose the timeless and true and beautiful over the clever and ephemeral.

So, what’s different about 2014 and what I believe to be a new wave of progressive rock?  Three things spring to mind.  First, the best of 2014—and there’s an immense amount of good—is beautiful.  Second, it’s eclectic.  Third, it’s atmospheric.

A few years ago, several progarchists were happily complaining that so much prog is being released into the world that it’s impossible to catch up with it or, once caught up, stay up with it.  True, I think.  And, all to the good.  Competition is rarely a bad thing, and competition for market and attention has forced proggers to think in very creative and entrepreneurial ways.  This is as true in selling music as it is in making music.

Take one very specific example.  Andy Tillison has always been one of the two or three demigods of Third Wave prog.  Take a listen, however, to his 2014 release, Electronic Sinfonia No. 2.  It is a thing of intense beauty, eclectic, and atmospheric.  It is the perfect fourth-wave prog release, in many, many ways.

Because we’ve been so overwhelmed with so much goodness over the last two decades, and, especially, the last few years, Anathema’s Distant Satellite is a severe disappointment.  Had it been released five years ago, it would have been pretty great.  Now, though, in this context, it’s simply a parody of Anathema and Radiohead.

Well, enough ranting.  I’d like to start describing my favorites of this year.  In no particular order, I offer my first glimpse into my loves of 2014.  Pink Floyd’s THE ENDLESS RIVER.  I’ve been shocked at how many folks on the internet have decried it, as a betrayal to Roger Waters and to traditional Pink Floyd.  Since when has PF ever been traditional?  The Endless River is something PF has never been before.  It has echoes of Echoes, but it also had a lot of Tangerine Dream in it.  It’s interesting, it’s soaring, it’s daring, it’s full of whale song.  Just listen to Skins and Unsung.  There’s no ego.  Just flight.

And, what an incredible honor to the brilliance of Rick Wright.

I’e always liked Mike Portnoy.  In fact, I’ve been quite taken with him, and I’ve been more than willing to put up with his own eccentricities and strong opinions.  But, when he lamented a new PF album this past summer, something in me gave.  My respect for the former DT drummer has declined dramatically.

Around the time that the Division Bell was released, Wright admitted that he feared that PF had lost some of its creativity, and he cited Mark Hollis as an inspiration.  Talk Talk, he argued, got away with much, mostly because Hollis had the integrity to dream and dare.  He wanted Floyd to have the same spirit.

Well, here it is.  THE ENDLESS RIVER.

What do David Gilmour and Nick Mason have to prove?  Nothing, really.  And, they prove nothing except the ability to offer a memorial to Rick.  Amen.  If every person in the world offered such a tribute to a lost friend, this would be a much better world.

Gilmour and Mason, I salute you for doing the right thing, the good thing, the true thing.

Son of Aurelius — Under a Western Sun (Best Prog Albums of 2014 — Part 3)

On By Time LordIn 20141 Comment

Continuing with my Top Ten Prog Albums of 2014, today I commend to you this year’s stunning prog metal release from Son of Aurelius.

Son of Aurelius was a technical death metal band that has now grown into an innovative and unique prog metal band. Actually, what they do defies genre categorization. They even engage in a critique of the entire notion of “prog” here in the lyrics to track six, “Attack on Prague” (a clever variant spelling of “Prog”):

Freedom from impulse
has never been required more
than it is in relation to the state we’re in,
and it will take so much more
than progressive metal can hope to achieve
With all of its intention and spacey themes.

The band’s first release, The Farthest Reaches (2010), stuck solely with the genre’s usual monochromatic death metal vocals over top of technically accomplished metal. Now on this sophomore release, they have evolved musically and exited from the sub-sub-genre ghetto of death metal but incorporated the best of those sub-sub-genre tropes into a much, much greater musical accomplishment. I am struck by the level of transformation here, and to use an analogy that Progarchy readers will understand, it seems to me something like the difference between Rush’s first album and their second album. Under a Western Sun (2014) appears to be Son of Aurelius’ Fly by Night. In case you miss my point: with this release, we are now in the presence of true musical greatness.

There are fifteen tracks on this entirely independently-produced release. The old death metal screams and growls are incorporated here only as a smaller part of the full palette of an astonishingly dynamic range of vocals. Rather than death metal vocals for the sake of death metal vocals, Riley McShane’s screaming here is intelligently deployed simply as part of the emotional variation within the songs. The impact is incredibly effective and gives the sonic experience a unique range and power.

I think of the album’s fifteen tracks in three groups of five. First, there are five lengthy, mind-blowingly epic prog metal tracks:
2. Chorus of the Earth (7:11)
3. The Weary Wheel (6:46)
6. Attack on Prague (6:03)
13. Long Ago (6:53)
14. Under a Western Sun (7:15)
The technical virtuosity is amazing on every one of these tracks. If you want to have an experience similar to being a teenager listening to Neil Peart for the first time, listen to what Spencer Edwards does with his drumming: you will be astonished to discover that a human being is capable of making sounds like this on a drum kit. It is hard to pick a favorite track, because everything here is truly superb. Cary Geare on guitar and Max Zigman on bass will blow your mind with their unbridled excellence. There are even acoustic guitars and keyboards here and there, which showcases the musical intelligence and compositional skill of the band as they create prog soundscapes on an epic scale.

If I had to single out a favorite moment and a favorite track, it would be track 13, “Long Ago,” where Riley McShane at 4:09 holds the last syllable of the last word he sings in the chorus in an extended rock and roll yell over top of the blistering guitar power chords and the enfilading fire of the drum kit. It’s a truly transcendent moment, because it takes a few seconds for you to realize that Riley is not letting go of that note… and then he just keeps on going and going, for a whole twenty seconds! Unlike Roger Daltrey’s famous yell in “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” which telegraphs what it is about to do, this yell sneaks up on you instead. But it too delivers a truly great rock and roll moment that is no less classic.

Every one of these five lengthier tracks is a mini-masterpiece, and together they actually add up to the length of a regular vinyl album of five-star rank. But the band is kind enough to share more music with us, and so we get a CD that is 72:15 in total length. Let me tell you about the rest of it, which is like having ten bonus tracks added on to an already five-star classic prog metal album.

The second group of five tracks includes four instrumentals, and one more track, “The Prison Walls,” which, unlike the other vocal tracks on this release, is nothing but growling death metal vocals, and hence it harkens back to the old style of their first album:
1. Return to Arms (2:42)
7. Flailing Saints (1:19)
11. The Prison Walls (5:55)
12. Submerge & Surface (3:03)
15. Strange Aeons (2:29)
Personally, I find these exclusively growling death metal vocals completely boring and I can barely stand listening to track eleven. I feel my I.Q. dropping as the dumb growls plod on and on — although the demented riffing on the track does make for some great crazy metal music. There is an excellent instrumental break at about the three-minute mark, and so usually I just fast-forward to that, if I don’t skip the song entirely. I guess this track is a sop to the fans who loved their first album, but I just think it is time to grow and move on and leave this sort of thing behind. It works when it is deployed in very small doses as part of an escalating dynamic range, as within the five epic prog-length tracks, but on its own it is musically very dull.

“Flailing Saints” and “Strange Aeons” are brief fade-in and fade-out instrumental outtakes, but “Return to Arms” and “Submerge & Surface” are fully coherent instrumental wholes that are very, very impressive. If you want a quick sample of the band’s virtuosity, try out those two tracks. I especially love the bass solo on “Submerge & Surface,” because it explodes into an unexpected burst of feedback at the end. The instrumentation and arrangement is top-notch on these purely musical tracks. They work well in bringing variation and interest to an already stellar album.

The last group of five tracks consists of carefully-crafted songs that are shorter in length, but still packed with the musical virtuosity that is the hallmark of Son of Aurelius:
4. Coloring the Soul (3:56)
5. The Stoic Speaks (4:46)
8. A Great Liberation (5:27)
9. Clouded Panes (4:28)
10. Blinding Light (4:15)
“Coloring the Soul” and “The Stoic Speaks” give us lyrics sung from the perspective of a Marcus Aurelius character who seems to be standing outside of time. “Coloring the Soul” even sings at the end a quote from the Emperor’s actual Meditations:

The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.

The band gets its name from the successor Emperor, Commodus, who on their first release was changed by the lyrics into a fictional, super-powered lunatic. But on this release, the “son” of Marcus Aurelius could be anyone listening to the album who is spiritually attuned to what the lyrics are singing about — a “spiritual son” of Marcus Aurelius, in other words. Perhaps something of that vision even informs the lyrics to the epic track “Long Ago,” which could be giving voice to the album’s Marcus Aurelius character, standing outside of time, viewing the trajectory of the Roman Empire, and lamenting the way the world has gone.

Tracks eight, nine, and ten are all very different, but yet each one finishes up with a highly creative outro. Each outro is very satisfying and unexpected and impressive. “A Great Liberation” has screaming death metal vocals throughout, but while the growling ones on track eleven, “The Prison Walls,” are boring, these screaming ones at least have an interesting expressive dimension, and they actually work very well with the incredible music that comprises “A Great Liberation.”

The track “Clouded Panes” is a good short introduction if you can only play one short song for someone to show the truly amazing range of which Son of Aurelius is musically capable. Again, it’s hard to pick any favorites, but one of mine is “Blinding Light,” which for the first few minutes sounds exactly like it could be a Big Big Train song! But then, at the transition into the outro, power chords come ripping in unexpectedly, and Big Big Train turns into… Son of Aurelius! It’s an awesome moment. The vocals by Riley McShane are really great here, especially his quiet clean vocals which then erupt into rock singing. This is the stuff of greatness.

Son of Aurelius are the real deal. Don’t miss this album. It’s a special accomplishment and is arguably the Prog Metal Album of the Year. But tomorrow I will share another neck-and-neck contender for that title.

Son of Aurelius — Under a Western Sun

Max Zigman – Bass
Spencer Edwards – Drums
Cary Geare – Lead Guitar
Riley McShane – Vocals

Bad Elephant Music: A Review Special

On By James R TurnerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

Bad Elephant Music announced themselves on the prog scene last year with the amazing Shineback album, brainchild of the one and only Simon Godfrey, and following on the success of that album they released in swift succession Godfreys acoustic Motherland album, and The Fierce and the Deads frankly astonishing Spooky Action, putting them at the forefront of contemporary prog labels.

They have continued their stellar contribution to the prog world this year with a trio of albums covered here that enhance their reputation as one of the most exciting labels releasing contemporary prog (the other being the Esoteric Antenna label) and if you’ve missed any of these albums then you’re missing out.

Emmett Elvin

Emmett Elvin: Bloody Marvels

Keyboard player for Knifeworld and multi talented multi instrumentalist, Emmett Elvin releases his quite extraordinary solo album. Joining label mates like The Fierce and the Dead and Trojan Horse, Emmett Elvins unique musical take is firmly at home on Bad Elephant as he joins their talented musical family.

This solo journey is piece de resistance for Elvin, whose work with the frankly superb Knifeworld has laid down the benchmark for contemporary post rock prog.

With a diverse mix of sounds here from the fantastic opener of Artificial Pterodactyls Over Leytonstone which has to be one of the best song titles ever, Elvins knack for a sound and trick with a melody is spot on, as the album develops and as you replay it, you start to hear different sounds and get different things each time. The brilliant Witness Unknown, with its nagging guitar riff, and its echoed vocals evoke memories of early Hawkwind and manages to be both sinister and beguiling at the same time, a trick that very few artists can pull off. Whilst tracks like X Corpus, with its almost pensive tones and the closing majesty of Dustbowl Prizewinner are begging to be used in films. In fact the whole album has a widescreen soundtrack style to it, with music concrete elements and snippets of dialogue in the songs.

Freed from the band vision of Knifeworld, Elvin lets his musical imagination run riot, and the result is an eclectic, innovative and exciting triumph, an album of contrasts and depth, light and shade and some of the fantastic music I have heard this year.

Not many artists can claim to perform on two of the best albums of the year, with the Knifeworld album and now this Emmett is one of them.

thegift2

The Gift: Land of Shadows

Another gem from Bad Elephant, The Gift are one of the third wave prog bands that made their name in the early part of the millennium, and return here with Land of Shadows an album of immense beauty and perception.

With the London based band now being made up of founder member Mike Morton co conspirator David Lloyd, new drummer Scott Tipler, keyboards from Samuele Matterucci, Franz Vitulli on bass and Gary Lucas on guitar, this is the follow up to arguably one of the prog albums of the 2000’s Awake and Dreaming.

With its contemplative spoken word intro I sing of changing leading into the 12 minute epic The Willows with its superb lyrics, its wonderful guitar work and its magnificent movements, this is contemporary symphonic prog at its finest. With some fantastic songs that tell stories of modern life mixed with the musical brilliance and intuition that only the best prog performers have, Land of Shadows is truly a masterpiece, songs like Road runs on til Morning and the rocking Too many hands are fantastic, whilst the 19 minutes plus magnificence that is The Comforting Cold (a song cycle that has been worked on since 2010 and encompasses the loss of Mortons Father in Law and Mother and other life changes) it channels so many emotions into one beautifully written and performed piece of music, with its mood changes, its symphonic widescreen sound and its musical interplay and emotionally honesty that picks you up, pulls you along in its awake and leaves you somewhere else emotionally and spiritually (the only other epic piece I can think of comparing it to is the equally superb This Strange Engine by Marillion). The musical performances here are peerless, the lyrics are so well observed and the interplay between keyboards and guitars are amazing, and with the coda of As finishing this album, Land of Shadows is as perfect a prog performance as you will hear all year and is a welcome addition to everyone’s record collection, and shows how damn magnificent those chaps at Bad Elephant are for treating us to music like this.

Trojan Horse

Trojan Horse: World Turned Upside Down

We have already been treated to The Fierce and the Dead, Emmett Elvin, Simon Godfrey, The Gift and now their unstoppable assault on the world of prog continues with World Turned Upside Down, the second long player release from Manchester’s Trojan Horse, self proclaimed noisy prog rock bastards.

This inventive and eclectic quartet formed of the Duke Brothers (Nicholas, vocals, guitar, Hammond, keyboard, percussion. Lawrence, vocals, bass, guitars, percussion, Eden, vocals, keys, synths, bass) and Richard Crawford on drums, guitars, vocals, are a phenomenal live force of nature.

Their powerful and inventive live show carries over here on to this record, where they build on the power of their debut with some fantastic musical turns, the opening Juraspyche park for instances features them sparring with the ever inventive Kavus Torabi from Knifeworld, whilst live favourite Scuttle spreads its wings and impresses here. There is plenty of light and shade within this album, as tracks like the 12-minute epic Hypocrites Hymn simmers with the tension and righteous anger of the downtrodden. It’s no surprise the album title is taken from the 1646 revolutionary pamphlet, and the whole record bristles with anger at the austerity policies forced upon this country by the current Government. Songs like Death and the Mad Queen and the frankly amazing Paper Bells sum this up, both lyrically and musically. Who said protest song wasn’t dead?

Trojan Horse is a musical phenomenon, defying easy categorisation, and writing heartfelt lyrics and intense musical moments, combining to create one of the albums of the year.

For further information check out http://www.badelephant.co.uk

Bryan’s Best of 2014

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock music2 Comments

Without a doubt, 2014 has been a great year for Prog. It seems as if we have been barraged by great music from all sides.  The string of excellence continues. This list is my arbitrary ordering of what I liked best from this year. I’m really not a huge fan of “best of” lists because I don’t think you can really judge art in that way. So, consider this a list of what I enjoyed. The order of numbers 10-3 is relatively interchangeable.

10. Dream the Electric Sleep – Heretics 8530215

I should have reviewed this album when it came out back in January, but I’m lazy. This was a fantastic sophomore release by the Lexington, Kentucky prog outfit. Their first album, Lost and Gone Forever, was an excellent concept album. These guys do a fantastic job of combining classic prog influences with a harder rock edge. The beginning of the album sounds almost Pink Floydian, and there are definite nods to The Wall. The singer also sounds a bit like Roger Waters. Heretics is another concept album, and it clocks in at over 70 minutes in length. Check these guys out – they are ascending as a band and are making some great music.

http://www.dreamtheelectricsleep.com

9. Cosmograf – CapacitorCapacitor

Robin Armstrong’s latest offering, combined with the efforts of such wizards as Andy Tillison, Nick D’Virgilio, and Matt Stevens, is a fresh take on prog rock. As of right now, I haven’t listened to any other Cosmograf albums, but this one is quite good. I’m sure there are others here at Progarchy that could tell you more about the band, and I’ll wager they would be more than happy to. Capacitor is definitely worthy of any 2014 “top 10” list.

http://www.cosmograf.com

8. Bigelf – Into the Maelstrom Into the Maelstrom

Three words – Mike freaking Portnoy. He teamed up with Bigelf to drum on their latest album, and it was insane. He has to be the hardest working musician in prog. This isn’t the last we shall hear from him on this list.

Bigelf’s breed of prog metal is unlike anything I have heard before. Maybe it’s lead singer Damon Fox’s awesomely bizarre vocals, or their fantastic combination of metal and classic rock, or maybe it’s Portnoy. Or all of the above. Whatever it is, Bigelf has created something special with Into the Maelstrom. They have been around since the early 1990s, have four studio albums, and have toured with Dream Theater, so they know their way around the business. Certainly worth the time for any Mike Portnoy fan, as well as any fan of prog metal.

https://www.facebook.com/bigelfmusic/info?tab=page_info

http://www.bigelf.com

7. The Gift – Land of Shadowscover

London’s The Gift masterfully combine prog metal with symphonic metal and Gabriel-era Genesis prog. This album is refreshing in its tonal clarity and its thematic prowess. It is definitely an album worth listening to over and over again through the years. Here’s my review of it from several months back:

https://progarchy.com/2014/07/20/the-gift-land-of-shadows/

http://www.thegiftmusic.com/index.php

 

6. Voyager – Vimage013

Australian prog metal outfit Voyager have released a very solid album this year. While I feel like it could have been more tightly constructed and some of the songs featured unnecessary repetition, there are some awesome riffs to be found here. This band rocks, and they rock hard. Many comment that the second half of the album is a let down, but I think it is just the opposite. Voyager ventures into the wonderful void of prog in the second half of V, including some softer songs. Time Lord wrote a very nice review of the album earlier this year:

https://progarchy.com/2014/07/05/voyager-v/

http://voyager-australia.com

5. Transatlantic – Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope (Kaleidoscope)

I told you Mike Portnoy would be heard from again on this list. Supergroup Transatlantic cranked out a fantastic album this year. Made up of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas, Transatlantic has several albums under their belt, and they continue to impress. Kaleidoscope was my first introduction to Transatlantic, and it was an excellent first impression. The cover songs found on the accompanying special edition are all excellent. Anyone who can cover Yes, King Crimson, Elton John, Focus, Moody Blues, and a few others while still sounding entirely unique deserves immense respect. The live album, KaLIVEoscope, that came out in October, was equally brilliant, with three hours of musical genius. The collective talent in this band is shocking, and it clearly shows on Kaleidoscope.

http://www.transatlanticweb.com

4. Chevelle – La GárgolaLaGargola

No, this isn’t a prog album. However, Chevelle released one of the best albums of their career with La Gárgola. Their heavy, yet not overly heavy, style of metal has been a staple of contemporary hard rock over the past 15 years. Their excellent vocals, steady bass, clear guitar, proficient drumming, and haunting lyrics makes Chevelle one of the most interesting metal bands of the 21st Century. I found this album to be an excellent return to their heavier beginnings, while simultaneously exploring new and more complicated territory.

http://getmorechevelle.com/home.php

https://progarchy.com/2014/08/26/chevelle-la-gargola/

3. Pink Floyd – The Endless RiverThe Endless River

Is Pink Floyd even capable of making an album that isn’t good? Their latest (and final) album combines extra recordings from The Division Bell with recordings from David Gilmour and Nick Mason, as well as studio musicians. Mainly instrumental (only one song has singing), this album hearkens back to the instrumentation found in Wish You Were Here and Animals. The one thing missing, in my opinion, is Roger Waters’ bass. I feel like his involvement in this album would have made it even more spectacular, as well as thrill millions of fans. Even so, this is clearly Pink Floyd, and any fan of psychedelic prog will love this album. The album serves as a worthy sendoff for Richard Wright.

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/index2.php

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/theendlessriver/

2. Vanden Plas – Chronicles of the Immortals – Netherworld397022

Vanden Plas’ latest album might very well be the best progressive metal album I have ever heard, with no disrespect to Dream Theater’s Images and Words. It is just that Netherworld so beautifully captures the intricacies of metal, “high prog,” and magnificent story telling. There have been some excellent albums released this year, but few reach the brilliance of Vanden Plas. Having listened to some of their previous work, this album is not out of the ordinary for them. One of the nicest things about this band is the vocals are not your traditional “metal” vocals – there is no screaming, yelling, whining, etc. Andy Kuntz’s voice is beautifully melodic and mysterious, and it is perfect for this album. Vanden Plas perfectly crosses over between the worlds of full-on head banging metal riffs and quieter, classic progressive rock. This album also has one of the best beginnings and endings of any album I have ever heard. There is a clear and definite start and resolution – you aren’t left hanging or wishing there was more. It is perfect just as it is.

Check out Gianna’s and Time Lord’s reviews of Chronicles of the Immortals – Netherworld.

http://www.vandenplas.de

1. Flying Colors – Second NatureSecond Nature

Mike Portnoy again. The guy sure does get around. Neal Morse again too. Go figure. Also in the band are Steve Morse, Casey McPhersen, and Dave Larue.

Second Nature is one of the best albums I have ever heard. Flying Colors combine prog rock and pop rock in a way not seen since the glory days of Styx and Kansas. Seeing them live merely solidified my position on the matter. Catchy yet complicated riffs abound, as well as thoughtful lyrics. If prog wants to become mainstream and popular again, then bands need to take note of Flying Colors.

Check out my review of Second Nature, as well as my review of their live show.

http://flyingcolorsmusic.com

***

Well, there’s my top 10 of 2014. A fair mixture of metal, prog metal, and straight up prog. Honorable mention should go to Ian Anderson’s Homo Erraticus, Fire Garden’s Sound of Majestic Colors (which I thought had far too much of a “garage band” mixing to make my top 10 list), Fractal Mirror’s Garden of Ghosts, Salander’s STENDEC, and Glass Hammer’s Ode to Echo. Special mention goes to Haken’s recent EP, Restoration EP. Had this been an album, I would have placed it in my top 5. Dishonorable mention goes to Yes’ Heaven and Earth.

Top concert of the year goes to Dennis DeYoung. His voice has not changed in 40 years, and his backup band and vocalists are better than Styx. He also has a singer who sounds better than Tommy Shaw did 40 years ago. Runner up for best show goes to Flying Colors, from their brief Second Nature tour. The reason I’m not placing them as best live show of the year is because of the audio problems they had during the show. The sound system for Dennis DeYoung’s show was superb, with no feedback issues during the show. I also had a wonderful time at the B.B. King concert, as well as seeing the CSO perform the music to Return of the King live. It was a great year for concerts!

I would also like to mention Dream Theater’s self-titled album as one of my most listened to albums of 2014. Everything about this album was fantastic, including the live album on Blu-Ray they released a few months back. From the metal virtuosity to the lyrics, this album will be on the rotation for years to come.

2014 has been another fantastic year for prog, and I look forward to more of the same in 2015. Neal Morse’s next project, The Neal Morse Band The Grand Experiment, comes out in February. Take a wild guess at who the drummer is. Muse will also be releasing an album in 2015, one which they claim will return to their rockier roots. There is also talk of a Rush 41st anniversary tour (I think there is, anyways). Much to look forward to in the coming year, and much to appreciate from 2014.

Prog on, Progarchy!

 

Cynic — Kindly Bent to Free Us (Best Prog Albums of 2014 — Part 2)

On By Time LordIn 2014Leave a comment

CYNIC

Continuing with my Top Ten Prog Albums of 2014, today I commend to you this year’s stunning prog rock release from Cynic.

Cynic is famous for their infrequent but innovative and influential contributions to the prog cause: Focus (1993) and Traced in Air (2008), plus the EPs Re-Traced (2010) and Carbon-Based Anatomy (2011). On this new release, they have entirely eliminated any trace of death-metal vocals and taken a new direction to boot. The style not so much metal as it is groovy, jazz fusion-ey rock.

It sounds totally classic to me. I love the retro vibe on this album. It is kind of like discovering a hidden gem from the 70s in a time capsule. The disc is 42 minutes long and is thus reminiscent of a vinyl-length listening experience. And the album even divides nicely into a “Side A” and a “Side B”, with four tracks on each side.

“True Hallucination Speak” (6:03) is the first track and it locks us in with a solid groove. When the guitar solo comes, it transports us to amazingly ecstatic musical heights. But then, suddenly, just when we expect it to escalate further into an even wilder guitar freak-out, the rug is pulled out from under us as, after a moment of silence, we experience a calm and mellow meditation, which is all the more effective because of where it is inserted. And then we get to groove again.

“The Lion’s Roar” (4:35) is track two and it is a real beauty of a song. The songwriting and instrumental virtuosity fit together perfectly as the musical journey unfolds wonderfully. Here we have a model of what a chorus can be and of what makes a great song a great song. The title phrase hits us with such exquisite fittingness every time it is uttered, we don’t want this chorus to ever end. But when it does eventually come to an end, the song surprises us then in a very satisfying way. Listening to the conclusion, you would not want this to end any other way. It is just right.

“Kindly Bent to Free Us” (6:27) is track three and it is like the band has been saving up the most exceptional experience for third. We have already been won over by the ultra-groovy first two tracks. But now we get some super-awesome riffing and jazzy group dynamics that, unbelievably, take the album to even more exciting places not yet heard. I can understand why this is the title track. There’s something special about it. It’s an epic jazzy prog rock track that clocks in at six and a half minutes and so only track seven, “Holy Fallout” (6:36) is longer — by nine seconds. The band really shines when stretching out on this sort of scale. There’s a lot of tension and excitement built up by the trio’s energetic instrumental interactions. We’re dealing with absolutely upper-echelon prog here. I especially love the classic bass guitar sound.

“Infinite Shapes” (4:57) as track four feels like a bit of a chill-out after the steadily accelerating upwards trajectory of the first three tracks on “Side A”. The wall of sound is still heavily rocking out, but it feels more straightforward than the preceding tracks. So we can gather ourselves to do it all over again — because “Side B” follows the same escalating pattern of “Side A”.

“Moon Heart Sun Head” (5:21) as track five just might be my favorite track — it is so hard to pick — because just like track one on “Side A” we get an usually powerful and highly effective guitar solo that functions to transport us to spiritual heights. Here, the singing guitar solo blasts off after a spoken-word set-up from some kind of guru voice. If that sounds on paper like it could be gimmicky, rest assured that no, it works amazingly well. Prog rock theurgy doesn’t get better than this.

“Gitanjali” (3:59) as track six continues the devotional voyage. Apparently the title word can be translated as “a prayer offering of song”. As with “Side A”, we are ascending once again as the tracks progress sequentially. Some cool sonic layering here will impress you. And the pauses and pacing work amazing things, pulling you in to the inner thinking of the riffs.

“Holy Fallout” (6:36) as track seven is a mind-blowing experience. Even though it is the longest track, we wish it could go longer. There are so many moods and feelings that it runs through. It has nifty rock-out sections with nimble dances of virtuosity and yet also atmospheric washes of contemplation. The guitar work here is incredible and highly impressive. What a great sound. The trio dynamics are spectacular and the drumming is especially graceful and delicately fierce.

“Endlessly Bountiful” (3:56) is the chill-out for the “Side B” trajectory and it ends the album on a suitably meditative note. If Plotinus had had a prog rock band, I imagine this would have been one of his favorite contemplative jams. Here we have a unique sonic experience that unfolds in layers and draws us in to the heart of this band’s musical beauty. There’s a nice Sigur Ros-like vibe here but with a unique twist. The mellow guitar outro that ends the whole thing is beyond perfect. What a sweet way to end such a stunning album.

Transatlantic — Kaleidoscope (Best Prog Albums of 2014 — Part 1)

On By Time LordIn 20142 Comments

My Top Ten Prog Albums of 2014 began in January with Transatlantic’s Kaleidoscope. As I listened to it, I knew that this was instantly one of the best albums of this year — or of any other year. “Shine” and “Beyond the Sun” are for me the two lesser transition tracks, coming as they do between the prog epicness of “Into the Blue” and “Black as the Sky” and “Kaleidoscope.” But it’s all together a perfectly realized whole, and I cannot describe how much enjoyment I derived from listening to this album this year. It’s a spectacularly ecstatic prog experience with endless streams of happiness.

The band also blew our minds by adding an extra disc of cover tunes. My favorite on it became their cover of “And You and I,” which you think it would be impossible to cover, but hey — Transatlantic specializes in the musically impossible. They incarnate musical excellence at every turn, so give this extra disc a spin too and celebrate the prog renaissance year of 2014.

Stay tuned, dear Progarchists, as I complete my Top Ten Prog Albums of 2014 over the next nine days. This Kaleidoscope is just the first entry.

Then, when I am done, I will also reveal a bonus Top Ten list of Top Ten Rock Albums of 2014 — stuff that wasn’t proggy enough for my main list, but which is still exemplary and thereby ended up being listened to by me in heavy rotation nonetheless over the course of the year.

Returning from a long sleep – the best of 2014 in Prog

On By ericbfgIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

2014 was a great year for Progressive Rock –  FACT!

There is already a sentiment around and about that last year was in many ways better on the Prog scene than this one. A statement that is bound to cause some interesting discussion around the social networks and in the many, many top ten blogs that fill our lives at this time of year. I have many great reasons why I dispute that statement and it is pleasing to report at the end of another year, Prog is in fact in even better health than ever and keeps gaining in strength.

Working on another well known Dutch page for reviews in 2014 along with Progarchy has given me a great deal of music to review and compare so these albums have been exceptional in their ability to rise to the top of a very large pile of music this year.

So without much ado, here are just the best three albums that have had some heavy rotation this year.

Number Three:

Robert Reed: Sanctuary
Robert Reed - Oldfield at its Best
Without doubt one of the most beautiful crafted albums that has come along for years. Sanctuary makes no excuses for its heritage and openly embraces the fact that it is a dedication or homage to the great ‘Tubular Bells’. Many of its rhythms and much of its structure harks closely to Oldfield’s classic album and at first it is easy to dismiss this release as nothing more than a clever pastiche. However the level of musicianship and writing on this album belies that opinion and demonstrates a real commitment to a bold idea. This is no nod towards a great album in the way so many artists channel Floyd or Genesis…this is a good as anything Oldfield could ever produce. The great thing is that this album has legs and will keep on opening up its beauty over many listens. The challenge will always be for Reed to maintain this standard, above and beyond his love of Oldfield.

Number Two:  

Brimstone: Mannsverk

Brimstone, previously known as The Brimstone Solar Radiation Band have producBrimstone - mannsverked an exceptional album of flair and vitality which criminally seems to have largely gone unnoticed for the most part. Full of weirdness and wonderful vibe this is a psychedelic marvel that is packed with originality and marvellously catchy tunes.
At its best there is the fantastically titled – ‘Flapping Lips at Ankle Height’ – an upbeat tune which chugs with a similar pace and feel to Emerson Lake and Palmer’s, ‘Fanfare For The Common Man’ largely thanks to some amazing rhythmic bass which provides a powerful backdrop for a psychedelic wall of sound.
It would seem that with the likes of Ossicles and Brimstone, Norway has much to offer musically and may also be the most over looked country when it comes to output. This is heartily recommended and was my top album of the year until the release of the album to come….

Number One:

Abel Ganz: Abel Ganz

Some things in life are worth waiting for, even if the wait seems to last for an eternity. Ab
Six years is a long time in music, and with the departure of two founders members it seemed that Abel Ganz may have finally run its course after their last release ‘Shooting Albatross’ . Yet the core essence of the band remained and with a solid 70 minutes of gorgeously crafted songs written and an equally impressive production, Abel Ganz have produced the album of their career.

Full of epic multi-part prog goodness and fused with gentle folk and country and more than a little slice of their Scottish homeland, there is the overriding conclusion that this is something quite special. This collection of songs is not only a winner from start to finish, it is sumptuously packaged and expertly produced and as close to a modern day classic as you are ever likely to get. It is the best release of the year hands down.

As ever, these are struggling artists who make this music because they love to do it, not for financial gain or fortune. All of these bands have gone in with the eyes and their wallets open in the hope of delivering something special. To keep this alive, if you can, please visit their sites and check out their music and take a chance on it.

Happy Christmas and here’s to another great year of Prog rock – 2015!

Vinyl makes a big comeback in 2014

On By Time LordIn 20142 Comments

The WSJ reports that the biggest comeback of 2014 was vinyl records:

Nearly eight million old-fashioned vinyl records have been sold this year, up 49% from the same period last year, industry data show. Younger people, especially indie-rock fans, are buying records in greater numbers, attracted to the perceived superior sound quality of vinyl and the ritual of putting needle to groove.

But while new LPs hit stores each week, the creaky machines that make them haven’t been manufactured for decades, and just one company supplies an estimated 90% of the raw vinyl that the industry needs. As such, the nation’s 15 or so still-running factories that press records face daily challenges with breakdowns and supply shortages.

Their efforts point to a problem now bedeviling a curious corner of the music industry. The record-making business is stirring to life—but it’s still on its last legs.

The top selling vinyl album of 2014 was Jack White‘s brilliant disc, Lazaretto.

All Dogs Go To Heaven — @PaperHouseBand @TedTwoSheds @KenKraylie

On By Time LordIn ProgarchyLeave a comment

The latest media meme has Pope Francis saying that all dogs go to Heaven, but the story seems to be somewhat garbled.

In any case, it’s a good opportunity to revisit that instant classic, the Paper House song, “Lucky (In Memoriam),” which is also available in a clean version.