Tag: Echolyn

A Conversation with Brett Kull of Rise Twain

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock4 Comments

Rise Twain, Rise Twain, Inside Out (2019)

Tracks: Everspring (3:22), Golden (6:11), The Range (4:42), Lit Up (5:03), Death of Summer (6:29), Oh This Life (3:12), Prayers (4:48), Falling Skies (05:49), Into A Dream (5:39), That Is Love (5:03)

 

On September 6, Rise Twain will release their first album on Inside Out. Made up of singer-songwriting duo Brett William Kull (of Echolyn) and J.D. Beck (The Scenic Route), Rise Twain’s self-titled debut brings emotion, gentleness, and powerful songwriting to a year that has been filled with excellent music.

From JD’s soulful voice, which instantly reminded me of the Casey McPherson or Matt Bellamy, to his wonderful piano work and Brett’s excellent guitar, this album delivers without overpowering. As Brett and I talked about in the interview below, this album has a lot of dynamic range, which makes for a very enjoyable listening experience. It has its heavy moments, but the quiet moments often steal the show. This is a great rock album in the tradition of lyric-oriented popular rock songs. The lyrics have great depth to them. They keep me engaged on repeated listens, and I’m sure they will for many listens to come. Rise Twain are not to be overlooked – check this group out when the album drops in a few days.

I had the great opportunity to speak with Brett Kull via Skype on August 21. Unfortunately I’ve been very busy, so it has taken me a while to transcribe everything. Originally I was supposed to speak with both Brett and JD, but JD’s son had an emergency tooth surgery come up at the last minute – we certainly wish JD and his son the best on his recovery for that.

I had a great time talking with Brett. I found his passion for his craft to be incredibly inspiring, and I hope all of you do as well. Our conversation ranged from discussion of the album to their writing process to the more technical side of producing music. We even talked about the very nature of progressive rock itself, which is always a fun ongoing conversation in our little corner of the music world.

Continue reading “A Conversation with Brett Kull of Rise Twain” →

On a Roll – 2015 Prog In Review

On By Erik HeterIn 2015, progressive rock4 Comments

So you’re watching a baseball game. The pitcher for one of the teams has yet to give up a hit. In fact, he’s retired every batter that he’s faced, giving up not so much as a walk. And even as the game stretches into the latter innings, he’s not getting tired. He’s struck out six batters in a row and is just completely shutting down the opposition in a manner reminiscent of the way noted Rush fan Randy Johnson used to do. You look at that guy and think “man, he’s on a roll.”

Maybe it’s a team that has won a number of games in a row. Maybe it’s a business leader who has led his company into the stratosphere with one popular product offering after another.

Or maybe you are a fan of prog rock. In fact, you probably are just that if you’re reading this. You look back a few years ago, at 2012, and realize it was a good year, producing a number of excellent albums, including Echolyn’s “Windowpane” album, Glass Hammer’s incredible Perilous, and Gazpacho’s March of Ghosts (highly underrated if you ask me). Then 2013 comes along, and you think, “what an amazing year,” as your album collection grows with releases such as Ayreon’s The Theory if Everything, The Tangent’s magnum opus Le Sacre Du Travail, and Haken’s outstanding The Mountain. There is no letup at all in 2014, more new releases, many of them are “must haves”, such as IQ’s The Road of Bones and Cosmograf’s Capacitor among them. And now, here we are in 2015, and you’ve been deluged with more incredible music in what has been yet another great year in prog. And you think, “man, prog on a roll!”

Indeed it is.

Each December for the last several years, we at Progarchy have gushed about the abundance of great prog music coming out and the health of the current prog scene. We are getting to be like a broken record. But can you blame us? And would you rather it be different, like the early 90’s or so when the prog light was a dimly flickering candle?

What else can I say? Well, I can start talking about the albums.

Album of the Year:

In a year of stellar releases, my hands down album of the year with a bullet is Riverside’s utterly brilliant Love, Fear, and The Time Machine. I simply cannot overstate how much I love this album, or how good it is. Riverside has tamed much of their heavy metal side, moving in more melodic direction – while still retaining the dynamism and overall sound Riverside-coverthat is unmistakably Riverside. While the album still has some of their trademark moodiness, the darkness has been replaced with a mature, tempered, and realistic optimism that grows throughout. This album was quite a leap for Riverside in terms of direction, and yet they pulled it off flawlessly.

Other Notables:

Most others have put Steven Wilson’s Hand Cannot Erase at the top of their album of the year charts. I can’t do that, and I’m probably not quite asSteven_Wilson_Hand_Cannot_Erase_cover

much of a Wilson fan as most of the hardcore proggers are today. That being said, this was a pretty good album for me, if a bit depressing in subject matter. But musically, Wilson and his band are firing on all cylinders. Home Invasion/Regret #9 stands out as my favorite track on the album, although you really have to listen to the whole thing to get the gist.

One of my new discoveries this year was Nad Sylvan, and his excellent solo album Courting the Widow. Sylvan’s album builds on the album_coverclassic/symphronic prog sound of an earlier era, and yet sounds fresh and modern. It works especially well since Sylvan’s natural singing voice seems to be a perfect mix of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, making it no mystery as to why Steve Hackett selected him as a touring vocalist. Standout tracks on this album include the title track, Echoes of Ekwabet, and the excellent epic, To Turn The Other Side.

Gazpacho didn’t wait long after their release of Demon in 2014, coming back this year with an equally strange album Molok. Like its predecessor,

artworks-000129814894-5f07ie-t500x500

this album is very strange – but don’t mistake that for a lack of quality. All the Gazpacho trademarks are there, the meticulous subtlety, the unusual structures that take time to reveal themselves, and the thin veneer of simple riffs on top with a staggering complexity underneath. Conceptually, this album is not easy to explain, and it’s best to read the band’s explanation put up on their Facebook page. It’s hard to pick out a favorite track since the album has to be taken as a whole … although Molok Rising provides a strong and satisfying end to the album.

Everything Arjen Anthony Luccassen touches turns to awesome, and The Diary by his project with Anneke van Giersbergen, The Gentle Storm. This Gentle Stormwas really two albums in one, a heavy version (Storm) with all the songs “metaled up” by Arjen, and a lighter version (Gentle) which relied more heavily on acoustic instruments and folky sounds. Both are excellent and it’s tough to pick on. Shores of India seems to work best in the Gentle form, while The Storm, appropriately, seems to work best in the Storm version.

I’m going to go slightly off script here into the realms of heavy metal, because my list would not be complete without a mention of Iron Maiden’s stunning album, The Book of Souls. Why am I only slightly off script? book of soulsBecause this album is the proggiest thing Iron Maiden has ever done, even though it retains their previous heavy metal elements. While this album is excellent from start to finish, the boys of Maiden are at their strongest here when they are on their proggiest – the 10 minutes plus title, track, the 13 minutes plus The Red and the Black, and the closing, 18 minute epic, Empire of the Clouds. For the shorter, more familiar Maiden, Speed of Light is a particularly strong track. I’ve always defended the members and the music of Iron Maiden as being more intelligent and thoughtful than that of their heavy metal peers, and this album is the best evidence yet of that. This is truly a crowning achievement on an amazing career.

Moving back into prog-proper territory, Andy Tillison and his band The Tangent followed up 2013’s outstanding Le Sacre Du Travail with an equallytangent1 excellent release, A Spark in the Aether. One of the things that really comes through on this album (and makes it so excellent) is that is sounds like Tillison was having tongs of fun in making it. The joy really shines through on one of my favorite tracks, Codpieces and Capes, a celebration of prog’s glorious past. Even better is The Celluloid Road, Andy’s insightful look at America through the lens provided in film, i.e. movies that is. It’s the highlight of an album full of highlights. Oh, and speaking of America …

Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue:

This year was an exceptional year for prog from this side of the Atlantic, Echolyn Coverbetter than I can remember in some time. For one, Echolyn returned with I Heard You Listening, which more or less picks up where they left off in 2012. There were no bad tracks on the album, but Messenger of All’s Right, Different Days, and All This Time We’re Given were especially strong.

District 97 returned with their eclectic and somewhat heavy brand of prog, bringing us In Vaults. The early part of this release starts out sounding similar to their previous release, Trouble With Machines, but gradually District-97-In-Vaults-e1433201699982evolves into new territory. I absolutely love the leadoff track, Snow Country, and am also partial to A Lottery and On Paper. The playing is top notch throughout. But what I like best about this album is the outstanding vocal performance of Leslie Hunt, who continues to make a strong case for the title of First Lady of Prog. Whether it’s her breathy jazz phrasing, her power vocals, or something in between, she hits it perfect every time.

Our favorite boys from Joisey, 3rd Degree, came out Ones and Zeros: Vol. 1. 3rdegreeI’m hoping that the Vol. 1 part of the title is an implicit stating that there will be a Vol. 2, because I definitely want more of this. A concept album that explores our relationship to technology (the digital world in particular), the lyrics are both clever and insightful. This one will be interesting to come back to five or ten years hence to examine the lyrics/concept in the context of how times will change.

The Ted Leonard era of Spock’s Beard continued apace with The Oblivion Spocksbeard_theoblivionparticle_coverParticle. I won’t mince words here – I think Leonard is the best vocalist Spock’s Beard has ever had, and I love where they are going with him at the mike. Bennett Built a Time Machine is an excellent track, and I love Minion as well (would have liked the move Minions to have worked a little prog into their soundtrack with this one …). They musicianship is as stellar as ever, and combined with Leonard’s voice, the Beard sounds as good as ever to these ears.

One final entry here is Dave Kerzner’s New World. Now technically, this david-kerzner-new-world-deluxealbum was initially released in 2014, but after many had already compiled their year-end best-of lists. It didn’t seem fair to me that such a fine album wouldn’t make the cut simply because of the timing of its release. So I’m going to include it here as a 2015 release and put it on my list – and on the merits it most definitely belongs.

And no, I haven’t forgot about Glass Hammer’s highly acclaimed Breaking of the World. But I must confess I haven’t gotten around to listening to this one yet. So much prog, so little time.

So another great year is almost in the books. What will 2016 bring? Well, if current trends continue, it’s going to be a pretty good year. For one, we will probably get the DVD of The Theater Equation, and I’m very much looking forward to that. Let’s just hope things stay where they’re at – on a roll.

Echolyn News

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

echolyn

Echolyn Rear26 years later, and still just getting started…

echolyn’s musical style, progressive in the truest sense of the word, defies any one musical categorization and yet all their albums have achieved critical acclaim from around the globe as they continue to release new music.

echolyn started in the late 1980’s when Brett Kull, Raymond Weston, and Paul Ramsey played in a cover band named Narcissus; however in 1988 that band disbanded as the members tired of playing cover tunes.

A year later Christopher Buzby joined Kull and Ramsey to form echolyn, making a conscious decision to focus entirely on original music. Weston soon returned to the band and they began recording the eponymous CD “echolyn” in 1990. Jesse Reyes covered bass duties until Thomas Hyatt joined the band permanently during the recording process of this first studio album.

“echolyn” was released independently on their own Bridge Records label and the first pressing sold out quickly. The CD was even a sought-after collector’s item for a while, fetching high $$’s on several internet auction sites. echolyn was indeed a welcome addition of new, unique and challenging music in a generally lean time for progressive rock music.

In 1992 the band released “suffocating the bloom“, now regarded by many as an early ’90s progressive rock classic. The album honed echolyn’s trademark two-and three-part vocal harmonies with tight, angular and contrapuntal instrumental musicianship, and featured the 25-minute opus “A Suite for the Everyman.” Lyrically “suffocating the bloom” deals with the loss of childhood innocence and idealism.

In the spring of 1993 the band released a 4-song unplugged mini-CD “­…and every blossom,” however it was “suffocating the bloom” that attracted the attention of executives at major label Sony Music/Epic Records, and the band signed a multi-album deal in the summer of 1993, tied to the release of their next full-length album on Sony/Epic/550 Music.

During this time period echolyn performed live extensively, playing sold-out shows throughout the Philadelphia region, most notably at the Ambler, 23 East and Chestnut Cabarets and at the Theater of the Living Arts on South Street in Philadelphia, as well and a featured set at a progressive rock music festival (ProgFest ’94) in Los Angeles, CA, just prior to the release of their own Sony/Epic/550 Music album debut.

A major label deal would not corrupt echolyn’s musical ambitions. “as the world” was, and is, an uncompromising piece of echolyn’s musical output. Recorded in Nashville, TN in the spring of 1994, the album was released in March of 1995 to critical acclaim as it broke down musical and lyrical stereotypes, making honest and artistic statements about conformity, coupled with the plight of being human.

At the time, many spoke of echolyn as the best chance for wider mainstream acceptance of progressive music, however Sony maddeningly refused to support touring, echolyn’s best way to reach new ears and their musical lifeblood, and thus marked the beginning of the end to echolyn’s short-lived major label career. The band headlined the inaugural ProgDay Festival in North Carolina in September 1995, without label support, and shortly thereafter were dropped by Sony. Hyatt and Buzby next left the band, and after over 250 live shows and 4 studio album releases, echolyn had seemingly met its end.

A posthumous fifth album recording entitled “when the sweet turns sour,” was released on SynPhonic and Cyclops, GFT in 1996. This CD consisted of working demos of unreleased new songs, an acoustic version of “Meaning and the Moment,” a cover of “Where the Sour Turns to Sweet” originally arranged and recorded for a Genesis tribute album, and live tracks from the ProgDay ‘95 show in North Carolina.

The members of echolyn, however, remained very active in music…

Kull, Ramsey, and Weston formed Still, which released “Always Almost” in 1996, focusing on song-writing in a hard-rock format with a powerful, melodic approach. Re-named Always Almost, the same trio released “God Pounds His Nails” in 1997, which featured a Gentle Giant cover of “Aspirations.”  Both of these recordings were released on Georgia-based Pleasant Green Records. Kull and Ramsey also started recording and touring as session musicians with the major-label folk-rock group Grey Eye Glances on both studio albums & live shows/tours.

Meanwhile Buzby formed a new band named finneus gauge with several other musicians, including his brother Jonn on drums, and released two albums of intricate jazz-fusion influenced progressive rock, “more once more” (1997) and “one inch of the fall” (1999) to worldwide critical acclaim. Keyboard magazine picked “more once more” as “One of the Top 5 Records of 1997” in an editor’s poll, while Guitar World recognized finneus gauge as “One of the 10 Best in the Current Progressive Rock Underground” in 1998.

In the spring of 2000, 4/5ths of echolyn reunited and released a brand new collection of 10 songs and their first studio album in over four years, titled “cowboy poems free.” The line-up featured original members Buzby, Kull, Ramsey, and Weston, along with new drummer and percussionist Jordan Perlson, a student of Buzby’s at the time. echolyn played a couple of live shows in support of “cowboy poems free,” most notably the stifling-hot and jam-packed NEARfest pre-show in 2000 in Allentown, PA.

echolyn retired again to the studio after the summer of 2000 to begin meticulous work on their next album titled “mei,” released in June of 2002. Always striving for the next challenge and musical adventure, “mei” is the most diverse echolyn recording to date. Featuring several guest musicians on timpani, marimba, vibraphone, clarinet, flute, violin and cello, and clocking in at just under 50 minutes in length, “mei” is echolyn’s modern day version of a symphonic tone poem.

Following the success of “mei,” echolyn decided to take the current live show on the road for a few shows in Philly, Baltimore, Canada and Boston. Following a positive worldwide reception to “mei,” the band also decided it was time to truly empty the vaults and give the newer fans everything they had been looking for + old fans and completists all of the non-released tracks and out-takes from years past.

Thus “a little nonsense: now and then” was born. Released in December of 2002, the box set included the entire re-masters of echolyn’s debut album, “­and every blossom” and “when the sweet turns sour.”  The release of this box set finally, and officially, closed the door on the first 13 years of echolyn. It also included the return of Tom Hyatt as guest bassist for a few live shows, followed by Tom’s official return to the band in the fall of 2003.

At this point in their career echolyn still did not have one thing on their resume: a “live” album.  It was finally time for an official live bootleg album “The Jersey Tomato.” Released as a 2-CD limited-edition pressing, it sold out before the actual CDs and jewel cases were even ready for shipping. Featuring 13 live echolyn tunes, and a powerful, complete band version of “mei” (without the chamber orchestra), this release was recorded at a show echolyn performed at The Jersey ProgHouse in September of 2002.

Always looking for the next challenge, echolyn also began planning work in a new medium.  During 2003 the band played several live shows in Baltimore, Quebec, Lowell, MA and Pennsylvania, the latter being filmed for a DVD release.  In 2004 production took place on “Stars and Gardens,” which contained film footage of live echolyn from the previous year plus a video documentary spanning the band’s entire career. Released on September 7, 2004, the DVD finally lets fans outside the USA see the band on stage and in the studio. With positive reviews coming in from around the world, the DVD further promotes the success of a one-of-a-kind American band that continues to defy the odds and push the boundaries of original progressive rock music.

Brett Kull’s solo album releases, “Orange-ish Blue” (2002) and “The Last of the Curlews” (2008), plus Ray Weston’s ”This is My Halo” (2003) are further proof that the originality and musical output from the members of echolyn is never done, nor complete.  All three solo album releases were heralded by music fans from around the world as bold, necessary, and musical steps forward for both Brett and Ray.

With the re-release of the album “as the world” in July 2005, along with a companion DVD of the band performing many selections from “as the world,” filmed in Michigan just 2 days before the original March of 1995 album release, the band completed and released a brand new album titled ”The End Is Beautiful” – an urban, angular, somewhat back-to-basics, rock album on August 23, 2005 – followed immediately by the band’s first-ever European tour in early September of 2005.

With 9 shows in 6 countries over 15 days, the European tour was wildly successful in that the band not only did all their own leg-work in lining up the shows, tour bus, venues and cartage/gear, but actually more-than-broke-even financially – proving once again their DIY approach to writing, releasing and promoting their own music and tours still has its benefits. With many new friends and fans across the pond – and actual faces to place with e-mail addresses – echolyn came home tired, but fulfilled, from another bucket-list adventure. The tour even inspired the band to write a new song, “15 Days,” which was exclusively featured on the Hurricane Katrina survivor benefit album, “After the Storm.”

Seven long years would next unfold with the band working on-and-off to release another studio album and playing brilliant shows in North America. With multiple false-starts and release dates, the band eventually realized that this next set of songs would, and could, only be released when it was time…and time it took.

Finally, in the winter of 2012, all the right songs, arrangements and recorded tracks fell-into-place to create a new double-CD (and limited-pressing double vinyl release) titled eponymously, just like their debut album: echolyn. This beautifully melodic, mature and introspective set of 8 songs best captures echolyn doing what they do best – writing songs about life and living life – an ever-important reminder to the band members why echolyn was formed back in September of 1989 in the first place: to create truly honest and original music together.  With album sales over 30,000 copies to date, this 2012 album release, lovingly titled “the windowpane album” by fans, continues to leave its mark in the music world with introspective, moving song lyrics, lush and powerful music, coupled with intimate and sparse, musical arrangements.

Which brings us to the here, and the now: the same band just getting started again and creating more, once more:Echolyn Cover

On July 31, 2015 echolyn will release a brand new and powerful musical statement titled

“i heard you listening” – 9 new stories of life  – delivered with a musical and lyrical sensibility that is still echolyn.  Music written to be both heard and felt, echolyn has hit a new stride for their musical future with an album that is, for them, another giant step forward.  echolyn hopes to hear you listening…

A New Fractal Mirror is Just Around the Corner

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

Well, they’ve yet to capture the imagination of Tim Cook and the PowersThatBeiTunes, but they have our attention.  And, we’re absolutely thrilled.  A second Fractal Mirror is just about here.  Amen, amen, amen.

But, I’ll let the guys of FM speak for themselves:

***

We are very proud to be able to announce that we have started taking pre-orders on our Bandcamp site for our second album Garden of Ghosts . The release of the album is scheduled for November 2014. The album contains 11 tracks and includes a 12 page booklet with artwork from Brian Watson and all the lyrics. The album has been co produced by Brett Kull (Echolyn) and Fractal Mirror. Brett Kull also mixed the album. Larry Fast mastered the album. People who pre-order the album receive an immediate download of the albums opening track “House of Wishes”. During the pre-order period the price of the album will be EUR 10,00 (ex shipping).
Brett Kull also plays guitars and background vocals on all the tracks of the album and there are also guest appearances by other members of Echolyn, Jacque Varsalona, Don Fast, Larry Fast and The Stephanus Choir.
Art by the incredible Brian Watson.
Art by the incredible Brian Watson.
Here is the link to our 4 minute album teaser: http://youtu.be/oF4W0PI_-dA?list=UUycTI_5GA2Vlf-vIg1mgMKA
Here is the link to our bandcamp page for Garden of Ghosts: www.fractalmirror.bandcamp.com
We sincerely hope you are willing to share this news with your readers and help us spread the word about the album!
Thanks for your support!
Fractal Mirror
Ed, Frank, Leo
***
progarchy’s take and prophecy: order early and order often.  Surely, this will be a top ten album of the year.

Nick’s Best of 2012 (Part 2)

On By Dr NickIn Uncategorized7 Comments

Following on from my list of ‘Highly Commended’ albums, we have my ‘Top 5 Contenders’.

The following five albums have missed out on a Top 5 placing by the slimmest of margins. Once again, they are listed alphabetically, not in order of preference.

Beagle in park with little planet effectAnathema – Weather Systems

For quite a while, this was a strong contender for my album of the year. That it doesn’t make my final Top 5 is testimony to the amazing quality of this year’s releases. The music here grabs you and stirs the soul just as effectively as 2010’s wonderful We’re Here Because We’re Here. but Weather Systems benefits from the more prominent role given to Lee Douglas, particularly on the haunting Untouchable Part 2 and Lightning Song.

echolyn1echolyn – echolyn

A late entrant into my Top Ten of 2012. It’s a multifaceted, multilayered work and I’m still digesting it – else it might have crept into my Top 5. I love the variety here, encompassing classic prog complexity but also a much more contemporary sound. Different parts remind me fleetingly of Radiohead, The Pineapple Thief, Amplifier (circa The Octopus) and even Elbow, but the net result is something completely original. Stand-out tracks for me are Some Memorial and the languid Past Gravity.

itbites1It Bites – Map Of The Past

Reforming with John Mitchell at the helm was a masterstroke, resulting in the excellent The Tall Ships in 2008 – but Map Of The Past is even better than its predecessor. It’s one of those albums that you simply can’t help singing along to and it never fails to put a smile on my face. Highlights include the lovely ballad Clocks, the thrilling prog of Meadow And The Stream and the deeply moving The Last Escape. Prog-pop at its finest.

sanguinehum1Sanguine Hum – Diving Bell

I’ll confess I’m cheating slightly here, as this album appeared on Bandcamp in late 2010, but the CD from Esoteric is a 2012 release, so it qualifies as far as I’m concerned! It’s an album of strange but beautiful sounds, unusual melodies and odd rhythms. At times it calls to mind Porcupine Tree in their more reflective moments, at others a less layered, less electronic North Atlantic Oscillation. On top of this it has the acoustic feel and vocal style of Turin Brakes. Fascinating stuff.

stormcorrosion1Storm Corrosion – Storm Corrosion

This collaboration between Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt caused consternation amongst some fans of these artists when they discovered that it didn’t sound like the expected blend of Wilson/Porcupine Tree and Opeth. Personally, I love it. I certainly can’t do better than Alison Henderson’s pithy description of it as sounding like “Simon and Garfunkel on magic mushrooms”. A subtle and mysterious album, best listened to late at night.

Frank Urbaniak: Best Progressive Moments of 2012

On By bradbirzerIn Uncategorized3 Comments
Taken from Prog magazine.
Taken from Prog magazine.

by Frank Urbaniak

I always enjoy reading best of lists  for progressive music.  To see how the music I listened to resonated with other listeners, to agree or disagree with the finalists, to discover a gem that might not have hit my radar, it’s a great time of the year, especially with the strength of the music in 2012.

Let me start by saying that I list both my good list and not so good list, which may ruffle a few feathers if those releases were on your good list.  However, having played drums since the age of 8, and still trying to play along with these amazing musicians via headphones today, I have profound respect for the challenges and extraordinary effort it takes artists to produce an album today.  There are few dedicated musicians, especially in progressive music, due to the need for other sources of income to support themselves and their families.   If you have ever sat through recording sessions, it is painful, tedious, boring and demanding.  And we really don’t appreciate how good these musicians are today, the hours of practice, the days of writing, to produce this body of work we pick through for our best of lists.

Top 7 Releases of the Year

Echolyn- The Windows CD.  Beautiful production, brilliant harmonies, outstanding attention to detail by a band who has been at it for 16 years and keeps getting better.

Big Big Train-English Electric 1.  High expectations, and the band did not disappoint.  Another great production,, with a larger soundstage and bigger sound, continuing the brass but adding some fiddle/violin and strings, recorder, banjo and a dense chorus of vocals.  Tied with Echolyn for most ear time in 2012. 

Anglagard-Viljans Oga.  Superb musicians take a bit of Crimson, the Scandinavian influences, folk, classical and progressive elements and blend them into a unique offering.   Only their third release in 20 years (!), the band has had a rocky past  and has restructured since the release of this CD, with the departure of Mattias Olson and the addition of a new drummer and keyboard player.

IZZ-Crush of Night.  Strong composition and consistent performance make for another great IZZ CD that has held up great since release.  Love the mix of male and female vocals.

Gazpacho-March of Ghosts.  Not quite up to Tick Tock and Night, but a beautiful soothing release.  Wish they could tune the production a bit as the mix gets messy in the louder sections.

Glass Hammer-Perilous.  I still like IF better, and the drums are kind of muddy/muffled, but the music is a progressive feast.    I could do without the similarities to Anderson in both style and lyrics-(we dance, we sing, the river, I could see the truth and at once we raced from darkness to light) make the similarities to Yes a bit unnerving in a few sections.

Sylvan-Sceneries.  Maybe because it was released in spring, and there are some beautiful dramatic moments, but I have enjoyed this CD all year.

Continue reading “Frank Urbaniak: Best Progressive Moments of 2012” →