Ok, so I’m taking a bit to get through my best of 2016. It was a GOOD year. Certainly not when it came to violence or politics, but music. It soothes my upset soul. Thank you, fellow proggers.
One quick note before I dive into part III.
I must mention an album (two parter) that brought immense joy to me this year: the soundtrack of STRANGER THINGS. I’ve had the opportunity to sing the praises of this glorious 8-part nostalgia trip of a Netflix series elsewhere, and I’m terrible at trying to describe and review electronic music. Regardless, this soundtrack captures the mystery of the series just perfectly. I’ve seen the series three times, and I’ve listened to the two-CD soundtrack a million more. Few things will define 2016 as much as this series did.
I wasn’t too adventurous in my listening this year – maybe because artists I’m already familiar with released so much good music that they kept me busy!
Here’s what I liked in 2016 in the world of prog:
10. Yes: Tales From Topographic Oceans (Blu-ray ed.)
Technically not a 2016 release, but with Steven Wilson’s 5.1 mix, this is a new album to my ears. This has everything a Yes fan could ask for – versions of TFTO that include the original mix, a radio promo, a “needle-drop” vinyl transfer, an instrumental version, in addition to Wilson’s new mixes – literally hours of music. A sometimes maligned work gets its proper release, and it really shines.
9. The Mute Gods: Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
I love Nick Beggs’ blend of 70s – era FM rock with snappy songwriting. Turns out he’s much more than one of the best bassists ever.
A review of SAND (Sam Healy), A SLEEPER, JUST AWAKE (forthcoming, September 30, 2016). 9 tracks.
SAND, A SLEEPER JUST AWAKE (forthcoming, September 30, 2016)
As much as I’d like to start with something artsy (the album deserves it), I’ll just be really, utterly, completely, and totally blunt. This album is extraordinary. After a summer of horrors and violence (not personally, but around the world), this album seems like the necessary art to calm the savage soul. I think this is, quite possibly, Healy’s best.
As I’ve written a number of times before when writing about Healy (solo) and about North Atlantic Oscillation, he does three things with unadulterated excellence.
No matter their level of activity, all’s right in the prog world when the on again/off again ensemble known as Frost* is in “On” mode. Many of us have closely – and happily – followed the twists and turns of writer/keyboardist/vocalist Jem Godfrey’s group since they released the landmark album “Milliontown” back in 2006.
For those who may not have been exposed to the band back then, “Milliontown” was something altogether new, or at least sounded altogether new – an accessible, expertly-produced, keyboard-heavy, dense, dynamic, and at times industrial-sounding blend of prog rock not for the faint of speaker cones. It was not to be mistaken for yet another prog band channeling the 70’s with all the cliches that go with that era (band names withheld to protect the guilty). As a fan of modern prog, “Milliontown” easily became one of two of my favorite albums of the last 15 years – the other being It Bites’ “The Tall Ships” – and not a week has gone by in the last decade when I haven’t given at least some of “Milliontown” a listen (no, really).
Review of Frost*, FALLING SATELLITES (Insideout Music, 2016). Release date: May 27, 2016. Tracks: First Day; Numbers; Towerblock; Signs; Lights Out; Heart-strings; Closer to the Sun; The Raging Against the Dying of the Light Blues in 7/8; Nice Day for It; Hypoventilate; and Last Day.
Our name is Frost*
How do you do?
We’re here today to play for you.
We’ve come all this way.
We came on a plane.
We’re from the U.K., where it always rains.
Apart from Nick and his beautiful locks—but he’s only on loan from his friends in Spock’s.
To play some songs.
That is why we are here.
Although we plan to also drink your beer.
Any fan of Frost* knows this full glorious intro by heart. In the Birzer household, it’s one of those little things that helped me convince my wife and kids that prog was not just a brilliant genre of music, but also a rather hilarious one. For years, we began every car trip (whether local and just around town or on one of our insane three-week odysseys into the American West) by playing this song. Of course, being rather silly, we changed every instance of Frost* to Birzer*.
A little bit of familial pride, I suppose, but also always resulting in immense and prolonged laughter.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade (!) since the release of “Milliontown” by Frost*. It was an album that seemingly came out of nowhere and didn’t sound quite like anything in the genre – a dense, dynamic, keyboard-heavy, and at times industrial-sounding album full of killer playing and plenty of memorable melodies.
The brainchild of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jem Godfrey, “Milliontown” remains one of my all-time favorite albums. I’m not sure a week has gone by in those 10 years without my giving at least one or more tracks from it a listen. Since then, the band released a follow-up album, “Experiments In Mass Appeal,” played quite a few gigs, went through some lineup changes over the years in the rhythm section department, released a couple live albums and bonus tracks, and has been an on-again, off-again unit since “Experiments.”
Well, the band is very much on again as Godfrey, John Mitchell (It Bites, Arena, Kino), bassist Nathan King (Level 42) and drummer Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson of late) have recorded “Falling Satellites,” their third full-length album and first in nearly eight years.
Never a group to do the obvious thing – a look at their many “Frost* Reports” and live videos kicking around YouTube will more than prove that point – the Frosties gathered at Rockfield Studios several years back to record some of their tunes live off the floor. One of those tracks,”Heartstrings,” is well known in the Frostiverse, but will see its studio debut on “Falling Satellites,” which will be released May 27th.
(By the way, it’s not like you need me to connect any prog dots for you, but if Rockfield Studios sounds somewhat familiar, it could be because Rush recorded “A Farewell To Kings” and “Hemispheres”at the Wales-based studio)
Taken from “The Rockfield Files” DVD, Godfrey excerpted and posted this beautifully-shot and edited video for “Heartstrings” earlier this week. Enjoy!
It’s been 8 years since Experiments in Mass Appeal, but Jem Godfrey and the other members of Frost* are releasing their third album, Falling Satellites, on May 27. More details at frost.life.
Lest anyone think the lack of Jem Godfrey’s often hilarious “Frost* Reports” means the band have been hibernating, fear not: The boys are back with a new DVD just in time for the holidays!
Aside from brilliant re-workings of Frost* staples, the photography and lighting are REALLY good here, so do check out this trailer. Cheers!
One quick note before I dive into part III.
10. Yes: Tales From Topographic Oceans (Blu-ray ed.)
9. The Mute Gods: Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
Progarchy 