Tag: Progressive rock

PROG Magazine Issue 74

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment
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For better or worse, the latest issue of PROG is just slightly too big for my scanner to handle it all.  Ian would be proud, I’m sure.

I suppose it seems a bit silly for me to state the following.  After all, who I am–a goofy, middle-aged American professor and historian?

Still, when PROG issue 74 showed up in my post box today, I was both thrilled and proud.  Yes, the proud part is the silliness.  Does Jerry Ewing need me to be proud of him?  Well, I am.

After everything PROG has gone through over the past three months, how great is it that I get issue 74 only days after it’s released.  Under the previous company, it took about a month for each issue to get here (in the states).  In fact, issue 73 just showed up this past weekend.  Now, 74 is already here.

Amazing.

And, it looks gorgeous.  Jethro Tull, Tim Bowness, The Mute Gods, ARW, Dream Theater, and Blackfield are all covered.  And, best of all, Greg Spawton shows up on page 10 and Andy Tillison and Matt Cohen on page 11.  Call me a very happy fanboy.

Congratulations, Jerry!  You are our leader.  No question.

Latest Single: Newspaperflyhunting’s “Hours Pass”

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment
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The first single from their forthcoming album.

Our great Polish friends, the members of Newspaperflyhunting, have just released their latest single at Bandcamp.

In continuity with their past musical approach, but armed with excellent new ideas, the band progresses properly.  Be prepared for a much proggier 1985 New Order mixed with some 1990 Cranberries mixed with the genius that alone belongs to NPFH!

From their forthcoming album.

https://newspaperflyhunting.bandcamp.com/album/hours-pass-single

Forthcoming: THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS by David Weigel

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

Look what showed up in the mail this weekend!

Eager to dive in.

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Albums worth hearing at least once number 2

On By Dave BandanaIn progressive rockLeave a comment

Fruupp were an Irish band who recorded four albums in the early seventies. I remember this album being played on Radio Caroline, a pirate radio station broadcasting from the North Sea on AM. It inspired me to go out and buy the album. This was the third. They released one more, Modern Masquerades, before splitting, never to reform. I was lucky to see them in concert in 1975. This is the first track on The PrinceOf Heavens Eyes.

Annie Austere is the last track on side one and has a great Irish feel to it.

The Perfect Wish closes the album bringing the story to an end. Other tracks from the album can be found on you tube but these three are my favourites.

Fruupp were a band that many passed by as too whimsical but I think they play an important role in the development of Seventies prog and deserve a listen.

World Party Live, 2012

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment

My great friend, Winston Elliott, sent me a link to this tonight.  I had no idea it existed.  Great to see Karl still performing beautifully.  Looks better than ever.

When Pink Floyd was a Classic(al) Band

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock1 Comment

pf-live-at-pompeiiOver the past several months, I’ve been rather taken with Pink Floyd.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved the band. . . as far back as I can remember, their music was a part of my life.  Certainly, in my little town in central Kansas, I could hear someone or some station playing Floyd at any time.  As I’ve had the chance to mention before, our local planetarium played lots of Laser Floyd.  I heard them so much and so often that I started to take them for granted.

Several months ago, I picked The Wall up after years of not listening to it.  There was a time I thought it was a masterful work of art.  I still think it’s brilliant, but it’s way too depressing for me to pick up casually.  If I’m in a good mood, I certainly don’t want to be brought down by the album.  If I’m in a bad mood, I don’t need it to bring me down any further.

There’s no doubt, however, that its message of anti-fascism and anti-conformity influenced my own thinking on the world profoundly.

Continue reading “When Pink Floyd was a Classic(al) Band” →

Big Big Train’s Mysterious Image

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment

With no explanation, BBT has posted this image.  Most likely, it’s either the cover or the internal artwork for the band’s forthcoming GRIMSPOUND.

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Two more from the Elephant

On By James R TurnerIn art rock, electronic, Prog, Progarchy, progressive rock, progressive rock music1 Comment

Finally I have unpacked the trunk of album reviews that backed up last year, and this reviews catches up on two albums Bad Elephant released back in October last year, and which are worth having a listen to, before they unleash the new Tom Slatter album on the unsuspecting world.

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The Far Meadow: Given the Impossible

 

Formed back in 2014 this is the first album on Bad Elephant from London based 5 piece, The Far Meadow and was released back in October last year.

As is common with so many of the wonderful artists signed to Bad Elephant, the band defy categorisation, veering from traditional progressive sounds to folk and back with a dazzling array of performances and sounds that make this an excellent album to listen to.

Continue reading “Two more from the Elephant” →

A Bright Ambassador of Morning: Remembering Rick Wright

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock8 Comments
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Rick Wright: Citizen of the Great Gig in the Sky

As with almost everyone my age, Pink Floyd hovered over significant parts of my childhood.  Our local rock station, Wichita’s T-95, played Floyd constantly.  Sometimes (and the station was fantastic), T-95 would play just a part or all of DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.  The same was true of THE WALL.  Never would a day go by without hearing at least one song by PF.

Kids wore PF buttons on their denim jackets and wore a variety of different PF t-shirts.  The planetarium in my hometown even hosted a number of shows of Laser Floyd, the music of the band set to the then extremely high tech flashes of light and image.

Continue reading “A Bright Ambassador of Morning: Remembering Rick Wright” →

Released Today: New John Bassett EP

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rockLeave a comment

“Live From The Byre” New John Bassett EP is released today!
You can hear it/get it now at
 https://johnbassett.bandcamp.com/album/live-from-the-byre

Its a 4 track EP, recorded in a derelict byre (cowshed) in County Sligo Ireland. It was recorded in one take using 3 microphones, 1 for vocals, 1 for guitar and 1 for ambient sounds such as the birds nesting in the roof, the wind outside and the door continually creaking. The songs featured on this are

1. Unearth (from John Bassett “Unearth”)
2. Nothing Sacred (from John Bassett “Unearth”)
3. Murder in a Small Town (from KingBathmat “Blue Sea, Black Heart”)
4. Brand New Crucifix (this song is about 20 years old and I don’t think its ever been available anywhere?)

John Bassett
http://arcademessiah.com/
https://arcademessiah.bandcamp.com/
facebook – https://www.facebook.com/arcademessiah
facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingbathmat/