Progarchy.com says. . . “Glass Hammer is nothing less than astounding.”
For more information, go to Glass Hammer’s official website: http://glasshammer.com
Tag: Progressive rock
Wow, double-live Glass Hammer coming
And, it looks beautiful. What a captivating cover. To go to the actual site, click here.
Two CDs – One Bonus DVD
Recorded at RoSFest 2015, Glass Hammer “Double Live” marks the bands first live album in over ten years.
Prog Magazine declares Glass Hammer’s RoSfest 2015 performance, “…the boldest set of the weekend. Steve Babb and Fred Schendel have always succeeded in creating an ensemble that fully complements their sense of musical grandeur.”
Stay tuned! Release date to be announced soon.
Progarchy. com declares Glass Hammer, “. . .awesome.”
Progarchy’s Exclusive interview with Alan White of Yes
PROGARCHY EXCLUSIVE
An Interview with Yes’ Alan White (August 3, 2015)
Prog Rock’s quintessential super group, Yes, will be heading out on an American tour again this summer/fall, including the third annual Cruise to the Edge in mid-November. The most notable change in the line-up, of course, will be the absence of Chris Squire on bass—the first time ever for a Yes tour.
PROGARCHY’s Kevin McCormick recently spoke for with Yes drummer extraordinaire, Alan White, as he prepared for rehearsals for the upcoming tour.
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PROGARCHY Thank you so much for taking time to talk with us. I think I speak for all of the members of Progarchy.com in offering our condolences after the recent and sudden death of your colleague and friend, Chris Squire. Obviously he was such an essential part of Yes, founding member and the only person to appear on every Yes album. Are there plans to honor his memory in some way on the upcoming tour?
Alan White Well, we’re going to start rehearsals on Monday and we’re going to put our heads together. We’ve got numerous ideas and we’ve got to work out something to honor Chris. Just how we’re going to do it, we haven’t really decided.
PROGARCHY On your website, you wrote a touching note in his memory. As a musician, I know how unique the musical relationship between the drummer and bassist is and how crucial it is to forming a solid foundation for the band’s sound. Can you put your finger on what made your collaboration with Chris work so beautifully seamlessly?
AW Well yeah, it’s a question of similarity with each other. And over the years it became a more brotherly kind of relationship. Chris was almost part of my family. We shared a lot of experiences together and we played together for 43 years. So when you play together with someone for that long you get to know all of the facets of their playing and visa versa, him with myself. So it made it easy for us to work out some kind of flow in the rhythm section in what Yes was creating. And it was a special relationship. It probably never will be the same. All the same, he did ask that we keep this going, and that I keep it going. He said just do whatever you can do. And that’s a good insight, to just keep things very much forward.
PROGARCHY I imagine it must have been difficult to choose to continue with the planned tour. Was there a deciding factor for you?
AW That was what Chris wanted. He didn’t want everything to come to a halt just because he was ill. And while he was ill he had a very positive outlook to the future. He said, “Well, I’ll go into hospital for four to six weeks, I’ll get rid of this and I’ll be back on tour next spring.”
PROGARCHY Well, the fans will certainly miss him and I know the band will too. Any hints on the set list for the upcoming shows or will that be decided at the rehearsals?
AW Well we’ve put a set list together, but we’ve not rehearsed. We’ve got a few things to try out and see if they’ll work out or not. That will determine how we approach the set list. It’s not confirmed yet, but we have a good idea the type of set we want to do, because we’re touring with Toto who are probably going to do a lot of their [popular tracks]. We’re not going to play whole albums like we’ve done in the past few years. We’re just going to do a great selection of Yes music that people love to hear in concert.
PROGARCHY At first glance, Yes and Toto doesn’t seem like the most obvious double-bill. How did it come about?
AW Well it sounded pretty good to me. Maybe … because we know the guys in the band so well. Steve Porcaro and all the them, I’ve known those guys for years. They’re all super-nice guys and we get along really well.
PROGARCHY Any chances that you might join forces?
AW I doubt it. You know, once you get on the road you have a set list to get into and a time line you keep to. There’s not really time to work that kind of thing out. But I’ve played with Steve Porcaro and Billy Sherwood [on the Pink Floyd tribute album, Back Against the Wall].
PROGARCHY So is it Yes with Toto or…?
AW It’s going to be Yes and Toto. They’ll be opening for us every night, but it’s really more of a kind of double-billing.
PROGARCHY It’s amazing to me how much energy you bring to your live performances. When I saw Yes perform in Austin in 2013, I was impressed with the power in your playing. For you in particular, it must be extremely physically demanding.
AW [laughing] Well it all depends on what part of the tour you go to when we’re on the road! You know, none of us are spring chickens anymore, obviously. And traveling is really what gets you. If we didn’t have to travel on a daily basis we’d be in relatively good shape every evening. But sometimes you’re just really tired when you get to the evening and the last thing you want to do is share music. But it’s really funny how the body turns around and rises to the occasion. I guess when you walk out on stage and see all of the people out there, the body just shrugs all that off and gets to it.
PROGARCHY Has your relationship with Yes’ music changed over time? Are there any songs that you enjoy more now than when they were recorded?
AW Not really. All of Yes’ music is pretty challenging to play. Each song has got its own demands on what to play, and how to play, and the way to play it. So you have to readjust yourself to all of that framework….I have played some of them quite a few thousand times. So it’s about getting back into the mold and making it work.
PROGARCHY Are you surprised at all to still be playing with Yes after so many years?
AW [laughs] Well, I mean, yeah. Eventually, when I joined the band I said, “I’ll give you guys three months and see if I enjoy it and you give me three months and see if you enjoy it as a band.” And I’m still here forty-tree years later, so there must be something working.
PROGARCHY You had commented a while back about the current line-up of Yes is one of the best there’s been and Jon Davison’s working out well. Are you still feeling that?
AW Jon Davison is an excellent vocalist and all-around musician. He’s a super nice guy and very easy work to with.
PROGARCHY It’s amazing to me that Yes is still touring after 40 years. Is there an element to progressive rock that allows it to reach across decades and generations?
AW I guess the main thing is that everybody strives to make Yes a well-respected, high-standard-of-musicianship kind of band. When we perform, everybody gives 110 percent. If one part of the band isn’t clicking on all eight cylinders or whatever, you can tell, because it affects everybody else and their whole performance.
When we’re all firing on all cylinders, there’s no other band like it.
PROGARCHY Indeed! Thank you so much for all of the great music over the years and good luck on the upcoming tour.
AW Alright, man.
Why Neil Peart, Part I
Why Neil Peart?
[Be forewarned, this is a serious essay that leads to an advertisement. Proceed at your own risk!!!!]
A year ago, I had the great privilege of reading a fine history of Rush: Robert Freedman’s RUSH: LIFE LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE. It was a very satisfying read, and, as I finished it, I sighed to myself. . . “I wish I’d written this.” I don’t think my reaction was one of hubris, but rather one of joy. I was glad to see Peart taken so seriously at an intellectual level. All too often, even in a culture that can go utterly ga-ga over the most trivial things, Americans still tend to dismiss rock music as a fad or rock musicians as a low form of artist.
For those of us who love prog and art rock, we cringe at such slights, and yet, in our heart of hearts, we’re kind of glad that we are among the few who know—as almost a secret treasure we possess—that good rock as art most certainly does exist. Sure, we’ll argue until we’re blue in the face about what makes art good. But, in the end, we’re somewhat satisfied that we’ve chosen the past least taken.
I’m as guilty of this as anyone, and I know that much of my life, I’ve been a total music snob. Sure, being from Kansas, I can do it with manner and a smile, but I’m still a snob.
When the four editors of progarchy and I started this website, we dedicated ourselves to promoting—as widely as possible—the beauty of music in all of its forms. We’re each music snobs, of course, but we so want to make our snobbery general and widespread. That is, we’d love to have Big Big Train playing on every rock station across North America. Rock music is at a crossroads, and we think we can destroy the mediocrity and corporate vanilla the so prevails and gives rock a bad now. Now, this truly is HUBRIS on our part!
One of the persons I find most intriguing over the last half century is Neil E. Peart. Whether you agree with his political views or hate them, whether you think he’s a god among drummers or just a guy dealing with his ADHD, you have to give Peart credit for making his own way, no matter the cost and no matter the obstacles.
Just a few nights ago, Rush played their final show of R40. The chances are pretty good that that show will be the last normal Rush show ever played. After 41 years of constant success and considered artist endeavors, that’s huge!
[Remember, I warned you above!]
So, why Neil Peart? Well, I try to answer this very question in NEIL PEART: CULTURAL (RE)PERCUSSIONS. The biography comes out officially on September 15 from Kevin J. Anderson’s Word Fire Press. For another 9 days, however, you can get an advanced review copy of the Peart bio for $15 from Humble Bundle.
I’m biased, but I’m really hoping you’ll purchase a copy. I could explain to you that every time you buy a book, you put food on the table for my huge family. But, this isn’t quite true. Still, it would help for the college funds!
Mostly, though, I wrote this book to spread my love of all things Peart.
To be continued. . . .
Advent’s SILENT SENTINEL: A Review
Advent, SILENT SENTINEL (released on August 11, 2015).
Tracks: In Illo Tempore; On the Wings of an Ant (Verse 1); Voices from California; The Uncharted Path; Reloj de Sol; On the Wings of an Ant (Verse 2); The Silent Sentinel; 12/12; Sentinel’s Reprise: The Exit Interview; Second Thoughts; On the Wings of an Ant (Verse 3); and Romanitas.
Birzer Rating: 10/10
Without question, this is one of the most interesting releases I’ve heard in a long, long time. I don’t mean there aren’t or haven’t been other incredible releases in the recent past. There’s no question that 2015 has turned out to be one of the finest years in the history of prog. This is high praise, indeed, as the last five or so years have been nothing short of mind-bogglingly good.
By claiming that SILENT SENTINEL is interesting, I mean INTERESTING. Really interesting. There’s never a shortage of musicians doing the tried and true, just as there’s never a shortage of musicians trying to do something radically new. It’s rare that the former last long, and it’s equally rare that the latter can create something of beauty. The best art is always that which honors the past while making the old palatable to the present. This is where Advent admirably succeeds. SILENT SENTINEL is art, pure and simple. It’s also well-executed and beautiful art. It honors the past while making something old new.
Over four decades of listening to prog, I’ve never heard anything quite like this new Advent album. I hear elements of Genesis, ELP, Gentle Giant, and A LOT of what sounds like Glass Hammer—at least in terms of music composition. What makes SILENT SENTINEL so fascinating is 1) its vocal lines; and 2) the intersection of its vocals and Glass Hammer like music.
As it turns out, this is Advent’s third album. I must admit, I thought it was the band’s second. And, I’m more than a bit embarrassed about this mistake. I’ve been listening to what I thought was the band’s first, CANTUS FIRMUS, rather lovingly for years. I’m now eager to get the first album. My loss, and soon my gain.
Regardless. . . .
If I had to compare this new album to anything on the current music scene, I would definitely name it the cousin of the work of Babb and Schendel, as mentioned above. But, SILENT SENTINEL not a clone, by any means. And, I hope this doesn’t turn off any readers, but it must be said. This is Glass Hammer if someone were writing really artsy and innovative jazz mixed with some really good (not Marty Haugen!) liturgical music. There’s an element of Hebraic chant, but there’s an even stronger element of Palestrina-like music. Don’t worry: no one is screaming scripture at you. The religious element—as far as I can tell (as I don’t have the lyric sheet)—is in the music and vocal lines, not the words.
I’ve said in half-seriousness for several years that CANTUS FIRMUS is Chestertonian prog. SILENT SENTINEL is more Tolkienian prog. I could easily imagine this music being sung in the First Age of Beleriand, most likely under the protection of Melian. It’s Sindarin Elvish, to be sure.
As you can see—even from a cursory glance at the track listing—this is a joy, pure and whole. There are a lot of themes that repeat throughout the album, and there’s playfulness intermixed with intensity passages of beauty. The production of the album is especially crisp, with every instrument really shining forth as a part and as a part of a whole. Really, everything—drums, keyboards, guitar, and bass—sound perfect. And, it’s clear that the producer and sound engineer gave everything to make this cd work so beautifully. I have a feeling that no matter how many times I listen to this, I’ll be rewarded with hearing something new.
While there’s nothing half-way done on the album, and I like it all, I’m most drawn to the epic title track, The Silent Sentinel. I’m not exactly sure what the context of the story is, but the music flows mysteriously and cinematically. I presume it’s a play on the title of the band, as Advent is a time of watchful waiting. Thus, the Silent Sentinel is a guard over time as well as space.
Again, I don’t have the lyric sheet, but it sounds like there’s some real Homeric evil happening as well, with the guardian protecting the crossroads of this world and the next.
I really can’t exaggerate or overstate how much SILENT SENTINEL grabs and intrigues me. It’s the kind of release that makes me not only proud to be a prog fan, but it actually makes me proud to be alive–to live at a time that produces such artists. This is the equal of Big Big Train and The Tangent in terms of quality, innovation, and beauty.
Progarchists, SILENT SENTINEL is something truly special. Don’t let this release pass you by. Pre-order and prepare to be dazzled and downright overwhelmed.
For more information and pre-ordering, make sure to visit Advent’s website: http://www.adventmusic.net
Less Than 3 Hours Left: Pre Order Advent Bundle: SILENT SENTINEL
Order the Silent Sentinel pre-sale bundle
USA
US $20
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Canada
US $25
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Worldwide
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NOTE: Shipping/handling included in all prices.
LIMITED-TIME OFFER (expires 9 PM EDT on August 1st)
Pre-sale bundle of Advent’s Silent Sentinel album includes:
- A copy of the 77.5-minute Silent Sentinel CD
- 24-bit/96-kHz audiophile files of the entire album (sent electronically)
- An exclusive 29-minute bonus CD-R featuring:
- Classical guitar duet from “On the Wings of an Ant (verse 2)”
- Vocals-up mix of “Voices from California” (first half)
- Vocals-up highlights from the “The Silent Sentinel”
- Vocals-up highlights from the “Sentinel’s Reprise: The Exit Interview”
- “Canto XXVI (The Evil Counselors)”
- “Awaiting the Call …” live at MARPROG
NOTES: Includes early shipment of physical media unless autographs are requested*. Audiophile (24/96) files to be delivered electronically via the Internet on or before date CDs are mailed. The Silent Sentinel album (CD and corresponding 24/96 audiophile files) mastered by Bob Katz at Digital Domain.
Bad Elephant Sampler
My issue of PROG 57 just arrived. It’s beautiful. But, especially great is the Bad Elephant sampler CD that came with it. If possible, make sure you grab the issue while it’s available.
Riverside’s Beautiful Failure: An Editorial
I hope you’ve all had a chance to read Erik Heter’s excellent review of the new RIVERSIDE album. From the listens I’ve had of it, LOVE, FEAR, AND THE TIME MACHINE lives up to everything any fan of the band would want and desire.
I agree with Erik’s assessment—as I almost always do! I have to say, though, that I hope Riverside brings all of its music together.
Let me try to explain.
One of the things I loved most about the first three albums of Riverside is how well they tied together. By design, Riverside wrote and produced their first three albums to delve deeply into the soul and mind. One is never sure if the protagonist of the three albums is insane or trapped in a purgatorial world. Either way, the emotional flow is nothing short of astounding. Everything works perfectly on these three albums, and each member of the band is truly a member of a friendship of artists, a meaningful part of a whole.
The live album, REALITY DREAM, is one of the finest concerts ever recorded. Even the name of the show reveals how much mystery exists in the topic. The words flow like poetry.
When ADHD came out, I fell in love with it immediately. It has a much harder edge to it, of course. In my mind, I saw a huge project.
- Chapter 1: Out of Myself; Second Life Syndrome; and REM.
- Interlude: Lunatic Soul I
- Chapter 2: ADHD
- Interlude: Lunatic Soul II
The problem, of course, is that the following Riverside releases, SHRINE and LFTM, don’t fit the plan! [Queue Geddy Lee’s voice]
Ok, so it’s my plan. But, still. . . .
I think Riverside is one of the best of the best. By simply writing great albums, though, they diminish the chances of achieving rock immortality. They’ve traded the extraordinary for the good. Let’s hope they come back to a grand plan and, thus, achieve something divine.
It’s not enough to pump out great albums. A truly extraordinary band demands a vision of the whole, not merely particulars of the moment.
Today is the Last Day to Purchase the MorseFest 2015 Gold Package
Have you purchased your [Morse]fest VIP Gold Package?
Better act fast!
TODAY is the last day to purchase your VIP!
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VIP Gold Package includes:
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At [Morse]fest 2015, long time collaborators Mike Portnoy and Randy George, as well as Neal Morse Band anchors, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette, will join Neal as this group of master musicians perform Neal’s world renowned albums,
? (Question Mark) and
Sola Scriptura
This weekend will be filled with Special Guests including
Phil Keaggy, Exclusive VIP Packages, a FREE Inner Circleonly performance, Pre-show dinners, and much more!
Blessings,
Team Radiant
Radiant Records
Progarchy 