Tag: Progressive rock

15th Anniversary of Glass Hammer’s CHRONOMETREE

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment
Glass Hammer's Fourth studio album, CHRONOMETREE (2000).
Glass Hammer’s fourth studio album, CHRONOMETREE (2000).

As I look back on the last seventeen years of my life, there are a number of things that amaze me and humble me: marriage; children; career. . . and, well just plain life.

I’m also shocked that an art form I’ve loved for the vast majority of my life–progressive rock–has grown so successful and diverse over the past two decades.

And, the year 2000: SPACE REVOLVER by the Flower Kings; SMPTe by Transatlantic; V by Spock’s Beard.  I’ve had the privilege of writing about each of these albums at some length.  Then, there was also LIGHTBULB SUN by Porcupine Tree and UNIVERSAL MIGRATOR by Ayreon as well.  Really, just pause and think about the year 2000 for a moment.  What a vital year.

One I’ve not noticed yet, however, is another favorite from that rather delightful year of prog, Glass Hammer’s CHRONOMETREE.  I didn’t come to Glass Hammer until 2001, but I quickly went backward in their catalogue.

August 22, 2015, will be the fifteenth anniversary of this astounding work of art.  As some point in the next week or so, I’ll examine it at length.  For now, though, I reached out to my good friend and hero, Steve Babb.  Here’s what he kindly wrote back to me.

I remember my wife and I left town for a week’s vacation and when we returned a lot of Chronometree’s music had already been written by Fred [Schendel]. He wanted it to be an instrumental solo project, but the sound of that Hammond organ and the retro style of the music was such that I insisted we make it a full blown Glass Hammer project with a storyline. We never imagined it would be such a turning point for us. That’s the moment we embraced our roots and we have never truly repented of it. Prog fans couldn’t resist the storyline, as everyone could relate to our character “Tom” and his slacker friends. Chronometree was a prog album about taking prog albums too seriously. We’re all guilty of it. Leave it to Glass Hammer to call attention to that.

I was going to wait and incorporate Steve’s quote into the larger article, but it seems simply too good for me to hold back from our progarchy audience!  So, enjoy.

And, much more to come.

Books, Album Covers, and Riverside’s “Love, Fear, and The Time Machine”

On By Erik HeterIn progressive rock music1 Comment

It’s often said that one cannot judge a book by its cover. Of course, as someone once reminded me, short of reading the book, the cover is about all upon which it can be judged. An album is the same way – short of hearing it, the cover is one of the few things upon which you can form an opinion. If this seems a bit silly, please bear with me.

Press_Cover_01Of all the genres of music, progressive rock imparts an added importance in the cover art. If you don’t believe me, well go take a look at almost any Yes album cover. For that matter, take a look at the cover of ELP’s Brain Salad Surgery, King Crimson’s In The Court of The Crimson King, or Foxtrot by Genesis. For more recent prog, take a look at any Flower Kings cover, any album from The Tangent, or more generally just about any cover artwork by Ed Unitsky (who is rapidly becoming this generation’s Roger Dean). Of course, a bad cover doesn’t preclude an album from being good, nor does a good cover make up for lackluster music. Still, at least as often as not, in progressive rock the album cover and the music are reflections of one another.

On Riverside’s previous album, Shrine of New Generation Slaves, the music was very reflective of its cover – gray and harsh (do not mistake this for a critique, I very much liked it). Similarly, the cover of Riverside’s latest, Love, Fear and the Time Machine, also reflects the album’s music. The front artwork for Love, Fear and the Time Machine is bracketed with various shades of blue on top and bottom, gradually getting brighter as one progresses toward a band of bright color that cuts across the middle. The brightness is most intense toward the center. While not necessarily a chronological description of the album or any particular song, this is nevertheless a good description of the music as a whole.

Love, Fear and the Time Machine finds Riverside moving into what is for them musically uncharted territory. While parts of the music retain some of their trademark moodiness, if not darkness, there are also parts that convey a very comforting warmth – much like the center of the album cover. This album has a looser, more melodic feel than any previous Riverside release. Some of those who were attracted to Riverside for the metallic aspects of their sound might be disappointed that they seem to have dispensed with those here. Nevertheless, this album still rocks in many places, metal sounds or not. But most of all, it is stunningly good, quite possibly the best Riverside album yet.

Some songs draw on 80’s influences such as The Cure, others draw on 70’s prog influences. That is not to say that these songs are derivative, and in fact they are anything but.   Instead, they take those influences, mold it with their own style, and still manage to come up with something that is uniquely Riverside. And like the best progressive rock out there, this album has a sound that is very identifiable with its creators, and yet it sounds like nothing they have ever done before.

The album opens strongly with Lost, a song which encapsulates my previous comments regarding the cover and the music reflecting one another. Melancholy overtones are punctuated in the latter half of the song by some intensely emotional guitar work by Piotr Grudziński (IMO, one of the absolute best guitarists in the current prog wave). Under the Pillow seems like a three-way hybrid of 70’s and 80’s music combined with current prog.   On the other hand, Addicted has a very strong 80’s sound. Mariusz Duda mentioned The Cure as a musical influence for this album, and it certainly shows through here. Afloat exhibits the most intense and consistent sadness of any song on the album, conveying a sense of regret or remorse and reflecting the darkest blue one the cover. The influence from Duda’s more recent Lunatic Soul projects is strong on Afloat than anywhere else on the album. Meanwhile, Saturate Me is the proggiest track of the bunch, with simultaneous excellence on guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums. Without listing the others, there no bad tracks here, only good ones and great ones.

I have to apologize that his review is somewhat incomplete, as I do not have the lyrics in front of me, and probably will not until my CD copy of the album arrives in early September. Nevertheless, Duda has stated that Love, Fear and the Time Machine is “about everything that pushes us to make the most important decisions in our life.” One gets that sense from the opening lyrics of Lost. Still, a full digesting of the lyrics will have to wait.

 In what is shaping up to be another incredible year of progressive rock music, Riverside has returned with one of the best, most emotional, and most satisfying releases of the year. Far from resting on the laurels of their previous accomplishments, Love, Fear, and the Time Machine shows a band evolving, stretching, and pushing their sound in new directions. Still, the basic essence of Riverside remains fully intact.   That is the mark of both a great progressive rock band and a great progressive rock album.

Now, about that Time Machine … do you mind if I borrow it so I can go forward the albuTime Machine Deloreanm’s September 4th release date so I can pick up my CD? I’ll bring it back. Pinky swear.

ARC of NEIL PEART Bio is Now Available with Humble Bundle Press

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music2 Comments

For two weeks only, you can get an advanced review copy of NEIL PEART: CULTURAL (RE)PERCUSSIONS.

Available as an ARC for two weeks only with Humble Bundle.
Available as an ARC for two weeks only with Humble Bundle.

NEIL PEART: CULTURAL (RE)PERCUSSIONS is now available in early form. As an e-book, a part of the Humble Bundle. For two weeks only!

$15 and you get tons of books, including an advanced review copy of the Peart bio.

The final paperback and ebook (all formats) version will be out September 15.

$5.99/ebook
$14.99/paperback

V at XV: Neal Morse’s Prophetic Art

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music5 Comments

Retrospective on Spock’s Beard, V (Metal Blade/Radiant, 2000).  Produced by Neal Morse and Spock’s Beard.  Tracks: At the End of the Day; Revelation; Thoughts (Part II); All on a Sunday; Goodbye to Yesterday; and The Great Nothing.

All tracks written by Neal Morse except Thoughts (Part II), written by the Morse brothers; and Revelation, written by the Morse brothers, NDV, and Okumoto.

Even the cover is brilliant, foreshadowing Neal Morse's forthcoming moment at Damascus.
Even the cover is brilliant, foreshadowing Neal Morse’s forthcoming moment at Damascus.

I was haunted continually by the cruel irony of it all; I had a gift to give to the world, but no recipient to pass it on to.

–Neal Morse, TESTIMONY (the book)

Two days ago, I posted my reflections on hearing Transatlantic’s SMPTe for the first time.  I treasure those memories.  At the time, I’d only been married about a year and half, I already had a one-year old son, and my wife was VERY pregnant with child #2 (who has grown up a serious Neal Morse fan).  I was also in my second full year of college teaching, and I was working on my first biography.

It’s hard if not impossible for me to separate my love of Morse’s art from my own professional life.  I’m pretty sure I was the first person in Bloomington, Indiana, to purchase THE LIGHT during graduate school, and Morse’s music has remained a constant soundtrack to all my writing—whether books or lectures.  My entire family shares my love of Morse’s music, and my wife and I eagerly await joining in the celebration at Morsefest 2015.

And, as I mentioned in the previous post, Transatlantic’s SMPTe has hardly aged.  Indeed, it sounds just as grand today as it did fifteen years ago.  I ended that reflection of SMPTe thanking Transatlantic for introducing me to The Flower Kings.  But, there’s more.  So much more.  It’s not just Transatlantic that came out of the year 2000.  There’s Flying Colors as well, all of Neal Morse Band releases, Yellow Matter Custard, and the list goes on. . . .

And, yet, I’m not sure I should express any surprise that Morse has produced so much since Transatlantic’s first album.  Think about the years between the release of THE LIGHT and SMPTe. In just one half of a decade, Spock’s Beard released five albums in five years, a cd of rarities, and four live albums.  And, Neal Morse released a solo album.  Morse is nothing if not full of energy.  Ceaseless and abundant energy.

Equally impressive, just think about the astounding maturation of the sound of Spock’s Beard.  It is nothing short of startling.  Of course, THE LIGHT is a classic.  But, compare it objectively to V.  Spock’s Beard is a band that grew decades rather than years between 1995 and 2000.

Last night, I went back to look at the views of “V” from the time of its release, and I was rather surprised to see lots of criticism—that is, of the negative sort.  SB is doing nothing new here.  The band did this here or that there.  Blah, blah, blather, blather.  Not to be too rude, but give me a break.  There was almost no discussion about the beauty of the album or Morse’s ability to evolve so quickly over such a short period of time or the excellence of NVD’s drumming or. . . the list goes one.

Bizarre.

V is, at least to my years, pretty much perfect.  Whereas THE LIGHT was angry and angular, V is humble and organic. THE LIGHT is fascinating, but V is gorgeous. Suffice it state, I love both albums but for very different reasons.  If someone asked me for the best Spock’s Beard album over the first five, there’d be no question that V would be it.  I would proudly introduce them to this as the best of the first five SB releases as well as a masterpiece of third-wave Prog.   I thought this in the year 2000, and I think it even more in the year 2015.  V is a masterwork at every level.  It’s playful without being childish, and it’s innovative without being quirky.  Every musician gives his absolute all, and Morse ably mixes rock, pop, country, classical, and even some Latin.  Yes, SB fans, fear not.  Señor Valasco lurks somewhere around the corner of several passages.

V is the fulfillment and culmination of everything that came before it.  And, in its textures and language, it is an intense and stunning thing.

I will also freely admit that no small amount of nostalgia makes me like this music from 2000.  At age 47, it’s hard not to divide the world into pre 9/11 and post 9/11.  The world before–at least in the U.S.–feels much more innocent. Compare the innocence of V with the rather angsty feel of SNOW or “We All Need Some Light” from LIVE IN AMERICA vs. LIVE IN EUROPE.  The song might as well be an entirely new one after the horrific events of 9/11.

The editors of Progarchy and I have an agreement that we will avoid overt discussions of religion and politics.  So, a trigger warning–and a request for forgiveness as I delve into the former.  And, please know that what I offer is only personal speculation and nothing more.

Interestingly enough–and I have no idea how to account for this at any rational level–V turns out to be rather Christian in its feel as well as in its essence. Yet, when V came out, Morse was still 2 years away from his conversion.  I might account for this by Morse seemingly much more comfortable with his own voice and his own failings (and, consequently his own successes) on V.   The lyrics exude charity, honesty, humility, resignation, and Stoicism as well as passion.  V might also be–at least from a Christian perspective–Morse lessening his will and preparing himself for the reception of grace.  I’ve never met Morse, so I have no personal knowledge of any of this.  All of this is merely a guess and a hunch.  But, the prophetic path that Morse lays out is, to say the least, uncannily accurate on V.

You’re doing fine, it’s not too late
To lay your burden down
And walk through heaven’s gate

Try to find a way
Try to say goodbye to yesterday
Goodbye to yesterday, say goodbye

Try to find a way
Try to say goodbye to yesterday
Goodbye to yesterday, say goodbye
You’ve got to find a way to say goodbye

–Neal Morse, Spock’s Beard, “Say Goodbye to Yesterday”

And, “The Great Nothing” is a sequel, an answer really, to “The Light.”  If The Light is anger and angular weirdness, “The Great Nothing” is resignation and guarded hope.  Even in failure, doing the right thing is success.  The “Great Nothing” is one of the best rock songs ever written.  It is organic and whole.  The lyrics describe so beautifully the unbought grace of life.

One note timeless
Came out of nowhere
It wailed like the wind and night
It sought no glory
It added no meaning
Not even a reason why

No thought
No need to say something
No message to sell
It played without a buzz or a showing
Out of the great nothing
It came without fail

–Neal Morse, Spock’s Beard, “The Great Nothing”

It’s also interesting to note that Morse was not alone in a transition.  Think about the difference between Rush’s TEST FOR ECHO and VAPOR TRAILS at the same time.  Granted, events threw Peart’s life into pure chaos, but the transitions occurred nonetheless.  Or, more recently, thank about Steven Wilson’s move from Porcupine Tree to solo career.  Morse transitioned from Morse 1.0 to Morse 2.0 between V and SNOW, and he gives full credit to his own conversion and acceptance of grace.  Who are we to deny this?  After all, the evidence suggests this is true, and whatever relationship Morse has with God is a rather intimate and personal one.

I, as one man, thank each profoundly for the gifts bestowed upon the world.  V is a treasure.  And, so is SNOW, TESTIMONY, ?, SECOND NATURE, and so many others.

Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Neal Morse, from Mars, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Heaven’s Gate.

Transatlantic: SMPTe. 15 Years Later.

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music2 Comments

IMG

Maybe it’s the professional historian in me, but I love dates, and I love anniversaries.

This year is the fifteenth anniversary of Transatlantic’s first album, the rather stunning and never aging SMPTe.

I’d not heard of the project until one of my students handed me a copy of the CD in the fall of 2000, about six months or so after its release.  I knew Morse (I’d been one of the first–if not the first–persons in Bloomington, Indiana, to purchase THE LIGHT from Spock’s Beard), I knew Trewavas (having been a Marillion fan since BRAVE), and I knew Mike Portnoy, having purchased every Dream Theater release since 1992’s IMAGES AND WORDS.  Roine Stolt?  Didn’t have a clue at that point, though I’d heard of The Flower Kings.

My first reaction upon seeing the CD cover was one of elation.  This looked like a very modernized Yes cover.  And, of course, I loved the starship/blimp.  I thought the album title, SMPTe, was kind of weird, as I didn’t quite get why the names of the members were so important, but, then, it was a “supergroup.”

Looking at the credits, I thought, “Ok, this is a Morse project.  I wonder why he isn’t finding enough fulfillment in Spock’s Beard?”  Not that I knew much about anything going on in any of the bands represented in Transatlantic.  I knew the music, but I didn’t know any details about any of the bands.

In fact, the only real music news I kept up on at the time was for Rush, Yes, Tears for Fears, and Talk Talk.  Admittedly, I did a very good job of keeping up with these bands, but I was aided by some really good user groups and news groups (remember those?!!?).

When I put the Transatlantic cd on my stereo, I was completely floored.  The first minute of sound effects not only grabbed me, but all 31 minutes of the epic rooted me in place.  I was utterly blown away.  Yes had given us songs at 22-24 minutes, and Rush had come close, but 31 minutes?  Holy schnikees.  This was flat out amazing.  Then, “We All Need Some Light,” which I thought sounded much like a Spock’s Beard song.  Thus, I Iiked it.  And, it was the perfect breather after “All of the Above.”  I didn’t fall in love with this track, though, until I heard it live on LIVE IN AMERICA.

The third track, “Mystery Train,” really caught my attention as well, pulling me back into the depths of the album.  I loved the psychedelia of it, and I was especially taken with the Beatle-esque refrain.  This was an updated version of something off of the MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR–yet it was an homage not a mimicry.

If I’d been captivated by tracks 1 and 3, I was once again thrown into a tizzy as I listened to the sixteen minutes of “My New World.”  The references to the Doors and Jimi Hendrix sold me.  And, I’m a sucker for Stolt’s voice.  As soon as I heard this album, I immediately purchased all of The Flower Kings up to that point.

SPACE REVOLVER, by the way, became and remains one of my top ten favorite all-time albums.

As I looked back over the first four tracks of SMPTe, I came to realize how very different each song had been.  There was no distinctive “Transatlantic” song.  They each hit me in different ways.

Then, as though I deserved dessert (which I didn’t!), Transatlantic gave me a remake of one of the best Procol Harum songs ever written.  Granted, it wasn’t “Simple Sister” but it was the next best thing.

When Transatlantic played live over the internet, I listened.  When the live album of that recording, LIVE IN AMERICA, came out, I bought it–the day it came out.  And, I’ve done the same with every single live or studio CD since.  I will admit that I was horribly shocked by Portnoy’s language on the live releases.  At the time, I was only recently married.  My wife comes from a very conservative Texas family, and she knew nothing about prog.  As I was listening and Portnoy said inappropriate things, I cringed.  Astoundingly, my wife either didn’t hear Portnoy or chose not to hear.  She’s now as much a Morse/Portnoy fan as I am.  So, all’s well that ends well!

I will admit that it’s a bit hard for me to accept that I first heard SMPTe fifteen years ago.  At that point, I was newly married, and my oldest child was just a year old!  Now, he’s sixteen, and he has six siblings!  Sheesh.

And, my wife is now a prog fan.  Again, the times do change.

A huge thank you to Morse, Portnoy, Trewavas, and Stolt.  That one album from a decade and a half ago introduced me to the Flower Kings, and it made me realize that third-wave prog was and remains pure, unadulterated love and beauty.

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…

Big Big Train Concert Programme Cover Revealed

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music3 Comments

So proud to have two progarchists as a part of this.  Lady Alison and yours truly–BB

bbt london 2015 programme
Program by Professor Geoff Parks.

From Professor Geoff Parks: At last I can reveal a closely kept secret. A while back I volunteered to put together a programme for the band’s upcoming Kings Place concerts. To my delight that offer was accepted and early in June I sent my efforts on to Greg et al. for approval.

The programme is 24 A4 pages in full colour. It includes profiles of the members of BBT and their support staff, equipment lists and a number of articles that should be of interest to passengers, including a couple of specially commissioned pieces by Alison Henderson and Bradley Joseph Francis Birzer of this parish.

The programme will cost a very reasonable £5.

The section containing the band profiles has been cunningly designed to include convenient spaces for the collection of autographs.

You can see the front cover below.

Pre-order Advent’s SILENT SENTINEL

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

This just showed up on Advent’s official website:

new album pre-sale launch on July 15th/official release a month from now!

by ALAN on JULY 11, 2015

Advent is very pleased to announce the upcoming release of our new album, Silent Sentinel. The official street date is scheduled for August 11th, however the band will be offering a special pre-sale bundle for purchase beginning on July 15th. This limited-time offer will include:

  1. A copy of the 77.5-minute Silent Sentinel CD
  2. 24-bit/96-kHz audiophile files of the entire album (sent electronically)
  3. A five-track bonus CD-R with exclusive remix content from the album and two other full-length tracks
  4. Early shipment of physical media* and 24/96 audio file delivery

*For those optionally requesting autographed copies of the CD (instructions on order form), shipment of physical media will likely be postponed a little to allow for personalized signatures–however 24/96 audiophiles will be delivered without corresponding delay.

The pre-order page should go live (here on our website) at midnight EDT on July 15th. Please stay tuned!

***

To read it at the actual website (rather than in shadow form here at progarchy), go here: http://www.adventmusic.net

The Earnestness of Drifting Sun’s Trip the Life Fantastic (2015)

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music1 Comment

A Review of Drifting Sun, Trip the Life Fantastic (2015).

Drifting Sun's 2015 album, TRIP THE LIFE FANTASTIC.
Drifting Sun’s 2015 album, TRIP THE LIFE FANTASTIC.

Drama.

This is the best word to describe Drifting Sun’s 2015 release, Trip the Life Fantastic.  From its opening note to its final one, Drifting Sun’s album brings a sense of drama and theater to rock.  There’s a Queen, Ordinary Psycho, and Muse feel to the drama, but Drifting Sun are too interesting to be derivative.  Respectful of the past, for sure.  Derivative, no.

The prominence of the grand piano helps define the drama of their sound, but so does the lead singer’s voice.  Peter Falconer (what a great name!) possesses a warm and captivating voice.  It’s not necessarily a beautiful voice, but it is a compelling one, one that effectively invites the listener to become a part of the story.

In addition to Queen and Muse, already mentioned, I’m also reminded of mid-70s Supertramp and mid-80s Tears for Fears when I listen to Falconer’s vocals.  When I listen to the variety and flow of the album, I’m reminded of Fragile from Yes.

Based in the U.K., Drifting Sun has been in existence for almost twenty years, but Trip the Life Fantastic features a brand-new line up of musicians with only the keyboardist, Pat Sanders, remaining from earlier incarnations of the band.  It’s rather clear—even from the most cursory listen—that each musician in this band takes his craft very seriously.

If I had any complaint about the album—and, believe me, it’s a minor one—it would be that some of the keyboard sounds, especially when imitating strings, sound a bit forced.  The band is at its best when it simply plays piano, guitar, bass, and drums.  There’s such a raw honesty to the album that the employment of synthesizer seems out of place.  Perhaps, however, this is merely a production, engineering, and mastering issue rather than a song-writing one.  And, the synths only appear a few times on the album.  It is, thankfully, the grand piano that predominates.

Indeed, one of the things I most appreciate is the lack of irony in the album.  Though these guys are singing about wizards, witches, and other unworldly and other-worldly things, they do so with grand seriousness.  This is quite a nice contrast to our post-modern world which tends to wink “knowingly” at all such things.

Drifting Sun is a fine band, and it’s a band that bears much watching.  It will be interesting to see how it develops from here.  Kudos to them for the achievement of Trip the Life Fantastic.