Greg Herriges - Artifacts (2014)

9/30/14 12:40PM


Not a lot to add per time limitations. But I have been hoping for Greg to put out something soon as it's been over 5 years since his tremendous record Telluric Currents, in 2009.

This sounds like it may be more instrumental and focused even more in the different styles of ethnic music. I guess we'll see. I likely will be catching that show in October and pickup a copy of Artifacts to know.

More to add at some point with a track lists and such (it appears there may be a rather extensive one per a photo Greg posted on Facebook).

Facebook Post
link




Artifacts is soon available from New Folk/Loud Folk Records (www.newfolkrecords.com). The CD will be launched at a special double concert with Pooja Goswami Pavan at theParkway Theater in Minneapolis on Friday, October 10. I look forward to an all-too-rare performance with Pooja and A. Pavan (tabla), and resurrecting my classical guitar! I hope to see you if you're in the area. Details...

New Folk Records Proudly Presents
An Evening of World Music at the Parkway Theater
by
Dr. Pooja Goswami Pavan & Greg Herriges
with
Neha Damle (Keys), Dr. A. Pavan (Tabla), and other guest artists (TBA)
 

Celebrating the release of Greg’s CD Artifacts
and presenting music from Pooja’s CD
Piya Basey Kaun Des/In What Land Is My Beloved?
(Songs of The Sufis)

Doors open at 7pm. Concert starts at 7:30pm.

Purchase tickets at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/867110

See the Event on Facebook
Visit the Parkway Theater

Fair to Midland - Walls of Jericho (Unofficial Fan Made Video)

This was posted/shared on YouTube it appears going back to 2010. Maybe I saw it or even posted it before? I don't recall.

At any case, 1 of the best Fair to Midland tunes to me, and one I always felt should have been released as a single, but I don't think was.

The video I guess was shown on Showtime and may have been related-to if not part of DEXTER, per some comments. It is a dark video, but it does sync-well and fits many of the themes, moods and even lyrics from Walls of Jericho.

Anyway, for those who never saw this, it's worth passing along certainly. Well made.

Genesis: Together and Apart: New Reunion Documentary coming from the BBC

9/26/14 9:14AM
http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2014-09-25/genesis-reveal-documentary-date


October 4th, BBC2 9:15PM


I wonder if/when BBC America will be airing it? Trailer?
6/16/14 6:12PM



Facebook Link

Genesis and the BBC have been working together over the last few months on GENESIS: TOGETHER AND APART

A feature length documentary on one of the most successful bands in rock history. From its first beginnings as a band of songwriters in the late 1960s to its final incarnation as a rock giant in the 1990s – via full-blown theatrical progressive rock in the mid-1970s and the subtler jazzy pop of the early 1980s – Genesis could perplex and enrage the die-hards, whilst exciting and exhilarating the newer disciples.

Made with the full co-operation of Genesis, the film reunites all original members of the band together – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford – for the first time since 1975.

The film recounts an extraordinary musical story, exploring the band’s songwriting as well as emotional highs and lows, alongside previously unseen archive material and rare performance footage across their entire career.

Transmission date to be confirmed.

Not that there haven't been other documentaries that included the 5 guys, namely just the doc Genesis: A History that came out in 1991 as well as the docs that came with the Remasters Boxed Set.

I but suppose a fully in-depth/proper documentary might warrant interest, including sort of what their legacy and influence has become in the last 20+ years. Maybe stuff like The Musical Box and the Rock Hall inductions may be included. 

Kevin Gilbert? kind of doubtful, but who knows if anyone involved at the BBC knows he was supposed to audition around the time of his death.

I suppose just having the 5 guys all together, in 1 room? reminiscing, etc could add something new no matter, even for nostalgia's sake.. Plus I would be curious who all the BBC may get to interview, people from Marillion? Steven Wilson? members of Yes, etc

Will it lead to a reunion show/tour or even recording? pretty doubtful of course.

I would like to believe they will include the likes of Anthony Phillips and some of the other ex-members (even Ray Wilson and Nick D'Virgilio), but who knows about that.

Adebisi Shank RIP

Not a ton to say, right now namely since I gotta head to bed. But this does suck, but at the same time, does not come as a huge shock I suppose. They really were one-of if not the most interesting kind of math-rock that I discovered since getting into Battles debut LP in 2007. That 1st record had this amazing energy about it, so much so, I went back to it frequently for a window of a few months back in 2008.

The 2 LPs that came after were not bad, although I'm not sure I will ever ultimately like as much. I did like the new and what is final LP that came out a few months ago, more, and probably need to give it a little more time before fully knowing right now how it may compare to others this season and in their catalog.

Sorry they are calling it a day, but they did release 3 LPs, more than many bands/artists even. And the new LP (This is the 3rd Album By a Band Called Adebisi Shank) may not be a bad swan song no matter.

I would have liked to have seen them live, but well, they are from the UK so the odds were not that likely in the States save for them blowing up, which sadly, never did quite happen.

But, that's all to add for now. I will have to put some of their stuff on soon in tribute especially.

https://www.facebook.com/adebisishank/posts/10152652377859361

THIS IS THE END OF A BAND CALLED ADEBISI SHANK

Dear friends,

We hereby announce the end of a band called Adebisi Shank. From the three of us to all of you, thank you for coming with us on this crazy journey. To Cathy and the Sargent House crew past and present, thank you for believing in us.

Life and music moves on - Lar is making music in All Tvvins, Vin is producing/mixing, working on video games and other cool stuff as VMC Sound, and is also one half of Speed of Snakes. Mick will continue to train for his UFC career.

This Thursday and Friday in Whelans, we will play on an Irish stage for the very last time. Join us if you can. After that, we intend to honour our one existing overseas tour commitment.

To any kids starting bands we offer one piece of advice - play music you love, with people you love, for the people you love.
We saw a million faces
Vin, Lar + Mick (-_-) xxx

Album Anticipation: False Hope (of my own PERSONAL taste)

I was thinking the other day about the many years of doing this shit. Having this almost personal obligation to myself to anticipate albums. Doing an albums of the year list and actually it really goes back much further in truth to when I really got obsessive about listening to new albums from bands/artists. I.e. probably when the 1st new Rush album came out after my being a fan, which technically was Counterparts in 1993?

Well, I suppose my memory of that was buying it. Ah, now I recall, the "Stick It Out" video was on Beavis and Butthead, and the summer of 1993 I spent a brief amount of time working at Sam Goody at the Mall of America, and I do recall telling customers or maybe even having a conversation with a customer or two who told me about Rush having a new album coming out.

edit: yes, Counterparts was released October 19th, 1993.

I likely even paged through Metal Edge at the old Shinders stores and saw some stuff about it.

Anyway, long story that avoided being longer, the point or idea of hearing about, anticipating new albums, and then those said albums

a) being AS GOOD as my hopes

b) being BETTER than my hopes

c) being AMONG THE ARTIST'S BEST ALBUMS

d) being THEIR BEST WORK YET

seems to not end up happening all that much. Especially the last 2 c + d.

Whereas when I

a) listen to an album from a band I used to love and am surprised by how good it is

b) a debut album from a band who only had a promising EP or a few singles and the expectation is still not incredibly high given it's their 1st full-length, and it ends up being one of the year/season's best..

b2) and said record ends up being their best work, or even their only really good work


Then there is the

a) album that is a follow-up to my favorite or the artist's best album in a long time, and the follow-up either doesn't compare to that great previous record, or isn't really that good if worth going back to much at all

I guess a better way to illustrate this is to just look at an artist's catalogs and then when those albums came out after I became a fan.

Err, or maybe in a shorter exercise, look at my favorite albums over the last 10 years or so and see how many of them were albums that

a) I knew about going in, or "anticipated" and had high hopes for
b) ended up being among if not their best records in their respective catalogs.

I've listed below my favorite 20 albums or so (or however many going back to 2005 and 2004) AT THE TIME for the most part. Mind you, from each year/season, there are other albums not included on the below lists that I enjoy more of course, and also some of the albums ranked lower, would likely be higher now, and vice-versa. But those were these lists rankings at said time when I made the lists at the end of the year/season.


2013
20 For the Imperium | Hail the Monsters
19 Persefone | Spiritual Migration
18 Foals | Holy Fire
17 Orphaned Land | All Is One
16 Debashish Bhattacharya | Beyond the Ragasphere
15 Genders | Get Lost
14 K Será | Collisions and Near Misses
13 Janelle Monáe | The Electric Lady
12 Mayer Hawthorne | Where Does This Door Go
11 Ours | Ballet the Boxer 1
10 The Dear Hunter | The Migrations Annex [EP]
9 The Dear Hunter | Migrant
8 In Vain | Ænigma
7 Brooke Waggoner | Originator
6 Local Natives | Hummingbird
5 Typhoon | White Lighter
4 Daft Punk | Random Access Memories
3 Steven Wilson | The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)
2 The Reign of Kindo | Play With Fire
1 The Red Paintings | The Revolution Is Never Coming

2012
23 Debashish Bhattacharya | 'Madeira'
22 Bruce Peninsula | Of Songs
21 Water & Bodies | American Dream [EP]
20 British Theatre | Dyed in the Wool Ghost [EP]
19 Hotel of the Laughing Tree | Mammoth Skin, Pt. 1 [EP]
18 Godspeed You! Black Emperor | 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
17 The Gathering | Disclosure
16 Northern Abbey | Northern Abbey [EP]
15 Sucré | A Minor Bird
14 Media Addicts | Autonomy
13 Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra | Theatre Is Evil
12 Mike Linden | Bubble & Squeak
11 Anathema | Weather Systems
10 Marillion | Sounds That Can't Be Made
9 Ramona Falls | Prophet
8 Forest Park | Forest Park [EP]
7 House of Fools | Versus the Beast
6 Ne Obliviscaris | Portal of I
5 Bend Sinister | Small Fame
4 Gatherer | So Be It
3 Vuvuzela | The Hollow Choir
2 Brice Plays Drums | Man the Animal Cannon
1 Pepe Deluxé | Queen of the Wave

2011
20. dredg | Chuckles & Mr. Squeezy
19. Brice Plays Drums | I Laugh at Your Greener Pastures
18. O'Brother | Garden Window
17. Vektor | Outer Isolation
16. For the Imperium | For the Imperium
15. Bruce Peninsula | Open Flames
14. Jimmy Gnecco | The Heart: X Edition
13. Water & Bodies | Light Year
12. *Shels | Plains of the Purple Buffalo
11. Tangled Thoughts of Leaving | Deaden the Fields
10. The Baltic Sea | Period Piece
9. Three | The Ghost You Gave to Me
8. Mercies | Three Thousand Days
7. Battle Circus | Battle Circus
6. East of the Wall | The Apologist
5. Between the Buried and Me | The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues [EP]
4. The Dear Hunter | The Color Spectrum
3. Arch/Matheos | Sympathetic Resonance
2. Kimbra | Vows
1. Hotel of the Laughing Tree | Terror and Everything After


2010
20. Judgement Day | Peacocks / Pink Monsters
19. Timmy Sean | Songs From & Inspired By Noisewater
18. Anathema | We're Here Because We're Here
17. 22 - Flux
16. The Reign of Kindo | This Is What Happens
15. Everything Everything | Man Alive
14. Pure Reason Revolution | Hammer and Anvil
13. Oceansize | Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up
12. Revere | Hey! Selim
11. Jazzkamikaze | Supersonic Revolutions
10. Emanuel and the Fear | Listen
9. Foals | Total Life Forever
8. Warpaint | The Fool
7. Agalloch | Marrow of the Spirit
6. Menomena | Mines
5. Sufjan Stevens | The Age of Adz
4. Cloud Cult | Light Chasers
3. Janell Monáe | The Archandroid
2. Lehto & Wright | Children's Songs
1. The River Empires | The River Empires (Epilogue)

2009
20. Malajube - Labyrinthes
19. The Kris Norris Projekt - Icons of the Illogical
18.  Mute Math - Armistice
17. maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
16. Archive - Controlling Crowds
15. Muse - The Resistance
14. Porcupine Tree - The Incident
13. Karen O - Where the Wild Things Are
12. Greg Herriges - Telluric Currents
11. note. - my city of ghosts, stars and hours
10. Kiss Kiss - The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left
9. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
8. Long Distance Calling - Avoid the Light
7. Pure Reason Revolution - Amor Vincit Omnia
6. Umphrey's McGee - Mantis
3c. dredg - The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion
3b. The Dear Hunter - Act III: Life and Death
3a. Mew - No More Stories / Are Told Today / I'm Sorry / They Washed Away
// No More Stories / The World Is Grey / I'm Tired / Let's Wash Away
2. Soundscape - Grave New World
1. Kevin Gilbert - Nuts/Bolts

2008
20. Arsis - We Are the Nightmare
19. Adebisi Shank - This is the Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
18. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Animal!
17. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Not Animal
16. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
15. Demians - Building an Empire
14. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
13. Protest the Hero - Fortress
12. Woven - Designer Codes
11. King's X - XV
10. Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
9. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
8. Sculptured - Embodiment: Collapsing Under the Weight of God
7. Bend Sinister - Stories of Brothers, Tales of Lovers
6. Marillion - Happiness is the Road
5. The Stiletto Formal - !Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta!
4. Mutyumu - Il y a
3. Ours - Mercy...(Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy)
2. Burst - Lazarus Bird
1. Apes and Androids - Blood Moon

2007
20 The Ebb and Flow - Attack and Decay
19 Fields - Everything Last Winter
18 The Pax Cecilia - Blessed Are the Bonds
17 Silverchair - Young Modern
16 Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
15 Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City
14 Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
13 Aereogramme - My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go
12 Biffy Clyro - Puzzle
11 The Receiving End of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
10. 3 | The End is Begun
9. Karnivool | Themata
8. In Vain | The Latter Rain
7. Kiss Kiss | Reality vs. the Optimist
6. House of Fools | Live and Learn
5. Fair to Midland | Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell Three Times is True
4. Oceansize | Frames
3. Between the Buried and Me | Colors
2. The Dear Hunter | Act II: The Meaning of and All Things Regarding
Ms.Leading
1. Kaddisfly | Set Sail the Prairie

2006
20. White Willow - SIGNAL TO NOISE
19. The Mars Volta - AMPUTECHTURE
18. Al Di Meola - CONSEQUENCE OF CHAOS
17. Aviatic - ARRIVAL
16. Margot & The Nuclear So And So's - THE DUST OF RETREAT
15. Under The Influence Of Giants - UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GIANTS
14. Portugal The Man - WAITER: YOU VULTURES!
13. Men, Women And Children - MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN
12. Opus Dai - TIERRA TRAGAME
11. Archive - LIGHTS
10. A Chinese Firedrill - CIRCLES
9. The Decemberists - THE CRANE WIFE
8. Anathallo - FLOATING~WORLD
7. Russian Circles - ENTER
6. Muse - BLACK HOLES AND REVELATIONS
5. Mew - AND THE GLASS HANDED KITES
4. Oceansize - EVERYONE INTO POSITION
3. MuteMath - MUTEMATH
2. dredg - LIVE AT THE FILLMORE
1. Pure Reason Revolution - THE DARK THIRD

2005
Blackfield - BLACKFIELD
Porcupine Tree - DEADWING
Dredg - CATCH WITHOUT ARMS
The Mars Volta - FRANCES THE MUTE
Shadow Gallery - ROOM V
Dream Theater - OCTAVARIUM

2004
Marillion - Marbles
Pain of Salvation - BE
Fates Warning - FWX
Brian Wilson - SMILE
U2 - How to dismantle an atomic bomb
Courtney Yasmineh - Sufi Line
Happy the Man - The Muse Awakens



I guess I look at these lists and notice a few things in regards to ANTICIPATION during that time.

For One thing, the top albums every year, were not albums I anticipated really:

2006: PRR..I had only just found out about a few months before it came out. And of course it was a DEBUT album.

2007: Kaddisfly..I only had heard them the year before. And honestly, before SSTP, I was a bit lukewarm about them. Which sounds silly now, but it's not like I thought SSTP was going to be even half as great as it turned out to be. I..e had you asked me in January 2006 about Kaddisfly and their next record, if I was looking fwd to it and thought it would be amazing, I likely would have laughed and said I dunno.

2008: Apes and Androids, again, hadn't heard of them.

2009: Kevin..compilations are sort of not fully qualifying in this idea. Soundscape, okay, sure that album I did expect to be amazing and it was. Although it was recorded 10 years before. Plus it wasn't like I expected it to even come out (even though I knew about its existence). dredg, The Dear Hunter and Mew, now those 3 yes, I anticipated and expected big things from and while they all ended up being very good records, However, I'm not sure I would not put them at the top of each band's discography at this point. Or at least I didn't find they topped their previous work quite. But they were close

2010: The River Empires..again, it was a debut LP, and while I had heard about it like a year or 2 before, I had absolutely no clue it would have been as good as it was. I mean sure, I had some hopes for it, but it doesn't really qualify for anticipated greatness exactly.

2011: Hotel of the Laughing Tree, another one that is a debut record and at the time were a band that I would never  have expected to make something close to as good as Terror and Everything After. Their debut EP was okay, but I still struggled with it a bit. I mean it showed potential, but Album of the Year potential? I dunno, in 2010 if you mentioned that to me, I again likely would have doubted it.

2012; Pepe Deluxe, came out of nowhere. I didn't know them, thus no anticipation

2013: The Red Paintings, while ultimately, I'm not sure how replay-able it'll become, I guess I found it the most unique and original sounding record of last year. And honestly, more ambitious than I figured it would be at least. But the fact it took so long to come out (like 7 or 8 years), I suppose the amount of time added some higher hopes than I would have had normally. But, I still was just kind of casual about them. The Reign of Kindo of course had pretty big hopes for, and it for the most part fulfilled them. But I also don't know if I regard and will regard Play With Fire as their best record, i.e. if I want to listen to a record from Kindo, I still would go to Rhythm, Chord and Melody 1st. Why? I guess a lot of that has to do with memorable moments and melodies, and energy I suppose.

But looking down more of those lists, and even stuff not on those lists, it seems whenever there's a record I have a lot of hope for, it can't live up to my hopes, or surpass them. And psychologically, I seem to want that. Almost demand that, and it fails to happen nearly every time.

I've spent awhile with this idea on here, and the idea of it was to try and explain why so many albums come out, don't end up being as amazing as I want them to be. I mean there are some cases, and of course there may be even more cases of the amazing albums I discover long after their release time/year/season for whatever reason. I'm not sure if it's pure luck, or coincidence or there is more to it. Perhaps it is just the wanting to be surprised or shocked,that creates that thrill anyway. So almost by definition, none of the albums I find out about ever will have that. Sure, hearing what is on them, maybe how different or how good it may be, can add surprise or shock, but not as much as a new band or maybe even a band I used to think sucked and now don't (or I don't think they do anymore).

So, long essay longer, and I don't think I will put up the list, any list of albums I can come up with yet that I heard them when they were released and ended up being anticipated and my favorite or their best album. There are some I suppose. Transatlantic's Bridge Across Forever I suppose as that is pretty much their masterpiece and I knew about them/it and enjoyed them and loved it the year it came out. Pain of Salvation's Remedy Lane also comes to mind, in at least it is a masterpiece, but, I still don't prefer it to The Perfect Element I. But it's pretty damn close. TPE of course, I never had listened to PoS until it came out, so there was no anticipation or hopes for them other than at the point I was thinking of attending the 1st ProgPowerUSA and wanted to know if they were good enough to spend the time and $ to see. And frankly, they and TPE was.

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence as well. Although while I enjoyed that when it came out a lot, I think I have enjoyed it even more since that time frame. But maybe that has a lot to do with the fact I don't find anything Dream Theater has done since to be as good.

But if/when I do some more thinking and research, I may follow this up with at least a LIST with more back history. I'm not sure how much in terms of commentary there'll be. But I still suspect the list of albums that ended up as good or better with anticipation at the time, won't be incredibly long.

Thus, I can conclude that I am still wasting my high hopes away with expecting masterpieces from bands I know about. Because unless it's a debut album, or a band I don't know about, history says I won't regard it to be as good as something X-band did years before that I loved them. Just in a general sense.

Now does it not warrant the value of anticipation? no, of course not. But it just speaks to my mentality of not expecting something better than before I guess from the bands who I love for a reason; since something they made previously was so damn good. Even in the case of a follow-up (see bands like Umphrey's McGee with Mantis ->  Death By Stereo and Similar Skin or Minus the Bear with Planet of Ice -> Omni and Infinity Overhead).

Which almost makes me wonder if I should rename this blog Searching for Unknown or Debut Album Masterpieces or something , lol. The old "looking for the next Apes and Androids" idea. Yeah, I am looking for them, and have found some awesome examples who are close to that quality like Pepe Deluxe or The River Empires, but still, I am still searching for the next AandA's and haven't found them yet, lol.

Pink Floyd - The Endless River (2014-2015)

9/23/14 8:40PM

trailer (must have missed it yesterday)



9/22/14 7:00PM

being released on November 10th. Add another for the upcoming season.

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/theendlessriver/



Hard cover bound book package with foil blocking on cloth spine
16-page photo/credit booklet including previously unseen photographs from 1993 sessions.
Creative Director: Aubrey Powell, Hipgnosis / Sleeve design by Stylorouge / Front cover concept by Ahmed Emad Eldin
Album produced by David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson


1. Things Left Unsaid
2. It’s What We Do
3. Ebb and Flow
4. Sum
5. Skins
6. Unsung
7. Anisina
8. The Lost Art of Conversation
9. On Noodle Street
10. Night Light
11. Allons-y (1)
12. Autumn ’68
13. Allons-y (2)
14. Talkin’ Hawkin'
15. Calling
16. Eyes to Pearls
17. Surfacing
18. Louder Than Words



The Endless River has as its starting point the music that came from the 1993 Division Bell sessions, when David Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason played freely together at Britannia Row and Astoria studios.  This was the first time they had done so since the ‘Wish You Were Here’ sessions in the seventies.  Those sessions resulted in The Division Bell, the band’s last studio album.

In 2013 David Gilmour and Nick Mason revisited the music from those sessions and decided that the tracks should be made available as part of the Pink Floyd repertoire.  It would be the last time the three of them would be heard together.  The band have spent the last year recording and upgrading the music,using the advantages of modern studio technology to create The Endless River.

The Endless River is a tribute to Rick Wright, whose keyboards are at the heart of the Pink Floyd sound. It is a mainly instrumental album with one song, ‘Louder Than Words’, (with new lyrics by Polly Samson), arranged across four sides and produced by David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth and
Andy Jackson.

Release date: 10 November 2014



7/7/14 5:39PM

more info/confirmation below from their official site.

Take? I don't have a ton to say really other than I would not have expected this. I have enjoyed The Division Bell, at least in the time I revisited since 1994, esp the Spring of and the Summer/Fall after I graduated HS. And the concert I will always regret skipping at the Metrodome (I could only afford 1 concert that year, and I decided to go to Rush instead).

But of course every 3rd music website and forum/social media has all this info and more, with talking heads coming out of the woodwork.

I mean, I love Pink Floyd, even without Roger. Even if this record is boring ambient filler, I don' care really because it's more or less icing on the cake.

My personal issue is to have slept on On an Island, which the reviews were mixed I recall back in 2006. But some consider it the sequel to TDB. However, if that's the case, what would this be? TDB 1.5? lol.

I guess we'll see.

also it seems both Waters and Gilmour will have solo records out soon as well (although the Gilmour one likely will be pushed back given this now coming to lite).

http://www.pinkfloyd.com/news/index.php

Pink Floyd can confirm that they are releasing a new album "The Endless River" in October 2014. It is an album of mainly ambient and instrumental music based on the 1993/4 Division Bell sessions which feature David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright. The album is produced by David Gilmour with Phil Manzanera, Youth and recording engineer Andy Jackson. Work is still in progress, but more details to come at the end of the Summer.


No Roger and no Tour

http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/latest/new-pink-floyd-album-the-endless-river-in-october.html

UPDATE, 6th July: In today's The Sun on Sunday UK newspaper, under the tagline of 'Pigs Fly Again', is a report on the new album. Whilst none of their information is confirmed, and seems to come from an unnamed "source close to the project", there are some interesting updates. Included in the report they note that David and Nick have been working on this in the studio over the past six months, and that the material (sitting in a vault in London's Abbey Road Studios) has "been a joy for [them] to rediscover". They also make the point that Roger Waters is not involved in the project - a question we've had from a number of you. A spokesman for the band also stresses that there will be no accompanying live tour, although these last two points won't come as a surprise to many of you.



7/5/14 5:40PM
Polly Samson's post on Twitter

Btw Pink Floyd album out in October is called "The Endless River". Based on 1994 sessions is Rick Wright's swansong and very beautiful.

Polly Samson is David Gilmour's wife (something I'll admit I didn't know until just reading this).

More confirmation from Floydianslip.com

Singer Durga McBroom-Hudson Post on Facebook



The recording did start during The Division Bell sessions (and yes, it was the side project originally titled "The Big Spliff" that Nick Mason spoke about). Which is why there are Richard Wright tracks on it. But David and Nick have gone in and done a lot more since then. It was originally to be a completely instrumental recording, but I came in last December and sang on a few tracks. David then expanded on my backing vocals and has done a lead on at least one of them. That's the song you see being worked on in the photo

There was some stuff about David Gilmour working on a solo album last fall I guess, which may or may not be totally separate from the music on this upcoming record.

Cloud Cult Biography: Chasing the Light + Oct 15th Free Event

From Facebook


Tickets are free for the signing and short acoustic performance at The Amsterdam Hall in St.Paul, MN on Wednesday October 15th. I already got my ticket. I am rather curious about a few things with this biography, which even before I read it, I'll have to ponder some things to ask the author and the members of the band who I may have a chance to talk to that evening.


We are so honored to have this new "biography" written about Cloud Cult (by Professor Mark Allister). Although we didn't have any hand in its creation, other than being interviewed, its something we are proud to point you all towards. The official release of the book is coming up at The Amsterdam Hall in St. Paul. There will be a Q&A with the author, as well as Craig Minowa. Mark Wheat will be doing the introduction, and Cloud Cult will perform a couple acoustic songs. Tickets are free by RSVP. Check out our events page for more info. Here's a news blurb on the book:http://www.southernminn.com/northfield_news/news/local/article_6b22d829-f080-525b-b02b-889f2cea9db9.html


RSVP LINK FOR (FREE) TICKETS
Facebook Event
Amsterdam Hall Link

Flying Colors - Second Nature (2014)

9/22/14 9:46PM

Link with Soundcloud Stream of album

I've checked it out once for the most part. It's not bad, but I'd be lying if I said I was blown away by it. Needs more time I suppose. The Transatlantic comparison is still there, naturally with Neal Morse especially, it often sounds like a lot of his music.

8/20/14 6:15AM

"Mask Machine" video. Not bad. Not as bad at least as some of the comments on some of the forums have given it. Does it sound like Muse? in spots, but so did parts of their debut album. Is it too long? not really just from hearing it initially.



also I never got around to sharing this.The 3 shows in the US Bend Sinister is the support act. I'd love to go, but the Chicago show for example, falls on Yom Kippur anyway. O well, I do hope naturally a lot of new people catch on to Bend Sinister from the exposure as it is cool Flying Colors (Portnoy) is having them share the bill on those 3 dates in the US at least.


OCTOBER 2014 TOUR
10/02 LOS ANGELES, CA JAMES ARMSTRONG THEATER  
10/03 CHICAGO, IL ARACDA THEATER 
10/04 PHILADELPHIA, PA KESWICK THEATER  
10/07 BARCELONA, SPAIN RAZZMATAZZ 2
10/08 MILAN, ITALY MILAN LIVE CLUB
10/09 TILBURG, NETHERLANDS 013
10/11 FRANKFURT, GERMANY BATSCHKAPP
10/12 PRATTELN, SWITZERLAND Z7
10/13 LONDON, UK ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL
10/14 PARIS, FRANCE ALHAMBRA

Special Guests for the US shows will be BEND SINISTER 
Special Guests for Europe/UK will be JOHN WESLEY
7/28/14 10:50PM

Preorder

Trailer:




Second Nature, the sophomore statement from Flying Colors is released via Mascot Label Group / Music Theories Recordings on September 29, 2014 in Europe and September 30, 2014 in the rest of the world.

Sporting stunning artwork from the legendary designer Hugh Syme (Rush, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater) and bookended by two tracks of truly epic stature – Open Up Your Eyes and the multiple-part Cosmic Symphony – the album is every bit as breathtaking as the debut.

Second Nature will be released on CD and 2LP (180 gram vinyl). The vinyl has a downloadcard, good for one MP3 download of the album.
Both the CD and 2LP can be ordered with a specially designed t-shirt that's only available from MLG Merch.

As always we will include a free poster with each order.

But wait, that's not all! Each pre-order will include a free bonus DVD with behind the scenes footage, interviews and more, and we will send you MP3s of 2 bonus songs that are not available on the album**.

**The bonus tracks are being prepared by the band. As soon as we receive them, we will send everybody who pre-ordered the album a link to get these bonus MP3s.

Tracklisting:
1. Open Up Your Eyes
2. Mask Machine
3. Bombs Away
4. The Fury Of My Love
5. A Place In Your World
6. Lost Without You
7. One Lost Forever
8. Peaceful Harbor
9. Cosmic Symphony
I. Still Life Of The World
II. Searching For The Air
III. Pound For Pound 

Please note that this is a pre-order item. If you order this item together with an item that is already available, we will hold your order and ship all items around September 22. We recommend that you place a separate order if you wish to receive the released items sooner.

7/26/14 11:56AM
There is no PRESS RELEASE that I can find at the moment, but the linked website with this information is there, so I'm going with it.

Below is information already published on this Finnish? website/webstore showing the title, artwork, release date (September 26th, 2014) and track list for the sophomore LP from the  prog rock "super group" of a sort  featuring Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Steve Morse, Casey McPherson and Dave LaRue, whose Self Titled debut LP made somewhat of a big splash in 2012, at least among progressive rock fans.

Personally? I thought I was going to fall head over heals for that record back in 2012, and while I did enjoy it for the most part, I kind of enjoyed it enough, but also remained curious where this group could go in the future.

I love progressive rock when combined with well produced pop music, and I actually grew to like Casey McPherson as a singer in Alpha Rev after hearing this.

But the jury is out a bit with this band, I think they have the potential to make some amazing songs, so I certainly hold optimism for this. But do I expect this to fight for my favorite record this year? given their debut LP didn't really, I would be pleasantly surprised if it did. But, then again, those are the kind of surprises and albums I often appreciate even more with time (and even their older work after that experience).

One note: the title being "Second Nature" the Rush song comes to mind of course, but also the name of the band that would become Transatlantic, except would have featured Jim Matheos on guitar instead of Roine Stolt, back in 1999/2000. Matheos it turned out wanted-to but was too busy with Fates Warning (I recall reading many years ago) to be able to work on the music for that band/album so had to depart the project (and replaced by Stolt). And at least some of that experience found motivation for Jim to collaborate with Mike Portnoy again with OSI a few years later.

Finnish Webstore Link

This is just a *ROUGH TRANSLATION FROM FINNISH TO ENGLISH*

Virtuoso prog / pop / rock band with (former) members of Deep Purple, Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs, Avenged Sevenfold, Dixie Dregs, Spock's Beard, Alpha Rev & the Trans-Atlantic 

Release date: 09.26.2014. Product will be shipped the release date. 

You can book with this product and pick it up from the nearest Record Shop X.. This is done by moving the product to shopping cart, and then checkout the order takeout trade. 
tracks 



1 Open Up Your Eyes
2 Mask Machine
3 Bombs Away
4 The Fury Of My Love
5 A Place In Your World
6 Lost Without You
7 One Lost Forever
8 Peaceful Harbor
9 Cosmic Symphony
I. Still Life Of The World
II. Searching For The Air
III. Pound For Pound

Team Me - Blind as Night (2014)

9/21/14 9:00AM



8/21/14 8:18PM

Title track official video



8/14/14 6:02AM

New *double single* "Blind as Night/That All Time High" although the below are radio edits. I think on Spotify the full versions are available.

Also this album will be dropping in January to the rest of the World beyond the August/September dates posted below.


7/31/14 11:00PM
The initial single "F is For Faker" earlier this year got me pretty curious about this their next album. I got pretty addicted to this Norwegian orchestral pop/rock band's 2011 debut LP To the Treetops. The energy and choruses were impossible to get out of my head at times. And they sort of filled the void currently. without any new music from Mew, who as much as they can sound like, it didn't seem to matter for me that much.

The interview linked below they talk a little about how this album differs from Treetops, which I am not sure will matter. It is kind of a crapshoot with a follow up record, but I like to at least have optimism and hope from any band who I get into.

Facebook



Tracklist:
1. Riding My Bicycle (from Feddersensgate 5A to Mõllervegen 31)
2. Kick & Curse
3. Man-Eating Machine
4. F is for Faker
5. Le Sound
6. Did We Lose Something Here
7. Are You Still in Love
8. Steven
9. The All Time High
10. Blind As Night

(link showing the Asian? version with bonus tracks)
11. June
12. December Ice

August 27th (Asia)
September 1st (Norway)

The Interview linked has some stuff about this record and the band. Some of the members like Black Metal, which actually doesn't surprise me too much given where they come from and their music's different styles.

You have a new album in the pipeline? What can we expect?
We said right after we finished our first album, To The Treetops!, that we weren’t gonna do the same album twice. And I think we’ve kept our promise to ourselves. It’s quite different from our first one. Both the songwriting and the sound of the new record Blind As Night is a bit different. It’s more of a band feeling to this one. A bit darker and heavier, but with the Team Me signature sounds and choirs on top. The thing with not repeating yourself though, is that you never know where you end up. So, hopefully people who liked To The Treetops! will stay with us on our new journey.

Some more names/titles

iamthemorning
Gavin Castleton - Blessed
Dream the Electric Sleep
Hardcore Crayons
Strange Relations (opened for Genders..local band)
U2 - Songs of Innocence
Slash
Karen O
Field Mouse

Rubik - Solar (2011)


revisited over the weekend:
dredg - Live at the Fillmore
Mew - No More Stories

gawd I miss both of these bands. 10 years at the same co. got me nostalgic. Not that I was in tears, but I sort of did feel like I should have been. 10 bloody years..and all that music, and other life experiences. It feels like it was a different time for me. Even just read this blog a few years back and it's surreal, sad, haunting, and about a bazillion other adjectives.

albums coming from

Demians
Mew
Subterranean Masquerade
Kaddisfly
The Bird & the Bee
Tuxedo (Mayer Hawthorne sideproject)
Jessie Ware (with a rel date in October)

anyway gotta go..sorry for the scattered, un-detailed update,

Rare Jeff Buckley interview

http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/09/11/jeff-buckley-interview/



not a long interview/discussion being about 8 minutes, but you do get some more insights into what Jeff thought about. This seems to have taken place sometime in 1995. I forget the exact timeline, but if I recall correctly, he was still in Jersey (or NYC) at this point.

The interviewer Luisa Cotardo I guess has a tumblr page she keeps. I'd be curious what other interviews/recordings she may have put up there or on the brainpickings site.

Orphaned Land - Jeremy [Pearl Jam cover]..ltr to E Vedder

I noticed this on my Facebook feed earlier and I'm mainly passing this along for the outstanding cover Orphaned Land did of PJ's "Jeremy."

The letter itself seems rather genuine and heartfelt, even if Eddie Vedder never even sees it or hears the cover. The politics I'm not going to get into, but I suppose it's worth saying I hope Israel does have Pearl Jam come play there at some point soon.


Metal Hammer story




Orphaned Land frontman Kobi Farhi has written an open letter to one of his heroes, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, urging the US musician to bring his band to Israel for the first time.

Earlier this summer, Vedder was accused by the Jerusalem Post of making a "harsh anti-Israel diatribe" following an onstage speech referencing the conflict in Gaza. A prominent Israeli rock DJ, Ben Red, then published an open letter to Vedder telling him to stay away from Israel as his "true face has finally been revealed." But Kobi Farhi's own open letter takes a rather different tack.

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Eddie Vedder

I hope this open letter finds you well.

I thought that reaching 100,000 views for the cover of ‘Jeremy’ I did with my friends might be a good reason to write you.
We've never met Eddie, you don’t really know me. However, on Facebook I'm always told I look like you. Add the fact that I’m a musician too, I always knew that you and me, big or small stars, we are made and sent from the same solar system. I've always been your fan.

When I was a teenager back in the 90’s, it was always a well known and such an appreciated fact that Pearl Jam are one of those bands who cares about their fans before anyone else. We remember how you fought for the tickets prices to be fair or how you never sold yourself out for some big sponsors. Ever since those days, up until that moment right now, we in Israel have never had the chance to see you guys live.

As someone who was always so much into his own fans, you probably saw the amazing page Bring Pearl Jam To Israel. I can’t remember seeing anywhere in the history of music such a beautiful movement of fans calling the band they love with cover versions, 
paintings, photos, tattoos; people took everything that is beautiful in music out there. That was the most creative, colourful, loving call I have ever seen for a band, yet we've never heard any word from you, though we still believe that you are that dude from the 90’s, and the same way you always moved us, we feel that it’s our duty to move you too.

Eddie – Music is a cure, music enters our hearts, brings tears to our eyes, gives us hopes in moments of fear, it’s a simple light in a twisted darkness; music is the best gift of the universe. Nothing new here – you know it.

Yes, bad things are happening in many places in this world, and that's the reason we need to be together, sing with our eyes closed, hearts open and our faces towards the stars. It is needed now more than ever. It’s your duty, as well as ours.

If music is the greatest form of harmony, can you agree with me that it’s mostly needed in places that suffer from disharmony?

It has nothing to do with supporting governments or being one sided in conflicts. It’s about you and your fans, people whom you entered their hearts like a bullet of never ending flame.

Mercedes Sosa RIP always sang those amazing words of a famous song:  “Ci se calla el cantor, calla la vida” – If the singer is silent, life will be silenced."

Eddie, my friend whom I’ve never met – come to the promised land, bring your light, be our Moses for a few hours, let us hear you, let us sing with you.
Think about what I wrote here, please.

Yours sincerely,

Kobi Farhi
Orphaned Land

Sound & Shape - Venus [Video]

new album is out in a few weeks I guess too. I'll try and edit or post more about that soon.

Majestyy - Lost Mesmerist

Yes, another piece, that was put up only a few days ago. I swear, it may be my Apes and Androids-Kool-Aid in my ears/brain talking, but everything this guy creates I love. Whether many others feel the same way or not, it shouldn't matter.

Hell even the REMIXES he makes on his soundcloud of pop songs; most recently from Rihanna and Katy Perry I dig.

Now "Lost Recordings" may imply this is an older recording, but I can only speculate/guess I suppose.

Enchant - The Great Divide (2014) + A Blueprint of the World Vinyl

9/6/14 10:50PM

1st song shared "Within an Inch"..pretty sweet. I'm starting to get more excited about this record now.
Ted's vocals, the keyboard solo, Doug guitar work, some of the drums, etc..all working well, like the Enchant band I used to listen to frequently.


8/20/14 5:53AM

2nd Teaser/Trailer. Honestly, when I checked this out last night after I got home from work, I was really kind of underwhelmed. It sounds quite prog rock-like, like modern prog rock like in a Spock's or maybe worse stuff like Haken or Beardfish kind of way.

However a 2nd listening sort of has me warming up to it. I suppose to hope/expect a ton of new elements to their sound, even if it has been 10 long years, is unlikely. But I suppose this is till only 2.5 mins worth.



7/24/14 12:08PM



Finally after 11 years, one of my favorite bands from the 90's and early 2000's returns. Maybe I'll edit in more later as to why that is (or try and write up a brief history about them my experience, my take on each record briefly, etc).

Also the news below about the A Blueprint of the World vinyl (incl colored Blue) I can't see myself passing up on as it's one of my favorite records.

September 29th/30th. Touring? doubt beyond some festival shows, but it would be cool to see them support this album with one.

Also given the Blueprint Vinyl, I wonder if this new record will also find its way onto vinyl soon.

I also can't forget about how Insideout Music band Ice Age had an album of the exact same title like 13 years ago, but I'm sure Enchant new album title had nothing to do with that, lol.

Sound-wise for this new record? I wonder if the band may mix things up/modernize them a bit since we last heard new music from them in 2003.



1. Circles
2. Within an Inch
3. The Great Divide
4. All Mixed Up
5. Transparent Man
6. Life in a Shadow
7. Deserve to Feel
8. Here and Now
9. Prognosticator


ENCHANT – Announce release of new studio album “The Great Divide”; Launch online teaser!

ENCHANT, the Bay Area’s long-running Prog Rock institution founded in 1989, have completed working on their much anticipated comeback release after ten years of silence.

Entitled “The Great Divide”, ENCHANT’s 8th studio album will be released on September 29th, 2014 in Europe and on September 30th, 2014 in North America via the band’s longtime label partner InsideOutMusic.

ENCHANT’s main songwriter and guitarist Douglas A. Ott had the following to say about the upcoming release:

"Well it's finally here folks! There was a time when I was unsure of ENCHANT’s future but fear not! 
We've made another album after 10 years and we are very excited and proud of this endeavor! 
Our new album is called The Great Divide and we can't wait for you to hear it! 9 brand new ENCHANT tracks, including 1 instrumental. Classic ENCHANT but with a bunch of new twists and turns! Long time in the making but it is surely worth the wait! Coming out late September, so be sure to check it out!"

A first online teaser for the “The Great Divide” can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/_vwh95n2X0s

In related ENCHANT news, InsideOutMusic is happy to announce the first ever LP release of the band’s classic debut album “A Blueprint Of The World” from 1993. As for September 1st, 2014 this epic record will be available on 180gr. black vinyl in the gatefold double LP format including the original 10 songs and one bonus track in a total playing time of 74 minutes as well as the full album on a bonus CD. Check pre-order details of the strictly limited (100x copies) edition on transparent blue vinyl here: www.insideoutshop.de

Keep your eyes and ears open for further details on “The Great Divide” coming soon…

ENCHANT Discography:
A Blueprint Of The World – CD 1993
Wounded – CD 1996
Time Lost – CD 1997
Break – CD 1998
Juggling 9 Or Dropping 10 – CD 2000
Blink Of An Eye – CD 2002
Tug Of War – CD 2003
Live At Last – 2CD/2DVD 2004
The Great Divide – CD 2014

ENCHANT Line-Up 2014:
Ted Leonard - Lead vocals (Spock’s Beard / Thought Chamber)
Douglas A. Ott - Guitars and backing vocals
Ed Platt - Bass guitar and bass pedals
Bill Jenkins - Keyboards (Sound Of Contact / Thought Chamber)
Sean Flanegan – Drums (Cynthesis)

ENCHANT online:
www.enchantband.com
www.facebook.com/enchantband
www.twitter.com/enchantband

INSIDEOUTMUSIC online:
www.insideoutmusic.com
www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV
www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic
www.twitter.com/insideouteu

Visit the new InsideOut Shop:
www.insideoutshop.de

Update 9/5/14

Edit: here's something new..sorta for Social Media image purposes:



Been behind for various reasons the past few days. Mostly due to work, ot, and time with the gf. But the albums are coming in like floods.


Have listened to 1-2 times..
The Tea Party
Team Me
The Mercury Tree

on deck at some point soon:
Solstafir
Field Mouse
Karen O
Sucre

and then non-new releases

XTC - Drums and Wires
XTC - The Black Sea?
Cardiacs - forget the title..an album from 1988 I think

I also have something to write given I have the time about album anticipation and historically for myself.

And of course with the season ending in less than 2 months, that annual write up is closer than for most.

Ne Obvlisicaris new song is boss and the entry will be updated hopefully later tonight/ And it by default now will be the top record for 2014-2015.

Concerts:
Sunday: Genders
Tuesday: Mercury Tree/Brice Plays Drums

The Family Crest
RisingSide
Coheed: not happening sadly given it's Yom Kippur
Marketa Irglova?
Kimbra

Fela Kuti documentary..(Genesis, Jaco Pastorius and the Kevin Gilbert ones coming as well).

1 or 2 other points..ahh right, the barrage of albums. Like a dozen or so in Sept/Oct..now like 4 or 5 have been available.

Still waiting on news from the likes of Kaddisfly, 22, Subterranean Masquerade, Hotel of the Laughing Tree and some others..Daniel Johns, Klimt 1918, Bubblemath, Between Two Skies, The Pneumatic Transit plus a lot more.

Need to write something about Hardcore Crayons as well.

anyway, that is all for the news for now...maybe more l8ter.

The Mercury Tree - Countenance (2014)

9/4/14 5:40AM
Stream and downloadable:


8/22/14 6:30PM-8/23/14 7:24PM
Interview and a STREAM of "Pitchless Tone" the opening track.

Bandcamp

The Family Style EP from earlier this year is awesome. Very excited to hear this soon on September 3rd..



1. Pitchless Tone
2. Vestigial
3. Otoliths
4. Mazz Jathy
5. To Serve Man
6. The Ellsberg Cycle
7. False Meaning
8. Artifracture
9. Jazz Hands of Doom
10. Rappel

Why wouldn't there be a dragon in space?
credits
releases 03 September 2014

Ben Spees - guitar, keyboard, vocals 
Connor Reilly - drums 
Oliver Campbell - bass (1, 2, 6, 8, 10), vocals 
Aaron Clark - fretless bass (3, 4, 5, 7, 9), vocals 

Recorded 2013-2014 at College of Wizardry & Bongo Fury, Portland, Oregon. 
Mixed by Ben Spees. 
Mastered by Stephan Hawkes. 

Lead vocals on "The Ellsberg Cycle" by Aaron Clark.

The Tea Party - The Ocean at the End (2014)

9/3/14 5:00PM
ALBUM STREAM FOR PEOPLE IN CANADA

8/22/14 6:06AM

Interview with Jeff Martin.





8/18/14 8:31PM

Per Wikipedia and Amazon.ca Preorder

Release Date: September 8th (in Canada at least) 8:37 title track?

New website as well, with a question the band want fans to submit: Pictures and Memories.

http://www.teaparty.com/



1 The L.O.C 4:14
2 The Black Sea 3:59
3 Cypher 3:58
4 The Maker 4:11
5 Black Roses 5:29
6 Brazil 4:44
7 The 11th Hour 4:59
8 Submission 3:54
9 The Cass Corridor 2:41
10 Water's On Fire 4:45
11 The Ocean At the End 8:37
12 Into the Unknown 5:02


6/28/14 7:11PM



1st single "Water's on Fire" sounds pretty good.

iTunes

https://www.hmvdigital.ca/releases/3577591



This story says the album is expected to be released "this fall."

3/29/14 11:52 AM

I am a fan of these guys, even owning nearly their whole catalog on cd. The Edges of Twilight I think still stands out as my favorite, although I enjoy more or less everything they've done. I always liken them to like if Jim Morrison sang with a band who reminded me of a lot of Led Zeppelin, specifically Led Zeppelin III. But that is mostly their early records.

The story below has me optimistic about it, although I was also about the Crash Karma album Burrows and Edwin from I Mother Earth did.; and I can't say I loved that record too much.

But it sounds like they put a fair amount of thought into this record, so we'll see. It says it's expected in the Fall, the 1st single in June, so I'll be sure to update this when more information is provided about it.

http://www.theprovince.com/touch/story.html?id=9674993

Five years ago, members of The Tea Party could hardly stand being in the same room together let alone spend a month in a recording studio. But wonders never cease, and this week Jeff Martin, Jeff Burrows and Stuart Chatwood put the finishing touches on their first studio album in a decade, collectively swallowing six years and a mountain of pride.

The word from the band’s camp is that The Ocean at the End could be the nearest The Tea Party has come to perfection in its 23-year history.

“It’s the best of everything for The Tea Party,” raved Martin, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, this week.

The usually reserved Chatwood, keyboardist and bass player, declared: “On our tombstones it’ll say These Guys Played Music.”

Due out in the fall, The Ocean at the End will mark the first studio release for the trio since 2004’s Seven Circles. It’ll also be the first album, other than a limited edition, live collection made in Australia last year, since the band reformed in 2011 following a six-year split.

“It was either going to be a disaster,” Martin said, “or one of the best things we could do. I’m counting on it being the latter.”

The first single, as yet undecided, will be out by June, said Martin, and the album “in a perfect world” by early fall.

There will be 10 tracks, plus two bonus songs, including the eight-minute opus that gives the album its title. The Ocean at the End is the album’s final track, written by Martin and Burrows, and featuring guest soloist Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull on flute. The band may also include a cover of Daniel Lanois’s The Maker, which it has woven into the middle section of Save Me at its concerts.

Chatwood, however, said the title song will impress even the most diehard fan: “It’s like a harder Pink Floyd.”

Much of the album, in fact, is a throwback to The Tea Party’s earlier albums, Splendor Solis and The Edges of Twilight, when their adventurous use of instrumentation was often compared with Led Zeppelin.

“It was my idea to bring in the flute and the mellotron,” Chatwood said. “Jeff Martin said he wanted to do a blues thing for the final song, and Jeff Burrows brought in this really melodic idea ... ”

He added that 60 per cent of the new material was conceived in the band’s home city of Windsor, during writing sessions last fall.

In that sense, The Tea Party has returned to its roots as most of the music on the first three albums was produced during jam sessions in a downtown Windsor rehearsal studio.

After toiling in local bands, Martin, Burrows and Chatwood, all within a year of one another in age, teamed up to record their first independent, self-titled record in 1991. Now in their early 40s, they were 21 and 22 at the time.

Chatwood recalled those early days fondly when describing the new music, and added the years have only burnished that Tea Party sound to a brilliant shine.

“We’ve all grown as musicians,” he said. “As you get older, you’re open to new ideas. When you’re young, you sometimes think you might not be doing this for the rest of your life. But that’s kind of set in stone for us, now.”

Martin believes there’s something for every period of Tea Party fans: “I think the album in its entirety has something for everyone as far The Tea Party is concerned. It has all the different musical elements we’ve embraced over the years.”

While Martin has often been accused of being the source of friction in The Tea Party, something he doesn’t deny, his complete acceptance of where the band is at now and where it’s heading, appears to have closed the circle.

“I’ve always been proud of the way we’ve been able to raise the bar for ourselves. I realize the expectations are high for this new record, but I think, and I believe Jeff and Stuart would agree, that we’ll meet all the expectations.”

He, too, referred back to their beginnings.

“In some ways, the feeling is even better than when we started out. There have been a lot of lessons learned when we were apart and the mutual respect for each other is even greater than what it was in the past.”

During the six-year hiatus, members of The Tea Party found a variety of projects to keep them busy. Martin wrote and recorded a pair of solo albums, moved to Australia, and tours Down Under with Sarah McLeod. Burrows helped form pop-rockers Crash Karma and hosted a radio show in Windsor. Chatwood has composed film and video soundtracks in his home studio in Vancouver, while also producing music for the likes of New York entrepreneur Tim Sommer.

“We’re all bringing a lot more experience doing different things to the table this time,” Chatwood said.

The heavy rock influences remain, but they sound better in the new context.

“It’s not retro-rock, it’s respectful rock,” Chatwood said. “We don’t wear our influences on our sleeve. We just let them come out naturally.”

Fjokra - Love, Thrust, Burn [Official Video, 2014]

Love the song, and the video is rather arty of course. I suppose I tend to picture (in a completely heterosexual way mind you) a guy (Fjokra himself namely) either in the shower or scantily clad or something, mainly with the lyric "ooh, you look so good, standing in my bedroom in nude"

Anyway, this video with the ballerina? and accompanied male dancer fits a bit in the theme/tone I suppose. What the deal is with the people in clear tubes or whatever, I'm not sure other than some other metaphor of looking at someone or these 2 dancers in a hidden, isolated space or something?

I often picture someone with binoculars across the street or something, a peeping tom or a P.I in some movie or show (or novel).

But regardless, one of the excellent tracks from Thoughtsteps, and if I'm not mistaken, now there's a video for every track on the new EP.

I wonder (hope) that means Fjokra is or will be looking to write and record some music soon and if not this year, perhaps in 2015 we'll get to hear more from this great new artist.