Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel (2014-2015)

10/27/14 1:30PM
Whole Album Up to Stream Here

I have not had the chance to check it out, and may not until late tonight possibly. Odd (even dark) day too today, as music is the furthest thing from my mind unfortunately, here at work today.

But maybe this and the Other Country Ensemble show at the Black Dog Cafe will help distract me later.

10/9/14 1:27PM
Full Song Streaming Here

"Pyrrhic"

sounds nice, although very blastbeat heavy again. I really hope the blast beats are tamed down a bit with this. The composition sounds quite nice though. Great/Gorgeous Outro.



9/23/14 12:36PM
Stream Here "Reveries from the Stained Glass Womb"

nice, all acoustic instrumental part. It's really a movement rather than an entire song of course.

NEW SONG #2 from our new album 'Citadel' is online now!

We present to you 'Reveries From The Stained Glass Womb'. Part 3 of the 23 minute song 'Painters Of The Tempest' that forms the centrepiece of our new album 'Citadel' out on November 7 (Nov 11th US).

This is the final part of the song and it follows straight after 'Part 2, Movement 3: Curator' that was the first excerpt from our new album released online earlier this month. We definitely feel that 'Painters Of The Tempest in its entirety is our most ambitious work to date and Part 3, featuring only acoustic guitar and violin and showcasing a completely different side to the band, is something we are particular proud of.

9/6/14 11:03AM

Sorry for the delay as this was shared a few days ago. Been dealing with a flare up and other time-occupying things of course.

Stream "Curator" here per Season of the Mist's Soundcloud

Digging this new track a lot, maybe more than I expected; which is part of that 23-minute suite/epic "Painters of the Tempest."

I just pre-ordered the colored vinyl even, lol.

Here are the links the band shared on their post on Facebook.

AUS: nervegas.com.au/ne-obliviscaris
EUR: http://shop.season-of-mist.com/predefined-search?id_list=56
USA: http://shopusa.season-of-mist.com/



1. Painters of the Tempest (Part I): Wyrmholes
2. Painters of the Tempest (Part II): Triptych Lux
Movement I: Creator
Movement Ii: Cynosure
Movement Iii: Curator
3. Painters of the Tempest (Part III): Reveries from the Stained Glass Womb
4. Pyrrhic
5. Devour Me, Colossus (Part I): Blackholes

6. Devour Me, Colossus (Part II): Contortions

8/18/14 12:30PM
I'm excited for this record certainly, and the 1st with their new drummer? if I recall. And they have a pozible.com crowd funding campaign still going on to help fund a tour which if I recall, already met their goal with at least a few weeks left.

One sort of semantics note for myself, this record will not be included in my 2013-2014 Season-ending Countdown per the release date being after Halloween. So, in-effect, this is the 1st official record for 2014-2015 to anticipate that has a title and release date (Team Me sort of qualifies as well, but given their album comes out in a few weeks in Japan and Norway, they likely won't).

But as far as the title, artwork, etc..doesn't seem surprising, or repulsive; yet  nothing it doesn't seem shocking or that different compared to Portal of I.

My biggest wish for this record is for the PRODUCTION and MIXING to not be so compressed and HOT. PoI I enjoy how clean at times it was sounded,, but it also at times seemed very loud and the amounts of layers sometimes hurt being able to hear the actual performances clearly, and how they come across.

Not so *hot* guys, and this record may eclipse your great debut LP by a lot.

From Facebook




We are extremely excited to announce that our new album 'CITADEL' is set for release on November 7/11th (US) through Season of Mist!

'Citadel' is everything we ever envisioned this band could one day become.

And we can't wait to share it with you all very soon.

Artwork by Xen

Bend Sinister - Best of You "iPhone 6" Video in NYC

Pretty nicely shot and edited video of New York City goers that Dan Moxon shot a few weeks ago presumably, while out in NYC for the show(s) they played out in the Northeast with Flying Colors.

Some of the images, slow-motion or not, do fit the lyrics or tone/theme of the part of the song they are shown.

Mew: North American Tour Winter/Spring 2015?

SXSW already confirmed here

A bump should happen if/when a tour is announced. I don't know why one would not, given they are playing SXSW in Texas, a tour of the States certainly seems logical in the process of playing SXSW.

Some-of it not all of their Upcoming European tour dates are below.

Demians - Mercury (2014-2015)

10/21/14 5:30PM
 another new track "White Chalk"


10/14/14 10:30AM
CA, TL. Chapel not there, but that's not surprising.




01. Mercury
02. White Chalk
03. Circles And Stars
04. Water And A Sigh
05. Spellbound Lily
06. Little Invisible
07. A Spark Before The Sun
08. Nislands
09. Pearls On A Strand
10. Swan Song

http://www.demians-music.com/pre-orders/
Coming out on December 10th, 2014. Independent Release. Sounds like it's all new material so my hopes of the track "Chapel" being included don't seem likely (it still remains my favorite thing Nic/Demians/Silent Ceremony ever wrote).

I am certainly looking forward to this, although I can't say 2010's Mute went too far with me compared to the terrific debut record from 2008 Building an Empire. But the way it reads below, this record may differ some from both of those.

title track:




Hey my friends.
My new album “Mercury” is available now for pre-order.
This is not a regular pre-order though. It is the moment to start the story all over again and give it a good kick in the butt.
I’ve been wanting to make this record for a long time. Maybe too long, i could say, but considering the sound and soul this album has now, it was definitely worth whatever happened.
I’ve spent the whole summer crafting it and i can say i’ll only keep great memories of these times. Before that, it was never the right time, the right this, or the right that. The only thing i can say for sure is that it was too special for me to simply record it, give it the traditional treatment once it would be finished, and then let things escape me.
This is as independent a release as it gets. I have chosen not to look for a label or a distribution deal.
Times are changing, the music industry is changing, distribution is changing. Of course, I’m Captain Obvious when saying that. But while it all changes, i’m still here, playing music in my living room with a bunch of microphones, wanting to share it to the world in the best possible way, like i did before people had even heard any of my songs. I also love physical formats, a good sounding LP on a turntable, or a great looking cover artwork i can hold in my hands. I know some of you like this too, so this is why all this is important right now.
I wrote these songs. I arranged them, wrote the lyrics, I played each part with abandon when needed, and with careful attention when needed. I’ve mixed them, mastered the whole thing. All this with doubts in between, and lots of excitement. The talented photographer Deborah Parkin let me use her work for the album cover, and i just wrapped up the design, will choose the paper for the booklets, the color of the vinyl, and will hand-number and sign every single copy.
People who know Demians know this is not about ego. It’s about handcraft and passion, and it’s the only way to make it happen.
So let’s kick it up a notch, and do the distribution the same way.
The album won’t be available in stores. It will be available only at demians-music.com.
I want to fund the pressing myself, so the pre-orders will determine that. It couldn’t be more simple: the more copies are pre-ordered, the better. You want to help Demians now? Pre-order the album! Want to help more? Share the link with all the people you love!
You can choose which format you want on the online store, even buying the digital version will help pressing physical copies and making the project really independent. The money you choose to spend will remain on Paypal until we reach the necessary amounts for the pressing, so if anything for any reason doesn’t go in the right direction, everyone will be entirely refunded. Only high quality 180gm vinyl, with a color only available for this edition. Only high quality CD, in a heavy duty digipack.
Both physical formats will be supplied with high quality MP3s of the album that you’ll be able to download from your account when december 10th comes. And with every pre-order, you can download the opening track “Mercury” from your account as well.
This is not a diatribe against labels, distribution circuits, the industry, or anything of this sort.
It’s not against people who try to find new creative ways of distributing music, like we’ve seen in the past few years.
Actually it’s not “against” anything, just like it’s not reinventing anything. I just see it as a positive way of presenting a music that i find positive, and the only appropriate way to develop it for the future. It’s also the way i want to keep in touch with you guys and find new people who could love this music.
So i’m about to release my first album as Demians in more than four years.
It’s been a very long time, and it feels great to see that you guys still care! Especially since there is so much new music that i want to put out as soon as i can, and play these great new songs that scream to be played live. Because that’s the ultimate goal, for the months to come. Let’s get Demians back on the road, play the shows the way they’re meant to be played, and meet you guys again.
I can’t wait.
But right now, let’s make it all matter, one step at a time.
Thank you to everyone for your patience and your support.
Hi, I’m Nicolas, and it’s good to see you.

The return of The Decemberists

Per some sources, including Wikipedia fwiw, The Decemberists are making a new record, anticipated to be released sometime in 2015.

Also their post/sharing of the below article on here on Facebook.

This Story

Songs From A Decemberists Album Where Nobody Gets Murdered

“What A Successful Harvest This Was, Let’s Not Rape Anybody”

“The Sailor Who Died Of Old Age (Not Because Of A Weird Old-Age Curse Either, He Really Lived To A Naturally Old Age)”

“The Summer Nobody Died”

“This Lighthouse Isn’t Haunted”

“The Chimney That Wasn’t Stuffed With The Bodies Of Murdered Women”

“A List Of People Who Have Never Drowned”

“The Boy Who Joined A Guild And Worked Hard”

“Life As A Chimney Sweep Is Difficult But I’d Certainly Never Start Murdering Sex Workers Who Remind Me Of My Mother Just To Relieve The Stress”

“Let’s Not Strangle The Dauphin”

“The Landlord’s Daughter (‘s Name Was Penelope And She Was A Great Bookkeeper Who Eventually Married A Prosperous Merchant And They Had Four Healthy Children)”

“A Deer That Is Just A Deer, Not An Enchanted Prince That Will Leave You Pregnant With A Witch-Son”

“A Queen Not Doing Murder”

“You Can Keep Your Heart Inside Your Own Body”

“Everyone In This Mining Camp Respects One Another’s Boundaries”

“There Are No Evil Wizards In This Song, Just Hard-Working Mill Owners”

“I Love You And I Won’t Bayonet Your Brother”

“The Butcher Who Only Slaughtered Animals For Food, Never People”

“Let’s Raise This Baby Instead Of Smashing It On Some Cobblestones”

“Let’s Have A Picnic By The River, Then Not Drown Each Other In It”

“Society Is Functioning Pretty Well (Here In The Past Where We Live)”

“We Have Enough Food This Winter”

“Just An Ordinary Riverboat Captain Who’s Only Had Consensual Sex”

“Margaret, A Woman Who Is Alive And Reasonably Content”

Good to see this information surface, I do recall know that they were going to comeback soon as when I met Colin Meloy at the book signing he and his wife did back in 2012 in Roseville, MN he mentioned that they would be working on new music soon. Some of that may have been contigent on the timing of how well Jenny Conlees health was doing (she was being treated for Breast Cancer from memory).

More to post/update in due time.

Diablo Swing Orchestra - Jigsaw Hustle (Single)

Not a bad new tune, even a little different. New album may not be too far away?

edit: also it's been pointed out on many sites/forums that DSO have a new lead singer Kristin Evegård after former lead singer Annlouice Lögdlund left band due to an Opera career.

Project Clone (Ben Cooper of Radical Face)

10/15/14 10:20AM

Act 3 and 4




9/30/14 7:24PM

Act 2:



9/24/14 12:25PM



This is a new project with 2 members I guess, 1 being Ben Cooper of Radical Face/Electric President. The other, a musician named rickoLus (Richard Colado).

The 9+minute piece below is well, pretty sweet not surprisingly. Musically, how does it differ from Ben's other music? I'm not quite sure as of yet, ..maybe a bit more textured, theatrical, and electronic? ..I dunno, but I'm digging what I heard on that video below.

http://clonestore.bigcartel.com/

As the Facebook post below says, the 1st Act was added/put up there to purchase for $1. The other 5 Acts I guess will be added/made-for-sale every successive week.

Very Cool.





The website for "Clone" is now active, and the first of 6 acts (The Laboratory) has been posted. We will be adding one act per week to finish out the story. 

The rest of the info can be found on the website: http://projectclone.com/

Opus Dai - Insectum Vol. 1 (2014) ["Disconnect the Dots" +"Start Again"]

10/14/14 6:00PM

"Insectum I: The Promise"



3/5/14 11;18PM



damn.

Not that I totally forgot how good this band is/was, but other than a song or 2 over the last 5 or more years, I haven't thought all that much about Opus Dai. But this new track certainly rekindles the flame. Quite epic.

Dynamics, layers of guitars, soaring vocals.

Free Download here on their website (w/ a suggested pay-what-you-want paypal donation, as I just did)

So, in just scanning their Facebook, this a track from an upcoming release "Insectum Vol. 1" and part of a collection of music the band have been working on for many years they refer to as "Insectum."

Also a new video is coming for the "Moth to Flame" soon as pics from the video shoot were posted recently on Facebook.

edit: I guess the original projection for this album was in 2012 per its entry on Rateyourmusic.com

With Fair to Midland on some unreported hiatus and the latest from Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus being a bit lower on my radar, this may be the band and album that will fill that sort of alt/prog metal void.

edit 2: here's another new track "Start Again" (also available to download free as the video shows)



per 2012:

The Dang Ol' Tri'ole - Rise and Shine (2014)

This is a Bluegrass/Folk/Cabaret/Prog of some sort project from Minnesota, which includes the Higgins brothers from Brice Plays Drums. I may be off on this, but I thought at least 1 of the other members of this group used to be with Brice Plays Drums. Wesley Full? I believe it is, and from chatting with him I got the impression he was one of the main driving forces/songwriters.

At any case, they had a CD release show last Friday that I meant to but did not make due to seeing Sloan with the GF at the Turf Club instead.

But this track below especially has me quite intrigued to hear more of this new 2nd LP of theirs.

I'll have to bump this topic when I get that chance, hopefully soon as they have more gigs lined up over the next few weeks.

http://www.thedangoltriole.com/

Facebook

Soundcloud

Kevin Gilbert's GIRAFFE - 20th Anniversary of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (2014)

10/14/14 11:00AM

2nd Preview.



10/2/14 12:43PM
Jeez, I can barely keep up with Gruno this week, LOL.

Briefly, a show/performance that has become pretty legendary at ProgFest  in LA in 1994. It has been heard and made available to see in various forms for a number of years. But the fact it being mixed and mastered should add enough for myself and many others.

Interesting how it was the 20th Anniversary of the album when this performance took place, and now it 20 years ago next month when that performance was held.

Kind of fitting.

https://www.facebook.com/kevingilbertofficial/posts/276677729209783

Available mid-November 2014

Kevin Gilbert's GIRAFFE
A 20th Anniversary Performance Of
“The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”

Audio CD: 75 minutes
Price: $15

Recorded live at Valley Arts Center, Los Angeles • November 8, 1994.

Audio recorded and mixed by Kevin Gilbert.

The Band was:
Kevin Gilbert: Vocals, Organ, 12 String on “The Musical Box”
David Kerzner: Hammond Organ, RMI Electric Piano,
Novatron, Yamaha CP-70B, ARP Pro-soloist
Stan Cotey: Bass, Bass Pedals, 12 String Electrics
Dan Hancock: Guitars
Nick D’Virgilio: Drums, Backing Vocals

- The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
- Fly On A Windshield
- Broadway Melody Of 1974
- In The Cage
- The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging
- Back In N.Y.C.
- The Carpet Crawlers
- Lilywhite Lilith
- The Lamia
- The Colony Of Slippermen
- In The Rapids
- It/Watcher Of The Skies
- The Musical Box

Additional details (sound samples, artwork, ordering information) will be announced throughout the month of October.

MuteMath: Making of Armistice Documentary (23minutes)

Sharing now, will watch later. I know Armistice was not an easy album for the band to make, so this could open up some stuff about that.

Rihanna: First Majestyy and now Mayer Hawthorne

This remix by Majesty Brian Jacobs (ex-Apes and Androids/Call Florence Pow), was I guess made/shared a couple of years ago. I hadn't checked it out until like a month ago when he shared another one of his jams on Soundcloud.

But I really like this remix. When Majestyy does these, there's always a cool upbeat electronic flare added to them, so much so, I wonder if the original would sound weird to me after getting used to these remixes.




So, not a REMIX but actually a cover of another Rihanna tune, "Stay" was just shared by of all people, Mayer Hawthorne.

Go Here to Stream it (of course no embed that I can tell, lame as it is, but not surprising).

Kevin Gilbert - Toy Matinee Acoustic (2014)

10/9/14 1:32PM

Preview #2. "O Come, O Come Emanuel" stands out certainly.





10/1/14 12:32PM
Being the collector/trader and follower of all things KG and Toy Matinee, I have heard a lot of these, but not being mastered, etc.

This should be pretty sweet, as the trailer even indicates. Damn, the KG estate (Gruno) is really busy with all these goodies on the KG front. This fall may see the most Kevin Gilbert related media/releases ever. I can only be grateful to him and the estate (Jon Rubin) for all their thought and effort with this stuff.

edit: although part of me would have flipped had Kevin and Marc Bonilla's rendition of The Monkees "Pleasant Valley" been included (for multiple reasons, but the girlfriend's reaction especially, hehe).




edit: https://www.facebook.com/kevingilbertofficial/posts/276326155911607

Kevin Gilbert – Toy Matinee Acoustic”

Available mid-November 2014

Priced at $15, this 59 minute, 10-song CD contains:

Acoustic rehearsal recorded in 1990 with Kevin Gilbert, Marc Bonilla, and Spencer Campbell.
-Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
-The Ballad of Jenny Ledge
-Last Plane Out
-Rocket Man
-Things She Said
-If I Fell
**also includes between song banter

Acoustic Christmas Track performed by Kevin Gilbert & Marc Bonilla
-O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Bonus: Full-band live tracks recorded in Ventura, Ca. in 1991, with Kevin Gilbert, Marc Bonilla, Spencer Campbell, Sheryl Crow, and Toss Panos
-Remember My Name
-There Was A Little Boy
-Turn It On Salvador

KevinGilbert.com

FaceBook.com/kevingilbertofficial

Pharrell & Daft Punk - Gust of Wind [Official Video}

Kind of slick and expensive/time-consuming looking in terms of the making/production I imagine, but it did come out quite well. I honestly don't even recall the Daft Punk guys voices that much when I checked out G I R L earlier this year.

Also Nile Rodgers?

22 - Ectypes [Official Video, 2014]

The same song was shared as a live performance a few months ago I recall. This is the studio version I presume. I like it, but naturally, the style being an acoustic ballad, is different for 22.



So their lead singer has left the band (and this song has a lot do with it I guess) from here (rough translation below)



In June played P3'll buy you a video with Trondheim band 22 séance took place in an old church on Persaunet in Trondheim, and the colorful group performed the same song that has video premiere here with us. The visualization of the song "Ectypes", which took two days to shoot due partly to technical challenges, you see the top of the case.

P3 TREATING: 22 perform "Ectypes"

Many coincidences had to fall into place for conducting video. Train speed, sunshine, people on the platform. The film team took the subway back and forth from Parliament Majorstua for hours, while the band, which now consists of Magnus Børmark, Mats Paulsen, Andreas Berg Cool and fresh vocalist Sturla Fagerliåsen Larsen, ate bowl on the platform.

- The song is about people, and the video was a natural visual processing of this. Pictures are the aspects of the song that we did not know was there, and so does the music with the pictures, explains the band.

When you let your mind wander
"Ectypes" was in an idle moment in a garage in Rindal where the band had rigged up in two weeks to play typing up new songs.

- Mats began to strum the harmonics on bass, and within half an hour as we had finished song with melody and arrangement. It was one of those moments you as an artist is very humble, above, when all is in place by itself, and it happens outside the practical thinking of the individual musician. The text was put in place after Magnus had a dream about another text he had written. And as he began to look for it in their archives, he came across this clip. Per started singing the words, and they voted perfectly in tune. The vocals on the song from the first time the text was placed on melody. The recording had a completely separate nerve in him.

Andreas Brushing Røe and Ole Jørgen Larssen from TYD.no are the directors behind the clever video.

- Already the first time we heard the song, we wanted to grab the statement from the chorus: "No one knows who They really are." We wanted to try to capture this feeling that most of us have known. And we think well rarely as much as when you are waiting for something or someone, on the way to or from. That little moment where you let your mind wander and you are in an emotional limbo.

- The feeling of solitude and contemplation when in a moment standing still and waiting for a train, and feel alone, even when surrounded by other people, joins the duo.

New singer on the team

Musically, is 22 at the intersection progressive pop and rock, and besides two EPs after debut album Flux in 2011, there has been relatively quiet. But now debut the sequel recorded. The album is called You Are Creating and we are told that the single "Ectypes" is dedicated to 22s singer, Per Kristian Trollvik, who resigned due to changes in circumstances and priorities.

- "Ectypes" is a farewell song to and from As one might say, and marks the transition from the 22 has been and it will come. We have had to turn things on their heads, and found new solutions to things.

- We now have a new singer in the band that we are working hard with the other day. He has already contributed a great inspiration and interesting direction for the band, writing 22 to do a bunch of exclusive concerts in November at selected locations in Norway to showcase the new material, both in songs and human composition.

Also unsure, but this image they uploaded to their Facebook may be something from the album/album cover art.

MuteMath - In No Time (Alt Version)

I like the album version more (posted below), but this isn't bad still, even as a more straight forward as it is.

It's been what seems like 3+ long years since Odd Soul (and how good Odd Soul ended up being), which at least with these guys still being active on Social Media, hopefully their next record will be coming soon (hopefully next season fb mention )




Facebook post
Many times we record multiple versions of songs for an album to make sure we find the best framework for a song idea. Especially our favorite ones. When we turned in Odd Soul to WB, there was debate on whether or not In No Time needed a more conventional approach. And although we tried, we wound up sticking with the original, more unconventional version, which is what is on the album. But here's the unreleased alternate version, which is still a nice listen.


Album version:

Top 10 Lists Watchmojo.com Won't Do: Top 10 OURS songs

Here's a list

Now Here's My Personal List:

Sometimes
The Worst Things Beautiful
I'm a Monster
Meet Me in the Tower
Fall Into My Hands
Fallen Souls/Drowning
In a Minute
Murder
Miseryhead
If Flowers Turn

Honorable Mentions: , Lost, Mercy, Get Up, Chapter 2 Money, Ran Away to Tell the World
Medication, Here is the Light, Realize, Willing, Sing, Red Coloured Stars, Saint, Pretty Pain
Leaves, Boxer, Kill the Band.

New/Live/Unrecorded/Jimmy Gnecco solo: Mechanical Lovers, Into the Fire, Autumn, Living in a Video, Bells, The Heart, Days

I'm not going to writeup even brief blurbs at this point about all of these just in the interest of time. And I started a few other of these song lists WMJ.COM won't make, which tells you also why I'm just posting this little explanation.

But I will say, Ours, are as I've written many times, one of my favorite bands of course, ever since becoming a fan in 2005. Jmmy Gnecco is my favorite actively working and modern/younger singer. The list on the site linked above, for one, may have been posted yesterday given Jimmy Gnecco's 41st birthday was yesterday (happy birthday to Jimmy by the way).

The list itself, while is not bad, as my list differs, even among the long list of Honorable Mentions (and believe me, I did not include many songs I love even in there). I am surprised to not see Sometimes in there, afterall, it is Ours biggest song, or *hit* per say as even the video received a fair amount of airplay on MTV2 back in 2001-2002.

Maybe because it became so popular, this writer/fan making that list finds it overrated or overplayed? I guess I could find that the case personally, except some 9+ years later, I have failed to grow sick of it. It just has so much emotion and such an incredible climax, my ears and brain, I somehow doubt  will ever get sick of it.

Among my list, probably the biggest track sticking out is "In a Minute" from Precious. I happen to love it for a few reasons, but maybe mostly from the combination of the lyrics or message I get and with the crescendo. It sort of says fuck you to anyone who says or makes you feel like you can't do something, anything really. And that speaks to me on some level at least. Kind of the idea "I am not like the others, but I could be if I wanted to." or even to an extent of "You Laugh at Me because I'm different, but I laugh at you because you're all the same." And I could be like the others, or anything else, in a minute; that's how easy it would be for me, etc. But those people who act or say that I couldn't be like them (or as good as them, etc), are wrong, and don't know how wrong they are, as I could be as good or better and LIKE them, in a minute.

Anyway, the band and many fans aren't crazy about that tune, but I honestly have always found it very relate or connectable.

Maybe I'll add more to this at some point (and more likely not sadly, time, etc).