Chris Squire - Rest in Peace 1948-2015

6/28/15 10:18AM-3:05PM
http://jonanderson.com/news.html#chris

Jon Anderson chimed in. Really sad the 2 of them never fully reconciled exactly, at least from what has been provided publicly. But he does say they reconnected recently. Someone on Yesfans.com mentioned an article in PROG that Jon said he emailed Chris when he heard about his Leukemia.


also another of the many comments on Social Media that are coming out, Geddy Lee mentioned something about admiring Chris but never actually meeting him, which is sad I suppose.

http://www.rush.com/chris-squire-1948-2015/


http://www.udiscovermusic.com/chris-squire-r-i-p

I just posted this on Facebook:

Chris Squire Rest in Peace. The news about his leukemia came out a few months ago was a concern, but this still does come suddenly. Chris being the only founding member of Yes (official) to be in the band throughout it's entire history. And hugely influential in progressive rock circles.

This just sucks, frown emoticon

This is pretty devastating, although he obviously was not young and may have been living with the Leukemia (and maybe not even known?) for awhile, who knows.

I have like a million things I could say about Chris and his role both in Yes and the influence he had on progressive rock and my taste in music, but I probably don't have the time to do so at this time. I just wonder who all will come out of the woodwork, namely among music media, who who may have overlooked Yes, at least come out and say something. I guess we'll see.

He will be dearly missed for sure.

VENNART - The Demon Joke (2014-2015)

6/26/15 6:33AM

Very cool animated video for Operate!


reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Mike

6/15/15 10:56PM
Full Album Stream + another interview

6/9/15 6:47PM

General Public Preorder

Also a new lyric video for "Retaliate" a track like basically every song on The Demon Joke, has only grown better with time. Rather catchy and quirky.



http://altprogcore.blogspot.com/2015/06/intervista-con-mike-vennart-italian.html

(both in Italian and English).

Also it's probably worth passing along Altprogcore.blogspot.com was lucky to get to interview Mike and revealed some very good details about The Demon Joke, Oceansize and British Theatre, even mentioning that a BT album is in the works and very likely will differ even from the 2 EPs they released a few years ago.

You are also involved with Gambler (Richard Ingram) in the British Theatre project. After two EPs, are you thinking to creare a full length album? And, in your own opinion, what are the main differences between Oceanszie, British Theatre and Vennart? 

It’s easy to diffrentiate between my album and what British Theatre’s forthcoming album, but then I’d have to start revealing what British Theatre is going to sound like, and I kinda want it to be a surprise. Suffice to say, it’s gonna be very different…Very different even to the previous EPs... With regard to how it compares to Oceansize - the basis difference is that I’m calling the shots here, and I don’t need to crowbar 100 different ideas into one song just to appease everyone. I’m proud of what Oceansize did, but sometimes it was just a little too showy, too clever for the sake of it. 


6/1/15 10:45AM



5/31/15 1:45PM

Superball Music link (rel 6/22/15)



1 255                                   3:15
2 Doubt                               4:13
3 Infatuate                           5:10
4 Rebirthmark                    3:46
5 Duke Fame                      4:17
6 Don't Forget the Joker    3:54
7 Retaliate                          3:56
8 A Weight In the Hollow 5:39
9 Operate                            4:45
10 Amends                         3:33

42 min 28 seconds

early/brief (hopefully) video review in the progress..

5/27/15 2:18PM

loving a lot of this record. "Doubt" maybe being my favorite. 4-stars easily.

Here's a new live video:



5/21/15 7:57AM
Link/Story about new track "Don't Forget the Joker" new ballad.

A little simpler tune, but the emphasis on the lyrics makes sense. "Centre Piece" of the album lyrically, etc.



5/7/15 12:02PM


Stream the new and improved version of"Operate"

Some stuff in that article mentions the retail release date of The Demon Joke being on June 22nd per Superball Music.

I actually agree with Mike's understandably biased comments about Operate, as it is heavy and catchy. Will it reach a wide/wider audience than Oceansize's most accessible tracks? Maybe if it received the right amount of promotion, but of course to expect that would be silly.

Yep, 89.3, The Needle Drop, Consequence of Sound, Pitchfork, Sound Opinions, All Songs Considered, etc and their trend-rock consumers could and very well would go for Operate and the rest of this record, but I might suspect I'd have a better chance inventing my own kind of ginger beer than that actually happening.

Regardless, Operate might very well be the catchiest most melodic song Mike's ever written and it certainly only adds to the optimism for this record coming to the pledgemusic backers in only a few weeks.


3/24/15 4:59PM

"So. That’s why the album is called ‘The Demon Joke.'"

edit: a lot of details about the album and the title, and the background of the recording of the record, for those who pledged.

Album Art link






3/14/15 4:01PM

Not a ton of news, but per Mike's Twitter, the "Target" (or Goal?) was met within 5 hours I guess, lol.

edit: 5 HOURS, not days,

Also a new official Facebook Page was set up.

https://www.facebook.com/vennartvennart

3/6/15 4:48PM

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/11279

Just pledged and received immediate download of the track "Infatuate"
pretty nice.

Looks like the CD comes on May 25th and Vinyl June 15th.

Title? "Divert Crisis" or something else? S/T?.kinda doubt it.

Also unclear about the actual "Goal" percentage as they typically show on Pledgemusic Campaigns. Maybe there is none? it just says 80 days left.

1/11/14 9:24AM

Full length debut record coming soon. If you follow his his twitter page he's been talking about it for awhile. It looks like this record will be released on Vinyl too.

http://mikevennart.tumblr.com/

Divert Crisis

Having spent nearly 5 years keeping myself occupied - and having a little too much fun - playing guitar for the beautiful Biffy Clyro, I’ve spent an awful lot of time working out exactly what kind of music I want to make. I’m happy to report that my first ‘solo’ record is on the way. 
Those inverted commas are important - an old friend has been of invaluable help in pushing these songs up the hill. Countless sketches were made in posh hotel rooms in every corner of the globe, and some were then given focus and cohesion in the form of vocal melodies written by my former Oceansize cohort, Steve Durose. We’re kind of like a weird-rock Elton and Bernie. 
The record also features keyboards from none other than Gambler, former Oceansize guy and my partner in British Theatre. Drums were beat with exceptional vigour by Dean ‘Denzel’ Pearson. His playing is so good it’s actually kind of hilarious.
Upon the release of this full length album, I’ll be taking these songs - with these very men - on tour.
Expect announcements of shows as and when we’re allowed to reveal them.
It’s been a long journey, dreaming up even the impetus for much of this material. I’m glad i arrived at a point where i’m once again making music that i want to hear.
The record itself? It is a beautiful, noisy, fuzzy, epic, heavy, stupid, annoying, confrontational journey. It is fucking ace. 
I can’t wait to get it out there.

MJV

x

2/7/14 10:29AM
New song/single from ex-Oceansize frontman Mike Vennart. I have no idea if this is his focus now, more than British Theatre, or if this will be like Josh Benash from Vuvuzela, where Mike will still be active doing British Theatre music and work on his own solo music. Granted, we haven't heard much if anything from British Theatre for over a year, which is puzzling and might suggest this solo work of his will be more of his focus, along with playing guitar with Biffy Clyro live in Europe.

The song itself is okay. Not blowing me away, but it's not bad, and may grow a bit.

edit: I'm digging this song a little more now. It reminds me a little of the music from Self Preserved..

Mutemath: 2015 September/October NA Tour

I'm happy Wednesday September 16th, 2015 they are playing in Minneapolis (and only 3 days after The Dear Hunter show at The Triple Rock), but as  this link on First Avenue's page shows, it's NOT IN THE MAINROOM this time, but the 250-capacity venue, The 7th Street Entry.

Yet as the below history shows, they Headlined twice within the last 6 years in the Mainroom. Both of which were very full from my memory. I actually swear I saw them one other time in the Mainroom, but maybe I'm mixing them up with another band (Local Natives perhaps).

-February 18th, 2012 at the First Avenue MAINROOM Minneapolis, MN
-October 17th, 2009 First Avenue MAINROOM Minneapolis, MN

And it doesn't appear the Mainroom has anything confirmed listed on their calendar for September 16th right now, so this show not listed in the Mainroom is a pretty big WTF of today.

-Bad memory by the promoters who run First Avenue now?
-There's something else pending for that date that hasn't been announced yet?

I really wonder if this sells initially on Friday and the coming weeks, if ticket demand will force them to have it moved to a bigger venue (either to The Mainroom or at least somewhere like The Varsity Theater). It should. It was only 3 years ago when they HEADLINED to well over TRIPLE THE 7TH STREET ENTRY'S CAPACITY here, and they have never played a venue as small as The Entry (as 1 site with some venues info. The Fine Line, .even The Loft at Barfly, and the old Ascot Room held more than The 7th Street Entry).

So while I'm happy they are coming back and can't wait to hear Mutemath's new album Vitals this Fall, the fact they got booked to play a venue as small at The 7th Street seems rather baffling.

Facebook Post

The Velvet Teen - All Is Illusory (2014-2015)

6/22/15 4:34PM

Album Stream:

6/1/15 2:57PM
Stream of "Eclipses"

I like this track, although the mixing is a little suspicious (compression). But overall, this track I enjoy more than the "The Giving In" just on 1st impression.

5/19/15 6:10AM
Stream "The Giving In"

The 1st single.

Meh, it's okay I guess, hopefully with some time and/or within the record, it'll grab me more.

Preorder


3/11/15 5;10AM
Release June 30th, 2015 on Top Shelf Records.
http://www.topshelfrecords.com/discography/126

This is 1st full-length from TVT in nearly a decade, and their last album Cum Laude, I actually have listened to maybe 3 or 4 times, although I believe I own a copy of it on cd.

The Velvet Teen at this point, have 1 record I absolutely adore, in 2004's almost purely piano-driven album Elysium (that I would call rather epic and prog in a lot of ways). There other records, I can only say I'm luke warm about. But, in fairness, I haven't spent a ton of time with them (even though I think I own most if not all, at admittedly, affordable prices on cd).

I don't expect anything as amazing as Elysium with this album, however, given the amount of time and presumably work that has led to this new record, I do have some optimism for this album. I just question whether they'll ever make a record like Elysium again, at least stylistically.



1. Sonreo
2, Eclipses
3, Manifest
4. Pecos
5. All Is Illusory
6. The Giving In
7. Church or State
8. Taken Over
9. You Were the First
10. The Veil Between
11. Gtra

http://topshelfrecords.tumblr.com/tagged/all-is-illusory

We’re elated to announce that we’ll be releasing a new album from The Velvet Teen this summer. They’re one of our favorite bands and as long-time followers of their music, this album has us the most excited of any to date — it’s an incredibly dynamic album and the perfect culmination of everything this band is truly great at (which, frankly, is a lot). If you’re a fan of bands on our roster like toe, Enemies, Braid, Crash of Rhinos and Prawn, then (and I can’t convey this enough) you’re going to love this band and this album. Can’t wait for you all to hear it.

The forthcoming album is titled All Is Illusory and will be released on Tuesday, June 30, 2015. All Is Illusory marks the band’s fourth album and is the long-awaited and elegant follow-up to 2006’s Cum Laude! that was recorded and co-produced by Steve Choi (Rx Bandits, Peace’d Out) and Roger Camero (No Motiv, Peace’d Out). From its gorgeous, swirling electronics to its harder, angular, ’90s-leaning flourishes of grunge, indie and emo, All Is Illusory is a welcome return for a band whose varied influences are still very much intact after its short silence.

If you’re able to, be sure to see the band on their current west coast tour around SXSW!

03.10 - Oakland, CA @ 1234 Go Records
03.11 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
03.12 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
03.13 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
03.14 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
03.15 - Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
03.19 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Cheer Up Charlies - Flowerbooking/AV Club Party
03.19 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Soho Lounge - Topshelf Records Party
03.20 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Red 7 - Brooklyn Vegan Day Party
03.20 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Red 7 - Flowerbooking Day Party
03.21 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ The Highball - Shiner Party
03.22 - Dallas, TX @ Spillover Music Festival
03.24 - Denver, CO @ Moon Room
03.25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
03.26 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux
03.27 - Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
03.28 - Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown
03.29 - Seattle, WA @ Barboza

Rush: LOSING IT finally Played LIVE!!! (w/ Ben Mink) 6/19/15-Toronto

The video is sideways (oh how I know about video flaws), but so be it. The band have never played this track live, pretty much due to the fact Ben Mink isn't part of the band, and they never thought to have him show up and play his electric violin parts/solo/arrangement.

But this likely being their final full-scale tour, it seems they decided to do it finally, and only in Toronto I guess given that is where Ben and of course Rush are from anyway.

A bit like "Space Dye-Vest" from Dream Theater, this was a fan-favorite they never felt the urge to play, but when fans noticed them soundchecking with it a few weeks ago, it seemed very likely.

Hopefully a normal vertically straight version will surface and/or this ends up on a live album and DVD of this. But until then, or the person who shot this (or someone else online) edits this, this 1st video footage of Losing It live from last night in Toronto will have to do.

Cool to see this on of all days, my birthday (a weekend that also sees the 8-years long wait to Kaddisfly's new album come to an end too).

Refused - Freedom (2014-2015)

6/18/15 1:07AM

another new song/video.




5/26/15 2:30PM

Pretty riffy new track "Françafrique," that reminds me more of their older music.

I'm now wondering if this record could be a bit of a sleeper.


4/30/15 1:56PM

I know it's a few days late (I've been battling a cold among other things in fairness), but it's not just 1 song, but a new album titled Freedom. Release date is June 30th.

Preorder



1 Elektra
2 Old Friends / New War
3 Dawkins Christ
4 Françafrique
5 Thought Is Blood
6 War on the Palaces
7 Destroy the Man
8 366
9 Servants of Death
10 Useless Europeans


Tour dates, of course Minnesota is Fly-Over-Land.

05/02 Meerhout, Belgium - Groezrock
05/22 Hünxe, Germany - Ruhrpott Rodeo Open Air Festival
05/24 Las Vegas, NV - Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
05/25 Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
05/26 Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre
05/28 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
05/29 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
05/30 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
05/31 Chicago, IL - Double Door
06/01 Boston, MA - The Sinclair
06/03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
06.04 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
06/05 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
06/20 Montebello, Quebec - Amnesia Rockfest
06/27 Seinäjoki, Finland - Provinssi
07/02 Gdynia, Poland - Open'er Festival
07/11 Collalbo, Italy - Rock im Ring
07/16 Viveiro, Spain - Resurrection Fest
07/17 Tønsberg, Norway - Slottsfjell
07/18 Tromso, Norway - Bukta Tromso Open Air Festival
07/30 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade Music Park *
08/01 Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center *
08/02 Columbia, MA - Merriweather Post Pavilion *
08/04 Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion *
08/05 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden *
08/07 Toronto, Ontario - Ricoh Coliseum *
08/28 Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
08/29 Gräfenhainichen, Germany - Pure & Crafted Festival
08/30 Reading, England - Reading Festival
* with Faith No More

4/27/15 6:17PM


pretty nice stuff, damn.

A lot of drooling is going on over this, which I follow, but my impression is unlike the band they are going out on tour with, Faith No More, this doesn't sound incredibly like their music of so many years ago.

Regardless, nice riff, nice energy. I'm up for a new record from these guys certainly.

The Shape Of Punk To Come is an album I do enjoy, and while I suppose it could be regarded as Punk, it is different and even melodic enough for me, that I don't consider it all that Punk per say.

And this new music of theirs, it seems could be even less so, but good regardless. Maybe their many years broken up, like FNM or say, The Tea Party, will benefit their music.

Rolling Stone Magazine: Top 50 Progressive Rock Albums

Not a bad list actually. Rolling Stone magazine of course just this past week/coming week? put Rush on its cover for the 1st time, some 41 years after their debut album, lol.

And of course Rolling Stone magazine, a source of media I would include as the original anti-prog rock source which later went to MTV and then things like Pitchfork Media, has now decided to make a Top "Prog" list.

Although this is the website and I suppose RS in the last 10 years, online I suppose, has included a decent amount on prog rock.

As far as this list, I suppose seeing many albums on here were to be expected like the Floyd records and some of the more obvious Genesis and Yes selections.  But Ruins or Harmonium? I honestly don't recall hearing before. And some of the more obscure groups like Banco, Carmen, Triumvirtat, FM, or Crack the Sky. Even some of the more space-rock or kraut? titles like  Tangerine Dream or Amon Duul?

That Can album I have never heard, and it went that high?

Gentle Giant, PFM, Happy the Man, Caravan, Magma, Gong, Strawbs, etc I do know loosely

ELO and Supertramp of course too, although I'm guilty to not have spent time with those albums in-depth, but just some of their singles.

U.K. and especially that The Soft Machine album I definitely have no issue with being here.

And then they threw some modern stuff including some prog metal from Meshuggah, Tool, Dream Theater and The Mars Volta.

Porcupine Tree and Marillion even showed up once.

Of course in both of their cases, I'd have picked other titles. Clutching though is among my favorites and while Misplaced Childhood I would put higher for influence, CaS I actually would go with 1st among the Fish records. However, I'd take Brave over both of course.

How does this compare with PROG Magazine's Top 100 Readers-Voted List?
It isn't as long of course, but in terms of obscure groups, it might actually be better.
Would MY list have other bands and titles from said bands? of course. But given RS's past reputation with Progressive Rock, it actually is relatively refreshing to a see a list with as many more obscure groups as it does.




Article

50 Happy the Man - Happy the Man (1977)
49 Ruins - Hyderomastgroningem (1995)
48 FM - Black Noise (1977)

47 Crack the Sky - Crack the Sky (1975)

46 Carmen - Fandangos in Space (1973)

45 Triumvirat - Illusions on a Double Dimple (1973)

44 Strawbs - Hero and Heroine (1974)

43 Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado (1974)

42 Meshuggah, - Destroy Erase Improve (1995)

41 Amon Düül II - Yeti (1970)

40 The Soft Machine - Third (1970)

39 Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (2007)

38 Gong - You (1974)

37 Marillion - Clutching at Straws (1987)

36 Harmonium - Si On Avait Besoin D'Une Cinquieme (1975)

35 Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Io Sono Nato Libero (1973)

34 Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink (1971)

33 Tool - Lateralus (2001)

32 Kansas - Leftoverture (1976)

31 Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning (1973)

30 U.K. - U.K. (1978)

29 Dream Theater - Metropolis 2: Scenes From a Memory (1999)

28 Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)

27 Supertramp - Crime of the Century (1974)
26 Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts (1971)

25 The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003)

24 Magma - Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh (1973)

23 Tangerine Dream - Phaedra (1974)

22 Rush - 2112 (1976)

21 Camel - Mirage (1974)

20 King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973)

19 PFM - Per un Amico (1972)

18 Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - One Size Fits All (1975)

17 Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (1973)

16 Gentle Giant - Octopus (1972)

15 King Crimson - Red (1974)

14 Genesis - Foxtrot (1972)

13 Pink Floyd - Animals (1977)

12 Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery (1973)

11 Rush - Hemispheres (1978)

10 Yes - Fragile (1971)

9 Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)

8 Can - Future Days (1973)

7 Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick (1972)

6 Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (1973)

5 Yes - Close to the Edge (1972)

4 Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (1975)

3 Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)

2 King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)

1 Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Steven Wilson interview June 10, 2015 (That Drummer Guy) + Mpls show 6/7/15 review

6/13/15 10:15PM

Tonight's show in Los Angeles is being streamed live by "Yahoo Live" etc and it also may be available to watch later..(for a day or maybe like a week?).

Anyway, it just started about 10 minutes ago, as I just started streaming it.


6/12/15 10:52PM

Here's a short discussion I had with John after and about the show on Sunday; Steven Wilson's music, H.C.E,, etc and a little about Dreams of the Life the documentary about Joyce Carol Vincent, etc.



6/10/15 10:23PM



Josh Rundquist also known as That Drummer Guy was fortunate enough to get to interview Steven Wilson for the 2nd time earlier today per telephone. I guess timing didn't work out for the show on Sunday, but it was very cool of Steven to still have Josh interview him.

The interview is about 15 minutes and the questions were primarily about his live show and this current tour, which of course makes sense since he and his band are on tour.

I probably should write up some kind of review about the show, but haven't gotten around to it. So here's some more details:

Great show, and great VISUALLY, probably more than the last tour even. The videos and concept of Hand. Cannot Erase added even more.

"Happy Returns" was even more tear jerking than even on the record, with the video. That is certainly one of the saddest songs Steven's ever written.

Lazarus, The Watchmaker, the HCE title track, 3 Years Older, Routine, Regret #9 just thinking..were all highlights. Even a song like Sleep Together and Harmony Korine.

The new/unreleased demos segued together I even enjoyed, although sound-wise I was more reminded of The Raven sound, more than HCE actually. But as Josh asked about in the interview, Steven mentioned they along with a couple of other pieces may come out on an EP of some kind soon.

And the title track to The Raven Refused to Sing stood out in a lot of ways.

Why Steven never played at The Varsity previously? is surprising, but I hope when he comes back again, he ends up there as the theatrical element totally fit.

Did I meet Steven? I waited around for nearly an hour, but no dice. I didn't take Monday off from work though, and when I decided to give up and leave around 11:20PM, it was starting to flash lightning in the area.

I hopefully will make a video soon as well.

Minneapolis June 7th, 2015 setlist (I believe, track order may not be exact)

Intro
(intro)
First Regret
3 Years Older
Hand Cannot Erase
Perfect Life
Routine
Index
Home Invasion
Regret #9
Lazarus (Porcupine Tree song)
Harmony Korine
***Unreleased HCE Demos segued together***
Happy Returns
Ascendant Here On...

Encore:
Temporal
(Bass Communion song) (Watchmaker Intro Video)
The Watchmaker
Sleep Together (Porcupine Tree song)

Encore 2:
The Raven That Refused to Sing

Bruce Peninsula: New Music coming?

FB

Back at it in the studio this month! shhhhhh

Album Anticipation List/Calendar (Summer 2015)

I'm sure there's many I'm missing and may find myself editing in, in here. And a video could be made about this upcoming period of new records, as I recall thinking when I made the preview video a few months back, it may make sense to forget about a preview for the "year" or "season" but just every few months, etc.

Anyway, for now, this is a reasonably good list of many of the records I'm anticipating over the next few months.

Kaddisfly and The Dear Hunter are the Blue Chips of course. It feels like 2007 again, lol...maybe The River Empires will find it's way onto 1 of these lists as well 1 of these years.

June 15th


AM and Shawn Lee - Outlines


June 21st 



Kaddisfly - Horses Galloping on Sailboats



God is an Astronaut - Helios | Erebus

June 22nd


Everything Everything -  Get to Heaven

June 23rd


Motopony - Welcome You

June 30th


The Velvet Teen - All is illusory


Refused - Freedom

July 7th


Between the Buried and Me - Coma Ecliptic

August 7th


Gatherer - Heavy Hail

August 12th


Miracles of Modern Science - Mean Dreams


August 14th

 
Mother Falcon - Good Luck Have Fun


August 28th


Foals - What Went Down

September 4th


The Dear Hunter - Act IV: Reprise in Rebirth

Waiting on Release Dates (among many others)
-The Bird and the Bee - Recreational Love
-Mutemath - Vitals
-Klimt 1918 - Die Sentimentale Jugend
-22 - You Are Creating
-The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra - Earthlift

Also some confirmation about 2016 artists:
-Ours: likely early in 2016 ala February or March per a listening party already setup early in the year.
-Dream the Electric Sleep Spring 2016 per a post yesterday. They are working with Rush producer Nick Raskulinecz right now

Mew - The Nightbeliever [Official Video ft "Frengers"]

official video featuring "Frengers" aka Mew fans.

Between the Buried and Me - Coma Ecliptic (2014-2015)

6/11/15 5:54AM
"Famine Wolf" streaming

Uh, kind of more of the same feeling. Not going crazy over it, but will certainly hope to like it more within the album.


5/14/15 5:35AM

2nd single "The Coma Machine"..the video lends some mystery or to the concept of course per the title and the whole being in a coma idea. Musically? kind of vanilla for them. I mean there's a few nice moments, and on the record per just this long of a video (nearly 9 minutes), I may get more into this.

I guess I'm just paying attention with not incredibly high expectations. Wanting them to shock me or expect something dramatically cool or new, remains in the past.

Some comments mention Queen on this track, I don't exactly hear it. Perhaps in subtle spots I guess.

4/3/15 12:10PM
1st single "Memory Palace"..9 minutes and 56 seconds; not necessarily an excessive length, for these guys, but I guess I do agree overall with some of the comments about this

a) sounding like Dream Theater, maybe a little too much

b) simply, lacking those great moments, and seeming to have some of the prog/prog metal cliches.

Some of the talk about this album in interviews is it's supposed to be a lot different and weird(er) and also  being an Opera or something.

I guess as I've said, I don't have enormous expectations for these guys, and this 1st track/single doesn't really change that all that much.

But, it is only the 1st track at least.



3/17/15 12:06PM



Not a ton to say about this other than I will of course check this out, and it's too bad their upcoming tour isn't coming to Minneapolis (although even if it was, I wonder/worry it would be at Mill City Nights anyway).

Parallax II, from 2012 I liked a lot of, but I still think suffered from some of what The Great Misdirect did in lacking flow and a lot of unnecessary extended sections. But I also recall concluding that is who BTBAM are now and I don't really expect another Colors or Alaska really at this point. But if it happens, I'll be all the happier. I'm still a fan regardless.

More edits and bumps when the details are made public of course.

https://www.facebook.com/BTBAMofficial

"We are excited to announce the Coma Ecliptic tour named after our forthcoming new album! Our tour will feature Animals As Leaders and The Contortionist.  
VIP Packages are on-sale now at: showstubs.com/btbam 
Coma Ecliptic will be released via Metal Blade Records July 7th! 

More about our new album: 
"Once again, the band has returned with an ambitious concept album. This time, the story follows the wanderings of an unidentified man, stuck in a coma, as he journeys through his past lives. Each song is its own episode in a modern day, sort of The Twilight Zone-esque fashion. The unidentified man enters each world and is offered a choice: stay, or move on to the next in search of something better, something more "perfect." Vocalist / keyboardist Tommy Rogers spoke with Revolver Magazine for their upcoming issue, which will be on newsstands everywhere March 31st. Pick up the magazine for an exclusive first look at the album's recording process and concept. New music and pre-orders bundles will be launched on April 3rd, 2015." "

Favorites: Progressive Rock Albums from MINNESOTA

Progressive Rock in Minnesota or from Minnesota. At one point it became a completely false statement, or at least for a younger/newer fan of progressive rock and metal in the 90's and early 2000's it was incredibly rare to find, and notice interest outside of Minnesota and the "prog scene" aka at prog festivals, on message boards/forums and in some of the magazines.

And maybe even worse than that, the local music media rarely talked about much of it, if at all. Or especially never used the "p" word when they did.

And I suppose the fact is, there was some of it many years ago that I knew about, or meant to check out but never got to. Or bands/artists who played live and never managed to record anything I can find on record.

Gypsy I recall, is a band from the 1970's I have heard of and seen their early 70's Vinyl records for pretty high prices in the last 5 years, but I honestly have yet to hear much from. Given my interest in bands like Renaissance and even Fairport Convention somewhat, I probably could dig them.

Or Sussman Lawrence I guess has some prog roots, as I was told a story about their bassist Al Wolovitch,, once spent a whole summer locked in a cabin learning Yes's Fragile album. And another story of him playing Al Di Meola's Land of the Midnight Sun on a guitar with 1-string, lol.

Peter Himmelman went on to much greater success with his solo career which wasn't really prog though.

Dan Wilson of Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic as well as a solo artist, has mentioned more than once to being a big Yes fan, although I'm not sure if much if any of his music really dove into prog regardless. But maybe I haven't heard the right music?

Prince isn't prog, although it could be argued he's progressive, so in a way, one of the biggest musical acts in general from Minnesota, could fit in here, but at the same time, I really only know his hits well and some of the 80's records.

With a lot of that being brought up, it seems over the last decade or even 15 years, many underground bands have made prog or related records that have reached my radar. And I'd say especially in the last 7 or 8 years, many of the best progressive rock albums from Minnesota have been made and released, And in some cases, just albums overall as from the list I made a few weeks ago about favorite albums from 2010-2014, 3 or 4 of them were included being among the best albums I've heard in this current decade overall.


Brice Plays Drums


Lehto and Wright

RisingSide


The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra


Words for Penga


Greg Herriges

So in a way, I've found a lot of it of late, which might be safe to say prog in Minnesota is flourishing in some ways. And with active bands. Namely groups like Brice Plays Drums, The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, RisingSide, Words for Penga, Hardcore Crayons, Lehto and Wright and Cloud Cult of course.



And with Cloud Cult, while to me they are progressive, to others, they are I suppose a chamber/barqoue rock band really who literally and figuratively uses "Art" as a large part of their direction and message. Along with the environment and science I guess. I mean maybe they aren't big Yes or Genesis fans, but they also don't seem to follow any pop-standard rules aka they break or make their own rules and among their lengthly catalog, have experimented with many sounds, textures, themes, etc..using samples, and a lot of other stuff.

So I concluded when I finally got into them a few years ago, despite them being a band who some of the music media have championed and force-fed at times via Radio K, Citypages, or The Current,  etc their music still falls in line with what I consider progressive as much as just "Art Rock."

So, with all that being said, and I'm sure there's a lot more I could and very well may add about my seemingly neverending agenda to have prog in Minnesota be a real thing that more people and even the music media both in Minnesota and around the Globe could and should know about.

Here's a list of many of my favorite progressive records from Minnesota mostly from the last 10 years or so. Perhaps in due time, I may discover the Gypsy and Sussman Lawrence records among others I'm not thinking or unaware of.

A List about my favorite Minnesota Artists on Rateyourmusic.com I made


Bubblemath - Such Fine Particles of the Universe (2002)
This was probably the 1st "prog" band I ever discovered  from Minnesota that the progressive rock scene knew. I just recall my friend Creighton talking about them on one of the radio shows we did on KFAI and then I checked them out and enjoyed them.

Kind of Gentle Giant meets Devo in some ways. Their 2nd album in some ways has become like the Chinese Democracy of the undeground prog world.

At least in 2014 they released their 1st track since this debut record of theirs.

Notable Tracks: Be Together. Dollhammer


The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra - Lookin' For a Little Strange (2009)

1 of a few groups John Wright is involved with on this list. TGCO debut record. I probably could have chose any of their 3 records, but I guess given it includes my favorite track of theirs overall "Dark Matter" this is still probably my go-to.

Jazz-Rock with bluegrass elements.



Greg Herriges- Telluric Currents (2009)

Progressive Acoustic Ethnic Folk? Some wonderful compositions on this album, and quite a unique or original blending of styles.



Media Addicts - Autonomy
Jaw-dropping heavy jazz-rock. Top-notch musicianship. Many of the tracks have multiple sections I look forward to each time through.


Mike Linden - Bubble and Squeak
Very impressive Jazz-Rock very much in the tradition of Return to Forever and Pat Metheny.


Brice Plays Drums - Man the Animal Cannon (2012)
3 epic tracks all composed to perfection. Less is more.


Cloud Cult - Light Chasers (2010)
My favorite Cloud Cult record. A concept album, that is a journey album of sorts. The segues are incredible, and the lyrics and melodies are very inspiring. "We've all got energy in us."


Lehto and Wright - Children's Songs (2010)
4 tracks, 2 lengthly, 2 shorter. The title track suite runs the gamut of references and style. From Bartok, to Led Zeppelin. This is about as good as folk music and progressive rock can get to me.


The Book of Right On - All These Songs About Music (2010)
This band was amazing and this is their only released full-length album.

I guess they reminded me of a few groups, but I suppose the King Crimson style of instrumentation and the Primus quirky-ness including the lead vocals, stood out.

At the same time, the talent-level seems through the roof with this band. And it showed well on this debut album of theirs.


Dean Magraw's Red Planet-  Space Dust (2009)

This is quite an amazing live record that I find may be the greatest recording capturing much of Dean Magraw's vast talents. His group interprets music from the likes of John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix and even Solom Linda's "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Pure magic and a trip. I just wish the countless concerts I've seen Dean perform (with Red Planet along with many others like Eight-Head, Boiled in Lead, or Davu Seru) could be experienced in greater quantities by others. But at least this is a great way to go revisit it,



The Royal Veil -  King of the Ocean (2013)
Doomy prog metal. "Into the Sun" maybe being my favorite track on this album. Their sound I often like to describe as The Mars Volta meets Tool, but I actually hear a lot of other influences as well. And Doomy/Sludge Metal I have become less into over recent years, but this album probably still being an exception.


Nomia -  Iron and Rust (2014)
Long awaited debut full-length from one of my favorite "Post" bands working today. I guess I find their style of heavy Post Rock almost like how I wish Russian Circles sounded now.

Great record start to finish aka greater than the sum of its parts.


RisingSide - Arrow: The Onus Key (2013)

My favorite new Minnesota band discovery in 2014. They do a heavy brand of prog that is certainly influenced by Coheed and Cambria and Tool. But with Katie Lundberg's vocals certainly give them some distinction. Overall though, good songwriting. And even though their current amazing guitarist Juan Carlos did not play on this debut album of theirs, the lead guitar work is still a great part of Arrow's sound.

A Spell and Seeking Avalon are among my favorite tracks.


Words for Penga -  Prose (2015)

Very impressive debut record that just was released in the last month or so. Definitely thus far, my favorite newly discovered band from Minnesota. They remind me of East of the Wall in a lot of ways, with their dynamics and mix of clean and screaming vocals. Their singer almost does sound like Daron from System of a Down, but in a good way.

Also I very much appreciate their use of saxophone.

An album I would not be surprised to finish rather high at the end of this season/year.

some other records I enjoy (that maybe I'll do a Part 2 and try and write up as well):

Hardcore Crayons - Zozzled (2015)
Brice Plays Drums - ProgTagonist (2014)
Put Down the Muffin - Charged Particles (2014)
The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra - Zombie Mouth (2014)
The Royal Veil - The Royal Veil [EP] (2012)
Brice Plays Drums - I Laugh at Your Greener Pastures (2011)
The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra - All Out of Peaches (2011)
City of Sound - L'implosion (2009)
Media Addicts - Elsewhere (2008)
Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) (2008)
Nomia - Nomia EP (2008)
The Bad Plus - Prog (2007)
Cloud Cult - The Meaning of 8 (2007)
Empires - Through Trial and Tribulation Comes Triumph (2007)
Between Two Skies - A Thousand Conscious Moments [EP] (2007)...This EP I do enjoy a lot, and whenever they release a full-length I likely could find it among my favorites given for a good while they were my favorite band from Minnesota. The new music they wrote for it is amazing having seen them play many of the songs over a few years/many shows.

A Whisper in the Noise - As the Bluebird Sings (2006)
Greg Herriges - It Plays Me (2005)
Lehto and Wright - The Thrashing Machine and Other Stories (2005)
Cloud Cult - Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus (2004)
Lehto and Wright - A Game of Chess (2003)
A Series of Clicks and Beeps - Demo?
Best Friends Forever - Best Friends Forever (?)
Lehto and Wright - The Further Adventures of Darling Cory (2002)
Gracepoint - Science of Discontent (2000)
Lehto and Wright - Ye Mariners All (2000)
Conditioned Response - In Flagranté Delecto (1999)
Lord of All Desires - The Scent of Malevolence (1997)
Magellanmusic - A Strange Traffic of Dreams (1997)
Conditioned Response - Pavlov's Dogs (1997)

Own/Wishlisted but haven't gotten into or around to listening to the studio recordings:
Other Country Ensemble - no studio albums at this point, but there could be soon.
Blue Canoe - Blue Canoe
Run at the Dog - Scutigera, Yeah!
Iced Ink - There's A Bee In Here
Gotterdammerung
Lost Mind Found
Sussman Lawrence
Greg Herriges + John Wright's very Crimson-esque band from the 1990's and Produkt.
Maeth
Stellar Vector
Gypsy

Mew: 2015 North America Fall Tour (including Minneapolis!)

The image below is only partial dates.

There are more tour dates listed and linked on the link below for other areas, namely Europe of course. But finally they are coming back not only to North America for a tour, but to Minneapolis!

It seems like ages I saw them twice within 6 weeks the Fall of 2006 at The Fine Line, and then nothing.

Monday October 5th at The Triple Rock. Tickets are on sale to the general public on Friday June 12th.



http://mewsite.com/tour/

NORTH PARK THEATRE
San Diego, CA, USA, Sep 17. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

THE OBSERVATORY
Santa Ana, CA, USA, Sep 18. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

THE BUNKHOUSE SALOON
Las Vegas, NV, USA, Sep 19. 2015

THE FONDA THEATRE
Los Angeles, CA, USA, Sep 25. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

THE FILLMORE
San Francisco, CA, USA, Sep 26. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

WONDER BALLROOM
Portland, OR, USA, Sep 28. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

VENUE
Vancouver, BC, Canada, Sep 29. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

NEUMOS
Seattle, WA, USA, Sep 30. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

THE COMPLEX
Salt Lake City, UT, USA, Oct 02. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

GOTHIC THEATRE
Englewood, CO, USA, Oct 03. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

TRIPLE ROCK
Minneapolis, MN, USA, Oct 05. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10  

METRO
Chicago, IL, USA, Oct 06. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

LEE'S PALACE
Toronto, ON, Canada, Oct 07. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

9:30 CLUB
Washington, D.C, USA, Oct 09. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

WEBSTER HALL
New York, NY, USA, Oct 10. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

PARADISE ROCK CLUB
Boston, MA, USA, Oct 11. 2015
PRE SALE 06/10

CORONA CAPTIAL FESTIVAL
Mexico City, Nov 21. - Nov 22. 2015

Abnormal Thought Patterns - Altered States Of Consciousness (Zero Hour mbrs + Tommy BTBAM)

6/5/15 6:29AM

Lifeforce Records Preorder link

This is an album from the Tipton brothers from Zero Hour/Cynthesis, and Mike Guy whose also from Zero Hour (drums).

"Nocturnal Haven" below features Tommy from BTBAM, which sounds promising.

This is being released on June 26th (Europe) and June 30th (Europe).

In just looking, I guess this is Abnormal Thought Patterns 2nd album as they released a debut record back in 2013 titled Manipulation Under Anesthesia.



01. Distortions of Perception
02. Nocturnal Haven (feat. Tommy Rogers, Jeff Loomis)
03. Blindsight
04. Synesthesia (feat. Michael Manring, John Onder)
05. Delusions
06. Nocturnal Haven - Instrumental Version (feat. Jeff Loomis, Tim Roth)
07. Subliminal Perception

Motopony - Welcome You (2014-2015)

6/3/15 6:35AM

I 1st heard and saw Seattle-based Motopony last fall when The Family Crest played with them at The Cedar Cultural Center. I liked them, although they didn't blow me away exactly. but I liked their use of layers and harmonies.

Anyway, I knew they had a new record coming in 2015, and this is it. The track list and even certainty on the below image being the cover is not clear from what I can tell.

Regardless, both of these 2 new tracks linked below are really good, and maybe better than I expected. This could be another little sleeper record, that apparently is coming out in just a few weeks on June 23rd.

Catchy and Psychedelic.




Stream "1971" the newest track.


The 1st single "Daylight's Gone"



http://www.motoponymusic.com/

Facebook

Timbre - Song of the Sun [Official Video]

pretty and uplifting video along with some of the imagery. Great tune of course, and one of the best tracks of the year.

Story

Muse - Drones (2014-2015)

6/2/15 1:29PM

wow, um, this newest single "The Handler" is probably the best of all of these singles. Very heavy Absolution-vibe.

Maybe this album is a little of a sleeper, ironically. It drops in just a few days thankfully.




5/29/15 2:05PM
hmm, I'm kind of digging this one. It has somewhat of a Origin of Symmetry/Absolution vibe to it.



5/18/15 4:30PM


meh..not sure about this new track "Mercy." I guess I don't expect to get blown away by Muse, but I did find The 2nd Law pretty good, and these 1st 3 singles initially aren't going all that far for me. I am hoping within the album they may do more, or at least many of the best tracks I still haven't heard.

3/23/15 2:40PM

"Dead Inside" stream below.

despite the clipping cymbals in spots (which may be a product of a YouTube stream anyway, I like this more than Psycho already. Nothing mindblowing, but it's okay, catchy enough, etc.



3/11/15 2:16PM - 3/12/15 2:35PM

"Psycho"...not awful, but meh..maybe it'll work within the rest of the record.



http://muse.mu/

Preorder and "Psycho" tomorrow, and "Dead Inside" the opening track coming on March 23rd.



1. Dead Inside
2. [Drill Sergeant]
3. Psycho
4. Mercy
5. Reapers
6. The Handler
7. [JFK]
8. Defector
9. Revolt
10. Aftermath
11. The Globalist
12. Drones

From Matt: “To me, 'Drones' are metaphorical psychopaths which enable psychopathic behaviour with no recourse.  The world is run by Drones utilizing Drones to turn us all into Drones.  This album explores the journey of a human, from their abandonment and loss of hope, to their indoctrination by the system to be a human drone, to their eventual defection from their oppressors." 
  
The first single from Drones, “Dead Inside,” will debut the week of 23 March. Preorder for the new album will be available tomorrow at 7:30pm GMT, along with the new song “Psycho.” 


1/27/15 7:19PM

ultimate-guitar.com story


An orchestra? "Drones"..well at least it's a title that is current.

ACDC producer Robert "Mutt" Lange is producing. Release date? TBA of course at this point.

Matt Bellamy noodling
brief clip, LOL

Unlike some people, I actually liked a fair amount of their last record The 2nd Law, so I am certainly looking forward to this. But we'll see, and the expectation of time for it is probably not incredibly soon, but then again, Muse are a band who doesn't share a lot about their new albums and then announce they will come out in a few weeks.

Prog Rock with Charles Hazelwood (on BBC Radio + Online May/Early June 2015)

6/1/15 7:23PM
Part 4 featuring Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)

5/25/15 9:02PM

Part 3 featuring bass and John Wetton (May 25th)

Part 3 is up to stream.


5/18/15 5:54PM
Part 1 featuring drummers and Bill Bruford (May 11th)




This is a 4-part and I'm presuming 4-week series about progressive rock done by BBC Radio.

Hosted by classical conductor Charles Hazelwood.

The link above is from the 1st part, that originally aired and made to stream last week. The focus was somewhat about drummers and an extensive discussion with Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, UK, Earthworks, etc).

The link below is for the 2nd part which just aired and is now available to stream.

Part 2 featuring keyboards and Tony Banks (May18th)

I'll be sure and bump this when the last 2 parts are online,likely the next 2 Mondays.

As for my thoughts about it: I like it, although I wonder if the focus will almost entirely be about the 70's stuff, and for that matter, almost entirely British.