Showing posts with label I Mother Earth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I Mother Earth. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Meaningful Songs: I Mother Earth - Earth, Sky, and C

I Mother Earth - Earth Sky and C

The rhythms and drums/percussion are unbelievably infectious here.

I love a handful of I Mother Earth tunes, but if I had to pick just 1, it's this one.

The "C" I recall refers to Carlos Santana, and there's this incredible Santana-vibe here.

The groove is just so addictive....


Friday, August 31, 2018

REACT TO: The PROG Report - Top 5 NON-PROG Artists (ft. Mike Portnoy)

So here's yet another REACT TO entry to a podcast/youtube video, this time it's from The Prog Report and includes host Roie Avin, Mike Portnoy and Kyle Fagala who moderates Mike Portnoy's Forum Facebook Group .

And this is definitely related (although not identical) to the lists, and I suppose my REACT TO to 2 other previous entries:

Notes Reviews Modern and Alternative Prog
Radical Research's GINNCORE

So in going through their picks, the large chunk of them I know well (Kevin Gilbert of course is the 1 I am happiest to hear about since he's my favorite).  And many I know for the most part how I stand about (The Flaming Lips and obviously Radiohead).

But the ones I don't know or know well, that I mean to now checkout:

The Grays - Ro Sham Bo
Chris Cornell - Euphoria Morning
My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade
Bill Hubauer - We Came From Space
Once and Future Band - Once and Future Band
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
Tears for Fears - Raoul and the Kings of Spain, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (which I'm surprised Roie didn't mention how they have a new album coming out soon).

The Grays I'm sort of Guilty-of per my love of Jellyfish, and I 1st and foremost think of  the video Beavis and Butthead tore to shreds of them (they also had a Jellyfish video on their show, which I don't think they loved either, but did not hate-on as much). But I also recall checking samples of The Grays and Imperial Drag and being underwhelmed. Imperial Drag especially, on more than 1 occasion.

However, at least that 1st sampling was many years ago. In fact it may have been in 1 of those Red Dot Net listening stations at Cheapo in the early 2000's. So it's been awhile. I do enjoy some of Jason Falkner's solo work, although not to the point of addiction.

The lists make a lot of sense. Even Wilco of late I have started to wonder if I would like reading comments about them. My wife actually even likes some of their music. And at the Michael Nesmith show back in January, Circe Link actually mentioned them to myself and John while waiting in line. How Wilco in some ways are a descendant to Nez's solo stuff (that is, despite my wife and I'm  sure many fans, would call Mike's solo work "progressive country rock" which i guess maybe Wilco could be referred to as as well).

I could nitpick a bit though, probably not as much as I could. But for one, Roie's comments about Mutemath, while somewhat accurate, didn't really explain the story. Darren King was on and contributed to the writing as far as I recall, to ALL OF THEIR ALBUMS. And their latest album, Play Dead, while his and Roy Cardenas last, is NOT totally electronic the way Vitals was.

Also he didn't mention Odd Soul which again, wasn't so electronic. Saying their debut is their best I'm fine with. Also he probably never saw it, but Darren King in an interview in some magazine, around the time of Armistice I think it was, mentioned Dream Theater. Now it would help to find the article and quote, etc. But I remember that distinctly and felt they obviously have some prog in them at least Darren knowing DT and likely Portnoy.

Glad they played some from St.Vincent's debut album Marry Me. My feeling about her hasn't changed sadly, as I enjoy that debut record, but the records since she has lost me more and more (and also became a Hipster darling more and more, which doesn't help if that means anything). The noise kills her music for me. And she doesn't sound all that much like Annie Haslam singing for King Crimson anymore.

I like that Mike brought up I Mother Earth, and I don't recall if I actually have heard their new songs (since 2015). Rateyourmusic shows 3 new songs there anyway, which I definitely need to hear. But I will post below my own 5 picks (and some Honorable Mentions). And The Tea Party are an obvious one to include, but for some reason don't always get mentioned when seeing people talk about Big Wreck and in this case, I Mother Earth. Those were the Big 3 90's Canadian bands who while not overtly progressive rock, were progressive certainly.

Almost like the Texas 3 of King's X, Galactic Cowboys and Atomic Opera.

The Tea Party still need more love among progressive rock fans. Their last album The Ocean at the End, from 2014 is exceptional and yet it seems to have flown far too much under the radar other than among fans in Canada and in Australia where I think some of the band have residence.

from The Prog Report's Podcast Page




Mike Portnoy
Kevin Gilbert
The Grays - Ro Sham Bo
Chris Cornell - Euphoria Morning (1999 album)
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot, At War with the Mystics ("Pompei am Gotterdammerung".."What is the Light....")
Biffy Clyro - Puzzle, Opposites

Kyle
David Bowie
St.Vincent
Radiohead
Muse - Absolution, Black Holes and Revelation, Origin of Symmetry
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Sky Blue Sky.. "Art of Almost" track

Roie
Mutemath
Fair to Midland
Tears for Fears (Seeds of Love, Elemental, Raoul and the Kings of Spain, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending)
Big Wreck
Umphrey's McGee - Mantis, Similar Skin ("Bridgeless") It's Not Us ("Remind Me")


Mike Portnoy's Honorable Mentions/Mentions
Jellyfish (+ Imperial Drag, and Beck.."Watching the Rain" a b-side from Jellyfish)
Weezer - Blue, Pinkerton
Ben Folds Five/Ben Folds
Eleven
Oceansize
Big Elf - Cheat the Gallows
Endochine
I Mother Earth
Karmic Juggernaut . reminds Mike of Umphrey's McGee
Bill Hubauer - We Came From Space
Once and Future Band
The Lemon Twigs
Trigger Finger
Mr.Bungle

Roie's Honorable Mentions/Mentions
The Struts (not proggy)
The Dear Hunter
My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade
Extreme - III Sides to Every Story
Silverchair - Young Modern
Frank Zappa
Soundgarden - Superunknown

Kyle's Honorable Mentions/Mentions
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
The Who - Quadrophenia
Tool - Lateralus
Green Day - American Idiot ("Homecoming," "Jesus of Suburbia")
Alter Bridge - Fortress ("Cry of Achilles"
Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
Matthew Sweet/Superdrag/The Posies (XTC-style)
The Polyphonic Spree
Sufjan Stevens
Them Crooked Vultures



--------------------------------------------------------

My Top 5 (if I were participating).

I am going to intentionally not pick anything that was picked because I could easily just go
Kevin Gilbert, Jellyfish, and some others that they named (Fair to Midland and The Dear Hunter if they actually would qualify).

But just to think of 5 names not brought up..and of course many honorable mentions

1. Jeff Buckley
2. Ours
3. Apes and Androids/Call Florence Pow
4. Pepe Deluxe
5. Cloud Cult

Fjokra
Foals
Kimbra
Janelle Monae
The Tea Party
Imogen Heap
Saigon Kick
Menomena/Ramona Falls
Neverending White Lights
Everything Everything
sElf
House of Fools
Small Leaks Sink Ships
Godspeed You Black Emperor
Sigur Ros
Wolf Parade - At Mt, Zoomer
The Velvet Teen - Elysium
The Spent Poets - The Spent Poets
The Dissociatives - The Dissociatives

Most if not all of these artists don't consider them self "Prog" or "progressive rock" even really for the most part, but every one of them is (or the albums I included) progressive or artsy in a lot of ways certainly.

I mean sure there are the long list of progressive college rock (or "modern heavy art rock") bands in those other 2 entries I included that were not mentioned on this podcast. But in just coming up with a list of bands I enjoy that while I consider them progressive, the strongest base of their sound and themselves and most of their fans do not label them as "prog." But I would argue they are progressive, and maybe more importantly, they can and have appealed to fans of Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Dream Theater.

Now just thinking about this Podcast and depending on Roie's taste (which I am kind of skeptical about), he should now do an Experimental/Art Metal episode. Aka Metal bands/albums for prog metal fans, that are not traditional progressive metal.

Aka. an Extreme Metal episode. So no Dream Theater or Fates Warning or Rush or Queensryche (or Savatage actually). And no HAKEN of course, and no Symphony X really either.

I'm talking about stuff like Cynic, maudlin of the Well, unexpect, SikTh etc...There's a lot of it out there, and progressive rock/progressive metal fans do like it, but also many either don't know it (or know they would like it), or often DISMISS it like Kyle mentioned with Muse and Radiohead (or Wilco).

Sort of more Metal like Opeth, but not Opeth obviously, in a vague sense. Metal for the prog fans who enjoy Opeth, but who don't know other names that well.

I'm sure stuff like Meshuggah and Periphery would show up, which is fine, but like anything, there are artists in genres/subgenres you love, who often don't do a lot for you as an exception.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The Year 1996 Albums Calendar and Rankings

1996 was a year that I was amidst in listening to progressive metal and getting my 1st taste of progressive rock beyond Rush. Although it was odd how '96, '97, '98 I did check out a lot of it, to mixed success. But I guess 1996 maybe was best known for waiting for the next Dream Theater album after being obsessed with them, buying bootlegs and loving their new EP from 1995, despite the departure of Kevin Moore.

King's X and Fates Warning were the other go-to's around that time. Ear Candy came out in May, but it was actually in July or August I 1st checked them out and did enjoy their newest album quite a bit after initially thinking they were a Lenny Kravitz wannabe band.

I went on to see King's X live in 1996 along with Galactic Cowboys, another new band to me. And their new album Machine Fish was a record I enjoyed and have since.

Rush of course released their 1st album in 3 years in Test For Echo, which I can't say was a huge disappointment, but ultimately, seems a bit sad given it was really the 1st new album they released after me being an addicted fan (I suppose 2nd, but when Counterparts came out in 1993, I didn't even know it was coming out, and I was still digesting some of their massive catalog).

But I guess when I was only luke warm about the new Rush album, and my almost impatience waiting for a new Dream Theater album. A couple of things filled that void for me.

1) The Rush tribute album  from Magna Carta Working Man. It had a bunch of musicians I enjoyed including I recall all of the Dream Theater guys aside from Derek Sherinian I think.Plus it was co-produced by Mike Portnoy, lol.

But the likes of Fates Warning, Shadow Gallery, Devin Townsend and some others.

2) Victor, the Alex Lifeson side/solo project, which I later came to learn about the singer being Edwin from I Mother Earth

3) The underground progressive rock and metal scene. "Neoprog" and Power Metal along with labels like Magna Carta and these Import prog and metal companies like Impulse music which I came across selling cds at Record Shows and they were originally based in the Twin Cities, but eventually moved to Roselle, IL.

And it was through Impulse I first hear about Angra, a brazilian band who played incredible fast and technical, and had this soaring singer named Andre Matos that I absolute loved. And their album Holy Land I eventually came to love the most.

Another one I read about 1st on the Ytsejam through the Dream Theater fans, and eventually purchased the debut album Behind, from Germany's Superior.

Oddly Andre even later went on to sing on a Superior tune on their next album.

The other records from 1996, Spock's Beard, I Mother Earth, DJ Shadow, Porcupine Tree, Eric Johnson among others actually make 1996 a pretty deep year that also is somewhat top heavy. I mean Holy Land is an all-time classic, but after that there's just a long list of very good records that extend into the 20's or more.

1. Angra - Holy Land
2. Superior - Behind
3. Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
4. King's X - Ear Candy
5. I Mother Earth - Scenery and Fish
6. Victor - Victor
7. Galactic Cowboys - Machine Fish
8. DJ Shadow - Entroducing....
9. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
10. Porcupine Tree - Signify
11. Enchant - Wounded
12. Marillion - Made Again
13. The Tea Party - Alhambra [EP]
14. Various Artists - Working Man: A Show of Bands
15. The Flower Kings - Retropolis
16. Super 8 - Super 8
17. Galactic Cowboys - Feel the Rage [EP]
18. Lemur Voice - Insights
19. Jason Falkner - Presents Author Unknown
20. Rush - Test for Echo
21. sElf - The Half-Baked Serenade
22. Orphaned Land - El Norra Alla
23. Screaming Headless Torsos - Live!!
24. Altura - Mercy
25. Visionary - Visionary
26. Yes - Keys 2 Ascension
27. 24-7 Spyz - Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound
28. Fountains of Wayne - Fountains of Wayne
29. George Michael - Older
30. Paula Cole - This Fire
31. dredg - Conscious [EP]
32. The Wondermints - Wonderful World of the Wondermints
33. The Wishing Tree - Carnival of Souls
34. Archive - Londium

Tony Williams - Wilderness
Afro Celt Sound System; Volume 1: Sound Magic
Psychotic Waltz - Bleeding
Visionary - Visionary
dredg - Conscious [EP]




Untitled
Landberk - Indian Summer
rel January 1, 1996

Alex Lifeson Victor AC.jpg
Victor - Victor
rel January 9, 1996

Galactic machine.jpg
Galactic Cowboys - Machine Fish
rel January 30, 1996

A blue and grey cover. with a school of fish
Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die
rel January 30, 1996

SpocksBeard BewareOfDarkness.jpg
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
rel January 1996

Jongleries Élastiques
Miriodor - Jongleries Élastiques
rel February 13, 1996

In Flames-The Jester Race.jpg
In Flames - The Jester Race
rel February 20, 1996

Oathcover.jpg
Helloween - The Time of the Oath
rel March 1, 1996

Tea Party Alhambra.jpg
The Tea Party - Alhambra
rel March 1, 1996

Untitled
Freak Kitchen - Spanking Hour
rel March 12, 1996

StereolabEmperorTomatoKetchup.jpg
Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
rel March 18, 1996


Angra Holy Land-f.jpg
Angra - Holy Land
rel March 23, 1996

Marillion - Made Again.jpg
Marillion - Made Again
rel March 25, 1996

Stonetemplepilotstinymusic.jpeg
Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop
rel March 26, 1996

Ulver-kveldssanger.jpg
Ulver - Kveldssanger
rel March 1996

Crimson Edge of Sanity.jpg
Edge of Sanity - Crimson
rel April 2, 1996

Steve Morse - 1996 - StressFest.jpg
Steve Morse Band - StressFest
rel April 9, 1996

cover illustration derived from "Crimebuster"
Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire
rel April 16, 1996

Scenery And Fish.jpeg
I Mother Earth - Scenery and Fish
rel April 23, 1996

DMB Crash.png
Dave Mathews Band - Crash
rel April 30, 1996

Super 8
Super 8 - Super 8
rel May 7, 1996

George Michael - Older album cover.png
George Michael - Older
rel May 13, 1996

Elegy.jpg
Amorphis - Elegy
rel May 14, 1996

Mistaken Identity Reid.jpg
Vernon Reid - Mistaken Identity
rel May 14, 1996

King's X Ear Candy.jpg
King's X - Ear Candy
rel May 20, 1996

Jason Becker - 1996 - Perspective (original).jpg
Jason Becker - Perspective
rel May 21, 1996

WallflowersBringingDowntheHorse.jpg
The Wallflowers - Bringing Down the Horse
rel May 21, 1996

Retropolis.jpg
The Flower Kings - Retropolis
rel May 25, 1996

Porno for Pyros-Good God's Urge.jpg
Porno for Pyros - Good God's Urge
rel May 28, 1996

BelleAndSebastianTigermilk.jpg
Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk
rel June 6, 1996

Singtgod.jpg
Cardiacs - Sing to God
rel June 11, 1996

Sloan One Chord to Another.jpg
Sloan - One Chord to Another
rel June 12, 1996

Odelay.jpg
Beck - Odelay!
rel June 18, 1996

Opeth Morningrise.jpg
Opeth - Morningrise
rel June 24, 1996

The Goddess of Darkness
Ars Nova - The Goddess of Darkness
rel June 1996

Bleeding cover.jpg
Psychotic Waltz - Bleeding
rel July 1, 1996

Orphaned Land - El Norra Alila.jpg
Orphaned Land - El Norra Alla
rel July 18, 1996

Untitled
Altura - Mercy
rel July 23, 1996


Workingman-cover-s.jpg
Various Artists - Working Man: A Show of Bands
rel August 2, 1996

Olivia Tremor Control - Dusk at Cubist Castle.jpg
Olivia Tremor Control - Music From the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle
rel August 6, 1996

Failurefantasticplanet.jpg
Failure - Fantastic Planet
rel August 13, 1996

Presents Author Unknown.jpg
Jason Falkner - Presents Author Unknown
rel August 13, 1996

At the Drive-In - Acrobatic Tenement cover.jpg
At the Drive-In - Acrobatic Tenement
rel August 18, 1996

Velvetdarkness.jpg
Theatre of Tragedy - Velvet Darkness They Fear
rel August 18, 1996

Magicianamongthespiritsoriginal.jpg
The Church - Magician Among the Spirits
rel August 19, 1996

Enchant Wounded.jpg
Enchant - Wounded
rel August 27, 1996

Travelling Without Moving.jpg
Jamiroquai - Travelling Without Moving
rel August 28, 1996

Venusisle.JPG
Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
rel September 3, 1996

Liveartflecktones.jpg
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Live Art
rel September 10, 1996

Untitled
Lemur Voice - Insights
rel September 10, 1996

Rush Test for Echo.jpg
Rush - Test for Echo
rel September 10, 1996

DEUS - In A Bar, Under The Sea (cover).gif
dEUS - In a Bar, Under the Sea
rel September 14, 1996

Two men look through vinyl albums at a record store.
DJ Shadow - Entroducing....
rel September 16, 1996

KulaShaker K.jpg
Kula Shaker - K
rel September 16, 1996

FirstBandOnTheMoon.jpg
The Cardigans - First Band on the Moon
rel September 17, 1996

Aenima.jpg
Tool - Ænima
rel September 17, 1996

SKAppalachiaWaltz.jpg
Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor - Appalachia Waltz
rel September 17, 1996

Londinium.jpg
Archive - Londium
rel September 23, 1996

24-7 Spyz Heavy Metal Soul By the Pound.jpg
24-7 Spyz - Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound
rel September 24, 1996

Volume 1 - Sound Magic (Afro Celt Sound System album - cover art).jpg
Afro Celt Sound System; Volume 1: Sound Magic
rel September 24, 1996

Album Op Zop Cover.jpg
Adrian Belew - Op Zop Too Wah
rel September 24, 1996

Sheryl Crow, album.png
Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Crow
rel September 24, 1996

On Air (Alan Parsons album - cover art).jpg
Alan Parsons - On Air
rel September 24, 1996

Quiet John Scofield.jpg
John Scofield - Quiet
rel September 24, 1996

A village in a mountainous landscape during night. A man with a conical hat and a cane, and a saddled horse can be seen in the foreground. At the top left corner of the image is written "Weezer", and at top right is "Pinkerton".
Weezer - Pinkerton
rel September 24, 1996

Cover-lamb.jpg
Lamb - Lamb
rel September 30, 1996

Wildopera.jpg
No-Man - Wild Opera
rel September 1996

Porcupine tree signify.jpg
Porcupine Tree - Signify
rel September 1996

Wishingtree carnival.jpg
The Wishing Tree - Carnival of Souls
rel September 1996

Fountains of Wayne-Fountains of Wayne (album cover).jpg
Fountains of Wayne - Fountains of Wayne
rel October 1, 1996

Galactic feel.jpg
Galactic Cowboys - Feel the Rage [EP]
rel October 8, 1996

PaulaCole-ThisFire.jpg
Paula Cole - This Fire
rel October 15, 1996

Keys96.jpg
Yes - Keys 2 Ascension
rel October 28, 1996

ShadyGrove.jpg
Jerry Garcia and Dave Grisman - Shady Grove
rel October 29, 1996

Untitled
Superior - Behind
rel October 1996

Dahlialbum.jpg
X Japan - Dahlia
rel November 4, 1996

Wonderful World of the Wondermints
The Wondermints - Wonderful World of the Wondermints
rel November 5, 1996

Anathema Eternity.jpg
Anathema - Eternity
rel November 11, 1996

PatMethenyGroup Quartet.jpg
Pat Metheny - Quartet
rel November 19, 1996

Brokenchina.jpg
Rick Wright - Broken China
rel November 26, 1996

Self - the half-baked serenade.jpg
sElf - The Half-Baked Serenade
rel November 1996

Wilderness
Tony Williams - Wilderness
rel December 1996

Anglagard BuriedAlive.jpg
Anglagard - Buried Alive
rel 1996

Tales From the Hudson.jpg
Michael Brecker - Tales from the Hudson
rel 1996

Untitled
dredg - Conscious [EP]
rel 1996

Genesis Revisited.jpg
Steve Hackett - Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited
rel 1996

Untitled
Screaming Headless Torsos - Live!!
rel 1996

somnambulist selt titled album cover.JPG
Somnambulist - Somnambulist
rel 1996


Tipsy - Trip Tease
rel 1996

Untitled
Visionary - Visionary
rel 1996