Get Well Chris Squire!

USA Today story

He has been diagnosed with Leukemia, which for what it is worth, seems to be a form of cancer that I notice can be beaten (more than others), but ANY cancer of course is unfortunate and a concern.

He has played every single Yes concert since their inception in 1968  I guess, and the tour dates they have scheduled, assuming they still go on, will likely have a replacement.

That story says Billy Sherwood will fill-in for their Summer tour dates with Toto.

I don't imagine I will be attending any of the shows this Summer nor Cruise to the Edge anyway, but for those who do, they will have to keep this and Chris's health in mind.

All the rock and (prog) stars of my time and before are not so young, this stuff is bound to come up with some of them. It's a bit scary to think all those musician heroes of mine one day will not be around. And the members of Yes certainly are in there, even with Peter Banks passing a few years ago of course.

But for now, I do hope Chris is able to do well with treatment and can beat this of course. And who knows, maybe him and Jon Anderson can let by-gones be by-gones when something like this comes up.

The Music Life Podcast (The Reign of Kindo + Jolly members)

http://themusiclifepodcast.com/

This podcast was launched late last week, and the 1st episode is embedded below. I noticed it was posted on The Reign of Kindo's Facebook page here, last friday. The description was more or less 2 musicians who are friends and chat about things about being a working musician, among the 2 of them, Joey Secchiaroli from Kindo and Louis Abramson from Jolly. And the plans are for them to talk to a lot of other musicians as guests, etc.

And other folks, related or involved perhaps.

So that description reminded me somewhat of The Color of Air Podcast from Greg Massi
which in listening to this initial 1st podcast of The Music Life, it does in some ways. Although for one, it doesn't seem to be downloadable, but only able to hear per a stream, which I guess isn't that big of a deal except for the fact I like to listen to podcasts at work, and I can't stream stuff while working unfortunately. So I may have to try and use my free/non-work time just checking these out.

I also am not sure how much they will actually chat about music, recording, favorite albums, etc..They did get into that here and there, but just from 1st impression, it's not exactly to the degree The Color of Air does.

But in fairness, this is just their 1st podcast.

I also do hope to hear some background/insights about their music, namely Kindo of course.

But at this point, I will definitely be keeping tabs on The Music Life and what guests or topics they cover just to see. And it is once-a-week at this point; maybe every friday? since last week's came out on Friday anyway.

Miracles of Modern Science - Mean Dreams (2014-2015)

5/16/15 9:24AM

Video for "Follow Your Heart (Or Something)"



5/15/15 6:30AM
Bandcamp Page w/ Preorder

The preorder for Mean Dreams can be done in all formats (Digital, CD and Vinyl) and includes a download of the 1st track "Follow Your Heart (Or Something)," which is also embedded below to stream.

Pretty excited for this next LP from MOMS, which drops officially on August 12th, 2015. Meems, their last EP from a few years ago was really good. as well as Dog Year their 1st album.

I always love the energy they bring, and this 1st track has that among other things.




1. Follow Your Heart (Or Something) 02:48
2. Don't Feed the Party Animal
3. Mothers in Jeans
4. Jimjams
5. Tap Dance
6. Bad Body
7. The Chop
8. Theme from The Magicians
9. Fidget
10. Never Knew Normal

Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase (Demo of the title track)

Having not heard this version per not buying the Deluxe version with all the demos, while this is not incredibly different, I actually almost like this version more.Among some other subtle differences, the little piano part about 3:45-in adds something a little different.

Words for Penga - Prose (2014-2015)

http://www.wordsforpenga.com/

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Words for Penga are a relatively new progressive metal band from my home state of Minnesota. I guess they formed in Ely, MN, but have moved to the Twin Cities relatively recently.

Long story short: I happened to meet their guitarist Ben Balitch, of all places, walking my Fiancee's dog in her neighborhood. He and the woman he was with (girlfrend/fiancee/wife? unsure) were walking their dog, etc. And he made a comment on my The Reign of Kindo hoodie, etc, etc.

Anyway, so timing was pretty good as this debut album of his band Words for Penga literally was released like a week or so after I met him. And I have been slowly checking it out and probably more surprisingly, really digging a lot of it (my Minnesota biased could be included, but I really don't think it would matter where they are from actually).

Musically, Words for Penga and this debut album Prose I would describe as progressive metal of a sort. But not like Dream Theater or even that much like Between the Buried and Me who Ben mentioned they either get compared-to or lumped-in with.

I would maybe compare them to East of the Wall (something like The Apologist) and some others. Their lead singer reminds me somewhat of Daron from System of a Down when he's singing clean, although I suppose you could say he has a bit of the Grunge/Post-Grunge style in his voice, but at the same time, I am beginning to appreciate his vocals the more I hear them. And the screams also do work well, and I suppose that is one reason I thought of East of the Wall.

They use saxophone in spots, which while it seems to be becoming more common, still is rare and very much something I enjoy in Metal in the right arrangement. The beginning of the record even on "The Mouth of the Nile" has some among some other moments (I want to say the closing track "Drown" as well "This Was Icarus Drowning"..which might be a reference/reprise per a Concept?).

But I will certainly be taking this in more this year, and maybe add more here or another entry in terms of details (or a Video).

I am enjoying this enough though to maybe regard this as 2015's Brice Plays Drums or RisingSide in that it's another local band doing progressive stuff that I am surprised how good and how much I am enjoying them. And for that matter, where they will go, as this is just their debut record.

I'd love to also see them live, perhaps with another band like The Royal Veil, Nomia, Maeth among other favorites. I wonder if the members and their fans know any of those bands.




1 The Mouth of the Nile 8:11
2 I Cover All 5:55
3 This Was Icarus Drowning 4:41
4 It Was Dark and Then It Isn't 6:26
5 Skinny Bells 9:44
6 Drown 7:15

Baliset (Greg Massi ex-maudlin of the Well/Kayo Dot's band)

http://www.retconrecordings.com/
Baliset on Facebook

I wanted to post something about Greg Massi's band Baliset. I have recently become pretty addicted to the podcast Greg's been making Color of Air and so it naturally came to me to check out his main/current band. Greg of course was a member of maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot in the past, and he talks and interviews previously, frequently about those projects.

Although those 2 projects were not music he wrote I guess, but more contributed Guitar parts and primarily? solos. Anyway, so Baliset is largely HIM and his own music/band (although he's not the only member).

Baliset have released 2 albums as linked/posted below. Exordium, their most recent EP from 2013 I guess is sort of a precursor to a concept album that Baliset has been working on for a few years and looks to release in the near future. The exact timing of that is a little up in the air, as Greg has talked about on his podcast, it's a matter of finishing it, including the lyrics/concept part of it.

But as far as Exordium, I enjoy it; the 3 tracks are sort of a mix of atmospheric Folk Rock/Metal with Female and Male vocals. The 1st track starts out like a pop/rock track, but a couple of minutes in, it changes mood. From quiet, transitioning to faster parts. Greg has some vocals along with his guitar parts. Vocally, he almost reminds me of the singer from Sound and Shape.

Some of the dreamy vocal harmonies and clean guitar tones used on this EP standout as much as anything. The blend of acoustic and electric guitars, works quite well, sort of showing different influences simultaneously. A little like Jethro Tull or Psychotic Waltz in a way.

And Shannon Kelly's vocals almost make me think of bands like The Gathering or Aghora I think it was, who were an  atmospheric Metal band with clean female vocals.

I also like the way samples are used. In nature, almost like field recordings samples.


Exordium [EP] (2013)



1. Moon And River 6:52
2. Ever A Relentless Tide 4:29
3. Colour 6:48

A Time for Rust, the debut LP includes some very nice atmosphere and blends of styles. The use of acoustic sections into heavy, thrashy guitar leads. A sample from what sounds like Winston Churchill under some uptempo guitar work works pretty well on the opening cut "These Moments Are..."


"Black Light Moon" is a nice ballad that along some of the interlude pieces, is a nice diversion. It's a pretty simple track, that actually would probably do well on radio now, or even in the late 80's.

"Dreamflesh" is one track I am enjoying the more I hear it. It has the electric-guitar driven parts, with a soft, pretty bridge with Shannon's vocals and some acoustic guitar, until going back to some wah-wah pedal guitar echoing.

Maybe my favorite piece on this album is the closing track "The Echo Box" which like some other Baliset tracks, goes from Heavier, electric guitar led, to an acoustic section. But then around the 5:50 mark, goes quiet. A minute or 2 later, some static comes on and leads to this cool upbeat folky part. Which reminds me of some classic rock tune that I'm spacing on, Also it sounds like tablas or djembe or something being used, which I actually think of among others, Kevin Gilbert's Thud work, or even the intro to his cover of Kashmir for some reason, lol.

The guitar solo on "The Echo Box" works really well in tone, mood, mix. It's really a great way to end the album on an upbeat way."So help me disappear, help me disappear...waiting for so long, waiting for so long..All I can do is sit..and wait..to pass the time. To pass the time. To pass the tiiiiime."

A Time for Rust (2009)



1. These Moments Are... 3:36
2. A Time For Rust 5:11
3. Machinery Listens To Love 1:18
4. Black Light Moon 6:29
5. The Art Of Contrition 2:31
6. Dreamflesh 6:56
7. Winterlude 1:49
8. The Echo Box 15:21

Rush - May 12th, 2015 (XCel Energy Center, St.Paul, MN

setlist.fm

Time is not available to write up most of the details of this show this morning before I got to work.

I'll just include a couple of bullet points:

-Jacob's Ladder and to a lesser extent Distant Early Warning were long awaited and well worth it.
-Hemispheres intro was nice, although almost like a tease. I would have swapped out most of the rest of the set just to see the whole thing, or even they included the final movement and the "We Will Call You Cygnus, the God of Balance You Shall Be"
-Neil's tendinitis may have this be the final show or at least tour. 8 straight shows in Minnesota for me. It may be the last, or if they do 1 more US leg on this R40 tour, maybe the 1st of their last 2.
-I of couse sat next to a guy and his buddy who would not shut the fuck up nearly the whole night. I frequently seem to have this happen. Every 30 seconds "Yuhhhhhhh" they were likely drunk anyway. He kept pointing his hand right next to my face, lol. Very annoying, but I for the most part avoided confrontation, in the interest of being there to focus on the music.
-The sound at the X, honestly sounded a fair amount too Target Center-like. WAY too much REVERB and terribly mixed. I have seen many shows at the X, and this may have had the poorest mix of all of them. It also reminded me of some of those Dream Theater concerts at the State Theatre. Although I think it got better by the end, but for most of last night's show, the mix was very poor. At times I could barely hear Geddy.
-Medley's Schmedley's to quote John Petrucci. Rush always does them and always plays the 3+ hour shows.
-Gotta go, but I have 1 or 2 Rush concert entries I'd love to post in here. Maybe 1 being a DREAM setlist..ala if I could pick a setlist. And in this tour's case, take a track or 2 from each album going back chronologically.
-We did get Natural Science and Jacob's Ladder which was surprising..I love NS, and would trade it for The Camera Eye and even Between the Wheels at this point, so I was happy to see. I also liked Animate live..although so many other Counterparts songs I'd love to see (Double Agent, Alien Shore namely).


Set 1
Intro
(The World Is... The World Is)
The Anarchist
Clockwork Angels
Headlong Flight
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
One Little Victory
Animate
Roll the Bones
Distant Early Warning
Subdivisions

Set 2
Intermission
(No Country for Old Hens)
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
(tour debut)
The Spirit of Radio
Natural Science
(First time played live since 2008, tour debut)
Jacob's Ladder
Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres Part I: Prelude
Cygnus X-1
(The Voyage Part 1 & 3 with drum solo)
Closer to the Heart
Xanadu
2112 Part I: Overture
2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx
2112 Part IV: Presentation
2112 Part VII: Grand Finale

Encore:
Lakeside Park
Anthem
What You're Doing
Working Man
(with "Garden Road" outro)
Outro
(Exit Stage Left)

For What It's Worth: This Blog's Hit total went to 750,000 this morning

Not sure how visible that is, but the image url is likely more clear. Based on the tracked statistics from Google Blogger's analytics, 750,000 page views happened early this morning.

Although I am skeptical it is fully accurate per like a week ago it showed over 1000 hits 2-days straight, yet the largest views on 1 or 2 entries was like 30 or 40. But so be it.

750K, lol. In the 8-years in change I've wasted my life's time here. I guess we'll see how long that number takes to find 1 million, but I may be re-assessing some things especially at that point, in the next year or 2. But until then, it will be interesting to watch.

Daniel Johns - Talk (2014-2015)

This was announced I guess back on April 30th, which I recall seeing the new single info and video but missed the part about the actual LP.

May 22nd full length. It seems some of the Aerial Love EP (title track and "Preach") is included, which I am only luke warm about given the ballad/soulful-pop nature of it.

The lead single for this full-length "Cool on Fire" is below, and it seems similar, although at least there's some use of electronics.

I dig a lot of Daniel's previous music from the 2000's, but I'm not sure how much this new solo music will do for me.

Like albums like Diorama and Young Modern, I thought I read Van Dyke Parks was pretty involved with this solo work, which he very well may, but I suppose I wondered if a lot of the music would include a lot of orchestral/string arrangements and multi-layered vocal harmonies, which I can't say from Aerial Love EP and "Cool on Fire" I notice it all that much.

But I do certainly want to hear this record regardless, and maybe it'll surprise me. "Cool on Fire" does have a little bit of a cool hook at least.

http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/musicnews/s4227087.htm

http://www.danieljohns.com/preorder/




1 Aerial Love
2 We Are Golden
3 By Your Side
4 Preach
5 Too Many
6 Cool on Fire
7 Imagination
8 Dissolve
9 Chained
10 Sleepwalker
11 Faithless
12 Warm Hands
13 Going on 16
14 New York
15 Good Luck

WatchMojo.com: Top 10 Concept Albums

Not a bad list

for what it's worth, here's the actual link/with the site's voting results

I guess I have no issue with them having Thick as a Brick (as I happen to love that record) and Sgt Pepper's as well..; the Volta, Queensryche, The Who and even Rush and Dream Theater titles I would personally take a different record from

Frances the Mute
Promised Land
Quadrophenia
Hemispheres
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

but I like more or less all of those albums at least. Although I consider Quadrophenia a MUCH better album in general to Tommy, I still enjoy Tommy, but maybe not the concept nearly as much as Quad's.

Now with The Wall, like Tommy, I like a lot of the music (probably about 2/3), but find both with the concept to be too overblown and preachy; and just doesn't work as a whole.

I noticed Animals relatively high on the voting list, and I would easily choose it over both in terms of the music of course and the CONCEPT in fact. Less is definitely A LOT MORE with Animals vs The Wall.

The David Bowie I can take or leave. I enjoy Bowie and that album, while not my favorite Bowie record, I still can understand why it may make this list.

Green Day? so typical, but blech..terrible concept and maybe even more terrible music from a terrible band; but I suppose it hardly is surprising to see based on the voters and what kinds of picks WMJ tends to include in these lists.

It was nice to see in the HM's Genesis The Lamb among a few others.

What albums did they miss? for my personal taste, I would look no further than basically my 4 favorite albums of all-time

-Marillion - Brave (or Misplaced Childhood I would have had no issue with still)
-Kevin Gilbert - The Shaming of the True
-Soundscape - Discovery (no chance it'd ever make this list, but it is a concept album and it is an all-time favorite. I suppose if Fates Warning had been included, something like A Pleasant Shade of Gray or Awaken the Guardian I'd be satisfied at least in a way)
-Apes and Androids - Blood Moon

2014-2015 Midseason Video (30 Minutes)

Here's the video version of the previous entry in-effect.

I did NOT INTEND this to be as long as this did, but this ended up being 30 minutes, I suppose largely due to just how many records I mentioned, even with the approach of only speaking 1-2 minutes tops about them.

I actually have a timer that I picked up largely for limiting the length of these specifically, but I couldn't find it when I filmed this (I of course found it today in true Murphy's Law fashion).

Experience, trial-and-error, etc..the more times I try and make these, the more I at least learn from repeated experiences such as inserting an image, etc. But with that, I am coming to assume the time requirement, whether the video is 10 or 30 minutes long, is usually going to be a fair amount (2-3 hours usually).

2014-2015 Midseason Ratings List/Countdown

2014-2015 has seen a lot of records come out I've enjoyed, although not many I'm addicted to. The 1 though that I can claim that, came out of nowhere, and won and continues to win me over.

But I am happy a lot of these records have come out finally, as it seems every year/season there's albums I and many others look forward to, but often get pushed back. And in some cases, they do come out, and just end up being underwhelming for whatever reason.

However, I do think many times the 1st half of the season/year ends up having something come out and it gets shelved and forgotten until the end of the season or even years later, and then does win many over. In a sense, I almost enjoy that more; thus, I actually look to some of the lesser listened to albums as having potential to go up at a later time.

And of course, like 2013-2014 with iamthemorning and Dream the Electric Sleep, I did sleep on them and then got won over at the end. But part of that is not even knowing about them or their new album. So, there's certainly a good chance a few records have come out that I am totally unaware of that I will end up loving come the beginning of November.

That all being said, I do think the 1st half of 2014-2015 has been pretty strong, and there are a handful of big records to look forward to in the 2nd Half, namely Mike Vennart, The Dear Hunter and of course Kaddisfly. So, the Countdown in November I would not be surprised may look a fair amount different. But the #1 record on this countdown certainly will not be easy to beat.

3-stars or less


Umphrey's McGee - The London Session

Good, mostly older tunes re-recorded at Abbey Road Studios. A bit like the Pain of Salvation record from 2013-2014 Falling Home.


Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

I enjoy this still, but I'm not sure if their style has passed me by or something in that I don't love this like their debut and am kind of finding it somewhat undesirable to listen to them now. Maybe it's me and their style of prog metal (especially with so much of the mix using the blast beats).


Tuxedo - Tuxedo

Fun sideproject from Mayer, doing music a little closer to Chromeo than his solo band, with the electronic and dancey nature.


Hardcore Crayons- Zozzled


Caravan of Thieves - Kiss Kiss

Dave Kerzner - New World
Pink Floyd - The Endless River
Thomas Giles - Modern Noise
Susanne Sundfør - Ten Love Songs
Steve Hackett - Wolflight
Public Service Broadcasting - The Race for Space
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Danny Cavanagh - Memory and Meaning
Daniel Johns - Aerial Love [EP]
Author - Of Brighter Days
Josh Rouse - The Embers of Time
Lost Lander - Medallion
Demians - Mercury
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'
Vola - Inmazes
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell

3.5-stars

Nordic Giants - A Séance of Dark Delusions

I've only gone through this a couple of times, but I already am enjoying it much like I did the 2 EPs Build Seas and Dismantle Suns, which I heard previously.

They made another winner track with samples and atmosphere with "Evolve or Parish."

A lot of great female vocal parts with textures, piano, strings, etc.

Mercies - Blue Against Green

Dreamy and catchy. Maybe even more consistent in terms of the dreamy Barbershop chanting, compared to the excellent debut Three Thoussand Days from 2011.



Punch Brothers - The Phosphorescent Blues

Another record from this band that features no really boring parts, and a few unexpected moments. The opening 10+ minute piece "Familiarity" along with tracks like "I Blew it Off" to the closing piece "Little Lights" with it's soaring strings and choir vocals, stand out certainly.

This band continue to surprise me when I underestimate them.


Archive - Restriction

Another solid record from Archive, and much of the continuation in quality from 2014's Axiom soundtrack. A lot of dark, electronic moments, which is not new, but seems to usually work well for them.

The melancholy soaring ballad "Black and Blue" is probably my favorite cut at this point.


Native Construct - Quiet World

This is a debut record from some Berklee college of Music kids, released on Metal Blade records. It is well written prog metal that certainly channels the likes of Between the Buried and Me, Pain of Salvation and even Mr. Bungle at points. They are schizophrenic enough, but still manage to allow the compositions to breathe.

I'm not sure if they should be given credit for combining influences well, or just using influences to write interesting songs.


Steven Wilson - Hand.Cannot.Erase

A good follow up to The Raven That Refused to Sing. The concept or story part of this record does seem to be maybe the biggest focus, and maybe one reason I haven't fallen in love with this album exactly. But the music itself, sounds like Steven Wilson really, mixing progressive rock, with textured, atmosphere at points.

The title track and "Happy Returns" and its quite sad/melancholic nature, are my favorites or the songs I probably think about this record the most for. Many reviews have mentioned their love of songs like "Home Invasion" and especially "Ancestral" which I can follow, but the dynamic shifts in tone almost come across as forced with those. Yet, I do still enjoy parts of them and the other sections of this album.



Signal-to-Noise - I Won't Let the World Become a Prison

This kind of came out of nowhere to be one of my favorite records thus far in 2014-2015. It is more or less written and recorded/performed all by Chicago musician Michael Downing of the band Single Channel Stereo.

I really enjoy a lot of the songs on here's (simple in some ways) yet very unusual melodic nature. The use of piano certainly works well, along with a lot of echoing tones and textures. Even the lyrics seem relate-able and tell interesting stories.

In a lot of ways less being more.

Favorite tracks: Universal, Biologic, Firebox, Presque Vu, Something to Say


Thurisaz - The Pulse of Mourning

It has been a few years since their last LP The Cimmerian Years, but I gotta say, this album has refreshed my memory about why I loved this band. They use textures and melodic death metal in a cool way. This album seems to feature a lot of strings and new instrumentation, and very tastefully, along with some samples which adds to the atmosphere.

I have no idea how many people, even in the Metal scene know about this album or even this band, but they certainly deserve a more visible following than I notice. A bit like Archive I suppose among progressive rock fans. They are still around, doing their thing with I'm sure their loyal fans, but for some reason they have yet to really breakthrough to a wider audience.

Maybe by the end of the year, this album could do that for them.

Favorites: In All Rememberance, One Final Step, Pattetrns of Life, Tanagram,


The Barnum Meserve - The Barnum Meserve

Great debut record from the heavy rock band that uses chamber instruments very tastefully. Trumpet, strings, piano, all blend nicely with vocals that are quite unique sounding. The Barnum Meserve's singer really uses a lot of emotion and force in his vibrato. And tone-wise, I'm unfamiliar with another singer who sounds like him really.

Very promising debut record that has been a few years in the making; so much so, there's 2 more albums coming in the near future, possibly over the next few years.

If I chose 1 standout track, "Take Shelter" would make sense at this point. Very epic.


Shiina Ringo - Hi Izuru Tokoro

This may be a compilation or many of her older b-sides re-recorded, but I don't care really as I am enjoying this as much as anything from Shiina's career (both solo and Tokyo Jihen).


Madam Officer - Madam Officer [EP]

Great debut EP, mixed incredibly well. Sound wise, the dreamy nature of the tracks remind me a lot of Warpaint or fellow Portland, Oregon band Genders.



Tigran Hamasayan - Mockroot

Very impressive  instrumental Jazz-Rock, which the couple of times I've listened to this album, I have enjoyed it, so much so, I may be sleeping on it more than I'm afraid to admit. Very impressive writing and musicianship.

4-stars


Hotel of the Laughing Tree- New World Sundown
A good follow-up to both the amazing debut album Terror and Everything After and the 2 Mammoth Skin EPs. More song-oriented and subtle, yet each track offers something and flows well into the next.

Favorites: Aging Archimedes, The Generals Girl, Temple Arms, Stray, Crook in the Gold, Brussels


Mew - + -
Another long awaited LP from a band last heard from in 2009. This album I enjoy more or less all of, but have come to conclude early-on, other than "Rows" there's not any statement/classic tracks thus far. But "Rows" gets both dreamy and trippy as it goes along, I look forward to it each time.

"Clinging to a Bad Dream" "My Complications" "The Night Believer" (feat Kimbra) "Satellites" and "Cross the River on Your Own" I do enjoy and seem to get a little more each time I hear them.

I guess I love this band as much as I do, I can't feel unhappy or even disappointed in this album, even as long as its been. A little like No More Stories I suppose, in it's more greater than the sum of its parts. At least for now, I guess we'll see come this Fall and years that follow how well it holds up.


Subterranean Masquerade - The Great Bazaar
A wonderful comeback after a decade since their only full-length LP. This new record is very polished progressive metal that features middle eastern instrumentation, great piano arrangements, and saxophone, along with Paul Kuhr's both clean and guttural vocals, as well as some other vocalists, namely Kobi from Orphaned Land.

Tour Diary and Blanket of Longing are among my favorites.


Timbre - Sun and Moon

A 110 minute double LP singer/songwriter and harp virtuoso Timbre labored over for over 4 years. There's a lot of brilliant work on this album, and I'll admit, in a lot of ways, it reminds me of something like The River Empires record from 2010. I guess time may have the work on this to standout even more, both just from a ambition standpoint, and just some of her and the best music that has been made bringing Classical music together with modern folk/pop/rock.

The "Sun" disc, I can hardly find any part of to skip, save for maybe a small portion of the track "I am in the Garden," but even that track has already grown on me.

Otherwise, from the proggy "The Nightgirl" to the happy  "Song of the Sun" to tracks like "Singing and Singing" and "Chicago Pier" I keep enjoying that 1st half of this album more. The Moon disc, the oboe+harp-driven "As the Night" remains my favorite piece. The choral or acapella? compositions "Sunset" and "Sanctus" I am coming to acceptt as part of the sound of this album, but ultimately, I'm not sure if I will ever find I'll listen to regularly. The other tracks "St.Cecilia" and especially the closing 17-minute live epic "Day Boy" I have found repeated listening has helped and allowed me to appreciate this record more.

The concept? I may want to spend the rest of this season trying to take-in and enjoy more about, but otherwise, I'm pretty sure Sun and Moon will measure up favorably to many others, come early November.

5-stars



1. Small Leaks, Sink Ships - Face Yourself and Remove Your Sandals

Classic experience for me of a record coming out of nowhere, no knowledge of its release or even much of the band's (recent) activity. This album won me over the more I listened to it. It's very cohesive, mesmerizing, diverse, creative. I mean I love the moods throughout, from the opening track "Power Outage" to the closing epic "The Mind is its own Place" I never want to skip any part of it.

"Building Blocks" and "Midnight Jin" remain my favorite tracks, but there's parts of every track I find standout.

And I also can say it's the 1st clear cut 5-star record I've heard in over 2 years. Based on that and many other things, I'm not sure if any of the anticipated 2nd half releases will be able to challenge it for my favorite this season (but I'd love that to happen).


haven't heard (among many others I'm sure):
Brian Wilson - No Pier Pressure
Tangled Thoughts of Leaving - Yield to Despair


2nd Half Anticipation (as of the 1st week of May 2015)

Titles:
Faith No More - Sol Invictus
Other Lives - Rituals
The Helio Sequence - The Helio Sequence
God is an Astronaut - Helios | Erebus
Daniel Johns - Talk
Mike Vennart - The Demon Joke
Refused - Freedom
The Velvet Teen - All Is Illusory
Muse - Drones
Between the Buried and Me - Coma Ecliptic
Everything Everything - Get to Heaven
Kaddisfly - Horses Galloping on Sailboats
The Dear Hunter - Act IV: Reprise in Rebirth
The Bird and the Bee - Recreational Love

and of course many others with titles but not much in terms of a time frame of release yet, or no titles but still a reasonable chance of a release (like Fjokra, or Mutemath among many others).

I may post a new Anticipation topic in the next month or 2 when more of the details come for so many others not on the list above.

the bird and the bee - Recreational Love (2014-2015)

5/6/15 2:03PM
Funny or Die link

Simon Helberg and Patton Oswalt featured in this new video for the new track.

5/5/15 8:00AM
I'll fully admit to not having heard loads of their songs, but, I do know this band for a couple of reasons. #1, my fiancee is a fan of course and they actually recorded an album of Hall and Oates covers in fact. #2, I know fans online per the forums and social media are into this band as well.

And the fact it's been 6 years since their last full-length Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future , has me curious what they will come up with, with a break of so many years etc.

The 1st single "Will You Dance?" is also available to stream and buy today, links below.

Facebook post from 5/4/15
And can you guess what is happening tomorrow? The first single off our upcoming record "Recreational Love" is coming out!!! I'm very excited for you all to hear it!!
Make sure you're following us on @Spotify! 
NEW SONG COMES OUT TOMORROW!



Will You Dance? stream
itunes
spotify

Peter Gabriel - Documentary for Security (or PG4)

I noticed Joseph Auger mention this to Kimbra, of all people yesterday. I of course had never seen this doc on Peter Gabriel's 4th S/T (or aka Security album). An album I have noticed a lot of the hardcore fans consider possibly his best (or their favorite).

It does include the 1 hit "Shock the Monkey," but beyond that, it's definitely more experimental and ambitious I suppose. But at the same time, I can't say I feel it's amazing, like more or less all 4 of his S/T albums.

And oddly, there is not much if any footage of the writing/recording of Shock the Monkey.

That being said, this is quite a cool doc, odd too to see Tony Levin without a mustache and some of the members of Peter's band (Jerry Marotta and Larry Fast namely).

There's some others on YouTube that I may be checking out soon, and possibly bump this entry, or add a new one for.

Heart - Stairway to Heaven (Kennedy Center 2012)

This is not new obviously, as it is from 2012. I remember when the Zeppelin guys were there and they showed up on Letterman, but I don't recall hearing or seeing this.

My gawd this is good. It's like Symphonic-Gospel Stairway or something.

Damn, the arrangement and performances are just breathtaking, and it seems the Zeppelin guys among many others feel that way.