by Blake | Apr 6, 2017 | Prog Report
Not many bands are able to claim to have 20 albums to their name, and in many cases, if they do, the 20th album certainly might not be very good. Yet, here we have another Deep Purple album, their 20th to be exact, and for a band that continues to play live as good as they ever have, its no surprise that their new album, ‘inFinite’, is their best in years. Not since the ‘Purpendicular’ album, their first with then new guitarist Steve Morse in 1996, have the Hall of Fame legends put together such a concise, focused, and brilliantly written group of songs from beginning to end.
The group’s last effort, 2013’s ‘Now What?!’ was indeed solid and their first with veteran producer Bob Ezrin, who returns for this album. The decision to go with Ezrin again proves to be a fantastic idea, as it is obvious that the producer knew the second time around which buttons to push and how to build on the good from the previous record. All around the performances are solid, from the heavy booming rhythm section of Roger Glover and Ian Paice to the organ work from keyboardist Don Airey. But once again it is the genius guitar work of Steve Morse and the never aging vocals of Ian Gillan that make this material soar. Morse is more understated on this album than before, but his solos are still something to behold, while Gillan sounds as good as ever.
The album opens with the powerful, prototypical Purple rocker, “Time in Bedlam” where the groundwork for the album is laid, while the album’s second track “Hip Boots” is pure groovy roots rock. But the 3rd track and the lead single from the album “All I Want Is You” is outstanding and one of their best in recent memory. Paice’s perfect timing on the opening slow groove sets the stage for the explosive work from Airey and Morse once the song picks up.
Other highlights include the Bossa Nova groove, progressive track, “The Surprising” which is a haunting and captivating track with a brilliantly placed hook that keeps you tuned in, and the track “Birds of Prey” a track that is Deep Purple at its heaviest, with a tremendous close out layered with Morse’s guitar mastery.
For anyone that thought this band was done, this album is proof it couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only is ‘inFinite’ a great Deep Purple album, it is one of the best rock albums you’ll hear this year.
Released on April 7th, 2017 on earMusic
Key Tracks: The Surprising, Birds of Prey, All I Got Is You
Tracklisting:
“Time for Bedlam” – 4:35
“Hip Boots” – 3:23
“All I Got Is You” – 4:42
“One Night in Vegas” – 3:23
“Get Me Outta Here” – 3:58
“The Surprising” – 5:57
“Johnny’s Band” – 3:51
“On Top of the World” – 4:01
“Birds of Prey” – 5:47
“Roadhouse Blues” – 6:00 (The Doors cover)
Ian Paice – drums
Ian Gillan – lead vocals
Roger Glover – bass
Steve Morse – guitar, vocals
Don Airey – keyboards
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by Blake | Apr 5, 2017 | Prog Report
You may have seen John Mitchell’s tribute to his good friend and band-mate John Wetton – a fine rendition of “Battle Lines” (if you haven’t, click here.) He performed the song beautifully on the sad occasion of Wetton’s funeral in February 2017, to due acclaim.
Mitchell moves in august circles, and not just those of Wetton – he has, for example, also recorded or performed with Pete Trewavas, Martin Barre, Nick Beggs, Steve Hogarth, Jem Godfrey and Steven Wilson’s drummer Craig Blundell, amongst many others.) Despite this, he seems to be less prominent (especially in North America) than one would expect. In the UK and Europe, Mitchell is quite well-known for his brilliant work with It Bites, Frost* (who quite clearly took the “Best Surprise Band” prize on Cruise to the Edge), Kino and Arena. He is a highly accomplished guitarist, singer and composer and should, quite frankly, be far more famous than he is. Mitchell’s personal solo project is called “Lonely Robot” (not because it is the name of a band, but because it relates to his central concept of an astronaut lost in space). Mitchell is a big fan of sci-fi movie soundtracks, and Lonely Robot is a result of that.
Having revived It Bites in 2006, by filling the formidable shoes of Francis Dunnery, with two excellent albums (the last largely penned by himself) and several tours, it is perhaps within the context of his achievements in It Bites that Mitchell’s activities are most often analyzed. This may seem a little unfair, but while It Bites is on seemingly unending hiatus, it is a fact that the many fans of that band will understandably follow Mitchell’s activities with a proverbial microscope, almost hoping for Mitchell to create “It Bites Solo”.
But Lonely Robot is not that. While hints of the great work he brought to It Bites are unavoidably there, this is undoubtedly a John Mitchell solo project. The first Lonely Robot album, 2015’s “Please Come Home” was extremely well-received, and justifiably so. Mitchell himself expressed surprise at the success of “Please Come Home” (it flirted with the rock charts, and the live concert at the Scala, was highly successful.) Now Mitchell has released the follow-up, “The Big Dream”, which sees the protagonist awakening in a forest surrounded by mythical animal/human creatures. Apparently the new album is the second in a trilogy, so one can only imagine where the storyline will lead us next time around.
For now, “The Big Dream” will be a welcome release for those starved of Mitchell’s sumptuous offerings, including It Bites fans. Frost*’s recent release “Falling Satellites” was a brilliant and fabulous offering, but while Frost* is more Jem Godfrey, Lonely Robot is all John Mitchell – he is credited with all instruments and vocals except for drums, which were played by Blundell and some backing vocals by Bonita Mckinney.
“Prologue” starts the album with a high keyboard note that is (possibly intentionally) the same as that which starts It Bites’ “Underneath Your Pillow”, but soon changes course to follow an entirely different direction – ethereal backing behind a narrator’s voice-over asking highly philosophical questions “I have often wondered what it must be like to go to sleep and never wake up. To be simply not there for ever and ever… that’s such a curious thought.” The narration gives way to heavy guitar riff that is the foundation for “Awakenings”. Solid but rhythmically complex, this massive song kicks the album off to a very promising start. Mitchell’s recognisable lead guitar makes its entrance in an imperious solo that is gripping in its power.
This musical styling continues with a Mitchell/Mckinney harmony over a sonically fat production in “Sigma”. Mitchell tends to make a little too much use of the compressed “telephone” effect on his own vocals, but bearing in mind that this is as close to a Sci-fi movie soundtrack as any Prog album is likely to be, it is fitting, if a little formulaic. The chorus is not remarkable, but the instrumental middle passage is enormous, and allows Blundell to unleash his formidable skills. He is a mighty drummer indeed.
As its name would suggest, “Floral Green” is a melancholy exploration of Mitchell’s gentler side. The narrator begins the song, after which Mitchell’s baritone melds beautifully with Mckinney’s tasteful harmonies. Again, the guitar solo is a piercing reminder of Mitchell’s world-class competence in this department.
“Everglow” is the Proggiest and possibly the best song on the album. Mitchell’s reputation for superlative guitar solos precedes him, and this one does not disappoint. The song is built around a massive metal riff that is distinctly recognizable as Mitchell’s own. Blundell’s percussive exploits are once again simply incandescent and the arrangement takes the listener to levels of musicality close to Mitchell’s best.
“False Lights” continues the theme in a more speculative mood, with Blundell the architect of a 5/4 staccato drum pattern that lies at the heart of the song. The jerky, climbing guitar pattern that serves as a replacement for a guitar solo is brilliant. It peaks in a frenzied cornucopia of sound before a climactic ending. This song exhibits Mitchell’s production credentials with a full, yet somehow spacey sound. He and Blundell make a formidable team.
“Symbolic” flirts with the ordinary and the repetitive, to begin with, but then a middle section in 6/8 and a staggering Mitchell guitar solo save the song. It ends with pensive piano chords and the narrator’s musings.
“The Divine Art of Being” is a gorgeous melody built on another syncopated Blundell drum pattern. Craig Blundell has undeniably flowered into one of the world’s great Prog drummers, and the various ways in which Mitchell uses his unique skills as a counterpoint to his own heart-wrenching vocals and guitar, are simply wonderful. Mitchell”s emotion suits the composition, and Blundell’s varied drum patterns, perfectly. This song will make your heart ache.
The title track (and longest song) will bring tears to the eyes of John Wetton fans. I do not believe that Mitchell will for one second deny the influence that his late friend has had on his career, and that is to be found throughout his work, but none more so than in this song. Mitchell shows his production chops with a very unusual reverse reverb effect woven into Blundell’s drums in the beginning of the song. A sense of foreboding is established, and the song is wrought with the astronaut’s angst. Blundell is unleashed throughout and his furious drumming is once again a perfect complement to Mitchell’s Crimson-esque instrumentals. It really could be a movie soundtrack. The narrator makes a lengthy appearance in the middle section of the song – “Going to sleep but not waking up” is the core theme that introduces an anguished guitar solo that would impress even David Gilmour devotees with its enormity. Familiar words from the first album are reprised: “Please come home lonely robot, your heart is beautiful, programmed to receive”. The enormous sadness of this reprise closes with an interstellar sound effect that gives a visual context to the aural emotions being experienced. I wonder if Wetton himself was on Mitchell’s mind when he was putting this together?
“Hello World Goodbye” finds the astronaut reconciling himself to the fact that he is back floating in space. Again, it sounds, quite intentionally, like it belongs on a sci-fi movie – you can imagine the visual image of the astronaut floating resignedly in space with the Earth in the background. Mckinney’s harmonies are prominent on this one, and Blundell looms huge at start of the guitar solo which is again, magnificent. Mitchell is one of the few guitarists whose solos you actually look forward to in every song, since each is so finely crafted.
Final song “Epilogue (Sea Beams)” is formed around a plaintive piano melody that is almost Baroque in its styling. Beautiful melody gives way to another sci-fi sound effect, and so the album ends.
I realise that comparisons are odious, but there must be thousands of die-hard It Bites fans asking whether they can reach to this album for fulfillment, since it is all they are being offered for now. Well, like the first album, this is not It Bites – it lacks the pop quirkiness of the latter, and therefore might be received by some as second best to that. But the album is nonetheless fulfilling and excellent, as anyone who knows John Mitchell’s work would predict.
You may expect shorter and darker songs than the first album, but still filled with all that is John Mitchell. Expect his unique compositional skills, his immediately recognizable voice, and lots of that wonderful, immense Mitchell guitar precision and sound. Expect earth-scapes and scenes of space to be sketched in your mind. Expect sadness and emotion combined with technique. Expect innovative production and Craig Blundell, Prog’s new king of drummers, at his furious peak. Hey, you are even allowed to expect a little taste of It Bites, 2012-style.
John Mitchell is that rarest of things: a fabulous composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer with a unique voice and massively underrated guitar chops. He creates inescapable melodies combined with genuinely progressive tendencies and swarthy production. “The Big Dream” finds him in a darker space than “Please Come Home”, but one feels that reconciliation to a happier place (perhaps closer to his It Bites legacy) is inevitable in the final chapter of the astronaut’s story. It will no doubt be awaited with eagerness.
This album is a grower – you will enjoy it more with every listen. I think that right now, Mr Wetton would be proud of his friend.
Released April 28th, 2017 on InsideOut Music
Key Tracks: Everglow, Sigma, Hello World Goodbye, The Divine Art of Being
1. Prologue (Deep Sleep) 2:12
2. Awakenings 5:10
3. Sigma 5:06
4. In Floral Green 5:08
5. Everglow 4:58
6. False Lights 5:33
7. Symbolic 5:06
8. The Divine Art Of Being 5:38
9. The Big Dream 8:02
10. Hello World Goodbye 3:52
11. Epilogue (Sea Beams) 2:48
Bonus Tracks
12. In Floral Green (Acoustic Version) 5:16
13. The Divine Art Of Being (Acoustic Version) 5:39
14. Why Do We Stay? (feat. Kim Seviour) 5:15
Album-Line Up:
Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards – John Mitchell
Drums – Craig Blundell
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by Blake | Apr 5, 2017 | Prog Report
After years on prog label Kscope, Steven Wilson has now announced a new deal with Caroline International, a label distributed through Universal Music Group. The announcement was made earlier on Wilson’s FB page.
Wilson joins a roster that includes Peter Gabriel, Thurston Moore, Iggy Pop, Van Morrison (Official), Glass Animals and Underworld among others.
SW: “I’m absolutely delighted to be entering into partnership with Michael Roe and his team at Caroline for my next album. Although Caroline exist within the Universal Music Group, their philosophy allows me to remain creatively independent, while at the same time providing the “muscle” that being with a major organisation brings. This makes it a perfect home for me, and I’m happy to now be label mates with some of the most respected musicians in the industry.”
Michael Roe, Joint Managing Director of Caroline International: “I’ve been a fan of Steven’s recorded and production work for many years. He’s an incredible talent with a big and dedicated fanbase but someone who has not received the wider recognition I think he deserves. I’m thrilled he’s chosen Caroline as a home”.
The follow up to 2015’s Hand. Cannot. Erase. will be released later this year, more news coming soon.
Photo credit – Lasse Hoile
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by Blake | Apr 4, 2017 | Prog Report
New York City prog quintet Edensong are pleased to present the premiere of their brand new video for the track “In the Longest of Days” from their 2016 album ‘Years in the Garden of Years’, which you can see here.
Vocalist James Schoen had this to say about the song:
“In the Longest of Days” is really the song that inspired the concept behind the album Years in the Garden of Years. It was the first song I wrote from scratch for Edensong since the Fruit Fallen days and it remains one of my favorites, and one that flowed really easily for me.
Conceptually, the song depicts a lifetime in the span of a single day; All our desires, aspirations, and struggles distilled into a solitary rotation of the earth on its axis.
True to the concept, we filmed the video in the span of a single day, up in rural Vermont, where I felt the epic landscape could really complement the feel of the music. Once again, we teamed up with our good friend filmmaker Nick Fiore, and worked with an incredible local dancer Hanna Satterlee. Since just getting the guys in the band together for rehearsal can often be a challenge, I was quite nervous about our ability to pull all this off in a day (especially considering it was an outdoor shoot in VT in the middle of November) but things couldn’t have come together more perfectly! Thanks, Global warming! Both the song and the video shoot flowed pretty effortlessly, a rarity in my experience!”
The band have been described by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull as “a great example of the contemporary face of Progressive Rock.
Years In The Garden Of Years is available through Laser’s Edge; CD orders can be placed HERE and the digital HERE.
EDENSONG Tour Dates:
5/07/2017 RoSfest – Gettysburg, PA w/ Neal Morse, Anglagard, more [info]
5/20/2017 Terra Incognita Festival – Quebec City, QC w/ Glasshammer, Universe Effects, more [info]
5/22/2017 Sneaky Dee’s – Toronto, ON w/ Imminent Sonic Destruction
5/24/2017 The Firebird – St. Louis, MO w/ Imminent Sonic Destruction
5/25/2017 Martyrs – Chicago, IL w/ Imminent Sonic Destruction
5/26/2017 The Loving Touch – Detroit, MI w/ Imminent Sonic Destruction
5/27/2017 Sherlock’s – Erie, PA w/ Imminent Sonic Destruction
5/28/2017 DROM – New York, NY w/ Imminent Sonic Destruction
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by Blake | Apr 3, 2017 | Prog Report
The Flower Kings started as a solo album by Swedish guitarist and singer Roine Stolt in 1994, who’s first album was titled The Flower King. The need for a backing band turned into the band that would become The Flower Kings and by their 3rd album, Stardust We Are, the band really began to click and Prog fans took real notice. Catapulted by the 25 minute closing track of the same name, the album would make The Flower Kings one of the top groups in the new world of modern Prog.
Joined by fellow songwriter Thomas Bodin and vocalist Hasse Froberg, who would become an official permanent member at the time of this recording, ‘Stardust We Are’ saw the band maturing as writers and really finding their footing. Roine Stolt explains, “I think at that point I realized though there was actually an audience for this kind of music out there, outside of Sweden, and maybe even in Sweden. And I realized there was an audience for my band, people like seemed to like The Flower Kings, and so that was kind of a revelation; realizing that okay we can actually make albums and people will buy them. I think that was probably the spark that got us into making a double album which ‘Stardust We Are was. I had so many songs and so many ideas, some older ideas just lying there for a while. I had some new ideas and I was writing new songs. So it was a very creative moment in time for me, and happy one as I remember it.”
The band have released 12 studio albums, the most recent being Desolation Rose in 2013.
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