by progrock.com | Jan 18, 2017 | Prog Report
Blackfield first formed back in 2004 as a collaboration between Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen after the two met in Israel following a Porcupine Tree show. The debut album was a great mix of Geffen and Wilson’s melancholic style set against more alternative pop setting. The result was Porcupine Tree-lite, whereas songs that might have usually gone 10 minutes as Porcupine Tree, within Blackfield were 3-4 minutes at the most. The follow up, Blackfield II, was a continuation of the first album. Both were fantastic albums that offered something different for fans of Wilson to absorb while they waited for a new PT album. The following 2 albums (Welcome to my DNA, Blackfield IV), however, fell short of the quality the band was known for. The albums were largely very mellow and one dimensional, perhaps due to the Wilson taking more of a step back on the last 2 albums. There is, however, a reason to be excited if you are a Blackfield fan. The new album ‘V’ finds Steven Wilson back in the fold and, as a result, the album is the duo’s best since the second album, and might even be their most diverse and refreshing work yet.
The album kicks off with the orchestral intro “A Drop in the Ocean” before hitting into the perfect Wilson track “Family Man”. Set against powerful drums and keys, Wilson’s voice starts right away, and immediately the album has a different and fresh feel than the previous Blackfield albums. The chorus is old school Porcupine Tree, which should make fans of that band warm with nostalgia. It is definitely a return to Wilson’s classic sound. The strong opening of the album continues with the brilliant, “How Was Your Ride”, a gorgeous ballad that begins simply with a piano and Wilson’s voice. The orchestration plays a big role here as the song builds. The simplicity here highlights Wilson and Geffen’s abilities to let a great hook do the work and let the song soar. This is one of the best track’s in the Blackfield catalog.
Geffen’s voice definitely has a heavy accent when singing in English, but it has grown since the early albums, and certainly does not feel forced. On tracks like “We’ll Never Be Apart”, he sounds raw and urgent. The mid-tempo rocker is a different type of song for the band and a nice change of pace. There are other highlights such as the ethereal “Life Is An Ocean”. The background vocals create a nice call and response with the lead vocals, and when the drums kick in towards the end, although expected, the song falls right into place.
The second half of the album finds the two taking a few more risks. Where previous Blackfield albums had more than their share of somber and melancholy ballads, here there are a few different options throughout. “Lately” is one of the more upbeat tracks the duo have ever produced. It is as straight forward a rock track as one might hear Wilson front, however, he sounds at home on this track that could have even fit nicely on Porcupine Tree’s album ‘Stupid Dream’. The instrumental “Salt Water” separates two Geffen-led songs, the bluesy, “Jackyl” which has a few surprises, and the grand “Undercover Heart.”
The album concludes and peaks with another one of the highlights, the semi-biographical “From 44 to 48” which Wilson lends his voice to. The lyrics start oddly with “and then between 13 and 17…” as he sings about the different stages as he gets older. The guitar that acts as the chorus is reminiscent of the guitar part from “Prodigal”, another PT classic song. The duo’s harmonies here are glorious. This is one of those songs that only Wilson can do justice to and it utterly beautiful and brilliant; a great ending to the album.
Blackfield only pales in comparison to the member’s other full-time responsibilities. By any other measure, this is a great album and one that is easy to enjoy. It is great to have the band return to what they do best.
Released on Feb 10th, 2017 on Kscope Music
Key Tracks: Family Man, How Was Your Ride, From 44 to 48
Tracklisting
1. “A Drop in the Ocean” 1:23
2. “Family Man” 3:37
3. “How Was Your Ride?” 3:58
4. “We’ll Never Be Apart” 2:54
5. “Sorrys” 2:58
6. “Life is an Ocean” 3:26
7. “Lately” 3:24
8. “October” 3:31
9. “The Jackal” 3:56
10. “Salt Water” 2:39
11. “Undercover Heart” 4:02
12. “Lonely Soul” 3:42
13. “From 44 to 48” 4:31
Total length: 44:01
Band
Steven Wilson – vocals, guitar, keyboards
Aviv Geffen – vocals, guitar, keyboards
Tomer Z – drums
Eran Mitelman – keyboards
Production
Alan Parsons – production on three tracks
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Source:: Prog Report
by progrock.com | Jan 17, 2017 | Prog Report
Radiohead has confirmed nine U.S. headline shows in addition to the band’s previously announced headline engagement at this year’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.
Tickets for the newly announced dates go on sale beginning January 20th. Tickets for all shows will be limited to 4 per order*. Restrictions may vary from venue to venue.
The full Radiohead U.S. 2017 itinerary is below. Please check www.radiohead.com for further information.
March 30 – American Airlines Arena – Miami, FL
April 1 – Philips Arena – Atlanta, GA
April 3 – Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, LA
April 5 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO
April 8 – Key Arena – Seattle, WA
April 9 – Moda Center – Portland, OR
April 11 – Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA* Tickets limited to 2 per order
April 14 – Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival – Indio, CA
April 17 – Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
April 18 – Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
April 21 – Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival – Indio, CA
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Source:: Prog Report
by progrock.com | Jan 17, 2017 | Prog Report
Summer’s End Festival, the UK’s longest-running Progressive Rock festival, has announced quite a lineup for their upcoming festival, Oct 6-8, 2017. Among the band’s announced are Frost*, The Tangent, Karmakanic, Franck Carducci, Southern Empire, Maschine, Elephants of Scotland, Midnight Sun, Half Past Four, Weendo.
Tickets are available here: http://www.summersend.co.uk/tickets2017.html
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Source:: Prog Report
by progrock.com | Jan 16, 2017 | Prog Report
by Prog Nick
Seventeen years. Seventeen. That’s a decade and another seven years. That, dear reader, is the amount of time for which Big Big Train was absent from the live stage – a long enough period to stifle the life out of any normal band. But Big Big Train (BBT) is not any normal band. Far from it.
Defying all convention, BBT’s habitual personnel changes and self-imposed hiatuses have failed, over the years, to erode the band’s fan-base. On the contrary, rare but wonderful studio releases recorded by stellar musicians, whether long-standing members or new, have provided enough succor to the band’s followers (the self-styled ‘Passengers’) to ensure that interest in the band never waned. Indeed, the fan-base grew and the clamour for live performances continued to mount over the years until finally, one weekend in August 2015, three memorable shows took place at King’s Place in London. The two shows originally scheduled had sold out in just hours, and a third (Sunday matinee) performance was therefore hurriedly added. It, too, sold out with alacrity, and the scene was set for what was eventually to be voted “Event of the Year” in the Prog Magazine Readers’ Poll.
These concerts were always going to be special events. I attended all three performances (I did fly for over twelve hours to get there, so I feel only a little guilt about that) and was therefore fortunate enough to witness the slight variations and nuances that a second or third performance of a song can bring. When the release of live album “A Stone’s Throw From The Line” was announced, my first question was therefore whether BBT would release one particular concert performance as a whole, or whether they would select individual song performances from all three. They chose to do the latter, and all in all, I think this was a good decision.
The track list reflects the actual running order of the shows and kicks off, as any self-respecting Passenger would expect, with crowd-pleaser “Make Some Noise”, after which the familiar refrain of “The First Rebreather” commences. Thereafter a veritable rolling meadow of quirky, anecdotal English Prog, such that only Big Big Train can deliver, is unleashed, right up until the final cymbal crash after the a capella ending to “Hedgerow”. It is a feast.
The lengthy two-CD set includes songs taken largely from the two “English Electric” albums and “The Underfall Yard”, as well as the then unreleased “Wassail”.
From the rapturous applause that opens the album (during which an audience member shouts “Make some noise!” to which lead vocalist David Longdon replies “Funny you should say that” before the song kicks off), there is an air of celebration that permeates the entire album. The musicianship is, of course, full cause for such celebration – superlative instrumental and vocal expression of gripping anecdotes and stories that entertain and indeed educate. If the band was “learning on the job”, as Longdon announces at the end of “Kingmaker”, a very fine job it was. Special mention must be made of master drummer Nick d’ Virgilio’s supreme talent, which provides the glue so vital to hold such a detailed tapestry together (he also delivers a brilliant solo at the start of “Judas Unrepentant”.) Also deserving of special mention is multi-instrumentalist Rikard Sjöblom, whose contribution throughout is noticeably indispensible. Naturally, no review like this would be complete without reference to Longdon, who justifies his reputation as the successor to Peter Gabriel’s vocal throne, and to the tireless efforts of fine bassist Greg Spawton, the ongoing driver of the BBT project. He should be proud, because this band is in very fine form indeed.
I could go through every song, but somehow, it seems more appropriate to list a string of epithets in an attempt to describe some of the various moments to be experienced when listening to this album: bountiful, pastoral, story-telling, beautiful, historic, complex, quirky, mythological, dark, whimsical, startling, poetic, boisterous, kaleidoscopic, mysterious, elaborate, fantastical, bombastic, interwoven, lyrical, brash, tender, pagan, pretty, cantankerous and brilliant. Oh, and (despite d’ Virgilio’s American citizenship and Sjöblom’s Scandinavian heritage), thoroughly, thoroughly English.
Recorded and mixed by long-time BBT collaborator Rob Aubrey, the sound quality of this live album is exceptional. There is a certain uncompressed separation and timbre in the mix that is very pleasing, while still remaining faithful to the live experience. With more than thirteen musicians in attendance (including a five-piece brass section and superb violinist Rachel Hall), a huge instrumental set-up and David Longdon’s rich vocals rising over it all, mixing this music live or in studio can have been no mean task, but Aubrey succeeds on both counts.
In typical BBT fashion, the album comes with an impressive 40-page glossy booklet. It is a very high-quality product indeed. “A Stone’s Throw From The Line” therefore certainly is an indispensible item for any Passenger, but one feels that it would also make a very good purchase for any new fan looking to come to terms with BBT’s vast catalogue in a hurry, and I have no doubt that there are many.
A live album can be a quick and easy release with very little risk attached, or it can be a dangerous gamble, laden with the threat of possible disappointment. For Big Big Train, an independent outfit whose live performance was so sorely missed as to create hysteria for years, it is more likely to have been the latter. The August 2015 Big Big Train concerts were unforgettable, monumental events – a time of joyous and unprecedented celebration for Passengers. This release will have to present an exceptional live album for Passengers to feel that it rekindles the joy and experience of those three concerts. Does it succeed? I was there for all of them, and hearing this album took me right back to King’s Place, so take it from me – it does.
In a weird way, that seventeen-year wait was almost worth it.
The album’s full track-listing is:
Disc 1
Make Some Noise
The First Rebreather
The Underfall Yard
Uncle Jack
Victorian Brickwork
Disc 2
Kingmaker
Wassail
Summoned By Bells
Judas Unrepentant
Curator Of Butterflies
East Coast Racer
Hedgerow
David Longdon – lead and backing vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion
Nick D’Virgilio – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Greg Spawton – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, bass pedals, backing vocals
Andy Poole – acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboards, backing vocals
Dave Gregory – guitars
Danny Manners – keyboards, double bass
Rachel Hall – violin, voila, cello, backing vocals
Rikard Sjöblom – keyboards, guitars, accordion, backing vocals
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Source:: Prog Report
by progrock.com | Jan 16, 2017 | Prog Report
Concert: Neal Morse Band – The Road Called Home Tour
Venue: Rocketown in Nashville, TN on Jan 14th, 2017
Review by: Kyle Fagala
Photos by: Jon Fiala
BACK TO THE CITY:
5 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE NEAL MORSE BAND
It’s opening night of The Neal Morse Band’s “The Road Called Home” tour and roughly 450 Prog Rock fans have gathered in Nashville to witness the live concert debut of a staggering 23 songs from The Similitude of a Dream, a 2-Disc concept album based on John Bunyan’s classic book The Pilgrim’s Progress, plus a few surprises that we will discuss later.
The atmosphere tonight is palpably different from the last time Neal played this room. No, not 2015 when he played across the street in support of The Grand Experiment, but rather October 2012 when he kicked off The Momentum Tour with a then new band. The venue, Rocketown, seemed an odd choice back then to be sure – a sort of Christian skatepark hangout for inner city teens, a few of whom were seated around puffy couches playing Madden as we entered the building. VIP ticket holders stood in line to meet, greet, and get autographs from three musicians we all knew well (Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, and Randy George) plus three relative unknowns in Eric Gillette, Bill Hubauer, and Adson Sodre. The venue, a large hall with a capacity around 1,000, was far too big for the maybe 100 in attendance. The turnout was especially disappointing considering Nashville is Neal’s hometown, and because it was one of the best shows I have ever seen – a performance that deserved a stadium full of fans.
I’m happy to report that less than 5 years later, The Neal Morse Band received the homecoming they deserve. Their concerts may never fill stadiums, but the room tonight was electric, hanging on every lyric that was sung and every note that was played. The last 5 years have been busy for Neal. He’s produced two albums with both The Neal Morse Band and Flying Colors, one from Transatlantic, an incredible solo effort called Songs From November, and a stellar worship album to boot. Three MorseFests and two concert cruises later, a community, dare I say a family, has formed. Concerts now feel more like reunions than anything else, and we all have Neal Morse to thank for that. At 56, Neal is making the best music of his career, and The Similitude of a Dream is the crown jewel from his third decade in Progressive Rock. This album has clearly resonated with fans, both new and old, and they turned out to celebrate it together.
There were no huge surprises in the first two hours, but that’s not a bad thing. As expected, the band played through The Similitude of a Dream from start to finish. The show opened with a new orchestral overture arranged by Eric, while background videos, similar to the ones at MorseFest, played throughout. The videos, produced by Christian Rios, didn’t distract from the music like some concert videos do, but rather augmented the experience. Christian told me he spent over a month creating the videos, most of which he built from scratch considering the unique nature of the subject matter. He actually filmed himself as the main character, which is appropriate considering they share a first name.
Neal channeled his inner Peter Gabriel throughout the night by donning a series of masks, glasses, and hoods. There was a definite “Steampunk meets Mad Max” vibe to the outfits for everyone except Bill, who was dressed in a bowtie, vest, and newsboy cap, standing in as the night’s Mr. Worldly Wiseman. These theatrical touches have been brewing the past few years at MorseFest, coming to full fruition with Snow and again here. It definitely added to the overall experience, granting a uniqueness and impact to each individual song.
Everything worked tonight, but there were some songs that sounded even better than their album versions. “City of Destruction” proved why it was the lead single with its huge vocal harmonies and wall of sound. An extended, layered vocal part on my personal favorite track “The Ways of a Fool” was very welcome, and I got the feeling that everyone in the band enjoyed performing it. The highlight of the night, though was a song I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did. It came at the end of the first set with “Breath of Angels”, a song that sounds lifted from the Testimony sessions. The intro was extended slightly to allow Neal to search “there through the trees” with a prop flashlight. His voice cracked a few times and his eyes watered as he sang of seeing his father smiling in the distance. As the gospel-style background vocals kicked in, it felt like we were all at church together, celebrating the baptism of a close friend.
I must also mention Eric Gillette’s evolution as a guitarist. From playing second fiddle to Adson Sodré in 2012, to being forced to learn his lead parts when Adson couldn’t get a visa in the Spring of 2013, to his blistering guitar solo on “The Door” at MorseFest 2015, to tonight where he didn’t miss a single note on multiple, complex solos, all without breaking a sweat, Eric has officially reached rock god status in my opinion, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more humble guy.
Other highlights included Mike’s lead vocals on “Draw the Line”, Eric’s guitar solo on “The Slough” (with enough whammy bar flutters to make a man cry), Bill’s vocals and keyboard solo on “Slave to Your Mind”, Eric’s high-pitched scream vocal on “The Man in the Iron Cage”, Neal’s hilarious lyrical changes on “Sloth”, the “Queen ‘39 style” performance of “Freedom Song” with Bill on mandolin and Mike on tambourine, and Randy’s Entwistle-inspired bass solo on “I’m Running.” Further, having songs that feature Neal, Eric, Bill, and Mike on lead vocals gives the band an extra depth and range that few other bands can claim.
The last 25 minutes of the album, beginning with “The Mask”, were simply breathtaking. I stopped taking notes and just tried to take it all in. If you have the opportunity to experience it in person, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Of course, we all knew what the band would play for the main set, but the question of what they would play for an encore was a mystery and a hot topic of discussion on all the Facebook forums (Warning: Spoilers ahead). No, we didn’t get “Seeds of Gold” or “So Many Roads”, and while what we got instead was less of a surprise, it was still very good. It’s also understandable considering the band already had to learn 1 hour and 47 minutes of new music. So, what did they play for an encore?
The band opened with an extended version of “Momentum”, lovingly referred to by resident Prog superfan Cesar Mendiburu as “Morementum.” They also surprised the crowd by pulling out “Agenda”, the black sheep track from The Grand Experiment, which worked very well live. The show ended with “The Call”, one of the strongest moments from their previous tour when it was the opener instead of the closer, which brings me to my final point.
Tonight felt like the last page of a great book – one that I haven’t been able to put down these past few years. Of course, there will be more books in the series, but this book, the one that started in 2012 with a new band playing “Momentum” to a small crowd in a big room in Nashville, now ends with them returning to the same venue and playing that same song to a much larger crowd. The Neal Morse Band have come full circle, and in that journey, they have cemented themselves as one of the best bands in the history of Progressive Rock.
The post Concert Review: Neal Morse Band in Nashville, TN, 1-14-17 appeared first on The Prog Report.
Source:: Prog Report
by progrock.com | Jan 14, 2017 | Prog Report
Legendary Swedish symphonic progressive rock band ÄNGLAGÅRD is proud to present their first ever professionally filmed concert, set to be released worldwide on February 10th, 2017. “Live: Made in Norway” was captured at Musikkflekken, Sandvika, Norway on February 21st, 2015, marking the band’s return to Norway stages after an absence of 23 years.
Edited by Martin Gustafson, with audio production and mixing by world renowned audio engineer Alar Suurna, and art design and production supervision by band’s long-time collaborator Joel Barrios, the two-hour performance is a stellar capturing of live art through and through; a perfect testimony of Änglagård’s unique take on progressive rock, showcasing their swirling, angular crescendos along with frenetic rhythms and howling mellotron, blended with truly emotional sudden softer passages.
A sonic rollercoaster of aggressive music in odd meter, subtle parts and melancholic beauty, building suspense and abrupt stops, with a wondrous interplay of sounds, this visual presentation is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Änglagård’s extreme level of delicacy in phrasing and dynamic is a tough match to beat in progressive music and should hold up even in the face of the snootiest of music connoisseurs.
Preorders will start today (January 14th, 2017) at the band’s Fan Club page http://www.anglagardfanclub.com/store.html Several bundles are available, combining the new release with T-Shirts and even offering the almost out-of-print 23 Years of Hybris (Deluxe 3 Mini-LP CD Box) which was a Japan only edition limited to 500 copies worldwide.
The set-list of the concert was as follows:
1.- Introvertus Fugu Part I (Prog på Svenska, 2014)
2.- Höstsejd (Epilog, 1994)
3.- Längtans Klocka (Viljans Öga, 2012)
4.- Jordrök (Hybris, 1993)
5.- Sorgmantel (Viljans Öga, 2012)
6.- Vandringar i Vilsenhet (Hybris, 1993)
7.- El Ímpetu del Bosque
8.- Kung Bore (Hybris, 1993)
9.- Sista Somrar (Epilog, 1994)
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Source:: Prog Report
