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I came to this forum from a Google search for "post-metal", knowing nothing about progressive music. My goal here was to talk about a band that released their debut track in the instrumental post-metal genre. This group is EXISTENTIAL DEAD from Finland.
However, I was just told that this track is not progressive music. Although this is post-metal, and post-metal is listed on the main page of the Prog Archives website. That's why I'm also writing in this thread. In any case, let the forum administrators judge whether I posted my information here correctly. I don't hope that I haven't violated the forum rules. If this is so, then I apologize.
Band:EXISTENTIAL DEAD is a promising one-man band from Finland in the instrumental post-metal genre. The band was founded in 2023 in Finland.
Album: The debut is Cold Hands (Single, 2023).
Album's cover:
Review: EXISTENTIAL DEAD is a mixture of rocking riffs with the atmosphere of a cold northern forest. The group captivates with a unique vision, fresh sound and a piercing world that you want to dive into again and again.
It's similar to a lot of what you've heard, but it's still very new and original. Quite a bright, driving sound, multi-layeredness and virtuoso control of the instrument make you listen carefully to the composition every time you listen to it.
Raiting: 5 of 5.
Prog Appeal:I think it might appeal to progressive music fans as they are open to new things in their playlist.
Nice to see this ... and it has some of the things that had made so many bootlegs famous, because of the long/longer/longest version of various pieces of music ... there are some really nice things here, and it's a shame that we have limited "progressive" to a specific set of the same things, because there is stuff here that is quite a treat and shows how so much of the "progressive" music grew up.
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com
I tried to get this trio added to Progarchives because the three individuals are all prog musicians, but it was deemed not proggy enough. Which is fair, the sound is more Crosby Stills Nash and Young or Simon and Garfunkel, than the usual output of Nick D'Virgilio, Neal Morse, and Ross Jennings.
The idea for this collaboration came together during the covid lockdown, and was at the instigation of Neal Morse, who had wanted to do a more acoustic album for a while. He invited his long-time friend Nick D'Virgilio to come on board, and the trio was completed by Ross Jennings of Haken. Because of covid the album was recorded remotely, making it all more remarkable that the harmonies turned out so well.
So what we have is a collection of pretty much acoustic songs, occasional use of electric guitar and drums, great melodies, fantastic harmonies. Five songs are attributed to Neal, three to Nick, two to Ross, and a final song which appears in two alternative versions, one attributed to Jennings and Morse, and the other just to Jennings.
Track list:
1. Everything I Am (Morse): A bright start with a chorus that sticks in your head
2. Julia (Jennings and Morse): This is the song that also appears in longer form as a bonus track attributed only to Ross Jennings. Ross submitted it to Neal but he didn't feel it fitted the style of the album so he shortened it and tweaked it. The bonus track version is longer and quite different, both versions are excellent.
3. You Set My Soul On Fire (D'Virgilio): Another nice song, though in my opinion not as good as the first two.
4. One Time Less (Morse): Very catchy, bouncy song
5. Another Trip Around The Sun (Jennings): Another catchy tune, Neal's favourite vocal trick of counterpoint vocal lines a la Gentle Giant is used in the middle of this song.
6. A Change Is Gonna Come (Morse): Taking the tempo down now, this is very much in the vein of a 1960s protest song
7. If I Could (D'Virgilio): Yet another catchy tune, nice use of keyboard here (a windkey, whatever that is).
8. King For A Day (Jennings): Probably the heaviest song on the album, and one that it took me a while to get into.
9. Second Hand Sons (Morse): Another heavier track, this one is better than King For A Day. Puts me in mind of Neil Young's "Southern Man" at one point.
10. My Guardian (D'Virgilio): Still a bit on the heavier side, though less so than the previous two songs. Nothing special about this one.
11. What You Leave Behind (Morse): Beautiful song to finish. Acoustic guitar based, great vocal harmonies, lovely message.
I can totally recommend this album to anyone who likes CSNY and similar bands. I understand a second album from this trio is due out later this year. I look forward to hearing it.
Awesome thread idea! Sorry I hadn't seen it before! Love seeing reviews/recommendations for Prefab, Gaga, etc.!
Band Name and description:
FIVE STOREY ENSEMBLE is a progressive neo-classical band from Belarus coming out of the AltrOck label that rose out of the ashes of RATIONAL DIET in 2012-13. Compositions are mostly by former RD members and Five-Storey core members bassoon/saxophonist Vitaly Appow and pianist/vocalist Olga Podgaiskaja and generally feature accordion, violin, double bass and/or cello, acoustic or electric guitars, some percussion, and classically styled male and female vocals.
Album information:
Their first release from March of 2013 is entitled, Not That City. Several videos of music of live and studio performances from Not That City can be found on YouTube.
The Review:
FIVE-STOREY ENSEMBLE Not That City
Out of the ashes of RATIONAL DIET rises this phoenix of incredible power and beauty--in my humble opinion, an album ten times better than the very well crafted albums of its predecessor. Yes, Five-Storey Ensemble is the spawn of RATIONAL DIET. RATIONAL DIET founding member and reed player, Vitaly Appow, and keyboard/vocalist Olga Podgaiskaja, of the final two RATIONAL DIET albums, At Work and On Phenomenon and Existences, are principle composers here, while violinist, Cyrill Christya, and bass guitarist, Dmitry Maslovsky participate on several songs.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the Avant/RIO/Modern Chamber musings of RD, I was quick to zoom in on Not That City once it was posted on progstreaming.com. Bam! Was I broadsided! This album blew me away from the opener through to the last song. It’s music is reminiscent of RATIONAL DIET but, like ARANIS, it is much more melodic and its vocals play a much more important role in defining their sound. The vocals here are used more operatically—and really only used in the forefront of four different songs. Whenever the male tenor and female soprano voices perform I find myself reminded of Goreki’s Third Symphony. Even though vocalists Sergey Dolgushev and composer and keyboard player, Olga Podgaiskaja, respectively, employ operatic approaches stylistically, their vocals are often used almost more as additional instruments—which has the tremendous effect of deepening the conveyance of emotions within each song—and each has such a distinct and different contribution to the songs with their voices—often at the same time--that it has the effect of bringing two very different, almost divergent threads into the emotional weave.
1. “The Harbinger” (5:51) opens the album with some long, sustained note playing from accordion player, Alexander But’ko. He is then gradually joined by violinist, Anastasia Popova, and oboist, Natalja Malashova, all weaving their magical notes together, slowly, deliciously. At the 2:20 mark pianist, Olga Podgaiskaja, bassoonist Vitaly Appow, and double bass player, Vyacheslav Plesko join in, taking the music into more staccato, rapido mode for several measures before fading back to let the original weave evolve. This cycle of piano- and bass-infused tempo upgrade recurs twice more, before the third occasion, in the third minute, a prolonged, sustained dark theme more suited to PRESENT or UNIVERS ZERO is presented and built upon. This continues until 4:15 when an additional thread of color is provided by male vocalist, Sergey Dolgushev. We then see the song devolve into a final weave coming from Sergey’s plaintive voice and Alexander’s emotional accordion.
Awesome song—though it does get drawn out a bit in places. I’ve heard this song in three different formats now, album version and two different live performances with two very different instrumental lineups (one more expanded, like the album version). Each has its strengths and charms. (9/10)
2. “Bondman’s Wings” (2:24) is a short, beautiful and powerful 'folk' instrumental using accordion, bassoon, oboe, and stringed instruments (with some military-like percussion) to tell its tale. Charming!(9/10)
3. “The Incommunication” (5:22) alternating female and male vocals as if in conversation—sounds so romantic yet spiritual, almost religious. Sparse instrumentation of long sustained chords accompany the vocal until the two minute mark when a kind of Renaissance courtly music dances us into another dimension. Incredible constructions of seemingly independent instrumental voices all woven into a spacious yet multi-layered tapestry of exquisite beauty! The voices return for the final two minutes, this time woven within the multi-layered tapestry (a bit too much going on here for these ears). (9/10)
4. “To Ringfly” (3:11) begins as a rondo between accordion, bassoon and percussion and plays out very much in that format with the occasional instrument added here or there. (8/10)
5. “A Disappearing Road" (4:42) To pulsing bassoon, and drum are soon woven in with accordion and other woodwinds. The first third is very Baroque/Renaissance processional feeling, but then structure shifts at about the two minute mark, taking on a more squared, constant feel, and then again at the 3:20 mark in which cacophonous strings play wildly over a woodwind section that holds long, long notes in strange discordant harmonies. Interesting and unusual. (9/10)
6. “The Unpainted” (7:57) is a haunting, even disturbing song beginning with simple piano arpeggio, double bass, and intermittent injections of string or woodwind instruments. Just after the one minute mark, the discordant tones of a female vocalist enters in low registers, then slowly climbs, octave by octave, until a minute later she is singing her dirge in her highest soprano register. Piano, strings, and woodwinds work themselves into until at 3:35 drums join in to accentuate the drama. A few seconds later and all has calmed down to 'solo' piano attended very sparsely by injections of winds, strings, percussives and, in the sixth minute, an electric guitar(!)--all painting a picture of the most ominous and despondent tones. The most UNIVERS ZERO-sounding song yet! (8/10)
7. Yesterday Dormant” (5:40) is a classical sounding discourse between male and female vocalists. Very powerful. I love music like this (no matter that it's being sung in a language I neither know or understand.) Kind of reminds me of a more classical sophisticated version of Jon Anderson's "Chagalll Duet", a conversational duet he did with Sandrine Piau from 1994's Change We Must. Beautiful music! Very powerful in the way that Sergey’s tenor is so strong, staccato, and positive while Olga’s soprano is so delicate, melodic and pleading. (9/10)
8. “The Protector” (3:22) uses oboe and piano over rapid hand drumming--all of which makes me feel very at home, as if I were at a Renaissance Faire. The slowed down piano chord hits with cello and percussion section that begins around the 2:20 mark is quite devastatingly sad, a mood that is then quickly dispelled with a return to the opening section. But the song then concludes with a half-a-minute of some very ambiguous chords and feel. (8/10)
9. “Fear-Dream” (3:47) piano, strings and bassoon dominate this one, though accordion, oboe and a little percussion are also involved. It's very powerful and emotional. Electric guitar even joins in for some soloing a couple of times--especially during the last minute. This one reminds me of the music of one of my favorite modern groups, KOTEBEL. (9/10)
10. “Amid the Smoke and Different Question” (6:31) starts out sounding like a Broadway/operetta, even Moulin Rouge-ish. A male vocalist sings over the simple support of long, sustained accordian chords, and later is accompanied by an almost-separate woodwind dance, then another separate, discordant thread comes from strings, and then yet another seemingly unrelated theme arises from the deeper woodwinds. It's as if several small troubadour groups are parading through a town center, criss-crossing at the center, each playing its own little diddy as it passes by where the tenor continues, unphased, singing his plaintive dirge. Brilliant and gutsy! (9/10)
11. “Not That City” (6:57) begins as a rondo between oboe, chor anglais, and bowed double bass and then accordion. Then harpsichord takes over! The other instruments join in in a frolicking folksie tune with the accordion and chor anglais kind of dominating the twin melody lines. The at 2:15 all stops and piano enters to take over lead melody and rhythm making while all other instruments slow down in long languorous sustained notes in gorgeous harmonies. At 3:32 it happens again, everything stops and adjusts to a section in which strings lead the basic rhythm while all else pulse and dance around them (even the double bass and viola). Another shift allows the song to play out its final minute in a very dreamy, mysterious but beautiful way. Incredible song! My favorite on the album. Were I a music theorist I might appreciate and enjoy this even more—it seems so bold and daring. (10/10)
Without a doubt Not That City is one of my favorite album of the albums I've heard from 2013. It's music excites and mesmerizes me, its constructs surprise and delight--they raise my hopes for the possibilities of music and for the possibilities of humanity.
Rating:
5 Stars, unquestioned; six if it were allowed (occasionally). I've not been this excited about a new album since MAUDLIN OF THE WELL's Part The Second blew me away back in '09. Stunningly creative and fresh.
Prog Appeal:
I understand that the music from Not That City is lacking in the "rock" elements that are considered essential to PA's foundation, but I believe this album is so progressive that it should be included on the archives.
Wow, I remember getting this album from CDBaby in 2013, along with an album by Bulbs. Anyone remember Bulbs?
(cover art ommitted because nudity; no actual bits shown but possibly still too risqué for this forum)
Never
content to work within a single genre for too long, Dani Lee Pearce on this
release has found herself returning to the synthpop style of her work from the
2017-18 period. By no means a regression however, the songs on Unfair Harmonies
are a refinement of a specific approach to songwriting she only touched upon at
the time: each song develops as a gradual construction of melodic snippets and
ornaments that on their own sound strange and defective, but which, when put together, interlock and complete each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle even as they
twist and turn in unusual chord progressions and intervals to keep listeners on
their toes. The opening track is particularly powerful in this regard, starting
with synthesized percussion and bleeps until more and more layers are stacked
up to create a powerful, stately, anthemic composition.
The folktronica
arrangements of Pearce’s directly preceding works are now replaced by a synth
palette ranging from chiming textures to electric guitar-mimicking sounds to pure
tones such as the quirky square wave that’s sure to bring a smile to listener’s
faces when it introduces them to “Kind Of A Gremlin”. Even the vocals are
electronically treated to add to the robotic feel of an album that nonetheless feels
full of life and energy.
Highlights
for me are the mantric, hypnotic disco march “In Passion’s Clutch”, and the
closing “Teenagers In A Tennis World” which I find to have the most memorable
hook, and those falsetto notes in the chorus have an irresistible beauty to
them. A highly accomplished effort, in all.
This creation must be called progressive, let me say at first. "Anthem Of The Sun" was released in 1968 as the second album of a US psychedelic live-based Giant GRATEFUL DEAD. Their first eponymous album was out in the previous year, that features authentic blues rock songs plus their original psychedelic titles. Actually my first GRATEFUL DEAD was the first album which did not impress me so badly. And "Anthem Of The Sun" has perfectly immersed me ... even now! In this album they launched their real innnovative psychedelia, not discharged by any other combo in those days. I do not know what a circumstance they studio-recorded under, but this incredible 'outer' atmosphere they shot in the real world should have been one and only. No suspicion they strongly implanted their enthusiasm into our mind.
Reagrdless to say (!), the highlight of this album is on Side A. The whole side, especially "That's It For The Other One - New Potato Caboose" suite forms a wonderful psychedelic grandeur. The very first Pigpen's keyboard opening is quite suggestive. Soft and smooth, slowtempo melody lines and rhythmic bases make us safe and sound. Do not be deceived. They never betray us. The melodic / rhythmic situation alters evetually (such a POOR mixing sounds not bad at all!). Randomized colourful sound starshines catch us. The rhythm section's performance is not strictly precise nor perfectly refined (but loose and vague intentionally) but such an easygoing playing adds good decoration to this song. In the middle dreamy kaleidoscopic part we the audience could get absorbed eternally. And this inexpressible psychedelic aroma provides the following masterpiece "Neo Potato Caboose" very beautiful and delightful one. The first part sounds pretty bluesy, flavoury featuring calm, settled vocals and instrumental streamings. The latter involves fascinating, energetic flexibility by every single instrument, especially ultimate keyboard-oriented fantasy. This suite might be one of monnumental works in the worldwide music scene, I consider (or overestimate?).
"Born Cross-Eyed" sounds like an oasis momentally. This song was composed / written by Bob, another buffer but strength in The DEAD. Really amazing and catchy, but somewhat hearty flowery mystery should be around the opus. The shortest stuff in this album cannot be avoided but the existence should be important for the whole production definitely.
However, we cannot avoid joining their improvisational opus as if we were at a venue on Side B. In the longest track "Alligator" are various rock elements. The first shot is funky, slowtempo, laidback blues phase. We can easily imagine they played with full of relax and pleasure even in the front of the big audience. Reed whistle blows are also comfortable. And in the middle part the playing situation changes unexpectedly. Uptempo freakout impromptus constructed mainly by Mickey's percussion, Jerry's flexible guitar, Pigpen's psychedelic loose keyboards, completely ring our bells. Such a powerful sound convention should be followed by the last "Caution", another crazy big one. Magnificent improvisation with quirky tape effects is solidified just like kinda vanguard of Krautrock. Not only guitar plays but also voices are mystically trembling in a irregular manner, but splendid sound waves can appeal to us drastically. Really don't know what a situation they played this production under, but surely they provide dreamy, hallucinogenic psychic aroma through the flexible musical advice. It is renowned they played improvisationally on stage 'overnight' for getting unified with the audience. Always wish I could have attended such a tremendous gig in late 1960s.
FIVE STOREY ENSEMBLE is a progressive neo-classical band from Belarus coming out of the AltrOck label that rose out of the ashes of RATIONAL DIET in 2012-13. Compositions are mostly by former RD members and Five-Storey core members bassoon/saxophonist Vitaly Appow and pianist/vocalist Olga Podgaiskaja and generally feature accordion, violin, double bass and/or cello, acoustic or electric guitars, some percussion, and classically styled male and female vocals.
Album information:
Their first release from March of 2013 is entitled, Not That City. Several videos of music of live and studio performances from Not That City can be found on YouTube.
The Review:
FIVE-STOREY ENSEMBLE Not That City
Out of the ashes of RATIONAL DIET rises this phoenix of incredible power and beauty--in my humble opinion, an album ten times better than the very well crafted albums of its predecessor. Yes, Five-Storey Ensemble is the spawn of RATIONAL DIET. RATIONAL DIET founding member and reed player, Vitaly Appow, and keyboard/vocalist Olga Podgaiskaja, of the final two RATIONAL DIET albums, At Work and On Phenomenon and Existences, are principle composers here, while violinist, Cyrill Christya, and bass guitarist, Dmitry Maslovsky participate on several songs.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the Avant/RIO/Modern Chamber musings of RD, I was quick to zoom in on Not That City once it was posted on progstreaming.com. Bam! Was I broadsided! This album blew me away from the opener through to the last song. It’s music is reminiscent of RATIONAL DIET but, like ARANIS, it is much more melodic and its vocals play a much more important role in defining their sound. The vocals here are used more operatically—and really only used in the forefront of four different songs. Whenever the male tenor and female soprano voices perform I find myself reminded of Goreki’s Third Symphony. Even though vocalists Sergey Dolgushev and composer and keyboard player, Olga Podgaiskaja, respectively, employ operatic approaches stylistically, their vocals are often used almost more as additional instruments—which has the tremendous effect of deepening the conveyance of emotions within each song—and each has such a distinct and different contribution to the songs with their voices—often at the same time--that it has the effect of bringing two very different, almost divergent threads into the emotional weave.
Without a doubt Not That City is one of my favorite album of the albums I've heard from 2013. It's music excites and mesmerizes me, its constructs surprise and delight--they raise my hopes for the possibilities of music and for the possibilities of humanity.
Rating:
5 Stars, unquestioned; six if it were allowed (occasionally). I've not been this excited about a new album since MAUDLIN OF THE WELL's Part The Second blew me away back in '09. Stunningly creative and fresh.
Prog Appeal:
I understand that the music from Not That City is lacking in the "rock" elements that are considered essential to PA's foundation, but I believe this album is so progressive that it should be included on the archives.
I defenitely agree with the review above. FIVE STOREY ENSEMBLE - NOT THAT CITY is a 5 stars album, its (even) better than its root - Rational Diet, and I cannot see why this album is not listed in the archievs. its a true chamber rock. BTW they are still here, they have a second album, and now working on their third.
I purcheased this album (NTC) back in 2013/14 and, but due to a permanent delay, listening to it just now. It's stunning.
Thank you BrufordFrick for a detaild well-written review.
I didn't think much of this album before popping the disc into player. These types of orchestral do overs always sound schmaltzy or contrived. But this was excellent. Ultravox was always dramatic and in this case the songs are still bigger than the orchestral arrangements as is Midge Ure's voice . A few are clunkers but the majority are superb.
Edited by SteveG - October 09 2020 at 14:24
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I love Father John Misty's music too. I have all four of his albums on CD and I can hear the resemblance to early Elton John too, although I don't find his music to be anywhere near as depressing as Nick Drake's three maudlin albums.
When I wrote that, I think I hadn't yet discovered his previous albums. As much as I like Pure Comedy, I think Honeybear is my favorite. Have you heard his recent live album, Off-Key in Hamburg? It's really, really good.
I didn't realise Father John Misty had released a fifth album, mainly because all of the record stores have been closed for the last ten weeks.
I love Father John Misty's music too. I have all four of his albums on CD and I can hear the resemblance to early Elton John too, although I don't find his music to be anywhere near as depressing as Nick Drake's three maudlin albums.
When I wrote that, I think I hadn't yet discovered his previous albums. As much as I like Pure Comedy, I think Honeybear is my favorite. Have you heard his recent live album, Off-Key in Hamburg? It's really, really good.
I didn't realise Father John Misty had released a fifth album, mainly because all of the record stores have been closed for the last ten weeks.
I love Father John Misty's music too. I have all four of his albums on CD and I can hear the resemblance to early Elton John too, although I don't find his music to be anywhere near as depressing as Nick Drake's three maudlin albums.
When I wrote that, I think I hadn't yet discovered his previous albums. As much as I like Pure Comedy, I think Honeybear is my favorite. Have you heard his recent live album, Off-Key in Hamburg? It's really, really good.
Funny, I am literally sitting here listening to Elton John and Father John Misty on a Spotify playlist I created when this review was posted. Father John Misty's new album "Pure Comedy" sounds so much like Elton John at his height in the 1970s, that I wondered if played back-to-back with Elton John tunes I'd still feel that way. To my amazement, I do. If you're an Elton John fan, definitely listen to "Pure Comedy." Highlights include the first 4 songs, and tracks 8, 11 & 12. His previous album, I Love You Honeybear, is also recommended, if slightly less Elton-inclined. As on reviewer has put it, these are albums Elton might have made if Bernie Taubin had been depressed
I love Father John Misty's music too. I have all four of his albums on CD and I can hear the resemblance to early Elton John too, although I don't find his music to be anywhere near as depressing as Nick Drake's three maudlin albums.
Edited by Psychedelic Paul - June 04 2020 at 15:34
Well, it has been almost one year since my last prog album non-review. Herewith, heretoforeandthence, and forthwith, is my prog album non-review for 2020: " ".
Be sure to catch my next one in 2021 - that is, if I somehow manage to survive 2020. Until then, keep up-voting Zoso on the LZ album thread so that I don't have to eat crow with Dark Elf … and stay safe everyone!
Artist - Nicky Hopkins Album - Jamming With Edward Recorded - 1969, during Rolling Stones' 'Let It Bleed' sessions Released - 1972 Producer - Glyn Johns Track List - SIDE A : The Boudoir Stomp. 5:16 (Hopkins, Cooder, Watts) It Hurts Me Too. 5:49 (Elmore James) Edward's Thrump Up. 7:40 (Hopkins, Cooder, Watts)
SIDE B : Blow With Ry. 11:12 (Hopkins, Cooder, Watts) Interlude A La El Hopo. 2.32 (Hopkins, Cooder, Watts) Highland Fling. 4:20 (Hopkins, Cooder, Watts)
Session Pianist/Keyboardist, Nicky Hopkins, should be familiar to many Classic Rock lovers, his talents were utilised by many of the 60's giants, appearing on albums by The Kinks, The Who, Rolling Stones etc. and even becoming a fully-fledged band member of West Coast Psych-Rockers Quicksilver Messenger Service during the later half of '69 and into '70. 'Edward' was the nick-name given to him by Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones. The album, Jamming With Edward, sees Nicky joined by Charlie Watts (Drums), Mick Jagger (vocals/harmonica), Bill Wyman (Bass) and Ry Cooder (Guitars). Apparently waiting at the studio for Keith Richards to arrive, but he was allegedly 'still in bed'. Not wanting to waste valuable studio time, the five members here started to 'jam' while the tape was rolling. What we get is a slab of rather straight-forward boogie/blues/rock pieces, featuring basic grooves set by Watts, lots of piano, bluegrass slide and solo guitars, some buried-in-the-mix vocals from Jagger and occasional mouth-harp, and I must say that it's somewhat exciting to actually hear what Wyman is doing on the bass for a change, and he does a decent job, too. The impromptu songs linger around the same key and tempo (remember, these cats aren't technical Prog musos), with Hopkins' piano being the highlight, instrumentally speaking. The cover song is a typical 12 bar. Only in the album's opener can we hear Watts vary from a shuffle beat to a slower, straight beat. So, an obscure, rare treat especially for fans of The Rolling Stones, most of whom don't even know (or care) about the album's existence. 3 stars out of 5
awesome, have always loved this album, I call it more of a Stones album to a Nicky Hop record, but what ever, crazy how this swings
Modena City Ramblers (MCR): Terra e libertà (Land and Freedom), 1997.
The
masterpiece of MCR, combat-folk group, is "Terra e Libertà" (Land and Freedom),
a title inspired by the film by Ken Loach "Land and Freedom". This album combines Irish folk music
typical of MCR with Hispano-American folk and Balkan folk ("Danza Balcanica", Balkan Dance),
creating an ethno-folk, a patchanka, as they defined it in Italy, that is a mix
of various folk music, a folk fusion. This album is almost a concept album
because several songs describe, from the title, characters of the novel
"Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, as
"Macondo Express", "The dance of Aurelian", "Remedios
the beautiful" and "A hundred years of solitude". The last song
is inspired by the book, also by Garcia Marquez "Love in the Time of
Cholera". "Transamerika" is dedicated to Ernesto Che Guevara, an
Argentinian revolutionary. A sort of chronicle of the journey that the Che
performs between 1951 and 1952 together with Alberto Granado in Latin America. The
mythical character of "Paddy Garcia", which appears in the second
song, is half Irish and half Mexican, indicating the fusion of Irish folk and
Hispanic folk. On the record we hear, before the beginning of a lot of songs, the voice of Paco Ignacio Taibo II,
biographer of Che Guevara.
Great album, with beautiful folk melodies, beautiful arrangements.
Macondo Express - 3:22
Il ritorno di Paddy Garcia - 3:53 (The return of Paddy Garcia)
Il ballo di Aureliano - 4:03 (The dance of Aurelian)
Remedios la bella - 3:53 (Remedios the beautiful)
Radio Tindouf - 4:55
Marcia balcanica - 2:42 (Balcanic Dance)
Danza infernale - 3:43
Qualche splendido giorno - 3:51
Transamerika - 3:26
Lettera dal fronte - 2:39
L'ultima mano - 4:11
Cuore blindato - 2:39
Don Chisciotte - 3:15
Cent'anni di solitudine - 3:32 (Hundred Years of Solitude)
L'amore ai tempi del caos - 3:20 (Love in the time of Chaos)
Here you can listen to the songs:
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852Vp3ZciZQ
2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_6Ck6LyE2o
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BxIlGgTsJ8
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myt1qIf7rQs
5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi3nbOTnF3o
6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dFRtFlIsw
7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mJhsDdPX4A
8) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQxjSZCnsYA
9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N27Jhxe3l9A
10) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7qFZmqPWNk
11) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK92yvBZNuw
12) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i76PlS8Wxrs
13) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BUY8W2WUNA
14) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljEfTmFEwE
15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paMhnpG0tHQ
Edited by jamesbaldwin - January 22 2019 at 08:33
Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.
Funny, I am literally sitting here listening to Elton John and Father John Misty on a Spotify playlist I created when this review was posted. Father John Misty's new album "Pure Comedy" sounds so much like Elton John at his height in the 1970s, that I wondered if played back-to-back with Elton John tunes I'd still feel that way. To my amazement, I do. If you're an Elton John fan, definitely listen to "Pure Comedy." Highlights include the first 4 songs, and tracks 8, 11 & 12. His previous album, I Love You Honeybear, is also recommended, if slightly less Elton-inclined. As on reviewer has put it, these are albums Elton might have made if Bernie Taubin had been depressed
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) - Elton JOHN
Definitely one of the most important monster albums in the 70s pop / rock scene. Always wonder what he would think or feel for creating this album. Actually I'm sure he might not have produced such a great stuff precisely along with his pure musical inspiration or intention, and there should be some gigantic opportunity to make him more and more crazy productive.
We can hear his sincerity especially upon the Side B of the lp (from "Meal Ticket" until "We All Fall in Love Sometimes / Curtains"). Flooded with pop essence but there is clearly kaleidoscopic developments here and there. "Meal Ticket" is basically a light rock filled with Elton's unique point of view. His voices are not impressive nor excellent as well but we might get comfortable to imagine how he would sing potentially. "Better Off Dead" consists of depressive lyrics upon simple melody lines by a simple instrumental formation. The last "We All Fall in Love Sometimes / Curtains" reminds me of another gem of his "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" or the first shot "Funeral For A Friend" ... magnificent ballad suite featuring tragic atmosphere in the beginning and hopeful future in the end. Exactly suitable for the epilogue of this theatrical production.
Anyway let me say of course the most important moment in this album should be upon the Side A (from "Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy" until "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"). The first attack "Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy" is the most acceptable songs of all I consider, and can let us have an expectation of "superb music mass" since then. The melodic stream from "Tower Of Babel" until "Tell Me When The Whistle Blows" should be grabbed as one suite grandeur. The sound basis is quite understandable and favourable but there are lots of complex, complicated elements ... pain, tragedy, fun, dream, and futural hope ... one of them follows another step by step swiftly and smoothly. This movement can be called as the cornerstone in the pop / rock world. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" might exactly be Elton's mindscape at that moment. Sounds like we are filled with warmth of the sun, heartwarming politeness by someone after sadness.
Already Elton had played as a No. 1 pop / rock hero in those days, and he could not get satisfied enough with his position I guess. Yes this creation has an obvious power to make him such a legend. His construction of sound is not astounding nor freakout really, but simple melody lines here are so enthusiastic and sincere enough to absorb the audience. And as an additional note, splendid efforts for this album by the lyricist Bernie and the producer Gus are much appreciated.
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DamoXt7942 wrote:
