Blog Coincides with Jul's Progkast Podcast - Underground Prog Rock from around the world. Here, I review the albums and artists from the Podcast, artist Q&A, lyrics and translations of songs from the Podcast, as well as list concert dates and post new releases from these Independent artists (own "label" releases and small independent label releases). To listen to Progkast see links on right. Also available free on itunes for listening, download and auto RSS feed.
Sumeritae- Intro (Belleza Anatomia) 1) River Cult - Temps Perdu (2016) 2) Holy Wave - Wendy Go Round (2016) 3 )Tigerberry and Skaen - The Only (2016) 4) Disen Gage - Arabia - (2004) 5) Room for a Ghost - No.02 (2010) 6) Wooden Shjips - These Shadows (2013) 7) Robin Allender - The Sattler Monument (2016) 8) Sendelica - Standing on the Edge (2010)
BAND SPOTLIGHT
HOLY WAVE A bit psychedelic, a bit shoegaze, Holy Wave have really come into their own this year with their new release, "Freaks of Nuture". If you didn't know that this music was brand new, you would swear that it was recorded in the 70's. Instantly one of my favorite new psychedelic bands. Upcoming Tour Dates - JUNE WEST COAST TOUR ANNOUNCED!
6/10 San Antonio @ Limelight 6/12 El Paso @ Warzawa 6/14 Phoenix @ Valley Bar w/ Adult Books 6/15 Costa Mesa @ Wayfarer 6/16 San Francisco @ Thee Parkside w/ Cool Ghouls 6/17 Legget CA @ Hickey Fest 6/18 Vancouver BC @ Levitation Vancouver- Rickshaw Theatre 6/19 Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar 6/20 Seatlle @ Sunset Tavern 6/22 Los Angeles @ The Echo w/ Part Time 6/24 San Diego @ The Hideout 6/27 Pomona CA @ Acerogami Lounge 6/28 Tucson AZ @ Hotel Congress Thanks to Holy Wave for allowing me to play "Wendy Go Round" on Progkast.
DISEN GAGE
Disen Gage, initially a quartet consisting of guitarist Konstantin Mochalov, guitarist Yuri Alaverdyan, and bassist Nikolai Syrtsevwere along with drummer Evgeny Kudryashov, started playing music together whilst they were in college. Later Sergei Bagin was added on as guitarist when Alaverdyan left to further his studies. Described as old school Progressive rock with the rough drive of garage-rock.
SENDELICA
Members:
Pete Bingham- Guitar/ Electronics
Glenda Pescado - Bass
Colin Consterdine - Programing/ Electronics
Lee Relfe - Saxamaphones
Meurig Griffiths - Drums
Lord Armstrong sealand - Theremin.
Hometown: Cardigan, Wales
10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR PART ONE:-FRI 29TH MAY - Cosmic Puffin - Mersea Isalnd, UK SAT 30TH APRIL- Cellar Bar - Cardigan, UK SAT 14TH MAY - Res-Strung Harp - Folkestone, UK WEDS 18TH MAY - Immerhin, Wurzburg, Germany THURS 19TH MAY - Circus Maximus, Koblenz, Germany FRI 20TH MAY - Secret Gig - Udine, Italy SAT 21ST MAY - Rock Festival at Priamar Fortress - Savonia Italy SUN 22ND MAY - Centrale Rock - Erba, Italy TUE 24TH MAY - Atraquando - Zero Branco, Italy WEDS 25TH MAY - Arci Tazibao - Tortona, Italy THURS 26TH MAY - Cafe Liber - Turino, Italy SUN 29TH MAY - Games for May Festival - Half Moon, Putney, London, UK SAT 4TH JUNE - Tipi in Cardigan, UK
Thanks again to Holy Wave for permission for the usage of "Wendy Go Round" on Progkast (aka Jul's Progkast Podcast), and thanks to all other bands for CC license to use their music as well as the Free Music Archive and WFMU.
Sumeritae - Intro
Nafta - Mesec (2008)
Lista de Lily - On the Radio (2015)
Sumeritae - Virrey Trefusis (2015)
Amadiro - Land of Glory (2014)
Dyr Faser - Koso Biru (2015)
Melange - Conan (2016)
Mascaras - Burgers Balrog (2015)
BAND SPOTLIGHT
Nafta
Nafta is a punkish metal band from Serbia comprised of - Bane S. Vukosavljević - vocal, guitars Dragan Vidaković - Risto - bass guitar Aleksa Otašević - drums I really enjoy this music. It rocks and yet it is quite intricate in arrangement. Just a simple little guitar riff here and a little twang there - these guys know what makes a rock song and what makes the music "sing" to you. These guys are veterans and they know what they are doing. Some solid Rock and Roll here. I include this on a Progressive Rock Podcast because I feel the musicianship and solos/bridges are complex enough that they merit a Punk/Metal/Prog designation. Quality swag. Nafta facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NAFTA-102339031736/ and bandcamp page https://nafta.bandcamp.com/
Amadiro
This is a band that I found on Patreon - patreon.com/amadiro. If you go to their patreon page you can see some of their videos of their Who and Pink Floyd covers. I, personally, think that they are very talented, their vocalists are amazing and their original music is true blue Prog. I hope that these guys n gal continue to release originals, and perhaps tour the "states" sometime. Here's their cover of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". Visit their patreon page and become a patron! (I might add that their videos are very well produced as well...). Thanks to Amadiro for allowing me to play their music on Progkast.
Dyr Faser
I am getting to like this guy the more I listen to his music. Eric Boomhower gets help from Thalia Zedek on guitar on the track "Koso Biru". Sure it's a guy with a keyboard. Sure they aren't real drums. I feel that programmed drums have their place - and this is it. As a drummer, I wouldn't want to play a repetitive beat like this... I am not a metronome, I am a musician. One who keeps the beat... but also one who colors it. So to the acoustic drum purists... "faux" beats have a function and I cannot think of a better platform. The music is mesmerizing, invigorating, melodic, and, after a few listens, spinning around and around in my head. At first I was wary of playing something that may be construed as "Techno Pop" but this was so good and had many Prog elements to it, therefore for my own personal purposes, it is now labeled "Progressive Techno Rock". Modern Prog, if you will. And when all else fails, I compare the music to Pink Floyd.... "Would the Floyd do this?" Why yes, yes, they would... albeit with real drums (wink). From the album of the same title on Vulpiano Records.
Mascaras
These guys just plain rock. Prog has made a turn in the past 10 or more years and there are many Metal Prog bands. Mascaras is like Garage Punk Prog. Again, these guys too, the more I hear them, the more I like. Classic Prog stalwarts may not like the newer Metal sound... I'm a Classic listener and I welcome the new sub-genres all. I also like to keep people awake... this was sort of the wake up song (wink).
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Thanks again to Lista De Lily and also Amadiro, for allowing me to play their music. All other music was culled from freemusicarchive.org thanks to WFMU at FMU.
Sumeritae - Intro (2015)
Lista de Lily - A Fonte (2015)
Magic Lantern - Feasting on Energy (2008)
White Hills - Pads of Light (2012)
Doctor Turtle - Unexpected Hoedown in Bagging Area (2016)
Original Innocence - Born From Above (2011)
Droopies - Below (2015)
Mystic Morrison Visions - Crawling Aleister (2010)
New Mystikal Troubadors - LA Rock (2014)
Monk Turner - Oh Yes, You Will! ( Zeus's Song) (2016)
Jahzzar - Black Jar (2015)
BAND SPOTLIGHT
Lista De Lily
"A Fonte" (The Source) - From the EP "Segorna" (2015). Lista de Lily is a Lo-Fi, Progressive Brazilian band that I discovered on Soundcloud. They were gracious enough to allow me to play their music on Progkast. The best way I can describe their sound is sort of a like a mesmerizing psychedelic swirl of cosmic sunshine incorporating South American rhythms with an energetic pulse culminating in a melodic array of musical fusion - lol. Their sound is both familiar and yet unique. I've found quite a bit of good music coming from South America (is this the new home of Prog?). Anyway, they've been very gracious and kind, ready to share, and hopefully soon we'll have some lyrics to post here. Many thanks to Lista de Lily for allowing me to play their music on Progkast!
White Hills
"Pads of Light" - Live at WFMU April 2012. Describing their music as Psychedelia from outer space, the White Hills, consisting of Dave G. and 'Ego Sensation' reside in Brooklyn NY. Sort of Metal meets Punk meets Prog.
Original Innocence
This is actually a 2011 Rock Opera by Dave Nuss and Eric Sanders which explores Eastern and Western theologies. I hold no religious bias. If I like it, I'll play it. However, if anything is "over the top" - either way - it won't get played. I didn't feel this was over the top. With several movements and themes, I felt this was a good example of what Prog Rock is all about.
Droopies
"Below" from the album "Droopies" (2015). I wasn't over enthused about the quality of this song. The musicianship isn't the greatest - both in 'sound' and application. BUT.... the song is good, the vocals are good, the "feel" or vibe is good. It is good Lo-Fi Psychedelic Rock Sometimes it's not all about being the best or the greatest, sometimes it's just about writing the music, making the music and presenting it like no one else can. So, I'm a fan... of the music, with bigger and better hope for the future. Link to The Droopies bandcamp page - https://droopies.bandcamp.com/releases
Monk Turner
"Oh Yes, You Will (Zeus' Song)" - is from the album "God Complex" (2016) in which Turner presents us with a concept album in the form of a Rock Opera comprised of the Greek Gods singing their top hits. Now, although "Zeus's Song" is very Prog-like in it's variations and movements, the album itself encompasses many different Genres. Soft Rock, Hip Hop, Pop.. "Zeus" was the most Prog-like on that album. If you like these different genres, this is quite a find. Some well done, well produced songs utilizing various lead singers and some other artists. Short fun interview with Monk Turner (first 1.30 minutes).
CLICK "OLDER POSTS" BELOW, FOR EARLIER PODCASTS...
Thanks
to the artists and curators/labels who have allowed their music to be
played/distributed (Podcast) through Creative Commons, and to WFMU and
FMU for hosting the website for this music.
Sumeritae - Belleza Anatomia (Intro)/Exiliado de su Razon,
Nafta - Dilema,
Tiger Waves - In Your Head,
Mascaras - Desert Masks,
Before Eden - A Dark Entity,
Forget the Whale - I Know Where You've Been (Instr),
Univeria Zekt - Something's Cast a Spell,
Ga'an - Living Tribunal,
Yony - In the Moment,
Dyr Faser - Estranged
BAND SPOTLIGHT
SUMERITAE
This three man band from Argentina (mistakenly attributed as being from Brazil on Jul's Progkast - 1) released their first album, "Belleza Anatomia" in October of 2015. With the energetic driving drums of Tomas Agustin Ponce, this band is reminiscent of Brand X, the Jazz Fusion band which featured Phil Collins on drums throughout most of their tenure. Ulises Doliszniak, and Julian Mastoiacovo round out the group on Bass and Guitar. This is some great musicianship and great music that both rocks and is instrumentally progressive, as Jazz Fusion should be. Some really great sounds coming from these guys, I am really looking forward to their next release. (If you want to check out Brand X with Phil on drums, "Nuclear Burn" and "And so to f...." are some excellent examples of Phil's drumming and just some great songs. These are from the albums "Unorthodox Behaviour" and "Product" respectively).
TIGER WAVES
There is a relatively new emergence of popularity of Psychedelic Rock. Tiger Waves is one of the bands riding on this (forgive the unintended pun) wave. Modern "Psychedelic" music is a movement backwards to barely audible almost drone type vocals amidst swirling keyboards which often are or imitate the sound of the Mellotron. Also known as "Lo-Fi" or crossing over into "Lo-Fi" - which is a throw back to the 1960's and the "oldish" style sound of recordings from that time period. Sometimes these modern bands even throw in the sound of the pops and crackles from the needles on non-perfect vinyl records. So with all that, I found this band, Tiger Waves and totally fell in love with this song ("In Your Head"). I will be playing quite a bit of this new retro Psych Rock on my podcast. This stuff is great!
FORGET THE WHALE
The song I chose to play from 'Forget the Whale', "I Know Where You've Been", is available both as a vocal song and an instrumental (backing track). I chose to play the instrumental, for although the vocals by Alishia Taiping are excellent, I just felt that the instrumental had more of a Prog feel to it. Her vocals on the EP, "What I Tell Myself" are superb. I just wanted to throw that out there, in case someone was wondering... "why the instrumental... were the vocals horrible?" To the contrary, a very talented lady.
YONY
Now I happenedupon Yony quite by accident. A friend of a friend on Facebook. I listened to his music and it sounded rather good. So there you go. He is a producer as well. Hopefully he will have some more music to share in the future.... Aspecial "thanks" goes out to Mike Cionni (aka Yony) for letting me play his music on Progkast.
