A small and enthusiastic audience of Cosmograf fans assembled one Sunday night in May ‘23 at The 1865, Southampton, UK to witness Robin Armstrong and his live band play a 2 hour show covering songs from the breadth of his music over the last 9 or so albums. There was no original intention for the gig to be recorded, but a decent soundboard stereo mix was made available after the show, that had captured something very interesting. Much of the set played that night, provided too much temptation not to share some of that experience with a much wider audience.
What it lacks in polished presentation, it more than makes up for in the performance and vibe of a live band in its raw, grass roots environment. Robin reviewed, edited, and mixed the audio within the limitations of the recording and gave it his blessing. For these reasons it’s an Official Bootleg!, and stands as an interesting waypoint in the history of Cosmograf.
“I had no intention at all of making any sort of live album for our recent shows, but listening back to the soundboard mix for this one, I was kind of surprised how good it sounded.” explains Robin Armstrong. ”Normally I’d be obsessed in fixing the mistakes and mixing it properly but there was just no way to do that with just a basic stereo track, so I thought it would be fun to release it in all its old school rawness..”
Anyone who knows me will know that I am a huge fan of Robin and his Cosmograf project so when he asked me if I’d be interested in reviewing this live release, it was an absolute no brainer! Robin’s deep, retrospective and very thoughtful songs, backed by his dynamic, powerful and intricate guitar playing is one of the best things you can hear in the progressive rock universe, add in a live, intimate setting with that rawness you get from the best live gigs and we could be on to something really rather special indeed.
Well, let’s cut to the chase, this ‘Official Bootleg’ goes straight in as one of the best live releases I have heard in recent years. Backed by some seriously impressive musicians, this is a collection of nine tracks that really showcase what is great about live music, progressive rock or not. It does help that the tracklist is a veritable ‘who’s who’ of my favourite Cosmograf tracks from British Made through to The Ghost Gets Made with perennial highlights including White Car, Arcade Machine and the track that got me into Cosmograf in the first place, The Man Left In Space.
This live album is just high point after high point with Robin’s superb songs animated in a live setting, check out the guitar solo on The Motorway for instance, one of many high class, stellar musical moments. Music can be for the mind or soul or, in this instance, for both, these songs have a life of their own, they are written from the heart and performed in much the same way, each musician heavily invested in what they are delivering to what sounds like a very enthusiastic audience. Kyle Fenton’s drums are hewn from granite, he is a powerhouse behind the kit and Alistair Martin delivers a quality foundation with his bass that the intense and intricate guitar of Lee Abraham then graces with pure class. Robin is the conductor in chief here, his passionate vocal, glorious keys and impeccable guitar completing this quartet of exemplary musicians.
It’s hard to pick favourites from a collection of songs that I love anyway, especially when they are all performed with an immediacy and soul that really resonates but, if you push me, British Made opens the album perfectly, the aforementioned Man Left In Space is beautifully haunting and wistful in its delivery, White Car is one of my favourite ever Cosmograf pieces and is performed impeccably here (just listen to that raw and incredibly potent guitar solo, utterly amazing) and the album closes with a powerfully emotive and definitive version of The Ghost Gets Made. The fact that all of these tracks are delivered in their raw, unpolished state is what makes this album such a gem.
A new Cosmograf studio album is on the way but, ever one to give back to his audience, Robin has sated the craving for new music by releasing what I am sure will become a seminal live album in the progressive rock scene. Close your eyes and you could almost be there, basking in the glorious music and that is what makes ‘Live At The 1865’ an essential purchase.
Out of Trondheim, in the cold shores of Norway, Vicinity have been crafting their mix of progressive metal, melodies and sophisticated rhythm patterns since 2006. Now reaching their third studio album, the five-piece has reached the perfect mix in their sound. ‘VIII’ is a mature progressive metal album, with a fresh approach to composition.
Putting new influences to work in their already highly rich melting pot of references, ‘VIII’ is a collection of progressive metal songs where the Norwegians drifted to a heavier, more concise sound than in the previous releases. The final result can please traditional prog fans of bands such as Threshold, as well as followers of newer acts such as Haken. Mixing duties in “VIII” were handled by Øyvind Voldmo Larsen (Seventh Wonder, Circus Maximus, Withem) and mastering was done at Fascination Street Studios by Tony Lindgren (Ihsahn, James LaBrie, Leprous, Opeth).
Vicinity was founded in 2006 by Kim-Marius H. Olsen, Frode Lillevold and Kristian Nergård. Vocalist Alexander K. Lykke soon joined the blend making the first complete lineup. With the EP ‘Diffusion of Innovation’, the band’s first official release, Vicinity found its true style, writing longer, more technical progressive compositions. In 2012 the band recorded their debut full-length album, ‘Awakening’, making this the debut recording of the new bass player Pierre Schmidt-Melbye, who joined the band following Nergård’s departure in 2009. Reidulf Wormdal joined the recording as a session keyboard player. The album was mixed by AndréAlvinzi and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and was released by Indie Distribution and Pug-Nose Records in the fall 2013.
In 2015 Vicinity went to work with their new album ‘Recurrence’ which was released by Mighty Music in 2017. The drums were recorded at Skarp Studio, known for producing the drums for bands like Triosphere and Keep of Kalessin. Christer-André Cederberg, known for mixing ‘Nine’ and ‘Havoc’ for Circus Maximus and several releases by Anathema was enlisted to mix the album. Jens Bogren once again handled mastering duties. Following the release, Vicinity played concerts in Trondheim and Oslo, and was booked to play festivals like Prøvesprengning and Totsås Rock.
Preparations for the upcoming album started in 2020 at Skansen Lydstudio, but further progress was impaired partly by Covid and the fact that, after 15 years in the band, Lykke decided in 2022 to pursue other interests and in agreement with the band decided to part ways. Vicinity tried out vocalist Erling Malm (Articulus, Endolith) at a live show in Trondheim, and decided then and there that he would be the vocalist going forward, and he immediately started working on vocals for “VIII”, adding more diversity to the singing department of the band.
A rather impressive introduction from the PR company for the third full length Vicinity release and, having reviewed both ‘Awakening’ and ‘Recurrrence’, I feel I’m in a perfect place to critique this latest offering. In fact I’m really looking forward to it and, while disappointed that Alexander has chosen to step aside, I’m excited to hear what Erling brings to the mix!
I have to admit that, after quite a few listens, ‘VIII’ is becoming something of a standard in my listening rotation. While there is nothing radically different in it’s delivery of superb progressive metal, it is done so bloody damn good that I can’t help but get lost in the dynamic, hard edged music and its flawless delivery. Power, poise passion and soul emanate from this impressive release in spades, just check out DKE to hear musicians at the top of their game and having immense fun on an instrumental track that has hints of prime era Dream Theater in the bass, drums and guitar. In fact I almost thought I was hearing Glass Prison from DT’s ‘Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence’ at first, it’s that good.
I have spent a lot of time listening to traditional 70’s style prog and also a lot of jazz fusion music over the last couple of months and, though I love that sort of music, listening to this brilliantly produced release has been like a breath of fresh air to me aurally. Hard hitting but cleanly delivered music and, thanks to Erling, powerful and expressive vocals combine to create a sonic delight of epic proportions on tracks such as lengthy opener, the majestic Promised Paradise and the musical thrill ride that is Purpose, a song that is like a beacon of hope in the darkness but this electrifying album never lets up in its intensity, the pomp and power of The Singularity is another breathtaking highlight with its stirring delivery and intelligent songwriting. The beautiful, wistful wonder of Shape of Life gives an oasis of calm to the thrill seeking brilliance of the rest of the album and is as polished as any of the other tracks.
Perhaps the highlight of the album, but that’s like saying which of your kids you like the best, is the closing epic Face the Rain which leads you through a whole gamut of emotions and ebbs and flows perfectly. There’s heart and soul in every note of this rousing and riveting track and a primeval power striving to break out, drums hewn out of granite are the foundation but all the musicians are at the top of their game and Erling delivers his best vocal performance on the album, a song that just keeps on giving.
With the dynamic brilliance of ‘VIII’, Vicinity return triumphant with a prog-metal album for the ages. Impeccably performed and delivered, this is one release that should definitely be on your prog radar….
‘Keep Your Lane’ is an intriguing collaboration between David Jackson and René van Commenée. The two artists have known each other for many years, often collaborating on gigs. That friendship and their live performances led to the release of a live CD – ‘Batteries Included’ in 2003. Jackson also worked with René’s project ‘Mr Averell’. This new recording is the duo’s first studio album that began during the covid lockdown. In the course of reviewing some previously laid down musical pieces David Jackson began re-working arrangements and orchestration – developing new ideas.
When he shared some tracks with René the project brought together two formidable virtuosos. Commenée began adding new production ideas and new parts from his astonishing collection of instruments. That collaboration blends their individual talents into a soundscape of overlaying styles and tempos capturing jazz vibes rock and folk.
Together the duo has created a suite of complex arrangements and multi-tracking with Jackson’s trademark sax and flute interspersed with van Commenée’s percussion. It is a wonderfully diverse collection of tunes that definitely fall into the eclectic and esoteric end of progressive rock and jazz fusion. Take opener Eternal Caravans with it’s pulsating percussion and edgy spiralling brass that gives a North African feel to the music, it is at once gripping but also asks questions of the listener as it builds into a crescendo. Garden Shed continues to pique your interest with its clever, upbeat, jerky delivery, like a brass band jamming with a local jazz collective, it sounds like it shouldn’t work but it really does. I am a big fan of Bird’s Lament with it’s marching band ethos reworked into something dynamic, fluid and thoroughly entertaining and the moody, atmospheric majesty of single release Gateway.
Waving At Strangers continues this diverse musical journey with a sophisticated and refined air, Jackson’s charismatic and compelling sax a laser sharp focus. The intelligent and influential songwriting continues with the intense and cinematic Gridlockdown, a track that could be the soundtrack to a grittier version of Hawaii-5-O and the wonderful medieval pageantry ofHills of The North, another highly satisfying piece of music full of pomp and circumstance. To me, Get A Grip! is a marvellous homage to the crime noir movies of the 50’s, or at least it should be. A true modern classic of dark, edgy jazz fusion with a pronounced air of superiority and a very clever piece of music indeed! Koozokudooro is as quirky a track as its title would suggest, just under two minutes of intrigue and chicanery that puts a smile on my face.
A lively and esoteric jolt of wild escapism mixing time signatures, keys, distorted sounds and voice, Pinball Potter dances suggestively across your synapses and JackLanzCom Haiku sees Jackson’s skittish flute play counterpoint to the moody sax and van Commenée’s strident percussion to deliver a mildly violent musical slap in the face. The new instrumental recreation and orchestration of Pioneers over c, the Van der Graaf Generator (VdGG) classic track from the 1970’s album ‘H to He Who Am The Only One‘. Now titled Pioneers over c, 2023’ is a homage to that elusive track that has only ever been played live once. It features the virtuoso Colin Edwin on bass (Porcupine Tree). Coming in at over ten minutes long, it is a wonderfully evocative piece of music that invokes the heyday of experimental progressive rock in the 1970’s, just lose yourself in the moment and enjoy the awe-inspiring musical tapestry that is laid out in front of you. The album closes with Felona, an impish, wistful piece of music drawn from the ideas that Jackson, with Peter Hammill prepared for VdGG’s Italian friends Le Orme for their 1973 English version of Felona e Sorona, Jackson’s sessions were timed-out, but they were not forgotten and have been reworked especially for this album.
If you’re a fan of intricate music full of expression and inventiveness that showcases the best of jazz fusion and epic progressive rock then go no further, your search is over. A more eclectic album you will be lucky to find this year and I really enjoyed it.
Taken from The New Normal Released 12 April 2024 on Kscope
Following the announcement of the soon to be released second musical observation in the form of The New Normal from Trifecta, the collaboration of singer songwriter Nick Beggs, keyboardist extraordinaire Adam Holzman and internationally renowned drummer Craig Blundell; the fearless trio have released a new single – “Stupid Pop Song”.
The single is accompanied by a glorious, animated video created by Willow Beggs (@_willowbeggs www.willowbeggs.com )
Watch the video:
As Nick Beggs explains the song was not destined to be released by Trifecta “Stupid Pop Song was written for my daughter Willow who had a band for a while and was looking for material. I wrote it in the car one day whilst thinking about her musical journey.
It obviously has a different narrative and irony when sung by me which is what happened in the end owing to the fact her band split up.
I played it to Craig and Adam who both thought it would work well for Trifecta, but at the time I was unsure. They kind of talked me round after playing with the arrangement in their studios.
It is often said that the greatest musical groups are the ones with the right mixture of ideas, talent and chemistry. These are things Trifecta have in abundance. It is, of course, no secret that the three members – keyboardist Adam Holzman, bassist/Chapman Stick mastermind Nick Beggs and drummer Craig Blundell – have spent their most recent years touring some of the world’s biggest stages as part of many bands including with Steven Wilson. So when they decide to form a largely instrumental offshoot as a trio, eventually writing and releasing 2021’s Fragments debut, they were already off to a head start, with a tangible sense of creative familiarity that had been stunning audiences in every corner of the globe.
For listeners seeking to escape the confines of the normal world, ‘The New Normal’ will enable a window into vistas in a multitude of sonics and in concept. By combining elements of Progressive Rock, Jazz Fusion all with a dash of typical English wit the band bring the listener into a world where sound is malleable, time is a mere concept and vegetables have otherworldly properties like the ‘Stroboscopic Fennel’.
This new 19 track, epic sees the band building upon the innovative ambition and genre-hopping skulduggery they so fearlessly introduced themselves to the world with on ‘Fragments’. The New Normal could easily have carried on in that same direction and comfortably delighted fans of all three musicians, as well as their associated projects. But if there’s anything we know about Holzman, Beggs and Blundell, it’s that they are bursting with ideas of every kind. Which explains why this album is guided by an uncontainable brilliance and bravado that packs in so many twists and turns, practically laughing at any notion of genre or boundary.
Joining the trio of masterful musos is Alex Lifeson (Envy of None / Rush) for additional guitar on ‘Once Around The Sun With You’ and Theo Travis (Steven Wilson) on saxophone for insectoid grooves of ‘Daddy Long Legs’. Alongside John Paul Jones’ very chapman stick from 1979 that was sent to Nick and used to record ‘The New Normal’.
The album was recorded in the Bermuda Triangle of normality that is Leighton Buzzard, Bedford and New York between 2019 and 2023, engineered by the band and mastered by Andy VanDette (Beastie Boys / Rush / Whitney Houston), adorned with artwork that was inspired by an original idea from Hajo Muller.
Available on Limited edition white 2 LP / CD / 2 LP and digitally – with pre-orders available here:
RELEASED 7TH JUNE / PRE-ORDERS LAUNCH ON 22ND MARCH
Nordic Giants, the enigmatic musical duo known for their captivating soundscapes and immersive live performances have solidified their place in the alternative music scene through a rich history of sonic innovation and visual storytelling. A cornerstone of Nordic Giants identity is their mesmerising live performances, which over the last decade have earned them a devoted global following. Combining live instrumentation, visuals and theatrical elements, their shows are akin to a religious experience, transporting audiences to otherworldly realms.
‘Origins’ invites audiences to embark on a voyage of discovery, delving deeper into Nordic Giants past. This brand new release will combine three of the very first Nordic recordings – A Tree As Old As Me (E.P), Speed the Crows Nest (Single), Shine (Single), plus a bonus track, onto one compilation album. However this compilation offers the listener a new experience, with many of the original recording sessions being revisited and many of the main instruments re-recorded, re-mixed and re-mastered, giving the songs a whole new lease of life. A re-birth and celebration into the Origins of Nordic Giants.
For the very first time this collection of songs will be available to buy on multiple formats and will feature some of their most streamed music, songs such as ‘Together’ previously unreleased on vinyl until now. These new recordings will take many of the ‘Classic’ Nordic recordings, including ‘Through a Lens Darkly’ & ‘The Seed’. With newly recorded live strings, drums, piano, synths and guitars: much more in tune with what fans are used to hearing during live performances.
Watch the video for the new recording of ‘Through a Lens Darkly’ –
This Limited Edition Release will be available to pre-order from 8pm Friday, March 22nd 2024 via Nordic Giants website. Formats include: Vinyl, CD, USB and Tape – along with some Unique Limited Items, signed test pressings, instruments and even the opportunity to mix your own version of the album alongside Nordic Giants, in the very studio it was recorded!
Origins hopes to be the first of two releases this year as the duo have plans to complete a full length studio album to be released around September 2024, along with a large tour across the U.K and Europe. Both these albums will be self-funded and crowd sourced relying on the support of their loyal followers and a helping hand from their friends over at ‘Nice Weather For Airstrikes’.
Origins is scheduled for full release on 07/06/24.
SiX By SiX, the progressive power trio comprising Ian Crichton (Saga), Nigel Glockler (Saxon) and Robert Berry (3.2), recently announced the release of their sophomore album ‘Beyond Shadowland’ on InsideOutMusic on 26th April 2024. The band reconvened in Berry’s own Soundtek Studios in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023 to bend, shape, hammer and caress their diverse musical talents into 11 impressive new tracks. With this album, they continue to define and build upon their unique melodic space, welding guitar-driven rock, metal and prog into a unique and powerful sonic setting.
Today they launch the album’s second single, and you can watch the video for ‘Obiliex’ here:
Robert Berry comments of the track: “Ian, Nigel and myself discussed if we should take a chance releasing a slower song with one of the most passionate and raw guitar solos ever? Our joint conclusion was….YES! Obiliex has become a favourite of the band, with the beauty of the guitar, the depth of the lyric, the power of its tranquil groove. We hope you enjoy the calm, the depth, the sheer raw energy of the song.”
Watch the previously released clip for ‘The Arms of a Word’ here:
Ian Crichton comments: “On the new record we kept our style but have written stylistically some quite different tunes. I gave Robert a lot of parts, sections, licks, middle 8’s, etc. He added verses, bridges, etc… and vocals! He’s a brilliant arranger. Of course, Nigel is a powerhouse. As always, he played great on this record.”
Nigel Glockler adds: “Playing with Ian and Robert is always terrific. Making this album was a productive time. Ultimately, we narrowed things down to eleven tunes. Good ones too! I left the sessions feeling very pleased. I think everybody’s going to be impressed with the new album.”
Robert Berry continues: “I’ve always believed that music has the power to bring people together. This record is a testament to that notion. As always, working with Ian and Nigel on an actual second album was a moving experience for me. Truly special.”
‘Beyond Shadowland’ will be available as a Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g Black 2LP (featuring 4 exclusive bonus tracks) & as a Digital Album. The artwork was once again created by Rob Fowler.
The bands self-titled debut, released in 2022, established the trio as a power chord-driven celebration of artistry, passion and persistence. Prog Magazine said that the record was “exciting, often potent and demands repeated listens”, while Classic Rock Magazine called it “an inspired opening salvo that bubbles with chemistry.”
Background:
Ian Crichton is best known as one of the founding members of Saga, alongside his brother Jim. Saga went on to sell roughly 10 million albums world-wide and continue to perform around the world. As the driving force behind SiX By SiX, Ian takes a cunning turn, in assembling another potent band but one that focuses on his guitar prowess. This time with established players, each with a celebrated past, refined skills, and unlimited potential.
Nigel Glockler began his career in 1980 as the drummer for the British band Krakatoa. In 1981 he found an opportunity with singer Toyah. By the end of the year, he joined metal legends, Saxon. Except for two brief absences, Nigel has been behind his massive drum kit as an integral part of Saxon ever since.His powerhouse drumming is the engine that drives SiX By SiX’s songs forwards relentlessly.
Robert Berry first gained international attention with San Francisco-based Hush, releasing well-received recordings and then touring the USA. In the mid-1980s Berry’s first solo album garnered positive reviews in the most influential trade publications and attracted the attention of several major labels. At the suggestion of one of those labels, Robert moved to the UK to work with guitarist Steve Howe (of Yes fame) along with drummer Nigel Glockler in an effort to revitalize GTR. When GTR stalled, Robert partnered with British rock legends Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer to form ‘3’. With Emerson and Palmer, Robert achieved a top ten charting single and toured the USA. Robert’s melodic sensibilities complement Ian’s extraordinary guitar and Nigel’s signature drumming perfectly.
“Vancouver/EU based collective Last Ark Out presents their sophomore album‘Lift’, featuring a host of high-profile North American guests including Larnell Lewis (Snarky Puppy, Quincy Jones, Kurt Elling), Sarah Thawer (Jacob Collier, A. R. Rahman, Jon Batiste) and Sasha Berliner (Christian McBride, Tyshawn Sorey). With intricate songwriting and virtuosity across a breadth of instruments sharing the spotlight, searing electric guitars, rich progressive harmony, and lyrical saxophone melodies create an expansive sound-world grounded by hypnotic riffs and ferocious drum grooves.”
That’s quite an introduction to an album and one that gives it a lot to live up to. However, I was intrigued by this release as soon as I heard the first couple of tracks and decided I needed to investigate further…
Recently revived after a considerable hiatus, Last Ark Out (LAO) was first brought together through their musical studies at Vancouver Community College and Capilano University. Following their 2017 debut ‘Wake‘, the band’s members have gone on to take part in residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts and receive nominations for the prestigious Western Canadian Music Awards.
Amidst a challenging landscape of COVID-19 restrictions, LAO made use of the Digital Nowgrant from Canada Council to overcome the obstacles in the way of their creativity. Composing and recording a series of pieces in their signature style of groove-based instrumental jazz/rock, their challenge was to leave enough room for their long-distance collaborators to showcase their ownidentities while involving themselves in an atypical format of musical conversation.
LAO are Arthur Pascau Smith (Guitar, Composition), Jeff Gammon (Bass) , Justin Gorrie (Alto Saxophone, Guitar, EMEO ), James Huumo (Keyboards) and Colin Parker (Drums).
Opening with the laid back grooves of Brackish, which features the uber cool synth vibes of Sasha Berliner, ‘Lift’ is the prefect exercise in musical expression and freedom. Intricate synth lines weave mysteriously around this intelligent collective’s universe, this is music for the cognoscenti but it’s not arrogant or autocratic and invites the listener in on the journey. You can hear the Snarky Puppy influence of Larnell Lewis in the upbeat and funky sound of Dyab, a true modern jazz classic if I’ve ever heard one. His syncopated drums add to Justin Gorrie’s delicious sax playing to give us a gloriously flippant and upbeat piece of music that just makes you want to smile. The late nite jazz lounge dynamics of David Osei-Afrifa’s keyboards are smoothness personified and add gloss to Late to the Game, a track that just seems to glide across your psyche. Wonderfully pompous but never smug, this is music that hints at the big easy and a way of life that is coolness personified.
Hailey Niswanger is the driving force behind the lush, sweeping vibes of Libra, a soundscape full of her musical dexterity on many instruments. Fans of Detective Harry Bosch will know what I mean when I say I could just imagine him listening to this on his high end vintage stereo system. It oozes mastery, charm and magnificence. The intricate groove of Scorpio sees Sarah Thawer behind the drum kit, adding her dynamic edge to a piece of music that moves purposefully and precisely across your mind. A more serious edge is behind this sophisticated tune and adds subtlety throughout the track. Thoughtful and wistful in tone and featuring the ever expressive Allison Au’s serene and composed alto sax playing and some elevated guitar playing from Arthur Pascau Smith, Song Needs Title delivers calmness and composure in five minutes of sublime music. This scintillating release comes to a close with It’s That Dream Again, a slightly urgent tone behind another wistfully beguiling track and one that finishes the album on a definite high.
‘Lift’ is a lesson in creative and perceptive songwriting and music that is carefully and precisely delivered. No note is out of place and, yet, there is still a glorious freedom and intimacy to every track. Last Ark Out have given us an album of audacious brilliance and one that just makes you smile.
Having returned triumphant from their European tour as guests of prog behemoths Big Big Train in late 2023, Norwegian art rock/pop act Dim Gray immediately began work on what will become their third album. The first result of their latest recordings is their new single, ‘Murals’, a song that packs plenty of punch with the distinctive sounds coaxed out of his instrument by guitarist and co-vocalist Håkon Høiberg that have become his trademark.
‘Murals’ has been written and is sung by Høiberg, with Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief behind the mixing desk. “I wanted to delve deeper into the Norwegian folk music heritage and was inspired by the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle and its unique melodic sound,” explains Høiberg. “Combining it with a primal, upbeat soundscape to craft the various parts of the song, it resulted in a sound that you rarely hear played by an electric guitar.”
The song’s lyric centres around the fact that whenever somebody finds themselves at a crossroads in their life, someone else has already been in the exact same situation. It is an important perspective to have, especially for those running the risk of losing themselves in their thoughts.
Having recruited Milad Amouzegar (guitars and keyboards) and Kristian Kvaksrud (bass) as permanent group members in the late summer of 2023, ‘Murals’ marks the first release by Dim Gray as a quintet, kicking off what promises to be an exciting year with further singles followed eventually by their third album.
Dim Gray came together in Oslo in 2013 while studying music. Spending years perfecting their sound, the trio of Oskar Holldorff (vocals and keyboards), Håkon Høiberg (guitar and vocals) and Tom Ian Klungland (drums) issued their debut album ‘Flown’ in 2020 to rave reviews. They were subsequently picked up by Big Big Train’s own label English Electric Recordings, who released ‘Firmament’ in 2022 to similar acclaim. The group have promoted both records around the UK and in mainland Europe with a number of shows guesting with Marillion and Big Big Train.
This review is for the recently released second album from Catlyst*R entitled ‘Pace of Change’. On this release we see a continued progression in their sound and ethos, with a good mixture of song lengths (three epic and four shorter tracks) which, all taken together, form an impressive sophomore release. The album is not afraid to experiment with sounds and textures ranging from gentle acoustic segments through to some hard hitting Porcupine Tree like sounds.
The album opens in style with the lengthy title track, Pace Of Change. This song offers a strong mix of almost ethereal sounds along with some very solid crunchy sections. It opens with a repeated piano note and motif, some chugging bass runs and excellent sound effects before a brutally punishing riff is unveiled. There’s strong vocals from Damien Child and great support from Gary Jeavon, who plays guitar and bass amongst other things admirably throughout, with Greg Pringle keeping everything held together with his excellent and subtle drumming and percussion. This piece is really musically strong and very powerfully delivered. Even so, it is not without its elements of light and shade, delicacy and domineering power in parts. It really is very impressive stuff and serves both as an excellent opener and a clear statement of intent to bring something new and fresh to the progressive genre. I feel they succeed here in some style, I detect elements of Marillion, Porcupine Tree and, vocally, Saga’sMichael Sadler in the mix here. As the opener is somewhat Blistering in places, unsurprisingly, they elected for a far gentler second song in Dust Within The Seams. The track is bolstered by a very busy bass part that underpins everything, along with more Saga-ish vocals and an excellent fluid guitar solo from Gary that certainly impresses. Again, the trio are making a great sound and, indeed, a fine album here, certainly something a little less expected or ordinary is on offer here. I really like this song it has agility and excellent dynamics and is a delight to hear.
Ghosts On The Radio is another strong and interesting track with a good guitar line and strong synths floating over the vocals in a most impressive manner. Homesick is the second longer track and this one has excellent keyboards along with a strong vocal and very melodic touches. It is a really good track, very good musically with especially impressive sturdy bass lines. I really like this song a lot, it’s the best so far in my opinion, especially the stunning guitar solo at the close! Unbroken is another very powerful track with a harder edge to the sound and has an excellent crunchy guitar tone in parts. This shorter piece is full of strong dynamics and melody, tempered with some powerful riffing and exciting solo parts, again, it is really impressive stuff.
Pendle Hill 1612 is the albums real epic track and tells the tale of the Lancastrian witch trials at Pendle Hill in 1612. This is a moody and slowly brooding song with strong instrumental work adding to the atmosphere. Excellent use of sound effects and timbres convey a air of malevolent darkness and add greatly to this most atmospheric track. The track doesn’t waste a second as it builds powerful to an emotional guitar solo, overall, a most well delivered and boldly imagined track and very satisfying indeed. We’ll Say Goodbye In The Rain concludes the album and, in this song, you can clearly hear the influences that years of musical theatre have impacted on Damien, not just vocally but in the sense of dynamics unveiled in this most emotionally laden song that would not be out of place in the West End Stage.
This is an album that really deserves a wider audience and fans of This Winter Machine and Ghost Of The Machine especially will find much familiar ground here as they explore a similar musical terrain. Either way, this is a very strong modern progressive rock album and certainly bodes well for more future activities in whatever form that may take. Definitely a contender for my album of the year list vote December 2024.
I sat down with fellow Yorshireman, and all round good egg, Nick Fletcher to talk about all things music. We discuss how it all started, his influences, his latest album ‘Quadrivium’ and the current state of the music industry and it sounds like two mates talking in the pub. However, I can confirm that no alcohol was consumed…
Progradar: Nice to meet you Nick, are you alright?
Nick:Yes, I’m fine Martin, how are you?
Progradar: I’m good thanks. This was instigated by the post you put on (Facebook) by that musician friend of yours where he said, in so many words, that there is no point making great albums any more! I think you are a little older than me but we are both from that generation where music was all about the hard copy, spending your 80 pence pocket money, or what you got in those days, on vinyl. I thought it would be good to have a chat about that and the state of the industry but, also to get a bit of background.
I got to hear about you from John Wenlock-Smith and his reviews of your albums at Progradar, especially ‘Quadrivium’. I get drawn in by great album art and I love the cover of that album so, after reading John’s review, listening to the album and chatting a bit with you online, I thought it would be great to find out more about you. From a bit of research, I found that you left music college in 1981 and became a classical guitarist, a teacher and a session guitarist. That’s the bare bones so can you fill me in on your back story?
Nick:Originally, I wanted to play the electric guitar when I was much younger. Then I came across quite a few bands in the 70’s where guitarists were venturing into other areas of music as well and I got to hear people like Steve Hackett, Steve Howe and Jan Akkerman, those kind of players who were also introducing elements of the classical guitar into what they did. That kind of sparked my imagination with getting involved in, and developing, that kind of playing.
When I was younger, If you wanted to take playing the guitar more seriously, the only outlet you had really was to do a classical music course, there was nothing else available in those days. You either did that or there was one course available in Leeds, a jazz music course and, at the time, because I’d been getting into the classical guitar, I didn’t feel that was appropriate for me, so I went down that classical route.
I then became a classical trained musician and, when I left there, I started doing concerts, I was doing a lot of teaching but I was also playing the electric guitar, playing in a lot of bands, I used to play with Dave Bainbridge quite a bit. Dave went to the Leeds College of Music and I went to the Huddersfield School of Music and we met through a mutual friend and formed a couple of bands together.
Of course, as soon as we left college, which would have been ’81, like you said, it was a bit like a scorched earth, ‘progressive rock’ what’s that?, that’s all done with now!
Progradar: Yes, and I’ll put my hands up here, that was the start of the New Romantic style of music, bands like Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Ultravox etc. and I loved them!
Nick:And there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just that I went into music college in ’79, came out doing some classical stuff but also wanted to do some progressive rock but it was like, well, where’s it gone!? In two years it had vanished! I couldn’t get a gig, there were no gigs to be had, no one was interested!
So, to that end, I got involved doing some jazz and jazz fusion stuff because there were some gigs for that kind of thing. I also got involved with a couple of record companies at the time who needed a couple of session players to do some stuff for them and I developed a bit of a career in doing that as well.
Progradar: Did that desire to play progressive rock disappear or was it always there in the background with no outlet to take it any further?
Nick:It’s like anything in life, if you’ve got the opportunity to do stuff then you get on and do it but if the opportunity isn’t there, you have to find a different way, don’t you? Basically, the doors were shut on that for me for many years and then I had a family and, of course, that entailed not being able to go away from home too much because of the kids and everything.
So I did develop more and more solo work and more and more teaching so I could make a living out of doing that. I didn’t actually play the electric guitar in a band for twenty five years, I stopped playing it really.
Progradar: So no noodling in the back room if you had half an hour then?
Nick:I probably would do a bit of that, yes, but very little really for a long period of time because it just felt inappropriate, it just felt like that opportunity had gone, to do that kind of music. Then I did a solo concert, in Sheffield actually, and John Hackett was in the audience. John introduced himself at the end of the gig and, of course, I knew straight away who he was, we got chatting and I discovered he lived in Sheffield too.
We got to know each other, it must have been around 2009, we started playing together and then, through John, I met Steve (Hackett) and became friends with him. John then wanted some help with the launch of an album he’d done, I think it was called ‘Another Life’, he had to go and do a lunch show in London and was a bit terrified of it as he’d never done that on his own, playing keyboards and presenting your songs.
I said to him one day, why don’t you play it with me, let me have a listen and have a run through and see how it goes. So he did and, as he was playing, there was an electric guitar and amp in the corner that belonged to his son, I switched it on and started playing and John suddenly stopped and said, I didn’t know you played electric guitar like that, you kept that quiet!
I just said I hadn’t done it for a long time, he was just astounded that I could play the electric guitar! So he said do you want to come and join me, it would help him and give a bit more of an interest to the performance if I played guitar as well, so that’s what we did. I went down with John, we did that and then, when we came back, John thought well I could put a band together, he’d always wanted to do it and then he asked me if I’d play electric guitar.
I thought that it sounded like a bit of fun so, yeh, let’s do that and it morphed into being more than a bit of fun, I thought, after a while, I’ve really missed this, what have I been doing for all these years? It was the opportunity, you see? the opportunity arose and I took the opportunity and went with it. It kind of revitalised my whole interest in the electric guitar, I think that it had always been there but, because I hadn’t had the opportunity, I’d put it to one side.
I then started to develop that playing seriously, did some writing, did some work with John. We did an album together in 2018 called ‘Beyond The Stars’, which I think John Wnelock-Smith reviewed as well, and then I started doing some more solo stuff, which I’ve been doing ever sinceand that’s about it really.
Progradar: So, to put you on the spot then, would you say that you are an electric guitarist who can also play classical guitar or classical guitarist who also plays electric? Or are you just a meld of both really?
Nick:I’m a meld of both…
Progradar: You’re a guitarist basically?
Nick: Yes, they’re both two quite different disciplines. The technique and the approach to playing are both quite different really, I think one of the reasons I shut down the electric guitar is, while I was trying to build up the classical playing, there was too much coming from the electric side and it was interfering with the development of that technique.
The thing is, once I had developed that technique, I could go back and play anything, it just opened up the doors, technically, to go into all sorts of areas with the guitar that I otherwise would have found more difficult to do, I became more adept at using my fingers, basically!
Progradar: Is there one you find more enjoyable than the other? Or this that saying that, if you had two kids, which one do you like more!?
Nick: There like two sides of the same coin, I enjoy playing solo, performing on my own but it’s a very different discipline to playing in a band and I enjoy that side as well, it’s more of a social thing. You interact musically with each other and also on a social level. So, for me, it’s the best of both, I like doing both and I’d find it hard to stop doing both, doing one of them exclusively. I’d like to keep doing both.
Progradar: It surprised me, even after reading John’s review of ‘Quadrivium’, how modern it sounds and it’s quite heavy in places. When you read your background, you think here’s a guy who’s a classical guitarist, you think that here’s a guy who plays electric but will be more intricate, delicate in the way he plays it but ‘Quadrivium’, in places, just absolutely blows you away! Not that I can see you with hair down past your shoulders playing speed metal Nick! but there’s some really technical playing on the album.
Nick:Those days have gone, yes, but i did have longer hair in my youth!
Progradar: You mentioned those guys at the start, people like Jan Akkerman, SteveHowe and Steve Hackett, but, when you first started playing the guitar, were they your first influences?
Nick: No, one the influences that got me into the electric guitar was Hank Marvin, there was a Shadows album in the house, I had an older brother who introduced me to music that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. I heard Hank Marvin and I thought it was just magic, what’s that sound? That got me into the electric guitar, it really sparked something.
After that, what really got me into the electric guitar was listening to Jimmy Page, I heard some early Zeppelin stuff and it kind of blew my mind, those sounds he was getting out of the guitar, I thought I want to do some of that! That really sparked my imagination, I think Jimmy Page is a great individual player, there’s a real character to his sound.
I also liked some quite melodic players as well, and I still do as one of them is still going, that’s Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash. I really liked Andy’s playing and I still do, I think he’s actually quite an underrated player, a fabulous electric guitar player.
Progradar: I’ve recently got back into collecting vinyl and I’ve literally just bought the Wishbone Ash live album, ‘Live Dates’, there’s some really good playing on that! I quite like to listen to a studio album, I like the structure but, then again, if a live gig is done right, it can be brilliant on record.
Nick:Talking of live albums, probably the biggest influence on me, musically, in the early 70’s was, more than anything, Focus, because, Focus, for me, had everything. They had this classical thing going on, they had jazz improvisation, they had really great, bluesy, rock roots, they had it all for me.
I thought they were such an interesting combination of music that made you think, well, actually, why is music in a box? Why do we compartmentalise it because, actually, here’s a band that can fuse it all together and make a sound that’s so original, very unique and it’s brilliant. It draws on all the things that I was interested in.
I still think that ‘Focus – Live At The Rainbow’ was one of the greatest live albums that I’ve ever heard. I’ve listened to it recently and it’s so good, these guys were in their 20’s and, bloody hell, could they play! The music they were playing was just off the chart! I still love it today, I think it’s a great live album.
Progradar: I didn’t get into progressive rock until the late 80’s/ early 90’s, the first prog album I heard was Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe, then there was Rush‘Hold Your Fire’, it was my ex-wife’s stepfather who introduced me to those. Before that, as we’ve touched on already, my original musical influences started with The Police in the late 70’s but then, like my friends at school, I got into Duran Duran, Ultravox and Simple Minds, bands like that.
When I left school, a friend of mine was heavily into hair metal, heavy rock, Van Halen and all that sort of stuff. I don’t know if you remember but, in the late 80s’, Channel 4 was the first channel that would have programs on after midnight and there was one called ‘Music Box’. We used to got to the pub, get in and we would listen to ‘Music Box’, it was when David Lee Roth had just left Van Halen and he was with Steve Vai on ‘Eat ‘Em And Smile’.
So that was an influence, then I got into progressive rock and then it was the blues. I remember seeing Joe Bonamassa play at Bridlington Spa and B.B.King playing Sheffield Arena with half of it curtained off, he was too big for the City Hall but not big enough to fill the arena! As things have gone on, I have settled back into progressive rock so my musical influences are all over the spot.
I do like the fact that I didn’t get into progressive rock until the 90’s because, now, I can discover it all, I’ve bought every Genesis album on vinyl. People would say to me that this band sounds just like Genesis but the only stuff I’ve heard is Land Of Confusion! So I think that’s why I tend to write about a wide variety of music due to my musical influences over the years.
Nick:Which is great, the interesting thing about progressive rock is that it does incorporate so many other elements. If you’re generally interested in music, it’s a stylistic form that actually incorporates stuff from all over the place that you’ve dipped into over your life. You like that and you like this and , all of a sudden, you hear someone putting it all together. If you’re somebody who is open to music then progressive rock is amazing, it’s a great thing.
Progradar: I would never have listened to jazz music without listening to progressive rock first.
Nick:Well, I didn’t either.
Progradar: If you take jazz on it’s own, originally I just wouldn’t have listened to it!
Nick:I got into jazz music probably through Bill Bruford. When he left Crimson and he started doing his own thing, I bought his albums and they were just incredible, well crafted albums, the music, the production, everything about them. But listening to those albums got me interested in what had influenced him, why is he writing that stuff, where is it coming from? Then you delve back into some other stuff and realise, well, that’s jazz, isn’t it? It’s not coming from rock or blues, it’s coming from a different place all together. So I think listening to Bill Bruford really helped me develop an interest in other music as well.
Progradar: I got, through working with David Elliott at Bad Elephant Music, into Snarky Puppy and delving into their back catalogue. I do like a bit of trumpet and cornet, I love saxophone and things like that and the only sort of reference, when you mention saxophone to most people, is Gerry Rafferty and Baker Street or Tina Turner, We Don’t Need Another Hero, those are the two that everyone comes up with! I think you’re right in what you’re saying, it opens you up to so many other things. It’s like sponge, isn’t it?
Nick:It is and, if you’re open minded, and want to be educated a bit more, broaden you’re horizons, you can listen to this stuff and it takes you into other areas that you never have probably gone into.
Progradar: Talking of your solo career, when you first start writing an album and, to be fair, you’ve probably got another that you’ve already started now, how do you go about writing? Where do you get your influences from for the tracks? Do you have four or five all on the go at once or do you start with one track, finish that and then go on to the next one?
Nick:I do tend to have lots of ideas which, over time, either become something or they don’t. If it’s a strong idea, you’ve developed it and then I go back and I play stuff, an idea that I might have had and thought I couldn’t take it anywhere. Strong ideas tend to develop and start to have a life of their own.
The initial idea will spark off the rest of the progression of the music, it will develop out of that. If the idea that you had isn’t going anywhere then it tends to just become a dead end but I do tend to have several pieces of music on the go at once, I don’t just write one piece and then move on to the next.
Progradar: Obviously, if you’re in a band then you’re all working together, you’re bouncing ideas off each other, as a solo artist do you bounce ideas off, say, your wife or fellow musicians or is it just something you keep to yourself?
Nick:No, it’s totally in my head, it is literally in my head, I write in my head.
Progradar: So you’re not going to have any idea of how your music is going to be felt by anyone else until you’ve literally finished and played it then?
Nick: The thing is, I don’t use any software and I don’t record anything at all until I go into the studio, I write it all out, apart from the improvised sections, obviously I don’t write them. The main structures of the pieces are all written out and I play around on the guitar and practice what I’m going to record but I have an idea in my head of what I want it to sound like but it’s not until I start recording it that it starts to unfold. So it’s very gratifying when you’ve finished an album, that was what was in my head and now it’s out of my head and on record.
Progradar: It’s very organic then, it’s a very organic process…
Nick:It is very organic, I don’t use software and, this is going to sound weird, I don’t plug the electric guitar in to write, I just play the thing with virtually no sound at all.
Progradar: It’s like a silent disco!
Nick:It is a bit like a silent disco, it’s a bit odd. The reason I work like that is because, if you play an idea with a great sound then you tend to develop the idea using the sound, the colour of the sound that you’re working with and it kind of develops from there. For me, I like to work purely with the music, I think of it like a pencil sketch, an artist would often do a pencil sketch of a landscape and then they would take into their studio and fill it in with the colour and the paint and develop it from there but they would always start from a pencil sketch.
You look at Turner’s work and he always had loads and loads of pencil sketches, so did Constable, any of these landscape artists and they would go into the studio and develop it, using the colours that were available, to make it come alive. That’s exactly how I think of it, I sketch out lots of ideas but I have no ideas of how the sound is going to be appropriated until I actually start the recording process.
A lot of people these days, they use the equipment, they use the sounds to generate the music, the form and the structure. There’s nothing wrong with doing that but, for me, it just doesn’t really work like that because I have such a lot of strong ideas in my own mind. I feel that you could spend hours and hours messing around trying to find the right sound whereas I don’t have that problem.
Progradar: Do you think you write music like that because of your classical training?
Nick:I think it might partly to do with that, I’ve never really thought of it in that way, it just feels right to me to work like that, you know?
Progradar: Getting on to the elephant in the room and what initiated this conversation in the first place, the Spotify and streaming generation. It’s a generational thing, our generation, we loved that thing of going down to the record shop and buying the vinyl buying the CD and having the physical product in our hands.
We didn’t have instant access to the music, our Spotify was almost the radio, wasn’t it? That was where you’d hear snatches of music and, if you liked it, you would go out and buy the album, you wouldn’t have the option of, having heard that one track, now being able to stream the rest of it. My own personal opinion is that it has devalued music massively.
Maybe due to my influence, my stepson will listen to the whole album from start to finish but he is an anomaly of the current generation. The whole point of the music that you write, that Big Big Train write and the bands that I really enjoy listening to is that they write an album of songs and they will put them songs in order, in the structure, that they are meant to be heard in. You’re not supposed to pick a little bit out here and there and I find it frustrating!
Nick:I do as well. For me, going back to my classical background, I view albums as like symphonies, you know? The reason the LP came into being was because it was a way of fitting a symphony onto a disc, that was why the LP originated, there was no other reason why the LP should exist. A long player exists because record companies wanted to find a way of putting long form music onto a recording. For me, the progressive rock stuff is the same, it’s an album that has a start, it has a finish, it takes you on a journey, it takes the listener somewhere.
They’re not just disparate tracks, it’s not a ‘best of’ album, it’s something that’s got a narrative and a direction. It unfolds like it would a film, you go and watch a film, you don’t pick and mix or watch that scene and watch that scene just because you like them, you watch the whole narrative start to finish. That’s the process, that’s the enjoyment of watching the film and, for me, it’s the same with music, it unfolds over a period of time, it takes you on a journey and it stimulates your imagination.
Progradar: I think the question posed by the musician you quoted was, is there any point in making a great album anymore? In his opinion, it didn’t have a place in today’s society. Well, I disagree, I still think that music like that is an art form and art is still out there. As people still paint pictures, people still like to listen to music.
Nick:Definitely and, like you said before, it devalues it. If you start cutting it up into bits, little sounds bites here and everywhere, you devalue the whole thing. In fact the YouTube generation of people who go out there and do their thing, play their guitars and play their songs, they have thirty seconds to get somebody’s attention because there’s so many millions of people doing it. They’ve got to do all this stuff which, half the time, isn’t very musical, it’s just to get people’s attention.
In the old days you’d have record companies doing their best for the bands or the artists which would give them longevity over a long period of time, they’d put money into it, they’d develop the artist and the companies would see a return for their money over a period of time. Whereas now everyone wants instant everything, they want instant return on their money, instant gratification from the music, you know.
There’s not many gigs, everyone’s just sat in their bedrooms playing music and hoping that, within thirty seconds, someone will take notice of them or they’ll switch onto the next one. What’s that doing to music? It’s just devaluing the whole thing.
Progradar: You’ll be like me, there was an old record store in Bridlington called Turners and they had listening booths. You’d get the album out and put the headphones on. On a Saturday you’d spend hours in there but you’d come out of there having spent quite a few quid by the time you left!
Nick:Exactly, it was all part and parcel of the enjoyment of the music. It’s a generational thing because kids these days have so many other distractions what with games and everything. We never had that when we were younger, music was part of our culture.
Progradar: It was a tactile thing, wasn’t it? It’s lost that tactility.
Nick:Definitely, I hope it comes back but I’m not going to stop doing it.
Progradar: I don’t want you to stop doing it! I want to hear what comes next after ‘Quadrivium’, I love that album. Right, we are going to have to wrap it up now Nick, I really appreciate you talking to me tonight, it’s been brilliant.
Nick:It’s a pleasure Martin, thanks for talking to me. I start the new album soon and I’ll keep you in the loop.
‘Quadrivium’ was released on 15th September, 2023.
You can order the album (and all of Nick’s other projects) direct from Nick’s webstore here:
