THRESHOLD return with their 12th full length album ‘Dividing Lines’, which is set to be released on 18th November via Nuclear Blast Records.
‘Dividing Lines’ marks the second album since the return of former vocalist Glynn Morgan, who reunited with the band on their previous effort ‘Legends Of The Shires’ (2017). A darker album than ‘Legends Of The Shires’, the band have described it as “Legends’ darker, moodier older brother”.
Get your first taste of the album with the single ‘Silenced’, which comes with a stunning new video.
Richard West comments on the song: “Silenced is about how we seem to be heading towards less voices, less artists, less venues, less platforms where everyone can be heard. People seem so scared to speak out or debate anything anymore. I know I sound old but I miss the good old days! When freedom of speech goes then society is lost.”
The video was filmed by Sitcom Soldiers in the UK who also filmed the band’s last video ‘Small Dark Lines’. The video portrays a boy coming up against a threatening foe, only defeating them by summoning a mighty scream (unsilenced).
Steve Hackett is certainly a very busy man of late, on the day we talk, he has just returned from time in Borneo and a few club dates in Japan, amidst a wider Australian and New Zealand tour. Even so, he continues to be his usual self-effacing and courteous host, he is such a gracious interviewee and always has interesting things to say and learn from.
This interview is in advance of his upcoming season of shows entitled ‘Foxtrot AtFifty’, which will see him delivering a complete set consisting of that entire album. The tour will see Steve and his band playing the album along with various other classic Genesis material and some of his own solo material from the ‘Surrender ofSilence’ album from last year. It is looking to be a busy few months again for Steve.
John Wenlock-Smith: Good Morning Steve, so how are you sir?
Steve Hackett: I am all right, fine, it has been a busy time, how about yourself?
JWS: We have had Covid actually.
SH: Ooh, that is nasty!
JWS: With Sue having asthma, she had it worse than me but we are both on the back end of it now so, hopefully, will be back to normal soon.
SH: Well, next week we go to Germany and Italy as we are doing some outdoor shows, which should be good, I like festival shows, they are genuine fun.
JWS: Then, when you come back, you have ‘Foxtrot at 50’ starting?
SH: Yes, that is right, in the autumn. I am looking forward to it, it is an album that is worthy of a revisit, some of it I have not played in 50 years!
JWS: You have also got the ‘Seconds Out Live’ album coming out in September?
SH: Yes, it is the best live album I have ever done. It sounds good, much better than the original album, which was not a good production sadly, whereas this one really does sound good. The drum sounds are better plus we took the key down for Squonk.
I think Genesis did that as well because a lot of those songs were written by non-singers and they forget that voices change as people get older and they can’t reach the high notes as easily as they used to, I know Phil cannot do it now. This latest version is exceptionally fine indeed, I guess time will tell though?
JWS: Yes indeed, I was listening to a friend of yours last week, Nick Fletcher?
SH: Yes, he is great, an extraordinarily accomplished and amazing player, the best jazz rock player in Britain today.
JWS: I was also going back and listening to some early Fleetwood Mac with PeterGreen.
SH: Well I saw Peter Green many times over the years, he was always a fabulous player.
JWS: I also heard an album by Ryo Okumoto that you play on as well, a track called Maximum Velocity.
SH: Yes, a friend of mine is also on that album, Michael Whiteman, who sings and plays bass on the album. He is part of a band called I Am The Manic Whale, he is particularly good too, it is interesting that he is also on the album.
I have not heard the finished album though, so I do not know if I even made the cut or if I am one of several guitarists on there but enjoy it anyway.
JWS: There are some great keyboard players out there now like Ryo and, of course, your own Roger King, about time he did a solo album.
SH: I keep telling him he should but he thinks anything he did would not sell so he is reluctant to try.
JWS: Well, maybe he ought to cover songs he likes himself or something?
SH: I will tell him, but he is happy just playing on my stuff, although he will tell me if it is not any good, he can be vocal about it too. But they are all talented players and play like demons at times.
JWS: So what is next for you?
SH: We have been so wrapped up in touring that I have not been able to record much. I have got three songs ready but not had a chance to record them so, hopefully, that will happen before long and then we will be touring ‘Foxtrot’ around the world too, so busy days ahead.
JWS: Right then Steve, I had best let you get on but thank you once again for your time. Stay safe and well and we will hopefully see you in Buxton in September.
SH: Thanks John, take care of yourself and keep well.
Nick Fletcher is a man of many talents for not only is he the guitarist in the excellent John Hackett band, he also has his own acoustic guitar recitals happening in the North of England. Last year he released his excellent solo album ‘Cycles OfBehaviour’, which was very highly regarded. In addition, Steve Hackett, no less, has stated that he considers Nick to be the finest Jazz Rock guitarist in the country. In the intervening months Nick has completed and released his new album ‘The Cloud Of Unknowing’, let us have a look and see shall we?
The album consists of nine tracks which are all thematically linked by the album’s attempts to illuminate a journey towards enlightenment, understanding and the acceptance of how things are and our place within that cycle. It is mainly instrumental, although it has vocals on the fifth and ninth songs and is best heard as a single piece of music to get the best out of it and to allow the journey to unfold as you listen.
Nick says the album came out of lockdowns and during the time of the pandemic in which he became open to search for deeper meaning and value to life. He did this by looking at mythology and to Christian mysticism from the likes of St John Of The Cross, whose words that illuminate the paradox we face are shown on the inner CD sleeve. Right, enough background, let’s hear the music…
The first piece, Out Of The Maelstrom, is a brutal hard-hitting track that reminded me of Billy Cobham’s ‘Spectrum’ and the track Quadrant 4 as it has a similar vitality and energy to it. It is full of dynamism and a mad organ from Dave Bainbridge, off which Nick plays flurries of notes and runs and it’s all highly impressive. Even better though is the more reflective The Eyes Of Persephone, which features a great flowing piano solo from Dave and over which Nick soars, playing some fluid guitar lines that would not be out of place on a Camel album. However, it still has a fire burning underneath making it a formidable and exceptional track
We then move into a set of five tracks that together form a suite entitled ‘Scenes From The Subconscious Mind’.
The suite opens with We Need to Leave This Place…Right Now!, twenty seconds of modern life noises, traffic and sirens and the like that display the unrest of life, this then moves into the more, almost metallic, crunch of Pandemonium which is rather brutal really, although it allows a great platform for Nick to solo from, adding some very sweet slide guitar tones in the latter part. This is all magnificently underpinned by the wonderful and highly versatile fretless bass of Tim Harries whose parts really add much to the sound, another magnificent track.
Then we have The Cloud of Unknowing Part 1 Part 2 Part 3, the first vocal track from Stuart Barbour, who is a contemporary Christian musician who Caroline Bonnet suggested to Nick. His voice is very English sounding, sounding a little like John Wetton in his U.K. days. This is an album that is better with some volume as the sound unfolds as you listen, the more you play it the more you hear, the track ends in gentler but still highly atmospheric soundscapes.
We then have a gentle arpeggio led guitar piece called Awakening The Hydra, which in turn leads to Dance of the Hydra,a blistering five plus minutes of wild fusion playing and a monstrous riff that the likes of Metallica would love It is a brutal, kicking piece of music with lots of wild guitar riffs and manic drumming from Russ Wilson. Nick is all over this track, employing many of his artistic tools to profound effect, there is furious playing but he never loses sight of feeling, melody and touch and this closes out the suite perfectly.
Arcadia is a classical guitar piece that flows seamlessly into The Paradox Part 1 Part2. This is a very questioning song that asks questions about how we live today. There is a great synthesiser solo from Dave Bainbridge at the halfway mark and a very spacey, yet fluid, guitar line from Nick carries the song forward, along with more subtle slide parts that really add to the atmosphere of the song. The song ends gently with classical guitar playing that draws everything to a close and completes our journey. Hopefully, during the journey, we should have gained enough insight to be able to continue our lives in the light of the wisdom that has been handed to us, to discover, absorb, and allow us to illuminate the paths that lie before us.
‘The Cloud Of Unknowing’ is an astonishing album that reveals more and more of itself as you become familiar and open to its themes. It is deeply spiritual and is one that we invariably need in these days of turmoil that the world is facing. Whatever you believe, this album is at least a call the ponder, muse and meditate even if only for yourself, why not try it? It is a highly highly recommended listening experiencefor the discerning music fan.
Babe Ruth were a hot ticket in the early 1970s with their intelligent and sophisticated sound, the use of horns and the earthy yet powerful vocals of Janita“Jenny”Haan trading her lines against the impressive Alan Shacklock’s skilled guitar and arrangement. Their music was in part influenced by the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone, which made for an early ethnicity to their sound.
Their debut album, ‘First Base’, featured a striking cover designed by Roger Dean that enabled it to stand out in the racks. What a statement of intent it was from opening bars of Wells Fargo, that sound just hits you like a tank but it is not all bombast, it is is an album full of intricacies, especially with the wonderful arrangements from the classically trained Alan Shacklock, this is a different type of progressive rock and one that certainly makes an impression.
There are a lot of keyboards within the sound, all backed by the solid beat of DickPowell. This is best displayed on the lengthy instrumental King Kong which is a fabulous jazzy rock number that would not feel out of place on an early Santana album. It is actually a cover of the Frank Zappa song from his 1968 ‘Uncle Meat’ album. Black Dog is a different type of song being soft and gentle with a delicate vocal from Jenny. Originally by Jesse Winchester, this has a fabulous piano solo from Dave Punshon. The Mexican is next and is the longest song on the album thus far and opens with Spanish guitar and a steady straightforward beat which was done in one take. It is really impressive for its time, well before drum loops and such. The song is about the Alamo but is told from the Mexican perspective, it also includes part of Ennio Morricone’s Western themes, which are neatly worked into the track. There’s great syncopation throughout the entire track and some great bass lines. The final song is Joker which has a brutal riff to it and more impassioned vocals from Jenny Haan. It rounds the album out in style although there are two bonus tracks plus a single edit of Wells Fargo and the theme from A Few Dollars More.
This concluded a fine album and gets you set up for their second album ‘AmarCaballero’ which carries with on the strong vibe of ‘First Base’, although this time the cover (a gatefold) is by Hypgnosis and features a group of horses that were supposed to charge but refused to move. In addition the line up has changed too, with EdSpevock on drums, Dave Hewitt on bass and Chris Holmes replacing Dave Pushon on keys.
The sound and style of the album is different from the debut in that there are a slew of songs from Jenny, delicate guitar from Alan and an effective use of orchestrations throughout the album. However, there is still plenty of rocking going on, especially on the epic three parts of Amar Caballero with its Latin sounds. There are also elements of funk on the drums along with a suitably fiery guitar and horns wailing away. Much of this material was originally penned with other artists in mind but, when that failed to work out, this album arose from those efforts, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag but the 3-part Amar Caballero is definitely worth a listen.
The final album ‘Babe Ruth’ was their last for Harvest, although they spent a while on the Capitol label where they released the ‘Stealing Home’ and ‘Kid’s Stuff’ albums, albeit with a vastly different line up as all the original members had quit by this stage.
The album opens with the hard rocking track Dancer with great guitar by AlanShacklock, this is followed by another rocker, Somebody’s Nobody, with more great guitar and synth sounds, again Jenny sings very powerfully, as she does throughout the whole album. An interesting version of A Fistful Of Dollars comes next, where Alan gets to play his own tribute to those spaghetti westerns of which he is so fond.
We then get a cover of a Curtis Mayfield song, We People Darker Than Blue, an unusual choice but it gets the proper Babe Ruth treatment with lots of energy and great synths. As a social protest song, it is overseen sympathetically and treated with respect, with a fine vocal from Jenny. Jack O’Lantern has very Rock and Roll feel with lots of honky tonk piano runs. The song is about a voyeur and, while it may not be welcome today, for its time, it was musically at least, a good track.
Another cover follows, this time of Booker T Jones‘ and William Bells‘ Private Number, which is a great song with lots of good synth work in amongst some fine guitar playing. Turquoise is driven by Spanish guitar runs and fills, a very flamenco style track with excellent guitar lines from Alan. The last track on the album is TheDuchess Of Orleans and, again, this has a great vocal from Jenny Haan, it is also the second longest track on the album after Dancer. The song is about a relationship across the classes, opening with organ and Alan’s Cockney accent before Jenny takes the vocal over. It’s an interesting track and closes the album out well in what has been an excellent overview of the band and, indeed, their Harvest years, in which we find much skill and talent that was sadly unappreciated at the time. Upon re-examination some 50 years on we can see just how good this band really were and how they deserved so much more than they achieved.
This is a really good box set as usual from Esoteric and includes an informative booklet from the great Steve Pilkington, no less, I highly recommend it!
John Wenlock-Smith: ‘The Cloud Of Unknowing’,you were going to tell me what it is all about?
Nick Fletcher:Well, the album came out of lockdown and my own search to find meaning and purpose in my life as a result of that time.
JWS: How did you do that?
NF:Well I looked in mythology and also to Christian mysticism to find some answers.
JWS: Mysticism? like who?
NF:Under the CD tray is a quote from St John of the Cross, I looked at what folks like him were saying to see if that gave any clarity. For me, I think that it did impact me in how I looked at things and situations and also how to enjoy solitude and silence.
I found there to be much insight and wisdom in these medieval mystics writing, much to learn within those monastic traditions.
JWS: And this all influenced the album?
NF:Yes but indirectly, in that it helped me focus and create the music accordingly.
JWS: The album is great
NF:I feel it’s best listened to straight through to really get what it’s trying to say.
JWS: I can certainly spot the influence of U.K., for instance. While you may not play legato style like Allan Holdsworth, you certainly fly across the strings with some style.
NF:Well, I loved U.K. and I wanted a singer who sounded a little like John Wetton as I love his voice. When Caroline Bonnet (my producer) suggested her friend StuartBarbour (who she’d worked with before), I tried him and found he had a very good voice, a British voice rather than an American one, and I think that matters for the two songs he does, he did a great job.
JWS: So, obviously, U.K. was an influence.
NF:Yes, but so many other guitarists were too, like John Mclaughlin, his MahavishnuOrchestra and later 1970s albums were influences too.
JWS: With some guitarists it is all about the song being the springboard from which they can do the guitar solo.
NF:I try not to take that approach, for me, if the song calls for a solo then fine, but it’s a tool that I can choose to employ and it’s not mandatory really. I’m a writer mainly, one who also plays the guitar, it is really merely a tool I can utilise in my music.I’m always writing stuff and the guitar is a tool to use within that context.
JWS: You have some great musicians who lend their skills to the album.
NF:Yes, I have some great friends who are prepared to help me out.
JWS: Like Dave Bainbridge?
NF:Dave played some great organ parts on several tracks.
JWS: How is Dave?
NF:I’m actually seeing him this week as he’s playing a gig in Sheffield and it’s so close to me, it’ll be good to catch up with him again.
JWS: So what’s next for you?
NF:Well, I’m still writing with a view to a third album and in August we (The JohnHackett Band) resume touring activities again, plus I’ll have more solo classical guitar recitals to do.
JWS: So, all in all, keeping occupied after the two years of difficulties with covid?
NF: We are doing a promotional film shoot for the band with some live stuff that will be used to promote the band to a wider audience hopefully. That will, hopefully, appear on YouTube.
JWS: So it’s all looking positive Nick?
NF:Yes, very much so!
JWS: Thank you for your time and for the information about the album, that will help me with my review, I hope, and, hopefully, I’ll see you on the road again soon.
NF:Thanks John, good to talk with you again, hope to see you soon too.
‘The Cloud Of Unknowing’ is out now and can be ordered direct from the artist here:
FEATURING GUEST VOCALS FROM HER NAME IS CALLA’S ANJA MADHVANI
London ambient post-rock project VLMV have shared new single ‘The Navigator’ via Nice Weather For Airstrikes. His third musical offering of 2022, VLMV mastermind Pete Lambrou has crafted a timeless piece that showcases honesty and self-reflection via lush harmony arrangements and delicate piano lines. The single comes as a follow up to Steady, Thyself and For Empire in anticipation of their summer album release – Sing With Abandon.
‘The Navigator’ is organic and slow burning with a crushing, instant sense of nostalgia and vulnerability with soaring guest vocals from Anja Madhvani (Her Name Is Calla). The piano was recorded on Adele’s old touring grand piano at Old Chapel Studios in Chichester whilst bassoon and cello loops were created by recording legato notes and processed through a 4-track, reversed and tape-looped to create endless lo-fi drones.
An ambitious yet concise album, ‘Sing With Abandon’ was born as songwriter and producer Pete Lambrou explored navigating life in the pandemic, multiple lockdowns and a country deciding to break up with its loved ones. Lyrically focused on feelings of isolation and separation, from our shared collective human experience to the deeply personal and everything in between, ‘Sing With Abandon’ touches on the isolation found within the communal experience of a country locked down and in crisis.
Formed in early 2015 by songwriter & producer Pete Lambrou (Codes In The Clouds, Monsters Build Mean Robots), VLMV released their debut mini album via Fierce Panda Records in August 2015, along with ‘Remixes & Reworkings’, a digital overhaul of their esteemed debut shortly after. Described as “heartachingly beautiful” by Prog Magazine,, VLMV shared the follow up, ‘Stranded, Not Lost, in 2018, earning a nomination at the Prog Awards alongside critical acclaim.
Hailing from London, VLMV have received widespread praise for their immersive live shows, gaining them slots across the UK and Europe including ArcTanGent, Dunk! Festival, Portals Festival, Post In Paris and many more.
‘Sing With Abandon’ will be release on August 19th via Nice Weather For Airstrikes and can be pre-ordered now
“This album is founded on feelings of isolation and separation that lockdown had on each of us – both on a personal and on a human race level. We’d become a nation – a world-divided. And although I hadn’t tried to represent that in album form, these things tend to slip out. I could never sit down and write a song about the state-of-the-world, but I believe that if you don’t try and force it, whatever is there deep down, will come to the surface in some way.”
‘Promises of Hope’ is the second album from The Bardic Depths, the unusual group formed through the Big Big Train “Passengers” Forum which brought together the talents of a disparate group of individuals, united by musical interests. Their first, self-titled album told the story of the friendship between JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis and their experiences in The Great War. This new album also features CS Lewis along with Greek poet Virgil and its theme is that of suicide and redemption.
What is different this time though is that folks who were contributors last time have joined Dave Bandana and now become official members of the band, these being Peter Jones, Tim Gehrt and Gareth Cole. Once again, they are aided by historian Bradley Birzer who provides the lyrics and various other guests appear on the album (like Sally Minnear of Celestial Fire).
The subject matter might seem quite heavy and dark but the music is anything but. The story is that a Queen tries to kill herself but heaven will not allow it and offers redemption instead…
Right from the opener, And She Appeared, there is a new sense of presence in the band, Robin Armstrong’s sympathetic production certainly helps, as do the stellar performances of the whole ensemble. Some great sound effects and expansive keyboard sweeps lead into a triumphant fanfare of synths and a penny whistle before a thrusting bass line kicks in and Peter’s fabulous vocal begins, Dave Bandana joining in with the vocals as the song surges forward. This is exceptionally good stuff indeed and Gareth Cole’s is glorious too. The excellence of the opening track means the album really flies out of the gate with a great refrain of promises of hope but never victory, a truly epic song to start with.
Regal Pride follows and is a more even-paced track, although some fabulous saxophone licks and riffs pump up the tempo as the song tells of the failing of the relationship that caused her to want to commit suicide. It is very languid and almost lazy sounding, again some great classical guitar playing throughout makes a seriously good impression. Consumed opens with more classical guitar and sounds of the sea washing ashore. There’s more penny whistle from Peter Jones, that sounds uncannily akin to Men of Harlech, along with lovely violin from Olga Kent. This track is a slow burner and its folky interludes really add significantly to proceedings, It is all really impressive and a step forward from the debut album, the introduction of a core nucleus certainly helping with stabilisation of the music and allowing for more improvisation to occur naturally.
This is an album that has been carefully assembled and crafted and it shows in the strength of tracks, The Burning Flame continuing the story with some distinctive guitar lines from Gareth, in which he gets to contact his inner ‘Gilmour’, adding an epic scope to the song. The track talks about the Queen’s attempt to end it all and utterly captivating playing makes this a real highlight of the album thus far, you can intimately sense the loss of hope in this song.
Colours and Shapes follows with more moody saxophone, as an instrumental this gives free rein to the jazzy playing of Peter Jones and it is a wonderful thing to hear. When Tim Gehrt’s solid drumming kicks in, it really soars, heading off into lots of different directions until Gareth’s mighty guitar takes flight. It’s really fine track, epic even, with the cool sax segueing in to Why Are You Here?, the song opening with various voices asking ‘Why Are You Here?’, which sounds reminiscent of Pink Floyd’sWish You Were Here, as it shares a similar tempo and sound. The track also has a suitably moody and epic guitar solo.
Returned has a different feel to all that has gone before, sounding like an outtake from The Power Station, with its funky stylings and use of vocoder. In this song our Queen is advised to return to love as it is her path to redemption and you can get the 80’s vibe in this track. It is another highpoint in what is rapidly becoming an ambitious and really interesting album. The Essence continues the 80’s sound with heavy drums and lots of synths burbling away. ‘The universe may feel…’ is the refrain on this track and lots more superb saxophone makes it another winner
Imagine concludes the album, opening with a majestic church organ, courtesy of Richard Krueger, that makes a grand statement of intent. This is the redemption that has been offered and received by our Queen, more marvellous keyboards in the middle section and great vocals from Dave and Peter keep the song bubbling along. The guitar part is very reminiscent of a certain Steve Hackett, Gareth showing that he certainly can play in that style. This is a fitting finale to an album that is really something incredibly special indeed.
‘Promises of Hope’ will invariably appear in various end of year listings, and rightfully so too, for it is exceptionally good and I heartily recommend it to all.
The legendary King’s X, comprised of dUg Pinnick, Ty Tabor & Jerry Gaskill, are pleased to announce the release of their 13th studio album ‘Three Sides of One’ on the 2nd September 2022. With the announcement comes the first new music from the band in 14 years, with the release of the album’s heavy first single ‘Let It Rain’. Listen to the track here:
Of the new album, dUg Pinnick comments:
“When I think of it, King’s X feels like a couple of old best friends coming together, shooting the shit, and having a good time, it’s instinctual. When I would listen to demo tapes of Jerry and Ty for the record, it gave me a great perspective on how blessed I am to be in King’s X. What they did on Three Sides of One sounded so good. For as familiar as it is, it’s like I’m in a new band.”
Ty adds:
“This time, we sat around, listened to each other’s ideas, and would collectively say, ‘Let’s work on that’. It was the most enjoyable album I’ve personally ever recorded in my entire life, period.”
Jerry continues: “I’ll cherish what we did in my heart forever. Everything lined up perfectly.”
‘Three Sides of One’ will be available as Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP+CD+LP-booklet & as Digital Album. There will also be a Limited Deluxe 180g Orange/Red Marble 2LP+CD+LP-booklet that also includes a poster and a hand-numbered print, as well as an exclusive variant of the front cover artwork. Pre-order now here: https://kingsx.lnk.to/ThreeSidesOfOne
During 2019, the members congregated at Black Sound Studio in Pasadena, CA with Emmy Award-winning producer Michael Parnin to bring ‘Three Sides of One’ to life. Despite consistent touring, they hadn’t cut a new LP since 2008. Nevertheless, the guys picked up where they left off. Creative confidant and collaborator Wally Farkas rolled through, and they channelled their incredible chemistry on tape.
The full track-listing is as follows:
1. Let It Rain 04:28
2. Flood Pt. 1 03:03
3. Nothing But The Truth 06:03
4. Give It Up 02:59
5. All God’s Children 05:32
6. Take The Time 03:45
7. Festival 03:30
8. Swipe Up 03:46
9. Holidays 03:22
10. Watcher 03:43
11. She Called Me Home 03:57
12. Every Everywhere 02:40
King’s X background:
Along the way, they architected a catalogue of seminal releases. KERRANG! famously scored their 1988 full-length debut, Out of the Silent Planet, with a rare “5-out-of-5-stars.” On its heels, the landmark Gretchen Goes To Nebraska continues to inspire think pieces with Ultimate Classic Rock going as far to proclaim, “no one else has crafted anything remotely like it.” They notably appeared on the soundtrack to Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, and Guitar World christened the self-titled King’s X one of “The 30 Greatest Rock Guitar Albums of 1992” (a year notably highlighted by Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power, Alice In Chains’ Dirt, Megadeth’s Countdown To Extinction, Dream Theater’s Images and Words, and many more). Following Dogman, the group graced the stage of Woodstock 1994 and toured with everyone from Pearl Jam and AC/DC to Mötley Crüe and Iron Maiden. They also attracted one of the most diehard fanbases in music with Ear Candy [1996], Tape Head [1998], Please Come Home… Mr. Bulbous [2000], Manic Moonlight [2001], Black Like Sunday [2003], Ogre Tones [2005], and XV [2008].
Their first full-length studio offering in 14 years, Three Sides of One, represents the culmination of this trip and of a bond forged way back in 1979.
Lonely Robot, the project masterminded by vocalist, guitarist & producer John Mitchell, recently announced the release of their fifth studio album ‘A Model Life’ on the 26th August 2022. Today, sees the launch of the album’s first single, ‘Recalibrating’. Listen to the track now here:
John comments: “A post apocalyptic breakup…the world you once knew has burned to the ground like Nero’s Rome. The only thing for it is to move forward and reset your mind. To ‘recalibrate’ if you will.”
An album that brims with frustration at the state of things, while tugging remorselessly at the heart strings, A Model Life is plainly the most honest and vulnerable Lonely Robot record to date. From opener Recalibrating, which muses on the aftermath of a broken relationship, and Digital God Machine – a sardonic tribute to keyboard warriors everywhere, to the boys-don’t-cry pathos of Rain Kings and the absurdly moving, adoption-themed Duty Of Care, these new songs provide a scattershot but profoundly emotional soundtrack to a restless and uncertain world.
John comments: “Making ‘A Model Life’ was very much a lifeline and indeed wake up call at the end of a particularly personally challenging couple of years. Creating it made me realise that ultimately, life is impermanent and the one true thing that gives me a focus and anchor is and has always been music. Long may that be the case.”
The album will be available as Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP+CD & as Digital Album. Pre-order now here:
A lone soldier on the frontlines of creativity, John Mitchell has been at the forefront of forward-thinking and progressive rock for decades now. As a member of such revered prog ensembles as It Bites, Arena, Frost* and his own projects Kino and The Urbane, he has become a uniquely vital contributor to the modern scene, while his credentials as a producer for countless contemporary rock acts are unquestionable. But since 2015, John has been operating under name Lonely Robot: a solo project in all but name, it has enabled him to fully express his own musical vision, via some of the most vivid and fascinating music of his career to date.
Devin Townsend and InsideOutMusic are very pleased to announce that the new studio album ‘Lightwork’, produced by Devin and Gggarth Richardson (Biffy Clyro, Rage Against The Machine), will be released on the 28th October 2022. The front cover artwork was designed by long-time friend and designer Travis Smith.
The album will be accompanied by a companion record called ‘Nightwork’, available as part of the limited edition versions of the release. More details on the formats will follow in the coming months, along with pre-order details.
Devin is also pleased to announce the addition of no less than seven UK shows as part of the rescheduled European Lightwork Tour 2023:
March 28th – Bexhill-on-Sea, De La Warr Pavilion
March 29th – Bristol, Academy
March 31st – Manchester, Academy
April 1st – Nottingham, Rock City
April 2nd – Newcastle, University
April 4th – Wolves, KK’s Steel Mill
April 5th – Norwich, UEA
The UK shows will go on sale Friday June 24th, 10am local time.
Watch a trailer for the upcoming tour, including a sneak peek at some new music, here:
Tickets already purchased will remain valid on the new dates.
