Review – The Vicious Head Society – Extinction Level Event – by Martin Hutchinson

You’ve got to love a good ‘balls out’ Prog-Metal album, one that comes flying at you like a monumental behemoth and knocks you into tomorrow.

Irish guitar vistuoso Graham Keane’s project, The Vicious Head Society, did just that with 2017’s debut release ‘Abject Tomorrow’ and, after much soul searching and a difficult gestation, he returns with ‘Extinction Level Event’, an absolute leviathan of a release, full of music of maturity and a primeval brilliance.

This collection of nine epic tracks takes me back to the anticipation of new albums by Dream Theater and Haken in their early days and shows just how far Graham has come in four years.

Nathan Maxx returns on vocals. Graham adds that “his voice was the perfect fit for this more modern sound. He was able to deliver versatile and very emotive vocals for every song.” Likewise Klemen Markelj is back on drums along with Pat Byrne of Hedfuzy on bass. Nahuel Ramos is also back to offer some keyboard solos and there are guest appearances from Australian virtuoso Chris Brooks and violinist Shelley Weiss. In addition, Graham wanted to have a dedicated growler for this album and after hearing Andy Ennis’ work with Overoth, he reached out and asked him to jump on board.

Graham discusses his new album, “In very basic terms, Extinction Level Event is an album about the end of the world. This is a concept that has been explored in various other forms of media but on this album, I wanted to explore personal stories about how people might react to knowing their demise is imminent.”

“It tells the stories of 7 different people facing the end, how they process the event, what meaning or impact their lives have had. It asks what they cherish, what grudges or ill will they hold on to. Will they face the end with dignity? Essentially, the album asks the same question of us, the listener. Grief and loss are never far away… are we willing to carry bitterness, anger and resentment to our death or are we willing to let go? Conversely, are there people in our lives that are deserving of forgiveness?”

‘Extinction Level Event’ is most definitely a prog-metal album for modern times, taking all that was great about the genre in the early nineties and noughties and bringing it bang up to date with scalpel sharp guitar and potent vocals. The energetic and compelling rhythm section drives the album along, giving it an almost widescreen and visceral feel and scope.

It’s well known that I’m not generally a fan of growling, ‘cookie monster’, vocals but they work on this album and I actually like them, look, I’ve never said that before! When I mentioned this to Graham he told me that, “I only use them as part of a story telling device and, writing a song about a serial killer requires it!”

Each track is a perfectly crafted piece of music where every note and every word has its place but Graham never fails to let loose with some utterly amazing guitar work and Nahuel’s keyboards give everything a coat of pure class.

The album contains two superbly immersive instrumentals that give a bit of tangential musical exploration to the album but, generally, it is as in your face as you could ever want from a prog-metal release. Of the other tracks, it is difficult to pick favourites as they are all superb but, if you pressed me, I’d have to go with title track, and opener, Extinction Level Event, the sublime On a Silver Thread and Hymn of Creation, an utterly perfect way to close out the record.

The best music is always a journey that envelops the listener, gathers them up and takes them on a hell for leather adventure of the mind and soul and this album is no different. Graham’s songwriting abilities are top notch and he has gathered a stellar set of musicians around him to make his vision a reality, they are surely a creative force to be reckoned with.

‘Extinction Level Event’ is shaping up to possibly be the best prog metal album of the last few years at least, I honestly don’t think I’ve had a prog metal album hit me so hard since Haken’s ‘The Mountain’. It is a rare occurrence to get an album nowadays with not one track on it that I don’t love but Graham and the rest of The Vicious Head Society have absolutely nailed it with this release.

Released 28th May, 2021

Order direct from the artist here:

Home | The Vicious Head Society (bigcartel.com)

John Wenlock-Smith Interviews Jordan Rudess

John Wenlock-Smith – Good afternoon Jordan, how are you doing now?

Jordan Rudess – Hello John, yes, I am doing fine thank you. We are all safe and well as can be at this moment in time.

JWS – Lets talk about ‘LTE3’ (The forthcoming new album from Liquid Tension Experiment) that is due out in April, I have a download of it and I think it is a fabulous set of pieces, I really like it.

JR – Oh I am glad that you like it. I was not quite sure what you were going to say but I like a lot too. I am enormously proud of what we managed to get done, especially with this pandemic. It allowed us a window of opportunity to allow LTE (Liquid Tension Experiment) to be once more. It has only taken us twenty years in which a lot has changed but some things have not changed much at all really. We are still the same musicians, just a bit older now but still willing to try this experiment once again. Hopefully the response will be positive from all quarters, like the Dream Theater fans and the fusion fans too.    

JWS – I Like it, the opener Hypersonic is certainly fast and furious, was that deliberately so?

JR – Yes, we wanted something that would either attract or dispel the listener, I think that we succeeded on that score.

JWS – I agree, I think it set you up for all that is to come. I especially like the track Rhapsody In Blue, a reworking of a piece previously played live.

JR – I have always liked that Gershwin piece, although it has been so long since we last did that song that I had to rethink my approach on keyboards to do it.

JWS – Well I think it is a stunning take on what is a classic musical piece. What other songs do you especially like? I see you have your piano right there, play me something please will you?

JR – With pleasure, this is the song Shades Of Hope (Jordan then proceeds to play this jaw droppingly fantastic piano line from the song, his playing is impeccable and for an audience of one!)

JWS – Wow! thanks Jordan, that was fabulous. I have just bought an 88 key digital piano for myself ,although It will be years before I am anywhere near proficient.

JR – Well, keep playing, is what I would say to you. I started when I was 9 years of age and I am now 64 but I still love music as much now as when I first started, possibly even more so truth be told.

JWS – I am looking forward to getting the new album. I am going to get the 2CD version with the extra tracks on it, those sound interesting, although I’ve yet to hear them.

JR – Oh you will like those I think, we got to do even more wild playing for those.

JWS – So how did those sessions work out?

JR – Well, we recorded it at Dream Theater’s New York base of operation. I kind of thought it might be odd for Mike (Portnoy) as he’d not been there since he left the band but he was totally cool with it all and even offered some memorabilia for the complex. But, overall, it was just great fun, four friends who value each other musically and socially. Tony (Levin) brought his famous coffee machine again to keep us going, it was all such a great vibe. I think the results honour the commitment made by each member to the proceedings.

JWS – Did you use your normal Dream Theater keyboard set up?

JR – Pretty much, although I did tweak a few sound settings. John (Petrucci) pointed out that my sound was a bit stale sounding and, as he is the master of tone, I listened to his suggestions and we got to the sound that we felt was what we wanted.  

JWS – So will there be any opportunity for some live LTE shows? Possibly when covid is over and activities resume normally?

JR – Well I certainly hope there would be but only once we have sorted out activities for the main band. We are all busy, Mike is always busy with either Neal Morse or his own projects, as is Tony with all that he does. We are all remarkably busy hence the twenty years gap between ‘LTE2’ and this new album.

 JWS – Have you been active during lockdown Jordan?

JR – Yes, I have been busy with my sound company and I have also recorded a new solo album. I have also been busy with my Patreon site, using it to connect to other people. Depending on their support level, they can access tutorials and even have a one-to-one conversation. My latest solo album ‘Chapter In Time’ is on bandcamp only.

Check it out, it is just me playing mainly piano pieces and a few textural keyboard sounds to create some ambient type of music. I think you might like it, is mellow and chilled, good to relax to or listen to in the background. 

JWS – I also saw your performance of Tarkus on the recently issued Keith Emerson tribute concert. That was some performance of the whole of Tarkus!

JR – Thank you, Tarkus is an important piece for me, that is the track that stopped me being just a classically trained pianist and made me want to rock out. So I owe Keith Emerson a huge debt of gratitude for that song, it was a privilege to be able to honour him in that way.

JWS – I agree, I have also got that on CD and I have your own version on ‘The Road Home’ album.

JR – That’s a good album, I like that one, with some great players, Neal Morse, Rod Morgenstein and Kip Winger, Nick DiVirgilio, and Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, amongst others. I had a lot of fun with that album paying tribute to some of my influences.   

JWS – So what does the future look like for you, apart from this new ‘LTE3’ album? oh, very impressive artwork by the way!

JR – Yes, I think it is terrific too. For me, it’s more Dream Theater, once we can get back together safely and tour once again. I am 64 now and still love this life and I appreciate every day that I get to live it too.

JWS – Jordan, my time has gone so all that remains for me is to say a huge thank you for making the time to speak with you. I have really enjoyed my time with you, I wish you well for this album and hope to see you live at some point in the not too distant future.

JR – Thanks John for a great interview, all the best to you too, my friend.

You can order Jordan’s solo album here:

A Chapter In Time | Jordan Rudess | jordan rudess (bandcamp.com)

And you can pre-order LTE3 here:

LTE3 (lnk.to)

Review – The Emerald Dawn – To Touch The Sky – by John Wenlock-Smith

‘To Touch the Sky’ is the fourth and latest CD from The Emerald Dawn following on the heels of their earlier albums, ‘Nocturne’ (2019), ‘Visions’ (2017) and Searching for the Lost Key (2014). I have not heard these previous albums, which is something I really should rectify!

The Emerald Dawn are a four-piece group who play symphonic progressive music, their sound is full and lush, with enough space in the music to allow each member enough room to shine.

‘To Touch the Sky’ has just three tracks, all lengthy and complex. Their own words state that this album is, “A celebration of the voyage towards one’s goal, including the hardships and dangers faced en-route. Beginning with the night, the music depicts the process of walking up and coming to life, a moment of awareness or the experience of being awestruck, then provides the motivation for each traveller to pursue their quest. In the closing 22-minute epic, The Ascent, the metaphor of climbing a mountain can be interpreted as a psychological, spiritual, or physical attainment, just as the listener chooses”. All of which sounds very lofty and idealistic but, is it any good you may ask?

Well, the answer is not immediately clear and will require a degree of listener involvement, your time and possibly some headphones to get the best from this music. Oh, and possibly a glass of your favourite tipple might not go amiss either!

Our journey begins with The Awakening which opens with some strident piano notes and a prominent bass from David Greenaway matching the piano along with swathes of keyboards from Tree Stewart. There are then vocals from Tree, who also echoes the refrain herself. We then move into a very spacious section where keyboards have lots of room and space to evoke their magic before a meaty guitar riff from Ally Carter joins in and the drums of Tom Jackson complete the mix. This section has some rather vibrant and lively guitar and synth lines, sumptuous all around. This all sounds really fabulous and all the time the bass is making its own patterns in the sound while Ally solos away wildly. The song returns to the opening piano motif while Ally lays a guitar line over the top of it all, bringing the piece to an emphatic conclusion. This is a really strong, symphonic and epic piece of music.

The second Track is And I Stood Transfixed and it opens with a solid drumbeat before a gently strummed acoustic guitar segues into the mix. Ally Carter lays down some very Pink Floyd-like guitar lines before switching to sax to play a flurry of notes that are all very evocative and otherworldly sounding. The drums pick up the pace of the song before keyboards enter, laying out a dreamy soundscape with some great bass underpinning it all. Ethereal vocals are added to the mix along with delicate piano notes. This section relates to the Eureka moment in the process of making the journey as thoughts coalesce into tangible activity so that the journey can be started.

The journey from the mind to the heart may only be 18 inches but it is a process we all go through when we are on the cusp of change. This section leads into some ominous guitar chords and tones as the piece takes a heavier stance with more random sounding saxophone notes being played. Calm is then restored as we are rewarded by a synthesizer solo from Tree Stewart whilst the rhythm section continue their own journey. This is all very spacious sounding and everyone is really working together to move this song along. A lovely bass line is played throughout by David Greenaway before Ally’s guitar once again takes flight, playing another Floydian type break, while Greenaway plays on before this epic song is ended with delicate keyboards and then total silence.

The last, and longest track, is The Ascent in which we start to ascend the mountain that lies before us. Whether this is a literal or figurative mountain is up to the listener to determine for themselves. The song opens with keyboard generated soundscapes in which one can imagine the mountain with the sun shining and clouds at the top. A piano and flute are then heard and flute and it all sounds very open before we get a searing guitar solo from Ally, very Andy Latimer sounding in both style and tone, before the keyboards return once again and Tree’s vocal begins.

The lyrics in the booklet will guide us as the ascent of the mountain begins, they tell us of the dangers you may face on the way. This song really gets to grips with the concept and the music makes it own journey through peaks and troughs of expectations and disappointments on the way. Another guitar break from Ally represents an eagle soaring effortlessly on the thermals as we continue to climb, the wind and the clouds move in and we get engulfed in a blizzard as we take a steady, onwards step.

We are lost in a whiteout, snow everywhere, and we cannot find the right direction to go forward, the music continuing hesitantly as we continue searching for the right path, the one that will take us higher. We sense the need to keep going, to risk death, and we proceed, once again, to the last ascent.

Ally’s guitar takes us onwards and upwards as the winds die down. The clouds part and we can see it; the summit! We’ve made it, we have achieved our goal. There is a palpable sense of relief in this section although we still have the downward journey to take us back to where we started from. Although we are invigorated again with a sense of completion as we have overcome the mountain and succeeded in the challenge it posed to us. We then enter a quieter passage as we make our descent. This song makes sense with the lyrics at hand and is a remarkable audio journey that The Emerald Dawn offer you to take with them.

This album will require your concentration but the rewards are many and exceedingly plentiful. There is much fine music here with some great passages and really fine ensemble performances from. ‘To Touch the Sky’ is a real pleasure to listen to and you can really absorb this music for yourself, I highly recommend that you support their efforts.

Released 20th March, 2021

Order from bandcamp here:

To Touch the Sky | The Emerald Dawn (bandcamp.com)

QUEEN! THE ROLLING STONES! PINK FLOYD! US Promoter Extraordinaire DANNY ZELISKO Recalls Incredible Stories of The Stars In: ALL EXCE$$ Occupation: Concert Promoter

From Alice Cooper to Sir Paul McCartney,from Van Morrison to Led Zeppelin:an A-Z of the great and the good of rock!

t became a dream-come-true for the teenage rock music fan. As a major US concert promoter Danny Zelisko has had a charmed life and, over the last 40 years, he’s promoted over 10,000 major concerts for the biggest artists in the world from Chuck Berry to Bruce Springsteen and everyone in-between! I mean EVERYONE! His book ALL EXCE$$ Occupation: Concert Promoter tells his fascinating story…. It’s an absolute must-read for anyone who loves rock!

Danny Zelisko’s first paid music job was as security for Alice Cooper. He then shared an office with Cooper’s manager Shep Gordon, who became Zelisko’s mentor and remains a good friend to this day.ALL EXCE$$ Occupation: Concert Promoter tells Zelisko’s story: sometimes scary, sometimes emotional and sometimes unbelievable. But always interesting! He takes you both on stage and backstage with rock’s greatest stars, on the roller-caster ride of being a major concert promoter, giving you an insight into the music business like never before: the good and bad and the ugly; the deep friendships he’s made and the stories of working and dealing with rock’s biggest icons!.

Here’s short clip of Danny telling a story from the book:

This book is a must read for every music fan – it will make you laugh; make you cry and make you gasp in disbelief at some of the things that happen – ‘in the daily life of a concert promoter.’ Danny Zelisko brings you the stories you’ve never heard before about the artists and music you love. It’s a great read and a fabulous journey that he’s been on – and it’s still going!

Zelisko tells how Bob Seger cancelled the first major show he ever arranged just hours before the concert was due to take place and of the shenanigans of touring with Van Morrison, over the years, how he can leave you shaking your head. Zelisko also squares up to World Champion Mike Tyson after Whitney Houston asks him to get Tyson off the stage. 

Along the way, Zelisko gets to promote his idols including Paul McCartney and keeps the stars happy by providing $10,000 worth of flowers in Prince’s dressing room and a cheese tray fit for Queen!

This book is a lesson in how to make your dreams come true, ALL EXCE$$ will take you on a journey like no other – don’t miss it!

“I say that the book took me four years to write, but it’s really 60 years in the making,” says Zelisko. “Since all this stuff actually happened, the story wrote itself. I just had to be there to decipher it – which was the hard part!

Roger Waters: “I particularly like the photo of you with the big box of cash after the Pseudo Floyd gig…”

ALL EXCE$$ Occupation: Concert Promoter can be pre-ordered now at Amazon.co.uk

Rob Halford (Judas Priest): “This book is one hell of a ride from a guy who’s had one hell of a life!” 

Larry LeBlanc (Celebrity Access): ‘Maybe the best single book ever written about America’s concert business; it’s a damn fun first read, and a fascinating second read.’

TRIFECTA, THE NEW BAND FROM NICK BEGGS, ADAM HOLZMAN & CRAIG BLUNDELL SIGN TO KSCOPE

We are delighted to be able to announce that Trifecta have joined the Kscope family.

Trifecta features three of the contemporary music scene’s most lauded and revered musicians – bassist and songwriter Nick Beggs, keyboardist extraordinaire Adam Holzman and completing the line-up, Craig Blundell – one of the world’s most celebrated drummers.

Having performed together as part of Steven Wilson’s band, the three would jam together after soundchecks, forming what they referred to as “jazz club” and from these sessions the fledgling ideas for Trifecta were nurtured, Nick Beggs comments “so after the last tour with Steven finished, we had a handful of tracks ready to work on and as we moved through our various separate projects we agreed to work on Trifecta.” Asked what fans of the musicians can expect from Trifectahe states “Fission! It’s like Fusion but less efficient and more dangerous.”

Kscope will be releasing the band’s debut album in Summer 2021, look out for more details coming soon

The band have new social media – for updates & news follow them here:

https://www.instagram.com/trifectahq/

https://www.facebook.com/Trifecta-Blundell-Holzman-Beggs-104063678455805

www.kscopemusic.com/artist/trifecta

‘Ram On’ – A 50th Anniversary Celebration Of Paul And Linda McCartney’s ‘Ram’ – Out On 14th May

For the 50th anniversary of Ram by Paul & Linda McCartney, over 100 musicians have come together to celebrate this much-loved seminal album. With Sir Paul McCartney’s blessing, they have re-recorded all of the Ram songs to create RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s ‘RAM’, released on 14th May 2021 through Spirit of Unicorn Music (distributed by Cherry Red Records).

Hear a teaser of all tracks from RAM ON here:

You can pre-order the album here: https://geni.us/ramon50th

It is a testament to the enduring love and affection for Ram that so many artists across three generations should want to be a part of this recreation of a classic album. The idea was born in 2020 from a discussion between producer/multi-instrumentalist Fernando Perdomo and Denny Seiwell, the original drummer with Paul McCartney & Wings, who performed on Ram. Original guitarist David Spinozza returns to reprise his parts on the album along with Marvin Stamm who played flugelhorn on Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey. They are joined by their musical contemporaries Davey Johnstone (Elton John Band) and Will Lee (The Fab Faux).

A second generation of musicians includes Brian Wilson’s daughter Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips), Dan Rothchild (Heart, Sheryl Crow) Pat Sansone (Wilco), Joey Santiago (Pixies), Eric Dover (Jellyfish) and Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd, Blue Pearl).

The latest cohort of musicians with this love of Ram includes Dave Depper (Death Cab For Cutie), Lauren Leigh, Cindy Wassermann and Frank Drennan (Dead Rock West) and multi-instrumentalist Timmy Sean.

RAM ON includes warm and sensitive re-recordings of all the original tracks on Ram plus two non-album tracks from the Ram sessions: McCartney’s first single after his departure from The Beatles, Another Day, was a huge global hit in 1971 and the single’s B-side Oh Woman Oh Why, is also included. The tribute closes with a reprise of the opening track Too Many People (Slight Return).

RAM ON is produced by Fernando Perdomo and Denny Seiwell.

“From early on I wanted this to not be a typical tribute record,” says Fernando Perdomo. “Every musician on this record loves Ram with all their heart and I think it shows. This record was made with pure love.”

RAM ON Track Listing:
01. Too Many People feat Dan Rothchild

02. 3 Legs feat The Dirty Diamond and Durga McBroom

03. Ram On feat Pat Sansone

04. Dear Boy feat Adrian Bourgeois

05. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey feat Bebopalula

06. Smile Away feat Timmy Sean

07. Heart of the Country feat Dan Rothchild

08. Monkberry Moon Delight feat Timmy Sean

09. Eat At Home feat Dead Rock West

10. Long Haired Lady feat Rob Bonfiglio and Carnie Wilson

11. Ram On Reprise feat Pat Sansone

12. Backseat of My Car feat Brentley Gore

13. Another Day feat Gordon Michaels

14. Oh Woman Oh Why feat Eric Dover and Lauren Leigh

15. Too Many People (Slight Return)

RAM ON is released in CD format on 14th May 2021 via Spirit of Unicorn Music. We’re also considering the release of a vinyl format later in the year, more details to follow.

“Uncanny! Ram On effortlessly captures the beauty, spirit and charm of Paul and Linda’s original. Wonderful!” Paul Sinclair – Super Deluxe Edition.

About Ram
Recording sessions for Ram took place in New York and Los Angeles between October 1970 and March 1971. The principal musicians were Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, keyboards, guitars and ukulele on Ram On), Linda McCartney (harmony and backing vocals), Denny Seiwell (drums), David Spinozza (guitar), Hugh McCracken (guitar) with Marvin Stamm (flugelhorn on Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey).Ram was released 17th May 1971. McCartney was hurt by the negative reception from the press, but the album was a huge commercial success and much-loved by fans around the world. In retrospect, the critics heaped praise upon the album at the time of its re-release in 2012 and fans continue to love the album to this day.

About Fernando Perdomo
A powerhouse of the LA music scene Fernando Perdomo has made a name for himself as an in-demand producer, singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is featured in the Netflix documentary Echo In The Canyon where his is seen backing up Brian Wilson, Norah Jones and Regina Spektor. He played on the official soundtrack album of the film along with Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Stephen Stills.Fernando owns and operates Reseda Ranch Studios in Los Angeles. He has produced hundreds of records and as a session guitarist and bassist, he has played with Emitt Rhodes, Todd Rundgren, Curved Air and many more.

About Denny Seiwell
Having played with New York’s jazz elite, Denny received an invitation from Paul McCartney to move to London and become a founding member of the post-Beatles phenomenon Wings. Denny toured with Wings and played on many of that era’s biggest hits, My Love and the Oscar nominated Live And Let Die along with McCartney’s Ram, Wildlife and Red Rose Speedway albums. 

Other

Highlights of Denny’s London years included work with Joe Cocker, Donovan, and The Who with the London Symphony Orchestra on their groundbreaking version of the Rock Opera Tommy. Denny’s signature drumming can be heard on records by Art Garfunkel, James Brown, Astrud Gilberto, Deniece Williams, Janis Joplin’s posthumous Farewell Song album and Billy Joel’s Cold Spring Harbor.

Review – Ana Patan – Spice, Gold and Tales Untold – by Martin Hutchinson

“Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.” ― Frank Zappa

I know I’m not the only person who spends a large proportion of their time awake listening to music, music while I run or while I work or just for relaxation. It is true, music decorates our lives and makes the mundane acceptable and often accompanies us on the highest highs and lowest lows that life can give you.

The first time I listened to Ana Patan’s superb album ‘Spice, Gold and Tales Untold’ I felt that immediate connection that only wonderful music can give you. This is one of those releases that can take away the worries of a testing day and put you in a much calmer state of mind and we have all needed that over the last year!

Ana Patan

In her own words,

“I’m an independent German musician, of Romanian descent, living in Sweden for the moment. I’ve been travelling and making music in most corners of the planet, having had the chance to meet, and jam with, some really amazing musicians (where most of my experience comes from). At some point in 2009 my career nearly ended from a bad case of tendonitis, which woke me up to the necessity of making this album, if ever able to play music again. This motivated me to get well, and put all my finances, creativity, time and energy into making this record.

The drums have been put down by Zoltan Csörsz, most of the bass tracks by Jonas Hellborg, and Devin Townsend loved the stuff and also wanted to contribute! Strangely enough, he was in a bass-playing phase back then, so he showed up in the studio and did his part quite amazingly! I happened to play the guitar because I couldn’t find anyone who wouldn’t overplay – I had to do my best, whatever that might be for now… same with the vocals!”

Ana describes the album as organic, honest and uncompromising, recorded all analog on 2 inch tape in a simple formula (bass-drums-guitar, plus vocals). I have to say I was really intrigued.

The album is a superb mix of musical styles with basic, soulful music embellished by hints of the orient and a touch of Eastern European promise on many of the impressive songs. The bare yet intricate music is complemented superbly by Ana’s earnest vocals, sometimes fragile and at other times loud and proud. To my ears there is a touch of early Alanis Morissette to her voice but with a velvet smooth timbre.

The pared back musical arrangements on tracks like sultry opener Undeciphered and the soulful Trivialize Love have a real jazz lounge feel to them, a real feel of less is more and Ana’s beautifully flowing guitar adds even more class.

One of the stand out tracks for me is the wonderfully bluesy General Conspiracy, a song that just oozes cool sophistication. The guitar playing just makes you want to sway in time with the music and the solo is just superb.

Ana’s take on elegant world music infuses The Human with an almost southern African feel, a really enlightening piece of music that pairs really well with the smooth-jazz attributes of Pure and Plain, an ultimately uplifting track that makes your soul sing.

This incredibly eclectic mixture of musical tastes and experiences continues with Soarele Meu. Written in Ana’s native Romanian it has a really playful vibe and runs along with an impish glee and one where she seems at her most carefree. 21st Century Citizen is a proper blues-rock track and perhaps the most straightforward song on the album with seductive vocals and a staccato, edgy guitar tone and is a song that brooks no argument.

The darkly delicious tones of Ana’s voice and the refined notes emanating from her guitar give Hot Hot a truly graceful and chic quality that just leaves you utterly calm and relaxed before the folky How Could We Live Before breaks the spell with its upbeat tempo and foot-tapping drumbeat and things are brought to a close with Colors on Hormones, another uncomplicated jazz inspired piece of music that showcases this young women’s incredible array of talents.

‘Spice, Gold and Tales Untold’ is collection of culturally diverse songs that transcends the current trend to try and pigeon hole musicians. Wearing her many influences proudly on her sleeve Ana Patan has just allowed the music and her excellent vocals to tell her many intriguing and involving stories and this has allowed them to breathe and come to life quite spectacularly. An album that has surprised me in its simple brilliance and one that, if you let it, will enrich your life in a myriad of ways.

Released 10th February, 2021

Order the album from bandcamp here:

Spice, Gold and Tales Untold | Ana Patan (bandcamp.com)



Interview With Marc Bonilla – by John Wenlock-Smith

In this piece I talk to Marc Bonilla of The Keith Emerson Band about the recently released Tribute concert cd/DVD set celebrating the music of Keith Emerson, the composer and musical innovator.

John Wenlock-Smith (JWS): Good day to you Mark, I trust you are keeping well in these strange times?

Marc Bonilla (MB): Hello John, Yes I am doing fine thank you for asking.

JWS: The CD/DVD set is fabulous, such a great cast and epic performances all round.

MB: I am glad that you like it, I think it has all come out well. I especially like the artwork by Joey LoFaro who has done remarkable job of re-imagining ‘Tarkus’ for the modern day.

JWS: Yes indeed, I was really impressed with that too. Apparently he is selling prints of the artwork.

MB: Yes and T shirts too, here is the link  https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jerry-lofaro

JWS: It all looks great and interesting, plus all profits go to Keith’s chosen charity, so everybody wins.

MB: Yes, Joey is an awesome artist. I had seen some of his earlier work with dinosaurs and thought what if he could reimagine ‘Tarkus’ for today? what would it look like? I think he is pulled it off very spectacularly.

JWS: The concert looks fabulous on DVD and sounds fantastic too.

MB: Thank you, we had cameras everywhere to capture it all. It was only a small venue with about 900 people in it, mostly musicians who wanted to pay tribute. there was no seating and it was a long show.  Everyone wanted to do their bit to honour the life of Keith as he had meant so much to so many of them. 

It was an exceptional event and there were no ego issues with anyone. It was all supportive and very joyous, although tinged with sadness for the loss of Keith. I was astonished at the outpouring of love and respect from the musical community in Los Angeles. Many of these people took the career paths they did because of the influence Keith had made on them when they were younger. Certainly folk like Steve Porcaro and Steve Lukather (both of Toto) and Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) clearly acknowledge that influence, as they said during the artist interviews.

JWS: Yes, those interviews are fascinating, you really sense the appreciation, acclaim, and respect of Keith that was felt by those musicians. It was quite a set list too, although I was surprised that no one chose Jerusalem to do, that would have been epic.

MB: Well we had so much music to do, we could not do it all sadly. As I said, it was a small standing only venue and with folks all being of an age, standing for 3 hours is a big ask but we could have done even longer and covered more music.

JWS: How did you choose each player for each song?

MB: They did it themselves mainly, Steve Porcaro had seen ELP as a support for Edgar Winter in the early days and he was totally blown away by Barbarian so that was his choice. Jordan had similarly been affected by ‘Tarkus’ so he chose to do that one and so on and so forth.

Another remarkable thing was that we only had one day of rehearsals for the event, everyone was gathered backstage watching each other. It was very much a communal event with no ego’s whatsoever, it was like they were all auditioning for Keith really.

I lost my voice in the run up to the event and so much of the vocals were handled by Rick Livingstone and Travis Davis, although I did send a few prayers upward to Keith to help me get through it all. Thankfully he heard me and I was able to get through it all and even managed to hit the high note on Karn Evil 9 where I must hold the note at the end.

JWS: I really enjoyed the film, especially Jordan Rudess’ Tarkus and Rachel Flowers’ take on The Endless Enigma.

MB: Yes, I felt she really bought something incredibly special out of that piece, she was remarkable.

JWS: I think everyone give a great job, all playing at their peak.

MB: I Agree, we wanted to show Keith as the composer and not just as the keyboard master. I think some of those performances managed to capture that side of his personality, you have to remember that before Keith there was no one fusing classical with rock, making the classics accessible and inviting rock musicians in.

He was breaking fresh ground by doing so, literally carving his way through with his daggers! He also invited classical listeners to hear his work and see his skills and talents and his music.

JWS: I Interviewed Keith a few years ago, around the time of the ‘Three Fates’ album. That was a real treat, I can say. He was cooking his tea and called me back, he was a lovely man and very gracious to a Fanboy like me.

MB: We did shows in London at the Barbican and in Birmingham, I think, did you go?

JWS: Sadly not, I would loved to have gone, though I did see ELP on the Black Moon tour though, in Birmingham and that was special to me.

MB: I remember spending time on those tours with Keith laughing, he loved comedy like Victor Borges and Derek and Clive. He adored Dudley Moore (who was also a particularly good pianist actually). 

By that stage Keith had lost some versatility in his fingers so we wanted to show his compositions rather than his prowess. I think that project managed to do that really.

JWS: Well Marc, my time has gone but thank you for taking time to talk with me about this show and the memories that it has for you. Keep safe at this time.

MB: Thanks John and check out my latest release ‘Celluloid Debris’ at www.marcbonillamusic, my first album in 25 years, you will like it I am sure.

JWS: OK, thanks once again Marc, much appreciated.

You can read John’s review os the concert CD/DVD here:

Review – Fanfare For The Uncommon Man – The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert 2CD/2DVD – by John Wenlock-Smith

WHITE MOTH BLACK BUTTERFLY RETURN WITH THEIR NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘THE COST OF DREAMING’ – RELEASED ON KSCOPE 28TH MAY 2021

After their lauded 2017 album Atone, White Moth Black Butterfly return with their new studio album The Cost Of Dreaming through Kscope on 28th May 2021.

Thecontemporary pop project with progressive and experimental music at its heart; created by Daniel Tompkins (TesseracT) features a team of songwriters & producers based worldwide, all at the height of their own scenes. Collaborating with Tompkins are New-Delhi based Skyharbor songwriter and producer Keshav Dhar; US based producer and string arranger Randy Slaugh who has previously worked with the likes of Devin Townsend, Architects & Periphery, drummer Mac Christensen and the line up is completed by ethereal vocals of UK singer & lyricist Jordan Turner. Their newest output not only signals a sonic evolution for the band, whilst still retaining core elements from previous recordings such as organic string sections and experimental theme linking interludes, but also features some exceptional special guests including saxophonist Kenny Fong and The Contortionist’s keyboardist Eric Guenther.

Daniel Tompkins explains why he sees White Moth Black Butterfly and The Cost Of Dreaming representing the dichotomy between peace and conflict within a life full of chaos. “Our new album ‘The Cost of Dreaming’ is something we feel just about every human being on the planet that’s been affected by life changing disruption will relate strongly to. Our nature is to always be planning, dreaming about an ideal future in which we will have ticked various boxes that define our ideal lives, often at the cost of the present. And when control over that future is seized away from us and all we are left with is the present, we realise just how much we took for granted. Life is surely a gift to us all throughout which we experience moments of soaring bliss and happiness, and then in a heartbeat sink into states of great trouble and suffering. Often our struggles can serve as momentous opportunities for growth, but the balance of life can often hold us back from seizing the day. We believe that this album is our greatest achievement – it’s an outpouring of love and a cry for help.”

There are strong themes throughout the album that will resonate with many people, from addressing the issue of ongoing domestic abuse crisis in “Use You” and offering a way to sign post people toward support agencies; to the unexpected psychological upheavals brought about by events beyond our control in “Darker Days”. 

Self produced, engineered and recorded over three continents in various studios throughout the last year, The Cost Of Dreaming was written remotely. This album signals a sonic evolution in the bands’ output while still retaining core elements from previous recordings such as organic string sections and experimental theme linking interludes.

Fans will be able to discover a series of easter eggs within the album, providing a link between this and TesseracT’s live portals experience, demonstrating the interconnected relationships throughout the artists’ various projects. 

Featuring artwork from the award winning Ani Artworks and for the first time procuring the vocal mixing services of an external producer in Forrester Savell (Karnivool, Skyharbor), The Cost Of Dreaming finds the band in a highly creative mood. 

The Cost Of Dreaming tracklist     

1. Ether [02:42]  

2. Prayer For Rain [03:21]  

3. The Dreamer [03:06]  

4. Heavy Heart [03:14]  

5. Portals [03:30]  

6. Use You [02:48]  

7. Darker Days (feat. Kenny Fong) [02:57]  

8. Sands Of Despair [02:33]  

9. Under The Stars[02:53]  

10. Soma[03:29]  

11. Liberate [03:30]  

12. Unholy [02:53]  

13. Bloom (feat. Eric Guenther) [04:10]  

14. Spirits [04:46]

The Cost Of Dreaming is released on 28th May on CD, black 180g vinyl LP and digitally with pre-orders available now HERE (https://wmbb.lnk.to/TheCostOfDreaming)

Review – Nad Sylvan – Spiritus Mundi – by John Wenlock-Smith

When  I was growing up there was no internet, we used to have to use encyclopaedias and other forms of reference books to find out about things. Nowadays, of course, it is all there waiting to be delved into and discovered for yourself.

It is a whole different ball game now, although there was a time in the late 1980’s /early 1990’s that you could ring up the reference people at Birmingham City Library and they would find things out for you. This was especially useful, and was well before Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded what we now know as Google, this company that they founded as students at Stanford university is now one of the world’s premier search engines. Folk now often say ‘google it’ to find information.

I did that whilst listening to this album as it is largely music set to poems that were written by William Butler (W.B) Yeats (Born in 1885 Died January 1939). Yeats is widely acclaimed as one of Ireland’s most famous poets, dramatists, and prose writers, in fact, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

‘Spiritus Mundi’ sets those poems to gentle and orchestral sounding pieces with vocals from Nad Sylvan and guitars from Andrew Laitres, a US based composer and musician, who Nad had worked with previously on his last album, ‘The Regal Bastard’ – The final part of his Vampyrate trilogy.

Nad is joined by some famous guests on this album, namely Tony Levin and Jonas Reingold on bass and Marko DeMaio (The Flower Kings) on drums with Steve Hackett also featuring. The bulk of the lyrics are taken verbatim from Yeats’s poems, apart from the first bonus track, You Have Got To Find A Way, that has Sylvan’s own lyrics. This approach has left the music room to breath and allows the beauty of the words to shine through clearly with the music clearly supporting and enhancing the impact of the words. That intention has paid off excellently giving the album dignity and weight.

The tracks are mainly short and as they focus predominantly on the words the album will take several listens before it really begins to make sense. Having said that, the longer tracks, The Second Coming and Sailing To Byzantium, work the best for me as there are musical interludes within in them that work well. The instrumentation is supportive and sympathetic, you will not find long ego fuelled solos here, you fill find empathy and delicacy throughout. The whole album lasts about 52 minutes including the two bonus tracks.

I think this album is a great, intensive listening experience and will appeal to any who like Yeats’ poems or who are fans of Nad Sylvan’s earlier solo albums as he is certainly in fine voice on these songs. This project is certainly different and a brave, bold move by Nad, as an album this is certainly different and somehow the lyricism of Yeats’ poetry works well in this format and will hopefully bring it to a whole new audience of people. They may find much within the words of these pieces that speaks clearly to their hearts and minds and hopefully leads them discover more of Yeats’ works for themselves.    

The sound of the album is sparse and the space between the words and the music is wide and open allowing subtle nuances to be realised and appreciated with repeated listening. There is a fabulous slide guitar part contained on the last track on the album, The Fisherman, (performed by Neil Whitford) that really drives the piece along.

It is not an album that is immediately easy to access but I sincerely recommend that you persevere as it is truly worth it when you finally do click with it and its treasures and beauties are finally revealed to you. ‘Spiritus Mundi’ is a journey of discovery into a different world, but it is a journey that you need to decide to undertake. 

Released 9th April 2021

Order the album here:

Spiritus Mundi (lnk.to)