Tag: Martin Hutchinson

Review – The Novel Ideas – s/t – by Progradar

Ever since I met Iain Sloan and was introduced to the Americana of The Wynntown Marshals I have been hooked on that sound and the heartache and melancholia of love-and-loss that is at the heart of country-folk. Music that tugs at your heartstrings, there’s nothing more wonderfully emotive than a well played lap or pedal steel guitar in my opinion!

The next release from Loudon Temple at Bloody Great PR that I’m investigating falls slap bang in the middle of that territory, the self-titled release from Boston, Massachusetts country-folk quartet The Novel Ideas. Incredibly plaintive 4- part vocal harmonies and that blend of pedal steel, guitar, fiddle and organ which produces such a distinctive and American sound.

Four friends – Sarah Grella (vocals), Danny Hoshino (guitar, pedal steel, vocals), James Parkington (bass, vocals) and Daniel Radin (guitar, vocals) – who contrive to convey honesty and intimacy through their music. Capturing the renowned spirit of their live performance in recorded from was a challenge, but the result is a heartfelt representation of who The Novel Ideas are.

There’s a real feel of love and longing at the core of The Novel Ideas and it produces a sound that is utterly addictive. The vocal harmonies are at the entre of the band’s unique sound and they imbue everything with a dignified and refined grace. Wistful nostalgia and melancholy are at the heart of songs like opener I’m Not Waiting and the tone of the pedal steel guitar is full of longing and sentiment.

The great fiddle playing of Eva Walsh adds country polish to I’ll Try, a touching song that speaks of regret and loss and the vocal harmonies take centre stage on the pastoral Americana of Old Ways. This record is an immersive musical epxerience and you find yourself becoming more and more involved in the stories of small town America, the beauty and fragility of  Broken Glass is superb, a song that tugs at every single one of your heartstrings and will produce a lump in your throat with its ethereal grace.

Music that speaks of broken hearts and the ending of life’s journeys but that does so with sympathy and compassion, the mournful grace of Sarah Grella’s vocals really stands out on Lost On The Road but it is when the four-part vocal harmonies take centre stage that this refined quartet are at their absolute best. Take the wonderful The Blue Between Us, here the vocals are used as an extra instrument to give one of the best tracks on the album and Danny give sone of his best performances on the pedal steel, there’s something heartwarming about the music that The Novel Ideas create and while its themes might be regret and loss, there is always the hope that love will be our saviour.

The warmth and humility of the music shines through on Farm which has a more straightforward country sound to it, although elegantly polished, again Danny’s pedal steel stands out, this time accompanied by the sublime fiddle playing of Eva Walsh. Additional kudos must be given to the fantastic drumming and percussion of  Elena Bonomo and the piano and organ skills of John Waynelovich throughout the album. The calm unflustered grace of Dena is another standout track, the dignified, melancholic vocals accompanied by the captivating music that soars above you, its feels like a sad song but it is sadness tempered by real beauty.

Every song leaves its mark on your heart and your soul, Calling You Out  and Mountain are both incredibly heartfelt pieces of music that hit you on a basic emotional level, grace, beauty and elegance combined in a simple musical package. Incredibly accomplished musicians who can wonderful write songs of love, loss, grief and joy that interact with you and your emotions perfectly, the album closes with the simple brilliance of the spiritual I Was Not Around. It’s a bittersweet poignant song whose fragile grace is tempered by the feeling of loss and sorrow. An emotive track to close out an album of emotional highs and lows.

Such an emotional rollercoaster, The Novel Ideas have created a beautiful collection of songs that hit you hard on a basic emotional level. Incredible musicians as well as highly accomplished musicians, Americana and country-folk has never been more appealing.

Released 1st November 2017 in the UK.

Buy The Novel ideas direct from the band here

 

 

 

 

Review – The 4 Of Us – Sugar Island – by Progradar

Discovering new music is an incredible journey that has become an important part of my life. There is a massive seam of untapped material out there and I can mine just a little so when I get a message from a PR company I’ve never dealt with before, asking if I’d be interested in their releases, my curiosity is mightily piqued.

That message came from Loudon Temple of Bloody Great PR and, true to his word, a week later a large envelope arrived with a selection of new releases. The first one that I picked from the pile was from Northern Irish artist The 4 Of Us and their new release ‘Sugar Island’.

This is music I’ve never heard or heard of before so I am embarking an a real musical voyage of discovery. Formed by Newry-born brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy, they have developed a strong musical identity which has produced original and award winning recordings, as well as a large and loyal fan base.

The 4 Of Us shot to fame with their 1989 debut ‘Songs For The Tempted’ and, to date, the Murphy brothers have notched up an enviable catalogue of timeless songs, including 6 Top 20 Irish charting albums.

‘Sugar Island’ is their seventh studio release and explores the brothers’ early years growing up in Northern Ireland and includes tracks reflecting on their childhood, in and around a border town during the height of the troubles.

Mainly focusing on the trademark interplay of their acoustic guitars, the brothers have also worked with a few gifted musicians to fulfil their vision. Enda Walsh, Sharon Vaughn, Peter McKinney and Yvonee Fahy all helped to bring this recording to life.

(Picture by Will Rolls)

I have to admit to being blown away from the very first song, pop/folk roots music which is played with consummate skill. Bird’s Eye View opens the autobiographical release with aplomb. There’s a wistful and nostalgic feel that runs throughout the album, the lyrics are incredibly perceptive as you would expect from two musicians who lived through the worst of the Northern Irish troubles. The pared back acoustic simplicity of the Murphy’s two guitars borders on genius.

The vocal harmonies are note perfect and add even more of  polished sheen to the superb music. There’s something incredibly compelling about the simplicity of the arrangements and their melodic accomplishment which often verges on American roots music. I was a big fan of Chris Stills (son of legend Steven) first solo album and these guys really remind me of the flair and intimacy of that release.

There seems to be rose-tinted memories of those early days as the whole album has a reel feelgood and sentimental aura to it. Highlights for this reviewer (as well as the opener) are the incredibly emotive Going South, the title track Sugar Island, the raw, sparse and touching Argenta and refined closer Hometown On The Border but there are no bad tracks on this elegant release.

‘Sugar Island’ is a collection of beautifully refined songs that tell the story of Declan and Brendan’s formative years where they grew up among adversity and a nation divided and at war and it feels like a privilege to be invited to relive it with them once again. Music full of longing, regret and yet an album that leaves you with hope in your heart.

Released 20th August 2017.

Buy ‘Sugar Island’ direct from The 4 Of Us here

 

Review – Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – Broken But Still Standing – By Progradar

A brooding, damaged cube, like something from The Borg of Star Trek fame, mysterious and enigmatic, a lone, shadowy figure walking towards it. I’ve long been a fan of great album art and the cover of the new album from UK Art/Prog rockers Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate is another one that really caught my eye.

Cryptic and original, like all the best album art, it really does invite you to wonder about the music behind it and knowing what this imaginative and inventive set of musicians are really capable of, I was very intrigued to find out more about ‘Broken But Still Standing’.

Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate are Malcolm Galloway, on his own, or with his colleagues Kathryn Thomas (flute), Mark Gatland (bass), Rudy Burrell (drums) and Ibon Bilboa (guitar). They are based in London, UK.

Malcolm and Mark have been playing together since they were at school. Malcolm and Kathryn are married. This album also includes spoken word and backing vocals from their children James and Ethan Galloway, and James co-wrote two of the tracks.

Their music combines progressive rock, classic rock, acoustic, blues, metal, folk, funk, minimalism, and electronica and often explores scientific and philosophical themes.

‘Broken But Still Standing’, Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate’s third album, is a science/science-fiction themed concept album. It follows the story of human evolution, from LUCA, the last universal common ancestor of all current life on earth, via Lucy, one of the possible precursors of our species, to conflict and eventual symbiosis with artificial intelligences. The general theme of the album is that life has progressed by forming coalitions, whether between the primitive cells that engulfed each other to become the cell and the mitochondria (the power stations of the cell), between individuals to form communities, or between different forms of life in the future.

This band really know how to deliver a seriously complex and yet ultimately rewarding concept album, this is what I had to say about their previous release ‘When The Kill Code Fails’,

“I love it when new music lands on my desk with no fanfare or previous knowledge. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate may have a brilliant name but they also produce excellent music. Sometimes progressive, sometimes more rock orientated but, overall, it is an enthralling listen.”

So, without any further ado, let’s dive in…

(Photo by Jaz Dhillon)

The opening instrumental Vent is dark and almost elemental in its low brooding delivery with the haunting flute making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and an apprehensive feeling seep into your mind. There’s a seamless segue into the deeply atmospheric Almost Familiar with its vocals that drip with passion and longing, ethereal flute and the achingly bluesy low-down guitar. Unashamedly progressive in its outlook, it’s a slow-burning piece of musical storytelling for dark nights and open fires. Kathryn’s emotive flute solo is a piece of genius and closes out the track to perfection. There’s an alien, science fiction tone to the next two tracks, Luca to Lucy opens with an uneasy, unerringly off-kilter soundscape before the music seems to creep in like an ancient dawning of time, all measured, deliberate and low-key. An exact and infallible life force that has only one motive, to exist. Lucy sees Kathryn’s flute take centre stage on this short piece, all mysterious and enigmatic with its late night jazz feel, asking questions of the listener.

There’s nostalgia in spades about Last Man On The Moon, a wistful, almost melancholy song that gets under your skin with its elegant music and heartfelt vocals, especially the excellent harmonies between the male and female voices on the captivating chorus. Thoughtful and yet somehow forlorn, it’s a great track with a wonderfully plaintive and meandering guitar solo that leads you on a reflective musical journey. Advancing On Snailback is a trance-like ambient instrumental that gets inside your head and mesmerises you with each well considered note, Serious, discerning and meditative, it leaves you lost in thought. That reverie is broken by the edgy, almost punky guitar, drums and bass of Anywhere, Malcolm’s vocal has an angsty tone to it and the whole song seems to have discordant, uneasy feel. A short, sharp shock after the more refined and gentle feel of the first few tracks. There’s a jazz lounge aura to the opening of One Day When before the vocals begin and the energy builds to another catchy chorus, to me there’s a real vibrancy and energy that has infiltrated the music now, an addictive and harder note more akin to modern punk and alternative rock.

I love the intoxicating ambience of I Fell In Love With A Mechanical Dragon, rock infused electronica with high octane keyboards and a vibrant guitar note that combine with the urgent vocals to give one of the grin inducing highlights of the album. It does feel slightly absurd singing the chorus out loud in the middle of Morrison’s but that’s what great music does to you! The most overtly heavy track on the album, Let Me Out is dark and deliciously dangerous in its outlook. The in-your-face riffs and impassioned vocals drive the song on towards the dissonant flute solo and special mention must go to the superb drums and funky bass that are the engine room of this song. More electronica that almost verges on drum and bass underpins Under The Skin with its clever use of female spoken vocals that almost break into rap. A really inventive piece of music that makes me nod in appreciation every time I listen to it. That electronic vibe really comes to the fore on the retro grooves of Lucid Assassin. A high energy song with some rather excellent synthesisers that work on a  hard working drum and bass foundation to give a special 80’s ‘laser show’ ambience.

Broken But Still Standing Till I Fall is another hard-edge, punk rock soaked track with a take no prisoners attitude. The vocals have attitude to them and the music just rocks, especially the dynamic and vivid guitar solo, another short sharp shock to the music system. The metaphorical lights are turned down low as we segue into the melodramatic All Alone Together, the heartfelt vocals give real poignance to the song and the music adds not a little tension to proceedings. Take some 70’s jazz funk, add some 90’s Happy Mondays Madchester vibe and you’ve got Host, one of the more upbeat songs on the album. The blues-rock imbued guitar solo is worth the price of entry on its own and the restless energy of the song soon finds itself manifested in your dancing feet. Transient Stars is an intelligent instrumental with a cinematic quality to it, you could imagine this as being part of the score for a high-brow, cerebral science fiction film. An enlightened piece of music that had me musing about all sorts of unfathomable things. Things come to a close with the astute progressive rock of Close My Eyes, dextrous musicians showcasing their skills and a contemplative vocal performance culminating in the simple but eminently memorable chorus. A cultured close to  what has been an engrossing musical experience.

‘Broken But Still Standing’ is a brilliantly perceptive and original work of art that enthralls with every listen. Taken as a whole it is an utterly immersive musical experience that will captivate and enlighten the listener, Hats Off Gentlemen Its Adequate has to be one of the most creative and innovative artists out there today.

Released 7th October 2017

Find links to order ‘Broken But Still Standing’ at the band’s website here:

 

 

 

Review – Iconic Eye – Into the Light – by Progradar

“I was ten when I heard the music that ended the first phase of my life and cast me hurtling into a new horizon. Drenched to the skin, I stood on Dunoon’s pier peering seawards through diagonal rain, looking for the ferry that would take me home. There, on the everwet west coast of Scotland, I heard it: like sonic scalpels, the sounds of electric guitars sliced through the dreich weather. My body hairs pricked up, each one a willing receiver for the Thunder-God grooves. To my young ears, the sound of these amplified guitars was angelic (although, with hindsight, I don’t suppose angels play Gibson guitars at ear-bleeding volume). A voice that suggested vocal chords of polished silver soared alongside razor-sharp overdriven riffs. I knew that I was hearing the future.”
― Mark Rice, Metallic Dreams

Good rock music has always appealed to me, not that bland soft rock rubbish but music with drive and ambition that rocks into town, blows everyone away and then leaves in a blaze of glory, THAT sort of rock music! Vibrant, heavy riffs, a powerful and dynamic rhythm section and gilt-edge vocals all combine to give a listening experience that is like a shot in the arm or a musical kick up the arse.

I spend so much time listening to, and writing about progressive and alternative rock that I rarely have time to listen to good rock music apart from when I’m running and I use it as a motivational force through the headphones. However, my friend Jane Gould joined UK rock band Iconic Eye last year and they have a new album out so it would be remiss of me to not spend a bit longer with ‘Into the Light’…

Iconic Eye burst onto the rock scene in 2015 when they self-released their debut album, ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’. They leapt straight onto Jake’s Stage at that years Download festival, then on to support the Treatment at Rockingham’s Pre-party in the same year and then to Hard Rock Hell (HRH) in March 2016. A truly remarkable start! Since then the band has seen many changes and has also been struck by tragedy. However, the band refused to give up and made the bold move to become female fronted with the addition of the amazing Jane Gould. This change has lifted the existing songs and created the right environment for the band to start writing again.

The album title says it all. It contains 5 of the bands favourite songs from ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’; re-worked with Jane and Robin Mitchard (the bands new youthful lead guitarist) to the fore. Together with harder guitars from Greg Dean and a more aggressive mix, this is classic Iconic Eye, updated!

Added to these existing songs are 6 new songs, mainly written in partnership between Dean and Gould, but also with Mitchard adding to the songwriting credits on two of the songs. On the new recordings you also have ex Max Bacon and Dante Fox bassist, Michael Dagnall and on drums, Adrian Scattergood. This is Iconic Eye as it is now, and at its best.

(Jane Gould)

The album opens with two properly hard rocking tracks, Am I The One and You Make It are both edgy, fast paced and in your face, basically hard rock as it bloody well should be! Jane’s vocals are powerful and dynamic and lead the rest of the band in a merry roller coaster ride across these two energetic openers. The guitar playing is slick and dextrous with a couple of smoking hot solos from Robin Mitchard thrown in for good measure. I love the chorus on You Make It which rapidly becomes an addictive earworm and Greg Dean’s keyboard add a lush touch of AOR magic, I’m hooked already!

(Robin Mitchard)

Those Tears Won’t Last adds a huge dose of melodic melodrama to the music, soulful and full of passion with driving riffs and compelling drums. I’m detecting a touch of the legendary Anneke Van Giersbergen to Jane’s vocals, they really are that good, silky smooth but imbued with a deep seated power and fervor. The solos are coming thick and fast, each one iridescent and hard-edged and giving these tracks proper drive and direction. Jane and the band show us a sultry side with the heavily soul infused Let It Rain Down. A sensuous piano joins the vocals at the opening before the accelerator pedal is pressed and the intensity increases with a forceful riff and those all-powerful drums. Another chorus that is just asking for you to sing along with it and the emotions are just set free with the delicious guitar that closes out the track.

(Greg Dean)

Get the lighters (or mobile phones) out ready, Black Country Lady is a moving and hauntingly beautiful ballad come anthem and one that leaves a big lump in your throat. The elegant guitar and Jane’s elegantly melancholic vocals are stylish and wistful in equal measure. This is definitely going to be a live favourite and the band have the necessary chops to carry this off in any venue. It’s as good, if not better, as anything you’ll hear in the charts and is topped off with another stunning piece of guitar work from Robin and Greg, backed ably by Adrian’s drums. A funky, bluesy guitar opens Better Place, a high energy filled track that definitely treads the blues rock path and does it with aplomb. The vocals take on an Alannah Myles hue showing Jane’s versatility and downright potency. A catchy chorus and suitably fiery solo complete this punchy track.

(Michael Dagnall)

A fast paced hard rocker Black Heart has the requisite heavy riffing, influential rhythm section and in your face vocals that take you back to the height of the 80’s peak of the genre. Greg gets inventive on the keyboards and I’m kind of reminded of a female fronted Magnum around the ‘Wings of Heaven’ period. Damn these guys can write some serious hooks and songs that become downright habit forming! Bluesy, soulful, dynamic, powerful, I’m running out of words to describe this compelling and captivating group of musicians and All She Needed just carries on the superlative music experience. The riffing guitars drive the song on at a breathless pace, a really electric and intense piece of music with superb vocals that flies headlong to its guitar solo inspired close.

(Adrian Scattergood)

The pace is notched back a bit on the AOR classic Thanks For The Memories, a nostalgic track with its contemplative vocals and reflective guitar tone. Another memorable chorus and polished solo just leave me shaking my head in disbelief at how good Iconic Eye are at what they do. Jane’s tastefully emotive vocal being the final layer of class and style on this refined song. Don’t Stop Me From Leaving has a simple sadness at its core, another anthemic song that will be a sure fire live hit. Jane’s poignant voice sings of a sorrow and heartbreak that may come and the music fits the mood perfectly with the plaintive keyboards and the wishful and reflective guitar solo. The last song on the album is the enigmatic Never Get Through The Light, a proper hard rock track with a heavy touch of AOR in the guitar , drums and vocals. A compelling piece of music that never lets up, keeping you on the edge of your seat, another standout chorus and some simply superb guitar playing close the album out in suitable style.

Iconic Eye should soon be a name on everyone’s lips, a byword for sumptuous hard rock stamped with their own unique style. An outrageously talented group of musicians with one of the greatest female vocalists I’ve heard in a long time, in ‘Into the Light’ they’ve produced a rock album of rare quality from beginning to end.

Released 4th November 2017

Order ‘Into the Light’ direct from Iconic Eye here

(Featured image by Samantha Lloyd)

 

 

 

Review – Misto – Helios – by Progradar

One thing I really like about working with independent musicians is the fact that I get to see how their musical projects develop from start to finish, often being the first to hear the end product or asked for my input as to how I think it is developing.

Last year Italian multi-instrumentalist Mirko Viscuso contacted me to ask if I’d review the debut release from his project Misto, a one man band based in Genoa, Italy. After different experiences with several local bands, Mirko decided to compose, record and produce his first solo album, ‘Infinite Mirrors’, featuring instrumental music inspired by personal experiences.

I was suitably impressed saying that, “…ultimately I feel relaxed and as one with the world as I listen to this beauteous offering. Trust me, you should do yourselves a favour and listen to it too.”

Out of the blue Mirko contacted me again asking me if I would review his second album, ‘Helios’, due to be released in November. I was intrigued to see what musical direction he had taken on this new record so it was a bit of a no-brainer really!

Calling himself a ‘One-man post rock instrumental project’, that’s what you got from the first album, chilled-out, laid back and relaxed but ‘Helios’ sees him blend that original style with something a bit heavier and more aggressive at times.

Opening track Buried Under Remote Lands has a repeated, chilled out guitar line reminiscent of the sound of Sanguine Hum, an addictive melody that runs throughout the song. The dynamic rhythm section adds some stylish drama to everything and you get the feel of floating on a cloud of elegant music that takes you away from the stress and worry of life in the fast lane. That darker edge is first heard on the rather frenetic and energetic tones of Polemic Guy Wants To Fight with its crashing guitar riffs and superb drum and bass rhythms. A surprise from start to finish, Mirko has really extended his musical horizons with this track, I really like it, the spirited close is genius!

Daffodils Crashing Into The Water returns to the wistful and nostalgic tone with its chiming guitars and dreamy atmosphere. A gentle musical journey through a world of calm collection and reflection. It’s one of those pieces of music that really lifts your spirit. The addition of the delightful violin playing of Giulia Ermirio adds an ethereal grace to what is already a graceful and charming piece of music.

(Giulia Ermirio)

A pensive and sombre track, Set Your Firearms Against The Sun builds up from solemn beginnings with its absorbing guitar and keyboard note into something elemental and primeval. The sound turns ominous with the restless riff and the questioning guitar note, like a soundtrack to a sci-fi film about an apocalyptical future. It really gets under your skin with its deliciously dark and uneasy feel, Mirko is really stretching his musical boundaries here!

Mirko says that title track Helios is the most ‘proggy’ song on the album and, to a certain extent, I’d have to agree. It begins as all relaxed and laid-back post rock that draws you into its winsome and captivating world, relaxed, chilled and without a care in the world. Music for hot, hazy summer days that never end, looking back on the good times and forgetting the bad. A vibrant riff opens up, giving a more intense mood and atmosphere but still charismatic and engaging before a more subdued and thoughtful aura falls over the music, a nostalgic feel of looking back at how life used to be. The gossamer-like guitar notes landing randomly on your aural receptors, it’s actually a very cathartic and soul-cleansing piece of music that sees your pulse rate drop and your mind clear. Twelve minutes of music that could make all psychiatrists redundant..

The final track is Time To Destroy My Life Capsule and the opening takes the more ambient route again, harmonious melodies leaving an ambience of soothing tranquility in the air. There’s a short period of reflective silence before a more insistent tone takes over, never dark but questing, more demanding and with a slight touch of that new found aggression. Everything comes full circle once again though as the serenity returns to see this track and the album to a close.

Mirko told me he was worried about the fact that the few who loved ‘Infinite Mirrors’ might be in some way confused about this more aggressive sound. I can happily attest to the fact that this is not the case, that edgier and sometimes darker feel has added another level of innovation to Mirko’s music and produced an album of many sophisticated layers that intrigues and delights with every note. A superb return from Misto indeed!

Release date to be announcedon Misto’s Facebook page in the next few days, keep checking below:

https://www.facebook.com/mistoband/

You can listen to ‘Infinite Mirrors’ at bandcamp here

 

 

Review – Geof Whitely Project – Time – by Progradar

He’s a prolific fellow that Arny Wheatley, the creative mind behind the Geof Whitely releases an astounding amount of new albums, surely the quality will have to dip at some point? Well it hasn’t since I got involved with reviewing the releases and December will see the latest record from this musical project see the light of day.

In a break from the norm ‘Time’ will only be available in CD format and exclusively from the website only in CD format and a limited edition of 300. In a further change to the standard format, this album is shorter and features only 6 tracks.

We start with the dark and atmospheric Deadly Alliance. That signature base sound is present and correct but, carrying on from the slight deviation we heard in ‘The Blessed & The Damned’, Arny adds some subtle nuances. The keyboards and resonating guitar add a real sombre note and serious tone, it’s a great direction to take. A tasteful piano introduces Stay before the yearning vocal joins in. A wistful and slightly melancholy song of hope  and one that sees yet another sonic string added to this talented musicians bow. Within the loose strictures of the recognisable Geof Whitely Project sound are now thrown some really interesting variations and it works very well.

Title track Time has a seasonal, festive feel to it as it begins with its bells and horns and exudes a feelgood aura. Arny’s vocal adds some seriousness and authority along with the powerful guitar and dynamic drums to replace this almost pastoral tone with something a bit more rock influenced. An effective and compelling piece of music, it holds your attention as it takes its measured strides along a vibrant musical journey. Sometimes sees that contemplative and thoughtful feel return, the vocals have a pensive edge and the keyboards give a wintry sheen to everything. A polished and reflective song that certainly left me reflecting on my past, there’s a real maturity to Arny’s songwriting that is pretty evident on tracks like this.

An elegant guitar and reflective keyboard open Runaway Express before a heavier guitar stirs things up. The emotive vocals grab you straight away with their really meaningful delivery and give the song a thoughtful and determined mood. The occasional lighter feel of Geof Whitely Project albums has been replaced by a more serious and sober intent which is highly evident on this cultured and stylish track. All too soon we come to the album closer Out of Touch and Arny throws another little curveball in with its Floyd-esque intro, there’s intelligence and some not inconsiderable subtlety in the songwriting on this album and it manifests itself perfectly on this track. Measured and brooding in delivery, both the music and the vocals have an earnest honesty to them and make for a compelling listening experience.

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ but, as Arny keeps showing us, that doesn’t mean you can’t make little improvements to every release to keep on improving your music without losing its original identity. I personally think ‘Time’ sees the Geof Whitely Project at the zenith of their creativity so far and am intrigued to see where Arny will go next!

Released 4th December 2017

‘Time’ will be exclusively available from the Geof Whitely Project website here

Listen to ‘Deadly Alliance’ here

Review – Mother of Millions – Sigma – by Progradar

‘Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. It is the initial of the Greek word “Σιωπή”, meaning Silence. Sigma is also used as a symbol for the summation operator. “Silence has the sound of shame.” We are submissive to unspoken rules of obedience, which are sealed with a spiral of silence. Our chains are bound to break by speaking out as a mass, as a musical ensemble willing to sing out liberation.’

So says the PR information that came with the second album from the enigmatic Greek band Mother of Millions. I reviewed their debut release ‘Human’ back in 2004 and was impressed by  the complexity and diversity of their musical influences and the incredible talent on show. I summarised it as “An album that deserves the highest praise and leaves you slack-jawed in appreciation.”

So, unsurprisingly, I was very excited to get the promo of their sophomore album and see where this talented group of musicians had gone to next on their musical journey.

Mother of Millions is a five-piece progressive/alternative metal band from Athens, Greece, formed in 2008. Their sound of can be described as equally massive as cinematic. An intense experimentation involving elaborate rhythms, folk aesthetics and progressive rock tunes.

In 2014 the band released its first, critically acclaimed, concept album ‘Human’, during the spring of 2017, Mother of Millions finished the recording, mixing and mastering of their second concept album ‘Sigma’ which was released on 3rd November 2017.

Mother of Millions is George Prokopiou – Vocals, Kostas Konstantinidis – Guitars, Panos Priftis – Bass, Makis Tsamkosoglou – Keyboards, samples and George Boukaouris – Drums, percussion.

(Photo by  Panagiotis Tsalavrettas)

‘Sigma’ is, by today’s standards, a relatively short album, coming in at just under 42 minutes but at no time do you ever feel short-changed by what these guys have delivered. Mother of Millions jam so much incredible music into this release, there is absolutely no filler from the first note of Emerge until the final strains of Sigma drift away.

The slow burning introduction of Emerge sees the listener drawn into this deeply engaging story as the subdued voice-over grabs your attention. Haunting and full of tension, it is really setting the scene for what is to follow with its towering guitar, dynamic keyboards and dominant percussion. We segue straight into the vibrant and compelling riffs of Shine before everything calms down and Geroge’s passionate vocal makes its first appearance. Not progressive metal, nor alternative rock, these guys have forged their own sound to a certain extent and its one that demands your attention with its staccato riffs, vibrant keyboards, driving bass and edgy percussion. I have to say that this already seems a huge leap on from what was an impressive debut album, I’m not a fan of the so called growling or screaming vocals but the little bits that George delivers really catch my attention. I love the way that the next track flows seamlessly form the last, Silence is a towering edifice of music, eight minutes of sublime listening. The guitars have an elemental feel to them, powerful and compelling and the primordial drums seem add to the huge soundscape. The vocals are forceful and influential and all combine to give a monumental feel to this fine song, definitely one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year.

That funky, edgy riff returns on Rome, I don’t know if it’s really a technical term for music but there’s a density to the sound that these five fantastic musicians produce, almost a sonic viscosity and a feeling of permanency to every note and every word. A deliberate and measured piece of music with a memorable, captivating chorus, George’s voice once again stands out, if there’s a better hard/heavy rock vocalist out there I am yet to hear him this year. Fusing traditional and folk styles with hard rock Their Passage, The Light is a really mesmerising instrumental that intrigues and delights with its tasteful guitars and strings. A track to calm the mind and sooth the soul after the deeply affecting music that has gone before, it refreshes the musical palate ready for the next course. Another track that builds up from quiet beginnings, Collision simmers with intensity keeping you right on the edge before the enigmatic vocals introduce and increase in pace and emotion. This is music that seeps into your entire being and asks questions of you on every level as the vocals break out accompanied by the portentous music delivering quite a dark and potent tone to the end of the song. As the final notes ring out I’m left in an enigmatic silence.

The Rapture is a brooding and cryptic feeling instrumental that has a real dystopian aura that carries on over all its two minute length. Very haunting and quite disturbing. The introduction to Spiral is powerful and commanding before the song takes a step back to allow George’s stirring vocal to take centre stage, once again he delivers an authoritative performance aided and abetted superbly by the gifted musicians that surround him. Technically proficient but playing with heart and soul, the music is as much part of every brilliant track as the vocals and both combine to deliver an incredibly impressive experience. The subdued voice over returns to be followed by wonderful instrumental close out, one that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up with its incredible intensity. This exceptional musical spectacle closes out with the title track Sigma and the level of performance does not drop one iota. Another deeply engaging song that slowly draws you into its embrace with great vocals and music that stays just in the background adding a mysterious and esoteric ambience, it’s a track that delivers a perfect conclusion to this fine album.

It’s been three years since the last Mother of Millions album and that time has seen this superb band develop and improve on what was already a very impressive sound. Powerful and dark at times and yet incredibly illuminating at others, it is a piece of music that entraps the listener on an astonishingly immersive musical journey. ‘Sigma’ is one of those releases that stands out immediately and then gets even better with every listen. One of the releases of the year, please do yourselves a favour and get your hands on this incredible piece of music as soon as you can!

Released 3rd November 2017

Buy ‘Sigma’ on CD from Amazon

 

 

 

Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate Release Video Of First Five Songs From New Album

In a change from the norm, snappily named progressive rock act Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate have released a video with the first five songs from their new album ‘Broken But Still Standing’.

This part of the album is predominantly ambient and progressive rock. The tracks include Vent, Almost Familiar, Luca To Lucy, Advancing On Snailback and Lucy.

Music written by – Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland, Kathryn Thomas. Lyrics by Malcolm Galloway and James Galloway. Performed by Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland, Kathryn Thomas. Produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by Malcolm Galloway and co-produced by Mark Gatland.

Order links are in the video.

Review – Blue Rose Code – The Water Of Leith – by Progradar

Music never ceases to amaze me with its capacity to delight and its ability to lift you up when you are down and to perfectly fit your mood when you are happy and on top of the world. I know for a fact that my life is so much richer and rewarding because of my love of music.

There are artists, however, who stand out even more for me, musicians whose songwriting talents elevate the songs to another level, able to move you and alter your life with just one note. I have been very lucky to have had some of these very people come into my life and I am a better person for it.

Once again, I have my great friend Iain Sloan to thank for introducing me to the mercurial talents of Blue Rose Code (aka Ross Wilson). Iain contributes pedal steel to several tracks on the new Blue Rose Code album ‘The Water Of Leith’.

A nomad both geographically and musically, Ross writes from the heart eschewing any specific genre and the twelve new songs on ‘The Water Of Leith’, addressing themes of love, loss, travel, home, accepting the past and embracing the future, are painted with colours of folk, jazz, soul and pop; an eclecticism that has become a hallmark of Blue Rose Code and has seen him compared to John Martyn, Van Morrison and Tom Waits.

Underlining the sense of movement and place in Ross’s work and ‘The Water Of Leith’ is rooted in his return to his Scottish homeland. There, he reconnected with the stellar musicians who were to become an integral part of the new album’s sound: multi award-winning singer Julie Fowlis, celebrated Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes, BBC Folk Award Winner, Ross Ainslie, 2017’s Scottish Jazz Awards’ instrumentalist of the year Konrad Wiszniewski, leading violinist Seonaid Aitken and three of Scotland’s finest jazz musicians; John Lowrie, Colin Steele and James Lindsay, to name just some of the contributors. Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman features on the opening track. Ross co-produced the album with Angus Lyon.

(Image by Mark Archibald)

Music at its most simplistic has the power to move you and the twelve tracks on ‘The Water Of Leith’, despite being simple and charming, generate such a wide range of emotions. The incredibly tender Over The Fields (For John) is a touching tribute to Ross’ friend John Wetton (of Asia fame and more) who died earlier this year. Sparse instrumentation and the incredibly emotive vocals have a bleak and yet uplifting feel to them. There’s a sadness that is lifted by fond, nostalgic memories and I challenge you to not be wiping a tear from your eye when it comes to its gentle close. Bluebell has an upbeat, soulful vibe, Ross’s vocal has warmth and compassion at its core and Konrad Wiszniewski’s sax and Iain’s pedal steel add a touch of culture to this sophisticated piece of music. Wistful memories float along with the lilting tone of the music and draw you into its sincere embrace. Toe-tapping, feelgood music is at the heart of the wonderful Ebb & Flow with its great harmonies and superb brass, just under three-minutes of music that leaves you in a much better place than before it arrived. The Gaelic tinged hues of Passing Places is haunting in its brevity and beauty. Kathleen MacInnes mesmerising vocals are accompanied perfectly by the childlike innocence of the violin of Seonaid Aitken and Angus Lyon’s accordion with the mournful tone of Wild Lyle Watt’s acoustic guitar adding the final folk-infused touches.

The music segues straight into Sandaig where the sparseness is fleshed out with Ross’ stirring vocal. A song straight from the heart, this peaceful spot was immortalised as Camusfearna in ‘Ring of Bright Water’ – the famous book by Gavin Maxwell telling of his life with his pet otters at this lonely spot. Ross imbues the song with love and affection and a kind of longing and with Kathleen adding her distinctive vocals, it’s charm and beauty hypnotise you from the first note. A touching song full of jazz imbued soul, Nashville Blue has a real feel of the roaring 20’s about it. Its passionate feel and elegance cut right through you and the vocal performance is stirring and just a little sad. The incredible playing of all the musicians comes through to give a stellar, if slightly sombre, performance. A perfect slice of modern Scottish folk, On The Hill remains A Heart is a serious piece of music that has you enveloped in tte story, imagining yourself on a windswept hill as a certain part of your life’s journey comes to a melancholy close. The vocals have a more hushed and sincere tone to them and end the song with a thoughtful atmosphere, increased by the superb violin and cello. An open letter to the world that getting basics right is where we should start, Love Is… touches you right in your heart with its poignant vocals and bluegrass inspired music with Seonaid Aitken’s wondrous violin leading the way. A tenderly wistful song with a compassionate belief at its core.

Polaris is one of those delightful songs that you just keep returning to again and again and show that Ross is a modern singer/songwriter of huge talent. The tender yet powerful vocals are key here and bring an uplifting emotion to the chorus. A compelling piece of music that you can lose yourself in and forget about the worries of everyday life. Innovative and inventive, like a cross between free from jazz and traditional folk, The Water is nine minutes of utterly captivating music, an involving soundscape on which John Lowrie’s wandering piano and Colin Steele’s original trumpet playing are joined by the adroitness of James Lindsay’s double bass to lead you on a spiritual musical journey into your own psyche and everyone’s journey will be different.  You stop and listen to every note and every nuance and each playing reveals more of this incredible track. There’s no let up to the brilliance as the haunting delta blues and jazz-tinged hues of To The Shore work their way into your mind. A darkly meaningful song that seems to glide effortlessly into the room with a knowing aura, Ross’ vocal has the requisite husky tones to leave you imagining yourself in a dimly lit jazz club in the American depression. The musicianship is staggeringly good, turn the lights down, open a glass of something strong and red and just lose yourself in the wonderfully enigmatic music. The album closes out with the wistfully plaintive Child. Another sublimely simple song that touches the heartstrings with its affection and love. The piano of John Lowrie is the perfect accompaniment to Ross’ heartwarming vocal and the sax adds its stirring tribute and, as the track comes to its uncomplicated close, I just find myself smiling and at one with myself.

In the dark and complicated world that we live in we all need something to escape to, something that makes our lives better and richer and, for me and many others, it is music that has the capacity to do that. ‘The Water Of Leith’ is a poignant, moving collection of songs that have come straight from the heart of one of the best songwriters of this or any generation. Ross Wilson and Blue Rose Code have given us a definitive piece of music that will last the test of time and we would all be happier having it in our lives.

Released 27th October 2017

Buy the CD from Navigator Records

Buy the limited edition vinyl from bandcamp

 

Review – Findlay Napier – Glasgow – by Progradar

Music and singing has been used to tell stories for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Those ancient troubadours spread the news of mighty deeds and wars won or lost, crossing mighty oceans and huge deserts to spread the word to the far corners of the earth.

Thankfully for today’s balladeers and poets, the digital age and the internet means their tales of escapism or gritty realism can be on anyone’s hard-drive in seconds and they don’t have to use donkeys and ancient ships to reach their audiences.

Folk music has always been at the core of telling the stories of the man on the street, the fisherman, the steelworker and folk singers have never hidden the darker side of these stories, tales that on-one else would tell, leaving audiences hooked on every word.

My good friend, the excellent musician Iain Sloan introduced me to the music of Scottish folk singer Findlay Napier last year and I still thank him for bringing this brilliant artist to my attention. This October sees the release of Findlay’s ode to his home town Glasgow and a collection of cleverly observed and written songs that reveal his love affair with this most gritty of cities.

There’s no need for fanfare or overindulgence on this album, Findlay’s vocals and guitar are joined on this emotional journey by long time collaborator Boo Hewerdine (high strung guitar, piano) and the delicate voice of Donna Maciocia on backing vocals.

‘Glasgow’ is a whimsical collection of songs from a musician with a quick wit and a ready eye. Findlay has lived in Glasgow for twenty-one years, having been born there originally, and his intimate knowledge shines through.

” I remember the people and their patter. I remember it like the first time I watched Blade Runner. I remember it like the first time I saw Billy Connolly.

Mostly I witnessed Glasgow from afar. On the telly it was a place full of humour: Francie & Josie, Naked Video and Rab C. Nesbitt. Taggart, bookended with Maggie Bell’s ‘No Mean City, was Glasgow’s darker side.”

The delicate guitar and subtle vocals that form Young Goths In The Necropolis are used to give Findlay’s view of the Necropolis and its magnificent views to the west and the daily happenings a nostalgic hue. There’s nothing glamorous about life at the bottom in any cities and the dark humour of Wire Burners tells the tale of how the homeless in Glasgow sell scrap metal from building sites just to stay alive. Findlay’s vocals have a way of keeping you concentrated on the story and taking in every word to build a picture up in your mind. Marchtown (written by Emma Pollock) is an area that Findlay walks through every day and this sentimental song takes you along on that daily journey. It’s a wonderfully romantic song that is touched by more than a hint of melancholy as it looks at the changes that have happened to an area that has hundreds of years of history at its heart. The perfectly judged backing vocals are a particular delight.

The wonderful St Anthony’s Digging a hole is a tribute to the gravediggers of the West of Scotland and is based on a Radio 4 documentary about these essential workers called ‘How To Dig A Grave’ by Cathy Fitzgerald. A beautifully wistful piece of music, it shows how Findlay can take a sombre subject and turn it into such an exquisite piece of music. St Anthony is the patron saint of gravediggers. On Julia Doogan’s wonderfully written and evocative track Glasgow Findlay’s elegant vocal paints a colourful picture of the heart of a City that lives its life around two great football teams and always makes him think of the Old Firm games when he hears it and the busy nights around the city’s many drinking establishments. A vivid and intense folk standard Cod Liver Oil And The Orange Juice, Findlay’s voice uses the guttural dialect perfectly to paint a gaudy picture on a wonderfully raucous pared-back track that just leaves me smiling all the way through. I actually laughed out loud at some of the lines,

“Then oot came her mammy – she was goin’ tae the cludgie, Oh-ho, I buggered of sharpish, Ah-ha, glory hallelujah, Cod liver oil and the orange juice..”

Findlay gives his take on the Blue Nile track A Walk Across The Rooftops, a song that always reminds him of days hanging out between the City Centre and the West End, barbecues, carry outs and late night sing songs in tenement flats. His tender vocal and the elegant guitar reminisce about sepia tinged times between receiving his final exam results and graduating.  There’s a hushed atmosphere about the track, a time when you felt on top of the world, unbreakable even. Never quite a protest song, There’s More To Building Ships is a poignant song that Findlay was moved to write after a conversation about reopening Scotland’s shipyards with his Dad. There’s a bitter sentiment tot he vocals, one that’s echoed by the solemn guitar. A wonderfully written piece of music that sees it as an ultimately futile endeavour, without a long term plan, there’ll never be industry like that again in Glasgow. A whimsical and quirky song, The Locarno, Sauchie Hall Street 1928 is a story about the first Scottish Professional Dancing Championships held in 1928 and won by Alex Warren and Cecilia Bristow. An unhurried, sentimental track, Findlay and Donna’s vocals give it a real warmth and affection along with a maudlin nostalgia.

King Kong’s Visit To Glasgow, written by ‘The Bard of Dundee’, Michael Marra, is about a dream that actress Caroline Paterson had. Her many vivid dreams were recounted to Marra when they were working on a show together at Dundee rep. A chilled, jazzy guitar and Findlay’s bright and breezy vocal give an upbeat feeling to this subtle and engaging song, a track with a real playfulness to it. The surreal lyrics about King Kong wanting to mend his ways and visiting Glasgow are quite genius and Findlay gives it a real engaging air. The final track is about unrequited love in a Glasgow chip shop (yes, really…) and The Blue Lagoon has an air of 30’s music hall to it with Findlay’s tender vocal and the haunting piano of Boo Hewerdine. Once again Donna Maciocia’s graceful backing vocals add anther layer of class to a superbly expressive song.

Some of the best folk music is coming out of Scotland right now. ‘Glasgow’ is a fantastic collection of sentimental and evocative songs imbued with a simple but engaging honesty because, after all, music is storytelling and here Findlay is telling the grandest story of his life.

Album cover and Glasgow street scene by Raymond Depardon, Magnum Photography.

All other photos by Richard Crawford, Precious Productions.

Released 13th October 2017

Buy ‘Glasgow’ direct from bandcamp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ57RdwrWdk