Lucan Mills is a dynamic songwriter and rapper with an impressive back catalogue. Having rapped with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Skepta and JME, Lucan as struck out on his own with an exciting solo venture. Backed by a 6 piece jazz band, Lucan weaves incredible poetry about lost love and everyday existence.
His latest offering ‘It’s Just Rap’ is taken off his EP ‘Level 1’. Blending jazz, hiphop and grime, Lucan has transformed established genres into something new and exciting.
‘Level 1’ featuring single ‘It’s Just Rap’ is out now.
Hypatia is
release number 3 for the band, Telergy, the name for the creative vehicle of
composer and multi-instrumentalist, Robert McClung. I had not heard of this
band prior to The Legend Of Goody Cole arriving
on my desk for review in 2013. That release followed on from the debut by
Robert, The Exodus, in 2011. All 3
albums are concept releases, with each telling the story of an important
historical event. The new release, Hypatia,
is based on the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, who was a great mathematician,
astronomer, philosopher and teacher who met a tragic death in 415 AD.
Robert recruits musicians to help out in his recordings
and he turned his attention to progressive music in 2009 after 2 decades of
playing in a variety of genres.
On Hypatia,
Robert is responsible for guitar, bass, violin, viola, piano, mandolin, organ,
keyboards, flute, balalaika, ukulele, sitar, lap steel guitar, bodhran,
percussion and tenor/baritone vocals, along with no less than 38 guest
musicians and vocalists, including Durga McBroom-Hudson on vocals (Pink Floyd),
Blake Carpenter on vocals (Minstrel’s Ghost) and Oliver Wakeman on keyboards
(Yes).
Hypatia is
a 17 track album which lasts just over 63 minutes. Nine of the tracks are
narrative scene setters which link the main tracks and carry the concept
through the album. They tend to be very short and vary in length from just
under, to just over, a minute. The longest track on offer is track 4,
“Philosopher” with a playing time of 11:44 minutes and the shortest of the main
tracks is track 12, “Scapegoat” with a running time of just under 3 minutes.
(2:54)
The first main track is track 2, “Astronomer” (7:15) and
follows the directional narration of “Scene 1” (0:38). The initial building up
of gentle sounds, slowly increasing in intensity, is suddenly blown away by the
thundering entry of “the band” at just over a minute. Chunky guitar chords and
stunning keyboards/synths run riot and a superb lead guitar weaves a melody
over the solid background. Around the 2:30 minute mark, the lead instrument
morphs into a stunningly emotive violin with a particularly memorable theme. A
little muffled atmospherics carries the track into a very upbeat flute passage
which reintroduces a level of chunkiness whilst maintaining an almost Eastern
feel. Once again the guitar gets a chance to show off a little as the track
starts to drive along and then settle back into the chunky feel of the starting
point. This track works very well and bodes well for the album, remembering
that it is a concept album and is mainly instrumental in nature.
A second short narrated scene setter, “Scene 2” (0:37)
leads the listener into the longest track on offer, but only by seconds,
“Philosopher”.(11:44) This time the band is piano based and has a magnificent
arrangement of choral voices set against majestic strings. The slow “burn” of
the choir fades to usher in some subtle synths which are joined by drums and
bass to form a driving track with a terrific feel. The choir splits and leaves
the male and female voices at times harmonizing and at others juxtaposing for
the lead. The violin sweeps along with an excellent theme as the track
approaches the halfway point before giving the piano a chance to lead the way.
A change to a slower, almost melancholy, theme backed by some excellent strings
lulls the listener into a false sense of security before the band “up the
stakes” with a very metal section leading into a frenetic synth section which
morphs into an electric guitar theme before returning to the synth. The track
ends with a gentle orchestral fade out.
One of the best tracks on offer is track 14, “Murder”
(9:30) which aurally illustrates the brutal ending which befell Hypatia, when a
small riot caused by rivals of her ideas, climaxed with Hypatia being attacked
and killed by having pieces of her body cut off. The track conjures up the
atmosphere of the unfolding brutal killing by constantly building in intensity,
together with “shouting from the mob” in the background. The choir adds to the
mesmeric soundscape being produced and there is a distinct slant to a metal
style in the driving music. The slow section coinciding with the realization of
the actions of the mob is stunning, bookended as it is by the metal style of
the rest of the track.
Telergy has successfully produced another concept album
which works very well, considering that the “storyline” for the most part is
only being suggested by the instrumental nature of the music and the details of
the story are being formulated inside the head of the listener. The music
echoes the developing concept so well and shows that instrumental music that is
well thought out, properly produced and played with passion will indeed “speak”
to the listener.
Hypatia is
not an “immediate” album and indeed I had listened several times before it
suddenly all just worked and I found the album eye-opening (or should that be
ear-opening?). My advice would be to give the album a chance, it does require
multiple listens, but hopefully you will then appreciate just over an hour of
excellent instrumental progressive music and the concept held within.
4.5/5
Stars
Key
Tracks: Astronomer, Philosopher, Murder
Tracks: Scene 1 Astronomer Scene 2 Philosopher Scene 3 Mathematician Scene 4 Teacher Scene 5 The Burning of the Library of Alexandria Scene 6 Scapegoat Scene 7 Murder Scene 8 Martyr Scene 9
Hypatia is release number 3 for the band, Telergy, the name for the creative vehicle of composer and multi-instrumentalist, Robert McClung. I had not heard of this band prior to The Legend Of Goody Cole arriving on my desk for review in 2013. That release followed on from the debut by Robert, The Exodus, in 2011. All 3 albums are concept releases, with each telling the story of an important historical event. The new release, Hypatia, is based on the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, who was a great mathematician, astronomer, philosopher and teacher who met a tragic death in 415 AD.
Robert recruits musicians to help out in his recordings and he turned his attention to progressive music in 2009 after 2 decades of playing in a variety of genres.
On Hypatia, Robert is responsible for guitar, bass, violin, viola, piano, mandolin, organ, keyboards, flute, balalaika, ukulele, sitar, lap steel guitar, bodhran, percussion and tenor/baritone vocals, along with no less than 38 guest musicians and vocalists, including Durga McBroom-Hudson on vocals (Pink Floyd), Blake Carpenter on vocals (Minstrel’s Ghost) and Oliver Wakeman on keyboards (Yes).
Hypatia is a 17 track album which lasts just over 63 minutes. Nine of the tracks are narrative scene setters which link the main tracks and carry the concept through the album. They tend to be very short and vary in length from just under, to just over, a minute. The longest track on offer is track 4, “Philosopher” with a playing time of 11:44 minutes and the shortest of the main tracks is track 12, “Scapegoat” with a running time of just under 3 minutes. (2:54)
The first main track is track 2, “Astronomer” (7:15) and follows the directional narration of “Scene 1” (0:38). The initial building up of gentle sounds, slowly increasing in intensity, is suddenly blown away by the thundering entry of “the band” at just over a minute. Chunky guitar chords and stunning keyboards/synths run riot and a superb lead guitar weaves a melody over the solid background. Around the 2:30 minute mark, the lead instrument morphs into a stunningly emotive violin with a particularly memorable theme. A little muffled atmospherics carries the track into a very upbeat flute passage which reintroduces a level of chunkiness whilst maintaining an almost Eastern feel. Once again the guitar gets a chance to show off a little as the track starts to drive along and then settle back into the chunky feel of the starting point. This track works very well and bodes well for the album, remembering that it is a concept album and is mainly instrumental in nature.
A second short narrated scene setter, “Scene 2” (0:37) leads the listener into the longest track on offer, but only by seconds, “Philosopher”.(11:44) This time the band is piano based and has a magnificent arrangement of choral voices set against majestic strings. The slow “burn” of the choir fades to usher in some subtle synths which are joined by drums and bass to form a driving track with a terrific feel. The choir splits and leaves the male and female voices at times harmonizing and at others juxtaposing for the lead. The violin sweeps along with an excellent theme as the track approaches the halfway point before giving the piano a chance to lead the way. A change to a slower, almost melancholy, theme backed by some excellent strings lulls the listener into a false sense of security before the band “up the stakes” with a very metal section leading into a frenetic synth section which morphs into an electric guitar theme before returning to the synth. The track ends with a gentle orchestral fade out.
One of the best tracks on offer is track 14, “Murder” (9:30) which aurally illustrates the brutal ending which befell Hypatia, when a small riot caused by rivals of her ideas, climaxed with Hypatia being attacked and killed by having pieces of her body cut off. The track conjures up the atmosphere of the unfolding brutal killing by constantly building in intensity, together with “shouting from the mob” in the background. The choir adds to the mesmeric soundscape being produced and there is a distinct slant to a metal style in the driving music. The slow section coinciding with the realization of the actions of the mob is stunning, bookended as it is by the metal style of the rest of the track.
Telergy has successfully produced another concept album which works very well, considering that the “storyline” for the most part is only being suggested by the instrumental nature of the music and the details of the story are being formulated inside the head of the listener. The music echoes the developing concept so well and shows that instrumental music that is well thought out, properly produced and played with passion will indeed “speak” to the listener.
Hypatia is not an “immediate” album and indeed I had listened several times before it suddenly all just worked and I found the album eye-opening (or should that be ear-opening?). My advice would be to give the album a chance, it does require multiple listens, but hopefully you will then appreciate just over an hour of excellent instrumental progressive music and the concept held within.
4.5/5 Stars
Key Tracks: Astronomer, Philosopher, Murder
Tracks: Scene 1 Astronomer Scene 2 Philosopher Scene 3 Mathematician Scene 4 Teacher Scene 5 The Burning of the Library of Alexandria Scene Scapegoat Scene 7 Murder Scene 8 Martyr Scene 9
Features performances by Kittie, Dum Dum Girls, Electric Six, Rogue Wave, Heartless Bastards, The Muffs and more!
Los Angeles, CA - David Bowie’s career has been defined by his unique ability to make artistically complex and challenging music sound like mainstream pop…ok, maybe pop music from an entirely different planet, but pop music all the same. As a result, the definition of rock music has expanded; Bowie never went mainstream, the mainstream always came to him. For these reasons and more, he is one of the most deeply revered and profoundly influential artists in modern rock. And nowhere can Bowie’s influence be felt more than in the world of indie rock, where bands and artists have taken Bowie’s fiercely independent streak, commitment to artistic integrity, and a diverse array of musical styles into the 21st century and beyond. Now, a truly impressive gathering of indie and modern rockers have gathered to pay tribute to the man with A Salute To The Thin White Duke - The Songs Of David Bowie to be released on both CD & vinyl as well as mp3s on October 2 courtesy of Cleopatra Records.
Among the participants is the all-girl alt metal Canadian quartet Kittie who expressed a sentiment shared by many of the artists here, “We are so excited to be able to contribute to this amazing tribute album. ‘Space Oddity’ is arguably one of David Bowie's most well known songs so we put all of our efforts into doing all of its intricacies justice, while still retaining our signature, heavy sound.’ Meanwhile, Detroit’s own Electric Six made no bones about their preferred Bowie era, saying “We had to do ‘80s Bowie because frankly, we couldn't trust the earlier Bowie. And the ‘90s Bowie is, well…So ‘80s Bowie was the one for us, and ‘Blue Jean’ was just sitting there waiting for us to club the shit out of it, and, man, did we club it!” Similarly, Zach from Rogue Wave had this to say of “Modern Love,” the song that opens the album, “My favorite Bowie song from his tailored suit era. All that uptempo beat and those chugging horns couldn't hide the sadness of what it means to come down to earth.”
Jared Artaud from The Vacant Lots succinctly expressed the challenges of approaching Bowie’s music, “It’s hard to touch Bowie. He’s an architect. What he’s done, you can’t make it better, so we wanted to reconceptualize it & approach the song from another point of view.” And The Tulips offer this entirely accurate description, “Covering a Bowie tune was like jumping into a cab and realizing there's a tiger sitting shotgun, and no one says a word.” A wild ride indeed! And fans of Bowie will find this collection of covers equally as thrilling!
Track List
1. Modern Love - Rogue Wave
2. John, I’m Only Dancing - Jesca Hoop
3. Letter To Hermione - Dum Dum Girls
4. Heroes - The Tulips
5. Ashes To Ashes - Icky Blossoms
6. Starman - The Deer Tracks
7. Rebel Rebel - The KVB
8. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - Magic Wands
9. Blue Jean - Electric Six
10. Jean Genie - Heartless Bastards
11. Suffragette City - Ume
12. Fame - The Vacant Lots
13. Space Oddity - Kittie
14. Moonage Daydream - Boy Hits Car
15. Absolute Beginners - Coves
16. Changes - The Muffs
Prog outfit Amber are making waves with their new hard hitting single ‘Amber.’ Completely self produced a building introduction which draws you in before the heavy rhythms kick in hard.
The arrangement drops layers of drums, guitar and bass in and out to great effect, tied together by the tight, melodic vocal. This dynamic approach keeps the track fresh throughout, and lays down a marker for the excellent production values you can come to expect from Orca when their album hits.
Orca are a cracking band and we’re excited to see what happens next. Amber is out on September 23rd.
Unrelenting 5 piece Metasic are back with new track ‘New Design.’ The lads combine hard and heavy grooves with complex lyrics and a variety of timbres. ‘New Design’ is a bruising track with differing themes and some very technically gifted performances from across the whole band. Having supported the likes of The Hoosiers and We Are Scientists, Metasic are definitely in a good position to be able to strike out into the mainstream and it will be exciting when they do.
Kwame Binea sings with a purpose and plenty of emotion on his upcoming release Shakedown. "Hang On" is a great example of what to expect on the upcoming album. "Hang On" is full of hope and positive energy. There is nothing about this music or artist that suggests any sort of negativity, its all upbeat and straight forward. Good music is not something that is a given, it is hard to find with so many artists to choose from. Trust me, Kwame Binea has got it together and he knows how to deliver a song.
According to legend or myth (depending on who tells the story) the band earned its name Uptown Shakedown because the walls in Kwame’s apartment in Harlem used to shake when they rehearsed there. It was later truncated to just Shakedown.KwameinfusesalotoftheBritish rock elements of the legendary rockers that inspired him to become a rocker such as; Rod Stewart, the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zepplin. He was also heavily influenced by soul singers Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, the iconic Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley, (both whom were revered in England) blues greats Buddy Guy and Robert Johnson, funk pioneers Sly and the Family Stone and Parliament-Funkadelic, and South African world music giant Fela Kuti.
He has fed his recording and live endeavors with an unyielding spirit and intestinal fortitude that is strikingly visible in his artistic growth. He continues to draw a legion of loyal fans with electrifying and inspirational performances at most of New York City’s most celebrated venues including Brooklyn Bowl, Mercury Lounge, Rockwood Music Hall, Sullivan Hall, The Bitter End and Joe’s Pub. He also has a Summer Residency at Arlene’s Grocery and he’s continually expanding into other major markets on the East Coast.
Simultaneously, he has incrementally built his growing fan base digitally with several well- received videos helmed by noted Director Jamal Joseph and a couple he self-produced/directed with Joel Davenport (“Little Lady and “Hang On”). He has also accumulated nearly 2 million hits via all his social media sites (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter) in the past several years and has netted a cumulative 800,000 views on Youtube from a handful of videos over the past year alone.
Kwame Binea Shakedown…is primed and ready to really SHAKE UP things…break through some walls…and you heard it here first.
Gordon Weiss has a new album out titled It’s About Time. I find that title very
appropriate considering it has been 7 years since he released his last
recording. However I think there can be more than one more meaning in that
song. Once again musical/studio wizard Jeff Canatta provides his talent in the
production phase of the album as well as contributing musically.
Weiss is the kind of artist that wears his influences on
his sleeve and those influences are ingrained in his soul, you can hear it in
his music. He plays guitar, piano, bass, keyboards, balalaika and percussion
throughout the album. His talent is quite apparent and his voice is very
distinctive.
The first two tracks come bursting out of the gate with
energy and a decisive direction. “The Ugly Inside” is an excellent way to kick
off the album showcasing the all-around talent of Weiss. Its highly energetic
approach and fast pace get in you in the right frame of mind and essentially
set you up for what is to come. “I’m Your Fan” (featured on Rate The Tracks) is a radio ready pop-rock tune with all the essential
elements. With lyrics and music to match it makes for the perfect ear candy.
“Sticky Thoughts” is drama and truth set to the perfect
musical setting. The piano, bass and drums are the screen the actors portray
their characters upon. It’s not hard to see this kind of thing in your mind’s
eye. Only good music is able to produce the proper images that the words
suggest and I find the music of Mr. Weiss to be an appropriate answer to that
question. In other words, he gets the job done very well.
My ears and senses always appreciate a multi-talented
artist like Gordon Weiss. “About Time” is another great tune that dives into
the conceptual piece of this recording. I liked the way the song builds up
slowly then launches into a faster paced guitar with an organ, bass and drums
to drive it to the next level. Then when it reaches a climax it steps back and
slows down for further introspection then forces you to listen closer to the
words. It is the perfectly crafted pop-rock track and it pays tribute to the
fab four nicely.
There are complex tracks such as “Thanks I Get” and
“Spinning ‘Round” that offer several layers of instrumentation and apexes of
sound that are remarkably entertaining and progressive. It shows a musician/songwriter
in his element bringing all of the talents he has to the forefront to create
virtual musical magic. If you can recall The Beatles album Rubber Soul and how they were changing and getting more complicated
with their presentations, then perhaps when you hear those two tracks and find parallels.
What I truly love about covering artists like Weiss is I
never forget. They leave me with a great impression and always touch base to
let me know there is some new music to enjoy.
It’s
About Time never disappoints, it is consistently solid
throughout, the words and music tell a story and it makes you want to hear it
all over again. It is funny how he says in the “Great Imitator” “If I wrote Hey
Jude, would they say it's too Beatley?” Well it works for me and I like the way
he slides that in there to remind you from whence he came. This is great
pop-rock album that deserves more than one spin.
4/5
Stars
Key Tracks: The Ugly Inside, I’m Your Fan, About
Time Tracks: 01. The Ugly Inside 02. I'm Your Fan 03. Saccharin, Aspartame, Splenda, You, & Me 04. Sticky Thoughts 05. About Time 06. The Great Imitator 07. Thanks I Get 08. Spinning 'round 09. My Love Still Grows
Keith “MuzikMan”
Hannaleck-Write A Music Review Founder
Andorra is an alternative rock band from Philadelphia PA. The band consists of 4 well dressed, not-so-clean shaven dudes that play a 90s style of rock with a free flowing sound that can take shape into any direction. Still Got Me is a fun, upbeat song straight off their recently released album Etc, Etc, Etc. Nostalgic of a young fun weekend night hanging out with friends and living an 'ideal' life filled with excitement and memories. The song has a bit of an older school (80's?) feel. I like the instruments and vocals from 00-48 and the harmony on "you still got me and the rest of your life." Take a listen...
A truly exciting band who have been likened to some of the shining lights of UK indie, Vida are a British four piece who are going places. Drawing comparisons to a wide ranging indie catalogue, including the likes of Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, The Black Keys, Miles Kane and more, their growing reputation has seen them garnering recognition from some of the country’s top tastemakers.
Their new single is a double A-side release showing two of the different sides of the group. First, ‘Electric Lady’ tells the story of repeated overnight stays with the same girl after meeting on several nights out, and the awkwardness that follows the next morning. Meanwhile, ‘Fade Away’ speaks of a completely different kind of awkward – finding yourself in the same room as an ex…
Fade Away – With an array of easy on the ear sounds varying from the choir in the background of this song. The fantastic guitar or the pleasant-sounding vocals! Is a really slow paced but smooth track!
Electric Lady - Is definitely more upbeat then the previous song and the vocals are better built as well. A really energetic and heavy guitar riff is included in this track! The drums are also superb in this track, setting the pace of this track along with the drums!
Overall Vida’s double single is a really fantastic double single showing two sides of Vida! I personally prefer the second side of Vida (Electric Lady) both equally have a lot of potential to hit the charts!
It has been 7 years since Gordon Weiss released an album.It's About Time says it all! Once again musician and studio wizard Jeff Cannata is behind the mixing board for the recording.
"I'm Your Fan" is one of the most colorful and expressive tracks on the album.There is truth and humor surrounding the story and its accompanied by some great pop rock music.
As I recall from my previous experience with Mr. Weiss, he knows how to spin a yarn and add just the right touch from a musical standpoint to come up with an entertaining mixture for your senses.
"I'm Your Fan" hits the bulls-eye of your heart and soul. Give it a listen and I guarantee a smile will come to your face. Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-Rating 4/5 Stars
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Gordon Weiss made his debut musical performance miming on the recorder along with the other third graders, which made him vow to learn to play an instrument for real. His first true foray into the world of music took the form of studying classical trumpet for eight years, culminating in two performances at Carnegie Hall with the New York City All-City Band. It was deja-vu when he stood up for a trumpet fanfare to find that his mouthpiece had fallen out backstage.
By then Gordon had been bitten by the Beatle bug and his love for clever songwriting with strong melodic hooks took over full force. But it was the power chords of Pete Townshend and The Who that made him give up the trumpet and pick up an old acoustic guitar, which he promptly stripped of two strings so he could play along with all of John Entwistle’s bass lines. Gordon soon acquired a proper bass and played in bands in high school and college, before adding a Stratocaster to his collection, which prompted his first attempts at singing and songwriting.
Realizing that playing in bands with names like “Dead Grotty” would unlikely lead to a record deal, Gordon went to medical school and eventually became a child psychiatrist. He relocated to Connecticut and continued to feed his cravings for classic rock and pop music, with healthy doses of Elvis Costello, Squeeze, XTC, Crowded House, Jellyfish, Honeydogs, and Candy Butchers, while amassing a catalog of his own songs that he played at occasional impromptu gigs, open mikes, or family gatherings.
A thoughtful gift of drum lessons to help him learn to really bang out some of those Neil Peart licks he had always air drummed along to, led to forming a musical friendship with great session drummer Greg Trabandt of RVP Studios. After hearing of Gordon’s unfulfilled dream to make a record of his original music, Greg not only introduced Gordon to veteran producer Jeff Cannata, but agreed to play drums on all the tracks of Sum Of Its Parts. Featuring brilliant contributions from ace keyboard player Jeff Batter and soaring vocal harmonies from Pete Hodson and Bill Welch of Z-Plan, Gordon wanted to keep this first solo album personal by playing the rest of the instruments himself. The album was released on Gornpop Records, a nickname for Gordon referencing an affection for a large, albiet very slow, lizard from Star Trek.
A world tour did not follow. But thanks to The Weirdo Mike Viola Superfan StageIt Group, a wonderfully supportive community of fans, many of whom are fellow musicians, Gordon kept writing and playing online live performances, including a performance of side 2 of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety with support from his daughters and nephews. After a seven year hiatus, Gornpop Records is pleased to announce the release of It’s About Time featuring nine new original songs.
Kinky Dove are a group of collective musicians and musical moniker of frontman Scott Wade.
Their
particular brand of rock and roll, defined in many ways by the bluesy,
post-rock growl of Wade on vocals, is currently in short supply both nationally
and globally, and Kinky Dove are now looking to redress that balance.
For a taste of
their punchy style, check out the video to EP track ‘Some Kind of Fool’,
featuring an epic slap-happy montage of Hollywood moments.
The EP also
features a remix/cover version of classic 1974 track ‘Another Girl Another Planet’
by The Only Ones – in this case titled simply ‘Another Girl’.
They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. However, in
this case the beauty comes to you through your ears and then works its way to
your heart and soul on Learning
To Fly. This 9 track album from Neil Tatar offers the listener
an audible journey of the soul. As he says in the CD notes “Each track on this album
comes from memories of life experiences, reflections on personal and meaningful
moments that have ultimately shaped my world.” That says it all and you can
take that to heart and find your own way through these musical journeys.
So
how does one translate these life experiences through instrumental music you
may ask? I experience this frequently and can say without any doubt that I can
feel more and envision so many different things while I listen to this type of
new age instrumental music. To be more precise, the artist refers to this music
as contemporary instrumental which is like a “blanket” term that covers everything
on the recording. I think that is appropriate considering what a potential
listener has in store once they give it a spin.
To say
this album is laden with talent would be a good place to start. Besides Neil’s
gorgeous and effective guitar and piano playing he has the incomparable Tony
Levin on various basses, Jill Haley on English Horn, Jeff Haynes handling
percussion and Mr. Will Ackerman on guitar (“Summer Strut”). Also Michael
Manring, another bass player that shows up on a lot of albums, plays on one
track (“Twilight Dance”).
I
honestly do not know where to start with bringing attention to certain tracks
as they all are stunning works of art and beauty. As I made my way through the
first four tracks I was mesmerized when “Twilight Dance” began to play and I
realized that I was hearing one of the best new age CDs of the year. The guitar
leads you into another world with layers of sounds that have jazz and world
undertones bubbling to the surface. It is the most eclectic and interesting
track on the recording.
What
I heard on Learning To Flywas the perfect blend of instruments and
atmospheres. If you already know how to fly (and that interpretation is up to
each individual listener) or want to learn, this music will enhance that
experience. For this listener it held a few meanings. I felt as if I could
appreciate the beauty of life itself and reflect upon my life and all the love
and gifts that surround me. It is a journey without question, it just depends
where you want to go and what you need to accomplish along the way. I found
peace and transcendence in this music and I hope every listener can be open to
that type of experience.
Because
every track was so outstanding I have to say that each was a key track in its
own right. Again personal preference rules the day here and each individual
will find certain tracks to have more impact as with any album new age or
otherwise.
“Summer
Strut” is the quiet storm of jazz taken a path of exploration and the music
spreads its wings and takes flight. It is definitely something that would sound
right on a summer’s day. It’s light and airy and brings a smile to your inner
being.
I
especially enjoyed and appreciated the combination of jazz, new age and world
music. Like a strong and divergent tree this music grows and spreads out to
give every listener something to connect with. And with that my music loving
friends I highly recommend Learning To
Fly.
5/5
Stars
Key Tracks: ALL
Tracks: 1. Wait For Me 2. Breeze In Blue 3. Ode To My Mentors 4. Missing You 5. Twilight Dance 6. Learning To Fly 7. Morning Peace 8. Summer Strut 9. Falling For You
Keith “MuzikMan”
Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
Magic
Pie has just released their 4th album, King For A Day, following on from the debut, Motions of Desire (2005), Circus
of Life (2007) and TheSuffering Joy (2011).
The Norwegian band is highly regarded amongst prog fans
with their unique blend of classic prog and 70’s hard rock. The band have
listed as influences a sort of Who’s Who of prog, including Spock’s Beard,
Dream Theater, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Transatlantic, Yes, Deep Purple and more.
Magic Pie is a 6 piece band comprising, Kim Stenberg
(guitars, vocals), Eirikur Hauksson (lead vocal, guitar), Eirik Hanssen (voc,
guitar), Jan Torkild Johannessen (drums), Erling Henanger (keyboards, backing
vocals) and Lars Petter Holstad (bass, backing vocals). Eirikur Hauksson also
provides vocals for Kerrs Pink, another Norwegian progressive band.
King
For A Day is a 6 track album with a total playing time of around
72 minutes, which is a fair amount of music to put on a CD, especially with
some releases under or just over 40 minutes. Listeners can however, rest easy
in the fact that the quality of the music is very high, so not quantity over
quality, just superb progressive music. The penultimate track, “The Silent
Giant” is the shortest track on the album clocking in at 5:30 minutes and the
final, title, track “King For A Day” is the epic tour-de-force of the album at 28:16
minutes.
“Trick Of The Trade” (6:18) is the opening track on King For a Day and has all the trademark
sounds of Magic Pie, with a thundering start into stunning keyboards almost
immediately. The vocals appear around 40 seconds and the music settles back a
little before the track shifts tack just after the 1 minute mark. There are some
harmonized vocals with keyboard flourishes that take the track on past the 2
minute point and to another switch. Superb guitar work carries the track on
into another phase and a section of chunky guitar riffing. A return to an
earlier passage brings the action down a little in intensity and we are back at
a keyboard theme from the start plus much more keyboard work. The guitar takes
over the lead for a section then relinquishes that position to the keyboards
and some more vocal harmonies appear and we have reached 6 minutes, when the
keyboards escort the track out. This is a cracker of a track to start the
album.
“Introversion” (12:24) has an acoustic guitar intro into
synths which is simply magical, before the band let rip. Superb vocals,
excellent harmonizing and more chunky riffs abound. The guitar and keyboard
passages are simply superb. The track moves into an amazing organ sequence
around the 3 minute mark and is added to with more excellent vocals. There is a
change of direction just after 5 minutes, with superb vocals and harmonies over
guitar and piano. A minute later and we are back to the guitar and keyboards
“showing off.” The music then drops away into the background apart from a
simple passage that can be heard as a little aural oasis is provided. Moving
towards the 9 minute point, there is a fabulous guitar solo which flows so well
and then the other instruments pitch in and the band is back in action, while
the guitar continues to fly. There is a change to a simple piano/synth passage
before the band blast back and into amazing harmonies and guitar riffing before
the keyboards gently finish the track off.
“According To Plan” (6:46) is a driving track
highlighting the guitars and keyboards and never lets up for a moment. “Tears
Gone Dry” (12:33) is a slow atmospheric burner which just builds and builds in
intensity. The characteristic harmonizing and guitar playing are littered
through this track. “Silent Giant” (5:30) has its heavy and light moments
constantly pulling the listener into the music.
The closing track on the album, “King For A Day” (28:16)
is of epic proportions and starts off very gently with a piano passage which
morphs into synths and then full band very quickly. The guitar and the
keyboards are again the driving forces of the track and little “hooks” start to
appear all over the track. Changes in the tempo start to appear around the 5
minute point and the harmonized vocals, a characteristic of Magic Pie, appear.
The retro organ sound floats around behind the voices but adds another level to
the music. Reaching 8 minutes, the track has already moved in many directions,
but is always nailed down by the foundations provided by the “engine” of the
band, Lars and Jan on bass and drums respectively. The 10 minute mark has a
majestic guitar passage that moves the track into a very laidback acoustic
passage, including some very jazzy guitar as the track evolves into a more
up-tempo keyboard passage, which is nothing short of stunning. The band then
get to flex their collective musical muscles as the track drives along. Around
17:30 minutes, there is a jazzy passage featuring piano/synths, which escorts
in a chunky guitar passage as the intensity starts to climb. 22 minutes into
the track and there is a very atmospheric sequence with far-off sounds of
people and sirens. The harmonized vocals reappear and the track builds as the
guitar starts to fly as the track moves towards completion.
King
For A Day is a superb release by a band that know exactly what
they are about. Album No 4 shows that Magic Pie have again hit the bullseye,
with soaring guitars, sweeping keyboards, thundering bass and drums and crystal
clear vocals, plus excellent harmonizing. The band can produce atmospheric
sounds, ballads, gentle acoustics and full on band interplay, between and
within tracks.
If you have not listened to Magic Pie, my advice would be
to do so as soon as possible. King For A
Day will not disappoint.
I will end with a simple statement, “Welcome Back, Magic
Pie.”
5/5
Stars
Key
Tracks: Trick Of The Trade, Introversion, King For A Day Tracks: Trick Of The Trade Introversion According To Plan Tears Gone By Silent Giant King For A Day
Magic Pie has just released their 4th album, King For A Day, following on from the debut, Motions of Desire (2005), Circus of Life (2007) and TheSuffering Joy (2011).
The Norwegian band is highly regarded amongst prog fans with their unique blend of classic prog and 70’s hard rock. The band have listed as influences a sort of Who’s Who of prog, including Spock’s Beard, Dream Theater, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Transatlantic, Yes, Deep Purple and more.
Magic Pie is a 6 piece band comprising, Kim Stenberg (guitars, vocals), Eirikur Hauksson (lead vocal, guitar), Eirik Hanssen (voc, guitar), Jan Torkild Johannessen (drums), Erling Henanger (keyboards, backing vocals) and Lars Petter Holstad (bass, backing vocals). Eirikur Hauksson also provides vocals for Kerrs Pink, another Norwegian progressive band.
King For A Day is a 6 track album with a total playing time of around 72 minutes, which is a fair amount of music to put on a CD, especially with some releases under or just over 40 minutes. Listeners can however, rest easy in the fact that the quality of the music is very high, so not quantity over quality, just superb progressive music. The penultimate track, “The Silent Giant” is the shortest track on the album clocking in at 5:30 minutes and the final, title, track “King For A Day” is the epic tour-de-force of the album at 28:16 minutes.
“Trick Of The Trade” (6:18) is the opening track on King For a Day and has all the trademark sounds of Magic Pie, with a thundering start into stunning keyboards almost immediately. The vocals appear around 40 seconds and the music settles back a little before the track shifts tack just after the 1 minute mark. There are some harmonized vocals with keyboard flourishes that take the track on past the 2 minute point and to another switch. Superb guitar work carries the track on into another phase and a section of chunky guitar riffing. A return to an earlier passage brings the action down a little in intensity and we are back at a keyboard theme from the start plus much more keyboard work. The guitar takes over the lead for a section then relinquishes that position to the keyboards and some more vocal harmonies appear and we have reached 6 minutes, when the keyboards escort the track out. This is a cracker of a track to start the album.
“Introversion” (12:24) has an acoustic guitar intro into synths which is simply magical, before the band let rip. Superb vocals, excellent harmonizing and more chunky riffs abound. The guitar and keyboard passages are simply superb. The track moves into an amazing organ sequence around the 3 minute mark and is added to with more excellent vocals. There is a change of direction just after 5 minutes, with superb vocals and harmonies over guitar and piano. A minute later and we are back to the guitar and keyboards “showing off.” The music then drops away into the background apart from a simple passage that can be heard as a little aural oasis is provided. Moving towards the 9 minute point, there is a fabulous guitar solo which flows so well and then the other instruments pitch in and the band is back in action, while the guitar continues to fly. There is a change to a simple piano/synth passage before the band blast back and into amazing harmonies and guitar riffing before the keyboards gently finish the track off.
“According To Plan” (6:46) is a driving track highlighting the guitars and keyboards and never lets up for a moment. “Tears Gone Dry” (12:33) is a slow atmospheric burner which just builds and builds in intensity. The characteristic harmonizing and guitar playing are littered through this track. “Silent Giant” (5:30) has its heavy and light moments constantly pulling the listener into the music.
The closing track on the album, “King For A Day” (28:16) is of epic proportions and starts off very gently with a piano passage which morphs into synths and then full band very quickly. The guitar and the keyboards are again the driving forces of the track and little “hooks” start to appear all over the track. Changes in the tempo start to appear around the 5 minute point and the harmonized vocals, a characteristic of Magic Pie, appear. The retro organ sound floats around behind the voices but adds another level to the music. Reaching 8 minutes, the track has already moved in many directions, but is always nailed down by the foundations provided by the “engine” of the band, Lars and Jan on bass and drums respectively. The 10 minute mark has a majestic guitar passage that moves the track into a very laidback acoustic passage, including some very jazzy guitar as the track evolves into a more up-tempo keyboard passage, which is nothing short of stunning. The band then get to flex their collective musical muscles as the track drives along. Around 17:30 minutes, there is a jazzy passage featuring piano/synths, which escorts in a chunky guitar passage as the intensity starts to climb. 22 minutes into the track and there is a very atmospheric sequence with far-off sounds of people and sirens. The harmonized vocals reappear and the track builds as the guitar starts to fly as the track moves towards completion.
King For A Day is a superb release by a band that know exactly what they are about. Album No 4 shows that Magic Pie have again hit the bullseye, with soaring guitars, sweeping keyboards, thundering bass and drums and crystal clear vocals, plus excellent harmonizing. The band can produce atmospheric sounds, ballads, gentle acoustics and full on band interplay, between and within tracks.
If you have not listened to Magic Pie, my advice would be to do so as soon as possible. King For A Day will not disappoint.
I will end with a simple statement, “Welcome Back, Magic Pie.”
5/5 Stars
Key Tracks: Trick Of The Trade, Introversion, King For A Day Tracks: Trick Of The Trade Introversion According To Plan Tears Gone By Silent Giant King For A Day