New Age Instrumental Review: Bill Wren-Road To Chiang Mai

Release Date: July 26, 2016

Label: Independent

Website

Bill Wren has a story for those who may be going through a tough spot in their lives and he gives you inspiration once you find out more about his life and music. Bill’s latest release Road To Chiang Mai was inspired by his trip to Thailand and finding his soul mate and starting a new life. This is a collaborative effort between several musicians and the two main composers Bill Wren and Frank Ralls.

The first track I had the pleasure of hearing was the magical trance like “Enchanted Kingdom” which was featured on our Rate The Tracks site. This is a magnificent and picturesque track that lifts you up and never lets you down. Of course the musicianship is beyond reproach and always timely and rhythmic, like the heartbeat of mother earth in sync with all living things.

“Harmonia” is another amazing and inspiring track. It sounds like a soundtrack to enlightening movie about traveling in some far away land and witnessing all the wonders you have never seen before. The blend of instruments creates a gorgeous wall of sound. The orchestration is what carries everything else in this track and it holds its head high like a noble warrior after victory.

Some of the instruments used are acoustic and electric guitars, cello, bass, live strings, mandolin, banjo, penny whistle, drums, piano and orchestral programming. It is a mind boggling variety of sounds and color splashes on the musical canvas that continually paints a masterpiece.

As Bill says “Music is the way I express what is in my heart without words.” And with that the Road To Chiang Mai is a direct link to your mind, body and spirit or in other words it goes straight to the heart and radiates out into the triangle of life. You can tell the artist is a gentle soul and the music speaks that with clarity and purpose.

“The Other Side” is a good example of the gentle touch within a track. Female vocals are added to give it a touch class and more of pop flavor than the other tracks however the orchestration gives it the necessary foundation to build the rest of the track. There is a certain element in every composition that the rest of the instruments float over and melt into and this one really stands out.

Road To Chiang Mai is a great album. I really appreciated all the elements that came together to make it such a wonderful music flight.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Enchanted Kingdom, Harmonia, The Other Side

Tracks:
 01. Enchanted Kingdom - (Feat. Frank Ralls)
02. The Other Side - (Feat. Frank Ralls)
03. Ponder Dust - (Feat. Ann Marie Calhoun)
04. The Beginning
05. Road To Chiang Mai
06. Harmonia
07. Journey Around The Sun - (Feat. Frank Ralls)
08. Longing - (Feat. Frank Ralls)
09. Memories - (Feat. Frank Ralls)
10. The Way It Was
11. Land Of Smiles
12. Today In Paradise
13. Ebb And Flow
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 16, 2016

Founder of:

MuzikMan Productions

MuzikMan Reviews

Write A Music Review

Prog Rock Music Talk

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Holiday/New Age Instrumental Review: Erwilian-Midwinter’s Night

Release Date: December 2009/Remastered November 2014

Label: Independent

Website

Erwilian is a band that embraces acoustic sound at its finest. A blend of Celtic, renaissance, fantasy folk, bluegrass and more, every instrument resounds with a natural symmetry. Midwinter’s Night is the band’s first ever re-issue with remastered, non-continuous sequencing. 

The Seattle based group is comprised of Bill Bowser (Guitar, Violin), Jordan Buetow (Recorders, Hammered Dulcimer), Brian Matheny (Sound Engineering), Bethel Melton (Hammered Dulcimer, Soprano Recorder), Scott Melton (Guitars, Mountain Dulcimer), Robert Schuweiler (Mandola, Bouzouki, Tenor Guitar) and Jeff Reed (Percussion). The group was saddened this past autumn with the passing of Jeff Reed and the void left by his absence has been keenly felt by all who knew him.
keenly felt by all who knew him.

When I first began to play this album, I had never encountered Erwilian before. In a few seconds I was hooked for life. The magic these artists weave is a solid one, bound by years of working together and a harmony of sound and spirit you don’t often find. It was like being at a Ren Fest while I was sitting in my writing room, minus the giant turkey leg in hand and mud on my shoes. Much better.

The album opens up the “In Convivio” complete with the audience applauding in the background. The music spiraled up and out like a smooth bite of seasonal mead going down the hatch. Ah but it made my heart happy. Perfect for the season, the very familiar holiday tune came through, along with the joy of the musicians playing it. I was in love. 

Midway through the play list is “Wandering.” The recorder lilts out a solitary melody that invites introspection and solitary contemplation. It fit my mood on this gray and gloomy November afternoon as time just stopped and I was thankful for good company, a warm puppy snuggling at my side and the blessing of this wonderful music in my ears. Simple, but profound, other instrumentation seamlessly wanders in and takes what is there and expands it. Guitar, percussion and more. It is beauty personified and it made me want to weep. About half way through the piece, it livens up and I thought immediately of the Hobbit and the wandering voyage of our lives. We are all of us wanderers and some of us blessed with companions that love us and little things like this music to brighten the path we go by. 

“Gigues” is the final piece on the album, a medley of five familiar holiday tunes. The multi-instrumentation of this piece brought me back to memories of watching A Christmas Carol when I was young. Then it spun up and became a jolly romp of festive dance music. A ball of brightly colored gowns and gallant gentlemen escorting the ladies as they bowed and curtsied, making their way through the paces. Joy. Pure and simple. 

Erwilian is a band I will now follow like a fan girl. Their unique blend of acoustic instrumentation is bold and lively and brings out all the best from New Age to bluegrass and folk. The remastered album is a seamless live effort without too much in the way of clapping that can be annoying, at least to me. This was perfect. All the music, moderate applause…full on enjoyment. This is an album that you will love all year round but especially now as the holiday season comes upon us and we draw close to those we love best. In closing, a heartfelt thought to the band members and family of Jeff Reed. Some lights never dim even with the passing of time. 

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Midwinter’s Night, Wandering, Gigues

Tracks:
01. In Convivio
02. Midwinter's Night
03. South Prairie Rain
04. Villancicos
05. Wandering
06. Billy in the Lowground/Swinging on a Gate
07. Calling Birds
08. Memories
09. A-Wassailing
10. This Little Babe
11. Gigues
 

DanaWright, Sr. Staff Writer

November 18, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Kevin Godley Interview

10 Questions For Kevin Godley

I finally got a chance to interview a member of the legendary band 10cc. The opportunity never presented itself until now. Kevin Godley and Graham Gouldman have five new tracks for download only on their site www.gg06.co.uk. I don't do interviews that often but I have to say that this was one of the very best.  Sit back and enjoy some memories with Kevin Godley and step into the future with their new tracks online... 

MuzikMan: Kevin it feels like I am talking to an old friend! We go back to the days when I got the How Dare You album on vinyl LP from a record club! Since then I have been a huge fan. Actually I first heard Rubber Bullets when I was a junior in High School and was ready to consume everything I could get my hands on by 10cc and then Godley & Creme. I am sure you run into many folks that relate to you this way? 

Kevin Godley: Hello old friend. Good to be talking to you. Lovely, black, thin, precious vinyl. I think the rings of Saturn are made of vinyl. Re: meeting fans. Not that many. The occasional cabbie or train passenger. It’s wonderful though. Those who do care and remember care and remember passionately. I think we touched a small nerve but, for some, touched it quite profoundly.

MuzikMan:  The last 10cc studio album was the 1992 release Meanwhile. This release was an import only and seems to have disappeared into obscurity for some reason and actually is not even listed a main album release on sites like the All Music Guide. I remember the drummer Jeff Porccaro (Toto) dying tragically after this album was recorded. So it looks as though I have a rare recording on my hands now as I cannot find it anywhere.

Can you talk about what happened with that gem of an album and how it all came together?

Kevin Godley: I wasn’t involved with the making of this album at all so I know very little about how it was put together. I was simply asked to sing lead vocal on one song and was flown to NY to record it. The three of us had a lovely reunion breakfast on day one. As I recall all the basic tracks had already been recorded so it was myself, Graham, Eric and producer Gary Katz for two vocal heavy days. I do recall a strange atmosphere in the studio. An intangible awkwardness. Everything sounded ‘great’ everyone got on ‘great’ but there was an essential ingredient missing. I also sensed G and E growing apart. Gary Katz was acting as a political as well as creative buffer keeping personalities as well as music on course. I’ve never actually heard the complete album although I did enjoy singing “The Stars Didn’t Show.”

MuzikMan: Now it’s Godley & Gouldman, what happened to Lol Creme? Is he off producing artists and their videos and other multimedia projects?

Kevin Godley: Lol paints. He’s also involved with a Trevor Horne music project called “The Producers.” That’s all I know.


MuzikMan: I remember when “Cry” came out from Changing Faces and how groundbreaking the title track video was and from that point you and Lol were pioneers in the multimedia industry. What do you see as the cutting edge technologies that have changed the music industry since those days when the video’s really started taking hold during the MTV age?

Kevin Godley: “Cry” is one of my favorites. We were in our pomp on that one. New tech… Many devices and techniques like CGI, Q Base style music technology, non-linear video editing, digital filmmaking tools, ipods, blah blah. G + C’s old maxim: ‘If you can think of it, it can be done’ is now easier to achieve than ever. Meanwhile the internet, undoubtedly, has had the biggest effect on the cultural landscape. Now anyone can do anything and be seen and heard by a vast global community. I sometimes wonder how the quality of work will change if the line between artist and audience blurs any further. Right now everything’s cool and new but there’s a danger that the vocabulary of creativity may shrink to fit. I tend to function in a  ‘less is more’ world so I’m a bit skeptical about where it’s headed. ‘More is less’ could get messy…Discuss.

MuzikMan:  Will there ever be a 10cc reunion and the chances of boxed set coming out with rarities and such? I have been waiting forever for this to happen, is there hope for either events to take place?

Kevin Godley: Graham takes a version of 10cc on the road every year. This year I joined him at two gigs and sang “Old Wild Men” and new song “Beautifulloser.com.” I think that’s as close as we’ll get but it was an amazing experience to revisit after thirty years.

MuzikMan:  What was your favorite 10cc album to record?

Kevin Godley: Sheet Music, definitely, because we’d really started to explode creatively and didn’t recognize any boundaries. We were buzzing on each other and exploring our joint and individual capabilities. Lots of excitement and energy at those sessions and, more importantly, an innocence that was open to anything.

MuzikMan:  Looking back in retrospect now do you think all of the Godley & Creme recordings were a direct extension of the 10cc art form and style? Personally I love all that music because it does keep me connected to all the old 10cc releases and makes me want to listen again. Do you find this kind of reaction to your work typical?

Kevin Godley: 10cc taught us how to be ourselves, musically, so any work informed by those years would absolutely be a direct extension. Strange then that G+C’s first excursion into the unknown was an indirect contraction called Consequences. Con Sequences was our ‘Heaven’s Gate.” Great launch party, though. The bigger picture was about freedom from cheese and more emphasis on experiment. At least that’s how it felt back then. We eventually re-discovered our natural musical habitat with L and beyond. I guess however far one strays from an intrinsic style, if it comes from the same people, those who are listening closely enough will be able to join the musical / emotional dots.

MuzikMan:  I see you are right in step with the times releasing your music independently and for download now. Do you feel this is in not only in direct response to what the market dictates but something you have embraced and feel excited about?

Kevin Godley: It’s so clean and direct, particularly for artists with less obvious commercial appeal. If you’re interested in G+G we have a little shop selling G+G things. Come in, browse around. If we’re talking Art versus Commerce, record labels are 100% about COMMERCE. Godley / Gouldman / GG/06 doesn’t scream COMMERCE. Whether it screams ART is not for us to say. I like to think we’re, at least, whispering it in your ear. 

MuzikMan:  Do you think the major labels have a fighting chance now with the way indie music has torn down the traditional distribution model and rebuilt it?

Kevin Godley: Maybe. If the big boys learn to listen and take chances again. If they ditch the purely corporate mentality and get rebooted by people with vision. A few more Chris Blackwell’s, circa 2007, wouldn’t go amiss. 

MuzikMan:  In closing Kevin I would like to give you heartfelt thanks from a lifetime fan for your time. What do all of us diehards have to look forward to in the coming year from you and Graham?

Kevin Godley: My pleasure. Thank you. It’s good to know people are still listening. I hope we can deliver. Expect more music, obviously. Perhaps some film / video stuff. Lots of ideas in the air. We’re not fast, though. Diehards may die before we complete an album’s worth. As of now we only have 5 tracks for download but we’re proud of them. As ever, GG/06 is a further direct extension but, in my opinion, this one has a little more bite and focus than last time around. If you want to know / hear more www.gg06.co.uk is the place to go.  Bye for now…

Interview Granted By Kevin Godley With His Permission To Publish And Distribute 2007

Jazz Review: Carmen Lundy-Soul To Soul

Release Date: September 23, 2014

Label: Afrasia Productions

Website

Carmen Lundy's 14th album Soul To Soul album features 11 of 13 songs written, co-written or arranged by Lundy. It also features the many stellar talents of guest artists such as Patrice Rushen, Geri Allen, Randy Brecker, Mayra Casales, South African vocalist Simphiwe Dana, Bennie Maupin, Carol Robbins, Ada Rovatti and Warren Wolf along with core rhythm section members Darryl Hall and Jamison Ross.

Besides providing excellent vocals Lundy plays guitar, piano and Rhodes as well as drums on 2 tracks. The title Soul To Soul is very appropriate once you hear the music and lyrics. Lundy’s vocal style ebbs and flows like the waves of the ocean. I do not listen to traditional jazz like I used to and have to say I really miss it and this album reminded me of that joy. Her phrasing is spot on and she hits all the highs and lows that any good jazz vocalist should.

“Kindred Spirits” moves right along at a brisk pace serving as a fantastic opener that sets the stage for what is to come. The track is the full embodiment of jazz and the musicianship is superb. Her vocal style reminded me of the great Ella Fitzgerald in her prime. It is more of a traditional jazz vocal track with a modern twist. The following track “Life Is a Song in Me” has a funkier backbeat and a totally different atmosphere than its predecessor. This is an indication of the versatility of the artist and I appreciated it. Then coming again from entirely different place, the title track “Soul to Soul,” slows down the pace and Lundy brings the vocals home from the bottom of her heart delivered right to you, just like the track says, from “Soul to Soul.”    

                                                                  

When you first hear this album you are thinking that a lot of the tracks sound like jazz classics only to find out that 11 of the tracks are originals. This is a credit to the ladies craft. Most certainly this album is a triumph and critics and fans alike will likely agree. I can say in all honesty that I think this recording is a classic of the genre. Just like Lundy sings in “Daybreak,” – “hurry up sunrise don’t make me wait.” Her sunshine is just around the corner waiting to bring all the success that this wonderful album can initiate. The track is another one of my favorites because it reminds me of more traditional jazz and big band music from the 1940’s era. 

Thanks to Soul to Soul my love for jazz has returned and will have me reaching for some of the classic albums in my collection.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Kindred Spirits, Daybreak, Soul to Soul

Tracks:
01. Kindred Spirits   
02. Life Is a Song in Me   
03. Soul to Soul   
04. When Will They Learn   
05. Daybreak       
06. Between Darkness and Dawn       
07. Grace
08. Grateful, Pt. 1
09. Grateful, Pt. 2   
10. Everything I Need       
11. Don't You Know How I Feel       
12. Sardegna
13. What's Your Story, Morning Glory

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Write A Music Review Founder

September 23, 2014

Review Provided By Write A Music

DREAM THEATER to Release “Breaking the Fourth Wall” DVD on September 30

By Nikola Savić on August 21, 2014@ProgSphere

Grammy-nominated progressive metal titans–have announced the release of Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House), a live Blu-Ray / DVD set of the band’s one-of-a-kind performance from the Boston Opera House on March 25, 2014. Produced by the band’s own John Petrucci, filmed and directed by Pierre and François Lamoureux, and mixed and mastered by Richard Chycki, Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) is over 2 hours in length, capturing the special evening, which featured guest performances from The Berklee College of Music Orchestra and Choir. Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) arrives September 30th.

The collection will be available in multiple configurations including Blu-Ray, a 2 DVD set, and a webstore deluxe exclusive Blu-Ray/3 CD set with poster, all currently available for pre-order via the Roadrunner Records webstore. Furthermore, Dream Theater have premiered a video of The Looking Glass (Live) taken from Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live From The Boston Opera House) which can be streamed on the band’s official YouTube Channel. All pre-orders for the webstore exclusive will receive an instant download The Looking Glass (Live).

Dream Theater’s John Petrucci commented on the special event saying, “In many ways, this was a huge homecoming for the band given the history of Dream Theater’s origins and ties with Berklee. With John and I both being alumni and Mike having been a professor at the college for 10 years, we saw the opportunity to perform together with the students of Berklee as a tremendous thrill and honor. We are extremely grateful for everyone’s hard work in making this special event a reality and to all who participated.” He continued, “All of the Berklee College instrumentalists and vocalists did an outstanding job that night and it was awesome to have one of its students, Eren Başbuğ orchestrate and conduct them live at the Opera House after having been a part of our latest studio release in the same capacity. Dream Theater has always had a great connection to the city of Boston and we knew that against the backdrop of the beautiful Opera House, this would end up being a historic stop on our Along For The Ride world tour and an evening most definitely worth capturing on video. Beautifully filmed and directed by Pierre Lamoureux and brilliantly mixed and mastered by Richard Chycki, this is in my opinion, a major highlight in our nearly 30 year career as a band. We are eagerly anticipating its release this fall and really hope that everyone enjoys it!”

This past year Dream Theater earned a second Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” for the single The Enemy Inside from their current self-titled worldwide smash album (released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records). Dream Theater made a spectacular debut this past fall, topping Billboard’s “Hard Rock Albums” chart while simultaneously entering at #7 on the overall Billboard 200. The extraordinary chart position marked the group’s third consecutive top 10 debut, and also saw Dream Theater making top 5 chart debuts in Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, Switzerland, Holland, and Finland, as well as top 10 debuts in Denmark, Austria, and Norway, with career high debuts in the United Kingdom and Australia. The band recently announced new tour dates which will see them bring their spectacular live show to South America, Asia and Australia later this fall.

FLYING COLORS TO RELEASE SECOND NATURE VIA MUSIC THEORIES / MASCOT LABEL GROUP

Morse, Portnoy, LaRue, McPherson and Morse Announce Tour To Commence October 2 in Los Angeles with Shows Planned For Chicago, Philadelphia, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, The U.K. and France

GuitarWorld.com Premieres Album Teaser: http://www.guitarworld.com/flying-colors-return

Rotterdam, Netherlands --- Mascot Label Group and Flying Colors have announced a September 29 release date in Europe and the U.K. for the band's SECOND NATURE album via the Music Theories label.  The critics were united in acknowledging the eponymously titled debut album from Flying Colors among the most fascinating releases of 2012. Teaming the talents of such heavyweight names as Deep Purple/Dixie Dregs/ex-Kansas guitarist Steve Morse, drummer Mike Portnoy (Transatlantic, Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, Spock’s Beard and a prolific solo artist), bass player Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and more) with a comparatively new talent, pop singer/songwriter Casey McPherson, the band challenged conventional wisdom about combining virtuoso music and melodic songwriting.  GuitarWorld.com has premiered an album teaser featuring all five band members here: http://www.guitarworld.com/flying-colors-return

The UK’s Classic Rock magazine hailed the band’s debut as “fearless”, praising its “Journey-sized choruses” and referencing artists as diverse as The Beatles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Doors, Muse and even Frank Sinatra.  In late 2012, the band toured the United States and Europe, dazzling fans with Flying Colors originals and selections from the catalogues of the five members. The chemistry can be heard on ‘Live In Europe’, a Number #1-charting Blu-ray, DVD, CD and vinyl package recorded and shot in Tilburg, Holland.

Schedules allowing, the protagonists had always viewed Flying Colors as a genuine band as opposed to a mere side project, and quietly yet purposefully they began writing a second studio album. From the first writing session to final delivery of the masters in July 2014, the process took almost a year and half, albeit in four distinct stages: writing sessions via Skype in January/February 2013, another burst of writing and recording at Neal Morse’s house in Nashville, a trip to Portnoy’s home that spawned five additional songs, and finally individual recording/arrangement over the internet throughout the spring of 2014.  “The first album was very much a blind date,” Mike Portnoy explains. “Although we already had ‘Team Dregs’ of Steve/Dave and ‘Team Transatlantic’ of myself/Neal, it was the first time that the five of us – seven if you include Bill Evans and Peter Collins – had collaborated together as a group. This time there was an existing chemistry, we had not only the prior experiences of making the debut album but also the 2012 tour as well.” 

Sporting stunning artwork from the legendary designer Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Whitesnake) and bookended by two tracks of truly epic stature – ‘Open Up Your Eyes’ and the multiple-part ‘Cosmic Symphony’ – the album is every bit as breathtaking as the debut.  Portnoy stresses that the music’s proggier path was “not conscious at all.” The drummer continues: “Direction was never even discussed. We just did what we do. I think perhaps not having a producer to ‘trim the fat’ possibly led to the songs breathing and expanding a bit more.”  Perhaps Steve Morse sums things up best with the statement: “This is an album full of many layers. The more you listen, the more you can hear. It’s an album to keep listening to.”  The complete track listing is: "Open Up Your Eyes," "Mask Machine," "Bombs Away," "The Fury Of My Love," "A Place In Your World," "Lost Without You," "One Love Forever," "Peaceful Harbor," "Cosmic Symphony - I. Still Life Of The World; II. Searching For The Air; III. Pound For Pound"

Flying Colors will tour from October 2-14, across the United States, Europe and the UK.  Appearances are confirmed in:

10/02   Los Angeles, CA                                            James Armstrong Theater

10/03   Chicago, IL                                                     Arcada Theater

10/04   Philadelphia, PA                                             Keswick Theater

10/07   Barcelona, Spain                                             Razzmatazz 2

10/08   Milan, Italy                                                     Milan Live Club

10/09   Tilburg, Netherlands                                       013

10/11   Frankfurt, Germany                                        Batschkapp

10/12   Pratteln, Switzerland                                      Z7

10/13   London, U.K.                                                 Islington Assembly Hall

10/14   Paris, France                                                    Alhambra

From Where The Artist Sits: Creating A Music Video

Russ Suereth

There are a lot of processes and a lot of steps to creating a video. 

I just finished a new music video for my song, Portraits from Living. This week’s article is about the process I went through to create that video, how I did it, and why I did it that way. So let’s start.

First, I determined what type of music video I wanted to create. There are all types of music videos out there today. My budget is on the low side. Accordingly I decided to do something minimal like the recent videos from a variety of remix channels. A great example is the Majestic Casual channel on YouTube. These videos simply have a still photograph, the words “Majestic Casual,” and their logo.

I’ve have liked that minimal style lately because those single images are usually better than the moving images I see in music videos. I also think that the minimal style helps me pay attention to the music.

So I took that idea and embellished it. I got a single image and added some minor movement effects to it. Then I added my name, the title, and my logo over the top.

What did I use to make this music video? Here’s a list of the hardware and software I used.

·         Computer:  iMac i5

·         Video Software: Final Cut Pro X

·         Video Software Plugin: PRO16MM from Pixel Film Studios

·         Graphic Software: Adobe Illustrator

And that’s it.

I use Illustrator for the title, my name, and my logo on the video, but you can use the text capabilities within Final Cut Pro to do that instead. Also you can use the effects that come with Final Cut Pro instead of the plugin. Or you could use any tool like iMovie or Adobe After Effects instead of Final Cut Pro.

Here are all the steps I took to complete my video project:

Step 1. Find a photograph, painting, or graphic design that you like. Try to find an image that can somehow connect to the music. Take a picture of a river, or a friend. Or pick something from the many stock photo sites on the internet. Make sure that you have the proper copyright capabilities with any photo you purchase. Just because you purchase an image doesn’t mean you can use that image for your video. Check the small print available on the stock photo web site.

Step 2.  Find a font to use for your name and the title.  The software you use will have many fonts to choose from.  Or you can buy a font that may be a little more unique to your video.

Step 3.  Add some effects to your image. Video software usually comes with a library of effects to enhance the colors and the image. You can go from subtle to aggressive on the effects. Regardless of your choice, I really think you should add some degree of effects to give the video your own personal touch.

Step 4.  Add your name and title to the effected image.  I like adding the text on top of the image and effects, so that the text stands out.

Step 6.  Whether you have a complete movie, a single-image that moves, or a still photo you’ll need to save that in a format that YouTube can handle.  This YouTube link discusses the proper formats and how different formats can be converted.

https://support.google.com/youtube/troubleshooter/2888402?hl=en

Step 7.  Upload the video to YouTube.  I normally use Final Cut Pro X to do many of the steps listed above.  Final Cut Pro, as well as other video software programs, enables you to share your video to YouTube by making a few clicks.  Alternatively here’s another link from YouTube about uploading your video.

https://www.youtube.com/upload

Step 8. Once your video is on YouTube, go to your Video Manager and choose the thumbnail that people will see before they click your video. Then provide an interesting description of the video. And don’t forget to promote yourself!

From Where The Artist Sits: Creating A Music Video

Russ Suereth

There are a lot of processes and a lot of steps to creating a video. 

I just finished a new music video for my song, Portraits from Living. This week’s article is about the process I went through to create that video, how I did it, and why I did it that way. So let’s start.

First, I determined what type of music video I wanted to create. There are all types of music videos out there today. My budget is on the low side. Accordingly I decided to do something minimal like the recent videos from a variety of remix channels. A great example is the Majestic Casual channel on YouTube. These videos simply have a still photograph, the words “Majestic Casual,” and their logo.

I’ve have liked that minimal style lately because those single images are usually better than the moving images I see in music videos. I also think that the minimal style helps me pay attention to the music.

So I took that idea and embellished it. I got a single image and added some minor movement effects to it. Then I added my name, the title, and my logo over the top.

What did I use to make this music video? Here’s a list of the hardware and software I used.

·         Computer:  iMac i5

·         Video Software: Final Cut Pro X

·         Video Software Plugin: PRO16MM from Pixel Film Studios

·         Graphic Software: Adobe Illustrator

And that’s it.

I use Illustrator for the title, my name, and my logo on the video, but you can use the text capabilities within Final Cut Pro to do that instead. Also you can use the effects that come with Final Cut Pro instead of the plugin. Or you could use any tool like iMovie or Adobe After Effects instead of Final Cut Pro.

Here are all the steps I took to complete my video project:

Step 1. Find a photograph, painting, or graphic design that you like. Try to find an image that can somehow connect to the music. Take a picture of a river, or a friend. Or pick something from the many stock photo sites on the internet. Make sure that you have the proper copyright capabilities with any photo you purchase. Just because you purchase an image doesn’t mean you can use that image for your video. Check the small print available on the stock photo web site.

Step 2.  Find a font to use for your name and the title.  The software you use will have many fonts to choose from.  Or you can buy a font that may be a little more unique to your video.

Step 3.  Add some effects to your image. Video software usually comes with a library of effects to enhance the colors and the image. You can go from subtle to aggressive on the effects. Regardless of your choice, I really think you should add some degree of effects to give the video your own personal touch.

Step 4.  Add your name and title to the effected image.  I like adding the text on top of the image and effects, so that the text stands out.

Step 6.  Whether you have a complete movie, a single-image that moves, or a still photo you’ll need to save that in a format that YouTube can handle.  This YouTube link discusses the proper formats and how different formats can be converted.

https://support.google.com/youtube/troubleshooter/2888402?hl=en

Step 7.  Upload the video to YouTube.  I normally use Final Cut Pro X to do many of the steps listed above.  Final Cut Pro, as well as other video software programs, enables you to share your video to YouTube by making a few clicks.  Alternatively here’s another link from YouTube about uploading your video.

https://www.youtube.com/upload

Step 8. Once your video is on YouTube, go to your Video Manager and choose the thumbnail that people will see before they click your video. Then provide an interesting description of the video. And don’t forget to promote yourself!

Progressive Rock Review: Proud Peasant-Flight

Release Date: 26th May 2014  
Label: Basement Avatar Records

Website

I was very interested in this release when it landed on my desk as I had been aware of the band, Proud Peasant, via Twitter for quite a while. The album, Flight, after only one listen certainly does not disappoint. Proud Peasant is the brainchild of Zander Rapstine, who had previously been a founder member of the band The Evildoers, back in 2003, but after 8 years, he was looking for something different. In 2011, he turned his back on the pop/rock material of this previous band and strode purposefully towards his new direction that of classic prog rock, music he had loved since his late teens.

Xander had produced three lengthy compositions but included no vocals with the initial recordings, recordings that were inspired by such luminaries as Mike Oldfield, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Genesis. Late in 2011, the band, Proud Peasant, finally came into being. The band is a four piece comprising, Zander (electric/acoustic guitars, mandolin, ukulele, melodica, glockenspiel and percussion), Jay Allen (keyboards and piano), David Hobizal (drums) and Kyle Robage (bass and fretless/acoustic bass). Mark Poitras (keyboards, guitars, bells) has joined the band for live shows and the recording of the next album.  Also appearing on the album, Flight, are several guest musicians playing, strings, brass and woodwind instruments, as well as three soloists and The Proud Peasant Choir.

Flight is a three track album with a running time of around 45 minutes with the opening track, “The Prisoner,” the shortest track, but still 12:28 minutes in length. The longest track on offer is track two, “Awakenings” which stops the clock just shy of 20 minutes (19:34).

The opening track of the trio on offer on Flight is, “The Prisoner” (12:28) and it starts with an exquisite acoustic guitar passage heralding the track in, before other instruments join in. There is a thudding drumbeat and then around the 1:30 minute mark the sound starts to really build. Superb guitar and keyboards carry the song along when an electric guitar meanders in and out before the sound gets stripped back to the drums and acoustic guitar. More insistent drumming then heralds in the next part of the track, with synths and a stunning electric guitar playing in a dreamlike manner. The sound builds again with the other instruments appearing, and then around 5 minutes, there is a gentle synth and mandolin passage as the song continues to flow effortlessly. An almost pastoral sound has built up before a more insistent synth lends a hand. Around the 7 minute mark, the track changes completely with the introduction of some of the brass instruments, backed by some “military” style drumming and a passage of plucked violin leads into a plaintive trumpet theme. This scenario calls to mind the sort of Mexican scrublands epitomized in those classic Clint Eastwood westerns. There is then a return, behind the trumpet theme, of the earlier themes as the track moves on its way towards its 12:28 minute finale. “The Prisoner” is an excellent starting track which leads onto track 2, “Awakenings,” with the sort of voices heard in a mythical tale. As the track fades, the last thing that is heard is “I now present you with the Keys to the Kingdom.”

“Awakenings” (19:33) has a gentle guitar intro quickly joined by a superb “church” style organ with a simple synth passage highlighting the melody. The track then dives into a Russian “Cossack” style dance section which then repeats, with the gentle opening melody flitting between. This track has such swings in the opening few minutes that the attention of the listener is well and truly drawn in. A pastoral passage enters around the 4 minute mark and continues to build before entering a much faster guitar led passage. A passage with what sounds like a deliberately de-tuned guitar/synth moves the track into a more majestic sounding phase. Around the 10:30 minute mark the brass section makes another appearance with a dreamy melody backed by a glockenspiel (?), which then evolves into a very jazzy piece. A short instrumental solo by a rarity in a prog recording, the ukulele, leads the track into an ethereal female choir with the lower male voices entering before the instruments edge themselves back into the track and move it towards its finale. There is some wonderful synth passages within the outro prior to the sound being stripped back to allow a gentle ending.

The final track on Flight, “The Precipice” (13:20) arrives with an insistent drumbeat and bass riff before the guitar and synth provide a melody over the top. This is repeated before the guitar and synth begin to soar and take the track to new heights. There follows an exquisite passage featuring the flute which moves the track along, allowing the listener to let their mind meander through the atmospheric soundscapes that Proud Peasant generate. The majestic sound builds with guitar and choir and then becomes more pastoral again flowing seamlessly along led by keyboards and then the choir re-enters as the track moves to its finale.

I always feel that instrumental albums can tread a very precarious path between the superb atmospheric entity that they set out to be and the “dark side,” when the listener craves for the entry of some vocals to lift the album. Proud Peasant can rest easy with Flight, which draws the listener in at the start and keeps the interest until the dying echoes fade away. A quote on the album insert sums it up eloquently, “the soundtrack to sublime dreams and wicked nightmares.”

Flight is a stunning debut album that deserves a space on many peoples’ CD shelves and another nugget gleaned from the booklet included, mentions that the follow-up album, Communion, seems to be already underway.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Track:  The Prisoner


Tracks:
The Prisoner 
a)    The Illusion I (The Chamber)
b)    The Dream
c)    The Fairy Forest
d)    The Illusion II (Keys To The Kingdom)
 
Awakenings
 a)    The Avatar
b)    Starchild
c)    Ice Castles
d)    Salamandrina
e)    The Dancing Bear
f)    Ascension
g)    The Jester King
 
The Precipice 
a)    The Gauntlet
b)    Threnody For the Forlorn
c)    Entr’acte
d)    Stardock
e)    The Illusion III (Hypnogogia)
f)    The Agathokakalogical Chasm

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 23, 2014

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Instrumental Piano/New Age/Classical Review: Tim Neumark-Storm

Release Date: April 2014

Label: Indie

Website

Tim Neumark creates a Storm of emotions with his piano on his recent release. The CD includes 12 tracks that were released as singles from 2013 to 2014. The artist has released four previous albums and now introduces a beautiful tapestry of emotions and tastes through his talented fingers. 

Neumark’s focus is the range of emotions that include anger and heartbreak and all of the situations that arise during those feelings. The list is long for the human condition and although the atmospheres created have a laid back sad tone to them, the beauty of each track is easy to recognize. This man is tremendously talented. His special touch and classical new age sounds will soothe and heal a soul just waiting for that moment to arrive.

As Neumark explains on his website…There is a different mood than previous albums, Stormcontains almost all minor tracks, reaching a deeper emotional depth including both anger and heartbreak. In an era where individual tracks are the norm, Storm was composed as a single project that's meant to be experienced from the first track to the last, while also providing tracks that are memorable enough to stand alone.

I felt using that passage encapsulates what you will get while listening to Storm. Right from the door opener to your soul “Anticipation,” it sets the mood instantly. Anticipation eventually leads to “Transitions” then to the solace and grace of the heaven sent “Meditation: Calm.” Every track gently nudges you in the right direction while inviting the healing process to begin. 

What I enjoyed most about this album was its utter simplicity. The effect is direct and stunning. This is indeed a most beautiful Storm that you will want to experience over and over. Neumark’s classical influences are everywhere on this recording yet he is able to introduce it all with a new age flare and precision that serves a higher purpose. Music so expressive and elegant definitely can be your own private Chicken Soup For The Soul.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

5/5 Stars

Tracks:
01.Anticipation
02.Ice
03.See You Soon
04.Setting Sail
05.Stolen
06.Transitions
07.Meditation: Calm
08.Storm
09.Waiting
10.Adrift
11.Forgiveness
12.Peace

Key Tracks: ALL

May 7, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Rock Review: 13 Shadows-Self Titled

Release Date: 2012

Label: Indie

Website

New York is known for many things and one of them is producing some of the most prolific artists in the music industry. From Madonna to Lou Reed, the scope and impact has been immense.

There are hundreds of thousands of performers that never get the recognition or notoriety they deserve. It is the highly competitive and difficult “online” world we live in now that create the odds that weigh so heavily against you. There is a young lady named Denise Donahue, if given the chance, will be like a shooting star. She is 13 Shadows and her self-titled album is a superb introduction to her all-encompassing talents. Her Facebook page says “Music For Vampires” but I beg to differ. If you like rock or industrial rock, metal or bands like Evanescence you will devour this like a blood thirsty creature of the night and if you happen to be an average music fan that likes to rock, you will appreciate it as well. One look at the CD cover gives away the gothic underbelly of what you are about to hear.

This siren can project her powerful vocals over the layers of instruments in an impressive way on 13 Shadows. Denise is a singer/songwriter, pianist, guitarist, producer, not to mention a feline magnet (as described in her introductory one sheet). She has what it takes to make it to the top because she delivers at every turn on this project.

One of the hardest rocking tracks is “Belong” followed by another powerful packed emotionally charged “Erase U.” What I enjoyed most about this music is the complexity and the intensity and the emotion is equally matched by the words. Everything works together like a well-oiled musical machine. I found “Kamera” (check out the video provided) to be the perfect snapshot (no pun intended) of what this talented lady can do with one track. The words and visuals that are shaped either in your mind’s eye by the music alone will take you there. The song is about an obsessed someone taking your soul prisoner through pictures and the warning from the subject of that attention that it simply won’t work. It can be scary and weird, like in a stalking sense; in any event, the music fits the words. Donahue creates eerie and atmospheric sounds and her voice is the added component that pushes everything over the edge.

The album closer “Broken” closes the curtain on one poignant and mesmerizing performance. In fact, I did not hear one dud on this CD. Consistency rules in the music business and Ms. Donahue presents a group of songs that are all linked together lyrically and musically. It is a story of immense emotion propelled by hard driving and sometimes beautiful passages of music.

13 Shadows is a glimpse at talent to be reckoned with in Denise Donahue. Her all around strengths in the areas that matter the most will lead to success, I have no doubt about that. If you enjoy good vocals, sweeping and powerful music accompanied by thought provoking lyrics, then this is worth a listen.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Erase U, Kamera, Broken 

Tracks:
1.Slide
2.7 Years
3.Descend
4.Out of Phase
5.Kamera
6.Energy
7.Belong
8.Erase U
9.Broken
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder Write A Music Review

May 5, 2014

Review Provided By Write A Music Review