Hanging Sounds

Hiatus

2012-02-28T15:01:00.000-05:00

Due to personal reasons that are overtaking my entire time, I am putting this blog on hiatus until further notice. Thanks for reading. Assaf

Recommendation: Talisma (Canada)

2012-02-20T10:38:00.000-05:00

The Talisman of Talisma When was the last time you heard a band and thought to yourself "this is creative and rather original music these guys play!" ? I had one such impression the first time I heard Talisma from Canada. There is something both visceral and tender in their music, both beautiful and menacing. I love how they mix sharp and powerful and propulsive riffs and rhythms alongside a

Recommendation: Matt Ebert - Hard Work

2012-02-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick one for you. Matt Ebert from Atlanta Georgia is an independent musician who released a quirky and enjoyable record called Hard Work. A varied record, you'll find a mixture of many styles, some fusion, some rock, some funk, some Motown (and a Zappa-esque whimsiness) but most of all a peculiar and creative approach. Have a listen here.

Recommendation: Squat Club - Corvus

2012-02-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

That's one mean crow right there... As I was browsing the bandcamp of the Bird's Robe Collective label a few months ago and I came across this instrumental Australian band, Squat Club. Their bandcamp features their album, Corvus, which is a lovely mix of atmospheric rock, heavy and crunchy riffs and progressive tendencies. I don't know anything about them, except what is written on their

Recommendation: Nodo Gordiano - Flektogon

2012-02-03T11:52:00.000-05:00

At the twilight zone of prog rock Now here is an album I've been meaning to feature here for some time, but never go to it. I've seen it receive praises on Prog Archives when it came out in 2009 and I promptly checked it out and was wowed by its grandeur, complexity and beauty. With roots dating back to the 90s, Nodo Gordiano had several lineup changes through the years and three studio albums

Recommendation: The Devil's Blood - The Thousandfold Epicentre

2012-02-01T16:16:00.000-05:00

At the center of it all... What an incredible album. I've fallen for The Devil's Blood brand of hard/psychedelic rock, the fuzzy sound, the mysterious ambiance, the beautiful female vocals and background harmonizations. This is a group I want to know nothing about, except to listen to their music. There is something to be said about listening to something obscure, unknown and mysterious. When

Review: Capharnaüm - Le Soleil est une Bombe Atomique (2007, Unicorn Digital)

2012-01-15T10:37:00.000-05:00

Et un jour il explosera... (non, pas vraiment; c'est plus complique que ça) While the name Capharnaüm would seem a unique name for a band, there are in fact 3 bands of the same name (including this one), although only one more shares that Umlaut above the A. The other two bands, though, are metal bands (one is playing progressive music), and this current one, is playing another kind of rock.

A Trilogy Of Songs To Await Change With...: Hammers Of Misfortune - Fields Trilogy

2012-01-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

Longing for fields... I discovered Hammers Of Misfortune by chance upon hearing two songs from their first full-length, The Bastard: You Should Have Slain Me and An Oath Sworn in Hell. These two songs caught my ear tight enough to have me start chase their releases. With each release I found they got better. My favourite release by them is The Locust Years, which is an album I never tire of

A Song To Watch Everything Crumble With...: Type O Negative - World Coming Down

2012-01-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

This greenish decay... I don't like to post only youtube videos, but these days I have little time to post anything here (let alone review albums) between work and taking care of the baby. So I hope you bear with me one more post with a song by a band I love and who sadly is no more after the demise of its frontman last year. This particular album is brilliant, in my opinion. I think it's

A Song To Exaggerate With...: Cardiacs - All His Geese Are Swans

2012-01-08T00:23:00.002-05:00

In Cardiacs' case, their geese are indeed swans...

2011 listening Trends

2012-01-07T17:32:00.001-05:00

It saved mine... Like last year, I'll briefly mention what my ears and brain have been exposed to during 2011. During 2010 I found myself gravitating heavily towards psychedelic and stoner rock and down-tempo and lounge/electronic music. In 2011, while that trend continued (and continues), I began to immerse myself more heavily than before in ambient, dream-pop, minimalistic and calm chamber and

Listen to Alcest - Les Voyages de L’Âme on YouTube

2012-01-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

Alcest posted the following on their facebook: "The wait is finally over! You can listen to the entire "Les Voyages De L'Âme" album now on Prophecy Productions' Youtube channel. Don't forget to order your copy of the album at http://shop.prophecy.de/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=alcest+les+voyages&x=0&y=0 "

New Kayo Dot Album, Gamma Knife, Streaming on Bandcamp

2012-01-03T21:50:00.000-05:00

&lt;a href="http://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/gamma-knife"&gt;Gamma Knife by Kayo Dot&lt;/a&gt;

Recommendation: Brightblack Morning Light - Brightblack Morning Light (2006)

2012-01-03T14:30:00.000-05:00

Let's listen to something together... Let's say you want to relax. You want to rest and calm down from whatever it is that's troubling you. Let's say you want uncomplicated, quiet and uneventful music. You want a nice melody but nothing too fancy, a memorable tune, but nothing too catchy. Let's say you want a little groove but nothing too bouncy, a little rhythm but nothing too energetic. You

Recommendation: Empty Space Orchestra - Empty Space Orchestra (2011)

2011-12-31T16:53:00.000-05:00

It's not empty at all... Empty Space Orchestra is a misleading name. There is no void or vacuum here, no minimalist approach or sparsity of sounds (unless that's not what they mean by that name). This group's music is filled to the brim with goodness; progressive and jazzy sharp-edged heavy rock, with tunes that will make you want to put this on repeat. This is an extremely well crafted album

Review: SynKoke - The Ideologist (2011, Kokeplate)

2011-12-30T11:29:00.001-05:00

“Punked progjazz”.That’s a good description as any for the music of Norwegian band SynKoke. The Ideologist, their second album after 2009’s Hokjønn, is a short instrumental album (with few vocalizations) that can be likened to a rollercoaster with its high energy and thrilling tracks, chaotic and unpredictable free-form-jazz-like parts and calm and subdued pieces. The copy I received didn’t

Recommendation: The Necks - Hanging Gardens (1999), Drive By (2003), Townsville (2007)

2011-12-25T11:49:00.001-05:00

A Bi-Polar ReviewAllow me to preface this text by saying that I am a fan of The Necks and love their music. I have most of their albums and listen to them regularly, particularly late at night in a dim lighted room, focusing solely on the music, doing nothing else. In fact, I recommend listening to their entire discography, not just these three albums. I also particularly love Chemist, Aether

MoonJune Records Year End Sale

2011-12-25T07:33:00.001-05:00

Goodies on the Year End Sale of MoonJune Records CDS AS LOW AS $8, FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE. THIS SALE IS RUNNING UNTIL JANUARY 3, 2012. CLICK ANYWHERE BELOW =>www.moonjune.com SUPPORT INDEPENDENT RECORD LABELS. SUPPORT THE BATTLE AGAINST ONLINE DIGITAL PIRACY. SHARE, FORWARD, LINK, POST ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS... ===> NEW RELEASES IN FEBRUARY 2012 <=== TOHPATI

Recommendation: SOT - Kind of Saltz (2011)

2011-12-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

If Saltz means 'Awesome', that it's more than just "Kind Of..." While some may focus on the gimmick in this Norwegian instrumental band, I find their music to be compelling, eclectic and highly enjoyable, such that the inclusion of a tuba in the lineup seems perfectly natural to me. SOT is a trio consisting of a guitarist, drummer and tuba player. Their music has wide boundaries, lying in the

One Song To Depart With, One Song To Laugh With...: Novalis - Aufbruch / Laughing

2011-12-18T14:30:00.001-05:00

Duality of Emotions... Do you have any "comfort bands"? Bands you go back to their music often and you always enjoy it, no matter how many times you've listened to their albums. Novalis, to me, is one such band. Specifically, their first three albums are.Whenever the mood strikes, my wife and I listen to one of the first 3 albums by Novalis (often, to all three in tandem) To me, aside from

Recommendation: Rockfour - The Man Who Saw It All (1994)

2011-12-17T16:13:00.001-05:00

He looks pretty happy for someone "who saw it all"... High school albums. I'm sure you have those. These albums that are the soundtrack of that particular period in your life. They hold a sentimental value but that is not their sole virtue.In this case, my then-girlfriend-now-wife and I were both enamored with this Israeli psychedelic 60s rock band called Rockfour (רוקפור), and their then,

Recommendation: The Institute of Modern Love

2011-12-16T17:48:00.000-05:00

I wonder what is being researched there? I don't know much about this English band, but their recent EP is one that caught my ear on first listen. Their first offering, released in October 2011, is an EP called Welcome to The Institute... Part 1, which is part of a projected trilogy. They describe their music as "a 70s rock band stuck in the body of a disillusioned modern businessman". I'd

Review: Xhohx - Karyotypexplosion (2007)

2011-12-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

The soundtrack to your seizureShort bio of the band: Xhohx is a Belgian duo of Ramon Ribas Coca (guitar, drum programming) and Oregolakatzor (bass). They play a chaotic yet organized form of heavy avant garde rock, with influences from Japanese Avant-rock bands (Ruins) and from American bands (Flying Luttenbachers) and also from the highly esteemed Belgian band Univers Zero. They themselves

A Song To Worry With...: Modest Midget - Troubles In Heaven

2011-12-15T16:47:00.000-05:00

Modest Midget, are a dutch band who released a lovely album last year called The Great Prophecy of a Small Man. The song featured here is a lovely and cheerful piece, that reminds me of Kaveret (both my wife and I, separately, had the same impression).

Please support Alec K. Redfearn and The Eyesores in their Kickstarter Campaign

2011-12-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

I posted recently about Alec K. Redfearn's kickstarter campaign to raise money for the recording of the new album Sister Death. There are 8 more days to go and so far $3,823 out of a $6000 goal have been raised. If you want more songs like those in the videos at the bottom of this post, please consider pledging. Here's the band's video about the pledge and new album: "Alec K. Redfearn &

Recommendation: Druckfarben - Druckfarben (2011)

2011-12-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

I usually try to avoid this type of comparisons when recommending bands, but I'll make an exception in this case. Fancy some sharp and poignant keyboards-drenched, guitar-driven progressive rock a-la Rush, Kansas, Gentle Giant, ELP and YES? Canadian band, Druckfarben, released in September this year (2011) their debut album, though the band's roots go back. From listening to the album it seems

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble Release New Live Album (Free to Download)

2011-12-13T09:02:00.000-05:00

"I Forsee the Dark Ahead, If I Stay' is the first TKDE live album. A compilation of 9 live tracks recorded during the period of 2006 to 2011, from shows in The Netherlands, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain and Poland." Available starting this Friday (Dec. 16th), you can stream and download on the band's Bandcamp &lt;a href="http://shop.tkde.net/album/

A Tune To Relax To...: Tord Gustavsen Trio - Where We Went

2011-12-12T23:27:00.000-05:00

Official website Don't just hear it. Listen to it.

Recommendation: MoRkObOt - Morbo (2011, Supernatural Cat)

2011-12-12T06:29:00.001-05:00

"The following product is recommended to all those suffering from Morbo-ism, a severe mental state characterized by dizziness, inability to concentrate, involuntary limb movements and unintelligible speech". Upon reading the latest Rock-A-Rolla issue, I found out about the Italian trio MoRkObOt and proceeded to have a listen to their music. I've gotten hold of their 4th and latest album, Morbo,

A Song To Lose Count Of Time With...: The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock

2011-12-11T21:59:00.000-05:00

Recommendation: Dave Beegle - Beyond The Desert (2003)

2011-12-11T02:34:00.000-05:00

Galloping acoustically Before you start reading the below text, start playing the video at the bottom of this post and then begin reading. It's playing? Good, lets start. I love listening to acoustic guitars. When the urge for such music strikes, one of the albums I reach out for, is Beyond The Desert by Dave Beegle. You can read more about this wonderful musician here, but here I'll focus

Recommendation: Brotherhood Of Sleep - Dark As Light (Catch The Soap, 2011)

2011-12-10T02:22:00.002-05:00

Isn't everyone part of this brotherhood?Sleep is a coveted prize in our humble abode these days. With a newborn baby, my wife and I are not getting much sleep, as all parents know all too well (well, to be fair, my wife gets even less sleep than I do; typical male that I am). And so sleep becomes a most cherished and sought-after treasure. Sleep is a place to recuperate and regain strengths.

A Song To Face A Monster With...: William D. Drake - The Mastodon

2011-12-09T19:01:00.000-05:00

One of my favourite tunes of the year from one of my favourite albums of the year.

Recommendation: Grumpf Quartet - Grumpf Quartet (2009)

2011-12-09T10:25:00.000-05:00

Agitation and tranquility; chaos and order - can they co-exist? They can, in this instrumental math/avant/prog-rock release by this French trio called Grumpf Quartet.The band plunges head on first into chaotic playing, producing stirring soundwaves and then abruptly shift into a controlled and organized high energy form, only to follow it up with quiet and softer sections; a heavy guitar riff is

'Make A Rising' Are Making New Albums

2011-12-07T21:10:00.000-05:00

Make A Rising give us a sign of life and activity in a short video of their rehearsal. Here's what Jesse says: "Three of the five of us got together for the first time in 2-ish years tonight. We were at the Dr. Dog studio to rehearse material for our 3rd album. Sorry about the bad sound. I recorded it on photobooth. All of December will be rehearsing and recording. After tonight, I’m very

Cuneiform Records January 2012 Releases

2011-12-07T08:01:00.005-05:00

Cuneiform's new release include the new Thinking Plauge, Decline and Fall as well as a new Forgas Band Phenomena! What more can you ask for on a new year? RELEASES FOR JANUARY 2012 ERGO FORGAS BAND PHENOMENA

Recommendation: The Rupert Selection - Conspiritorium (2011)

2011-12-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

Ah, to be young and in a band... The Rupert Selection are a young and active band originally from Manchester, Massachusetts. They released their first album, Conspiritorium, in May this year. Melodic and accessible, their music takes side turns during each song to other segments, moving from a more rocking part to a jazzier movement. While still sounding rough on the edges to me, there's room

Recommendation: Les Rhinocéros - Les Rhinocéros (Tzadik, 2011)

2011-12-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

Ceremony of Opposites. I think of strength, rigidity and bluntness, but also of calmness and a certain majestic quality. Rhinoceros are powerful, they have a firm body structure and seem like a severe animal, or at least one that would cause severe consequences to anyone who annoys them, without hesitation, regardless of the identity of said offensive party. I also think of them as having a

Recommendation: Earth Size Diamonds - In A Shrinking Forest (2011)

2011-12-01T21:48:00.002-05:00

What are you going to do with diamonds this big? Have you ever had a dream where everything was mixed up? The scenery was a mishmash of various places, there were people from various points in your life, you heard multiple languages being spoken and the whole thing seemed very natural nonetheless? In a way, listening to In A Shrinking Forest is akin to having said dream, in that you will hear a

News: Musica Ficta's album finally released by Fading Records

2011-11-30T11:42:00.001-05:00

Udi Koomran posted this on his Facebook (thanks to Sean McFee for the heads up): "I'm *extremely* happy this album is finally being released ! Fading Records February 2012 !! Good god this has been sitting on the shelf for 6 years... HURRAH!!!" Go listen to a few of the songs on the band's Myspace, they're great! A Child and a well

Recommendation: Hazzard's Cure - Hazzard's Cure (2011)

2011-11-28T10:38:00.003-05:00

A cure to my musical craving... I found out about this band through this interview here. Their music is heavy and dirty-sounding, melding together various styles, from thrash to sludge, from black metal to death metal. I was reminded of various other older bands while listening, but really, they have their own musical identity. What I like about this album is the immediate accessibility of the

New Album: Locanda delle Fate (Fading Records)

2011-11-28T08:07:00.001-05:00

Fresh news from AltrOck/Fading Records as posted by Marcello Marinone on Progressive Ears: Altrock and Fading Records are proud to announce the release of The Missing Fireflies by La Locanda delle Fate. The historical prog band from Italy proposes various unreleased songs not included in their first album (Forse le lucciole non si amano più, 1977), here played and recorded for the first time,

Recommendation: Intodown - Brave New World

2011-11-27T18:56:00.000-05:00

It sure sounds brave... I've only discovered this band and album this past week while browsing Bandcamp's listing, during a sleepless night caused by a newborn. The recent nature of this discovery is why I can't tell you much about the band, except that Michael Clark is the man and guitarist behind the music. There is more info, though not up-to-date, here. While I listened to it only 2 times,

Review: White Willow - Terminal Twilight (2011, Termo)

2011-11-27T10:03:00.001-05:00

“Apocalyptic Scenery”Those are the words that Jacob Holm-Lupo, White Willow’s main man, uses to describe the themes present in the songs on Terminal Twilight, the band’s new album. As Jacob notes, the songs on the new album, were written some years back and continue the dark concept and atmospheres of Storm Season, the band’s fourth album. The end of the world is nigh on that album; a rather

KickStarter Campaign: Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores

2011-11-23T14:49:00.000-05:00

Alec K. Redfearn and The Eyesores started kickstarter campaign to fund their 7th album, Sister Death. Here's what they say about the project: "Alec K. Redfearn & the Eyesores are working on "Sister Death" our 7th full-length record, and we need your help to raise money to cover recording costs. This ambitious recording project will be a rich hallucinogenic feast: 10 genre-bending songs about

New albums by Bob Drake and The Necks at ReR USA

2011-11-20T16:57:00.000-05:00

News from The Echelon Effect

2011-11-20T16:55:00.001-05:00

Hey Everybody, I hope you're enjoying the cool autumn air, or the bright spring sunshine depending on where this finds you! I have a couple of bits of news for you. Bit 1. I'm very excited to tell you guys that i finally have a record deal, its on the great German post-rock label Oxide Tones. My first ever CD is out now, its a re-issue of last years Mosaic, a deluxe version with 2 extra

News from Toby Driver (Nov. 17th) - New Kayo Dot album and more...

2011-11-17T01:33:00.001-05:00

Here's the latest email newsletter from Toby Driver: " Hi folks, behold the latest issue of my newsletter! Here's what's covered in this one: - New Kayo Dot album details! - Kayo Dot spring USA tour - maudlin of the Well: Bath / Leaving Your Body Map vinyl box set - Spoken word split 7" for Aniseed Records - Tartar Lamb 2 shipments! NEW KAYO DOT ALBUM DETAILS We've been keeping a bit

New Sounds Hanging: Baby Crying

2011-11-16T11:36:00.001-05:00

Sounds of baby-crying hanging in my ears... We're back from the hospital with the baby; my wife is recovering and the baby is... wel, a baby. Eating, pooping and crying; but also, quite alert and eying his new surroundings, exploring these new unknown and odd lands of our small apartment. In the meantime, we've started his musical education. Since yesterday was his first day here, and he was a

Music for a Newborn Baby

2011-11-12T07:40:00.000-05:00

My wife delivered a baby boy yesterday (11/11/11). And so now the most important thing is of course... to educate him from the cradle about music. I gave him a short sample of Phideaux's new album, Snowtorch, which he seemed to be ok with at first but then lost interest (ha, those 1 day old babies; what do they know about good music, right?). Next step will be something a little heavier and

Recommendation: Eden - Aura (1979)

2011-11-07T06:53:00.000-05:00

In the garden of...Eden is a French duo: Hubert Vrayance, who composed the music (Hammond organ, bass pedals, synthesizers, vocals) and Allan Lys (drums, congas, percussions). Eden released one album in (1979). Information on them is scarce and so focus will be given here on their music which is more simplistic and more straightforward in their approach (compared to others in this genre).

A Brief Brief

2011-11-06T07:26:00.001-05:00

Due to my workload in the lab as well as to a baby appearing very soon in our household, the upcoming Hangings are delayed for the time being (not for too long, I promise) However, do expect more reviews (White Willow, Synkoke, new albums from AltrOck and Black Widow), more recommendations and more featured albums. Those will be posted as soon as my schedule allows. For now enjoy Major

Sing to Tim

2011-10-31T20:26:00.001-04:00

"Cardiacs. It's probably the best band in the world..."

Recommendation: Kvazar - A Giant's Lullaby (2005, Musea)

2011-10-29T10:29:00.000-04:00

Bliss Many look for it. Many want to grasp it, bask in its comforting hands.Many yearn for that moment when you reach this feeling through either satisfaction or happiness and joy. The engines of such emotions can have a variety of causes: success and great achievements, reaching an epiphany or listening to sublime music... Given the nature of this here blog, I will focus on the latter case of

White Willow - Kansas Regrets (music video)

2011-10-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

Video notes: " White Willow - Kansas Regrets, official music video to promote the band's new album, Terminal Twilight. Tim Bowness - vocals Sylvia Skjellestad - backing vocals Ketil Vestrum Einarsen - flute Jacob Holm-Lupo - guitar, synthesizer David Lundberg - electric piano Ellen Andrea Wang - double bass Mattias Olsson - drums, percussion Filmed, Edited and Directed by Dion Johnson (

Lost Of Goodies On Progstreaming

2011-10-24T15:45:00.000-04:00

Progstreaming is exploding with fantastic progressive rock and other wonderful releases. Head on there to find the latest releases from: - AltrOck: Dave Willey & Friends - Immeasurable Currents (I'll be reviewing it) Camembert - Schnorgl Attack (I'll be reviewing it) Humble Grumble - Flanders Field (I reviewed this one here previously) - Soleil Zuehl: Scherzoo - 01 One Shot - Live in Tokyo

News From Valeot Records

2011-10-24T13:53:00.000-04:00

Dear valeot supporters, We are happy to anncounce our 12th release!!! WERNER KITZMÜLLER - "Evasion" CD - valeot012 - out October 3rd (Austria & Germany) - January 13th (Worldwide) On his first album "Evasion," Werner Kitzmüller succeeds at creating unusual singer/songwriter pop in a somewhat "classical" orchestration. His baritone voice carries these melancholy, at times self-mocking,

News From Carla Kihlstedt

2011-10-24T09:41:00.000-04:00

Tigers, Monsters and Rabbits As the beaches of Cape Cod empty out, the leaves begin to fall, and the swing sets are hauled away by official-looking men in orange trucks and suits to match, it occurs to me that we've been back East more than a year now. Things circle around their well-worn paths, each time with subtle and profound changes.

The Resonance Association Release New Album

2011-10-22T12:30:00.001-04:00

Read the announcement from mrs. vee... "Finally, after what seems like a very long wait, The Resonance Association's new album HELIOPAUSE is here. Recorded between June 2010 and May 2011, the album's 14 tracks will take you on a journey to the edge of sanity and back again. You can purchase the album in a range of digital formats: . * Digipack CD (pre-order now for a November dispatch) *

Interview: Jason Spradlin from Herd of Instinct

2011-10-20T12:41:00.000-04:00

Herd of Instinct's s/t debut album was released earlier this year through Firepool Records (Djam Karet's label). I reviewed the album here. To sum up my review - I love the album (I just wrote it in a more fancy and prolonged manner). Drummer Jason Spradlin has kindly answered the questions I sent the band, through their producer Dave Streett. I'd like to thank Dave for making this short

New Discipline Album Out - To Shatter All Accord

2011-10-20T11:16:00.000-04:00

Quietly, without any fuss or promotion, Discipline releases its third album, To Shatter All Accord. I'm thrilled about this new release. Why? Because this band is one of the few bands who released an album I consider a desert-island album. The album is called Unfolded Like Staircase. This album is one of my all-time favourite albums ever. I won't begin to sing its praises here, I'm just

Review: October Equus - Saturnal (2011, AltrOck)

2011-10-03T04:49:00.000-04:00

Some people are mercurial, others are saturnal. Which one are you? The Spanish instrumental progressive/avant-rock group October Equus is back with their third full-length (I am not counting the 2004 release, Hydra). October Equus don’t rest on their laurels and repeat the same album but rather change things and develop with each release, showing the group’s growth and maturation. With their

Shining to release live CD+DVD - Live Blackjazz

2011-10-02T20:30:00.000-04:00

Out on 11.11.11 Here's the announcement from the band's website: " For the first time ever, the raw energy of their legendary live performances has been captured on tape in a setting organized solely by the band itself. Produced by the multi-talented front-man Munkeby, and backed by the same mixing and mastering team as on their previous Blackjazz studio album, we could not get a truer

Review: Ske - 1000 Autunni (2011, AltrOck)

2011-10-01T10:03:00.000-04:00

I'd take a 1000 autumns over one summer. Readers are going to start I’m making this up or that I am being paid to write this. Or that I’m just biased. Extremely biased. But what can I do, how can I react, other than with utter astonishment and joy when I hear the sublime music that comes from albums such as 1000 Autunni? Here you have keyboards player Paolo Ske Botta, of the mighty Yugen,

Recommendation/Review: Aksak Maboul - Un peu de l'âme des bandits (1980)

2011-09-28T10:20:00.000-04:00

Live a little, go crazy... This is an old review of mine for this album; it was initially posted on Prog Archives. Calling a band Maboul (French slang for crazy, nutty) creates certain expectations. And this album does hold up to them. The result might be called Ethnic-Noise-Chamber-Rock. This album alternates between the bizarre (A Modern Lesson) and the obscure (I Viaggi Formano La Gioventu

Good Night Music: Global Commincation

2011-09-27T19:49:00.000-04:00

Tonight as you go to bed to sleep, put this on. You'll have sweet dreams... Global Communication - 14:31

Recommendation: A Backward Glance On A Travel Road - Lettres De La Barbarie Ordinaire

2011-09-27T04:41:00.002-04:00

Looking backwards has never sounded so good... When I discovered the French avant/prog-metal group Hypno5e, I also found out about their "alter-ego" band, A Backward Glance On A Travel Road. As is the case for Hypno5e, their album is an odd and fascinating experience. Otherworldly at times, it is a bizarre and beautiful album, a unique adventure that will pick you up from your current location

Matt Stevens - Relic available on Bandcamp

2011-09-26T19:16:00.001-04:00

A Rock Relic Matt Stevens' new album, Relic, is up on his Bandcamp for streaming. You can buy a digital copy (pay-what-you-want) as well as a physical copy (and even in a bundle with the previous album Ghost). I'm listening to the album as I type this and I'm already hooked. Wonderful and adventurous acoustic instrumental rock. I love his personal ways of expressing himself on the acoustic

New Red Masque Song - Dark Salt Sea

2011-09-26T12:48:00.001-04:00

From the band: "Dark Salt Sea, a new song by Philadelphia avant / progressive band The Red Masque is now available on youtube. The video is some live footage from the band's show at Pyramid Atlantic in Washington DC in May 2011. Please visit here or go direct to our video page on Reverbnation to see this video and other videos"

Recommendation: Eccentric Orbit - Attack Of The Martians (2004)

2011-09-26T09:08:00.001-04:00

They're here... Bill Noland is a talented musician and composer and the bassist of Eccentric Orbit and the person who wrote the music found on this album. I've e-met him on the Progressive Ears forum and later got to read some of his reviews for Progression. His detailed and thorough analysis of music is impressive and enlightening and even when we have opposing views on albums or music one

Review: Abrete Gandul - Enjambre Sismico (2011, Fading/AltrOck)

2011-09-25T11:07:00.002-04:00

A musical seismic cluster With their third album, the Chilean band Abrete Gandul are now signed to the superb Italian label AltrOck with its roster of forward-thinking, experimental and progressive bands (this album is on Fading Records, a division of AltrOck). Hopefully, this will give this talented instrumental progressive rock band their much-deserved exposure. Much like their fellow

New Giraffes? Giraffes! Album Streaming On Bandcamp

2011-09-25T07:43:00.000-04:00

New Giraffes? Giraffes! released September 21st. Available for ordering here. Stream here &amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://giraffesgiraffes.bandcamp.com/album/pink-magick"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Pink Magick by GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES!&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&

Band in the Spotlight: Syd Arthur (England)

2011-09-24T17:14:00.000-04:00

By the way, which one's Syd? Here's an interesting new band that was brought to my attention recently. Syd Arthur are a four piece group from Canterbury. Based on my listening of their debut EP, their music is a modernized version of vintage psychedelic rock, albeit a focused and concise one, without too much distractions. Their songs are quite straightforward and accessible, and have an

Recommendation (Highly): Senogul - III (2011, Musea)

2011-09-24T10:04:00.001-04:00

The Spanish eclectics return...Senogul is a band that wears the tag Eclectic proudly on their sleeves. The musicians in this band are not afraid to wet their toes, and even their entire feet, inside waters of all kind. Be it rock, jazz, flamenco, avant-garde, samba, tango, electronic, classical, you name it. Senogul's latest release, III, not only continues this path of theirs, but even broadens

Spotifynding: Trummor & Orgel

2011-09-23T20:02:00.000-04:00

The sound of the organ... straight from Sweden Whilst listening to one of my favourite Swedish bands, Gosta Berlings Saga on spotify, I was browsing the related artists of their page, and this duo called Trummor & Orgel appeared. As coincidence has it, the duo released just days ago, in 21/9, their fourth album, Out Of Bounds, which is streamable on Spotify. The duo is brothers Staffan (drums)

Eve by Karda Estra free download

2011-09-21T21:59:00.000-04:00

Here's the message from Richard Wileman: " To mark the 10th anniversary of my Karda Estra album 'Eve', I've made it available as a free download " " 'Eve' is an instrumental concept album inspired by the short gothic novel The Future Eve, written in 1886 by Villiers de L'Isle Adam. The free 256k download (same quality as i-tunes/amazon) is available here: http://www.gimmesound.com/

Interview: Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, The Opium Cartel)

2011-09-19T13:01:00.001-04:00

Sylvia Skjellestad, Jacob Holm-Lupo, Ellen Andrea Wang, Ketil Vestrum Einarsen, Lars Fredrik Frøislie and Mattias Olsson (Photography by Dagfinn Hobæk) Norwegian progressive rock band White Willow releases its 6th album, Terminal Twilight, in October through Termo Records. A review of the album is forthcoming (but let me tell you now, it's one hell of an album). Main man Jacob Holm-Lupo has

Cuneiform Records News

2011-09-16T19:40:00.001-04:00

Go here and read all about the label's bands, their upcoming releases, tours and other news. == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == == In other news, hang on to your keyboards, for I'll post an interview this weekend with a certain Norwegian musician... Guess who it is and post in the comments for a chance to win one of the cd's I have

Recommendations from the Bandcamps: Death In Texas - We Will Implode EP

2011-09-14T18:39:00.000-04:00

Another band I just stumbled upon on the Bandcamps. Their music caught my ear enough to make me spread the word. Forgive my laziness, but I'll just use the band's own words for this post: “Death In Texas is a 3-piece progressive pop band, from London, UK. The trio have one release; the 4-song EP ‘We Will Implode’, released independently

New tune from Matt Stevens + Pre-order of new album

2011-09-14T14:58:00.000-04:00

The first song from the new Matt Stevens album, Relic, is now available as a free download from: http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/relic You can also pre order the new album there. The album was produced by Kevin Feazey. Matt will be performing this Saturday at The Peel South London opening for Dec Burke.

New Albums Available On ProgStreaming: Sep. 14th, 2011

2011-09-14T13:25:00.000-04:00

- SimpleXity "Click To Start" (digital debut-EP by a young Egyptian band) - Gnomonaut "The Chronocosm" - Paolo Siani & friends feat. Nuova Idea "Castles, Wings, Stories & Dreams" (I reviewed it here) - Disconnect "Indivision" - Habitat "Tratando De Respirar En La Furia" Listen at ProgStreaming

Recommendation: Field Rotation - Acoustic Tales (2011)

2011-09-13T20:24:00.000-04:00

Utter beauty... Field Rotation is the working monicker for Christoph Berg. Allow me to quote from his website his description of his music:" Field Rotation is a composer and sound artist from Germany. His music is based on electro-acoustic sound manipulation mainly created with acoustic instruments and field recordings." On Acoustic Tales, he mixes those field recordings with acoustic

What's in the box?

2011-09-13T18:22:00.000-04:00

What's in the box??? Unholy Cadaver - S/T (1998) Released by Shadow Kingdom SKR041DLPCD Release Date: May 24, 2011 Double LP + CD inside the jacket Side A 1. Intro 2. On This Final Night 3. Fuck the Galactic Police 4. Skeletal Hands Side B 5. The Waif With Sunken Eyes 6. Unsheathe The Sword Of Blasphemy 7. Speed Demon Side C 8. Hammers of Misfortune Side D 9. Kloven Septum " Shadow

News from Hidden Orchestra

2011-09-12T11:31:00.000-04:00

It's no secret I absolutely love Hidden Orchestra's Night Walks (I featured it here before). Absolutely marvelous music, gorgeous and moving. Following, is the band's newsletter with info on their upcoming schedule, tours and new single to be released in November. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Welcome to Hidden News #5! Welcome to the fifth Hidden

New Releases From AltrOck

2011-09-12T09:48:00.000-04:00

I love this label! They keep outdoing themselves and coming up with great releases. Here's the announcement: " Dave Willey & Friends "Immeasurable currents" Pocket Orchestra "Phoenix" 2 cd box set Camembert "Schnörgl Attahk" All new releases will be available in preview at the Altrock stand during the RIO Festival in Carmaux, France (September 16-18), and then worldwide on our website

Julie Slick and Carl Bahner - Live in the Studio

2011-09-10T23:47:00.000-04:00

Bassist Julie Slick teams up with drummer Carl Bahner in this live-in-the-studio release. In my post about my faourite releases of 2010, I listed bassist Julie Slick's debut album. It is a refreshing and entertaining instrumental rock (and at times experimental) album. Now Julie's second output is a collaboration with drummer Carl Bahner, where they play line-in-the-studio as its title says

Negură Bunget News September 2011

2011-09-10T23:18:00.000-04:00

News from the band Negură Bunget - Transilvanian Legacy - 15 Years Anniversary World Tour " As 2011 marks the 15th anniversary of Negură Bunget, it is time for us to expand our presence throughout some new places of the world. We are happy to announce Negură Bunget will celebrate this anniversary by embarking on a world tour scheduled for late 2011 and all throughout 2012.

New Albums Available On ProgStreaming: Sep. 10th, 2011

2011-09-10T20:34:00.000-04:00

Here's the latest update from ProgStreaming. I've heard/have all the albums except for Aisles (I've featured two of those here on the blog; I'll let you find which albums). "Hello devoted listeners! A *very* diverse update this time! Check out if you like one of the following, and maybe broaden your taste: - Fair To Midland "Arrows & Anchors" - Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving "Deaden The Fields" -

Review: Factor Burzaco - II (2011, AltrOck)

2011-09-09T15:02:00.000-04:00

Factor Burzaco, brainchild of Argentinean musician and composer Abel Gilbert, released its second album in 2011, simply entitled II, through the marvelous Italian label, AltrOck. While having heard their first album some time ago, I confess to not remembering much from it. And so I approached this new album with fresh ears. This album initially left me wordless and baffled. How and what could I

New album by Hammers Of Misfortune

2011-09-09T08:05:00.000-04:00

The band will release 17th Street in October through Metal Blade Records. Go to this page for more info, listen to a song from the album (The Grain) and order the album. Here's the song The Grain from the new album: Hammers of Misfortune "The Grain" by Metal Blade Records Track listing: 1. 317 (3:39) 2. 17th Street (4:41) 3. The Grain (7:14) 4. Staring (The 31st Floor) (3:47) 5. The Day

Lebowski Live Concert Broadcast

2011-09-09T06:44:00.000-04:00

I am posting this way too late, but hope still some can make it for today's live broadcast of Lebowski's concert: Lebowski concert broadcasted live on the Internet Read more after the jump On the 9th of September 2011 - 7:05PM (GMT+1), Lebowski will perform live in the Polish Radio PiK. Besides the material from the debut album "Cinematic", musicians will play some of the

Rasputina - Reissue and Live Shows

2011-09-09T06:41:00.000-04:00

Following the jump you'll find the latest newsletter from Rasputina "Hi everyone, We have some exciting news to share: the brand new Rasputina Music Shoppe is now up and running. You've all been really great about supporting the band since our very beginning, so hopefully this will make the whole experience a little nicer and easier. To celebrate, we're thrilled to announce the LIMITED EDITION

Aranis News

2011-09-09T06:36:00.000-04:00

Aranis' latest newsletter tells about the band's activity and indeed they seem busy. They have live shows coming up, a collaboration with a modern dance group, a new album in the works and a new website: New Album The new album, Made In Belguim will feature compositions from "Wim Mertens, Wouter Vandenabeele (Olla Vogala, ...), Geert Waegeman (Cro Magnon), Dick van der Harst, Ward De

Review: Calomito - Cane Di Schiena (AltrOck, 2011)

2011-09-05T10:49:00.000-04:00

Out on the outskirts of Rock, right near the border with Jazz, there lurks an Italian band who along with others of its ilk, tears down the fences marking the separations between genres and brings with it yet more influences in, forming a new musical landscape. Calomito is the band, a group from Genoa, now signed to the fabulous AltrOck label. This is their second album, their first being

Recommendation: Caravan Palace - Caravan Palace (2008)

2011-09-04T23:54:00.002-04:00

This caravan is always a rockin', don't let that prevent you from comin' a knockin'... In my "excursions" looking out for down-tempo, trip-hop and nu-jazz outfits I came upon many a cool albums and interesting bands. In particular I found many French bands playing eclectic varieties of said genres. Such groups as Ez3kiel, Wax Tailor and Chinese Man. One related band I "bumped into" (though

Eat your flowers, honey, or no hyperspace trippin' for you...

2011-09-04T07:47:00.000-04:00

Fancy some electronic psychedelic music? Try eating a flower... Here's a tune from a band called Flower Eaters called Hyperspace Mood; a very fitting name indeed. Here's a little about the band as was sent to me by band member, Thomas Perryman: " Flower Eaters was born from the ashes of the London based band The Unlimited Dream Company in 2009. Thomas Perryman (English/Dutch) and Leo Perez

Review: Rising Shadows - Finis Gloriae Mundi

2011-09-03T10:33:00.002-04:00

When the shadows rise, it's the end of the world's glory Finis Gloriae Mundi is the third album by Rising Shadows, a project by Fredrik Klingwall. Fredrik started out the project on his own as Shadow of the Concealed, changed the name to Rising Shadows in 1997. The project moved onwards with the joining of vocalist Linda Li in 2004. Their first album Falling Deep Within was released in 2006. In

Andrew Douglas Rothbard Releases New Album

2011-08-27T21:24:00.000-04:00

Rejoice, for we have been offered a new release by Andrew Douglas Rothbard, to whom I dedicated a post here. Frequenseqer is the name of the album and I have not heard it yet, but have no fear, as you and I can stream it on Mr. Rothbard's Bandcamp here. &lt;a href="http://digital.adrchiv.com/album/frequenseqer"&gt;Frequenseqer by Andrew Douglas Rothbard&

At The Bandcamps - Metal Labels

2011-08-27T20:27:00.003-04:00

More and more bands and labels are coming to realize the advantage of Bandcamp. Lately I've been enjoying Bandcamps by metal music labels such as Relapse, Antithetic, Willowtip, 20 Buck Spin and now Candlelight USA. The latter is now offering digital downloads at 7.99$ (instead of 9.99$) for a limited time (damn, I sound like a crappy commercial... I disgust myself... too bad I ain't paid for

New Albums Available On ProgStreaming Aug. 26th

2011-08-26T18:13:00.000-04:00

Here's the weekend update from ProgStreaming: "Hello, This weekend Progstreaming offers you a very special update, with 3 bands offerings each a CD and an EP: Big Big Train: - the remixed 2011 version of "Goodbye To The Age Of Steam" - the 2010 EP "Far Skies Deep Time", Amplifier: - the 2-CD masterpiece "The Octopus" - the freely distributed EP "Fractal", Presto Ballet: - the acclaimed 2011