Recommendation: Ha'Arvan Halavan (White Rabbit, Israel, prog-rock)

Ha'Arnav Halavan (The White Rabbit) is a talented Israeli prog-rock band that have released their debut album, Kore Li Lachzor (Calls me to come back), in 2009 after several years of performing and recording. This is an emotional, rich sounding, keyboards-heavy progressive rock album with catchy songs.

The band was formed by the brothers Yuval Or and Yaron Gilad in the mid-nineties under the name The Golden Stamp (Chotemet Hazahav). The lineup changed in the next years and is now stable since 2006 with drummer Gil Idan and bassist Yoav Meirom.




Here's the single from the album called Chaluda (Rust):

Jono El Grande release new album, Phantom Stimulance Dec. 6th, 2010

Jono El Grande are releasing their 4th album, Phantom Stimulance, on Rune Grammofon on December 6th.

Recommendation: Anta (England, psych/stoner/heavy rock)

I like to wander around in Bandcamp looking for new bands, new sounds.
One interesting band I found today is Anta from Bristol who play an interesting mix of instrumental heavy psych/space/post/stoner rock. There is a high use of organ in the music which makes me happy.

Here's the band's bio from their website:

"Formed in the south west of England over many shifting, sporadic and frequently dormant line-ups, over several years, ANTA finally established themselves as a cohesive and active band in early 2010. With two sound engineers and two illustrators completing the line-up of drums, bass, synths and guitar, and featuring members of Rose Kemp and Geisha, ANTA began work on their debut self-produced instrumental monster-prog-rock album “The Tree That Bears The Equine Fruit” after a string of successful live shows."

Lineup:
Ganiel Seruu - guitar
Alex Bertram-Powell - organ, synth
Joe Garcia - bass
James King - drums

Listen to their EP, The Tree That Bears The Equine Fruit, released in September this year in their Bandcamp:

A tune to be charmed by...: Aranis - The Looking Glass

I've mentioned Aranis before. Here's one of my favourite tunes of theirs, called The Looking Glass performed at the RIO festival in Carmaux France in 2009.

Review: Escherbach - Cycles (2009)

Escherbach is a trio from Indiana, and play mostly instrumental energetic progressive rock. Its sound is crispy and clear, fresh and vibrant. Neil Carmichael (guitar), Minkis (bass) and Sean Norris (drums) were in a band called Eargazm, with singer Mike Levee. However, when Levee left town in 2007, the remaining three musicians decided to go on as a trio, play and write new material and renamed themselves Escherbach, after artist M.C. Escher and composer Johannes Sebastian Bach. They then recorded a demo with their friend, Nicholas Schmidt, a musician as well as the engineer and producer of this album. When returning to it after a year they decided to release it as Cycles in 2008.

Band in the spotlight: Lüger (Spain, space/psych-rock)

Spanish space/psychedelic rock band from Madrid, Luger is a five-piece band has released their s/t album in April this year and is available for free download or purchase as a physical copy in their Bandcamp (see below). It's a short album with a special quirky atmosphere; listening to it late at night, "medicated" might lead you to believe you've traveled to another dimension. Actually, even in sound mind, this can take you places.
Read reviews here.



Here's a short blurb about the band:
" Madrid-based quintet responsible of this gorgeous debut album, Lüger are heavily influenced by classic acts such as Hawkwind, Faust, and Neu!. So the music is provided with surpassing Krautrock elements, however they sound less vintage, rather modern, comparable with the likes of Turzi or Wooden Shjips in a wider sense. This is a limited 500 copies vinyl pressing in 180g vinyl, sure to become a sought-after collector's item in the near future -- so get it now! -Forced Exposure "

A song for mid-day: Concentric - Verdiend

Concentric are a trio that performs complex acoustic-based rock. I recommend giving a try to their 2009 release, Immeasurable.

Reviews here and here, buy here.

Here's their bio from their Myspace:

"Concentric began as a therapeutic vacation from musical boundaries, and a year later is still expanding on that theme. Jim Becker and Jerry Hauppa were growing weary of the clichés that plague the extreme metal genre when they discovered that both of them had acoustic side projects that were keeping their sanity. Though their styles were very different, what they had in common was an ear for the more progressive side of music and its ability to challenge the listener. By combining their efforts the two released a demo in 2004 and later one epic 16 minute track in the Mosaic EP, which depicted a vast array of emotions and themes using only layered acoustic guitars. After finding a drummer in Brad O'Malley, Concentric fully fleshed out their sound and furthered the progressive themes hinted at in previous recordings. In late 2009, the three piece released their first full length record entitled Immeasurable which is comprised of thirteen tracks of very densely woven countermelody throughout its sixty minute running time. Although the acoustic guitar-centered approach of previous works remains the core of the songwriting, Immeasurable is further developed by a range of sounds including cello, accordion, hammer dulcimer and others. The end result is guaranteed to be one of the most densely melodic records you will hear. The group is determined to perform instrumental acoustic music in a way that hasn't been heard before, and judging by the response received at shows played both at home and abroad, Concentric is definitely achieving that goal.

Immeasurable, the debut full length from Milwaukee-based instrumental acoustic band Concentric, is a dynamic step into the recesses of human emotion through a complex tapestry of sound and mood. Driven by acoustic guitars and intricate percussion adorned with cello and other instruments, Immeasurable reaches highly expressive depths where any lyrical approach would fall short. Throughout its sixty minute duration, Concentric presents one of the most densely melodic records you will ever hear."

Recommendation: Ninth Moon Black (USA, post-rock/metal)

Ninth Moon Black is a five piece from Oregon playing post-rock/metal with haunting ambiances. They've released a s/t album in 2008 (re-released in 2009) and this year an EP, Kalyug, featured below. The EP is available as a pay-what-you-want download.

Recommendation: Navanoise/Steve Navarre (USA, electronic/ambient)

I don't know anything about Steve Navarre, except that he plays in the band Pindral and that he has his electronic/ambient project Navanoise, which I'm featuring here.

Here's what he writes in his Myspace:

"This project is an ongoing trial and error effort combining my love for sound. I love dabbling with synthesizers, field recording, real instruments and computer programming. The songs or perhaps better put, sound sketches, are a result. Music has been a passion for most of my life. When I'm not dabbling with my own sonic experiments I play bass in the Denver-based progressive rock band Pindral. I also have fondness for photography. The above sound sketches are unreleased demos. My usual technique is trying to combine elements that aren't intitally intended on going together, then by trial and error happy accidents occur and hopefully a comprehesive sound sketch is the result.

The first two "Are You Popular" and "Epiphany" are samples of newer work. They are a combination of synthesizer swatches I developed then added various other elements to them, such as, recordings from old stock movies and ham radio recrdings, programmed drums, etc. These will hopefully will be part of an upcoming official release I'm working on tentatively entitled "Enigmatic Oddysses".

The other samples are from a 2003 demo. "M2 Dreams" is an experiment with an old Hammond M2 organ I acquired for $35 at a local thrift store. All the organ parts/sounds are from this 50+ year old treasure in which I recorded a ten minute organ part holding down various chords and then utilized the draw bars to give the amazing textures. I then added programmed beats, field recordings and a former bandmate, Wayne Martein added the guitar part.

"Shortwave Iraq" is an edit of an over 18 minute piece I did during the first week of the war on Iraq. I recorded Bush's speech and various shortwave radio snippits from around the globe a couple nights right after the war was launched and added electric bass, programmed rhythms, field recordings and real percussion instruments to make this, perhaps reactionary piece of music. Hope you enjoy. They are rough in nature production-wise. Thanks if you do listen."

You can listen to the album in his Bandcamp; see below.

A song to blast in full volume on the drive home form work...: Orbs - Kid Cancer

I've mentioned Orbs before and their 2010 album Asleep Next To Science.
Here's a song from that album I can't get out of my mind.
Put it on full volume, open the windows and torment your neighbours. The eviction notice will be on the way...

Review: The Autumn Project - This We Take With Us (2009, Zu Records)

The Autumn Project is a trio from Des Moines, Iowa, playing post-rock. The name used to serve Mike Gustafson (drums, keyboards, textures) for his solo output, and now serves the trio, consisting of brothers Jess (guitar) and John Huffman (baritone guitar, bass). While starting in 2000, their first release, Fable, was in 2003 and reissued in 2005. In 2004 they released La Luna de Negra and in 2006 A Burning Light. Here I review their 2009 release, This We Take With Us.

Read review after the Jump

A song to pillage to...: Equilibrium - Kurzes Epos

This is the closing song on the 2010 album, Rekreatur by German viking metal band, Equilibrium. Much like the closing song Mana on their 2008 album Sagas, this is a long instrumental song with various sections and very catchy riffs.

Review: Bell Orchestre - Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light (2005, Rough Trade)

Bell Orchestre is an instrumental group from Montreal. The band has ties to other bands: Arcade Fire, Torngat, The Luyas, Islands and Snailhouse. Their music is a sort of an orchestral ambient and post-rock nature with a variety of instruments used. The music is very dynamic, flowing from highly energetic, upbeat and positive-sounding sections to mellow and somewhat melancholic passages.

The studio lineup consists of:
Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire) - upright bass/keyboard/percussion
Sarah Neufeld (Arcade Fire) – violin
Stefan Schneider (The Luyas) - drums/percussion
Pietro Amato (Torngat, The Luyas) - French horn/electronics
Kaveh Nabatian - trumpet/melodica
Mike Feuerstack (Snailhouse) - lap steel guitar



Review after the Jump

An early morning tune...: Hauschka - Freibad

Here's a tune called Freibad from the 2008 alum Ferndorf by Hauschka (Volker Bertelmann)

Recommendation: Guillaume Perret & the Electric Epic - s/t (2009)

Guillaume Perret & the Electric Epic is a French group led by Guillaume Perret with:
Philippe Bussonnet - electric bass , effects
Yoann Serra - drums, sampler
Jim Grandcamp - electric guitar, vocals

You can stream their s/t album on Bandcamp here:
http://electricepic.bandcamp.com/

It's a heavy, fuzzy, experimental and psychedelic jazz-rock based album.



More links:
http://www.myspace.com/guillaumeperret
http://www.guillaume-perret.com/?page_id=37

Review: Nichelodeon - Il Gioco Del Silenzio (2010, Lizard)

Nichelodeon:

Claudio Milano is the man behind Nichelodeon, a theater-eqsue act making diverse and rich-sounding music, focused on creation of ambiances and particular atmospheres, ranging from the eerie to the highly emotional. Their first output has been the 2007 release appropriately named Cinemanemico, as the music has a cinematic characteristic to it (I reviewed it as well).  2010 sees the release of a studio album and a DVD of a live show at the Bloom club in Mezzago, Italy. The DVD performance consists of some of the band’s material re-interpreted as well as a soundtrack of the last episode of Twin Peaks to celebrate its 20 years anniversary (to be reviewed separately).

Review after the jump

An album to start the day with...: Gryphon - Red Queen To Gryphon Three

Start the day with the 1974 album, Red Queen To Gryphon Three, by Gryphon, the English folk outfit.



Videos after the jump

Review: Svartbag - Svartbag (2008, Rump)

Svartbag is a Danish trio making some very interesting and "trippy" music. A.REX and Niels Ladefoged started out as a duo in 2002 with a professed interest in minimalism, krautrock, shoegaze and noise. They were later joined by Peter Kyed. Occasionally they appear as a four-piece with drummer Andreas Hauer-Jensen. In May 2008 they released their debut album reviewed here.

The lineup consists of:
Niels Ladefoged: Guitar, sampler and electronics.
A.REX: Guitar, sampler and electronics.
Peter Kyed: Electronics and real-sounds.

The review is after the jump.

A song to end the day with...: Future Kings Of England - Mustard Men

The Future Kings of England is the trio of Ian Fitch (guitar, keyboards, effects), Karl Mallett (bass, keyboards, effects) and Simon Green (drums, keyboards, effects) from the UK.
They play old-style/sounding psychedelic rock and have released 3 albums, all highly recommended.


The Future Kings Of England
2005


The Fate Of Old Mother Orvis
2007


The Viewing Point
2009

Here's a song called Mustard Men from their second album.

Review: The Red Masque - Feathers For Flesh (2004, Big Balloon)

The Red Masque are an avant-rock band from Philadelphia founded in 2001 by Brandon Ross (bass, keyboards) and Lynnette Shelley (vocals). They have released one EP, three studio albums and one live album. You can read more about them here.

Go here and here to download in a Pay-What-You-Want fashion their EP and first album. More downloads are available here. Videos are to be found here.
Check their Myspace for more samples.

Below is my review for their second full-length studio release from 2004 called Feathers For Flesh.