If you’re anxious to listen something new from Geddy Lee – I guess everybody is waiting for “Clockwork Angels” – , well, this C-Sides probably will satisfy you. Released by the brand new label White Knight Records, “Devitrification” sounds just like some lost and found recordings by Rush from the late 70s, eventually early 80s, the stuffs they used to do before “Grace Under Pressure”. And the voice of Dan Fry reminds of Geddy Lee, Martin Rosser proved to be a colorful guitarist and Allan Mason-Jones is a balanced, power-rock drummer. All three of them before C-Sides in 2007 were members of the progressive rock band from Wales, UK, Magenta. But C-Side brings some heavy, modern sounds along that good-old taste rock and have some freshness, have a couple of good themes and write some nice songs. The parallels with the Canadian gods, kings, whatever you’d like to call them, stands, but C-Sides only recall that perfume of the 70s, 80s and they create their own world. Read more C-Sides – Devitrification (2011)
progressive rock
Charts And Maps – Dead Horse (2011)
Charts and Maps is an instrumental progressive rock project from Los Angeles, CA. consists of: Daniel Melancon – drums, John Taylor – guitar, Jasper Crane – bass, Jay Watford – guitar and Mike Allison – saxophone and they are involved in other bands as Danger Bees, Random Patterns, Semiconscious Gloria and Pride of Kenya. Nominated their influences in bands such as Battles, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Deerhoof, Tortoise, Yes and Danger Bees. Their music is a nice blending of Jazz and Progressive Rock, including a large variety of shades and colors in a nice, dynamic pulse. Actually it’s pretty hard to balancing on this thin line between Progressive Rock and Jazz, but Charts And Maps managed to keep a positive groove and the equation of their roots and influences are mixed perfectly and Charts and Maps create their own colorful universe. Read more Charts And Maps – Dead Horse (2011)
Acid Mothers Temple and The Melting Paraiso UFO – Pink Lady Lemonade – You’re From Inner Space (2011)
It’s almost kinky to write and record a 32 minutes long song these days. And actually it’s a nice track, the mix is what bothering me. The slide guitar is much too loud and covers almost completely the solo guitars and the bass. And it’s pity, they done beautiful things if you listen careful enough. But if you have to focus hard, all the pleasure of the listening goes out on the window. Still, “Part 1” from “Pink Lady Lemonade – Youre From Inner Space” it’s kind of chill, joyful, warm and embracing. A nice trip with beautiful images made of sounds running before our eyes. “Part 2” break in like a noisy explosion, it’s a crazy mixture of improvisations on psychedelic, noise rock and jazz like samples. It last only five minutes, but it’s heavy. “Part 3” comes back with the spacy theme of “Part 1”, the mix is much convincing, the pulse is a little bit faster and the song got a pleasant groove. 10 minutes of shades and bubbling sounds which brings me the image of a blooming flower. Well, kind of hippy. 🙂 Read more Acid Mothers Temple and The Melting Paraiso UFO – Pink Lady Lemonade – You’re From Inner Space (2011)
Henceforth – The Gray Album (2011)
Henceforth are another exciting band from Brazil, another nice surprise after MindFlow and The Tape Disaster. Formed in 1993, they released their first album (Full album on-line streaming) in Brazil in December 2005 via Voice Music, label owned by Silvio Golfetti, guitarist of the Brazilian thrash metal band Korzus. The current line-up is made up by singer Frank Harris, guitarist Hugo Mariutti, bass player Luis Mariutti, drummer Fabio Elsas and keyboard player Cristiano Altieri. Luis and Hugo were former members of the band called Shaaman, and Luis is a former member of power metal band Angra – as of 2007 they are no longer in Shaaman having left the band with singer Andre Matos in order to pursue new projects. Fabio has played in the past with bands Skyscraper and Firebox. Their experience is clearly mark positively the sound and compositions of Henceforth. Read more Henceforth – The Gray Album (2011)
Einsturzende Neubauten – Strategies Against Architecture IV (2010)
Mulţi reduc muzica Industrial la Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, eventual mai recent la Rammstein. N-am să reiau istoricul, însă nume semnificative au apărut de la sfârşitul anilor ’70, pionierat au făcut Kraftwerk, Throbbing Gristle, Monte Cazazza, SPK, Swans, Test Dept, Laibach, Einstürzende Neubauten şi Die Krupps.
Trupa cu nume imposibil de pronunţat ( 😀 ) Einstürzende Neubauten (Clădiri Noi ce se Prăbuşesc) s-a înfiinţat în 1980 în Berlinul de Vest şi la doar câteva luni după datorită prăbuşirii acoperişului Palatului de Congres Berlinez în data de 21 mai, numele lor a făcut vâlvă-n presă. Termenul de „Neubauten” – clădiri noi – este unul extrem de uzual în Germania şi se referă la clădirile construite după 1945 când Germania bombardată aproape complet a intrat într-o amplă reconstrucţie iar unul din clădirile simbol este acest Palat de Congres.
La început au abordat un amestec de Punk Rock cu zgomote industriale, una din caracteristicile (sonore) ale grupului fiind dat de instrumentele construite de ei înşişi, mai ales instrumente de percuţie în care includeau diferite obiecte de metal găsite – modelul a fost preluat şi de americanii din Cop Shoot Cop.
Alături de Blixa Bargeld – voce, chitară, clape Alexander Hacke – bas, chitară, voce şi N.U. Unruh – instrumente originale, percuţii, voce, din componenţa originală au făcut parte şi două doamne: Beate Bartel şi Gudrun Gut. Acestea părăsesc grupul în 1981 şi sunt cooptaţi F.M. Einheit – percuţionist şi Mark Chung – bas, ambii anterior membrii formaţiei Abwärts. Acest line-up rezistă aproape 15 ani.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C16hjYO6X0c]
Despre Blixa Bargeld am vorbit recent Read more Einsturzende Neubauten – Strategies Against Architecture IV (2010)
