Supay

As always, welcome back fellow progheads!  The dog days are almost behind us, which means autumn is beginning to awaken from her slumber.  School is just about back in session, and what better way is there to ring in the educational new year than with a field trip searching for all things prog?  So get ready and climb aboard the Concert Closet for a seven day adventure to Peru as we bask in the prog fusion sounds of Supay.

Supay is self-described as "...a prog-fusion rock band."  Simple enough, but how to define the "fusion" thing?  Many a band uses that moniker deflect attention from their inability to put a real sound together.  As we disembark the Concert Closet let us delve deeper into this "prog-fusion" thing and decide for ourselves...

The first offering from the buffet this week is an intricate slice of music called "Alma."  The opening conjures the vision of a smoke filled amphitheater as strong guitar work fills the air, strutting about like a peacock in full plumage.  Not to be outdone, the drums roll in steadily and take the mood on a bit of a slow-down ride.  Suddenly your auditory senses are hit with some marvelous woodwinds and keyboards.  Supay brings a complete ensemble to the buffet; quite refreshing.  Looks like the lights will be dim for several days...

Strolling back to the buffet for a second helping, I am lured to one of the most captivating pieces I have heard in a while; a song called "Senales."  The ocean tide opening is like a siren song mesmerizing you with a pan flute that bores deep into your inner being.  When the guitars, keyboards, and percussion move in you just know the next nine minutes are going to be special. Supay has an arsenal of  weapons at their disposal and they seem very much willing and able to use them at any given moment.  I pick up strong top notes of Transatlantic and Spock's Beard in this tune...a cloud of  tranquil chaos hangs over the entire arrangement like so many streamers at a college reunion.  You feel yourself getting caught in the mood yet able to realize there is something special dancing across your ears right now...

Liner Notes...Supay pitches their main tent in Lima, Peru and is presently comprised of Giomar Camino on classic, native, and Andean woodwinds, Luis Proano on guitar, Luis Medina on bass, Alberto Benites behind the drum kit, and Gustavo Valverde on keyboards and virtual instruments. Officially started in 2000 as a trio, Supay has gone through the proverbial growing pains and learning curves that occur in the life of a band.  Over the ensuing fifteen years Supay has released three albums, each taking an off-shoot from the previous, exploring soundscapes, imagery, and emotion. Supay does in fact dig deep--just as their name implies.  Supay is a Quechua word referring to a figure from Inca mythology symbolizing the duality that governs nature.  Yes, the prog mind runs deep...very deep...and deeper still....

Serving number three for review this week is haunting, tribal-like cut called "La Nueva."  A peaceful flute opening leads the listener down a serene path to what feels like the first rays of morning sun cutting through a dense fog.  The drums carry the weight of the guitars quite nicely.  I get a "Stanley Clarke meets Al Di Meola" vibe from this piece.  Supay serves up yet another nine minutes of bustling calm...so much happening in such a smooth manner...

I chose this week's musical interlude in an attempt to give some insight into the world that is Supay. The comforting flute once again takes the lead, painting a calming picture akin to the looking glass stillness of a lake.  But just as you settle in with that snifter of brandy, along comes a flock of geese to break the serenity--the mood and tempo move that quickly.  Supay seems to enjoy playing with your senses, so you may as well take it all in while getting to know them better.  There are two Facebook pages related to the band, https://www.facebook.com/SupayProgRock and   https://www.facebook.com/supay.rock?_rdr=p. You can also follow Supay on Twitter
@Supay_progrock.  While you're at each internet stop, check out the artwork...

Supay cuts a wide swath through the prog garden, traipsing through much of the vintage section while not neglecting the eclectic, theatrical, and jazz-fusion sections.  Take the sounds of Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, early Genesis, Vanilla Fudge, add a dash of Spirit, and a shot of Atomic Rooster, and the depth of Supay is within your grasp.  Seven days in Peru winds down as the search for all things prog continues...until next week...

Progoctopus

Hello fellow progheads!  Thanks for coming back; my beach time has come to an end and I am diligently searching for all things prog.  Feeling all refreshed and having a little extra oomph in my giddyup , I thought I would start the second half of 2015 with a band that meets similar criteria--gotta be something fresh and alive. Having spent the previous fortnight enjoying the Atlantic Ocean along the New England coast, I decided to take the Concert Closet to (where else?) England hoping to unearth a band with high energy, haunting vocals, and the ability to fill the headphones with a full, vibrant sound. Thus I find myself in Birmingham filling my ears with the raucous musings of Progoctopus...

Progoctopus defines their music as "...infectious and melodic prog rock/metal..."  Having been away for fourteen days--an eternity in the prog blogosphere--this simple intro has whet my appetite for a full dose...so let's delay no longer as we step with a bit of a ravenous appetite to the prog buffet...

The initial serving placed on the platter is song called "Transcendence."  I am letting the laser continue through parts one and two for the sake of both this blog and my personal listening pleasure. The music opens with a 70's talk show feel...you are teased with a vocal ditty that bleeds straight into a rambunctious onslaught of guitars and drums bouncing freely around the perimeter of your inner skull.  However; the hammer blows are somewhat pulled--there is no "death smack" here...just a continuous series of roundhouses.  The mood hops around quickly too...top notes of Transatlantic melt into A Formal Horse vibe blending itself with some Amoenus.  Progoctopus manages to bounce around inside your cranium causing just enough mayhem to make you want more.  Ahhh, it's great to be back at the search for all things prog!

Round two is a more thought provoking piece called "Like Stone."  The acoustic guitar that peels back the initial layer fades into vocals floating across a tranquil landscape.  Progoctopus travels a road more akin to Under the Psycamore and Autumn Moonlight this time around. Starting to make a mental connection with the name of the band and the many facets of their music...take your time, I'll wait...feel the grasp now?

Liner Notes...Progoctopus roams the aforementioned Birmingham, England and is comprised of Jane Gillard on lead vocals, Alistair Bell on guitar, piano, and vocals, Samuel C.Roberts on bass, and Tim Wilson on drums, pads, and vocals.  The band formed some time around November 2014 and released their initial EP, "Transcendence" this past May.  One listen will have you checking your math skills; just three songs...really?!  Progoctopus has a sound that is difficult to hang on a single hook as they meander through several sections of the prog garden; metal, jazz fusion, neo-progressive, and a splash of art rock.  Progoctopus is a band that feels comfortable in its own skin so to speak...all the while still growing into it.

My final selection coincides with the final offering Progoctopus has on the EP; a bumpy ride of a tune called "Carousel."  For those looking for that symphonic/electric/slide down the rabbit hole groove...look no further.  A little rapid-fire guitar work encased in biting vocals never hurt either...
Progoctopus seems to enjoy romping through the prog garden leaving their mark and gathering strength and energy.  Progoctopus is a band on the move...remember when Dick Clark used to say, "Number four with a bullet!"?

For your auditory pleasure this week, I bring to you a prog buffet sampling of your own; an EP preview.  Progoctopus lays it all out for you the listener; go ahead and pop the hood, kick the tires, check out the interior--and for gosh sakes soak in that new prog smell!   Learn more about Progoctopus at http://progoctopus.com/ and https://soundcloud.com/progoctopus.  Make your purchase at http://progoctopus.bandcamp.com/releases.  As is the norm in these social media times, Progoctopus can be followed on Twitter @progoctopusuk  and the ever popular Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/progoctopus

Once again I thank you fellow progheads for coming back to the Concert Closet; I believe  the wait was well worth it and hope you agree.  Progoctopus represents yet another cross-section of what is proving to be a crowded, changing landscape in the prog garden.  The standard bearers will always be there; King Crimson, Yes, Rush, Porcupine Tree, Camel, et al have proven time again progressive rock is a living, evolving thing.  Bands like Progoctopus move into the garden, take root, and build on that life source. We the listeners discern for ourselves what moves and motivates us.  Just one more reason to relish all that is prog rock and continue the search for all things prog...until next week...