Barock Project

As always, a grateful hello and welcome back to the Concert Closet fellow progheads!  Our visit to Rome last week spending time with Inior was fun and stimulating--which got me to thinking (something that usually leads to trouble).  Although I tend to call the UK my second home when it comes to progressive music, my search for all things prog has revealed some truly superb bands in Italy.  Since the Concert Closet is already here, why not extend our stay seven more days and see what else lurks in the Italian section of the prog garden?

Traveling north from Rome, I take the Concert Closet to the Modena region where I discover the invigorating sounds of Barock Project.  Describing themselves simply enough as "...a symphonic rock band..."  leaves a lot to the imagination--and the headphones.  Symphonic sounds range from Gentle Giant to The Trans-Siberian Orchestra to ELP to The Moody Blues to Glass Hammer to...you get my point.  An adjective that by simple definition is not so simply defined.

OK; so as is my wont in this situation, I saunter to the buffet with a grandiose gait.  The first offering served up on the carving board is a strong cut called "Coffee in Neukolln."  As expected/anticipated, delicate piano work begins the march to some strong keyboards.  I detect some top notes of Flim & The BB's and an aromatic whiff of Gregorian Rock.  Barock Project hops on the mood elevator and pushes all the buttons...emotions ride high and crash hard.  The vocals are Boz Scaggs smooth...I can almost feel the velvet surround me...two weeks in Italy for the win...

The second course is a bit more grandiose; "Overture."  Keith Emerson's ears must be burning as keyboards are hurled through he headphones at lightning speed.  I get the sense of riding the dark horse on a merry-go-round as the calliope ups the tempo...you are torn between needing to step off and wanting to go even faster.  Barock Project doesn't paint with bright colors here--they fire paint balls at the canvas and admire their handiwork.

Liner Notes...Barock Project hails from the aforementioned Modena region of Italy and currently consists of Luca Zabbini, composer, keyboard player and backing vocalist, Luca Pancaldi on lead vocals, Marco Mazzuoccolo on guitar, and Eric Ombelli on drums.  The essence of  the Barock Project is to bring classical, jazz, and rock together creating a more structured sound while revamping 70's era prog-rock.  I guess re-inventing the wheel wasn't challenging enough...

Ten plus years and four albums later, Barock Project continues to stretch the boundaries of the prog garden.  Keyboards ranging from the intimate to the extravagant encased in opera-strong vocals that blaze a trail held upright by strong guitar work...and the entire venture is built on a foundation of drums and percussion bursting through at just the right places.  Barock Project hits fast and with extreme passion, much like sheets of rain  blown horizontal by a blustery wind on a fall September day...

Platter number three from this week's progfeast is an in-depth poignant piece called "Akery." The opening piano builds a wall of emotion that starts slowly...and while you feel each brick being laid into place, you are bracing for the wrecking ball--but it hits with a non-lethal whack leaving only a slight mark on the inner lining of your ear drums.  Barock Project stands tall in the symphonic section of the prog garden, resonating just fine with the standard bearers.  If Atomic Rooster had a brightly colored alter-ego, Barock Project would be it.

The clip posted below was chosen to offer but a glimpse through the kaleidoscope that is Barock Project.  The song is called "Fool's Epilogue" and gives the listener  the opportunity to appreciate the versatility Barock Project brings to the prog garden.  Learn more about the band at http://www.barockproject.it/.  Of course, you can further scratch the itch by following them on Twitter, @BAROCKPROJECT and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/barockproject?_rdr=p.

Well fellow progheads, these past two weeks in Italy were the fastest moving fourteen days in recent memory.  Barock Project brought Italian progressive rock full circle for me; the metal of Dream Theater, symphonic wizardry of ELP and TSO,  and the ornate soundscapes of  Yes and Gentle Giant.  Barock Project is sure about who they are and not afraid to fill a room with sound.  The prog garden needs more of what Barock Project brings...youthful maturity.  They have done their due diligence and are not content being the caboose--they are the steam engine melting the rails.  So before I leave Italy to continue the search for all things prog, perhaps one last shot of Italian symphonic...salud.  Until next week...
 

Inior

Hello again fellow progheads!  Now that everyone has their own copy of "Outer Light, Inner Darkness" by The Aaron Clift Experiment, it is time to pack up the Concert Closet and continue the search for all things prog.  This week we log some serious air miles heading from Texas, USA to Rome, Italy and the exciting sounds of Inior.

Classifying themselves as "...a contemporary progressive rock band..." seems a bit vague...so naturally I am only too happy to dig deeper, peel back the layers of that onion, and discover what lurks in the heart of Inior.  As they say, prog blogging isn't just a job--it's an adventure...

My search for all things prog has thus far revealed a few surprises, among them that most Italian prog bands lean toward the metal side of the garden.  Inior is no exception; however this is a band that sees metal through a different lens.  Inior is--like most things Italian--heavy on the ornate.  However, they do it without being ostentatious...laying it out with loud colors and multiple layers of sound while avoiding the "look at me" bravado.  So let us stride confidently to the buffet and sample the offerings...

The first song this week is a smooth, eclectic piece called "From Blue to Red."  The opening riff brings with it strong hints of what Steely Dan jamming with Weather Report might sound like.
Strong guitars are backed by solid drumming while dark vocals seep in through a crack at the base of your right ear.  Leaping through moods like a tiger through a flaming hoop at the circus, Inior taps into strong emotions here, stirring images and memories time tried for years to bury...

Striding back to the buffet for another serving, I am rewarded with "Dust," a tune with a more somber underside.  Inior smooths out the bumps on this piece, hitting with pulled punches and kicking with soft shoes.  Vocals start a race around the perimeter of your inner skull, darting to and fro as if being chased.  The song builds on that Italian ornate theme, layering keyboards and vocals on top of subtle guitar work held together by drumming that keeps everyone accountable.  Inior paints with a bright brush and is not afraid to expose darkness to the light.

Liner Notes...Inior is Flavio Stazi on lead vocals, Marco Berlenghini on guitar and vocals, Domenico Dante on bass, Daniel Mastrovito on keyboards, and Daniele Pomo on drums.  Hailing from Rome, Italy, Inior began in the prog world circa 2003 as Apple Device, the brainchild of Marco and Flavio. Performing gigs, building a sound, honing their skills, and (of course) going through the obligatory line-up changes that are the growing pains and life experiences of many a band led to the disintegration of Apple Device in 2011...and the birth of Inior in 2013.

The main focus of Inior is the concept album--a staple in the prog world.  The band released their debut album, "Hypnerotomachia" in November 2014.  Loosely translated as "the fight for love in a dream," the album focuses on the the human journey and the disgregation of appearances from society to inner self.  Yes; deep run the roots that  nurture the music growing in the rich soil of the prog garden...    

My final selection for review from this elaborate buffet is called "Starslave."  Once again Inior opens with a sound as smooth as a suede jacket.  Top notes of Yes permeate this tune, and I pick up aromas of The Alan Parsons Project wafting in the air.  The vocals delicately pierce the soft wall of sound Inior has built within the song...painting a mood of tranquility and inner peace.

The clip below is a deeper cut called "The Paper Ship." A mesmerizing piece that delves into the inner soul searching for a way out,  Inior goes way below the surface here yet you feel as though you are gliding on the glass-like surface of a still lake.  This is a band akin to a fine scotch; sip slowly and purposefully, take your time, and savor the experience.  Learn more about Inior at http://www.inior.it/en/ and discover their music at
https://itunes.apple.com/it/album/hypnerotomachia/id937202195.  Of course you can follow the band on Twitter @INIORofficial and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/inior.

Once again fellow progheads the search for all things prog has unearthed something remarkable.  The trip to Italy was seven days well spent; sounds to soothe and guide that search through inner self. Inior goes deep without going dark...ornate without being ghastly.

Italian prog is almost a genre unto itself and the prog garden is richer because of it.  Progressive rock has many facets...many sides.  Inior occupies a section of the prog garden that produces richer, more robust fruit.  Yet as delightful and eye opening as this week has been, it is time for the Concert Closet to make yet another discovery...until next week...
















   

The Aaron Clift Experiment, "Outer Light, Inner Darkness"

Welcome back one more time fellow progheads!  Autumn is about ready to step through the veil that was summer...leaves are turning, the AC no longer runs 24/7, and the sun gets switched off earlier each evening.  The world keeps spinning in greased grooves...which can only mean one thing--the search for all things prog continues!

This week a special treat for my loyal followers; I have been asked to review the latest release from The Aaron Clift Experiment.  Their new CD, "Outer Light, Inner Darkness" hits the streets Friday September 18th--a mere three days from today.  It was just about a year ago--to the very day--I posted an interview with Aaron Clift where he discussed a kickstarter campaign to raise money for the band's second album...suddenly the dream has become reality!

For those eager to immerse themselves right away, I have included a clip below that teases each song on the album; kinda like your favorite restaurant handing out free mini-samples of their dinner fare...luring you in with the promise of more...

When I started this blog  I wanted to discover new prog sounds and help thrust them on the masses...so let us not waste time but rather run to the prog buffet and check out all that Aaron Clift has to offer...

A self-proclaimed proghead myself, it only seems fitting and logical to start at the beginning. Dropping the laser on cut number one, a multi-layered piece called "Kissed by the Sun" starts the revelry--and disappointed I am not.  The drum/guitar/violin explosion is immediate as the headphones seem incapable of   handling all that is being thrust upon my auditory canals.  The canvas is splashed with bright colors on this tune, seeming to burst from every angle.  OK...the outer light is undeniably exposed...

My next selection is a more tranquil song called "Bathed in Moonlight."  Gray hues hit the canvas this time as soft vocals are caressed by delicate keyboards and a drumbeat sitting sentry at the gate. Guitars come in and move the tempo around yet keep true to the temperament of the song.  The Aaron Clift Experiment rides a mood and goes deep into emotional territory with this cut...and the inner darkness says hello...

Quick Liner Notes...The Aaron Clift Experiment hails from Austin,Texas and currently consists of lead vocalist, keyboard, organ, grand piano player and band founder Aaron Clift, Eric Gutierrez on guitar, Devin North on bass and double bass, and Joe Resnick sitting behind the drum kit.  The album also includes Oscar Dodier, Corina Santos, and Beahnam Arzaghi on violin, Michael Zahlit on viola, and Diana Burgess on cello.  OK...back to the music...

Selection number three has a bit of a Marillion vibe; "Fragments of Sleep."  The opening guitar riff has top notes that hint of vintage Thin Lizzy while the keyboards and drums provide just the right highlights. Aaron's vocals once again propel through the speakers in blasts much akin to that feeling of being tossed by rough waves in the ocean and you don't know which way is up.  This tune stretches the boundaries of the album; there is a distinct theme building on its own momentum--but "Fragments of Sleep" alters the trajectory.  Ah, the beauty of prog!

One more slice from the buffet this week; an upbeat full-color piece called "Aoide, Goddess of Song."  Another cut from the outer light side of the garden, this tune fills the air with aromas of Transatlantic infused with a toned down Pandora.  The experiment part of The Aaron Clift Experiment seems to be a rousing success thus far...

The clip below is the earlier reviewed "Kissed by the Sun."  Smart shoppers always test the merchandise before buying so go ahead; pop the hood and kick the tires...The Aaron Clift Experiment can handle the scrutiny.  Just be sure to take that next step and purchase the entire thing; one song does not a prog feast make.  Learn more and make that purchase at http://aaronclift.com/.  You can also follow the band on Twitter @AaronCliftMusic and check out the latest info on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AaronCliftMusic?fref=ts.  Rest assured; once you whet your appetite you will need the entire meal...

The Aaron Clift Experiment comes at you from the dark and the light...upbeat and a bit downtrodden. What leaps at me is the emotion these folks pour into their music.  On Outer Light, Inner Darkness, The Aaron Clift Experiment leaves nerves exposed and emotions laid out on their collective sleeves. The prog garden yields a variety of fruit; there is an abundance of different "sub-genres" if you will. The Aaron Clift Experiment isn't satisfied staying in one roped off section--they prefer to leap through the garden and taste it all...isn't that what experimenting is all about?

My final clip from the new album is called "Locked." The band wandered down a new path yet again with this one; I get a smooth jazz fusion feel a la Steely Dan.  Everything flows creamy smooth like a silk scarf carried by a soft breeze.  The tempo does pick up as the guitar takes center stage, but the hard edges are rounded off by the drums and vocals.  

Well fellow progheads, I hope you enjoyed this installment from the Concert Closet.  I enjoy album reviews because they allow me to go deeper into the music and wander further behind the curtain.  I get to do nothing but spend time listening to the heart and soul of a band.  The Aaron Clift Experiment laid it all out and asked me to take a look-see and have a listen...now it's your turn.

 Progressive rock continues to flourish and as long as bands like The Aaron Clift Experiment spring forth from the prog garden, my "work" will never end...until next week...

Electric Mud

A genuine hello and robust thank you for the return visit fellow progheads!  My, but wasn't our stop in Chicago most rewarding?  District 97 fired on all cylinders and my thirst for a "new classic" was sated.  The Concert Closet is now refueled, reloaded, and re-energized as the search for all things prog continues.  This week I set the GPS and turned on the auto pilot in preparation for a long trip to Germany and the haunting sounds of Electric Mud.

Electric Mud is like a panoramic view of progressive rock...you need that macro lens to really capture everything this band has to offer.  Electric Mud considers themselves a "...riff  'n' groove/prog 'n' blues...post-progressive rock band..."  The "post-progressive" moniker has been bantered about quite a bit recently; a term that can be almost as vague as it is precise.  Sometimes the search for all things prog takes unanticipated tangents...time to hop on the Autobahn and cruise around Germany with the radio cranked...

Cruising to the prog buffet this week I start with a plateful of a deep dark tune called "Canary in a Cathouse."  The logical side of my music memory takes an immediate hit when a futuristic version of "Bridge of Sighs" seems to be wafting through my headphones, rattling my eardrums, and oozing down my spine.  After the quizzical brow curl, I start to melt into the darkness that is this song. There is a definite Robin Trower influence--but there is also much more.  Electric Mud digs deep into the prog garden soil here...the guitar has that gritty, "cigarettes-and-whiskey" feel to it while the bass keeps a steadfast barrier around the entire piece.  Electric Mud is an adult dose--and fortunately I have my ID with me. Let's trudge further into the garden, shall we?

The next offering on the carving board is called "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame."  Electric Mud continues to fill the canvas with dark colors...the funk starts coming at you slow and determined...think Fire Garden with an Atlas Volt chaser.  I feel Mark Knofler channeling through on the steel guitar as well.  Solid drumming blends well with just the right amount of keyboard high notes to keep that fire from charring everything within earshot...

Electric Mud redefines fusion; whirling the emotional depths of Brian Eno with the fluid genius of Gentle Giant, and folding in the structured jazz stylings of Steely Dan while wrapping the entire creation in a dark mood swing that is Tool, you are well on your way down the prog garden path to the land of Electric Mud.

Liner Notes...Electric Mud is a relative prog newcomer, hailing from Springe/Hannover, Germany and coming to life sometime in 2011.  More a concept than simply just a band, the minds behind the madness that make Electric Mud are founder and only actual member Hagen Bretschneider on psychedelic bass and autistic sound concepts.  Nico Walser is credited with realizing the sound and performs schizoid synthesizers, guitars, bipolar sound consulting, and somnambulic engineering. Lennart Huper performs the manic guitar riffs, and Manfred Lohse put together the  neurotic videos. Credits as viewed through a different lens to say the least...

The final serving from this week's dark and heavy prog feast is another thought provoking piece called "Deadend Mind."  Immediate mind games as the song appears to end just as it begins; winding down with a slow and definite whoosh.  The somnambulism is just getting started however, as Electric Mud hits you from angles you never knew were there.  You feel the pulsating strobes bouncing off the inside of your head, and just when you realize some balance is back in your gait, another round of psychedelia batters your equilibrium as vertigo sends you reeling...

The music clip chosen for this week's viewing and listening pleasure is an exceptionally inquisitive song called "Black Dog."  Another episode of Electric Mud luring you in with extensive soundscapes and layered riffs, only to pummel the logical side of your brain with a cacophony of noise, rough textures, and the feeling of floating through a dark hollow.  Electric Mud is not a band for the faint of heart--but they do make music for the strong minded deep thinkers of the prog world.  Learn more about Electric Mud and broaden your prog horizons  at https://www.reverbnation.com/electricmud1
and https://soundcloud.com/electric-mud-1.  You can also follow the band on Twitter @Electricmudd
and of course...Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Electric-Mud/497175683678980.
Just remember to dim the lights, check behind the sofa, and pour a dark German draught,,,you'll want to make it a long night...

Another week, another prog band exposed to the masses...and the progressive rock education continues.  Electric Mud blends so many variations of the prog theme into a sound that hits with an authoritative thud, you almost need a shield.  But therein lies the rub; the darkness settles all around you but in such a way as to almost protect you from the chaos it causes.  Take some time and hunker down here in Deutschland and really listen to the music of Electric Mud; you'll be amazed at what you discover...

So as September continues to roll forward and seasons fall off the calendar, let us savor the bounty the prog garden has to offer and continue the search for all things prog...until next week...

District 97

Good evening once again fellow progheads!  The trip back from Peru was long, but the music on the flight was most enjoyable...Supay definitely put a fire in my belly for some deep, dark, adventurous prog that pays strong homage to the standard bearers.  Yes it's true--despite my zeal for the new I still have an addiction to the tried-and-true.  My search for all things prog has unearthed many gems and exposed an ever expanding prog garden with so much to offer I could get lost in the growth.

However, this week I need to feed my "classic" addiction...surely there is a band on the prog horizon with the energy and exuberance of youth coupled with the wisdom, ability, and professionalism of a band having decades in the studio and on the road.  With that thought process marinating in my head, it only makes sense that the Concert Closet should end up in the land of the blues--Chicago--for a seven day indulgence into the sounds of District 97.

District 97 is not your average up-and-coming progressive rock band.  Don't let their fresh innocence fool you; these kids have been around the block.  District 97 refers to themselves as "...the most musically adventurous band on the planet to feature an American Idol singer!"  I will admit that I was almost completely put off by that bio...but...District 97 has been endorsed by Bill Bruford, Roine Stolt, and John Wetton.  Mr. Wetton also performed with the band recording a live set that is available on CD.  Alright, I'm starting to be impressed...

This week there is a little extra "giddy" in my giddyup as I stride to the buffet to make my first selection.  I take a chance on a song called "Termites" and it happens to be a dandy.  The music comes right at you from the start, much like the onslaught of rushing water as the levee breaks. Intense is a fair descriptor; District 97 blows the doors wide open, steps back to survey the damage, and then proceeds to blow the doors wide open again.  This mood roller coaster careens around the perimeter of your cranium for just over six minutes--and ends as abruptly as it began.  District 97 oozes with passion and gusto; it is officially "wild ride week"!

The next tune offered up at this prog feast is called "Open Your Eyes."  Searing vocals hit you like rabbit punches and the pulsating drums put a little extra wallop in the fists--but no worries here...District 97 knows how to hit without hurting.  Guitar work that smooths the entire piece out while continuing to come at you from all sides melds perfectly with those vocals.  The song lands at your feet like a message in a bottle washed ashore after a storm...and you can't wait to tear into it.

District 97 has strong aromas of Transatlantic, Spock's Beard, and Liquid Tension Experiment wafting through their sound.  With additional top notes of Alan Parsons Project and Be Bop Deluxe, District 97 cuts a wide path through the prog garden.  Of course touring and cutting an album with John Wetton certainly adds a little "street cred" to the band's resume...

Liner Notes...brought to being in Chicago 2006, District 97 is the brainchild of drummer Jonathan Schang, keyboard player Rob Clearfield, Patrick Mulcahy on bass, and Sam Krahn on lead guitar. Sam ultimately left the band in 2009 to be replaced with current guitarist Jim Tashijian.  Realizing the need for "just the right" vocalist, the quartet decided on Leslie Hunt, she of the top 10 American Idol class of 2007.  I admittedly am not a fan of that show, but I can honestly say Leslie made the right move into prog when the world of pop handed her walking papers--this lady can sing...

My final selection for review this week is a cover of "21st Century Schizoid Man," from District 97's live 2014 release, "One More Red Night: Live in Chicago."  Featuring John Wetton on lead vocals, this version of the King Crimson classic has a bit more funk than the original yet captures the raw intensity KC put on vinyl back in '69.  Jonathan owns that drum kit and every member of the band not only holds their own, they come together as a solid unit beautifully.  District 97 is here to stay...

For the video clip this week, I chose a tune that brings together many of the parts making up the whole; a song called "Snow Country."  The acoustic opening and brief interludes throughout belie the strong foundation on which this song is built.  Heavy drumming and hard-hitting guitar work frame the dark, haunting vocals that cut through your skull like a circular saw working its way though masonry. Learn more about District 97 and make a purchase of their music at http://www.district97.net/ and http://district97.bandcamp.com/.  District 97 can also be followed on both Twitter @District97 and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/District-97/177600119086194.

OK fellow progheads, time once again to wrap up a seven day stint with an amazing band.  District 97 represents the past and future of progressive rock right here in the present.  While preferences, likes, and dislikes remain subjective, I have always been a firm believer that talent will ultimately trump opinion--and District 97 has the talent to meet the challenge.  Bridging the distance between the classic prog acts of yesterday and the up and coming prog bands of today is no easy feat--but it does help to have John Wetton on stage with you and Bill Bruford manning the PR machine.

This was a fun stop on the journey; while the music has soul and burns into the feeling part of your brain, it also has depth and that pre-requisite mind-grabbing ability.  Chicago is home to more than the blues, and now it is time to extend the search for all things prog...until next week...