Genre Peak

Hello once again fellow progheads!  Looking at the calendar you would believe summer is winding down...however looking at the thermometer it seems things are still sizzlin' just a bit...and the Concert Closet is still riding high on the search for all things prog.  This week, a bit more meandering as I continue my journey across the width and breadth of the prog garden.  Cutting though some deep growth, I find some acreage in the electronic section that needs attention...

California has always been a prog friendly state, so let us explore further.  Following the siren song that has been been toying with my inner ear, I am led to the Sacramento area; a hotbed of remarkable music, sounds, sights, and emotions...welcome to the world of Genre Peak.

Genre Peak paints themselves as "...electronic based cinematic music..."  My thoughts immediately wander to the "cool but not sure" corner of my brain...fortunately however; I decided to listen to the music before I listened to my cerebrum.  Join me now at the prog buffet for a platter filled with delectable morsels that will stimulate your senses...  

Deciding to dive right in, my first serving is an adult dose of "Hell on the Surface."  A dark curtain bathed in smoke draws back as vocals penetrate a mist wrapped in a drumbeat encased within some keyboard funk.  Sitting there, I sense aromatics wafting heavily toward a David Byrne/Brian Eno collaboration, with perhaps a tinge of Tom Waits roaming the perimeter.  The sound pulls you in for a closer examination as it bounces around the inside of your skull.  Genre Peak has tilled acreage in the prog garden that few have tended but many enjoy... 

Moving down the line for more, I fill the platter with "Body and Mind."  The song emerges gently, much like a bird breaking through its shell for the first time.  There is a calmness oozing from the headphones as I fall deeper into this song...and all the anxiety that has crept into my inner being is slowly melting away.  There are strong top notes of Robert Fripp in his soundscape days, and perhaps a touch of the Harold Budd/Brian Eno collaborations.  Genre Peak has prog roots that run extremely deep; there is so much happening when laser hits disc...

Liner Notes...the man behind the genius that is Genre Peak is one Martin Birke.  Born in 2005, the original line up of Genre Peak was Martin on electronic percussion, synthesizers, and vocals, Dan Panasenko on Chapman Stick, Stephen Sullivan on guitars, and Christopher Scott Cooper on guitar as well as engineering and mixing.  

Following the release of the band's first album in 2006, Martin decided to "tweak" Genre Peak; the three albums that followed were cooperatives recorded with guest performers...this impressive list includes Mick Karn and Gustaf Fjelstrom on bass, Tara C. Taylor on vocals, and Benito Cortez on violin.  Genre Peak has also worked with Jon Hassell, Arve Henriksen, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri, Matt Malley, and the list goes on...  

Along with heading up Genre Peak, Martin splits time with two side projects; Hardboiled Wonderland with Chris Cooper and Percy Howard, and 9 Microspheres, a completely ambient undertaking with Stephen Sullivan.  Martin Birke and Genre Peak have stretched the boundaries of the prog garden in that they have no fear, no limits, and an infinite supply of creativity; a never ending blank canvas on which to convey emotions, expressions, moods, and feelings.  They leave nothing yet everything to the imagination.

My final selection for review is from Genre Peak's latest album, "Your Sleekest Engine."  The song is called "Denizen Darklight" and the opening drum work  wastes no time going straight to your spine as it leads techno vocals through the labyrinth of your mind via the auditory canals.  Genre Peak continues to paint with dark colors--but the variations fluctuate and contrast to a degree that is most extraordinary; the darkness is all around but there is a brightness burning through that melts away the gloom and destruction, leaving you eager to pursue this avenue further.

The song posted below is from Genre Peak's 2006 release called "Ends of the Earth."  The song "Always Empty" was chosen for a few reasons.  First; being a cut from the band's initial release it is incredibly tight.  The sound roams across the prog garden in every direction yet manages to stay focused.  The percussion sits back just far enough for the vocals to intertwine with the synthesizers, melting down the back of your neck like hot fudge dripping off the sundae bowl...

Learn more about Genre Peak at Genre Peak and follow the band on Twitter @GenrePeak1.  Genre Peak also has a Facebook page at GP Facebook that will expose you to more about the band; upcoming shows, new releases, video clips, and downloads.  

Genre Peak music is available on iTunes and Amazon, and I encourage all progheads to buy the music and show support for Genre Peak and all members of the prog garden...please and 

thank you...

                 

Well fellow progheads, summer continues her relentless march toward the end of the calendar--even though the mercury stays high in the thermometer.  Hard to believe 2016 has passed the halfway marker heading into turn three.  So let's slow down the pace and enjoy the time with Genre Peak. This is a band with a full palette of prog to offer.  Despite setting up camp in the electronic/cinematic/soundscape section of the prog garden, Genre Peak crosses into many
sub-genres and blends them so well.  The mood hangs dark but the sound is enormous and
full-bodied.  Being a cooperative opens a gateway for so many emotions, styles, tempos, and attitudes to leave their mark on the music and the band...just one more way progressive rock stays ahead of the pack.

The calendar refuses to stop and so too does the search for all things prog.  The Concert Closet continues the never ending journey as we discover more gems hidden in the garden.  Until next week...

Looking Glass Lantern

Welcome back to the journey fellow progheads!  As August redefines the "dog days," the sun continues to melt Mother Earth.  So to stay cool, I simply take the Concert Closet to another destination in the land known as the prog garden in the search for all things prog.  This week it seems a bit of time travel may have aided my search, as I find myself in the UK listening to the symphonic, hypnotic, and somewhat nostalgic sounds of Looking Glass Lantern.

Looking Glass Lantern is self-described as "Progressive rock with a nineteenth-century flavor." Knowing the UK is home to many a fantastic prog band, and combining that with my insatiable thirst for the new, different, and distinctive sounds that emerge from the prog garden, I am turning back the hands of time so as to delve deeper into the mystique that is Looking Glass Lantern...

Perhaps the curtain was lifted a bit with the image posted above; Looking Glass Lantern fuses classic prog with the essence and aura of Victorian England.  The resulting flavor is a twist on more than one tradition...

To open the prog buffet, I choose a full serving of the title cut from the first album, "A Tapestry of Tales."  The song opens in grand fashion; you feel yourself being drawn back to a different era...the intricate sounds interwoven with soft vocals. There are strong top notes of Alan Parsons Project and hints of early Genesis throughout this piece.  Looking Glass Lantern has captured a piece of the past here; there is an upbeat tempo wrapped around a narrative...quite the novel approach and extremely appealing...

Moving through the prog garden, I come across another interesting morsel, "A Scandal in Bohemia."
Hearing what appears to be a trend, I am immersed in another opening that peels the curtain back on a symphonic cornucopia. The drums sit just below the surface as keyboards and vocals throw colors at the canvas that meld together into something that would make Peter Max proud.  I pick up top notes of King Crimson's "Lizard" and perhaps a touch of Yes in their "Tormato" days...the music flows like raspberry coulis cascading gently down the sides of a cheesecake...yes please...

Liner Notes...Looking Glass Lantern is the creation of Graham Dunnington, who resides in the UK...a vague home address I grant you, but he nonetheless does his birthplace proud.  Graham put together two "concept" albums of a sort; both dealing with the life and adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his friend/sidekick, Dr. Watson.  While the Arthur Conan Doyle stories are well known and there have been several movies made, nothing quite like Graham's musical interpretation has previously pierced my auditory canals.

After performing with a prog band that is now defunct, the multi-instrumental Mr. Dunnington went on a solo bent under the Looking Glass Lantern banner, releasing "A Tapestry of Tales" in 2013 and "The Hound of the Baskervilles" the following year.  Setting up camp in the symphonic section of the prog garden, Graham has followed a trail blazed by the Alan Parsons Project with "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" in 1976...and while there are similarities, Looking Glass Lantern has wandered off the beaten path, taking the music to a more grandiose level.

My last serving from this ornate buffet is the title cut from "The Hound of the Baskervilles."  The opening is a bit dark and dreary; much like the story it reflects.  There is a sense of royalty flowing through the headphones on this piece; the keyboards lay on top of fine tuned drumming like cream in a milk bottle before homogenization buries it within.

Therein lies the intrigue; Looking Glass Lantern is a modern day throwback to days reflected best in mirrored chandeliers and claw foot furniture...everything seems so proper and majestic.  The harpsichord helps drive the point home, topped with vocals as fragile as a wine goblet.

Learn more about Looking Glass Lantern at Looking Glass Lantern...there you will find much to quell your curiosity.  You can also follow along, keep up with new releases, and hold an ear out for musings and such on Twitter @glass_lantern.  Looking Glass Lantern is available on Spotify, and Graham has set up a YouTube channel as well.  However; I encourage all my fellow progheads to show support for Looking Glass Lantern (and all prog bands) by purchasing their music.

The cut posted below--intended to pique your curiosity as well as whet your appetite-- is called "Six Pearls to Mary."  This song leaps through the headphones with proper thrust...intended to wake you for the "gentle" ride home.  The Victorian side of the music shines brightly on this piece...perhaps I should invest in a harpsichord...

                          


Well fellow progheads, I trust you enjoyed this week's futuristic walk through the past.  As summer begins to fade from the calendar, the sunsets can be striking--much like this stroll through a new section of the prog garden.  The biggest impression Looking Glass Lantern made for me is the connection between story and song.  Readers of Arthur Conan Doyle's works will notice the uncanny emotional  connection the written word has with the music.  More than simply bringing pages to life, Looking Glass Lantern paints with brush strokes that give the stories a pulse.

More surprises await I am quite certain, hiding in plain sight as the Concert Closet scours the planet in the search for all things prog.  As always, it is my pleasure and honor to bring to you my fellow progheads the new, different, distinct, undiscovered, and uncommon sounds that abound here in the prog garden.  So of course, the journey continues...until next week...

House of Not

Warm "Dog Days of Summer" greetings fellow progheads!  The mercury refuses to settle down into the belly of the thermometer, which is fitting because the prog garden has been exceptionally hazy, hot, and humid while the search for all things prog continues on.  This week I decided to take yet another tangent and post a new episode of "...and now for something completely different..."  In a meager attempt to cool off during this heat wave, the Concert Closet treks north to visit friends in the cozy tundra known as Canada...welcome to the world of House of Not.

House of Not is a prog band on a mission; a five album odyssey actually, with three of said albums recorded and available for your enjoyment.  Record number four is due later this year, and the finale that rounds out the "trilogy plus two" is due later in the future.  The mission seems as simple as it is complex and grandiose; release a five album concept/odyssey chronicling the life/journey of one A. Nexter Niode.  Now my interest is piqued...my curiosity needle tilting toward red....

Giving in to my minor OCD affliction, I start with the first album, "Off the Path"  and continue the trend with the first song from said album, "Force of Nature."  The concept begins with a strong instrumental piece...do I hear a didgeridoo?  The drums get your pulse rate up as the keyboards and background vocals lay the groundwork for an inner cranium blast. Top notes of Spock's Beard flow through this piece like warm threads of caramel wrapping around an apple. House of Not has taken the first step...let the trek continue...

Diving into album number two entitled, "Sexus," I line the laser up on a cut called, "Is That the Best You Can Do?"  The opening is cautionary; almost surreal as the tempo builds slowly and purposefully. Vocals are haunting at first, then they move into the accusatory.  I get a sense of the original Jesus Christ Superstar release...a melodic, wide-open, emotional outpouring filling the canvas with bright colors that are explosive, exciting, and defiant all at once.  House of Not expands the journey and takes the listener deeper into the prog garden as Nexter comes of age.  I detect aromatics of Transatlantic and a hint of Roxy Music in this piece.

Liner Notes...House of Not hails from Toronto, Canada and the mastermind behind the entire project is one Brian Erikson.  Brian created and wrote the music, plays keyboards, performs vocals, and arranges orchestration...not too many hats.  Brian is joined by Ken O'Gorman on guitars, mixing, and production, and Eric Stever on guitars and FX.  The trio is accompanied by a myriad of guest performers and contributors; the who's who list includes Dee Brown, Dione Taylor, Stan Miczek, Troy Feener, Lou Roppoli, and Omar Ales.

Begun in 2002, the House of Not Project is an ongoing saga with Parts I, II, and III already released, and Part IV due before the sand falls out of the hourglass that is 2016.  With this "progventure," House of Not isn't just filling a canvas with pictures--they are creating an entire art book; a music portfolio of sorts.  House of Not has taken a unique approach to the concept album with this endeavor.  While the story may be complete, it has not been totally shared with the world; rather it is being brought to life in five distinct stages--a vast undertaking. Compelling orchestration and a strong foundation make this "pentalogy" a worthwhile journey.

My final selection for review this week is a cut from Part III, "On the Madness of Crowds."  The song is called "Was It As Good For You?"  The blues overtones drip from this cut like honey from the dripper...and just as seductively.  The vocals cut through you layer by layer, exposing your heart and then gently caressing it while it beats.  The background horns are understated just enough to keep you drawn in like moth to flame.  The album is worth purchasing for this cut alone...

Learn more about House of Not and this prog rock odyssey at House of Not.  There is also a Facebook page where you can check out their latest releases and keep up with the status of the journey at House of Not FB.  Be in the know when Part IV, "Evergone & The Immaculate Spectacular," hits the streets later this year.  Of course, you can also follow the band on Twitter at @HouseofNot .

The clip below is another from the House of Not's latest release, called "Running With the Crowd." Furthering the chronicles of Nexter, this piece has a more upbeat tempo, reminiscent of Alan Parsons Project with a shot of 10CC floating on top of the shot glass.  House of Not travels the entire prog garden as they roll out their story; storming through the metal section, waltzing through the melodic section, and traversing ever so delicately through the classic section.  House of Not has created a hybrid of sorts, all the while tilling up their own acreage.  

And that, fellow progheads, is another chapter written in the search for all things prog.  House of Not was a bit of a departure this week...a break from the norm in that the band has a story to tell and is in the process of doing just that.  The ability to cross over so many sub-genres in the prog garden while painting a vivid, dramatic, and vibrant canvas makes the concept/odyssey all the more intriguing. Just one more reason to set up a comfortable chair under an umbrella and bask in the richness and beauty that abounds in the prog garden.

Carrying on the search for all things prog, the Concert Closet refuses to rest on its laurels, preferring to continue the journey...until next week...

Sir Chronicles

Hello and thanks for coming back, fellow progheads!  A week sitting oceanside was just what the prog doctor ordered...and now the search for all things prog resumes.  Continuing the journey after a seven day sojourn, I decided to take the Concert Closet on a return trip to Italy, a progressive music "mecca" of sorts.  This week I spent time enjoying the melodic, captivating sounds of Sir Chronicles.

Billing themselves as a "...prog/rock and fusion project..." Sir Chronicles peels back the outer layer of your cerebellum so as to delve that much deeper into your consciousness...striking you in the center of your thought process.

Having been away from the prog buffet, I am eager to get started, so let us saunter up and grab that first serving; a platter filled with "Tears of Love."  The opening storm peppered with the barking of stray dogs prepares you for a dark, cautious walk down a rain soaked alley.  The bass line wakes your inner gate-keeper, but there is little cause for alarm--this storm is not life threatening.  Top notes of  Under the Psycamore come through delicately, blending with hints of Radiohead as Sir Chronicles fills the canvas with various pale to dark hues...

Going back for more, Sir Chronicles serves up a mind teaser called "Disturbing."  Waiting for the intro, you begin to feel a swarm of bees haunting you from the inside...and then the drums take over. As the music builds its strength, the swarming never fully subsides--but it is overtaken by strong gusts of guitar and bass.  This song is a heavy hitter with aromatics of the Crimson ProjeKct wafting through.  Listening once more just to feel the electricity travel my spine, I sense a Flim & The BB's vibe here as well.  Sir Chronicles tends to acreage in the prog garden usually hit with heavy rain as the sunset begins to dull the skyline...not so much a profound darkness as simply the next stage in the cycle...and that bass line has a scent of Stanley Clarke...

Liner Notes...Sir Chronicles hails from one my favorite prog hotspots, Italy.  Bra, in the Piedmont region, Province of Cuneo to be a bit more precise.  Band members are Alessandro Bordino on bass guitar and keyboards, Edoardo Barbero on guitar, Ettore Coraglia on keyboards and mastering, and Efrem Note on drums.  Relative newcomers to the prog garden, Sir Chronicles is in the process of recording eight original tunes, all written and composed by founding member Alessandro.

Bringing a new perspective to the prog garden, Sir Chronicles takes the listener into deeper but not necessarily rugged terrain...the thinking person's prog you might say...notice their logo.  Sir Chronicles furrows deep into the auditory recesses that lie dormant in so many...kicking at your slumbering unconsciousness...

The last serving this week is a live  cut called "Sbrigidi."  The acoustics are not the best, but the piece is worthy of a listen.  Sir Chronicles tends to move in for the kill after setting you up for the attack...slowly moving around you with methodical precision.  However; on this song they burst through with a bit more fervor up front and then back peddle--just a bit.  The bass has a special place in this band; it stands front and center in most of their music...and while Chris Squire may be smiling down from prog heaven, this does not equate to Sir Chronicles being a one-trick pony.  This is a band that has chops and is tending their own acreage in the prog garden quite nicely, thank you very much.

Learn more about Sir Chronicles at their website, Sir Chronicles.  Social media links include the usual Facebook at SC Facebook, where you can check out the band's music, tour dates, and other information, and Twitter @AlessandroRiche to keep up with the band's latest musings.  Sir Chronicles also has a YouTube channel at SC YouTube where you can hear not only their music, but also discover what motivates and inspires them.   
    
I chose the clip below for your listening pleasure and education this week, "Genova City."  Once again the bass sits upright and bold as Alessandro channels Jaco Pastorius this time.  This song takes you through the streets on a smooth and steady ride, handling oncoming traffic and chaos like a Hummer at a Bumper Car carnival ride.  Sir Chronicles may be youthful both as a band and in terms of its members; but here youth is not wasted on the young.  Enjoy the ride and don't worry about the airbag deploying...you are safe here...  


                           

Well  fellow progheads, we find ourselves once again at the end of a an incredible week...seven days filled with impressive prog created by another "uncovered gem" from the prog garden.  The search for all things prog is back on track and continues to bring you the prog garden's finest.  Getting the Concert Closet back on the trail, I am off to find yet another undiscovered treasure...until next week...