up-and-coming prog band that I believed showed signs of an ascending trajectory...turns out I was right...
I am happy to report that Sir Chronicles continues to mature and asked me to reprieve my earlier review of their music now that they have gone back to the studio and re-worked their songs into a complete album. More than happy to go back for a second helping when the first offering was so delectable...
Let's get the party started with "Tears of Love." A quick stormy opening lead is the backdrop for a rather dark instrumental piece...the mood is fitting as the music rains down the inside of your skull like an all day spring shower, complete with gloomy skies and and a punishing wind. The guitar picks up the tempo but the canvas remains dark; the penetrating drums serving mainly to exacerbate the downtrodden ambiance. Sir Chronicles waves a dark brush across the underside of the listener's eyelids and a powerful mood is born...
Moving farther along the serving line, I am struck abruptly by "Genova City." The opening bass line clashes with a lead guitar/drum cacophony that leads to an instrumental rumba sauntering through your mind. Strong top notes of Seven Impale and Under the Psycamore permeate the room with perhaps a hint of Beardfish floating on top like so much foam on a mug of ale...
Liner Notes...Sir Chronicles is currently a two-man operation made up of Alessandro Bordino on guitars and bass, and Efrem Nota on drums. This "dynamic duo" have done quite a bit since first appearing in the prog garden. Their initial recordings earned them early praise, several awards, and the start of a loyal following; the decision to re-work and fine tune their music into an EP puts the emphasis on a commitment to their craft. Many bands go through the growing pains of personnel changes, identity issues, and just plain attracting an audience...but talent, skill, and aptitude tend to outweigh chance...
Sir Chronicles is that lesson in determination, grit, and talent. Today it seems almost anyone can release music to the masses and set up a YouTube or Spotify account. What separates the contenders from the pretenders is a desire to do what it takes and the refusal to give up and go home--along with the ability to back it up. Sir Chronicles invites you the listener into their world...where they tend acreage in the dark, brooding, introspective section of the prog garden.
One more cut to review tonight; "Metronomy." Opening with a bit of a funky bass line, this piece is much more uptempo than what I have been exposed to thus far...and it is a nice rabbit hole to wander down. With top notes of a Jaco Pastorius/Narada Michael Walden jam session, the jazz fusion club is in full swing. Sir Chronicles puts on a display here that peels back the curtain a bit, exposing their ability to change direction and cruise across the prog garden in funky style.
Hopefully your curiosity has been aroused...your intrigue spiked. The urge to get the debut release from Sir Chronicles can be scratched at iTunes, Sir Chronicles iTunes and Soundcloud,
Sir Chronicles SC. You can also follow the band on Facebook Sir Chronicles FB and Twitter
@AlessandroRiche. Sir Chronicles even has a YouTube channel Sir Chronicles YT so you can not only catch their music, but dial into what inspires them as well.
This week I decided on the song "Sbrigidi" for your listening pleasure/temptation. The sound is definitely crisper and cleaner this go 'round, and Alessandro's and Efrem's affinity for the jazz side of the prog garden is once again on display. Of course on this cut the duo "takes it up a notch" as it were, bringing the ornate Italian flare so many bands from that area are known for. Sir Chronicles hits you right from the get-go and gets your adrenaline racing...there is an Al DiMeola vibe crawling through the headphones as Sir Chronicles peels back yet another layer of the onion...
So fellow progheads, as we creep ever closer to the finish line of 2017 I am deeply pleased by all the new music I have heard this year and sincerely appreciative of the opportunity to bring it all to you. Sir Chronicles has been an especially fun week in The Closet Concert Arena as I have been afforded the chance to listen to the band's refined sound. Having heard them come full circle, I can say with absolute certainty that Sir Chronicles should be a name to remember...and a band not to forget.
And as we say every seven days in the prog garden, the search for all things prog continues on...until next week...
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