Majestic

As always, it is a pleasure to have you back fellow progheads!  If this is your first foray into The Closet Concert Arena I hope you enjoy the view, the sound, and keep coming back for more!  This week the search for all things prog continues the mission of bringing the lesser known, toiling away, extremely talented yet for the most part unknown prog bands to the forefront.  To scratch that itch, I took the Concert Closet to Minnesota for some deep listening with Majestic.

Referring to themselves as a progressive rock recording project, Majestic tills acreage in the symphonic section of the prog garden.  Falling into the "been around awhile and still flying low under the radar" category, Majestic released their first album "Arrival" in 2009 and followed that up with seven more releases through 2015 (eight if you count "Epsilon" I and II separately).  A respectable resume, so let us find out  what lurks beneath the surface waiting to burst through the rich prog soil...

In keeping with tradition I will start the buffet with "Arrival;"  gotta stick to the timeline!  A truly beautiful piece...the opening takes me immediately to the dawning of a new day--and few things match the splendor of the sun rising on a new beginning; a fresh opportunity.  The guitars are soft as melting chocolate as the entire production is swallowed up in a 1960's dreamscape.  Vocals pierce the shell that encompasses the music; Majestic has just crossed into the terrestrial symphonic section of the prog garden.  Top notes of early Pink Floyd echo through the headphones and aromatics of Genesis in their "Foxtrot" days carry through the air.  Majestic fills the room with a physical presence as the canvas is exploding with color...yes, we have arrived...

Moving down the buffet line, I stop at what appears to be a healthy portion of "Clover Suite."  More vintage 2009, more prog that wraps around you like your favorite blanket on the beach while enjoying a bonfire at night.  The vocals leap through the headphones, bellow down your auditory canals, and pump their way through your entire being.  A splendid slice of symphonic majesty...there is an ornateness reminiscent of Trans Siberian Orchestra careening around in my head, but make no mistake--Majestic is a band true to themselves.

Liner Notes...Majestic was born in the winter wonderland known as Minneapolis, MN.  The band is  Jeff Hamel on keyboards, guitar, and vocals.  Jeff is joined in a regular, member-of-the-band kinda way (for the most part) by Jessica Rasche on vocals.  But don't let that lull you into a false sense of inaccuracy...Jeff is also joined by several talent-laden musicians on each of his album releases.  A "family reunion" of all the musicians Jeff has recorded Majestic albums with would run this blog too long at around eighteen.  I don't want to disrespect anyone by listing some and omitting others...so suffice to say it is an impressive list...

Going back to the buffet I laser up "Star Bound" from the 2010 release "Ataraxia."  This album was dipped in cool jazz fusion and encased in an atmospheric prog outer shell.  Top notes of Steely Dan and Camel fill your auditory sensors immediately.  Jessica's vocals are smooth like a water slide, taking you right into the middle of the pool.  There is a blues vibe coursing through the tune giving it an alter ego of sorts...the clean crisp lines of a Maserati with scratches in the paint...

There is much to learn, listen to, and appreciate about Majestic and you can do that at the website Majesticsongs...you can even check the impressive alumni Jeff calls guest musicians in the gallery...
The entire Majestic catalog is available at Majesticsong Bandcamp and
Majesticsongs cdbaby.  Of course there is also Facebook and Twitter,
Majesticsongs FB and @majesticsongs, for those so inclined to follow along and dig a bit deeper.

For your listening pleasure I chose a song from the 2012 album "V.O.Z." called "Crossing Meridian."  This album takes yet another tangent road--Majestic has mastered the art of starting from scratch with each album.  Not necessarily a dark colored canvas, but there is a metal-tinged hardness that builds as the song progresses.  Jeff uses every acre the prog garden has to offer in creating a sound as distinct as it is remarkable.  Let the drums carry you while the guitars and vocals lead you through a labyrinth of sights and sounds...

                    

Majestic is another in a long line of prog bands that have been working the garden for a long time and managed to stay out of the limelight.  Jeff Hamel's ability to find the right artists for each collaboration--a la Steely Dan--has created a collection of music that spans the prog garden.  Prog artists tend to wear multiple hats; musician, producer, sound engineer, promoter...you get my point.  Jeff has toiled behind and in front of the curtain putting together a sound that really needs to be heard to be appreciated.   Majestic has a flavor for every craving...

So now the search for all things prog trudges on--in a most excited and eager way.  A journey that for me has been  nothing short of extraordinary.  The prog garden is a fertile hot bed of  vast and varied sights and sounds and The Closet Concert Arena is only too happy to offer you my loyal followers a front row seat.  The journey continues...until next time...