Notice Grace

Hello once again fellow progheads and welcome back to the warm and spacious Concert Closet!  As 2017 continues her spiral into the ever after, I thought it a great time to leave the cold tundra behind and spend a mild seven days down south.  Escaping the snow flurries, frost, and biting wind,  I made my way to Georgia for the chance to listen in with Notice Grace.

Notice Grace walks a bit of a different path through the prog garden; self-described as "...progressive rock that blends the heavy with the melodic..."  The holiday season is upon us which usually leads to music and sounds that are joyous and thankful, happy and upbeat...but when did I ever take The Closet Concert Arena down the obvious path?  Let's walk this tangent trail and see what happens when heavy blends with melodic...

Opening the review is a tune that throws dark colors at the canvas with a gentle glove covered fist, "City on a String."  The piano opening peels back the curtain on a rainstorm; the song tumbles down around you with a mild mannered thump as guitars bleed through the drums luring you toward a small light in the center of your vision.  There are top notes of Kansas and Transatlantic floating through this piece.  Picture a concert thrown askew while the band plays everything except  their
hits--much to the crowd's approval.  Normalcy is tossed aside just long enough for Notice Grace to alter your perception of preferred music...

To keep the melodic carousel revolving I run down a song with a bit more kick, "Protect This Sacred State."  A quick percussion-led intro takes the listener down a rabbit hole that echoes with a
metal-tinged cacophony of sound, much like Psicolorama and Violent Attitude If Noticed.  Notice Grace even gives off a Gungfly vibe here; perhaps a bit of the Moody Blues from their Seventh Sojourn album?  The metal overtones are actually subdued a bit as the piece comes together more like that hard-edged rock song your parents hated simply for the guitar riffs.

Liner Notes...Notice Grace hails from Snellville, Georgia and consists of Zachery Kinsaul and Gib Heuett on guitars and vocals, Dennis Svela on bass guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Mark Pruitt on keyboards, and Howard Williams on drums.  The band has one EP on their resume, "Movements" which came out in 2014.  This was followed up with two single releases; "Abandonment" and "City on a String"  both hitting the airwaves in 2015.

Notice Grace occupies acreage in an area of the prog garden set aside for bands with roots more in line with The Aaron Clift Experiment and Seven Second Circle.  As advertised; moments of pure rock are tempered with the softer melodic side...much like 10cc jamming with Jethro Tull.

The final offering for review this week is the title cut from the "Movements" album.  More "theatrical" than previous songs from the disc, this one lays a foundation with percussion and bass that allows the guitars to slice through at just the right moments.  There is a haunting vocal wending its way throughout  that takes the listener on a journey through an albeit short-lived dark cloud, much like driving with your headlights off--just for a moment--down the interstate.  There is a controlled adrenaline rush; you govern your own destiny with the flick of a switch.  Learn more about Notice Grace at their website Notice Grace. You can purchase their music at this site or on iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon.  Follow the band on Facebook at NoticeGrace FB and keep up with the latest on Twitter
@noticegraceband .

My selection for your listening pleasure this week is the June 2015 release "Abandonment."  This song immediately picks up as if you were six songs into a live set; no need for warming up.  Notice Grace builds layers of music without coming off as ornate or ostentatious.  I find myself waiting for what I call the "Blue Oyster Cult" moment; when the smoke from the dry ice machine gives way to that ear-piercing guitar blowout.  Although it never materializes, Notice Grace doesn't necessarily disappoint; they simply find other ways to grab your attention.

As you watch the video you realize Notice Grace is grounded enough to not take themselves too seriously; this is the prog garden after all.  Music--even that which lies on the darker side of the spectrum--doesn't need to furrow your brow constantly.  It is actually a bit refreshing to find a band that can paint with dark colors and still crack a smile...

Once again fellow progheads I find myself at the end of a week wondering where the time went and realizing there are only so many grains of sand left in the 2017 hourglass.  Notice Grace takes their rock 'n' roll pedigree and hits it with hues from the progressive rock pallet...another corner of the prog garden cultivated.  Listening to Notice Grace unfold all around me I realize their music is more suited to an artisanal beer than a single malt; nothing wrong with that...

So the search for all things prog enters the home stretch for 2017..and of course there is always uncultivated acreage in the prog garden waiting for the tiller to unearth another gem and expose it to the light.  So the journey continues...until next time...

Kaprekar's Constant, "Fate Outsmarts Desire"

Greetings from the tail end of 2017 fellow progheads!  It won't be long before this year fades into our memories...and what a year it has been.  Deciding on some last minute travel, this week I took the Concert Closet to England to listen in with an incredible band that is a newcomer to the prog garden; Kaprekar's Constant.

  

Describing their sound as "Pastoral English music with a tale to tell..."  Kaprekar's Constant  has pulled hard enough on my earlobes that I just gotta take a walk through the delicate back corners of the prog garden and immerse myself in what promises to be a most satisfying and entertaining seven days...

Old habits die hard as once again I open the review with the first track on the album,
"Hors d'Oeuvre."  A splendid piece of music that sets the bar high for the remaining cuts on the LP...of course the opening is a bit of a teaser as random words are spoken/sung a cappella in what feels like a wave of anxiety.  Just as randomly the channel changes and a floodgate of emotions pours forth.  Saxophone as slick as bourbon poured over ice flows freely through this tune while vocals are intertwined with a plethora of passion...the canvas is splashed with colors the spectrum hasn't even recognized yet.

The music spills into the next cut, "Bluebird," as Kaprekar's Constant continues their free fall through your mind... top notes of It's A Beautiful Day and Van der Graaf Generator flow through the headphones, with aromatics of latter day Roxy Music melting like caramel into a flaming bananas foster; simple, elegant, and oh so delectably rich...

Liner Notes...Kaprekar's Constant is what happens when childhood friends stick together and wander into the prog garden.  The creators of the band and lifelong friends of whom I speak; Al Nicholson on acousitc, classical, and electric guitars, mandolin, and keyboards, and Nick Jefferson on bass, fretless bass, electric guitar, and keyboards, are joined on the record by Bill Jefferson on vocals, Dorie Jackson on vocals and backing vocals, Mike Westergaard on piano, keyboards, and backing vocals, David Jackson on saxophone, flute, whistles, and G# bell, and Phil Gould on drums, percussion, and 'dube.'  Paul Gunn is the person behind the spoken voice...yeah; about that "spoken voice..."

Paul "narrates" the songs with a tone that is at times soothing, startling, mesmerizing, and authoritative.  His voice can coat the song like the hard outer shell of a candy apple or wrap itself around with the finesse of chocolate ganache...

Alhough Kaprekar's Constant is new to the prog garden, the members are not.  Certainly my fellow progheads recall David Jackson from Van der Graaf Generator, Phil Gould from Level 42, and Dorie Jackson from her work with Francis Dunnery; prog veterans all, and one key to Kaprekar's Constant sounding like a stalwart on their debut release.

Go behind the curtain to learn more about Kaprekar's Constant  at Kaprekar's Constant.  "Fate Outsmarts Desire" was released on Uranium Club Records; you can purchase the album at their website Uranium Club or the group's Bandcamp website Kaprekar's Constant Bandcamp.  As is the standard these days, there is a Facebook page Kaprekar's Constant FB and Twitter @kaprekars to keep up on tour dates, music news, and other social events. 

My final selection for review from this delectable buffet is "Houdini (King of Cards)."  A mysterious opening befitting the subject and title, Kaprekar's Constant brings the Victorian abundance of Big Big Train to this cut.  David's flute is Ian Anderson-esque as Dorie's vocals meld with guitars and percussion to transcend even the highest expectations.  This song moves through so many time changes and moods yet remains as calm and in charge as a traffic cop in Times Square on New Year's Eve...

My choice for your listening pleasure is "Pearl of the Lake."  Kaprekar's Constant  fills your head with ornate sound despite the semi-dark overtones...I am taken back to early Moody Blues and perhaps a touch of the Italian prog band Pandora.  The music flows through the headphones smoothly and effortlessly; like a scimitar slicing through a wheel of brie.  A song to listen to whilst relaxed by the fire...oh yeah....

Once again a week spent strolling peacefully through the prog garden comes to an end.  Kaprekar's Constant was a delight; their music soothing and refreshing like a summer sun shower.  Realizing this is their debut album was as surprising as it was reassuring; the prog garden is definitely in good hands.

The search for all things prog enters the final turn as the race through 2017 begins to wind down...so much left to discover and so little time.  Of course, the journey will continue into 2018 (knock on vinyl) as the prog garden promises yet another bumper crop.  No need to rush things; enjoy the moment with Kaprekar's Constant...until next time...

Gaillion "Renewal and Release"

Cool, crisp, "blowing-on-my-hands-to-warm-them" greetings fellow progheads!  Autumn (remember her?) seems to be making a hasty getaway as the mercury falls deep into the well of the thermometer.  As we here in the good ol' USA start to plan the holiday festivities that will wrap up 2017, I thought it might be appropriate to stay on domestic soil and keep the search for all things prog focused on the local scene...

I took the Concert Closet on a coast-to-coast journey this week...perhaps the best time to search the prog garden for hearty bounty; something that can stand up to--and raise the heat on--the cold weather creeping in.  A visit with Gaillion was just the remedy and all the warmth I needed for these past 168 hours.  The band's latest album, "Renewal and Release" made its debut in October.  Gaillion recorded one new song while remixing and remastering four previous single releases and putting them together on one EP.  The result is some very polished music and a most outstanding waltz through the prog garden.  But enough talk; headphones on...

Moving away from my usual way of doing things, I open the buffet with the final slice from this gem, "The Focal Point."  This is the new single Gaillion put on the album and it is brilliant.  The song opens as though the sound is coming through a poorly tuned AM radio--deliberately and just for a few seconds.  Gaillion then picks up the tempo and hits you with strong guitar and drum work.  There are top notes of Dreadnaught mixing with The Aaron Clift Experiment wafting through the headphones.  The vocals lay on top, riding on a heavy foundation and cutting through with the finesse of a jackknife slicing through rope...as Goldilocks would say, just right...

Scanning the balance of the buffet laid out before me, I sample a remix of "Letters From the Skipper."  This time around the drums seem cleaner, much more succinct as they draw the piece together.  Todd's vocals are once again the unpolished diamond this music needs to bring out the oomph...wrapping this music in silk would be akin to applying the proverbial lipstick to a pig; a mismatch that improves nothing.  Gaillion heats the branding iron and then applies it in doses just long enough to leave a mark but not a scar...soothing and penetrating.

Liner Notes...Gaillion the band is as much a testament to perseverance and determination as is this newest EP.  The band consists of Todd Howard on vocals, bass, and keyboards, James Vasquenza Jr. on guitar, and Don Gunn on drums and percussion.  Three bandmates, three hometowns; Seattle, NYC, and Ventura CA.  I detailed the specifics in a previous blog (June 2015), but suffice to say this trio has spent a lifetime building this band.

Having gone to school together in CT, they released their first full length album "Admit One" in 1989.  Traveling in separate circles but always keeping in touch, Gaillion reunited in a technological sort of way and has been releasing singles since 2015...hence their latest project.  "Renewal and Release" brings all their work from the past two years together, allowing you to purchase it as one EP.  The name alludes to their thought process, in a prog sort of way...

One last listen and I want to make it count...so of course I laser up "Lorelei."  The opening mood is almost sinister, as though someone is about to come up from behind and cut you off at the knees.  Quickly the tempo picks up as one more time smooth drum work leads the sound parade right down into your auditory canals.  James' guitar work is stellar as this remixed version has smoothed out the rough edges and left the listener with a clean firm sound.

Learn more about the journey Gaillion has taken at their website Gaillion.  The new album can be purchased at Gaillion iTunes and Gaillion Bandcamp.  For those so inclined, Gaillion can be found on social media at Gaillion Facebook, Gaillion Instagram, and Twitter @gaillionband.  You will find their full music library so take your time and walk slowly through the aisles...you wouldn't want to miss anything...

I chose "Backslide" for the clip-of-the-week to give you musical insight and a glimpse inside the remix/remaster work Gaillion has done.  Three people working in two time zones provides its own challenges, but Gaillion makes it seem elementary.  The bass on this song leads the guitar and drums through a labyrinth that spins you 'round and just before you lose your sense of direction, lands you firmly on your feet...well done...

                  

And as per usual, our time here in the prog garden this week has flown by much too quickly.  Gaillion is a bright spot in a multi-layered arena as they hit hard and fast but never seem to lose sight of their desire to enjoy themselves.  The band moves through the prog garden deftly, focusing on the acreage where the sound is full and the colors thrive.  Gaillion attempts to fill each five minutes of music with ten minutes of sound...every song bursting with energy.

And even more as per usual, the search for all things prog continues on.  The end of 2017 is beginning to appear on the horizon and before you know it will be in the rear view mirror.  So The Closet Concert Arena marches onward in the never ending attempt to bring as much new and as-yet-undiscovered prog music to light...until next time...

Vuur, "In This Moment We Are Free - Cities"

Hello and welcome to the middle of fall fellow progheads!  Now that the US has caught up with the rest of the planet and set her clocks back one hour, the race to bring down the curtain on 2017 has officially begun...which puts the search for all things prog into overdrive...

Vuur is a band that while new to the prog garden, has members with rich prog soil running through their veins.  Anneke van Giersbergen is name not unfamiliar to many a proghead, having been vocalist for The Gathering and performing with Devin Townsend among others.  Vuur recently released their debut album "In This Moment We Are Free - Cities" on the InsideOut label.  Here Anneke sets out to cut her metal chops as it were, so let us queue up this latest and listen in...

The album opens with the cut "My Champion - Berlin."  There is an immediate keyboard/guitar energy burst that rattles around inside your head like pinballs pushing the machine into "tilt."  Anneke's vocals come through almost too smooth to partner with the mayhem that surrounds...much like an aria accompanying Dream Theater.  The canvas is pelted with paint balloons of every hue--mostly the bright ones that eliminate shadows. Vuur emerges from the smoke and fire with a mad rush; should be an interesting show...

My second helping from the buffet is "Sail Away - Santiago." The adrenaline rush is still on as Vuur continues to thrust themselves at you with all the gusto of a typhoon...I pick up top notes of Curved Air and After Forever crashing through my headphones.  The guitars strike fast and hit hard but do leave time for breathing (albeit intermittently) as the song carries on.  Meanwhile the drums keep up a frenetic pace that leaves you gasping but still standing as the music winds down.

Liner Notes...hailing from the Netherlands, Vuur, or "Fire" in Dutch, has the appropriately coiffed, red haired Anneke van Giersbergen on lead vocals.  Rounding out the band is Jord Otto and Ferry Duijsens on guitars, Johan van Stratum on bass, and Ed Warby on drums.  This may be Vuur's debut album, but their roots run deep in the prog garden.  Anneke has not only released solo projects, she has performed with Ayreon, Gentle Storm, and Danny Cavanaugh.  Coupled with my earlier mention of her work with The Gathering and The Devin Townsend Project, you realize Anneke knows her way around a sound studio.  The other members of the band have fairly extensive resumes as well so rookies they ain't...

My third selection is a more somber slice; the final cut "Reunite! - Paris."  A soft opening belies the adrenaline rush brought on by earlier servings.  The mood elevator does climb a bit as the song progresses.  Jord and Ferry manage to work up a lather--just not quite as frenzied as they had been previously, allowing Anneke's vocals to become the focal point.  Fear not my prog metal friends; Vuur seems unable or unwilling to slip a ballad into the mix.  The sound still tests your headphones, Vuur is just trolling another section of the prog garden before the stylus rests in its holster...

You can purchase "In This Moment We Are Free - Cities" at Vuur's website Vuur and
InsideOut Music where you will also find the rest of the InsideOut stable of prog artists.  Vuur boasts a Facebook page Vuur Facebook and Twitter account @vuur_band if you are so inclined.  As is seemingly the thing to do at the moment, Vuur also has a YouTube channel Vuur YouTube so you can keep up with new video releases and look behind-the-scenes at the making of "In This Moment We Are Free - Cities."

I chose "Your Glorious Light Will Shine - Helsinki" for your listening pleasure this week.  A song from the darker side of the garden, the headphones fill your auditory canals with a cacophony of sound from  the onset, and once again Anneke's vocals rest solidly on the shoulders of stellar guitar and drumming.  This song doesn't peel the curtain back; it tears it from the overhead rigging system to reveal a stage beset with a band more than happy to fill the arena with boisterous commotion.  Go ahead and turn the volume up...

                   

And as the sand drips slowly through the hourglass, so too another week in The Closet Concert Arena has slipped past like a ship in the night.  Vuur added a bit of Red Bull to the punch bowl this week...just enough to arouse your senses and awaken the nocturnal throng roaming the prog garden.

Prog has many facets, moods, and styles.  I believe it was best stated as "...a lifestyle--not a genre."  Progressive rock really is so much more because it has so much more; sights as well as sounds and  darkness as well as light.  For those who prefer not to stray far from the edge, contemplative as well as penetrating music.  Prog comes in many shapes and sizes and one need not prefer them all...like a connoisseur of the finer things in life, prog too can be subjective.  Vuur calls the progressive section of the garden home and yet they reach across the acreage to draw from many subsections as well.  Enjoy the amalgam; it's what makes prog so desirable...

Off now to continue the journey...tapping another vein as the search for all things prog winds through the remains of 2017...until next time...