Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate "Nostalgia for Infinity"

Welcome back once again fellow progheads!  Summer is heating up and the prog garden is overflowing with great music.  This week should prove to be quite the adventure as I return once again to a band that has become one of my favorite newer entries to the prog garden.  I have been a fan of Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate since I first discovered them in 2016.  Led by Malcolm Galloway, Hats Off Gentlemen have been reinventing themselves with every release...so let's find out who they are now...

The album opens with "Century Rain."  As expected with Hats Off Gentlemen, the first sounds to permeate the headphones are understated yet extremely captivating.  The song melts over your ears like icing on a warm danish, running through your auditory canals and filling your being with a sense of ease.  Hats Off Gentlemen has mastered the fine art of squeezing the most from the least; there is so  much going on in this tune with only three people contributing to the final product.  The flute is mesmerizing as it floats over the the entire piece...

Perusing the playlist I discover a song with a most intriguing name; "Nanobotomas."  Malcolm follows in the footsteps of Alan Parsons with his ability to construct a concept album.  The theme here is the delicate structure of civilization viewed through several different lenses.  Here we are struck by the imagery of the human body being overtaken by nanobots...self destruction from within.  Top notes of Porcupine Tree and the ominous moods of Pink Floyd skitter through this song.  Let this one play on a loop a few times while you sink into it...or perhaps it is sinking into you...

Liner Notes...Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate remains as always Malcolm Galloway on vocals and Mark Gatland on bass and Chapman stick.  Both play guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers, and  Kathryn Thomas plays flute and contributes vocals.

I have listened to this band from the beginning; their growth--both musically and lyrically--is impressive and refreshing.  There are few bands that bring so much to every song using so little--and that is an underappreciated accomplishment.  Each note, lyric, sound, and even silence is deliberate and thought out.  Hats Off Gentlemen give Steely Dan a run for their money in this regard...even the album artwork is stunning and thought-provoking...

You can learn more about Hats Off Gentlemen at their website HatsOffGentlemen and bandcamp.
There is also Twitter  @itsadequate to learn the latest and keep up with the band's goings on.

Finally this week I listened to the title cut, "Nostalgia for Infinity."  The soft guitar opening streams gently through the headphones, setting the listener up for a journey across the prog garden as smooth and dreamy as it is surreal and introspective.  Kathryn's flute is hypnotic and rides across the top of the song like a siren, calling you deeper into a dream.  Malcolm breaks through the veil with strong lyrics reinforced with steady percussion and guitar work.  Once again Hat Off Gentlemen approaches the prog garden from a different vantage point, much the way Brian Eno was so adept at doing in his early influential years...

In the spirit of social distancing, my listening choice this week is a lock down version of "Century Rain."  The bass line really shines through here, and of course Kathryn's flute mastery is simply beautiful.  I'm not surprised Hats Off Gentlemen posted a "pandemic" version of this song; they have been extremely involved in so many social issues since their inception.  Sit six feet away from your neighbor and enjoy...


                    

So fellow progheads another week falls though the hourglass.  Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate took us on a very insightful journey across the prog garden this week.  Their music is inspiring, thought-provoking, introspective, and a pleasure to listen to.  Delving into a concept leaving no stone unturned and no vantage point unobserved, the music  engulfs your mind, body, and spirit...and that is why the prog garden is so rich.

Yet travel on I must as the search for all things prog continues...until next time...

Silas & Saski "Power of Three"

       Hello again fellow progheads!  The Closet Concert Arena is jam packed and excited to bring you more of what the prog garden has been cultivating, so let's get started.  Lots of great music has graced these pages over time and that trend continues.  This week the search for all things prog went back to the well with new friend Silas Neptune who just released a duet with Saskia Maxwell.  Time to  venture into the prog garden and settle in with Silas & Saski and their latest, "Power of Three."

I open with the lead-in song "Magic of Words."  The curtain rises on a celestial atmosphere; almost immediately you can sense yourself being transported to another world.  The imagery is bold and vibrant, the canvas dancing with striking colors.  Listening to this piece I am reminded of what drew me to Silas' music in the first place--serenity wrapped in so much energy and passion.  It isn't often that a song will excite your senses and soothe your inner being at the same time.  

Next up, "In Reverse."  This song opens as if you're watching a movie about the universe, creation, and the wonder of it all.  The vocals wrap themselves around you like a silk scarf, gentle and caressing.  To say Silas & Saski are transcendental is almost cheating--it's too easy and simplistic.  There are so many more layers to their music and while it's soothing, it's also highly imaginative.  I get a sense of Brian Eno and Can  woven gently into the mood here; so much going on yet your senses are keen to every sound floating through the headphones.   

Liner Notes...as I stated earlier, Silas Neptune and Saskia Maxwell are the "mystics behind the curtain."  In addition to playing synthesizers, lead guitar, and bass guitar on this album, Silas is also the keyboard master for Ozric Tentacles.  Saskia performs lead vocals and acoustic guitar here and is also quite an accomplished dancer.  Ed Ozric, Tom Brooks, and Paul Hankin round out the guest musicians on the album.  

Learn more about Silas & Saski at Silas&Saski and Facebook.  Music can be purchased at their bandcamp site.  You can also follow along on Twitter @silasandsaski.  

Finally, I bring you the title cut, "Power of Three."  Listening to this album is a combination of time travel back to a calmer, more serene era on the planet and a transcendental music-scape; think Robert Fripp having an improv jam with Ravi Shankar.  Saski comes through again with lyrics as soothing as aloe on a sunburned shoulder while Silas continues the musical magic on his carpet ride across the universe, opening your soul and your mind.  This is an album perfect for those times when you just want to relax body and spirit.  

      

There are definite top notes of Adrian Belew's "anything's possible" attitude coming through all three songs.  Combined with soundscape aromatics of Robert Fripp, the creativity of Frank Zappa, and the ornate stylings of Pandora, this is definitely music to pacify your aura.  

The ear candy this week is "Magic of Words."  The calm that washes over you as the song opens will guide you through the entire EP.  Let Saski's soothing voice sweep you across the prog garden as gentle and free as an eagle soaring across the wide open sky.  One of the pleasures of Silas & Saski is their ability to make you forget the madness and mayhem of the moment and allow you to fall into that gentle abyss of mystery and imagination...

                

So fellow progheads I hope you enjoyed this week's interlude.  Silas & Saski will take you to the transcendental side of the prog garden and expand your musical boundaries, much like the Beatles did with Ravi Shankar in the 60's.  Every now and then a mind cleanse can be a very good thing... 

So the search for all things prog continues...the prog garden is flush with new music and the Closet Concert Arena is the perfect forum for presenting it all to you.  I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do...until next week...

Pattern-Seeking Animals "Prehensile Tales"

Hello once again fellow progheads and welcome back to the Concert Closet!  I trust you are all staying safe and practicing whatever form of social distancing keeps you COVID-19 free and sane all at the same time.  This week the search for all things prog stops in with Pattern-Seeking Animals 
to check out their second album "Prehensile Tales," recently released on Inside Out Music.

Under the headphones straightaway for an infusion of "Raining Hard in Heaven."  This song opens with a bass riff as smooth as meringue on Baked Alaska and just as rich; vocals come over the top while keyboards make their way into your consciousness.  The top notes veer farther from the band's Spock's Beard roots than their debut release; planting their own stake in the ground it seems.  I detect aromatics of The Strawbs and a touch of Camel in the air.  The keyboards seem to enjoy teasing your senses...this should be quite the refreshing week.

Next up is "Why Don't We Run."  The curtain rises and the listener is swept into a whirlwind of  ardor as the song leaps across origins, backgrounds, and emotions...you feel pulled back from one reality only to find yourself falling into another.  The music tastes of western, Asian, and flamenco roots; as if
Pattern-Seeking Animals jetted  across the prog garden in search of essential parts necessary to create a greater whole.  The top notes here, as with most of the album, are difficult to pin down.  There are the obvious whiffs of Spock's Beard, but Pattern-Seeking Animals are cutting themselves free of the umbilical cord as it were with this second release.

Liner Notes...John Boegehold, Ted Leonard, Dave Meros, and Jimmy Keegan returned to the studio for the band's second album.  However, they expanded their sound with the addition of violin, cello, flute, trumpet, saxophone, and pedal steel guitar. The band has really come together on this album and sound as though they've been playing together for years.  As with their debut release, everybody takes and shares the spotlight; neither the stage nor the recording studio is overcrowded with egos...which makes for a fantastic listening experience.

Last song in the queue this week is "Soon But Not Today."  The violins are breaking through on this one; the song opens as if darkness is giving way to a new dawn, a new day...a new hope.  The tempo picks up and the music takes you on an adventure similar to the one Alice took through the looking glass...nothing is as it seems and everything is yours for the taking.  The canvas is splattered with bright hues in no particular sequence or pattern accompanied by streaks of grey that bolster the entire trip.  Pattern-Seeking Animals cross many sections of the prog garden as they continue to forge their own unique identity.

Learn more about the band at their website PSA as well as facebook and Twitter @psanimals1.  Links to buy both of their albums are on the website.

The listening teaser this week is "Elegant Vampires."  The upbeat tempo is somewhat surprising but very much welcome.  Pattern-Seeking Animals land somewhere between U.K. and 10cc with this song.  Stretch out in the Concert Closet and enjoy...   


                    

And thus fellow progheads another week roaming the prog garden is in the rear view mirror.
Pattern-Seeking Animals has brought their own sound and style to the forefront with this album.  The music gets under your skin and inside your head, taking up full residency in your entire being.  Might as well go with the flow and ride it out; expanding your prog boundaries is never a bad thing.

Now off to the next adventure in the search for all things prog.  The journey continues; there is so much more to discover...until next time...

Black Cat 6 "Scratching My Itch"

Socially distanced greetings fellow progheads!  As the worldwide pandemic continues and nations stay (at least partially) closed, The Closet Concert Arena continues to safely search out prog bands for your listening pleasure.

This week the journey brings me back to some familiar faces in new places as I check in with
Black Cat 6 and their debut release "Scratching My Itch."  This album was released on Halloween 2019; thinking it was time for some fun here in the Concert Closet I dug right in...

First cut to get the laser drop is "You're a Liar."  The song jumps in your face right out of the gate.  Hard driving guitar with some very solid drum work gets your adrenaline pumping...this should be an exciting week...

Top notes of Spock's Beard and Dreadnaught run rampant through the headphones and kick at your skull from all sides.  This is a band that enjoys playing and performing; you can feel the energy...as striking as a tornado funnel cloud breaking the horizon.

Next up is "Lose Your Way," another cut with a rough edge, but with the corners rounded just a bit.  A prog band that takes the eternal jam session approach to playing; you can almost hear additional performers joining the line-up as the music plays on.  Black Cat 6 has found a portal to the classic prog era of the 70's and they are squeezing all the life they can from it.  This song has a funk about it that reminds me of Joe Walsh in his James Gang days, but with a stronger ensemble.  The drum here lay a solid foundation and the guitar work leaps all over the room.

Liner Notes...like other bands Neil Citron is involved with, the focus is on the music and not so much the behind-the-scenes stuff.  Their home is the USA and they play like you would expect a hard hitting prog band from America to play--straight at you with no warning.  Somehow I don't think the name of the band or the  album was pulled randomly from a hat...

The band is a trio consisting of the aforementioned Neil Citron on guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Luke Fattore on drums, and Jon Pomplin on bass.  If you pick up top notes of BangTower you are quite astute; although Neil is the only member of both bands, the hard charging energy from both bands is unmistakable.

Neil is a Grammy winner, Luke an in-demand session drummer and producer, and Jon started Declassified Records, the label on which this album was recorded.  Individually accomplished, collectively occupying territory in the high energy section of the prog garden...


Last serving of the night is "Saying It Out Loud."  More of a ballad feel than the other songs I've listened to thus far, there is a sense of Seconds Before Landing in the air the way emotions drip from every note.  Don't be fooled though--the guitar still has that sting to it and the air is heavy with a brooding ardor...the canvas strokes are dark and heavy; Black Cat 6 can be quite the mood elevator...

This week I chose for your listening interlude "Black Cat," mainly for its heavy opening.  This one comes at you in a deceptive, creep-up-on-you kind of way; there are top notes of Cream shooting through the headphones. Everything about this song is heavy...it might not be metal but it sure as hell weighs a ton.  Black Cat 6 is another arena for Neil to just let loose, and Jon and Luke seem all in on the adventure.  This is a band for those who have been around the prog garden a few times and remember the fun they had taking that first journey.  Pour something with some weight behind it and sit back...




You can connect with the band and purchase their album on their website Blackcat6 and Bandcamp.
They also have Facebook and Twitter @BlackCat6band.  You've got time, stat awhile...


                  

So my fellow progheads, I hope Black Cat 6 made your quarantine a little more enjoyable and a lot more tolerable.  One of the things I enjoy about spending time in the prog garden is how big the umbrella is and how diverse the music is when traveling the different side roads in the genre.  Black Cat 6 isn't a throwback so much as a reflection of the past cast upon the future.  The music may be heavy and even dark at times, but the sun shines brightly on their section of the prog garden.

And once again the search for all things prog continues...until next week...   

Circuline "Circulive Majestik"

Good evening once again fellow progheads!  Whether you're in quarantine, a forced lock down, or just plain staying at home for the foreseeable future, I hope you are virus-free, safe, and finding musical pleasure in the prog garden.

The search for all things prog continues despite the worldwide pandemic, and since the idea of seeing a live show is all but a fantasy until (at least) Autumn 2021, I thought now the perfect time to bring a "live show" to the Concert Closet.  So regardless as to whether I'm rubbing salt in a fresh wound or making the best of a difficult situation, welcome to the latest release from Circuline; Circulive Majestik."

Another band with a strong female lead vocalist; coincidence?  Perhaps not...
Once again my headphones are on and the first song to pierce my auditory canals is "Who I Am," with a strong keyboard intro that leads into a soft melodic flow that is reminiscent of Yes.  Lead vocals are not only strong they are shared, making for a bit of intrigue I simply cannot avoid...

Opening the show with "Who I Am" starts the journey with an introspective kick.  Right away you are thrust down a rabbit hole of wonder as the piano mesmerizes you.  The guitars and percussion pick up on that energy and push you farther along...and then darkness--save the lone candle burning a hole through the center of the canvas.  Those double lead vocals burst on the scene,  and yes it is extremely captivating.  There are aromatics of Supertramp floating through this cut, right down to the bone-chilling wind that blows through as the mood changes.  A touch of Camel comes through as well, filling the room with all sorts of energy bursts.  A great opening performance...

Next on the playlist is "Summit."  There is somewhat of a Moody Blues feel as the song opens; soft and genteel.  The guitar that leads you deeper into the song is smooth like the satin lining of a suede jacket.  The vocals wrap around that guitar like a scarf on a blustery day.  Top notes are Fairport Convention and Gentle Giant as the music fills the canvas with deep, rich hues.  Circuline has put together an album that reaches across the prog garden to satisfy many affluent tastes.

Liner Notes...Calling New York home, Circuline is a live action definition of what it means to be a band--the contributions of all being necessary to create the whole.  With Natalie Brown and Billy Spillane sharing lead vocal duties, Andrew Colyer on keyboards, Alek Darson on guitars, Matt Dorsey on bass, and Darin Bannon on drums, I am reminded of The Band in the sense that everyone makes multiple contributions to the entirety of the project...and it is an impressive ensemble.

Brought to life in 2014, Circuline is a "Mulligan Stew" of talent; two theatre quality lead vocalists, a keyboard player that attended Julliard, bass and guitar players that channel 70's prog at it finest, and a drummer who connects it all together.  Cinematic symphonic prog meets AOR and blows the roof off--without frivolous distractions.

Get to know Circuline at their website Circulinemusic and purchase their music at Bandcamp.  There is also Facebook and Twitter @CirculineMusic to stay connected and learn the latest the band has to offer.

The final spin this week is "Stay Alive."  The opening path the song leads you down is once again fraught with sounds coming at you from several directions brought together beautifully by Natalie's vocals. Keyboards and drums work together on this piece to underscore the guitar; so majestic throughout.  Circuline channels a bit of The Strawbs here; they truly pay homage to their cinematic/symphonic roots. 

For your listening pleasure I chose "Hollow."  I wanted you to get a taste of what this band is capable of; running the gambit from beautiful piano work to intricate keyboards, slick guitars to solid drums and percussion, and of course the dueling vocal stylings.  As fine tuned a live recording as anything in my current collection.  Sit back and enjoy... 


                     

So fellow progheads, I hope you enjoyed the "live" show from the prog garden this week.  Circuline is a band that connects on so many levels, bringing a sound to the Concert Closet that had me more than once checking the calendar to see if I time traveled back to the prog heydays of the 70's.

Now it's time to look ahead as the search for all things prog continues the journey...until next time...

The Far Meadow "Foreign Land"

Quarantine greetings fellow progheads!  Flattening the curve is certainly easier and more tolerable from inside the Concert Closet, so with mask and gloves at the ready let us foray deep into the prog garden and listen in with The Far Meadow on their latest release, "Foreign Land."

I have always been intrigued by bands--especially prog bands--with a strong female vocalist.  One would think the music lends itself to the sultry musings of a strong female voice, yet there seems to be so few in the genre.  Rather than lament that fact, let's enjoy those that call the prog garden home.  One again, headphones on...

Opening cut is "Travelogue" and as the curtain peels back slowly there are top notes of ELP spilling out.  Keyboards come at you subtly at first, then they explode all over the canvas...just like Keith would do.  The vocals are sandwiched between layers of keyboards and drums--and the lady can certainly hold her own.  The guitar works its way in and the vocals just continue to wind through the entire piece.  The music plays with you;  the symphonic roots The Far Meadow prides themselves on give way to a sultry ballad  at times...and the bass is reminiscent of Tony Levin.  This opening cut offers much; hopefully the band doesn't spend it all in one place...

Fear not--the second song I drop the laser on, "Mud," keeps the energy needle in the red.  The Gothic keyboards and upbeat tempo are strong with aromatics of Dreadnaught and perhaps a touch of Roxy Music to keep it interesting.  The drums are a solid foundation to this cut and everything fits like the proverbial glove.  The music is smooth as a silk necktie and cool as the zoot suit it's paired with...The Far Meadow
demonstrates the ability to make intelligent, well produced music and have fun while doing it.

Liner Notes...hailing from London, The Far Meadow is a quintet with Denis Warren on lead and rhythm guitar, Keith Buckman on bass, Eliot Minn on keyboards, Paul Bringloe on drums and percussion, and the lady behind those piercing vocals is Marguerita Alexandrou.  This is the third album in the band's catalog; the second on Bad Elephant Music.

The Far Meadow released their first album in 2012 and kept an upward trajectory.  With a sound that radiates across the prog garden from Yes to Rush to Gentle Giant, this is a band I would love to see perform live...curse you COVID-19 (and that darn trip across the Atlantic)...

You can learn more about the band at their website thefarmeadow and Facebook.  Feel free to give them a shout out on Twitter  @TheFarMeadow as well.  Of course purchasing the music is always a great way to support the artist, and you can do just that at Bandcamp.

One last selection to settle into; "Foreign Land."  Title cuts are telling to me because they shine a brighter light into the soul of the band.  In this case, I get a sense of crystals set on an antique table with lavender scented candles filling the room with a most soothing aroma.

Marguerita once again caresses you with her smooth vocals...and the tempo picks up a bit.  Not so much that the candles are blown out, but your blood is pulsing with a bit more oomph.  The song settles into a rather surprising groove as everyone lets their energy flow; you can feel it pumping through the headphones.  This is a "sit on the back of the sofa with a favorite beverage and the lights off" kind of moment, so excuse me while I fade to black...


For your own listening pleasure this week I chose "Sulis Rise," a captivating piece of music.  The drums are just enough to keep the entire piece flowing like a silk scarf in a soft breeze, the keyboards cutting through and all the while Marguerita once again crawls inside your head and wraps around your cranium like velvet.  Denis uses his guitar to splay the canvas with an array of color that bleeds from soft hues to bold flashes of brightness.  The Far Meadow takes you on quite the journey with each song...enjoy the ride... 

                  

So my fellow progheads, once again a fun week of hanging in the Concert Closet winds down.  The Far Meadow proved to be a bright light shining across the prog garden.  The music gives off a "feel good" vibe the genre needs needs a shot of every now and then...and who can resist vocals that smooth?

But alas, the search for all things prog continues on its never ending journey...until next time...

Checking For Echo "The War is Never Won"

Welcome back to the Concert Closet fellow progheads!  I hope everyone is practicing social distancing and staying safe at home.  As the world continues to deal with the chaos and tragedy that is COVID-19, my objective is to bring you everything the prog garden has to offer from new and
low-under-the-radar prog bands and musicians--all you have to is log on and enjoy!  This week I catch up with Checking For Echo and their latest release, "The War is Never Won."

Released in March, "The War is Never Won" is a concept album--pretty much the standard for most new prog albums today.  Concept albums rarely deal with light-hearted subjects and this one is no exception.  War, its affects on those who served in battle, and why mankind seems to choose this option so often is the inspiration here.  I enjoy exploring concept albums not only for the music, but the story behind the curtain; the motivation to put pen to paper and music to disc.  Time once again to don a pair of headphones...

The album opens with a 16-minute piece called "The War Within."  The piano bleeds gently as the music begins to pour through your entire body.  As vocals begin to wrap around your ears you feel the melancholy mood the song is trying to evoke; the war within can truly be a harsher battle than that which your government sent you to fight.

But the message is far from being told in its entirety here--indeed the war has just begun.  The
opening tune leaps repeatedly back and forth from present to past, painting a picture for the listener of the dark and ugly underbelly of every war ever fought and how difficult the journey back from that pain really is...yes, this will be quite the introspective week...

Looking over the playlist I found an interesting title; "Imaginary Evidence."  Once again soft piano is the canvas, this time snippets of wartime radio and news messages float across the top, balanced with military "rat-a-tat-tat" drum precision.  This plays out like old movie footage; Checking For Echo is demonstrating a brilliant ability to look directly into the soul of the soldier and bring to life the emotions and feelings that torment those who "fought the good fight."  Was there justification for sending so many to inflict so much damage?  Can there ever be enough justification?  How does a soldier balance the act of killing on behalf of one's government with the fact that he/she took human life?  There are reflections of Seconds Before Landing in this entire album that I find striking...

Liner Notes...Checking For Echo is the brainchild of Jon Farley.  You may remember Jon as part of the duo known as Hollow Moon along with Darren Selesnow.  Darren did co-write and play guitar on "The War Within" and the credits list a plethora of additional people who helped Jon pull this entire thing off...but Checking For Echo is ultimately a one-man operation.

Jon resides in Moray, Scotland and has been wandering the prog garden for quite some time.  His work in Checking For Echo is abutted by the aforementioned Hollow Moon.  Jon is a multi-instrumentalist/songwriter playing every instrument and note you hear as well as writing all the
lyrics-- except for Darren's guitar and co-writing for "The War Within."

Jon refers to his work as cinematic prog and the images and visual spectacles his music evokes in the listener certainly qualify it as such.  There may not be a music "explosion" the likes of Circuline or Tangerine Dream, but Checking For Echo does find its way deep into your consciousness and  allow you to feel the music in a way only cinematic prog does.  Learn more about Checking For Echo on Facebook and purchase the music at Bandcamp.

My third foray into the heart of this album is "The Greatest Freedom."  The faint sounds of a helicopter fade quickly as piano and vocals rise up to come at you from what feels like another dimension.  The colors running softly down the canvas are the soft hues of hope and determination...inside the mind of a soldier refusing to give into the (seemingly endless) onslaught of mental and physical defeat.  Regardless of your feelings about war or the governments that start them, the view through the eye of a soldier who saw it all up close and personal adds a new dimension to the kaleidoscope through which we witness the world.

My choice for your listening pleasure is a bit different this time...a little taste of what to expect from the entire album.  I urge you to indulge your curiosity and let yourself feel (perhaps) equal parts uncomfortable and comforted...I believe Mr. Farley himself says it best; "The greatest freedom, it's often said, will come to us all when all else is dead."

                  

So thus the curtain falls on yet another beautiful performance from the Concert Closet.  Checking For Echo crawls inside your head and taps on the thinking part of your brain.  Being soothed and challenged at the same time isn't something many can pull off--so enjoy the rare treat.

Now it's time once again to take the journey in another direction as the search for all things prog continues on...until next time...