Alcantara "Solitaire"

 Hello again fellow progheads and welcome back to The Closet Concert Arena.  Summer 2020 is beginning her swan song as Autumn starts to appear on the horizon; the nights are longer and cooler, the  humidity has retreated behind cool summer breezes, and the sun is no longer a blazing beacon burning a hole through your entire body.

This change of mood led me to some introspection which in turn led me to the Progressive Gears Records stable of artists.  Consequently, the Concert Closet traveled to Sicily to host Alcantara, who recently released their debut album "Solitaire."  Haven't been to Italy in way too long so I am excited to get started...

The album opens with "After the Flood" and immediately the headphones are filled with a gentle and soothing balm, perfect for the mind.  Soft guitar is entwined with delicate vocals drawing you inward toward a dim light illuminating the darkness where memories reside.  Good?  Bad?  That depends on the perspective of the listener, no?                              

Next up is "Bad Bones," another dark song dancing enticingly on the edge of macabre.  The sultry guitar gives way to solid percussion as vocals permeate the headphones with a gentle tone...and every now and then they pierce with the unobtrusive force of a scalpel.  The top notes vary in intensity throughout this song; ranging from Big Big Train to Seconds Before Landing to Pink Floyd.  

Liner Notes...As I mentioned previously, Alcantara hails from Sicily and is comprised of Francesco Venti on lead guitar and keyboards, Salvo DiMauro on guitar, Sebastiano Pisasale on bass, Sergio Manfredi on vocals and lyrics, and Alessio Basile on drums.  Other musicians participated in the recording of this album; Gionata Colaprisca, Andrea Quarolli, Saro Figurra, and Alessio Bano each contributed to different tracks.

A debut concept album, while almost the norm in the prog garden today, rarely hits a nerve so succinctly as "Solitaire" does.  Alcantara peeled the band-aid off a wound that has  everyone talking and many taking action; the decline of societal and political classes.  People are tired of being left out of the conversation while at the same time being used for the political and financial gain of others.  Alcantara gives voice to that argument, urging the masses to resist and make change.

Moving down the playlist, the third song here is aptly titled "The Resistance."  The song opens with the Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem "Pity the Nation" spoken over a steady bass line and the dark, quiet hum of the keyboard...Sergio then pierces the veil with softly sung lyrics that penetrate the soul.  Alcantara    uses prose written decades ago beautifully to speak to society's ills today; lessons yet unlearned...

Learn more about the band at Progressivegears and purchase the album at bandcamp. You can follow Alcantara on Facebook, instagram, and Twitter @bandalcantara. 

For a few reasons I believe the clip below is very apropos for your listening pleasure this week.  First off, it is in line withe the mission Alcantara is on.  The "I Can't Breathe" sessions include three live versions of songs from the "Solitaire" album; "Logan," "Bad Bones," and "After the Flood."  The band also participated in the Wellbeing Festival on Great Music Stories.  

While the Concert Closet is a gateway to the prog garden and the prog garden is a peaceful place where one can simply enjoy great prog, the theme of the "Solitaire" album and the events related to the recording of the "I Can't Breathe" EP deserve mention.  Music has always been a vital part of societal change and the prog garden is fertile ground for a positive revolution.  That the music is pretty darn good only helps the cause...

So fellow progheads, we come to the end of another music filled week.  The prog rock genre is filled with many bands and artists that view the world through a different lens and use that vantage point to tell their story.  That is something I believe we can all appreciate today.

Alcantara come straight at you with a definite purpose, yet they do so without making you feel like you need to defend yourself.  Their music is hard-hitting without being obtrusive noise; they demand your attention and make their point without sidetracking the issue.  Yes they call for resistance and denounce the polarized state of the world, even calling for people not to follow like sheep--but they do it without using violence as the go-to option. 

 So the search for all things prog continues.  The journey thus far has criss-crossed the planet with no end in sight...and that is fine with me.  Until next time...

Lonely Robot "Feelings Are Good"

Socially distanced greetings fellow progheads!  Continuing the search for all things prog despite a global pandemic has proven to be entertaining, educational, fun, and exciting.  I can accept being forced to stay home as long as I don't have to "stay home," and traveling the prog garden allows me to do just that.

This week we check in on the latest from Lonely Robot; "Feeling Are Good."  The album was released in July, the fourth in the Lonely Robot catalog.  After completing the "Astronaut Trilogy," John took a different trajectory with his latest work. So let's travel the tangent road and listen to what awaits the eager ears...

The title cut opens the album much like a futuristic appeal to the senses, a la The Alan Parsons Project from the "I Robot" days.  Switch gears as we flow seamlessly to "Into the Lo-Fi" and the tempo picks up immediately.  This is a high energy band much like Mile Marker Zero  and  The Tangent.  John Mitchell  continues to pump energy through the headphones and send it pulsing through your veins.  

Next up is "Army of One."  Off on a different tack, this song starts with a quick shot of adrenaline that tamps itself down...only to thrust itself right back at you.   Lonely Robot pelts you with feelings from every direction here; a man going to war with himself.  Fighting an inner battle so many are familiar with yet a subject so often ignored or misunderstood...but feelings are good--right?

This song marches into "Grief is the Price of Love" so smoothly you almost fall into an abyss you never realized was there.  The gentle vocals pull the heart strings with an acoustic guitar accompaniment that is as elegant as it is somber.  So many emotions....

Liner Notes...Lonely Robot is the solo outlet for John Mitchell.  As a member of Kino, Frost*, It Bites, and Arena, John has managed to keep himself occupied.  Lonely Robot is the outlet John uses to release his inner spirit.  The music is ornate, delicate, bold, introspective, and at times in-your-face.  Yes, feelings are good...

Along with writing, recording producing, and mixing the album, John plays guitar, bass, and keyboards as well as laying down the vocal tracks.  He did, however, have Craig Blundell behind the drum kit.  

Learn more about John Mitchell and Lonely Robot and purchase the music at johnmitchell and 

insideoutmusic.  You will also find them on facebook and Twitter @LordConnaught.

Another song from the playlist this week, "Keeping People as Pets" continues the trajectory into the emotional stratosphere this album has taken.  The tempo runs high as John hits you with lyrics that crawl inside your head and sprawl out, making you ponder reality.  One of the many things I like about Lonely Robot is every album is a concept unto itself and every song within that concept pulls on a thread and doesn't stop until it unravels the world you (previously) found comfort in.  

There are times Lonely Robot comes off as loud and full throttle as Liquid Tension Experiment, and other times when the music is gentle and introspective as Tears For Fears.  John delves into a lot on this album...his songs peeling back the layers as you take a journey through the mind.  His lyrics have always been a strong suit; John paints a vivid picture with his words.

The ear candy to hook you this week is called "Spiders."  The deliberate, slow, steady piano that opens the song accompanies lyrics that are themselves slow, dark, and calculated.  Is that fear you sense or simply trepidation about what is behind the curtain separating you from the unknown?  Feelings are good, yes--but they have a way of clouding the senses, don't they?  The top  notes of Frost* aren't coincidental; the influence crashes through here...

  

Place the headphones on...relax, reflect, repeat...

I hope this one struck a chord with you fellow progheads; Lonely Robot has shown indeed that "Feelings Are Good."  John is able to do with lyrics what Robert Fripp is able to do with his guitar...perhaps they should join forces on an album in the future?   For now I'm content with Lonely Robot finding new axes to grind and different lenses through which to view the landscape.

Let the search for all things prog carry on; until next time...

Electric Mud "Quiet Days on Earth"

Hello and welcome to the Concert Closet fellow progheads!  We are now officially winding down the "dog days of summer" as the prog garden continues to reap a mighty harvest.  This month I venture back to Germany for a visit with a band I discovered a few years ago.  It has been very enjoyable to listen to Electric Mud and experience first-hand how their sound has grown, expanded, and matured.

Germany isn't exactly known as a "prog hotspot" the way other countries are perhaps, but it is home to some excellent music and artists nonetheless.  Electric Mud is such a band so I am excited to listen in on their latest release "Quiet Days on Earth."  Their music has ventured all over the prog garden on their previous albums; hard-hitting blues, avant-garde jam sessions, dark post rock, and jazz fusion to stir your memory.  So my curiosity is piqued; what surprises are in store this time around?

First song queued up is "Adventures in a Liquid World."  The song opens as gentle as a stone skimming across a lake; the serenity of the scene broken by the quiet interruption of a guitar rippling through the headphones.  There are genuine top notes of the Discipline-era King Crimson bantering across this piece; the ambient tranquility is beautiful.  The canvas is streaked with soft hues meant to calm the listener.  The tempo changes are striking mainly because the mood continues to caress your inner being. 

The next song to ebb through the headphones is "Eyes Watching Skies."  The keyboards that open the piece immediately take me to an Alan Parsons Project-like concept...something along the lines of a macabre dance to the story's epilogue .  However; the mood changes quickly yet subtly and you feel yourself floating in space--indeed watching the sky change from that gentle crystal blue to a mild gray to a darkness lit by the stars.  So much happening in less than four minutes.  The drums are surrounded on all sides by keyboards that at first seem to channel Keith Emerson in that moment before he slays the organ, fading smoothly into Jordan Rudess caught in one of his deeper moments of poignant thought...

Liner Notes...the mind behind the conceptual sounds belongs to one Hagen Bretschneider who also plays bass.  He is joined by Nico Walser who performs all other instruments, is co-composer, and engineers the album.  Guitar riffs on the album are performed by Lennart Hueper.

This latest release from Electric Mud is ambient music meets 70's prog meets post-progressive music.  Think Brian Eno working with Tangerine Dream   with hints of Talking Heads on their "Remain In Light" tour edging on the perimeter.  Hagen and Nico have created a sound and accompanied it with striking visuals; the canvas runs vividly with many hues.  Emotion is brought to life a la Abstract Aprils, albeit with a bit more flair.

Learn more about Electric Mud, check out their entire catalog, and make a purchase at their website
ElectricMud and bandcamp.  You can follow the band on Facebook and Twitter @Electricmudd.

One more song to captivate your senses;  "The Loneliness of the Somnambulist."  There is an odd, almost foreboding mood flowing through the headphones on this cut.  Electric Mud captures your attention by painting vivid pictures with every color of the spectrum; the dark hues are tinged with the exuberant colors of daylight dancing on the horizon.  In much the way Robert Fripp and Eno, Moebius, and Roedelius brought music to life without using words, so to Electric Mud has tapped that vein.

I chose "Wading Through the Waters of Time" as your aural teaser this week because it puts on full display all the genius behind the curtain.  Hagen and Nico have crossed into yet another section of the prog garden with this album.  Electric Mud doesn't reinvent itself every time out per se, but they are very good at stretching the boundaries and expanding their soundscape...please to enjoy...


                      

I hope you enjoyed the music this week fellow progheads.  Electric Mud comes at you with visuals as well as sounds; images to translate the music and allow you to focus and submerge yourself...forgetting the world around you even if it's just for a little while.  Prog rock in this section of the prog garden is nothing short of an out-of-body experience...

Now the search for all things prog starts out on a new journey...until next time...

Caligula's Horse "Rise Radiant"

Hello again fellow progheads!  The Closet Concert Arena continues its journey through the prog garden with a stop in Australia this week.  A band I visited a while ago and have had on my radar ever since, Caligula's Horse, recently released "Rise Radiant," the fifth album in their catalog and third on the Inside Out Music label.  I enjoy catching up with bands that have expanded their acreage in the prog garden, so let the journey begin...

"The Tempest" opens things up with a quick energy shot; the needle approaches red as soon as the curtain is lifted.   Heavy guitar wraps itself around the lining of your skull as drums work like bumpers, allowing the keyboards to bounce around the perimeter and all the while the guitar holds everything in its grasp.  There are top notes of Dream Theater and Spock's Beard running through the music; the high energy and color explosions that hit the canvas keep the adrenaline going...

Next up is "Autumn."  With this song you can (almost) forget everything I just said about Caligula's Horse blowing the doors off the barn--this song is the newborn colt stumbling to stand on matchstick legs while mom watches, ready to break the fall.  There are subtle top notes of Steely Dan and I am reminded of Fire on Dawson as well.  The soft overtones of this song complement the band's ability to roam the entire prog garden  expanding their sound and pushing the envelope.  The vocals are rough silk; smooth with a deceptively frayed edge.

Liner Notes...calling Brisbane, Australia home, Caligula's Horse is Jim Grey on vocals, Sam Vallen on lead guitar, Adrian Goleby on guitar, Dale Prinsse on bass, and Josh Griffin on drums.  With four albums on their resume prior to the release of "Rise Radiant," Caligula's Horse has established themselves firmly within the contemporary metal section of the prog garden.

This album explores the human experience--no blinders here; nothing one dimensional or limiting the view.  And much like the human experience, "Rise Radiant" strikes deep, skims the surface, explodes across the canvas with a boldness that can be blinding, and then looks through an introspective lens that is reticent and reserved.  Yes, Caligula's Horse has been busy traversing the prog garden gaining valuable insight.

Learn  more about Caligula's Horse at Facebook  and purchase the album at Inside Out.  You can also follow them on Twitter @CaligulasHorse and Instagram caligulashorse.

Finally this week I piped "Dream the Dead" through my headphones.  The immediate head rush came full tilt; Caligula's Horse is very adept at thumping the perimeter of your skull to prepare you for the music onslaught that is about to invade the premises.  But this song goes one better; it leads you on a journey through darkness punctuated with bright strobe lights your mind races to follow.

Top notes of Opeth run rampant across the canvas until the song takes a reflective tangent and hooks you with a touch of The Mute Gods.  The drums and guitar are ornate while the music as a whole rides the mood elevator up and down your spine...a most invigorating feeling...

For your ear candy this week I chose "Slow Violence."  The song comes at you like the title suggests; slow and deliberate with the intention of leaving you changed for the experience.  There are faint top notes of Transatlantic flowing through this piece, as if the urge to break out and let loose is pulsating in Sam's temple.  The restraint does the song justice as Jim picks up the vibe and carries it through strong vocals.  I am reminded of Between the Buried and Me musically; the unity is evident and everyone builds off the others' energy.

Start the day with a bit of high velocity...

                    

And that, fellow progheads, puts one more week of the dystopian world of 2020 in the record books.  Seems the best, and possibly safest, place to spend time these days is in the prog garden.  Luckily there is quite a bountiful harvest just waiting for you.  So enjoy Caligula's Horse and sit back and enjoy the rest of the journey.  The search for all things prog continues...until next time...

Apostle "Sky Above Me"

Greetings fellow progheads!  Welcome as always to the Concert Closet.   This week the search for all things prog turns up the heat as we venture across the pond for a visit with our friends at Progressive Gears Records.  One of the bands in the Progressive stable, Apostle, recently released their "debut" EP, "Sky Above Me."  PGR has a lot of stellar bands in their stable so let's check out what I hope will be another fine performance...

The album opens with a song called "Reaper" and the imagery the music evokes is quite fitting.  The guitars sit heavy on top while keyboards move in and out, beefy at times before then letting up...and the chase is on.  The song puts hands around your throat but doesn't give that fatal squeeze--although there are finger marks from the tight grip.  Top notes of Marillion are scattered throughout as the canvas fills with bright primal colors outlined in darkness...

Next song to be hit by laser is "Last Goodbye."  an unexpectedly poignant piano gently pulls back the curtain on gentle lyrics.  A son paying tribute to his mother is usually a heartfelt moment and Apostle drives the point home with guitar that hits hard at just the right moments.  An unexpected flash of vulnerability from a band that seems to prefer the more boisterous section of the prog garden...

Liner Notes...Apostle hails from Yorkshire, England and the current line-up is comprised of Ryan Hanson on vocals, Chris Allen on keyboards, Richard Lidster on guitar, Shaun Ellis on bass, and Marcus Murray on drums.  Starting out as Apostles of Chaos, the band took a brief hiatus in 2019 to determine the next steps in their journey.

Drawing from classic rock, prog, metal, and other genres under the rock 'n' roll umbrella, Apostle adopted their new name and dove headlong into the growth and inner reflection needed to distinguish and claim their own identity. With this release Apostle makes an absolute statement about who they are and justify the battle to claim their own acreage in the prog  garden.

Learn more about Apostle and purchase their music at their website Apostle and the home of their label PGR.  You can also find them at bandcamp and on facebook.  For those so inclined, you can follow the band on Twitter @AOC_Bandpage_UK.

My final play for review this week is "The Fire Within."  The tempo is turned up on this cut as the guys feed off each other's energy.  Hints of Deep Purple and a dash of Magnum flow through the headphones as the canvas runs with colors bright; painted with heavy strokes.

The song I bring to you as a taster from this EP buffet is "Reaper;" to whet your appetite and prepare you for a full serving from the band.  Apostle taps their inner hard rock DNA and fills your head with wild imagery and an ominous darkness that is pierced straight through with a bright light--just when you think the fateful blow is about to strike...

                   

So fellow progheads, a little high energy metal from the prog garden this week to get your adrenaline going.  However; Apostle hasn't painted themselves into a corner by being "just" a metal band; they have other arrows in their quiver.  Deep lyrics, heavy guitar, gentle piano, hard hitting drums...and
all of it comes together nicely on this five song EP.

The search for all thing prog forges onward as the journey continues...until next time...

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...