Latest Prog News from across the progressive music spectrum & updated throughout May 2022
31/05/2022: Malcom Galloway (HOGIA) talks to TPA
“In the run-up to the official release of The Confidence Trick by UK progressive rock band Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, TPA’s David Edwards had the opportunity for an extended chat with the band’s Malcolm Galloway. Speaking remotely from his London home a couple of months before the album’s official release, Malcolm spoke about his musical background, how the band were formed, the latest album and future plans…”
You can read the full interview HERE on TPA
SOURCE: The Progressive Aspect
30/05/2022: IQ release Shallow Bay live video
With only two weeks to go before their official IQ40 celebration show at the Islington Assembly Hall, IQ have released Shallow Bay, recoded at de Boerderij, Zoetermeer on 9th April 2022…
You can read our review of the IQ Eastmas Bash at de Boerderij HERE on TPA
IQ will celebrate their 40 year anniversary ‘IQ40’ (albeit now their 41st year) at the Islington Assembly Hall on 11 June 2022.
SOURCE: IQ
Keep up to date with the TPA Gig Guide – the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
26/05/2022: Alan White ~ RIP
Following on from the announcement early this week that Alan White would not be performing during next month’s YEs Tour dates comes the sad news that Alan White has passed away.
“It is with deep sadness that YES announce Alan White, their much-loved drummer and friend of 50 years, has passed away, aged 72, after a short illness. The news has shocked and stunned the entire YES family. Alan had been looking forward to the forthcoming UK Tour, to celebrating his 50th Anniversary with YES and their iconic Close To The Edge album, where Alan’s journey with YES began in July 1972. He recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his marriage to his loving wife Gigi. Alan passed away, peacefully at home.
Alan is considered to be one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. He was born in 1949 in County Durham and joined YES on 30th July 1972 for the Close to the Edge Tour. He had previously worked with John Lennon’s Plastic Ono band after a phone call in 1969 to play at the Toronto Rock Festival. Alan continued working with Lennon including on the Imagine album and with George Harrison on All Things Must Pass. He also worked with several other musicians over the years, including Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Joe Cocker, Gary Wright, Doris Troy and Billy Preston to name but a few. Alan White was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of YES in 2017.
A number of health setbacks since 2016, had restricted Alan’s time on stage with YES on recent tours with Jay Schellen filling in and Alan joining the band, to great applause, towards the end of each set.
YES will dedicate their 50th Anniversary Close to the Edge UK Tour in June to White.”
More tributes can be found on the HERE on the Yes website
SOURCE: YES
Keep up to date with these dates and more with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
26/05/2022: Winter’s End & Summer’s End Progressive Rock Festivals 2023
The Winter’s End & Summer’s End Progressive Rock Festival organisers have confirmed the 2023 dates in April and October.
Huw Lloyd-Jones comments: “With so many bands, artists and festivals catching up with live shows after the pandemic, we think that it is vital to get those days in people’s diaries as early as possible and to allow people to buy three-day tickets if they wish. We are not quite ready to announce the venue as yet, so we recommend that anyone booking accommodation in Chepstow make sure they can cancel further down the line. We’re working on the lineups for both festivals right now, and the first announcements will be made shortly.”
This year’s Summer’s End 2022 Progressive Rock Festival takes place from 13th to 16th October 2022 – featuring headliners Major Parkinson, Mostly Autumn and Lazuli.
SOURCES: Winter’s End | Summer’s End
Keep up to date with the TPA Gig Guide and TPA Festival Page – the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listings.
25/05/2022: Mediaeval Baebes announce UK dates
SOURCE: Mediaeval Baebes
Venues, links and further details can be found in the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
24/05/2022: Strawbs to release new studio album in 2023
Strawbs’ David Cousins reveals that work is in progress for a new album to be released by Esoteric/Cherry Red Records in 2023. The new album, as yet untitled, follows on from the well received Settlement, released in 2020.
‘Settlement’ was influenced by the strange atmosphere of the Covid-19 lockdowns. The new Strawbs album will again be produced by Blue Weaver who says that some songs he’s heard so far reflect the challenges of the past year, while others look at today’s uncertainty and social unrest.
Sadly due to illness all Strawbs live work has been put on hold whilst David Cousins convalesces following surgery to remove a tumour.
David says: “In August last year I was diagnosed with a malignant tumour that required major surgery to remove it. My consultant advised me that the recovery period would be six months, which was the reason for me having to withdraw from all live Strawbs shows. I am pleased that the procedure was successful and I must express my gratitude to the National Health Service (NHS) team who continue to monitor my progress.” David Cousins goes on to say: “I’d like to thank our Strawbs friends for their patience and understanding. One of the new songs is called – ‘Wiser Now’.” We all are.”
SOURCE: Strawbs
24/05/2022: VLMV premiere For Empire
VLMV have shared their new single For Empire (Revere Cut), the first from the forthcoming album Sing With Abandon. Scheduled for release in August, Sing With Abandon is the follow up to 2018’s acclaimed full-length Stranded, Not Lost and the result of years of collaboration, experimentation and crafting the music and sounds of VLMV.
Pete Lambrou comments: “The intro drones were single legato cello notes recorded and then processed through my old Portastudio 4-track, reversed, delayed and put back together! Not all the songs from the album were written in the midst of lockdown. A couple were performed live on the last tour before the pandemic hit, including For Empire. But their roots are in the aftermath of Brexit, and this feeling of abandonment I’d felt throughout, and then the realisation that your neighbours aren’t who you thought they were.”
SOURCE: Hanglands
23/05/2022: New studio album from Ryo Okumoto due in July
Twenty years on since the release of Coming Through, Ryo Okumoto announces more details for his fifth solo album, The Myth Of The Mostrophus, scheduled for 29th July 2022 via InsideOut Music. Co written with I Am The Manic Whale’s Michael Whiteman, and as might be expected the album features contributions from fellow Beards Nick D’Virgilio, Dave Meros, Alan Morse, Jimmy Keegan and Ted Leonard. The album also boasts an impressive guest list including: Michael Sadler (vocals), Steve Hackett (guitar), Lyle Workman (guitar), Mike Keneally (guitar), Marc Bonilla (guitar), Randy McStine (guitar), Doug Wimbish (bass), Jonathan Mover (drums) and many more…
Ryo Okumoto comments: “It has been 20 years since the recording and release of my fourth solo album, Coming Through [2002], but I never stopped composing. I sent 30 ideas to Michael; he got to work and began sending back demos, one by one, and as they say, the rest is history – I had the basis of my album!”
Further details can be found HERE on Ryo’s website.
The Myth Of The Mostrophus will be available in a CD Digipak from InsideOut, a 2 LP+CD package in black vinyl, a special limited edition 2 LP+CD with transparent red vinyl LPs (only 300 made!), plus the Japanese CD edition with 2 bonus tracks.
SOURCE: Ryo Okumoto
23/05/2022: Crescendo Festival announce final line-up for 2022 event
This year’s Crescendo Festival takes place between the 19th – 22nd August 2022 at Esplanade du Concié, Royan, France.
“Based in St Palais-sur-Mer, “Crescendo” comes to life on the Esplanade du Concié , with a stage facing the ocean and a whole village offering various goods, catering prepared by us, craft beers from the Royannais country as well as our own drink: the Pink Fluid!”
Friday August 19:
– Anaïd (France)
– Pymlico (Norway)
– Karfagen (Ukraine)
Saturday August 20:
– Esthesis (France)
– Universal Totem Orchestra (Italy)
– Smalltape (Germany)
– Baraka (Japan)
Sunday August 21:
– Ex’Odd (France)
– Last Flight To Pluto (England)
– Oresund Space Collective (Denmark)
– Hässe Froberg & Musical Companion (Sweden)
Monday August 22:
– Bewilders (France) AQ&F (France)
– Overhead (Finland)
– Amarok (Poland)
SOURCES: Crescendo Festival | Crescendo Festival (FB)
23/05/2022: James LaBrie posts 30 minute video for “The Making Of” Beautiful Shade of Grey
Ahead of the official release of Beautiful Shade of Grey, James LaBrie has posted a thirty minute ‘the making of’ video for the album…
James LaBrie comments: “Man, I can’t believe it’s been two years since Paul and I hooked up on this thrilling journey. Paul’s musicality and his innate understanding of what I wanted to create in making these songs what they are, is simply a whole new experience for me. Being on the same page from the moment we put this into motion and concluding with such results, I’m speechless.”
SOURCE: James LaBrie
22/05/2022: Yes announce Alan White will not be touring the UK next month
YES management team have announced that due to current health issues Alan White will not be taking part on the forthcoming 50th Anniversary Close to the Edge UK Tour. Jay Schellen will be standing in for Alan for all the UK and Irish dates.
“Alan was really looking forward to playing live again preparing to celebrate 50 years with Yes, having joined the band for the July 1972 Close to the Edge Tour, coming full circle in 2022.”
The Album Series Tour 2022 which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of YES’ iconic album Close to the Edge and will feature the album, performed in full, along with other classic tracks from YES’ extensive catalogue.
The tour line-up will feature Steve Howe (guitars), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals), Billy Sherwood (bass & backing vocals) with Jay Schellen (drums & percussion).
The show will comprise full production and a high-definition video wall directed by Roger Dean who will also be joining the tour with an exhibition of YES related art.
SOURCE: YES
Keep up to date with these dates and more with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
21/05/2022: Kingfisher Sky’s Walk The Plank EP released today
During the Covid19 lockdown in 2020, Kingfisher Sky recorded two acoustic EPs at home: The Quarantine Sessions, featuring acoustic versions of the band’s own songs, and The Winter Sessions, featuring acoustic cover songs. Today the band present five new songs in an acoustic setting with their new EP Walk the Plank
On the Walk The Plank mini album the band explore a more intimate and acoustic musical landscape, in contrast to the heavy sounds of last year’s Rise EP. Formed in 2005 by drummer Ivar de Graaf (ex-Within Temptation) and singer Judith Rijnveld, Kingfisher Sky combine influences ranging from progressive and symphonic rock to traditional folk music.
Kingfisher Sky: Judith Rijnveld – Vocals, Edo van der Kolk – Guitars, Ivar de Graaf – Drums, Erik van Ittersum – Keys, Nick Verschoor – Bass and Maaike Peterse – Violoncello with guest musicians: Ruben Margarita – Violin, Lynne Valencia – Spoken word on Duerme Bien and Max de Graaf – Choir on Walk the Plank.
Walk The Plank is available to purchase through Bandcamp and available on various streaming platforms.
SOURCE: IDVI Agency
21/05/2022: Jacob Holm-Lupo’s Solstein sign to Is It Jazz? Records
“Is it Jazz? Records have inked a deal with Norway’s SOLSTEIN, the latest project from multi-instrumentalist Jacob Holm-Lupo. Inspired by jazz-rock, funk, prog rock and chill-out, SOLSTEIN, offers up an instrumental form of rock, where jazz harmony combines with proggy arrangements and soul/funk grooves. The end result is a laid back, elegant, sound that oscillates between funky fusion and rock.”
Joining Jacob Holm-Lupo in SOLSTEIN are guitarist Stian Larsen (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums) and keyboard player Brynjar Dambo (keyboards).
Commenting on their forthcoming The Skerry debut, SOLSTEIN explain: “The making of our debut album has been a fun, light-hearted affair where zero fucks were given to what the jazz police may have to say. Cheeky, 80’s-tinged fusion-soloing, pastel synths and a very open-minded interpretation of a Wayne Shorter classic are all par for the course. In fact there has only been one rule: No long solos. Keep it rock-length, not jazz-length.”
SOURCE: Is It Jazz?
20/05/2022: Porcupine Tree preview Herd Culling single
Herd Culling is a third preview track taken from Porcupine Tree’s forthcoming eleventh album, CLOSURE / CONTINUATION and their first since 2009’s The Incident. is scheduled for release on Music For Nations/Sony on 24th June 2022…
Lyrically, ‘Herd Culling‘ is about a very specific event in history, but it also deals with the broader theme of paranoia in the modern age – someone or something is coming up your driveway or in your front garden, and their/its motives are unclear.
Steven Wilson comments: “The full 7 minute version is a musical storytelling which features several other sections, but I think the edit works quite well as a more conventionally structured piece too – a smaller bite of music. Lyrically it’s about a very specific event in history, but it also deals with the broader theme of paranoia in the modern age – someone or something is coming up your driveway or in your front garden, and their/its motives are unclear. The title obviously takes on extra resonance in our Covid times.”
CLOSURE / CONTINUATION will be available as a seven track album on standard CD/double vinyl/coloured vinyl or limited cassette. The deluxe LP version comes on audiophile approved crystal clear vinyl as a 3xLP 45rpm boxset with two bonus tracks; the deluxe CD & Blu-Ray boxset comes with three bonus tracks, instrumental versions, and high resolution 96/24 stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos versions of the album, all housed in an exclusive art book.
SOURCE: Porcupine Tree
19/05/2022: Vangelis ~ RIP
Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou best known to us all as Vangelis, passed away in hospital on 17 May 2022. The pioneering electronic music composer perhaps best known for his celebrated film themes, notably Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner has died at the age of 79.
Vangelis’ early career saw him working with several pop bands of the 1960s, including Aphrodite’s Child, with singer Demis Roussos, their 1972 666 release regarded as a progressive-psychedelic rock classic. Throughout the 70s, Vangelis composed pieces for documentaries, which lead him to commissions for film scoring. In 1975 he set up Nemo Studios in London, releasing many solo albums including Heaven and Hell and China among others. In the early 80s, Vangelis formed a musical partnership with Yes’ Jon Anderson, releasing several albums together as Jon & Vangelis.
“In 1980, he composed the score for the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The soundtrack’s single, the film’s theme, also reached the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was used as the background music at the London 2012 Olympics winners’ medal presentation ceremonies.[1] He also composed the official anthem of the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in Korea and Japan.[4] In his last twenty years, Vangelis collaborated with NASA and ESA on music projects Mythodea, Rosetta and Juno to Jupiter, which was his 23rd and last solo studio album in 2021.” Wikipedia
Numerous tributes have been posted to Vangelis:
Jean Michel Jarre: “We will all remember your unique touch and your moving melodies forever. You & I have always shared the same passion for synthesizers and electronic music since so long…”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis: “Vangelis Papathanassiou is no longer with us. The world of music has lost the international (artist) Vangelis.”
Rick Wakeman: “Vangelis……your music will live on and on for ever.”
Vangelis: 1943 – 2022
SOURCES: Various
18/05/2022: Ikarus upload their performance at Jazzahead! 2022
Zurich based contemporary groove jazz quintet Ikarus have uploaded their showcase concert filmed at Jazzahead! 2022, and featuring tracks from their recent Plasma release, 2019’s Mosaismic and their 2015 debut Echo.
You can watch the second part HERE.
SOURCE: Ikarus
18/05/2022: Jon Gomm releases ‘tribute’ video in memory of Jonny Walker
Song For A Rainy Day pays tribute to Jon Gomm’s dear friend, Johnny Walker, who passed away in 2018…
Jon Gomm comments: “A human whirlwind, Jonny Walker seemed to live two days for every one of mine. Performing, activism, and endlessly helping others. He was loved as a street performer for his emotional openness and honesty, which was entirely genuine. You could be feeling down and he’d just knock the wind out of you with a smile that beamed love and optimism.
He was the most frustrating but rewarding guitar pupil I ever had: Trying to teach him was always like trying to hit a moving target, but what he did with that knowledge was take to the streets and create special moments in people’s lives.
His last 18 months were the most painful and scary I have seen anyone endure, and the strength and kindness Jonny showed throughout were an inspiration to me, but in the end it was too much for him, and he took his own life. I desperately miss the support we gave to each other.”
Jon has also announced a competition to win a “A Private Concert” – details can be found HERE
SOURCE: Jon Gomm
15/05/2022: Barclay James Harvest announce rescheduled UK dates
The postponed John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest concerts in Manchester and Leeds have now been rescheduled as follows:
21/05/23: Royal Northern College Of Music, MANCHESTER
23/05/23: City Varieties Theatre, LEEDS
SOURCE: Barclay James Harvest
Keep up to date with these dates and more with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
14/05/2022: Han Uil to release his new solo album Walking In Circles
Dutch musician and producer is best known as frontman for the bands Antares and Seven Day Hunt and as songwriter/singer/guitarist for TumbleTown (a collaboration with Aldo Adema and Erik Laan). In 2006 he released his debut solo album Alone and in 2010 the well received second studio album Dark in Light followed by the Americana influenced album Han – Lawless Local Heroes (2015). In 2019 Han returned with his fourth solo album Esoteric Euphony featuring ten daring songs in the line of TumbleTown. Hans Uil’s Walking in Circles will be released on 16 June 2022…
Hans Uil comments: “Walking in Circles is my fifth solo album. I have further evolved the musical direction taken on my previous album Esoteric Euphony. And this resulted in nine new varied and, to me, immersive songs. A combination of progressive and mainstream rock. I have spent a long time making it and put my heart and soul into it.”
For this album Han is accompanied by drummer Sander Zoer (Delain), Juan Ignacio Varela (Bubu) on sax and Jaap-Sip Faber on bass. Furthermore, there are additional performances by Peter H. Boer (bass), Aldo Adema (guitar, bass), Sage Tichenor (flute), Valentin Sonderegger (cello), Laura Schwarzmann (violin) and Abel Boquera (Hammond).
SOURCE: IDVI Agency
13/05/2022: The Tangent release The Lady Tied To The Lamp Post video
Taken from their forthcoming album Songs From The Hard Shoulder, scheduled for 10 June 2022 via InsideOut Music is the single edit of The Lady Tied To The Lamp Post…
Andy Tillison comments on the the track: “The Lady Tied To A Lamp Post” is the piece that has been in development the longest. Originally to have been another movement of “Le Sacre Du Travail” the enormity of that project did require some trimming. It never made it off the starting blocks and has just annoyed me for years. It is a very sobering piece that returns to the theme of homelessness that I explored from a very short personal experience of that on the “Down & Out” album. The “Lady” in question was a person I encountered in Leeds on my way home from a Christmas party in 2012. Dressed in rescued council worker hi viz orange waterproofs repaired with Gaffa she was tying herself to the lamp post so that she could sleep upright without falling over. The temperature was in the low minus figures and the wind was biting like a Doberman. I had the briefest of conversations with her and only had cigarettes to give her. The song looks at the absurdity of a “Red Haired Hippy” coming up to her, then heading out of town and writing songs about it instead of doing something practical and useful. Getting this piece to actually say what I wanted it to say has been a long time coming. Although its subject matter is nowhere near as glamorous as the story of “Earnest” and his fighter planes, the tale here is given a fictitious back story about what brought her to this place, and of course is keen to point out that she is very much one of US and not one of THEM.”
Songs From the Hard Shoulder will be The Tangent twelfth album – and will be released during the 20th year of their existence as a band.
The line-up for The Lady Tied To The Lamp Post : Andy Tillison (keyboards, vocals) , Luke Machin (guitars, vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass), Steve Roberts (drums, percussion) and Theo Travis (flute, saxophone).
SOURCE: The Tangent
12/05/2022: Ed Wynne announces new studio album in July
Ed Wynne, frontman of the influential British band Ozric Tentacles has announced Tumbling Through The Floativerse, a brand new studio album mad in collaboration with Gre Vanderloo of Gracerooms.
Photo by Andrew Perry
Ed Wynne comments on the new album: “I’ve always enjoyed the synth orientated musical worlds he creates with his project ‘Gracerooms. Shortly before lockdown 2020, whilst making the early stages of the recent Ozrics album Space for the Earth, we decided to try and make some tunes together. Gre came over from Holland where he lives, to the Blue Bubble Studio here in Fife and we started recording pretty much straight away. We ended up with about six definite starting points, which then developed and unfolded into a harmonic realm we referred to as ‘The Floativerse’… A place where you might escape gravity for a moment”.
Gre Vanderloo on Tumbling Through The Floativerse: “It all began in 2018 when Ed asked me to play synths at a Nodens Ictus gig, which, as a heavy Ozric fan made me as proud as a peacock! That’s where the idea of making an album together was formed.
Ed visited me the year after and we had lots of fun in the Graceroom Studio
recording some things here and there not knowing that some of that was already tumblin thru…. Then I visited Ed a while after and we recorded lots of v-drums and synths and unknown layers of silly madness in the Blue Bubble Studio in Scotland. We had so much fun while creating this magical floativerse, and I think some will feel that.
I think it’s not an Ozric album and not a Gracerooms album, and yet somehow both. basically it’s Tumbling thru the Floativerse and it has Erpman and waterfalls!”
The album will arrive via Kscope on 15th July 2022 on limited edition blue vinyl, along with standard black LP, CD and digital.
Ed Wynne and Ozric Tentacles will be joining GONG for their first ever co-headline tour later this year.
SOURCE: Hanglands
Keep up to date with the Ozric Tentacles & Gong UK tour with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
11/05/2022: Rick Wakeman live four-disc boxset released this week…
Cleopatra Records to release a four CD set of 70s era live Rick Wakeman concerts. Focusing on the artist’s mid-’70s work, this 4CD box set showcases Wakeman at his most adventurous and mesmerizing performing featuring performances of tracks from the The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table, The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, Journey To The Centre Of The Earth and others!
“A treasure trove of vintage concert recordings from the wizard of keyboards and prog rock’s knight in analog armor, the gallant Rick Wakeman!” The 4CD box-set will be released on 13th May 2022 via Cleopatra Records…
SOURCE: Cleopatra Records
10/05/2022: The Utopia Strong release Castalia taken from their new studio album
The Utopia Strong release Castalia, taken from their forthcoming album International Treasures, scheduled for 10 the June 2022, via Rocket Records
‘International Treasure’ took shape initially in 2020 just as world affairs were changing drastically, and it’s open to debate to what extent this influenced the occasionally sombre and melancholic tones therein. However, this album is ultimately possessed of a vibrant life way beyond the circumstances in which it was wrought.
Steve Davis meanwhile, whose speciality lies in rich tapestries of modular electronics, sums up their relationship in characteristically self-effacing fashion: “I see myself as a strong midfielder, or a centre back. Kavus and Mike are like the Lionel Messi or Ronaldo of the equation, and I’m setting situations up for them”
The Utopia Strong are Kavus Torabi, Michael York and Steve Davis…
SOURCE: Bandcamp
08/05/2022: Martin Turner (ex Wishbone Ash) talks to TPA
Today sees the fiftieth anniversary Wishbone Ash’s Argus album. To mark the album the event, TPA’s Geoff Ford revisits one of his favourite albums, with the help of Martin Turner, then the Wishbone Ash bass player, vocalist and architect of, what was to become, an all-time classic.
GEOFF FORD: I never have tired of listening to Wishbone Ash albums, particularly Argus. It always sounds so fresh, I told Martin when we spoke as the 50th anniversary of Argus approached.
MARTIN TURNER: “Yes,” he agreed. “The Argus album was probably the most popular one. Most music from the early ’70s has a knack of sounding really dated when you play it nowadays. Strangely that doesn’t, it has a lovely vitality to it.”
You can read the full interview/review HERE on TPA
SOURCE: TPA
06/05/2022: The Aristocrats with Primuz Chamber Orchestra new album release in June
On 3rd June 2022, The Aristocrats (featuring guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Marco Minnemann) release a new orchestral collaboration, The Aristocrats With Primuz Chamber Orchestra, a lavish reimagination of compositions from throughout the band’s catalogue. The first single, The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde can be heard on the visualizer video…
Commenting on the collaboration: The band randomly stumbled upon a YouTube video of Poland’s Primuz Chamber Orchestra performing one of their songs, as reimagined by composer/arranger Wojtek Lemański. The arrangement was startlingly inventive and yet remained entirely faithful to the spirit of the original composition, inspiring them to propose a collaboration.
The album comprises nine trio performances taken from the band’s previous studio albums, remixed by award-winning engineer Forrester Savell and transformed Lemański’s string arrangements. It will be released on CD and digital, with a limited vinyl run to follow.
SOURCE: RJPR Music
05/05/2022: King’s X announce new studio album
King’s X announce they have signed with InsideOut Music/Sony Music for their forthcoming 13th studio album and first new music in 14 years, scheduled for 2nd of September 2022!
The band comments: “I feel like it’s been forever since we put out a new album, and I’m ready for the world to hear our latest offering, hopefully, there’s a little bit of everything that you love about Kings X, three sides of one is the best way to describe it. The groove is with us!” – dUg Pinnick
“It’s really gonna happen! The new record is coming out soon. I’m happy to be working with the team at InsideOut/Sony Music. I’m happy with the record. I’m happy everybody gets to hear it. It’s a happy day. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Hope you enjoy it!!!” – Jerry Gaskill
“I have a long-standing relationship with InsideOut and am so pleased that InsideOut/Sony is releasing the new King’s X album.” – Ty Tabor
King’s X are set to return to stages in 2022, heading to Europe in September and returning to North America for more dates in October.
SOURCE: King’s X
Keep up to date with these dates and more with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
05/05/2022: Mantra Vega to release We See You in support of the DEC Ukraine Appeal
Mantra Vega (feat. Heather Findlay and Dave Kerzner) will release the We See You single this Friday and in support of the DEC Ukraine Appeal. Heather Findlay and Dave Kerzener explain how the single came together…
The new single features contributions from Dave Kilminster (guitar), Chris Johnson (guitar), Stuart Fletcher (bass) and Alex Cromarty (drums).
We See You will be exclusively via Bandcamp at 00.00 GMT on Friday 6th May 2022, for a limited time only at the following links: Black Sand Records | Sonic Elements
SOURCE: Mantra Vega
05/05/2022: Robert Fripp 1980s albums to be reissued
Robert Fripp’s God Save The Queen/Under Heavy Manners and Let The Power Fall are being reissued on CD and LP format. Both are scheduled for 1st July 2022 release and this marks the first time these albums have been available since the mid-1980s. The CD editions each come with bonus tracks, while the LP editions are pressed on 200 gram super-heavyweight vinyl. All titles have been remastered by David Singleton.
The CD version of God Save The Queen/Under Heavy Manners will feature two additional tracks, the 1985 issued ‘God Save the King’ – originally released as part of a compilation CD that also featured League of Gentlemen material and the ‘Music on Hold’ jam/track that was discovered as part of the archive work for the Exposures multi-disc boxed set.
Let The Power Fall CD reissue features three additional tracks discovered as part of the archive work for the Exposures multi-disc boxed set – a single edit of 1984 and two mixes of another track given the same name at the time of mixing and all three previously unreleased on individual CD.
Full details can found HERE at DGM Live
CD and LP editions will be available for pre-order via Inner Knot (US) and Burning Shed (UK/EU)
SOURCE: DGM Live
05/05/2022: AVAWAVES release single from the Savage Waters documentary
AVAWAVES duo featuring Anna Phoebe (violin) and Aisling Brouwer (piano) have unvailled their new single, The Wave, which is available through One Little Independent Records…
The track, composed for Savage Waters is taken from a new feature documentary to be released later this year. You can view the trailer for the film HERE.
Savage Waters comment: “This is our first feature film we’ve scored together as AVAWAVES & we are so excited to release it. Savage Waters is a truly cinematic documentary centred around the sea, and we felt immediately connected to the narrative and intention behind this film – the story of obsession with the sea, these epic journeys and experiences. It celebrates the stories of individual resilience as well as showing the importance of support from family and community.
This first single The Wave is a cue which celebrates the beauty and the power of the sea.”
SOURCE: Savage Waters
05/05/2022: Dim Gray release new lyric video for Mare
Norwegian ensemble Dim Gray have signed to Big Big Train’s label English Electric Recordings and will release their second album, Firmament, on 2nd September 2022. To coincide with signing Dim Gray have released the first single, Mare…
The first single from the record is Mare, which was originally written by guitarist Håkon Høiberg in 2016. Singer/keyboardist Oskar Holldorff explains that “we decided not to include it on ‘Flown’, but when Håkon attempted to rearrange it in the style of Brian Wilson circa ‘Pet Sounds’ we thought the result sounded inspired. The lyric was reworked right up until the recording and is about trying to break free of invisible shackles and the yearning for something more. We tried to balance the earnest expression of emotions with more obscure imagery, but achieving the right blend took a lot of time and effort.”
“Following in the wake of ‘Flown’, their critically acclaimed 2020 debut album, Norwegian art rockers Dim Gray return with its follow-up, ‘Firmament’. Consisting of twelve direct, vivid and melody-driven songs, it is a record bursting with life and colour, making for an engaging and constantly surprising journey as it weaves a route from strings-infused chamber pop, through evocative indie-folk and lush electronics and into grandiose art rock.
An ambitious artistic statement, ‘Firmament’ will appeal musically to fans of artists such as Radiohead, Agnes Obel, Owen Pallett, Susanne Sundfør, Keane and Tears For Fears. Thematically, it explores further the landscape of melancholy and longing that was introduced on ‘Flown’; however, those sensations are now contextualised in the depressions of the modern world, juxtaposed against romanticised ideas of simpler times through childhood memories interspersed with myths and superstition.
‘Firmament’ will be released on English Electric Recordings, the label run by UK prog titans Big Big Train. Gregory Spawton of BBT states: “We are delighted to announce that we have signed Dim Gray. Until now, the label has just been a vehicle for Big Big Train and outside projects of BBT band members. We have been interested in expanding the label’s activities for some time but only wanted to do so when we came across a truly exciting band that we felt had something new to offer musically. When we were introduced to Dim Gray, we saw that the band has enormous potential and were very keen to sign them.”
The trio who comprise Dim Gray come from different places, both musically and geographically, with all three – Høiberg, Holldorff and drummer Tom Ian Klungland – moving from different parts of Norway to Oslo a decade ago to study. Having found each other, they soon began playing together.
Firmament will be available on CD, LP (via Plane Groovy) and all digital services, with the physical formats available to pre-order now via Burning Shed.
SOURCE: Red Sand PR
03/05/2022: John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest – important gig announcement
With growing concerns that the London Islington Assembly show on 10th May 2022 is still being advertised, John Lees’ BJH have re-issued the following post:
“In spite of the band and their management’s best efforts, the postponed London Islington Assembly show, originally scheduled for next week, is still being advertised for sale. To reiterate, this concert is definitely NOT happening on 10th May, and will be rescheduled for May 2023.
The new date for this and the other rearranged U.K. concerts will be announced as soon as possible, and tickets for the previous dates will remain valid. Apologies for the incorrect information appearing elsewhere, but it’s completely out of the band’s hands.”
SOURCE: John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest
Keep up to date with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
03/05/2022: Tim Bowness’ new single Dark Nevada Dream released today
Tim Bowness releases the latest single taken from his forthcoming album Butterfly Mind, which is scheduled for 17th June 2022 via InsideOut Music. “The atmospheric video by David K Jones (Plenty) taps into the trance-like ‘beauty and the beat’ feel of the music”… Dark Nevada Dream here…
“Dark Nevada Dream is an attempt to get inside the mind of someone falling apart after the collapse of their family life and career aspirations,” Bowness explains. “The lyrics are trying to capture a disconnected sense of reality as someone attempts to come to terms with what they’ve lost and who they really are. Despite this, musically I think there’s a genuine sense of optimism in the piece. Though it’s ambiguous, there’s an element of the character emerging from a period of chaos somehow changed.”
Dark Nevada Dream features Tim on vocals along with Nick Beggs (bass), Richard Jupp (drums), Dave Formula (Hammond), Devon Dunaway(backing vocals) and Ben Coleman (violin). The album will also feature guest appearances from Ian Anderson, Peter Hammill, Gregory Spawton and Stephen W Tayler.
Tim previously announced three UK shows in support of the album, including the live in-store performance, Q&A, and signing release party at London’s Rough Trade East.
SOURCE: Tim Bowness
Keep up to date with these dates and much more with the TPA Gig Guide the UK’s most comprehensive prog gig listing.
03/05/2022: The Fierce And The Dead announce the release of the Wonderful single
This Friday, 6th May 2022, The Fierce And The Dead will release their first single in 4 years, and for the first time, with vocals from bassist Kevin Feazey. Wonderful also features sax from Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey/Spiritualized/Faust) and comes from upcoming fourth album News From The Invisible World, scheduled for later in 2022.
“The Fierce And The Dead formed in London in 2010, with all 4 members originally from Rushden, Northants, previously an instrumental band they mix in elements from psychedelic rock, old metal records, garage rock, post-rock, prog and shoegaze.
They released their breakthrough 3rd album The Euphoric in 2018 via BEM records which was Classic Rock Magazine’s Prog Album Of The Year and 8th in Prog Magazine’s critics choice. Prog magazine included them in their 100 Prog Icons and they have appeared ranked highly in the magazine’s Readers Poll for multiple years and categories, although the band have never considered themselves to be deliberately prog. Pre-COVID headline shows in Manchester and London sold out months in advance.
They have been championed by Stuart Maconie on BBC 6 Music and Steve Davis on his Interesting Alternative Show and played with Hawkwind, Big Business, Dave Lombardo, Crippled Black Phoenix, Evil Blizzard and Monkey 3 and at festivals in the USA, Europe, and the UK including Freak Valley, Arctangent, HRH, Kozfest, Ramblin Man and Rosfest. They have released 3 studio albums alongside 4 EPs and 3 live albums.”
SOURCE: The Fierce And The Dead
02/05/2022: Cédric Theys to release latest studio album in May
Légèreté De L’Être, the latest studio offering from Texas based, contemporary classical percussion music composer Cédric Theys, will be released on 8 May 2022 on Mad Ducks Records. Ahead of the release Cédric has posted a teaser video…
Says Cédric: “The pieces on Légèreté De L’Être (Lightness of Being) took a few years to write but all of them were finished during the Covid pandemic. I felt that if our being could feel light, we could get through pretty much anything. It doesn’t mean carelessness or meaninglessness but light like the egret taking flight on the cover of the album, free, for a moment, of worries and anxiety.
Some will think: Kundera. But the inspiration for the title really is the photography of the egret taking flight with just the grey sky as the background. It seems absolutely fantastic being this light. What stunning things can be done when we reach that state of mind, without having to question what being human means.”
SOURCE: Cédric Theys
01/05/2022: Crypto Knight release the second single from The Quest
Describing their music as a mix of Electronica and Modern Prog, USA based duo Crypto Knight have released the second single from The Quest, their debut album. Listen to Supernova here…
Having met online during a music course the pair realized that despite very different backgrounds (Dave from North East England (now based in Las Vegas) & Tim from Tennessee) they had similar musical influences including Folk Rock, Classic Rock, Progressive Rock and Electronic Music and so started writing together. With Dave composing the music and Tim providing melodies and lyrics, the early online collaborations as part of their course were focused on more modern commercial sounding tracks. However, it was soon apparent that they preferred to write in their more familiar Rock style and so new material came together very quickly throughout 2021. The resulting album demonstrates their unique and varied style which has been described as a mix of Neo Prog and Electro Pop.
SOURCE: Crypto Knight
02/05/2022: Kaipa’s Hans Lundin talks to TPA
Keyboardist and composer Hans Lundin is the sole constant through the history of the legendary Swedish band Kaipa, which he co-founded in 1973. With the band having just released their fourteenth album, the mesmerising Urskog, TPA’s Jez Rowden talks to Hans about his long career, the current band and the new music…
Per Nilsson has been a revelation since joining the band in 2006. How did he come to be involved and how have you found collaborating with a musician from a completely different background? What has he brought to Kaipa?
“In 1996 fiddle player Anders Rosén asked me to be part of a new project called Hagen. The idea was to make a record mixing Swedish folk music and heavy rock. I thought this was an interesting idea, and I saw it as a challenge and a possibility to learn more about the roots of the traditional Swedish music. The record Hagen: Corridors of Time was released on the German label Angular Records in 2001. The guitar player in Hagen was Per Nilsson and I immediately realised how diverse and talented he was. We continued to have contact and in 2006 I asked him to be a permanent member of Kaipa. He’s very important for the final result, not only as a guitar player. Sometimes he’s like a third ear or eye to me when he makes me discover all those small details in the arrangements that need to be reviewed.”
You can read Jez Rowden’s full interview with Hans Lundin HERE on TPA
SOURCE: TPA
01/05/2022: Ikarus release official Tritium videoclip
Taken from Zurich based, contemporary groove jazz quintet Ikarus’ recent Plasma album, released on 25 February 2022, is a new video for the track Tritium…
“Filmmaker Brigitte Fässler captured the kinetic energy of the new record Plasma into stunning visuals. It features the movements of Yevheniya Kravets (choreography/performance) and Titilayo Adebayo (performance), which form a kaleidoscope of overlapping shapes and loops, just like the music of Ikarus.”
SOURCE: Ikarus
01/05/2022: Lobate Scarp to release second album in May
The slightly delayed You Have It All, the second full length studio album from Lobate Scarp, will be independently released on 6 May 2022. Ahead of the release the band premiered the second single Life-Line in April…
The album features special guests: Jon Davison (Yes), Jimmy Keegan (Spock’s Beard, Pattern Seeking Animals), Eric Moore (Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves), Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard) and Billy Sherwood (Yes).
Lobate Scarp are a “progressive opera-rock band” based in Los Angeles, with diverse influences from the classic prog of the 70’s such as Genesis and Yes, to 80’s, as well as strong ties to musical theatre.
SOURCE: Lobate Scarp
01/05/2022: Echo Rhythm release debut The Program
Today sees the release of The Program, the debut album from instrumental progressive duo Echo Rhythm. The independently released album is available through Bandcamp from 1st May 2022, and to mark the occasion the band have issued the second teaser from The Program – Under A Red Sky…
Josh Adams comments: “This Album really showcases the evolution of instrumental song writing for us. What was just a late night, monthly get together to jam out, turned into something we never expected. We are extremely proud of the work and product we have produced and extremely excited to share with the world.”
Echo Rhythm comprises of Greg Rosenblit (keys & programming) & Josh Adams (bass) who previously worked together in the 00’s as part of instrumental progressive metal band, Eternal Essence. After many years apart, Greg and Josh re-joined and began writing and recording music which would evolve into their debut album The Program, released today.
SOURCE: Echo Rhythm
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