JT Bruce - Universica (2009)

El último trabajo hasta la fecha de JT Bruce, de quien he comentado otro de sus discos, es este "Universica", en clave sinfónico-progresivo y con un trasfondo más cercano a la ciencia-ficción o la astronomía, pero sin dejar de lado los orígenes del grupo en su cercanía con el 'metal-rock', tan pronto como leáis con atención los créditos del disco y este comentario alusivo al mismo:

Universica represents a departure from the stylistic boundaries set up by JT Bruce's previous releases. The music retains a progressive sensibility while striving to create textures and ambiance that are truly unique. Each song bears the name of a star, evoking feelings of a journey through the cosmos.

The focus was on developing a thick atmosphere and very moody, emotional compositions. The use of dirty distortion and intentionally lo-fi sounds lends an almost industrial element to some of the tracks, whereas the extensive layering of synthetic and organic sounds gives an ethereal and space-like feel to other parts. There is a greater electronic presence in this album, used to thicken the mix and create a wall of evolving sound.

Por su conceptualización y la temática del disco, se le puede comparar con grupos como Ayreon, The Tangent o Flower Kings, varios de los grandes grupos de hoy que hacen que el rock progresivo siga más vivo que nunca.

Tracklist:

1. Bellatrix - 18:31
2. Altair - 4:52
3. Rigel - 11:06
4. Spica - 6:08
5. Procyon - 2:33
6. Capella - 6:15
7. Fomalhaut - 6:51
8. Betelgeuse - 12:25
9. Sol - 3:54

Total running time: 72:35

Hallarlo en Jamendo

Si queréis, podéis visitar la web para adquirir el disco (cuesta 20 dólares si se compra fuera de los EEUU) en su formato físico: Subject Ruin

"Universica" tiene atribuida una licencia Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-ND.

Everon - Flesh (2002)

1. And Still It Bleeds (7:45)
2. Already Dead (3:20)
3. Pictures Of You (6:01)
4. Flesh (14:18)
5. Missing From The Chain (4:53)
6. The River (4:05)
7. Half As Bad (3:32)
8. Back In Sight (7:20)

Total Time: 51:34

Line-up / Musicians
- Oliver Philipps / keyboards, vocals, guitars, piano
- Christian Moos / drums, percussion
- Schymy / bass
- Ulli Hoever / guitars

WITH:
- Judith Stüber / vocals on 2, 6
- Donja Djember / cello on 1
- Gabi Ziebell / violin
- Paula Sandu / viola
- Zdenek Bezusek / cello
- Oliver Thiele / arranging on 8

Releases information
Mascot Records #M 7068 2

Listen it via SPOTIFY

LINKS:

Amazon .::::. CD Universe .::::. 3-MP3 .::::. iTunes .::::. Last FM .::::. Legal Sounds

Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Concerto Suite For Electric Guitar And Orchestra in E flat minor, Op. 1 (1998)

After toiling with classical references in his music for most of his career, guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen finally dedicated himself to writing a concerto for electric guitar. The combination is not unique, as several rock groups, including Metallica and Deep Purple, have been backed by full orchestras, but this is the first work of its kind to feature the electric guitar as the lead instrument in a concerto.

One of Malmsteen's biggest target's for criticism has been his inability to move beyond his speed demon reputation that he acquired after bursting on the scene in the early '80s. Seemingly stuck in arrested musical development this work proves that at least he's trying. There are many intriguing moments here and plenty of pyrotechnics, however, as a collective body of work, there is a lack of cohesiveness between his sometimes monotonous riffing and the orchestra. Despite the unevenness (unfortunately a Malmsteen trademark), this ranks as one of his best recordings. Recommended more for guitar fans than the classical connoisseurs, although the later may find the combination intriguing and perhaps even refreshing. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide.

Original CD Release Date: June 30, 1998
Label: Spitfire Records 5138-2 (US)

Tracklisting:

1. Icarus Dream Fanfare - 5:26
2. Cavalino Rampante - 3:57
3. Fugue - 3:40
4. Prelude to April - 2:43
5. Toccata - 3:57
6. Andante - 4:21
7. Sarabande - 3:23
8. Allegro - 1:29
9. Adagio - 3:09
10. Vivance - 4:50
11. Presto Vivace - 3:40
12. Finale - 1:49

Artwork By - Rich DiSilvio
Composed By - Yngwie J. Malmsteen*
Conductor - Yoel Levi
Engineer - Chris Tsangarides , Keith Rose , Lubomir Novacek , Miyuki Ito , Peter Rooth , Takeshi Muramatsu , Tomas Pekarek , Tomoyoshi Ezaki
Guitar - Yngwie J. Malmsteen*
Orchestra - Czech Philharmonic
Orchestrated By - Yngwie J. Malmsteen*
Photography - Mick Rock , William Hames
Producer - Yngwie J. Malmsteen*
Recording Supervisor - Tomoyoshi Ezaki

Links:

Artist Direct .::::. CD Universe .::::. Amazon .::::. 3-MP3 .::::. Last FM .::::. eMusic

Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (2002)

One of the best rock bands in modern music, calling what Porcupine Tree does nowadays prog-rock might be stretching it a little. Steve Wilson has morphed from an experimental Pink Floyd disciple to a fantastic singer/songwriter, sounding more like Radiohead (or even later Pink Floyd) than anything else. After really hitting their stride with 2000's gorgeous, melancholy Lightbulb Sun, PT somehow managed to get even better on In Absentia. The main weakness on LS was some truly cringe-worthy lyrics. The music was more than enough to overcome them, and they weren't always that bad, but if you can honestly read the lyrics to "Hatesong" the whole way through without cracking up, I admire you. Wilson has really gotten better in that regard, delivering sharp commentary on the state of modern music on "The Sound of Muzak", surrealistic poetry on "Gravity Eyelids", and beautiful (if slightly cheesy) romaticism on the gorgeous Radiohead-esque closer "Collapse The Light Into Earth".

Yet there's more to In Absentia than words. It leans more towards metal than any previous PT release, tracks like "Blackest Eyes", "Wedding Nails", and the dark, Tool-esque "Strip The Soul" all contain some distinctly heavy guitar work, helping to give things that extra punch. Yet "Lips of Ashes", "Prodigal" and "Heartattack in a Lay By" show that the band can still make great melodic tracks with the wonderful harmonies that made Lightbulb Sun so appealing. There's not one track I'd skip on here (although some are distinctly stronger than others), even if some are better than others. The standouts for me are "Gravity Eyelids" (this album's "Russia On Ice"), "Trains" (a great acoustic/electric rocker with a wonderful melody), and "Collapse the Light Into Earth", which has to rank among one of the most gorgeous piano ballads ever, closing the album out perfectly.

In Absentia is a great starting place for anyone interested in the band, and since it's not hard to find in stores (the same cannot be said for their previous albums, unfortunately), you really have no excuse to not get it. Whether you're into straightforward pop-rock, heavy metal, prog-rock, psychedelia, or whatever else you may be seeking in your music, odds are there's some of it on In Absentia. I greatly anticipate the next Porcupine Tree album, because this is a band capable of phenomenal things.

(C) ProgArchives.

Releases information:
Lava/Atlantic Records #83604-2 (CD)
Special European version WEA Intrnational Inc. 7567 93163 with enhanced CD.

Tracks Listing:

1. Blackest Eyes (4:23)
2. Trains (5:56)
3. Lips of Ashes (4:39)
4. The Sound of Muzak (4:59)
5. Gravity Eyelids (7:56)
6. Wedding Nails (6:33)
7. Prodigal (5:32)
8. .3 (5:25)
9. The Creator Has a Mastertape (5:21)
10. Heartattack in a Layby (4:15)
11. Strip the Soul (7:21)
12. Collapse the Light Into Earth (5:52)

Musicians:

- Steven Wilson / guitars and vocals
- Richard Barbieri / keyboards
- Colin Edwin / bass
- Gavin Harrison / drums

guest musicians:
- John Wesley / backing vocals (1,4,7), guitar (1)
- Aviv Geffen / backing vocals (4,7)
- Dave Gregory / string arrangements (8,12)

Enhanced CD bonus tracks:

1. Drown With Me
2. Chloroform
3. Strip The Soul (Video edit)



LINKS:

- Porcupine Tree website
- Amazon USA
- Amazon UK
- Last FM
- Yes-FM
- CD Universe

Deep Purple - Lazy (Live 1972)

Deep Purple - Lazy (Live 1972) por bebepanda

Dare - Belief (2001)

Darren Wharton linked up with Thin Lizzy just as their downward spiral began, a decline that can't be laid at the then-17-year-old keyboardist/backing vocalist's door. Wharton loyally remained with the group until the bitter end, forming his own band, Dare, only after Phil Lynott's untimely death. The group's 1987 debut, "Out of the Silence", and its follow-up, 1991's "Blood from Stone", were both well received; however, a label shakeup left the band out in the cold. Wharton moved to Wales to consider his future, then joined the re-formed Lizzy in 1994.

The years passed, and it wasn't until the new millennium that the singing keyboardist put together the new look and new sound of Dare. "Belief" arrived in 2002, with Beneath the Shining Water emerging two years later. It was six years before the two albums were given an American release, when they were picked and paired on a two-CD set by Rock Ridge. It was a sensible move, as both titles were very much cut from the same cloth — misty rock with a Celtic flair.

"Falling" is arguably the closest Dare get on either set to pop/rock in an almost classic mode, with both albums instead dominated by midtempo rockers and keyboard-lit ballads. On "Belief", it's the title track that's the arena showstopper, a lighter-in-the-air sway-along, sent soaring by Steve Ricard's incendiary guitar solos. "Beneath the Shining Water" features a clutch of such anthems, including the set-opening "Sea of Roses," the U2-tinged "The Battles That You've Won," the triumphant "Where Darkness Ends," and the haunting, guitar-swept "Storm Wind." While this set contained the stronger rockers, Belief boasts the prettier ballads, with the best of the batch the lovely "Phoenix" and the keyboard and acoustic guitar-led "Take Me Away." However, the copious arrangements, full-blown productions, and misty atmospheres that infest both sets eventually begin to dull the senses, and give the songs a rather samey feel, emphasized by the lack of any real dynamics.

The music is certainly sumptuous, but a bit overly rich in one sitting, and one wishes Dare would dare to mix up their sound a bit more. (C) AllMusic.com

LINKS:

Listen this album online with Spotify

Dare official site

PURCHASE:

- Amazon
- CD Universe
- Go-Music
- 7-Digital ES
- 7-Digital UK