Pattern-Seeking Animals (PS-A) share another musical glimpse of their upcoming album, Spooky Action at a Distance, out on InsideOutMusic on October 27th.
With their new single “Somewhere North of Nowhere”, the US-based group delivers yet another catchy track with an animated and AI generated music video. “Somewhere North of Nowhere is a cheery little story of a guy on a spiritual journey who soon realizes he’s being followed. Might be preternatural forces, might be aliens, but he soon discovers something very, very bad is happening right over the horizon. It’s too late to turn around as the dire situation is only getting worse. Or, he could be hallucinating all of this…”
Watch the video to “Somewhere North Of Nowhere” here:
The album’s first single, “Window to the World”, that came out in August, immediately captivates with its high-energy, up-tempo art-rock infused with elements of ska and reggae. Demonstrating the band’s fearless approach to experimentation, the single introduces listeners to a sonic universe that is both innovative and nostalgic.
(CD 1) The Man Made of Stone Window to the World What Awaits Me He Once Was Underneath the Orphan Moon Clouds That Never Rain Bulletproof Somewhere North of Nowhere Summoned from Afar Love Is Still the Light
(CD 2) There Goes My Baby Orphans of the Universe (Live at ProgStock 2022) Elegant Vampires (Live at ProgStock 2022) Time Has a Way (Live at ProgStock 2022)* *CD & Digital album only
Spooky Action at a Distance is available in the following formats:• Limited 2CD Digipak* • Digital album* • 2LP Gatefold vinyl 180g**
*including 3 live bonus tracks from ProgStock 2022 **including 2 live bonus tracks from ProgStock 2022
Spooky Action at a Distancefinds Pattern-Seeking Animals more confident than ever, approaching new soundscapes and topics, showcasing their evolution, and commitment to pushing their own creative boundaries. John Boegehold explains, “Because this is our fourth release in less than five years, my intention was to shift gears and not go over ground that’s already been covered. In addition to using different sounds, textures and musical styles, we approached the vocals, especially backing vocals from a fairly different angle. In addition, the album was recorded, mixed and mastered at a different studio with a different engineer than our previous three releases.” The different approach is not only noticeable in production and sounds, but in the lyrics as well. “The subject matter of the lyrics include a Norse king contemplating life while being conquered, an aging seeker on the path toward enlightenment, aliens hunting down humans trying to evade capture, the life of a conflicted soldier before and after WW1, a pregnant teenager leaving a bad situation at home, a reluctant hero victorious in her final battle and a guy’s girlfriend who leaves him because of his conspiracy theories.”
About Pattern-Seeking Animals: Pattern-Seeking Animals (PS-A) is a pioneering force in the progressive rock genre, consistently pushing the boundaries of musical exploration. Having already left an indelible mark on the genre since their self-titled debut in 2019, Pattern-Seeking Animals weave captivating narratives into an eclectic soundscape that pushes the boundaries of creativity. Hailing from the lineage of the influential Spock’s Beard, Pattern-Seeking Animals features John Boegehold (keyboards and production), Ted Leonard (lead vocals and guitar), bassist Dave Meros, and the dynamic Jimmy Keegan on drums. Formed as a conduit for Boegehold’s visionary compositions, the band has evolved into a driving force of progressive exploration, crafting music that is both intricate and immediate.
French prog rock band Nine Skies unveil Nine Skies unveil a last single from their album ‘The Lightmaker’ before the release on September 18th.
Marco Minnemann, Adam Holzman, Kristoffer Gildenlöw,
John Mitchell, Riccardo Romano, Martin Wilson, Charlie Bramald, Arnaud Quevedo & Laura Piazzai have been announced as guests on the album.
Riccardo Romano has also been announced as lead vocalist on the upcoming French tour in October.
OVERVIEW
Style: “Frogressive” Rock
Country: France/UK
Label: Independent Release Date: September 18, 2023
Tracklisting
1 Intro: An Fánai (2:38) 2 The Explorer (6:08) – feat. Riccardo Romano 3 The Dreamer (8:01) – feat. Martin Wilson 4 The Chaotic (7:18) – feat. Adam Holzman, Arnaud Quevedo & Laura Piazzai 5 The Lost (9:12) – feat. Kristoffer Gildenlöw 6 Interlude: The Wanderer (1:27) 7 The Haunted (11:25) – feat. Charlie Bramald 8 The Architect (11:18) – feat. John Mitchell & Marco Minnemann
A NEW 4CD / BLU RAY BOXED SET 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THIS CLASSIC ALBUM.
NEWLY REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES
FEATURING NEW 5.1 SURROUND SOUND AND STEREO MIXES OF THE ALBUM ALONG WITH A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED LIVE CONCERT FROM JANUARY 1974, THE 1973 QUAD MIX AND ADDITIONAL VIDEO CONTENT OF THE REMEMBER THE FUTURE PROMOTIONAL FILM, THE FILM OF WINGS FOR BBC TVs OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST AND THE LIVE PERFORMANCE OF “DESOLATION VALLEY / WAVES” FOR THE TV SHOW.
WITH ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET AND NEW ESSAY
First released in November 1973, the album was a conceptual piece comprising a musical cycle divided into two parts and was recorded at Chipping Norton Studios in England. “Remember the Future” became the band’s most successful album, being a chart hit in Germany, but also reaching number 13 on the US Billboard charts without the band having ever toured America. It was a pivotal album for the band and broke them to a wider audience and remains one of Nektar’s most well-known and highly regarded works.
This 50th Anniversary edition comprises 4 CDs and a multi-region Blu Ray disc and features a newly remastered original stereo mix of the album along with and additional two CDs featuring a previously unreleased concert recorded at the Stadthalle, Munster, Germany in January 1974 and stunning new 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo mixes of the album from the original multi track tapes. Also included on the Blu ray disc are the original 1973 Quad mix and additional video content comprising of the rare “Remember the Future” promotional film, the film of “Wings” shown on BBC TVs Old Grey Whistle Test and a live performance of “Desolation Valley / Waves” for the same TV show.
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE Remember the Future – The 50th Anniversary remaster 1 Remember the Future Part One 2 Remember the Future Part Two Bonus track 3 Let it Grow (Live Erbach, Germany April 1973)
DISC TWO Remember the Future – The 50th Anniversary stereo remix 1 Remember the Future Part One 2 Remember the Future Part Two Bonus tracks 3 Lonely Roads (German promo single version) 4 Let it Grow (German promo single version)
DISC THREE Live at Stadthalle, Munster, Germany 28th January 1974 Previously unreleased 1 King of Twilight 2 Desolation Valley 3 A Day in the Life of a Preacher 4 Cast Your Fate
DISC FOUR Live at Stadthalle, Munster, Germany 28th January 1974 Previously unreleased 1 Odyssee 2 That’s Life 3 Fidgety Queen 4 Ron’s On 5 Show Me the Way 6 Little Boy 7 Need Love 8 Smile / Lonely Roads 9 Let it Grow
DISC FIVE Remember the Future 96 kHz / 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound mix / stereo remix / original stereo mix / 1973 Quad mix 1 Remember the Future – Part One 2 Remember the Future – Part Two Visual content 1 Remember the Future – (promotional film 1973) 2 Wings (BBC TV “Old Grey Whistle Test” – 10th July 1973) 3 Desolation Valley / Waves (BBC TV “Old Grey Whistle Test” – 23rd October 1973)
About the video: “I wanted the visuals to remain still, whilst the music is so dynamic. The video is about how the physical elements of a human’s life are temporary and many are often taboo (birth, milking, death and turning to ashes, etc.) I think it echoes the subject matter of the EP, not just on ‘Latibulate’ but also ‘For You’ (‘The sky is blue, the sky is doomed but today it shines for you’) and ‘Ptichka’ (‘Nothing meets eternity, fly, little bird, fly’) In my lyrics for that EP I wanted to look at mortality as a reminder of how brief one’s presence in this world is and that there’s no reason not to spend this time in peace.” – Dikajee 2023
*****
It’s been a long and convoluted process but it’s finally here! Featuring sublimely evocative vocals from the ever-enchanting Dikajee, Quicksilver Night’s “Ptichka” EP is nearly thirty minutes in length across five captivating songs of progressive-influenced rock music with operatic and madrigal nuances set on fire by pyrotechnic solo contributions from special guest guitarists. “Ptichka” was first announced in December of 2021 as a collaborative single nearly eight minutes in length that we intended to initially release digital-only and later include on Quicksilver Night’s next full-length album but, in the manner of all best-laid plans, it didn’t quite pan out that way. The invasion of Ukraine by Russian-led forces in February 2022 and the ensuing sociopolitical and economic upheavals threw a huge figurative spanner into the “Ptichka” works. We eventually got things back on track and as we did the song “Ptichka” itself became the title track of what ultimately evolved into a discrete five-song EP.
“Ptichka”
1. “Monochrome Memories” featuring Marco Iacobini 3:31 2. “Ptichka” featuring Andrew N Project 7:51 3. “Nihil Tactum” featuring Andrew N Project 4:15 4. “For You” featuring Farzad Golpayegani 6:51 5. “Latibulate” featuring Andrew N Project 4:39
“Ptichka” Releases 9/9, Preorder Now!
Pre-order the physical CD or digital album at the following locations:
About Quicksilver Night is guitarist/composer Warren Russell and a small but widening circle of musical collaborators around the world. The music of Quicksilver Night is probably best described as “distilled progressive rock” because it often incorporates elements of progressive rock such as exotic modes and composite meters but it generally eschews extended song structures in favor of a more concise songwriting style than is usually associated with the genre. Visit https://quicksilvernight.com/
Dikajeelinks her connection with nature back to her childhood, having grown up near Lake Ladoga in northwest Russia. Dikajee’s compositions draw inspiration from the progressive music of Kate Bush, Nightwish, and Björk. Her pieces never stand still, driven forward by her own visions and the talent of her fellow musicians. Visit https://dikajee.bandcamp.com/
Founded by vocalist/songwriter Mark “Truey” Trueack (United Progressive Fraternity) and multi-instrumentalist Sean Timms (Southern Empire, Damanek, UPF) in 1996, Australian progressive fusion Unitopia has always been among the most renowned and distinctive bands of their ilk and era. Now the band is pleased to announce the new studio album Seven Chambers, due out on August 25th, 2023.
Unitopia has undoubtedly reached new creative, emotional, and intellectual heights with their latest opus, Seven Chambers (their first original collection on independent label Progrock.com’s Essentials). Comprised of seven tracks and lasting just over eighty minutes, it’s an incredible journey that finds Unitopiareturning at the peak of their artistic and technical prowess
Tracklist: 1. “Broken Heart” (8:30) 2. “Something Invisible” (6:39) 3. “Bittersweet” (7:20) 4. “Mania” (12:29) 5. “The Stroke of Midnight” (9:38) 6. “Helen” (19:14) 7. “The Uncertain” (18:33)
Unitopia: Mark “Truey” Trueack – vocals, songwriting Sean Timms – songwriting, keyboards, backing vocals, various stringed instruments Steve Unruh – songwriting, backing vocals, violin, flute, rhythm guitars, mandolin John Greenwood – songwriting, backing vocals, lead electric guitar, nylon-strung guitar, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars, mandolin, programmed orchestration Chester Thompson – drums Alphonso Johnson – bass
Plus, multiple color variations are available for the physical versions, as well as a special vinyl edition that features a die-cut cover revealing a portion of the sleeve behind it!
As the follow-up to 2010’s Artificial and 2012’s Covered Mirror Vol. 1 – Smooth as Silk (a superb assortment of classic/prog rock reinterpretations), Seven Chambers is Unitopia’s first new outing in over a decade. During the interim, each member kept busy with various other projects, and according to Progrock.com’s Essentials’ Mark Monforti, the method of getting the group going again was endearingly fortuitous:
“A few years ago, Steve Hackett was exploring studios and players for a show in Australia, and he contacted Timms about using the studio that he and Truey still owned. That got Sean and Truey talking about possibly working on new music together. Then, I reached out to them about doing some shows. They went exceedingly well, which sort of solidified the fact that Unitopia needed to come back.”
With Timms and Trueack reunited, the duo decided to expand Unitopia by bringing in fellow UPF maestro SteveUnruh, guitarist Dr. John Greenwood, drummer Chester Thompson (Frank Zappa, Weather Report, Genesis) and bassist Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report, Santana, David Gilmour).
Seven Chambers is a globe-spanning effort that began in 2021, with virtually every member working in their own studio in either America or Australia. Although things got off to a strong start, a few unexpected hiccups somewhat impeded the band’s headway.
“Progress was severely interrupted by Sean’s other commitments, such as moving into a renovated house and being in-demand with other projects and festivals. Then, Truey and Chester faced personal hardships. At more than one stage, it looked like the record might never happen. Luckily, the delays led to a few solo projects blossoming, and suddenly, our schedules began clearing in early 2023 and we began moving at a real pace again,” SteveUnruhexplains.
Thus, Seven Chambers is truly a testament to Unitopia’s chemistry and commitment, not only because it sees them triumphing over those setbacks but because it ended up being roughly twice as long as the original 40-minute plan (without a moment of filler!)
Discography: More Than a Dream (2005, Unicorn Digital) The Garden (2008, Inside Out Music) Artificial (2010, Inside Out Music) One Night in Europe (2011, live, Musea Records) Covered Mirror Vol. 1 – Smooth as Silk (2012, Musea Records) More Than a Dream – The Dream Complete (2017, Giant Electric Pea) The Garden (2020, compilation/boxset, Progrock.com’s Essentials) Seven Chambers (2023, Progrock.com’s Essentials)
The band already have a few dates lined up which you can see here:
2023 Tour Dates: 3 Sept. – 2Days Prog + 1, Veruno Novara, Italy 5 Sept. – Konzertfabrik Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland 9 Sept. – Neuberinhaus, Reichenbach im Vogtland, Germany 13 Sept. – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany 14 Sept. – Poppodium Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands 15 Sept. – Chez Paulette Pub Rock, Pagney derrière Barine, France 8 Oct. – ProgStock, Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
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