by Kev Rowland | Dec 9, 2018 | Reviews
Here I am writing about a compilation album which you cannot buy, but is easy to obtain. Perhaps I had better let Nick Katona explain: “Each Year we host a holiday release to showcase many bands and artists that you may not be aware of; but should be. The album will feature many styles of holiday music and original music; all of which will touch your heart and soul. May it inspire you for in giving, we receive so much more. To receive your copy as a gift from MRR and with the kind permission of all of our contributing artists we ask you to commit a great act of kindness. Send us proof of you donating to your local charity of choice, it can be your time, or tangible goods such as blankets, food or clothing. Think outside of the box, donate your time at the local food bank, soup kitchen or shelter. Certainly, the hospitals would be grateful for volunteers or donate blood today and save a life. We would like to promote the good deeds of great citizens and with your permission, we will share your photos on our page set up this holiday season to spread the good news.”
15 songs, nearly 80 minutes in length: one thing I really enjoyed about this album is the sheer variety, and it has allowed me to come across bands I have not heard of before. ‘The Sled’ starts with two of these, Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra and Jack Potter. “Fall Leaves, Fall” is stunning in its arrangement, and I felt that I was listening to a reborn version of Renaissance, with beautiful orchestration, great woodwind, stunning rock guitar, and a singer who reminded me of Annie Haslam. A short piece of detective work later and I discovered that it was indeed Annie and that this song came out a few years ago. This is one of the delights of this album, as it truly is meant to be broad and wide-reaching, so while it does include songs from MRR artists, of course, it isn’t restricted to just that. Jack Potter’s “Snow Globe” is delicate, starting with just piano and again wonderful vocals, this time care of Salley Elsey. Taken from the ‘Pride Before The Fall’ album which was released earlier this year, I was reading more about it when I started filling up and had to compose myself for a minute. The reason is that one of the guitarists is none other than Colin Tench, and I don’t think any of us who knew him will ever really get over his loss last Christmas, so to find him on a Christmas album for 2018 feels both poignant and fitting. I know he would have a laugh about it.
I have always been a fan of Don Schiff, so it is great to see him here, while one of MRR’s newest signings, DC Snakebuster shows that rough and raw blues, with some great harmonica, also has a place at Christmas. Federico Fantacone provides some gorgeous piano, while Darrel Treece-Birch treats us to a song from his new album, ‘The first step..is to take one’ with the glorious “For Giving” which contains not only the sweeping keyboards we have come to expect but also some glorious guitar. Andy John Bradford is in fine form with “Raise A Glass For Christmas”, and overall the whole album is a delight.
So, what are you waiting for? This album is streaming until the end of January, but you can get your own copy now just by doing something for others at Christmas. Surely that is what the season should be about, instead of the commercial brashness it has become? Think outside the box, make a difference. Many already do so without any thought of reward, and for those who do, then here is a gift from some wonderful musicians just to say thanks.
http://melodicrevolutionrecords.com
10/10 by Kev Rowland
by Nick | Dec 3, 2018 | News
The Sled is Melodic Revolution Records 10th-holiday album for charity.
The Sled is a unique charity release, you cannot purchase this album with Dollars, Pounds Yen or Euros; something this valuable requires a giving heart. To receive your copy as a gift from Melodic Revolution Records (MRR) and with the kind permission of all of our contributing artists we ask you to commit a great act of kindness.
Send us proof of you donating to your local charity of choice, it can be your time, or tangible goods such as blankets, food or clothing. Think outside of the box, donate your time at the local food bank, soup kitchen or shelter. Certainly, your local hospital would be grateful for volunteers or donate blood today and save a life.
We would like to promote the good deeds of great citizens and with your permission, we will share your photos on our page set up this holiday season to spread the good news.
The Sled will be released digitally on Monday, December 3, 2018, and we will stream it free through the end of January 2019.
Each year we host a holiday release to showcase many bands and artists that you may not be aware of, but we feel you should be. The album will feature many styles of holiday music and original music; all of which will touch your heart and soul. May it inspire you – for in giving, we receive so much more.
Let me introduce you to the contributing artists:
Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra
The OCEAN Orchestra brings you soaring vocals and fiery bagpipe and fiddle tunes in their own American take on Celtic folk-rock. Fairport Convention’s Simon Nicol says they “get right inside the spirit of the folk music of the British Isles,” and Steeleye Span’s Maddy Prior calls their songwriting “stunning.”
https://oceanorchestra.com/home
Jack Potter
Jack is a Christian Progressive Rock solo artist based out of New York with two albums out to date.
http://www.facebook.com/JackPotterMusic/
Federico Fantacone Orchestre Celesti
OC is the creative moniker of composer and keyboardist Federico Fantacone. The project was born in 2006 blending Italian prog, English 70’s variety, and contemporary influences.
federicofantacone.wixsite.com/orchestrecelesti
Andrew Colyer
Andrew is an Award-winning Composer in the Pop and Rock and Progressive rock field, he has performed and collaborated with Tony Levin, Jon Anderson, The Tubes, Sound of Contact and, Ryche Chlanda, Circuline, Cell15 among others.
http://colyermusic.com
Electric Mud
Electric Mud – progressive rock music without the genre’s usual display of virtuosity with endless solos, but straight minimalist guitar riffs on a groovy bass foundation with expressive machine drums.
https://www.facebook.com/LiquidSkyNet/
Babal
BABAL reveal a dystopian, sideways view of life; their psych/art-rock approach calling up comparisons with Talking Heads and Patti Smith. The band have gathered great responses around the UK and Europe and have also played live soundtracks for Alternative Cinema presentations.
http://babal.rocks
Bill Rhodes
Dr. Bill Rhodes is a musician, composer, producer, author, engineer, and he has been a product specialist for various keyboard companies since the early 1970s. Over the past 35 years, Dr. Bill Rhodes has released over 30 albums on 3 different labels.
http://symphonicpiano.com
David Kelly
David is a Pop, and Rock Pianist & Composer that has released three solo albums to date.
http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/davidkelly2
Don Schiff
Don is a Pop, Prog, and Rock bass guitarist who also writes music for TV, and film. He is one of the earliest Stick, NS/Stick, and bowed guitar players.
http://www.facebook.com/donschiffmusic/
Andy John Bradford
Andy is a Progressive Folk Singer-Songwriter residing in Northern Ireland who has collaborated with numerous musicians over the years including MRR’s Colin Tench.
http://mrrmusic.com/andy-john-bradford/
Pinnacle
Originally a Power Trio that sounded like so much more, as of 2010, the band is a quartet… but still with the same melodic and symphonic tendencies in the best of Progressive Rock traditions.
http://pinnacleband.com
Darrel Treece-Birch
Darrel is a Rock, Pop, Prog, Multi-Instrumentalist, Pianist, Keyboardist & Composer from the UK, Currently a member of TEN (UK Melodic Rockers), writing, recording and performing with Nth Ascension (UK Prog-Rockers) and his own solo works.
http://darreltreece-birch.com
For full details to these artists, please follow their links.
Melodic Revolution Records Online:
http://mrrmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MelodicRevolutionRecords/
https://www.facebook.com/MelodicRevolutionRecords/
https://www.youtube.com/c/MelodicRevolutionRecordsMusic
https://twitter.com/MusicIsOurVoice
Melodic Revolution Records Spotify Playlists:
https://open.spotify.com/user/melodicrevolutionrecords
