US prog artist Leon Alvarado is excited to unveil his newest album, “The Changing Tide.” Set to release on May 31st, this highly anticipated album follows the successful EP release, which previewed two of the album’s tracks; a captivating cover of Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage,” and the enchanting instrumental “Dance of The Pink Elephants.”
Alvarado explains, “The creation of ‘The Changing Tide’ was very much influenced by the musical heritage of Pink Floyd. We aimed to seamlessly blend their timeless formula with our unique styles to produce material that charts its own course.”
While acknowledging the influence of Pink Floyd as a foundational element, Alvarado emphasizes the infusion of his own creative perspective. “Listeners can anticipate a departure of sorts from my previous works,” he shares, “yet they’ll find my hallmark keyboard textures and atmospheric nuances intricately woven throughout.”
Alvarado is joined on this musical endeavor by an ensemble of exceptional musicians, featuring bassists Tony Franklin (known for his work with Jimmy Page and Paul Rogers on The Firm) and Gary Gnaedinger, guitarists Edoardo Scordo and Damian Darlington (both renowned members of Brit Floyd), alongside Jimmy Griggers also on guitars and saxophonist John Helliwell (from Supertramp fame). Additionally, L.A. session musician Pablo Hopehayn contributes on strings. The backing vocals on Brain Damage are skillfully provided by Jeff Sanson, Liz Hall, and Linda Alvarado.
“The Changing Tide” will be available for streaming on all major platforms and will also be released on CD through Melodic Revolution Records. The physical CD promises to be a sensory delight, boasting stunning artwork within an impeccably designed package that will undoubtedly enhance any music enthusiast’s collection.
About Leon Alvarado: Leon Alvarado is a progressive rock artist known for his innovative fusion of electronic and rock music. Over the course of more than two decades, Alvarado has consistently demonstrated his ingenuity as a musician, constantly expanding the horizons of his artistic vision with each successive project. His repertoire boasts collaborations with esteemed figures in the Prog rock scene, earning him widespread acclaim and nurturing a devoted fanbase worldwide. Beyond his own musical creations, Leon frequently collaborates with bands and promoters, channeling his artistic skills into crafting fascinating album covers and promotional tour materials.
Track list: 1. THE EQUILIBRIUM OF TIME 2. A DAY OF A DIFFERENT SORT 3. A VIEW FROM A DIFFERENT ROOM 4. DANCE OF THE PINK ELEPHANTS 5. THE CHANGING TIDE. 6. BRAIN DAMAGE
Credits: Leon Alvarado: Drums, Keyboards & Effects on all, Bass on 5, Vocals on 6 Edoardo Scordo: Guitars on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Tony Franklin: Bass on 1, 2, 3, 4 John Helliwell: Saxophone on 3 Pablo Hopenhayn: Violin, Viola and Cello on 1 Gary Gnaedinger: Bass, Guitar & Keyboards on 6 James Griggers: Guitar & Slide Guitar on 6 Jeff Sanson: Backing Vocals on 6 Linda Alvarado: Backing Vocals on 6 Liz Hall: Backing Vocals on 6 Produced and mixed by Leon Alvarado Mastered by Maor Appelbaum Design and Art Direction by Synergy Design Label: Melodic Revolution Records
Recorded in 2016, “Powertron” has languished in the Bill Nelson archives for eight years.
A potent collection of twelve pieces that highlight Nelson’s prowess and invention as a guitarist.
“Its genesis came whilst recording tracks for ‘The Jewel’ album. Amongst these was a track titled ‘Drive Shaft’ which I considered too brash for ‘The Jewel’, but too good to abandon. I decided to create a suitable album to house ‘Drive Shaft’ and ‘Powertron’ was the result. It’s an album of left-field rock songs, mainly vocal but layered with loud and edgy guitars. It will appeal to those who enjoy the wilder side of my work.” – Bill Nelson
Track list: 01) Fascinating Noise 02) A River On The Edge Of Time 03) Dreams And Smoke (Flow With The River) 04) The Moon Came In My Window 05) Where’s The Wonder? 06) Loose Chippings 07) When I Don’t Feel Blue 08) Moments In The Day 09) Fair Winds And Steam Machines 10) Sailing My Boat 11) Laughing Sailors, Raging Seas 12) Drive Shaft
**LIMITED EDITION POSTCARDS AVAILABLE WITH PRE-ORDERS WHILE STOCKS LAST!**
• A DELUXE LIMITED EDITION BOXED SET OF THE CLASSIC ALBUM BY THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT.
• THREE CDs AND ONE BLU-RAY DISC (REGION FREE), REMASTERED AND REMIXED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES BY ALAN PARSONS.
• FEATURING AN ADDITIONAL 42 BONUS TRACKS DRAWN FROM ERIC WOOLFSON’S SONGWRITING DIARIES, STUDIO SESSION OUT-TAKES AND A STUNNING NEW 5.1 SURROUND SOUND FROM THE ORIGINAL MULTI-TRACK MASTER TAPES BY ALAN PARSONS AND FOUR PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS.
• INCLUDES A LAVISHLY ILLUSTRATED BOOK WITH NEW ESSAY AND A REPLICA POSTER.
First released in November 1980, “The Turn Of A Friendly Card” was the fifth album by The Alan Parsons Project, the brainchild of composer, musician and manager Eric Woolfson and celebrated producer and engineer Alan Parsons.
Inspired by the period in which both Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons had resided in Monte Carlo, this legendary album was recorded in Paris. The album sessions featured the contribution of musicians such as Ian Bairnson (guitars), David Paton (bass), Stuart Elliott (drums) with Eric Woolfson playing keyboards and providing lead vocals, along with Elmer Gantry, Chris Rainbow and Lenny Zakatek. “The Turn Of A Friendly Card” would become one of the biggest selling albums for The Alan Parsons Project, attaining gold status in many European countries and the USA. The album featured such classic compositions as “Games People Play,” “Time,” “The Gold Bug” and “The Turn Of A Friendly” suite which dominated the album’s second side.
This new deluxe edition comprises 3CDs and a Blu-Ray disc (Region Free) with an additional 42 tracks drawn from Eric Woolfson’s song-writing diaries, studio session out-takes and a stunning new 5.1 surround sound mix by Alan Parsons and a high resolution remastered original stereo mix, along with the promotional videos of “Games People Play,” “The Gold Bug” and “The Turn Of A Friendly Card” plus a promotional television advertisement. This stunning set also features a lavish illustrated book with a new essay with photos, memorabilia and features recollections from Alan Parsons and Sally Woolfson. It also includes a reproduction poster.
DISC ONE
THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD’ REMASTERED
1 MAY BE A PRICE TO PAY
2 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
3 TIME
4 I DON’T WANNA GO HOME
5 THE GOLD BUG
6 THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD (PART ONE)
7 SNAKE EYES
8 THE ACE OF SWORDS
9 NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE
10 THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD (PART TWO)
BONUS TRACKS
11 MAY BE A PRICE TO PAY (INTRO DEMO)
12 NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE (BASIC BACKING TRACK)
13 NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE (CHRIS RAINBOW OVERDUB VOCAL COMPILATION)
14 TIME (EARLY STUDIO ATTEMPT)
15 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY (ROUGH MIX)
16 THE GOLD BUG (DEMO)
DISC TWO
ERIC WOOLFSON’S SONGWRITING DIARIES
1 MAY BE A PRICE TO PAY
2 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
3 TIME
4 I DON’T WANNA GO HOME
5 THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD
6 SNAKE EYES
7 NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE
8 TOFC / SNAKE EYES / I DON’T WANNA GO HOME
9 LA LA LA LAH
10 NEXT YEAR
11 SOMEONE ELSE
12 TAKING IT ALL AWAY
13 TO THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE
DISC THREE
RECORDING SESSIONS BONUS TRACKS
1 MAY BE A PRICE TO PAY (EARLY VERSION – ERIC GUIDE VOCAL AND UNUSED GUITAR SOLO)
2 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY (EARLY VERSION – ERIC GUIDE VOCAL)
3 TIME (ORCHESTRA AND CHRIS RAINBOW BACKING VOCALS)
4 THE GOLD BUG (EARLY REFERENCE VERSION)
5 THE GOLD BUG (CHRIS RAINBOW BACKING VOCALS)
6 THE GOLD BUG (CLAVINET WITH NO DELAY)
7 THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD – Part One (EARLY BACKING TRACK)
8 SNAKE EYES (EARLY VERSION – ERIC GUIDE VOCAL)
9 THE ACE OF SWORDS (EARLY VERSION WITH SYNTH ORCHESTRATION)
10 THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD – Part Two (ERIC GUIDE VOCAL AND EXTENDED GUITAR SOLO)
SINGLE EDITS
11 GAMES PEOPLE PLAY (SINGLE EDIT)
12 THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD (SINGLE EDIT)
13 SNAKE EYES (SINGLE EDIT)
DISC FOUR – BLU RAY
5.1 SURROUND SOUND MIX (2019) AND HIGH- RESOLUTION ORIGINAL STEREO MIX BY ALAN PARSONS
IZZ began the writing sessions for what would become their 7th full length studio album, Don’t Panic, in mid-2017. At the end of that year, the band got together in a rehearsal studio to piece together the centerpiece of the album, “42.”
The band hired a film crew to document these sessions not knowing in what manner the film might be used later on. The result of these sessions, 42: Glimpse of a Moment is a 48-minute documentary that provides a unique window into the band’s process as they write, arrange, and rehearse their epic track from Don’t Panic, “42.” The documentary includes a full rehearsal run-through of the entire song at that early stage of development.
“The footage in this film was shot several months prior to commencing the recording of Don’t Panic, so it’s really exciting to have captured the band working together in the studio at such an early stage in the writing and arranging process,” notes bassist John Galgano.
Don’t Panic, released in May 2019, turned out to be IZZ’s most successful album to date and when the band looked back at the footage from these sessions in late 2017, they found that they had captured the essence of the collaborative spirit and camaraderie of IZZ.
“I think IZZ fans will absolutely love this look behind the curtain and I think fans of progressive rock in general will enjoy it because it’s just an interesting peek into how a band works on an extended piece of music,” says keyboardist Tom Galgano.
IZZ hopes that fans will enjoy the experience of being a fly on the wall with the band.
Film and editing by Mallory Kinney, who has previously worked with IZZ and Laura Meade on the videos for Don’t Panic and Sunflowers at Chernobyl.
Watch the Trailer for 42: Glimpse of a Moment here:
IZZ Paul Bremner: Guitars Anmarie Byrnes: Vocals Brian Coralian: Drums & Percussion Greg DiMiceli: Drums & Percussion John Galgano: Bass & Vocals Tom Galgano: Keyboards & Vocals Laura Meade: Vocals
Los Angeles, CA – Todd Rundgren’s cult prog/art rock outfit Utopia released a mere handful of studio albums in several incarnations starting in 1974 before retiring in the early ‘80s. Yet the band has managed to maintain an intensely devout fanbase that enthusiastically flocked to sold out performances when Rundgren revived the act for a national tour in 2018. The seed of that extraordinarily successful reunion lay in a charitable act years earlier when Rundgren’s longtime friend, songwriting partner and founding member of the original Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, Moogy “Mark” Klingman, fell ill. As Klingman’s health deteriorated and his medical bills began to pile up, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia reformed for special benefit engagements to raise money for their dear friend. The result was an astounding coming together in music and a spirit of compassion as former Utopia members, including Mr. Klingman himself, stepped on the stage behind their leader, Todd Rundgren, and gave the fans an incredible concert, one they wouldn’t soon forget.
Now, a new box set collects together both the audio and video of the January 2011 Todd Rundgren’s Utopia reunion show as well as the November show later that year recorded just a few days after Klingman’s passing. The entire box, titled Benefit For Moogy Klingman, is a multi-media treasure trove featuring 4 audio discs and 2 DVDs with special features that include interviews with the band members and a gorgeous booklet with extensive liner notes and photos. The box is set to be released on May 1 courtesy of Purple Pyramid Records, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.
Track List: DISC 1: CD Highline Ballroom – New York, NY – January 29, 2011 1. Moogy’s Boogie 2. Never Never Land 3. Crying In The Sunshine 4. Lady Face 5. Dust In The Wind 6. Utopia Theme 7. Freak Parade 8. Another Life 9. The Ikon
DISC 2: CD Highline Ballroom – New York, NY – January 29, 2011 1. Heavy Metal Kids 2. The Wheel 3. Set Me Free 4. Do Ya 5. Last Ride 6. Just One Victory 7. Sons Of 1984 8. (You Got To Have) Friends
DISC 3: CD Peekskill Performing Arts Center – Peekskill, NY – November 18, 2011 1. Utopia Theme 2. Freak Parade 3. Heavy Metal Kids 4. Another Life 5. Something’s Coming 6. The Seven Rays
DISC 4: CD Peekskill Performing Arts Center – Peekskill, NY – November 18, 2011 1. Do Ya 2. The Wheel 3. The Ikon 4. Freedom Fighters 5. Just One Victory
DISC 5: LIVE CONCERT DVD from Highline Ballroom DISC 6: LIVE CONCERT DVD from Peekskill Performing Arts Center
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