Along with the release of the new prog rock album, “Intourist,” on Saturday, May 4 at 12 PM noon CT / 1:00 PM ET / 10 AM PT / 7 PM Amsterdam time, Refestramus’ new music video will be played on YouTube at
Directed by Anna Fokin, “Smiling” features Romanian actress/actor Monica Pop (https://www.facebook.com/MonicaPopArt) as Agent M. Refestramus’ drummer/songwriter/Wizard Derek Ferguson discovered Ms. Fokin’s work on YouTube, where she has “the absolute best video series for learning Russian”: (https://www.youtube.com/@yourrussian6200).
Derek loves “recurring characters, like ‘Aqualung’ and ‘Cross-Eyed Mary,’ which appear in multiple Jethro Tull songs. Combined with my belief that Prog needs to be more photogenic, I created the character Agent Mikrovolnovka, which is a joke. ‘Mikrovolnovka’ sounds mysterious and alluring, but it is actually the Russian word for ‘microwave oven.’”
Both the song and video for “Smiling” are about maintaining other people’s happiness by not expressing your own displeasure. There’s a bit in the middle of the video and song where the music stops, the aquarium breaks, and all the water breaks loose, and that’s a metaphor for bottling things up and then having them all spill out.
Art rock group Refestramus, pronounced re-fes-TRA-mus, is named after a word that Derek’s mother made up to mean “rearrange.” Colouratura’s Ian Beabout produced the new album, “Intourist” (Melodic Revolution Records)!
Much of the group was found on Fiverr.com: Induction lead singer Craig Cairns, Brazilian keyboardist maestro Rogelio Desouza, and rock vocalists NIDA, Denisse Ferrara, and Vedrana Lina. The rest of the group came from work connections Ian and Derek have, including Colouratura bandmates Derek Pavlic and Nathan James, saxophonist Mitch Lawrence, plus multi-instrumentalists Jerry King (bass) and Dave Newhouse (accordion).
Derek sums up his band’s mission, “Our music seeks to embrace the full spectrum of human emotions, weaving narratives that reflect both the peaks and valleys of life, in line with Prog Magazine’s praise of our ‘high-brow concepts and bizarre comedic turns.'”
The new album Intouríst features some very special guests including Dave Newhouse (The Muffins) Ian Beabout and Nathan James (Colouratura), and Craig Cairns (Midnight Prophecy) among others. Intourístis scheduled for release in 2024 via CD and digital and will be available on all popular streaming services.
Track-list 01 DMK 02 Asunción 03 The Devil Returns 04 Intouríst (Интурист) 05 Mr. Darwin 06 Side Hustle 07 The Red Apple 08 Smiling 09 Mr. Skin (CD Only Bonus Track) 10 The Red Apple (Acoustic) 11 Asunción (Spanish)
All arrangements by Refestramus Produced by Ian Beabout and Derek Ferguson Mixed and Mastered by Ian Beabout
Refestramus Derek Ferguson – Drums, Jerry King – Bass, Derek Pavlic – Guitars, Mellotron and Viola, Rogelio Souza – Keys
Associated Artists Ian Beabout – Vocals on track 9, Flute on track 6 Nathan James – Vocals on track 6 Mitch Lawrence – Saxes on tracks 3, 6 and 9 NIDA – Vocals on tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Craig Cairns – Vocals on tracks 1, 2, 3, 11 Dave Newhouse – Accordion on track 8
Refestramus is a progressive art rock band from Chicago, IL. Their debut album Decoupage released in 2021 combines influences from traditional gypsy, flamenco, and Slavic styles with modern hard rock.
“We are thrilled to share the exciting news that Progressive Art Rock band Refestramus is embarking on a new musical journey with Melodic Revolution Records.
Over the years I have heard the same thing over and over that music is dead, and there is nothing new that’s worth listening to. I would have to disagree, every day I discover so much great music, whether I discover it on social media, streaming services including the likes of YouTube, or even by word of mouth which just happens to be the case here. As we were gearing up for a return of Colouratura for their latest album WTF Was That?! Ian Beabout mentioned that he was involved with another band called Refestramus, I was intrigued as I love the music Ian’ is involved in. Ian then introduced me to Derek Ferguson of Refestramus who also worked on the WTF Was That?! release.
After listening to some demos from the upcoming album Intourist and listening to previous work on streaming sites, I knew that we had to work with the band, they have everything that we look for to be part of the MRR family. So please join me in welcoming an extraordinary band with a fresh sound for fans of not only prog but abroad.
The imminent signing of this record contract marks a significant milestone in our artistic evolution. Our forthcoming album, ‘Intourist,’ set to be released just before Spring next year, takes its name from the Soviet travel agency, ‘Intourist,’ responsible for guiding foreign tourists through the enigmatic and ever-changing landscapes of the Soviet Union during the mid-20th century. ‘Intourist’ serves as a metaphor for the lyrical themes explored in the album, as we delve into the enigmatic and ever-changing landscapes of love, loss, and personal transformation, all set against the backdrop of a world in flux. As we take this next step in our musical odyssey, we’re honored to join forces with a label that shares our passion for timeless and genre-defying soundscapes. Stay tuned for an unforgettable musical experience that will transport you on a journey through our music’s heart and soul.” -Derek
‘Intourist’ will be released in the early months of 2024.
About Refestramus
The band was started in May of 2020 by Derek Ferguson as a home studio project during the height of the global COVID pandemic. Derek had previously been in a series of progressive rock bands in his native Chicago and used the extra time afforded by the era of lockdowns to write and record new material. Having been an avid listener of Ian Beabout’s Internet radio program “Prog Rock Deep Cuts”, he reached out to Ian to mix and master the recordings.
Ian introduced Derek to Jerry King, a Wisconsin-based composer and multi-instrumentalist primarily known for his guitar and bass work with Clouds Over Jupiter, Moon Men, and Moon X. Jerry has played bass on all Refestramus recordings including Refestramus’ debut album, Decoupage, which was released in December of 2021.
Besides Jerry, Decoupage featured an international assembly of musicians recruited primarily through the Internet gig website, Fiverr.com. It was warmly received by the Progressive Rock music press, with Peter Thelen of Exposé declaring the album a “solid opening move,” before concluding that he “… look[ed] forward to what comes next.”
Flash forward to 2023 and the ranks of Refestramus have been joined by Derek Pavlic, of Colouratura fame. Ian Beabout, also of Colouratura, is the official producer of the band’s forthcoming album, Intouríst, as well as a part-time flutist and vocalist, as the need arises. Brazilian session keyboards maestro Rogelio Navarro, blues rock vocalist NIDA, and heavy metal vocalist Craig Cairns complete the picture.
The band issued multiple singles in 2023 to give its fans a taste of the new, even “proggier” direction being charted on Intouríst. After the album’s release, they plan to tour extensively in support of it.
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