Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, NMB) & Ross Jennings (Haken, Novena) return with their ‘Sophomore’ album out today, continuing their exploration of more acoustic-led music and three-part vocal harmonies. To celebrate, the band have launched a live session video for the track ‘The Weary One’, recorded at Neal’s studio earlier this year.
You can watch the full clip here:
‘Sophomore’ is available on Limited CD Edition (incl. 2 bonus tracks), Ltd Gatefold Transparent Red LP, Ltd Gatefold Transparent Blue LP & as Digital Album. Order now here: https://dvirgiliomorsejennings.lnk.to/Sophomore
The band comment of the album release: Ross Jennings: “I’m so glad the three of us got to do this again and I couldn’t be happier with how our ‘Sophomore’ record successfully continues to expand upon what we set out to achieve with ‘Troika’.”
Neal Morse: “It’s release day for DMJ album number 2! If you enjoyed the first one, there’s lots more for you to dive into in album number two. We’ve combined the vocals – which is what this band is all about – with many diverse musical styles. And all the guys brought their songwriting A game to this one. I can’t wait for you all to hear it!”
Nick D’Virgilio: “I love record release day! It’s always very exciting knowing that the thing you worked so hard to create can now be shared with the whole world. Although “worked so hard” are not really the right words to use. It was a total “labor of love” creating Sophomore with Ross and Neal. Those are the right words. I hope you enjoy the music as much as we did making it!”
Track-list 1.Hard To Be Easy 2.Linger At The Edge Of My Memory 3.Tiny Little Fires 4.Right Where You Should Be 5.The Weary One 6.Mama 7.I’m Not Afraid 8.Weighs Me Down 9.Walking On Water 10.Anywhere The Wind Blows 11.Right Where You Should be (Alternative Version)* 12.The Weary One (Alternative Version)* *CD bonus tracks
The three musicians began trading song ideas in late 2022, before choosing 10 of those to record in January 2023. “I think there was always a plan in the back of everybody’s minds about doing a second one. We just got the conversation started and then started checking out some tunes. There were a lot of songs that were a little less fleshed out than with the first album, but once we got the ball rolling, it kind of went really fast”, says Nick D’Virgilio.
For the three members, this group serves as something different for all of them. Morse explains, “I’ve never been part of a group that was like this one. Most people know I’m a big CSN fan and I love Yes’s three-part harmonies and The Beatles as well. My dad was a choir director, so harmonies are in my blood! DMJ is a special group that is its own unique cup of tea and has such a nice flavor. Great blend. The main thing for me is to be working on good songs; it doesn’t matter to me who writes them or necessarily that much about styles. If the songs are good, then I’m all about it.”
Jennings agrees, “I’m a huge fan of country and folk music, I love the three-part harmony style. As a vocalist known for progressive metal releases, prior to forming the band I could never have predicted that I’d be considered to be part of a group making music like this. It’s still mind-blowing to me since I’d never officially recorded and released any music of this genre to prove that I can do it. Making these records with Nick and Neal has been such a pleasant and rewarding experience. It’s funny how things work out sometimes!”
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
InsideOutMusic is delighted to announce that it has signed Big Big Train to a multi-album deal for new studio releases. The band are currently working on a new studio album, expected to be released in spring 2024, and have recently been recording in Trieste, Italy, where lead vocalist Alberto Bravin is based.
Big Big Train bassist/founder Gregory Spawton comments: “We have ambitious plans for Big Big Train and are very pleased to have signed this deal with InsideOut. Having run our own record label, English Electric Recordings, for a lengthy period, it’s clear that the music industry has changed enormously in recent years and we believe that we are best positioned to grow BBT further by becoming an InsideOut band. Over the last decade we had received offers from various labels. When we considered the different options, signing up with the premier label for progressive music was the logical choice. We’re very excited about this new era for the band and working with InsideOut/Sony.”
Drummer Nick D’Virgilio adds: “It’s an absolute thrill for me that Big Big Train has become an InsideOut band. Over the years, previously as member of Spock’s Beard and more recently alongside Neal Morse and Ross Jennings, I’ve worked extensively with Thomas Waber and his team at InsideOut/Sony. From experience I know that there is no better label for Big Big Train to be working with. It’s wonderful to join a roster that includes the biggest names in the prog genre such as Dream Theater, Steve Hackett, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Devin Townsend and Yes. We’ve got a lot of new Big Big Train music in the works and with InsideOut’s unrivalled reach across the progressive rock world we hope to reach plenty of folks who may not be familiar with us yet.”
Label head Thomas Waber comments: “We have been in talks with the band for a while and are happy that we can finally announce our partnership. Big Big Train have been proudly carrying the flag for progressive music, and we look forward to helping them on their very bright journey ahead. We are all excited to be stepping on board this particular train!”
Check out a teaser of brand new music here:
In parallel with this deal with InsideOut, Big Big Train will continue to run their English Electric Recordings label and expect to commence a re-issue campaign for previous studio BBT albums in late 2024.
Big Big Train’s latest album, Ingenious Devices, was released on 30th June 2023 (CD, 2LP black and 2 LP sky blue vinyl; Bandcamp) and is available to stream.
The band will embark on their most extensive ever tour in August and September this year, with 17 shows taking place across 9 countries. Big Big Train will also be on board Cruise To The Edge in March 2024. Find the full list of dates in 2023 below:
24th August – The Court Theatre, Tring, UK (warm-up show) 26th August – Cultuurpodium Boerderij, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands 27th August – Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany 28th August – Stora Teatern, Gothenburg, Sweden 29th August – Cosmopolite, Oslo, Norway 30th August – Fryshuset Klubben, Stockholm, Sweden 31st August – Viften, Copenhagen, Denmark 2nd September – 2 Days Prog + 1 Festival, Revislate, Italy 3rd September – Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland 5th September – Neuberinhaus, Reichenbach, Germany 6th September – Victoria Carlswerk, Cologne, Germany 7th September – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany 8th September – Mozart-Saal, Stuttgart, Germany 10th September – Queens Hall, Edinburgh, UK 11th September – Town Hall, Birmingham, UK 12th September – Cadogan Hall, London, UK 13th September – Cadogan Hall, London, UK
New US progressive rock group, Ascher, release their debut album ‘Beginnings’ today, March 16th. The album, containing five instrumental pieces and four songs, clocks in at fifty-seven minutes. From the opening instrumental title track to the bonus track closer, “The Instrumental Divide,” the album flows seamlessly through a sonic landscape of guitar-driven rock, vintage keyboard wizardry, and a lofty hook-laden ballad. The instrumental pieces power through enough time signature and meter changes to keep the die-hard prog fan happy while the thought provoking songs reveal a more grounded down to earth feel.
The band features Doug Bowers (Guitars/Keys/Bass/Vocals), Blake Dickeson (Rhythm Guitars), Rob Perez (Lead Guitar), and Kyle Graves (Lead Vocals).
Beginnings will be available via the band’s Bandcamp page as well as all digital music retailers and streaming sites. Lyrics are also available on Ascher’s Bandcamp page. https://ascher1.bandcamp.com/album/beginnings
To coincide with the release of the album, Ascher has released video for the track, “What the World Can’t Give,” which you can see here:
The band released their first single, “The Great Divide,” in February accompanied by a video.
Doug Bowers (Ad Astra, KDB3, Vertical Alignment) and Rob Perez (Visual Cliff, Bluesyndrome) have been collaborating on one another’s projects for years. A short-lived band formed in 2021 and disbanded in early 2022 yielded many co-written instrumental pieces that never saw the light of day. Toward the end of 2022, Doug began collaborating with guitarist, Blake Dickeson, fleshing out some musical ideas that Blake had developed over the years, Rob was brought in to add tasty lead guitar to the effort. When Rob suggested that the trio revisit some of the unfinished instrumental pieces, it was decided that a band might be the best expression of their growing repertoire. Thus Ascher was born. It quickly became apparent that Doug was not up to singing the melodies he was writing for his lyrics and the search for a proper singer was soon underway. Rob suggested a singer that he had recently encountered. Kyle Graves was writing lyrics for an upcoming album for Rob and Rob felt he would be a perfect fit for Ascher. Rob was right and the band was complete.
Tracklisting:
1. Beginnings (6:03) 2. In the Clear Distance (5:07)
3. The Great Divide (7:44) 4. Ransom For the Righteous (6:19) 5. De Profundis (7:58) 6. Nail Soup (5:27) 7. What the World Can’t Give (6:03) 8. Wheels Turning Now (4:12) https://ascher1.bandcamp.com/album/beginnings
RIVERSIDE are set to begin their worldwide touring campaign for “ID.Entity” this Friday, Feb 17th in Tampa, Fl. The tour takes them across North America thru March. Ticket info: https://riversideband.pl/en/gigs
RIVERSIDE – “ID.Entity” – Live 2023:
RIVERSIDE new studio album “ID.Entity” managed to appear in various international sales charts as follows:RIVERSIDE – “ID.Entity” – Chart Positions: Germany: # 4 Poland: # 2 Switzerland: # 6 The Netherlands: # 9 Finland: # 14 Austria: # 22 Belgium: # 97 France: # 155 UK: # 89 UK / Rock Charts: # 3 USA / Top New Artist Albums: # 7 USA / Current Album Sales: # 61 USA / Hard Music Albums: # 9 USA / Current Rock Albums: # 20
“ID.Entity”, the group’s 8th studio album was recorded and mixed in two studios – The Boogie Town Studio in Otwock with Paweł Marciniak and in Serakos studio in Warsaw with Magda and Robert Srzedniccy -, mastered by Robert Szydło and produced by RIVERSIDE’s Mariusz Duda himself. The “ID.Entity” artwork was created by Polish artist Jarek Kubicki. Order “ID.Entity” in its various formats here: https://riverside.lnk.to/IDEntity
RIVERSIDE – “ID.Entity” (53:11) Tracklist: 1. Friend or Foe? (07:29) 2. Landmine Blast (04:50) 3. Big Tech Brother (07:24) 4. Post-Truth (05:37) 5. The Place Where I Belong (13:16) 6. I’m Done With You (05:52) 7. Self-Aware (8:43)
The bonus material appearing on “ID.Entity” includes the instrumental tracks “Age of Anger” (11:56) and “Together Again” (06:29) as well as “Friend or Foe? (Single Edit)” (05:59) and “Self-Aware (Single Edit)” (05:29).
RIVERSIDE line-up: (From left to right on photo by Radek Zawadzki) Michał Łapaj – keyboards and Hammond Organ Mariusz Duda – vocal, bass Maciej Meller – guitar Piotr Kozieradzki – drums
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