The Mute Gods return with New Official Music Video – ‘Nightschool For Idiots’ is taken from their album, ‘Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me’
Released January 26th 2016 Inside Out Music
The Mute Gods | Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me 2016
Label : InsideOut Music
Release Year : 2016
Country : International
Genre : Progressive Alternative Rock
Band Members
Nick Beggs – Bass/Chapman Stick/Guitars/Keyboards/Vocals/Programming
Roger King – Keyboards, Guitars/Backing Vocals/Programming/Production
Marco Minnemann – Drums/Percussion/Guitars/Sound Design
Contact Links
The Mute Gods Official Website
The Mute Gods Official Facebook
The Mute Gods Official YouTube Channel
InsideOut Music Official Website
Inside Out Official YouTube Channel
Nick Beggs has been a true tour de force in music for the better part of 35 to 40 years now. In recent years he has shed his pop rock wings in the 1980’s for a more progressive flight in his musical and creative journey into the 21st century. He has had a dream resume playing with the likes of IONA, Steven Wilson and Steve Hackett to name a few. However up to this point he had never done anything of his own accord. Finally Tomas Waber at Inside Out Records brought the idea to Nick Beggs himself. A period of thought and consideration finally resulted in the name The Mute Gods.
After settling on The Mute Gods for a name, Nick Beggs would proceed to to hunt band members to share his musical and creative vision. On drums he did not have to search too long. He would enlist his Steven Wilson bandmate Marco Minnemann. To round out the band he would enlist the services of world renowned musician known for his work with Steve Hackett, Roger King – Keyboards, Guitars/Backing Vocals/Programming/Production . The Mute Gods were set.
In 2015 and throughout portions of touring with both Steven Wilson and Steven Hackett the respective members would come up with the debut album The Mute Gods Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. The thematic concept of the album is basically the world view of Nick Beggs. While some listeners may come to the conclusion that the project is a list of conspiracy theories out of the strange, I see it as the creativity of a true modern musical genius with a lot to say. Another thing I appreciate and respect with this album is Nick Beggs refuses to be pigeonholed in to genre stereotyping. For the true progressive fan or fan of great music in general, there is a lot going on through the duration of Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. Lets look a little at The Mute Gods Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me.
Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me opens with a special effects passage that mirrors and appears as someone is tuning in a radio or television set. It contains a great fluid rhythm section that is in a very heavy post progressive rock element. For a band whose members are more accepted for their instrumental prowess, their is some really tight harmony happening within the vocal structure and the relationship of the vocal and instrumental as well.
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Video Courtesy of (Inside Out Music Official YouTube Channel)
Praying To A Mute God has a nice fluid rhythm opening section. The bottom rhythmic passage is very heavy. Not in metal heavy, but in heavy prog. The chorus and verses have a very clean pop sensibility without losing any purpose to those listening for progressive rock reasons. Roger King’s Hammond organ reinforces the heavy rhythmic passages and elements. The track takes a wicked off time signature solo about the 3:38 mark. The rest of it is a straight away progressive rock track.
Nightschool For Idiots is one of those tracks that is melancholic instrumentally but full of life lyrically. On many levels both as a musician and just a individual the listener can identify with the track. Lush keyboard atmospheres meet with heavy rhythm elements throughout the duration of the song. The vocals may be soft however serve the greater purpose of the story being told.
Video Courtesy of (Inside Out Music Official YouTube Channel)
Feed The Troll begins as something out of science fiction with certain keyboard generated effects before exploding with the main backbone passage. That main backbone passage is one of a thunderous bass/stick oriented rock met with more synth atmospheres. Science fiction effects and elements move in and out with grace throughout the track and arrangement. About the 2:25 mark the track presents some wicked effects as one breathing through the vacum in interstellar cyber space. The story is very much of that of cyber stalking on all levels.
Video Courtesy of (Inside Out Music Official YouTube Channel)
Your Dark Ideals starts in a heavy prog rhythmic sensibility. It relies more on the verse /chorus /verse in a straight up progressive rock track. There is some great harmony and melodies happening all through the track. There are some perfect back harmonies playing off the main harmony vocally.
Last Man on Earth opens as a ballad. It has a basic song structure of opening verse to bridge that builds towards the chorus. The story can be construed in a few ways. The track is very easy to listen to , even to those unfamiliar with progressive rock or the bands members and their work. Last Man On Earth serves as a great gateway track.
In The Crosshairs is a really heavy prog laden track. This opens with a towering thunderous rhythm section with a sleek keyboard running side by side in harmony with the main rhythm section. It is the only instrumental on the album. It is very well crafted.
Strange Relationship starts out with a almost jazz drum passage before the bass , keyboards and vocals come in. It is also a bit of classical fusion blended smoothly with the jazz drumming of Marco Minnemann. If you listening closely it is almost two songs going on at once, however not loosing the attention of the listener. At about the 3:30 mark the keyboard gives it a great fusion style atmosphere.
Swimming Horses starts with a almost space rock vibe on the keyboards. It soon picks up with a more eclectic passage of stick pumped through a bass processor. About the 1:50 mark the vocals take on a chant before the chorus kicks in. This is a track that builds upon every passage. The vocal harmonies are lush and beautiful. The echoes compliment the main vocals perfectly. The solo in this takes a very late 1960′ to early 1970’s appeal.
Marvo Capelo starts out with a simple semi acoustic guitar and vocal harmony. Then it totally explodes with rhythmic atmospheres and and keyboards that carry a vintage prog sound with a modern sensibility. There are several atmospheric passages and elements that all come together under a perfect melodic banner. This track even has small hints and elements of metal at certain points. The tracks’ towering rhythms really carry the track through.
Father Daughter is a tender song , almost ballad, about a father and daughter communicating through the melodic filter of song. It is a song about regret and reconciliation. To some listeners this could be a real tear jerker of a track. Lula Beggs , the daughter of Nick Beggs has a stellar performance on the Chapman stick and complimenting the male vocal done by her father.
Video Courtesy of (Inside Out Music Official Youtube Channel)
What I liked about The Mute Gods Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me is that you can not compare the tracks or passages to anything out there. It is one of the most original albums to come down the pipeline over the last 30 years. The album is so well written and produced you can not even place the title of ‘Supergroup’ on the band as well. There are individual stories that really capture the vision Nick Beggs articulated on the album. I give this a 5/5 on the above mentioned alone.
Jon Anderson received the ultimate prize at last night’s Prog Magazine Awards, accepting the Prog God Award from ARW bandmates Rick Wakeman and Trevor Rabin – the trio’s first public appearance since reforming in January.
Other winners included Big Big Train, who picked up Band Of The Year and Event Of The Year — for their critically acclaimed three-night residency at Kings Place in London. The Album Of The Year award went to iamthemorning’s Lighthouse, while the winner of the Chris Squire Virtuoso award went to King Crimson’s Jakko Jakszyk, and Van der Graaf Generator picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award. The full list of winners can be found below.
Guests at the event, hosted by presenter Matthew Wright and held at The Underglobe on London’s South Bank, included Rick Wakeman, comedian Ade Edmondson, Hawkwind’s Dave Brock, Gong’s Mike Howlett and Kavus Torabi, plus snooker star, DJ and radio host Steve Davis. The awards ceremony was preceded by a set by psychedelic rock band Purson.
“It’s worth considering the impact that Progressive Music continues to have,” said Prog Magazine Editor Jerry Ewing from the stage, before going on to pay tribute to Keith Emerson. A minute’s silence followed, dedicated to musicians who died this year.
Limelight sponsored by K Scope – The Anchoress
Anthem sponsored by Teamrock.com – Riverside: Towards the Blue Horizon
Live Event sponsored by The Stage – Big Big Train
Vanguard sponsored by The Ticket Factory – The Mute Gods
Storm Thorgerson Grand Design Award sponsored by Chord Electronics – Anthony Phillips Esoteric Reissue Series
Album of the Year sponsored by Cherry Red and Esoteric Records – iamthemorning: Lighthouse
Band of the Year sponsored by Olympus – Big Big Train
The Outer Limits sponsored by Inside Out Music – Buggles
Chris Squire Virtuoso sponsored by Butlins (Giants of Rock) – Jakko Jakszyk (King Crimson)
Guiding Light sponsored by currencies.co.uk – Andy Summers
Visionary sponsored by Eagle Vision – Jon Hiseman (Colosseum)
Lifetime Achievement sponsored by Prog Rocks – Van der Graaf Generator
Prog God – Jon Anderson
All Info originally published by team rock http://teamrock.com/news/2016-09-02/jon-anderson-accepts-prog-god-award
