Sigh, Cracked's Dated Prog Satire

Alright, while I may be giving this thing too much credit by featuring it here, I thought I had to bring it to your attention. Yeah, the clichés are all over the place. We've heard them all before. Look over it and have a laugh. Long songs, how silly. Good musicians, who'd a thunk it?

Progressive Rock | Cracked.com

Progressive Rock is an attempt to musically orgasm as many times as possible during a 15-minute song.

Surrounded By Prog - Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon 5.1 SACD

I believe I'm right in saying that this is the highest selling SACD of all time. This is hardly surprising considering it's Dark Side of the Moon, the gateway of so many into the ambitious and aurally dense world of Progressive Rock. It also happens to be the most overplayed album on FM radio to this very day. Seriously, just try tuning into your local Classic Rock station and odds are you are going to hear tracks like Time, Money and Us and Them over and over and over... Well let me tell you now that listening to this classic album on the radio is really the wrong way to go about it. In fact, listening to it on Vinyl or CD may even be considered a second-rate way of enjoying this classic. The fact of the matter is this: Dark Side of the Moon was made to be heard in surround sound.

Firstly, this album was mixed in Quadraphonic sound (that is the four channel surround system that failed to gain any traction in the 70s) by Alan Parsons. This release is considered by many to be the definite version of the album. Although never released on any digital format, if you are clever enough you can find a bootleged DVD-Audio version online that sounds simply amazing and can be listened to on any DVD player with a surround sound setup. In 2003, Dark Side of the Moon was released on the then new format SACD. Instead of releasing the original Quad mix, the band elected to do a brand new 5.1 mix. This is the version I will be focusing on now.

The fact that this SACD sold as well as it did may come down to the fact that it was released as a hybrid SACD/CD. This meant that it could be played on any regular old fashioned CD player. There is a slim chance that you have this SACD and don't even know it! All you need to do is get a multichannel SACD player to be able to enjoy the surround sound layer of the disc. Sound complicated? Well, this confusion was probably something that doomed the format in the end.

Before I start up the disc and describe some of the surround effects, I want to start out by saying that this is one of the finest sounding music releases I've ever heard in my life. The sonic quality is just "melt-into-yourself" quality. All those analog purist who claim that digital recordings will never have the depth or warmth of vinyl have clearly never listened to this SACD. It is pure sonic bliss. Alright, let us begin.

Speak To Me: The heartbeat begins in the front, clocks begin to tick all around the room. Voices from all corners of the room! You immediately get the feeling that all these layers of sounds and voices were really meant to surround you in this fashion. The screaming lady sound from behind/overhead brings us into...

Breathe: The bulk of the music appears to be coming from the front left and right. Those who heard the much more aggressively mixed Quad mix may be disappointing here. Gilmour's vocals really sound amazing and the real charm of this track is revealed with the clarity of the SACD.

On The Run: Ok, now the real fun begins. The whirling sounds circle the room. The low synth bass runs shake the room with amazing presence. The running man actually runs right around the room! The various helicopter-like sounds shoot over your head in an exciting and startling manner. The synth sounds sound soooo warm and lush you would be surprised to know they were recorded almost 40 years ago. Again, the sound effect work on tracks like this were completely cheated in plain old stereo. The manic laughter from behind sends shivers down the spine. A loud boom at the end and the running man takes another lap around behind your head... Uh oh, suddenly you are in a room filled with ticking clocks!

Time: All the alarm clocks go off at once from all directions! The loud angry chords surround the room and Nick Mason's drum fills are just as enveloping as they dance around the sound field. When the singing starts you get a "being in the room with Floyd" sensation with some of Rick's keyboards coming from just behind. The choral backup singers are given way more room in this presentation. Once again, the real shining element here is the outrageously good sound quality of it all. Roger's bass is not at all overpowering and very distinct. The mix in Breathe reprise is again focused in the front with Rick's organ bringing the song to a conclusion from the right rear.

Great Gig In The Sky: I adore the way Rick's piano sounds in this song. I feel that the mix, however, is a bit cheated from not enough use of the rear channels. In comparison to Alan Parson's Quad mix, this is a tame beast. At the very least, the sound has been really opened up and the "you are there" factor is really high with the reverb in the rears giving you a sense of space. The female vocals sound so lifelike that you might think this was recorded yesterday. "I never said I was frightened of dying" chimes in from the rear left channel (it caused my dog to jump!).

Money: The first cash register sound is anchored in the centre channel. The remaining ones emerge from all four corners. one at a time. Roger's bass takes over the centre channel and sounds simply amazing. The guitar chords emerge from the rear. The sax solo is featured right in the centre of the sound field while those clangy guitar chords hammer out behind you. This section is real audio 3D. The time signature change into the guitar solo brings a little more 'oomf' to the proceedings in those low tom fills by Mason. The drum sound is really something to be amazed by. Again, I can't help but feel that this song could have used more adventurous use of the rear channels. The talking voices emerge from all different corners of the room. Rick's organ in the front right channel transitions us into...

Us and Them: I love the way the bass sounds here. Roger may have not been the most technically gifted bass player, but he made sure his bass was well recorded. Again the sax appears to be front and centre. The echoing vocals start out in front and decay slowly behind you. Very cool. The choral backup singers fill out the rear of the room quite nicely during the powerful chorus section. It's impossible to deny the whole track is a simply sonic joy to hear. You know that really emotional section when the choral backup singers join in with the sax solo? It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This is what I mean by "melting" good sound.

Any Colour You Like: Rick's echoey synth fills the room and echoes from everywhere. The effect never quite was this convincing in stereo only. Dave's guitar solo starts in the centre but slowly expands to the point you have one part in the front left and an overdub in the left rear of the room. This track may have the best surround mix of the album so far! This is a real showcase of how a good mix can bring a layered instrumental track to life.

Brain Damage: The rhythm guitar is focused in the front and those little lead lines kind of come from over your right shoulder. Roger's vocals sound like they are coming from just about everywhere. A whirling organ from behind introduce the backup singers who also seem to emjoy hanging out in the back of the room. (Maybe they're chilling with Rick and his organ?) The lunatic is in my head, or in the left rear speaker, either way that manic laugh has never been creepier. The moog synth during the instrumental break circles around the room while that crazy guy laughs back and forth in the rear.

Eclipse: Oooooooo in the rear, Roger in the front (mostly). This track seems to really fill the sound field as it climaxes. The female backup singers anchored all over the place. "There is no dark side of the moon really..." is quietly muttered behind you as the heartbeat slowly fades out.

All in all, I can't say this is the best 5.1 music mix I've ever heard. It is far too tame and I find it hard to pick out discrete elements the way I can in some of my other favorites (check out my Lizard review). I'm quite sad that this is considered by many to be the best surround sound album as it's really a "stereo+effects" mix. Alan Parson's Quad mix is, in my opinion, much better in terms of giving the layered nature of the music its deserved space with the rear channels employed far more often. Given his work with King Crimson's albums recently, Steven Wilson should be given the task of doing similar treatments to Floyd's catalog. If this album was released with a more ambitious mix you may have to wonder if the SACD/DVD-Audio formats would have been taken more seriously. Oh well...mere speculation on my behalf really.

I will, at some point, give a similar review to Alan Parson's mix of this album. Considering that you can get that version "illegitimately" online, and the fact that it is on the DVD format (one you can probably play without purchasing additional equipment) makes it an ideal choice for the surround beginner to enjoy a 'free' sample. (I'm not encouraging piracy here, only that Parson's mix was never officially released on a digital format, so going through so-called "pirate" channels is the only way to hear it)

Until next time, keep your ears open and

Keep The Prog Alive!

Mike Portnoy Takes The Prog Rock Quiz

Here's a fun little video to test your knowledge. I did better than Portnoy, but I would wouldn't I? I got about 10/15.  How many did you get right?

Warning: That Mike Portnoy has a dirty dirty mouth and loves his language to reflect its filth.

Dream Theater || Planet Rock Presents the Prog Rock Quiz

Found Review: A Prog fan's dream come true

As you may know, Transatlantic, the 'modern Prog' super-group is back after an extended hiatus that was initiated when Neal Morse decided that he needed to do God's work and put out some really great instrumentally interesting albums with preachy religious lyrics. Well, he finally decided that Jesus had enough for now and Transatlantic is back. I'm working on a review of their new album "The Whirlwind" but unlike most reviews I've read, I'm planning on panning the work. I'm sharing this review with you now just so you can get the feel of what most reviews for this sprawling epic have been thus far. I've actually yet to find a negative review for the album so mine may be a first. Stay tuned...

CD REVIEW: A prog fan’s dream come true | The Weekender, Northeast PA

After 77 minutes, it would be hard not to appreciate the virtuosity and skill evidenced here. It’s precise and symphonic but at no point does “The Whirlwind” sound like 12 separate songs glued together for the hell of it. The transitions make sense, and the whole thing builds up to the crashing climax of “Dance With Eternal Glory,” a song that allows some of Morse’s Christian rock lyrics to creep in.

A Prog Rock Guide to the Project/Object - The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life

If there is one thing I regret in my life it would have to be never attending a Frank Zappa concert. Thankfully there are many other things I regret in my life. Too many. Oh Jeez do I have regrets... sad convoluted mutated confusing regrets. So this is somewhere on a large sprawling list of many regrets. I won't disclose the rest of them here since, well, who cares? Besides me, they are my regrets after all. So mind your own damn business!!!

err....not sure what provoked that....moving on

Either way, the title of this 1991 release rings incredibly true to me. I never got a chance to hear this specific incarnation of Zappa's touring band (or any of his bands for that matter since I was either not-born of in diapers). Neither did many people apparently since the tour was canceled early on. Apparently there was just too much in-fighting and band member politics. Poor old Frank got very fed up with it all and was saying at the time that he never wanted to go on tour with a rock band ever again. Of course, we know now that he passed away shortly thereafter so he wouldn't even have the chance if he changed his mind. At any rate, the title to this live album, documenting some of the 1988 tour (his last), is apt for plenty of folks out there.

The reason I'm suggesting this as a launching point to a new fan's Zappa discovery is complicated and controversial. I am pretty sure that, regardless of what other Zappa freaks may believe, Frank specifically created a beginner friendly compilation from his extensive recordings from the 1988 tour. What I mean by this is that the track selection compiled here contains his more 'listener friendly' compositions. With the exception of 'The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue' near the end of the album (and "A Few Moments With Brother A. West", who wants to listen to that? Very dated American political satire...), there isn't anything too avant-garde or atonal here. The focus is on tracks like Cosmik Debris, Zomby Woof, Inca Roads and The Torture Never Stops that are all showcases of Frank's humour, instrumental complexity, guitar skill and ability to just write catchy melodies.

Again, the title of the album hits the nail on the head. This is not only one of the largest bands Frank ever assembled, but absolutely jaw-droppingly skilled as well. If you are not familiar with Zappa's music then you can check out the cover tunes included here to get an idea of just how tight this band was. Ranging as far as Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire to Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze, you quickly can recognize how painstakingly well rehearsed this band is. (I've read that Zappa rehearsed this band for six months before starting the tour) Just listen to the album's closer, a cover of Led Zeppelin's overated 'epic' Stairway to Heaven. Jimmy Page's infamous guitar solo is performed by the brass section almost note-for-note. If that doesn't give you a picture of just how skilled these musicians were, and also an idea of Zappa's creativity as a musical arranger, then you may never understand music in general. In fact Zappa's arrangment of Ravel's famous Bolero may have much of the same affect. It's a stirring rendition that tends to send shivers down the spine of unsuspecting listeners.

The only thing that may impede your enjoyment of this album are the dated references that show Zappa's strong political opinions in the late 80s and may confuse you now in the almost 2010s. You see, there was this televangelist named Jimmy Swaggart and....ah forget it. If you really want you can read this wikipedia article and understand what exactly they are going on about in the 'Swaggart Versions' of songs on the second disc. Just understand that as rehearsed and tight as Zappa's touring bands were, Frank always insisted on creating an air of improvisation and unpredictability at his concerts, and this could include changing the lyrics to songs on the spot. I just ignore these now dated references and enjoy the music being played because that's really what it's really all about.

All in all, this album is a showcase of Zappa live. The musicianship is simply increadible, the brass section sounds really cool (check out the opener Heavy Duty Judy or Let's Move To Cleavland), the guitar solos are mighty impressive (Zoot Allures and The Torture Never Stops Part Two) and the whole thing is just lots of fun to listen to as a whole. The way it's structured makes it sound as though it is one continuous concert, but in fact is carefully collected and edited by Frank from throughout the 88 tour. I'm pretty sure he was going for a 'listener friendly' experience here so his more adventurous instrumentals and cruder lyrics are ommitted on this release. For all these reasons I'm pretty sure this is an excellent place to start your Zappa adventure.

On the next installment, we are going back to the early 70s to explore the forgotten Prog Rock classic "One Size Fits All".

News: InsideOut Bands on Tour

I received the following tour dates from the mostly Progressive label InsideOut:

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT
Bloodstock Festival 2010
13.08.2010: GB-Walton-On-Trent, Derbyshire/Catton Hall

IQ
Frequency Tour 2009
12.12.2009: GB-London/O2 Academy
16.01.2010: GB-Rotherham/Classic Rock Society
30.01.2010: D-Aschaffenburg/Colos Saal

PAIN OF SALVATION
Linoleum tour (Australia supporting Dream Theater)
27.11.2009: RU-Moscow/Gorbunova Hall
28.11.2009: RU-St. Petersburg/Glav Club
03.12.2009: AU-Brisbane/Convention Centre
05.12.2009: AU-Sydney/Hordern Pavillion
07.12.2009: AU-Melbourne/Palais Theatre
08.12.2009: AU-Melbourne/Palais Theatre
09.12.2009: AU-Adelaide/Thebarton Theatre
12.12.2009: AU-Perth/Metro City

RIVERSIDE
Anno Domini High Definition Tour 2009
10.11.2009: IT-Milan/Zoe
11.11.2009: CH-Pratteln/Z7
13.11.2009: D-Aschaffenburg/Colos-Saal
14.11.2009: FR-Paris/La Locomotive
15.11.2009: GB-London/O2 Academy
16.11.2009: GB-Wolverhampton/The Robin 2
18.11.2009: D-Hamburg/Logo
19.11.2009: D-Berlin/Sage club
26.11.2009: FI-Tampere/Klubi
27.11.2009: FI-Jyväskylä/Lutakko
28.11.2009: FI-Helsinki/Nosturi
12.12.2009: RU-St. Petersburg/Troitsky
13.12.2009: RU-Moscow/Tockka

More info on the label's website Insideout.de

News: New Tangent Album next week

Just a quick heads up to any fans of the sometimes British/Swedish band The Tangent that their new album will be coming out early next week. It will be called 'Down And Out In Paris And London' and according to a press release "comes in a Limited First Edition Digipak with the bonus track 'Everyman's Forgotten Monday'".

I was a pretty big fan of their last album although this one will be the first to have an entirely British lineup. How this will effect the sound remains to be seen. Also, we are still waiting for the first release with the combined lineup with Beardfish, which is, from what I can tell, not this album.

Anyone have any insight to share? The Tangent has one long complicated history of lineup changes surrounding the front man Andy Tillson.

News: Roger Waters wants to tour The Wall in 2010/2011

Look at this picture. He looks terrible doesn't he? Old. Miserable. Just a sad looking aging man. Well, that sad old man is going out on tour again. Could this finally be the long awaited follow-up to his 1992 album Amused To Death? No. Not even close my friends. It seems that he is quite keen on following up the cash grab that was his Dark Side of the Moon tour from a few years ago with a recreation of tour of The Wall. I hate to say this but, it smells like easy money. Wasn't he working on actual new material at some point? He got distracted with his 'opera' Ca Ira and never got around to finishing it. Well it seems that he is all too content to rehash old successes and rake in the dough once again. I expect this tour to be extremely overpriced and yet still sell out before the tickets ever go on sale. A couple of sites are indicating that this is what the old man really wants to do. Now please, could somebody inform me as to how this is acceptable practice? The guy is already a multi-millionaire I'm sure. Could he really be short on cash? Am I completely off base here, or is touring old material nothing but a scam when, as a supposed 'song-writer', he should be releasing and then touring NEW MATERIAL? If he wants to honour the legacy of The Wall, I'd suggest he release one of the many video recordings of the original tour on DVD. A reasonably priced DVD for home viewing is, to me, much more appealing than the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars to sit in the nose-bleed seats of some over sized arena with lousy acoustics listening to the drunken screams of beer-filled aging balding men vomiting all over me and blocking my view....

Now who sounds like the cranky old man? (And I'm in my 20s!!!)

News: Steve Hackett's new album Out Of The Tunnels Mouth is finally available

After many a delay (a skill probably learned from Peter Gabriel) Steve Hackett's newest 'rock' album is finally available. Out Of The Tunnels Mouth is currently being sold through Steve's website. This album is exciting for Prog fans because it contains performances from original Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips and Yes bass player extraordinaire Chris Squire. While such collaborations are not entirely unusual for world of Progressive Rock, these specific combinations are ones that I would have never thought would happen and could actually be quite interesting. This also marks the first Hackett solo album that I can remember not featuring a painting by Kim Poor as a cover. This probably has everything to do with the fact that the couple recently got divorced. I personally don't have enough money to purchase the album myself at the moment, but if somebody feels kindly enough to drop some change into the donate button I'll make sure a review is up as soon as possible.

The track listing is as follows:
Tracklist:
Fire On the Moon
Nomads
Emerald And Ash
Tubehead
Sleepers
Ghost In The Glass
Still Waters
Last Train To Istanbul

Surrounded By Prog - King Crimson's Lizard DVD-A 5.1 Review

When choosing how to commence this series examining how 5.1 Surround Sound has affected the scope and sound of classic Progressive Rock albums, I decided to start with something that is currently available for purchase. You see, the heyday for 5.1 music releases was all the way back in 2003/2004. This was the era that the record labels put out the competing formats DVD-Audio and Super Audio CDs. Since that time almost all the releases have gone out of print. As I explained previously, the consumer confusion as to what exactly these formats were in tandem with the fact that most were moving their music listening away from the home stereo and onto iPods created essentially what amounted to a flop. Neither format sold well and have since disappeared off the shelves. I could go on as to why exactly this is one of the great tragedies in the history of recorded music, but I'll save that for another post on another day.

Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree saw through the market confusion and continued to release DVD-Audios of his own material. I'm not sure exactly how it came to pass, but eventually Robert Fripp enlisted Wilson's expertise in Surround Sound to remix the entire King Crimson catalog. Now, in 2009, almost six years after the major labels chose to can the format, we are finally seeing the first of these Crimson remixes. The results? Simply outstanding! The added depth of sound provided by remixing these albums from the original recorded multi-tracks has given new life to these compositions, the oldest of which is now 40 years old.

Lizard has always been a difficult album for even some of the most dedicated King Crimson fans. It has always fallen into the "love it or hate it" category. Those who couldn't grasp it have always cited its leanings of free-jazz as well as just the sheer amount of musical ideas crammed into each track. Dense is too light a word to describe the aural layering involved in its creation. As Steven Wilson remarks in the new liner notes:

"One of the first things I said to Robert when we started talking about the 5.1 mixes was that I wanted to do Lizard because for me, that’s always been an album that was too big for stereo to contain. There’s so much going on in that record. I’ve always felt that if presented in the right way, I could make a case for this being the most experimental rock record ever made. It’s extraordinary what they’re doing on this album. In terms of fusing free-jazz with progressive rock for me there’s almost no parallel and yet it seems to (be) an album that is overlooked by jazz fans and progressive rock fans alike."

He hits the nail on the Lizard's head. Listening to this surround sound mix is a revelation. I'm going to go through the album now, track-by-track, and attempt to describe some of the ways the mix is presented. If you feel that the idea of describing music in such ways a bit silly, then by all means go out and purchase this album for yourself. Since it contains a DTS encoded version of the surround mix, essentially any surround sound home system should be able to play back this DVD. If you already have a surround sound-compatible DVD player at home you have no excuse not to buy this. Unlike many of the albums I will eventually cover in the column, this has just been released and shouldn't be too hard to find either online or in-store.

Let us begin.

Cirkus: Amazingly, the album begins with the vocals starting out behind you and slowly make its way towards the front centre channel of the mix. When the rest of the band joins in, the full power of the bass is felt as Robert Fripp's acoustic guitar has never sounded quite so clear. This is what I would call an extremely active mix with whirling melotron and organs surrounding you. The song no longer has that cluttered feeling that marred the original mix. The spacing around the sound field really is well done and allows you to hear each instrument clearly. At this volume, the melotron is really something other-worldly. Shiver inducing stuff. The dynamics during the quiet section allow the return of the powerful riff with Robert's frantic acoustic playing to make you jump out of your seat. Like an explosion almost in terms of how it hits you. This has never sounded so good.

Indoor Games: Brass spread before you in the front, keyboards in the rear and vocals locked right in the centre speaker. The strumming acoustic guitar coming at once from the front right and rear left punctuating the "Indoor Games" chorus. Again, the clarity of individual instruments is a revelation to anyone familiar with this album. In the quiet bridge section fuzzy low moog (i think) sweeps around the room. The sax solo is in the centre as the electric guitar answers in the rear. The effect is startling. I'm hearing details that I never thought I would, and I claim to know this album inside and out. The moog effects surround the room in a rousing example of the warmth of analog synthesizers. I might consider this song an excellent candidate for a 'demo' track to show off the power of 5.1 mixing. Simply as masterpiece!

Happy Family: I never really liked the way the vocal effects distorted the lyrics in this song originally. Wilson, while keeping the same 'feel' on the vocals, mixed them in a much clearer fashion here. The first instrumental break features keys in the front left, guitar front right and flute behind you. It has the effect of being in the middle of the room as the musicians play. The increased fidelity provided by the DVD-Audio format and the fact that Wilson was able to use the original source recordings to mix this is really 'ear opening'. If you thought this song sounded too 'busy' during its instrumental sections before, this new presentation may be a revelation.

Lady of the Dancing Water: After the aural assault of the previous tracks, this track remains a calming peaceful interlude before the epic. The opening electric piano opens the song in front as the flute fills in the rest of the room. The vocals have never sounded so clear. The trumpet (or trombone) during the chorus whispers over your left shoulder. Again, another shiver inducing moment. Fripp's acoustic guitar sounds fantastic. So warm and lush.

Lizard: Attempting to go into too much detail to describe this epic-length track is impossible, but I'll highlight a few of my favorite moments. Jon Anderson sounds purer here then ever before. The harsh melotron swells haunt you from behind as the gorgeous piano stays to the front. The vocal harmonies during the chorus are now much more apparent as they have been spread into the rear speakers. Prince Rupert's Awakening has been given a new lease on life. There is no doubt that Mr. Wilson has a great understanding of this music as his presentation is true to the original yet so much bigger and clearer than before. The Bolero section's trumpet solo is anchored dead centre and sounds magnificent. The swingy jazzy section is a sonic wonder, with brass instruments seemingly coming from right across the front of the sound stage. Like a jazz band performing right in front of you. This is a smart and intelligent mix that is guaranteed to satisfy both long time fans of this track and those who were skeptical initially as well.

If there was an award for "Album most improved by Surround Sound mix" this would win it hands down. In fact this may be one of the best DVD-Audio discs in my collection. This on a brand new disc on a format that was long thought as "dead". I can't recommend it enough. It gives a troubled album a new lease on life and is without a doubt the new definite version. Get it now while you still can. Even if you don't own a Surround System (what are you waiting for?) then Steven Wilson's new stereo mix may also interest you as it does indeed go to great extent to 'clean' up the messy original. The real attraction here, however, is the new 5.1 mix. Believe me when I say that even if you were not a fan of this one originally, this new release may change your opinion on this forgotten masterpiece of Progressive Rock.

Although not indicated, this is indeed the new two-disc DVD-Audio version. Order it from this link and help support the Prog Rock Blog!

Yes Tour Update

Today begins a new European leg of the 3/5 Yes Tour. I refer to them in this way since, as I'm sure you've heard by now, Jon and Rick are nowhere to be seen. Replacing them are Rick's song Oliver Wakeman on keyboards and fellow Canadian Benoit David (who actually does a perfect Jon Anderson impersonation circa 1972, so if you close your eyes you really shouldn't know the difference).

All the details and tour dates are found on YesWorld.

Gentle Giant Go Digital

Everyone's favorite quirky Prog band with a creepy mascot are joining the 21st Century! EMI has released information on finally moving some of their catalog into the digital realm. Expect to see some (not all) of Gentle Giant's albums appear on various online music stores soon. (iTunes, Amazon etc..) According to the press release "In a Glass House, The Power & The Glory, Freehand, Interview, Playing The Fool-The Official Live, The Missing Piece and Giant For a Day will become available through all digital channels."

While those of us who have already purchased these albums on various formats over the years, the addition of new bonus tracks may make these worth getting. Although, if you can pick and choose which tracks to by as you can on services like iTunes, then maybe it would be better to just pick up the new bonus material.

Also, new CD remasters are expected to be released next year, this time "Re-Mastered from the original 1" inch tapes through Hi-Resolution (24bit 96k) transfer." While the audio geek in me like this idea, I'd be way more excited if they were to remix them into 5.1 Surround Sound and release high resolution DVD-Audio discs much in the same way King Crimson are currently doing. That would make these a must buy. Otherwise, I'm not quite sure who are going to pick these up.

The whole press release can be found on Gentle Giant's website.

A Prog Rock Guide to the Project/Object - Introduction

Here begins a new series of posts dedicated to Frank Zappa. Let me try to explain...

Well. Well well well. Where to begin? Hmmm... You see, dear reader, I couldn't imagine a task in the music world more difficult then trying to "get into" Frank Zappa's music. All you have to do is take one glance at the sheer amount of albums the guy put out over his short life to see how daunting trying to grasp his work is. Go ahead, take a look. See what I mean? It just keeps going and going and going and going. Now keep in mind that the bulk of the man's music is dense, complicating, often drifting into the realms of atonal and avant-garde. Don't forget the fact that his music is totally unique. No other composer sounds like Zappa. His influence range as far as 50s Doo-Wop to the avant-garde composers like Edgard Varese and Igor Stravinsky. His music often drew directly from these inspirations but were not limited to them. Not by a long shot. I'd be hard pressed to find a composer more diverse than Zappa. He tried pretty much anything he felt like, often only once. Not all his music was inaccessible either, far from it. The guy had a knack for good melody and even had a few hit records here and there. The hardest thing for a Zappa beginner is deciding where to start.

Zappa was also a keen social-satirist. His lyrics often were meant as a critique on all the silly shallow and self-important figures in life. Nobody was safe from Zappa's sharp tongue and willingness to express his opinion. The problem I find is that this aspect has very quickly overshadowed Zappa's music. His name often creates images of outrageously offensive lyrics, over the top stage performances and an anti-establishment attitude. Very rarely is Zappa seen as I think he should be perceived: One of the greatest composers of the 20th Century.

Since this is a music blog I'm going to focus on Zappa the composer and Zappa the musician. There has been so much written about the guy from all angles that in order to present some new takes on his life and work I'm going to focus on what I know: Music as Art. Zappa's music ranges from all possible genres. He was a classical composer (in fact his first stabs at writing music was indeed composing chamber music as a teenager), a big band jazz composer (the focus for most Prog fans, rightly or wrongly), a pioneer of live recording (a few of his 'studio' albums were indeed recorded live in concert and spruced up and overdubbed in the studio) and a driving band leader who pushed the musical abilities of anyone who joined him to the very limits.

I wouldn't recommend you try to 'learn' his music in the same way I did. I've always liked a few Zappa albums, but it was only in the last few months that I've really dug into all his work. And I really went deep; I tried to do it all in one go. The whole thing, without any breaks. This is a very demanding and dangerous task. Unless you are keen on going mad I say do not do this. Instead explore Zappa in chunks. Pick a few albums and listen to them until you feel comfortable and familiar with them. Then, take a break. Go listen to someone else, something simple and enjoyable. I'm certain that Zappa's brain was super-sized and could handle all of this vast and complex music, but for the average human being it's simply too much to synthesize at once.

For the next post in this series I'm going to the end of Zappa's touring career: the 1988 tour. In particular the album I'm going to explore is "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life". It may be the perfect introduction to the world of Zappa and should be ideal for the Prog-Minded listener.

Until then, let me know what comes to mind when you think of Frank Zappa. Are you a life-long fan or are you just a casual listener who knows the "Strictly Commercial" compilation and not much else?

Don't forget
KEEP THE PROG ALIVE!

Preview of Upcoming Series here at the Prog Rock Blog

Next week will see the beginning of two new features on this here blog. In addition to Reviews and News from the world of Progressive Rock I will be embarking on two series that will essentially consist of two in depth studies of subjects that I have been obsessing over recently.

First, I've finally done it. I've arrived at the point where I think I know the work of Frank Zappa. Now, as any of you who might be familiar with Uncle Frank's body of work, this is no easy feat. In fact, despite my prior knowledge of quite a few of his albums, I don't think anything could have prepared me for how life changing getting to know his overall oeuvre can be. I've been reading various biographies and devouring any interviews that I can find with him online. I have come to the point where I almost feel it's my duty to attempt to get as many people as I can into Zappa's world. The guy is so darned misunderstood and so sorely underrated that I couldn't have it any other way. The approach I'll take is attempt to provide a super detailed look into his albums (studio and live) and try to explain them with a Prog Rock mentality in mind. I'm going to do my part to introduce new generations to his genius in a way that Dweezil and his Zappa plays Zappa traveling museum band never could. My first Zappa essay should be out early next week.

Second, surround sound! Being a former student of all things Audio at a prestigious (and highly overrated) University program here in Toronto, I have gained a better understanding of all things SOUND. I have been able to put together an extremely cheap but usable 5.1 Surround System and have slowly been collecting music to take advantage of all those speakers. I've recently come to an amazing conclusion: Prog Rock is meant to be heard in Surround Sound! Yes folks, all these decades of listening to Rock music on two speakers has been a complete waste. Surround sound is the way to go! With the recent release of Genesis' catalog in 5.1 and the even more recent King Crimson DVD-Audio releases, the view has been firmly cemented into place. The problem is, nobody ever takes the idea of surround sound and music seriously. In the 1970s plenty of great Prog albums were released in Quadraphonic sound, but despite some well done mixes the format suffered from imperfect technologies and competing standards that were messy and probably confusing for the uneducated consumers. In 2003 the record labels repeated this exact same mistake with SACD and DVD-Audio. Nobody really understood what these formats were and the confusion lead to more flops. Despite the terrible market (or lack there of) for surround music, I have been able to scrounge up a decently sized collection of SACDs and DVD-As. In addition there has been an amazing effort by music fans online to convert old Quad recordings into digital formats. The result is a huge collection of Prog and Prog related albums available for me to attempt to share with you. I'll be reviewing these albums one at a time and provide enough mouth watering detail that may entice you to invest in a system to play back these formats in the comfort of your own home. If you are serious about music (and what Prog fan ain't?) and the idea of sitting down on the couch for a distraction-free listening session of your favorite albums sounds like the best way to spend an evening (beats socializing that's for sure) then I think you will see many benefits to 5.1 Surround Sound.

So that's just a little tease of what I'm working on here at the Prog Rock Blog. A Prog Rock Guide to the Project/Object and Surrounded by Prog will commence next week. Also, I plan to just hammer out essays on as many classic Prog albums as I can. If you have a favorite that hasn't been covered here yet, leave a comment and let me know.

Until next time, don't forget to stay true to your musical opinions and...

KEEP THE PROG ALIVE!!!

REVIEW: Porcupine Tree - The Incident

However much I tried, each attempt to compose this review resulted in me discarding what I had written. The problem is that this album has received quite a bit of media attention. One of my intentions whenever I do any writing is to be original. I don't want to repeat what others have already written. What's the point? There is so much obnoxious repetitious trash online already. One benefit of focusing on the obscure Progressive albums that is the point of this blog, is that quite often there is scarce prior work in terms of reviews on the web. Thus, originality is all too easy. Then Porcupine Tree came along...

As I've mentioned recently, Porcupine Tree has garnered unprecedented success with their most recent album The Incident. A quick glance at this Wikipedia article will serve as ample proof of this fact. While this isn't exactly a number one hit, you have to remember that this is in reality a ONE SONG ALBUM!!! When was the last time such a composition reached such heights in the popular charts? I would guess that honor would most likely befall Jethro Tull's A Passion Play. That number one album contained one epic length 'song' split into various sections and movements. The Incident follows a similar structure. In the year 2009, nearly four decades removed from the peak of Progressive Rock's popularity, this is quite an achievement.

This brings me to my own opinion on this album. Since the vast majority of the press reviews have been positive, I considered staking my claim to originality by panning the work. When the album was released I was deep into a study of Frank Zappa's catalog and Steven Wilson's latest composition seemed all too simple and tame in comparison. Really though, who was I kidding? I'm sure most things sound simplistic and formulaic when compared to Zappa's creativity. Porcupine Tree was never about complexity and insane originality. Comparing them to Zappa would be like comparing computer monitors with banana peels.

I then remembered Mr. Wilson's general hatred towards the modern day 'download culture' and the Single Track mentality that comes along with that. He's an album man! He comes from a background of creating long flowing compositions that are meant to be digested in one sitting. In a way, The Incident's structure is really a way of encouraging the '3 minute song' crowd to consider the album as a whole as opposed to simply a collection of unrelated tracks. Every one of Porcupine Tree's albums actually does follow this model, but this didn't stop the modern day music fan from going on iTunes and just purchasing Trains instead of all of In Absentia in one go.

What does that make The Incident then? In one sense you could compare its effects on popular culture to what The Beatles did with Sargent Pepper's in the 60s. (Of course Porcupine Tree is still completely obscure by comparison so the comparison isn't really fair.) After decades of the Hit Single ruling the music business, The Incident proves once again that it is The Album that is the real platform for creative composers in the Rock genre. The way Wilson guides you through the extended length of The Incident provides a powerful experience that simply cannot be achieved in the 3-5 minute length of a single song. It is only after sitting through the 55 minute composition that even the most skeptical Pop Song fan should realize that music is really capable of being much more than a catchy tune and a nice voice.

As my last essay stated, I am sure that creativity is making a comeback. The faster the old monolithic record companies bite the dust, the better it will be for music as a serious art form. I feel that the age of Big Money in the world of music has reduced it from a true medium of creativity to bland aural wallpaper, decorating the bland boring life of the bland sheepish consumer. I have always believed that listening to music can provide as much emotional and intellectual stimulation as a good film or book. Those of us who chose to stick with Progressive Rock during the 80s, 90s and 00s are already well aware of this fact. Let's all encourage Mr. Wilson and the rest of Porcupine Tree as much success as possible. They are on the front lines of a musical revolution that started online but is making its way, however slowly, through the current of our societies.

Oh, and if you haven't guessed, The Incident comes with my highest recommendations! If you have yet to purchase it, do so immediately and help spur on music's renewal.



Keep The Prog Alive!!!

VIDEO: Gavin Harrison - The Sound Of Muzak

As I work on my Porcupine Tree album review, I thought I would share this video with you. PT's drummer Gavin Harrison has to be one of the best, if not the best, in the industry today. Having seen him and the rest of the band play here in Toronto last week I was reminded of just how insanely easy he makes it look. Here is a solo drum performance from Modern Drummer 2008. If you are reading this blog I might have to assume you are familiar with this track (if not then run out and grab a copy of In Absentia right now!) The guy seems almost bored pulling out all the stops on some of these fills.

Enjoy!

2009 - The Year Prog Got Its 9/8 Groove Back

This is something that I've long suspected would take place. In a sense I'm a bit surprised it took so long.

You see my friends, for the last 30-some-odd-years mainstream music was taken away from the true artists and given to big business. Somewhere in the late-70s the big record labels decided that it would be much easier to sell oodles of records if the music was stripped of all creativity and unleashed the so called "punk revolution". This, of course, was nothing but a scam. Unfortunately the average person loves a good scam. Punk took off and Prog groups were left to either strip their music of what made it so interesting (Yes, Genesis) or disappear off the face of the planet (Gentle Giant). Some groups were able to keep innovating during this period (the 80s) but most either sold out or gave up.

For the next three decades corporations ruled the music world. They used their ever growing media empires to brainwash and control a few generations of music fans into thinking that it was hip and cool to sound, dress and act the same as everyone else. Innovations were frowned upon. The tag of "Pretentious" was hastily slapped on any group that attempted to break the tight formulaic restraints placed on them by the record companies. The outlets that reached the masses, radio and television, became swamped with same-sounding music and generic composition. How could a young music fan even comprehend the possibilities unearthed by the Prog giants of old if all he/she was exposed to was three minute songs all structured the same?

Then the Internet happened. Suddenly the corporations couldn't control the music the public heard. Young persons (such as myself) could discover that, yes indeed, you could write a song longer than 5 minutes. In discovering the adventurous music of the early 70s a whole new world was opened up. Music from the radio seemed all too boring. Every new hit single sounding like the last. Why limit music? The human ear can hear so much sound why does everything sound the same? These are the sort of questions that lead myself and many of the same era to discover Prog Rock online.

It has taken a few decades, but finally bands that don't have the benefit of huge corporate backing and endless radio play are showing up on the album charts. Porcupine Tree's most recent and most successful album to date is the perfect example.

In my next post I will take a look at the unlikely success of The Incident. I'll review the album and examine how its success and the success of other adventurous artists are signaling a new era of music. I'll conclude by quoting a track from the Frank Zappa release QuAUDIOPHILIAc:

"Once upon a time, a record company had A&R people in it who would take a chance, make a decision, use their gut reaction, sign a group, and see what they could do with it. Okay? That was, whoa, a long time ago. It's not that way anymore. All decisions about who get signed and what happens to the record are made by these drooling little midrange accountants. And everything is based on the numbers games in there. And the taste of the accountants is what is ruling the mass media. It's all just the dollars and cents of exchange. And if you wanna make music that you believe in, the chances of doing it on a major label basis are nil, because they're all so frightened. Everybody's there trying to protect their job. And it's easy-- it's easier to look like a wise executive by saying no to something if it's just the most minutely fringe-oid in terms of content.

The horrible part of it is the artists who are feeding this ecological chain stop making songs they believe in and start making product that they know will be airable. And they change the style of what they're doing to fit within the narrow framework that is the contemporary accepted norm for suitable, radio-sounding music. And anything that comes outside of that norm doesn't go on the air, you don't hear about it, you don't know about it. Right now there's probably hundreds of artists in the United States making great sounds and great music. You'll never hear it. You'll never find out about it "
- Frank Zappa

We're back...

What a crazy year it has been! While my personal life has been preventing me from regularly writing on this here blog, I have not stopped my never-ending fascination with the world of Progressive Rock. I have plenty to say and suddenly some spare time in which I can share my thoughts with you. In fact, I plan to post here at a rate never before imagined. Our URL (ProgCast.com) is no longer in service, you can still find the site at its old address progrockreviews.blogspot.com.

Some subjects I plan on tackling in the next few days:

Porcupine Tree's The Incident - Prog is back in the mainstream!!!

King Crimson in 5.1 - The new releases are just around the corner and I'll have full reviews on each and every one.

My 'prog minded' guide to Frank Zappa - One of the most underrated composers ever, I hope to guide new listeners into his vast back catalog and help new generations discover his greatness.

Of course you can expect all the latest news, reviews and opinions from the ever expanding Prog world.

I hope you are as excited as I am. Tell your friends! The Prog Rock Blog is back!!!!

Keep the Prog Alive!!!

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Listening to: Premiata Forneria Marconi - Generale

ProgCast - Episode 12

This is the first in a series of episodes recorded throughout August that have yet to be released. Our return to podcasting was plagued with technical nightmares. I'm sorry about any sound quality issues that may exist in the remaining episodes, but it's the best we can do with what we have. Hopefully when we return to podcasting again we will find a way to earn some money from our website that will help us improve our equipment and result in better sound.

Download MP3


Sorry about the delay, we're back!

Theo Travis and Robert Fripp have joined forces and released an album entitled "Thread"

Release date for Genesis 1970-1975 box set

Return to Forever wins an award and tour review.

New Rush DVD info.

Dream Theater to appear in Rock Band video game.

New Bass Communion album "Molotov and Haze".

Review of Zappa's Roxy and Elsewhere.

Gabriel-esque Delays

I must apologies for the long silence. Mr. Coop and I have gone to New York and back and had an amazing time seeing King Crimson live. Partially due to this and partially due to other silly reasons I have not been able to mix and publish the ProgCast for the past few weeks.

Fear not though, we have at least another 2-4 episodes in the can and ready to go. They will be released over the next few weeks. We have a great exploration into the early works of Magma as Coop digs into some Kobaian mythology. We also have a really great episode where we did not plan a thing prior to starting the recording. It was a great hour long talk about various Prog related subjects. Finally, our season finale is our review of the King Crimson concert recorded on the bus ride back from New York.

Keep your iTunes locked on our ProgCast feed because you never know when we might start releasing new episodes again. I'm trying to find a way to keep this blog active throughout the winter months. If you have any ideas of ways I can keep this going while Mr. Coop is away at school don't hesitate to send me an email.

Expect the next episode of the ProgCast in the early part of this upcoming week.

And as always,
KEEP THE PROG ALIVE!!!!