ScienceNV are one of the most interesting prog bands I've heard in quite a long time when it comes to the space rock heavy factor they possess. They seem to have an endless wingspan in that department, with a lot more to offer as well. Being new to them I wasn't sure if I was going to like them or not but that has all been since rectified and now I'm loving everything on this album, after reviewing a couple of singles from it. Those tracks alone were enough to get me really wanting more. So, the review opportunities come much appreciated, as now I'm finding them to be one of the best bands around.
Some of these songs on Before The End Of Time are not only cosmically interesting, they're actually combined with both intensity and relaxed combinations of astounding proportions. From start to finish the listener is taken on a ride through the galaxy in a song by song succession that doesn't seem to want to stop. The music is so incredibly awesome it's a wonder such a thing of beauty doesn't reach the masses, but I hope it does just that, because there is simply nothing like this band.
I could use handfuls of this on a daily basis, it's that good. From the killer keyboard textures to the at times raunchy guitar squeals, this is simply a progressive rock masterpiece. From a storyline it all works like some kind of magic. After the first track you'd expect more of the same, but the soothing sounds they're capable of coming out of nowhere with really is relaxing to say the least. I love that combo so much I tend to stick to those tracks that have the mellower passages. But make no mistake, they deliver on every level, with amazing chemistry between the musicians.
I'm so glad I've been turned onto this it will remain in rotation for likely the rest of 2013. Starting out with titles such as "Mars" going through to that wonderful "Chinatown" and a few tracks thrown in for variety around the concept, they blend perfectly together. This is not only full of loud bursts of excitement, but equally filled with lower register excellence. To really get the big picture one must take it all in at once, but the tracks all have their individual potential on their own as the singles prove. It comes highly recommended to not only prog rockers, but I can even see jazz rock fusion lovers getting into this, it's that diverse and that brilliant in every way. Absolutely killer throughout the entire album, which plays long.
Rating 10/10
The Last Album Before The End Of Time
Pontus HW Gunve
The Observer
ScienceNV
First Mr.Music article
Pontus HW Gunve is yet another great progressive rock artist on the scene that is full of everything it takes to fit that category and then some, with complex arrangements that border on Space Rock factors combined with Indian themes in the music, which is all there is to it, being an instrumental band as such. The music pulsates a lot of these elements throughout The Observer, and it's yet another delight to simply rave about. These tracks all work together seamlessly, yet they carry enough differences to also enjoy separately, rather than together, as where progressive rock normally doesn't break up quite this well. That is one of the best things about this album, you really can enjoy it track by track without having to necessarily hear it all as one. The Indian drums really carry a percussive vibe that holds it altogether. But the string arrangements are what mostly dominate the recording.
By the time you wrap your head around it, all you can do is go for another plunge into these magnificent tunes. Being from New York, this guitarist is an amazing composer of massive proportions. I was blown out of my seat at first listen, and that is just something that usually doesn't happen with me. A good thing indeed it is, though. I just love how the beauty of it all has a head on collision with the ears, leaving them enormously satisfied, and how that increases with every listen. The instrumentation backs the lead guitar work so well it almost seems as much in the forefront. There is just no describing the sheer quality on offer here. It's something one must hear for themselves to really dig into properly, so it comes highly recommended.
If you like your music laid back and intense at the same time, with an eastern vibe that won't quit, this is right up your alley. In fact to me it's so awesome that I will be not only recommending for years to come, I will be following this artists progress from here out. Don't miss him as he makes his way through the industry, because talent like this is simply a rare commodity these days.
Mr.Music
Rating 9.5 / 10
Clark Colburn
Baba O'Riley
Clark Colburn is a guitar virtuoso of the highest order, and lately he has covered some classics in his own way that really do add something to offer the originals. One of them is this version of The Who's Baba O'Riley, which actually really resonates through the percussion very well, along with the guitar and vocal approaches being rather different from the original without marring its overall classic appeal. How he pulls this off is amazing, considering the drums are sort of muted in the background. It serves as a statement in the arrangement, rather than some average cover. I love the way he blends the guitar intro into the piano chords, and the whole whole thing just takes off from there with a killer vibe that doesn't seem to quit, although it doesn't drag on its time stamping.
After being turned onto this artist a few years ago, I've been hooked ever since, and this track serves up all the more interest as he forges on with sizzling ferocity. The restraint he exhibits on this is detectable throughout, even though the intensity is clearly eviident, I'm inclined to believe he has to hold back when it comes to covers, to deliver something completely different but never disgracing. This is one cool cover for the record books as far as I'm concerned, and goes very well with his version of The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby," which also has to be heard to be believed in all its awesomeness. If you haven't heard this artist, this is as good a place as any to start, it's a remarkable brilliant rendition of an old favorite that anyone can appreciate.
Mr.Music
Flying Colors
Live in Europe (DVD)
“The inexpressible depth of music, so easy to understand and yet so inexplicable, is due to the fact that it reproduces all the emotions of our innermost being, but entirely without reality and remote from its pain… Music expresses only the quintessence of life and its events, never these themselves.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Flying Colors are not trying to impress anybody. If that somehow happens as a result of watching this DVD (running for approx. 110 mins.), that is great, but really that's not what this DVD is about... What you now hold in your hands, or watch on your DVD player (cranked up to 11, I hope!) is a virtuositic performance recorded in Tilburg, Holand on September 20, 2012. Steve Morse, Neal Morse, Dave LaRue, and Mike Portnoy have had their own careers with bands and solo projects, and I hope you guys realize that Flying Colors is a stretch for them. Casey McPherson may be relatively unknown to you, but after watching this he stops being the man singing in the shadow of the great four. Enjoying this concert, you can see how well Casey commands the stage and, if he seemed a bit apprehensive at the beginning of the Color's flight he now has augmented into a full-blown singer. Do not take respect he treats his fellow musicians with as inferior. With this DVD the band is delving into the music which is so utterly contemporary and progressive... it is the subject matter of their
ART
To me, the best rock shows are not plentiful of tongue-in-cheek theatrical antics with clad leather musicians bouncing to and fro. Great rock shows grab us by the throat, show us a touch of divine artistry, and make us question our radio stations stand in the society. Of course, solid rock shows show us brilliant musicianship with all that cool stage behaviour too, but there's always some undercurrent of thoughtfullness and brilliant art.
Give me, Deep Purple's 'Made in Japan', UFO's 'Strangers in the Night', Nazareth's 'Snaz' or Thin Lizzy's 'Live and Dangerous' any day now. Rock shows boost energy within the receiver, and involve a dramatic singing not on par with any Grammy or MTV Award worthy garbage that is rolled out year after year. Gigs that make you forget about everyday life is what I like. And at a blistering rock show there's only the band and you and this little musical understanding you build with them.
With 'Live in Europe' Flying Colors explore the frontier territories of their studio masterpiece and not suprisingly it all works extremely well in the live environment. You can also see varied musical spectra these guys pursue and experience how the evergreens from their individiual careers gain a new life and deeper hues on stage.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
No doubt that every song this band performed would be a highlight. This 'evening of live music' (Phil Mogg) starts off with the manic grandiose of 'Blue Ocean', after which the band go into the sweltering majesty of 'Shoulda Coulda Woulda', performed with bravado. This twisted riff must have shattered the ground in Tilburg, so be wary about the windows at your place. The effortless transition from a progressive improvisation in 'Blue Ocean' into an almost scientific discipline demand of 'Shoulda Coulda Woulda' is commendable. You are to witness many styles and lots of dynamism watching this show. The alterations of dynamics can give you goosebumps all over. For instance, the band accelerates in 'Blue Ocean', explodes in 'Shoulda Coulda Woulda' and slows down in 'Love Is What I'm Waiting For'. The work of the rhythm section is quite imposing. Definitely, there is a whole lot of rapport between Messrs La Rue and Portnoy. Watch Casey's limelight spot(with the acoustic guitar of course) in a poignant rendition of Cohen's 'Hallelujah', or a song from his band Endochine, 'Can't Find a Way' which finds Steve Morse in quite an unusual musical territory for him. My personal favourites, hits like 'The Storm' and 'Kayla' and the bass-laden 'Forever in a Daze' get the audience to sing and clap along. Steve Morse lays down some wild solo in the latter and the band's interplay in 'The Storm' is very tight. When it comes to more subtle songs of the night, 'Better Than Walking Away' stands out particularly as its melancholy is reflected in the musician's playing. This one is closely followed by the decadent 'Repentance' from Dream Theater's repertoire, with these psychedelic bass lines performed by Mr La Rue. Dave puts on a show in 'Spur of the Moment' which is just an exemplary showcase of his bass playing capabilities. He's one of the most lyrical bass players in the music business. He does not limit himself to groove only, but in his hands the instrument speaks and I love this warm sound he gets out of it. Make sure to check out some of his other recordings if you get a chance. 'Repentance' stays pretty close to the original, however Steve Morse's solo is vastly improvised which makes for an engaging experience. 'Everything Changes' features the unison intro and also some delightful dynamic changes. Steve really explodes in the solo, and Casey's performance is greatly melancholic. His timbre is rather silvery and I once read a reviewer compared his voice to Coldplay's singer, which is a bit uncalled for, because Casey's singing suits many different musical styles. When it comes to the upbeat part of the evening, the Beatlesque 'Love Is What I'm Waiting For' comes as the third song. It features some brilliant vocal harmonies from Casey, Neil and Mike. The vocal harmonies return in flourishing Spock's Beard 'June'. Neal Morse leaves the keyboard corner, picks up the mike and we have a wonderful rendition of this classic masterpiece. Wait until Mike joins the canon duo of Neal and Casey. The song is close to its lyrical original counterpart, however here the tempo is a bit pumped up (must have been the excitement). 'Fool in My Heart' has Mike performing the singing duties with a touch of humour for a good measure. The live rendition has lots of zeal to it, and is a fitting contrast (pace-wise, and composition-wise) to what is about to come next.
'Oddyssey' as the sole instrumental of the night receives a passionate ovation from the audience. This is well-deserved. From the Dixie Dregs repertoire, this song was aptly chosen, because its transcendental undertone make the Colors fly high (pun intended!). As the rest of non-Flying Colors songs of the night this one stays faithful to the original, and gives all the musician's some room to showcase the impressive command of their instruments. Neal Morse's synth solo is particularly on fire here!
The show closes with a sprawling epic finale of 'Infinite Fire' which features a proper hammond solo from Neal. It feels he made his playing in this project concsciously subtle and avoids histrionic palying just to enrich the musical background with... a pallete of colours. Be sure to watch the ending credits. If you're looking for intellectual insight and a denoument watch the bonus documentary aptly titled 'First Flight' (running time: 45 minutes). You're in for a treat. Say no more.
Everything on this DVD is an attempt to translate the excitement of the live event into your home movie theaters. Slick production, dynamic shots of 21 cameras, sharp editing and the robust sound of the DTS option will make you totally immersed in this contemporary progressive rock spectacle. It could be I am wrong but there are a even a couple of wobbly audience shots thrown into the DVD footage or are these just handheld shots? These insert shots add a realistic dimension to the footage and must have made some fans very happy. When it comes to the intelligent editing of this DVD we get many follows so we get to 'see' the solo, the close-ups perfectly match and translate what is going on on stage. The crane camera shots provide shifts in levels and angels and with this the footage comes out as mighty dynamic and fluid. There are also some elements of parallel technique combined with intercut shots used. Both techniques are very useful for filming a live show, as they allow to intersperse one action (e.g. Casey's singing) with another (e.g. Neil's playing) and create a bit of a suspense. The cameras are also assembled to Neil's keyboard and Mike's drumm kit. So you get to see Mr Portnoy's beard in full drumming glory! The low-angle shots of Steve Morse especially make his solos look more menacing. As it is a live show, we get some crowd shots too. What could have been added by the editors, and the DVD would undoubtedly benefit from, are the shots of the audience's faces during the songs showing their enjoyment and delight. A couple of master shots of the stage are thrown in as well.
It all makes for a very driven performance. How the band gets to the end of each song is much more important than them getting there actually. The element of sheer fun they're having and jumbling the set around adds to this excitement and make you watch the whole thing mouth ajar.
So if this release rocks the hell out of you, that's fine, but it's aim is far from it. The musicians set out on an entirely different path. This is more about appreciating natural progression in music than anything and this is for those who are into thoughtfull arrangements and surprising elements rather than headbanging rock. (it is there too).
The worst part of shows like this is that they end after one or two encores. Believe me, you don't want this show to end and for this you get the bonus feature aforementioned already. Does the show leave the feeling of craving for more? It sure does. But it has nothing to do with the music or the way it is played, or any technical issues of the DVD itself for that matter. You simply want these guys to play for a few hours more.
Bill Evans is to be credited for this release (and much more) and kudos to him for this terrific piece of work. Kudos goes also to Bernhard Bataran, the director, Jerry Guidroz who took care of the mixing stage, and all the people involved in recording and producing the DVD. Last but not least, kudoes goes to the audience who spontaneously reacted to the songs and sang along with the band.
I dare say only the best are able to improve on their studio effort in the live environment. This Fall, Flying Colors with 'Live in Europe', will land next to 'Made in Japan', 'Strangers in the Night' etc on the very same record shelf. This honour is well-deserved and hard earned. At least in my book.
Written by: Marcin Rybacki
ScienceNV -EP
Bite My Bolero
As San Franciso's ScienceNV continue to pump out the space prog gems, this latest EP really brings a twist to their usual far out style as they take from three albums to combine a space rock outing of classically inflected numbers they've done. This all combines for the right mix of tunes for the concept EP. Most of their fans will know these songs and be happy to hear them together in one special set. The band consist of members Larry Davis, David Graves, Jim Henriques, and Rich Kallet. This is an extremely well balanced combo of musicians that seamlessly respond to each other musically with the greatest of ease. Being familiar with one of the tracks already, I'm equally impressed with the others as well. Imagine being in space on a ship and listening to some futuristic form of classically enterpreted cenematic music, and that about describes the truly excellent listening experience this release brings. ScienceNV are among the top prog rock acts around today, which is going through an upswing as of late as far as genres are concerned. Pick this up and you will not be able to set it down, and onto more of this band you will be happily led. Absolutely fantastic work throughout each track, especially the way the Bolero parts are ultimately applied to these well arranged pieces of brilliant music in the shape of La Danse Macabre, which is essentially very progressively mind blowing, and then bring Gustav Holst's Mars along to really kick it up, and finally into the cosmic rendition of their own Bolero. What it all amounts to is yet another fine release by this great band with an overall galactic soundscape effect of magnificent proportions.
Mr. Music
Rating 9.5/10
Pontus HW Gunve
Pontus Live In New York
Track List
Felix (LIVE at Spike Hill, Brooklyn 09.28.2013)
Kraken & Cavalry of Camels (LIVE at Spike Hill, Brooklyn 09.28.2013)
El Panchos Last Journey (LIVE at Spike Hill, Brooklyn 08.30.2013)
Movement 2 (LIVE at Bar East, New York 11.12.2011)
What Pontus is all about, can surely be visualized in
this one live release alone, but it's also important to know where the tracks came from, so I recommend everything you can get your hands on by this progressive rock artist, as well as this new live offering. The songs breathe all of their potential life into these New York performance of a very special brand of music all his own. I'm particularly impressed with how well the songs stick to their original path but express so much more in the process. The amount of guitar and keyboard prowess on display is indeed remarkable, as usual. But the live feel does surpass what's been done in the studio, proving Pontus to be not only a great writer, recorder and arranger, but a spectacular performer as well.
Rating: 8-10
