Thursday, April 30, 2009

Tomas Ernvik - "Rockoratoriet Brinnande" {Sweden} [1972]

I couldnt find english review, here is swedish one: "Tomas Ernvik (bördig från Kristinehamn)spelade 1971 in sin första lp "Små låtar" på det religösa skivbolaget "Cymbal", året efter kom denna rockopera-liknande lp ut.
Involverade är gräddan av dåtidens Svenska jesusrockare, men förvänta er inget storverk, det är först några år senare med plattan "Tungt vatten" som Ernviks talang som tung gitarrhjälte blommar ut till fullo.
De latar som saknar latlangt (dvs. fran Tomas tro till Bonestund) gar liksom ihop till en enda lang bonmassa medley.
De blir tillsammans 6:31. Ratt okej skiva faktiskt. De kristna texterna gor den riktigt rolig! Battre an vatten!
" http://www.progg.se/band.asp?ID=677


translation:
"Tomas Ernvik (from Kristinehamn) played in 1971 his first LP "small songs" on the religious record label "Cymbal" the year after came this rock-opera simmilar LP out. Involved on this record is the creme of that dates Swedish jesusrockers, but don't expect a great work. it's first after a few years later with the record "Tungt vatten (heavy water)" that shows of his true talent as a heavy guitar hero first comes out to it's fullest. It seems like like the songs from "Tomas tro" to "Bonestund" is a long medley (6.31 in total) Pretty good record in total. The christian lyrics makes it pretty pleasant and easy to listen to! Better than Water!" FS
Thanks a lot FS ;)

A1. Inledning (5:59)
A2. Den uppstandne Jesus (2:30)
A3. Marias lovsang (2:01)
A4. Tomas tvivel (1:44)
A5. Konfrontationsblues (4:04)
A6. Tomas tro (6:31)
- Jesu slutord 1
- Larjungakor
- Jesu slutord 2
- Missionsbefallningen
- Bonestund
B1. Pingstafton (2:35)
B2. Pingstdagen (10:18)
B3. Petrus predikan (3:04)
B4. hallelujakor (3:02)

- Bjorn Dahlberg - Trumpet
- Bosse Lindqvist - Orgel
- Jalle Ahlstrom - Trummor
- Lars Folkerman - Trumpet
- Marian Muzykant - Trombon
- Pavel Cech - Tenorsax
- Sigge Nilsson - Piccolotrumpet
- Thomas Lindbjer - Bas
- Tomas Ernvik - Piano, orgel, gitarr

A5. Konfrontationsblues...
B2. Pingstdagen...


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Monday, April 27, 2009

Osjan - "Ossian" (feat. Tomasz Stanko) {Poland} [1978]

Like the Wawel dragon, this mysterious band emerged from a cave in Cracow.

Osjan is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating bands on the Polish stage. Formed 28 years ago, they still remain part of the underground. They play concerts infrequently and rarely release records.

Osjan's work can be described as an original synthesis of many traditions and music cultures. The group's strength lies in its enormous musical imagination, creativity and genuine message. The musicians have never attached importance to their public image. Osjan is surrounded by a mysterious aura, and facts about the band's activities merge with legend.

The history of Osjan dates back to the 1970s and Crocow's musical circles grouped around the Piwnica pod Baranami club, then the center of Cracow's artists and counterculture. At that time Jacek Ostaszewski, a well-known jazz double bass player, and guitarist Marek Jackowski, both from the band Anawa, decided to start a new project. Soon they were joined by painter and poet Tomasz Hołuj. The group's early rehearsals took place in many different places, most often hotel rooms. The name Osjan was chosen after the band heard it in an Ewa Demarczyk song version of a Bolesław Leśmian poem.

Soon the band's line-up changed, but for 20 years the core of Osjan has been Dimitrios Milo Kurtis, Wojciech Waglewski and Radosław Nowakowski, together with Jacek Ostaszewski. Numerous distinguished musicians have worked with them including the trumpeters Tomasz Stańko and Don Cherry. The band used to regularly perform with Black Horse Cheavers, a Cherokee shaman.

However, it is not the musicians, but the search for their own artistic expression that explains the Osjan phenomenon. In the 1970s, in an atmosphere ruled by banal rock on the one hand and complicated jazz structures on the other, Osjan looked for a different way, for a simplified form of expression: "For example, we would play for half an hour on two or three notes," remembers Ostaszewski. "What fascinated me, not only in the sphere of music, was the search for forms that would allow free expression, not limited to the conventions of jazz, pop or classical music." Osjan was looking for alternative solutions. The group used various elements of traditional Balkan, African, Slavic and Indian music and managed to combine them with free jazz and European classical music. An important influence on shaping the group's musical image were concerts with Don Cherry, as well as inspiration from Zen Buddhism.

Osjan belongs to the small circle of performers who have developed their own original style. The group's compositions, labeled as ethnic music, world music, and so on, reveal the extent of its members' musical quest, as do their performances. For them, playing music together is a form of communication and constant dialogue between themselves and the audience. That is why concerts, when they do happen, are so important to them-there is a dialogue between Waglewski's guitar and Nowakowski's drums, Ostaszewski's flutes and Kurtis's percussion, but the freedom of improvisation does not destroy the overall structure of the concert.

No wonder then that Osjan's rich experience was emvulated by other performers, for example, Maanam (a group formed by Jackowski and Kurtis) in its early days and Voo Voo, another unique Polish rock band, headed by Waglewski... read more here

01 - Wstep Do "Ksiegi Chmur"
02 - Epilog "Muzyki Fruwajacej Ryby"
A: Ten Sam Wiatr Porusza Dwa Drzewa
B: Dziurawe Ucho / Prawe

- Tomasz Stañko
- Jacek Ostaszewsk
- Tomasz Holuj
- Milo Kurtis

01
02A
02B

Some early albums here

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Adaen - "Dancing Metropolis Burial" {Russia} [2009] Exclusive for PNF!

"Adaen is a one man band tending to be not just studio project but also a concert one. This project is started with ”Dancing Metropolis Burial” album recording where Adaen (a pseudo name of the musician) composed all the songs and played all the instruments without session musicians involving not to ruin the created musical/lyrical conception. Being an ex-former of some rock bands, playing progressive rock and some metal-like stuff in this project he chose a bit simplified form of prog rock with some grunge, psychedelic and even 90s’ music influences. Low tuned guitars, simple harmonic patterns, long songs, some sound effects in combination with abstract and depressive lyrics present a way of developing his own style. The warm voice with some Russian accent sings about things that seem simple: love, death, childhood, self-sacrifice and the main thing each song is about – being a king of a quiet and imperceptible person who lives his life invisibly for everyone and even his death can’t call for surrounding people’s reaction, whose funerals are nothing for the ones who dance, sing and seem to be happy almost always. The songs are songs; with no high-technical striking solos and complicated parts, but ”Burial” is really interesting with its emotional send. To help the emotions be intertwined into the music Alex Perfilyev, a young but very high-skilled and talented sound engineer and musician first of all (that mattered too much for Adaen), became the producer of the album. They played together in some bands and Alex perfectly knew about feeling and emotions led in this music and what to do to create really individual sound and how to play additional instruments in Adaen’s manner. Recording/mixing and mastering has engaged 11 months, but this record became a real pride for both of them. Now when the album is ready it appears on some sites and everyone can download it absolutely free, ‘cause only the moral aims are chasing but not the commercial ones. Now Adaen is working on his second album and looking for musicians to create a trio-band for shows."

1 Airships
2 Disconnected
3 Sounds of Running Trains
4 Cameras Set Within
5 The Second Wave

Adaen – voices, baritone guitars, bass, drum programming*.
Music and lyrics by Adaen.
Produced by Alexander Perfilyev and Adaen.
Mixed by Alexander Perfyliev.
Mastered by Bob Katz at Digital Domain, Orlando, FL, USA.
* programming, additional guitars and bass by Alexander Perfilyev.

Genre - progressive rock
Influences - Silverchair, Tool, Muse, Nirvana, Dream Theater, Rush etc.
further more - http://www.myspace.com/adaenband

1 Airships
2 Disconnected
3 Sounds of Running Trains

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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Pogonophobia "Bimmib" [2009] (Space, Kraut, Psychadelic)

Here we go again! I've been busy the last six months with all kinds of stuff, but the hunt for good stuff haven't stoped!
So here it is the latest album from Pogonophobia and this time with a drumer and on extra guitarist. And that does a lot for the sound!
In fact this is an album that contains some material from their third (The Book Of Improvisa) album andsome newley recorded songs.
It sounds like the old unknown kraut band Pyramid meets Tangerine Dream
I really hope that they will develop their music and do what they do best great trippy psychadelic!


My favourit tune is Road to Samadhi 1


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Monday, April 20, 2009

Neuschwanstein - "Alice in Wonderland" {Germany} [1976] (Symphonic Prog)

This is German prog from the late seventies. Instrumentally, acoustic guitar, flute, harpsichord and a variety of keyboards lock together to make an extremely rich and beautiful musical backdrop, with some absolutely gorgeous themes. The music is melodic with detailed arrangements and interesting orchestration. The vocalist sounds remarkably like Peter Gabriel; lyrics are all in English. The sound could be described as "Planets" period ELOY meets "Moonmadness" period CAMEL, with a touch of MACHIAVEL. The reissue on CD of a real "must", a mythical disk from unknown musicians.
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=261

01. Theme of Alice - The Flower Meadow - The White Rabbit (1:17)
02. The Gate to Wonderland (2:13)
03. Pond of Tears (2:45)
04. The conference of the Princess - Old Father's Song - Duchess' Lullaby (8:31)
05. Five-O'Clock-Tea (6:49)
06. The Marching of the queen - Palace of Wonderland (12:04)
07. The Court of the Animals (5:01)
08. Alice's Return (2:04)

- Thomas Neuroth (Keyboards)
- Klaus Mayer (Flute, Synthesizer)
- Roger Weiler (Guitars)
- Frederic Joos (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)
- Rainer Zimmer (Bass, Vocal)
- Hans-Peter Schwarz (Drums)
- Hermann Rarebell (Drums) (ex-The Scorpions)

06. The Marching of the queen - Palace of Wonderland
08. Alice's Return

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