Here’s some music that various members of the Prog team have been grooving to this week…
Editor - Jerry Ewing
Captain Sensible - Come On Geoffrey Brown He’s always been a prog fan, and I’ve always been a Captain Sensible fan. In 1993 he threw caution to the wind and released the excellent The Universe Of Geoffrey Brown, a concept album about a mild-mannered civil servant who discovered extra-terrestrials really did exist. It was bonkers. And it was brilliant. I hope this taster might tempt you to seek this little gem out…
Welcome to this week’s choices. The new issue is on sale next Wednesday, April 22, so we’ll have a new selection of Limelight bands for you to enjoy. But as of this week, everyone’s present and correct, and we welcome writer Felicity Hall, whose mummy and daddy have let her stay up long enough to send us her choice, even if she did have to stand on a stool to reach the computer to e-mail her track through. Thanks Flick. Mwah…
Deputy Editor - Hannah May Kilroy
Future User - Mountain Lion Who would have thought that prog would rise from the ashes of Rage Against The Machine?! Turns out that their former bass player is a prog-head, and Future User is his new project. If you like what you hear, check out the full feature on the band in the new issue of Prog, out next Wednesday.
Art Editor - Russell Fairbrother
Native Construct - Mute
You’re aware that Muse are often likened to early Queen. But if, like me, you can see why but think the sound isn’t quite like that then take a listen to Native Construct. This three-piece have endeavoured to show us exactly what Muse channelling early Queen would sound like, with some Trans-Siberian Orchestration thrown in. The whole album is a wondrous kaleidoscope of metal riffs, dissonant arrangements, theatrical choruses, and most of those things are in this track Mute. Oh, and it’s a concept album about a mute boy creating his own world to rule so what’s not to like?
News Editor - Natasha Scharf
Jenny Hval - Sabbath I’ve been really excited by the news of experimental Norwegian musician Jenny Hval having a new album out this summer. Sabbath is the second teaser from Apocalypse, Girl and is a classic example of Hval’s unique and often eyebrow-raising songwriting style. I’m looking forward to hearing the full album, which will be out through Sacred Bones on June 8.
Reviews Editor - Grant Moon
John Carpenter - Obsidian
Think of John Carpenter, and immediately your mind’s eye will see a boiler-suited, William Shatner mask-wearing maniac wielding a massive knife. Your mind’s ear, however, will throb with the Halloween director’s sinister, minimalist synth lines. Created on now vintage keyboards, Carpenter’s creepy, minor-key melodies pulsate with all the relentlessness of Michael Myers, modulating from key to key, constantly keeping you off-centre and on tenter hooks throughout The Fog, Escape From New York and The Thing. His musical scores are an integral feature of his movies, which is an extremely rare and precious thing among directors, and it’s hard to believe he’s only just released his first album of original material. Out now on Sacred Bones, John Carpenter’s Lost Themes is a collection of non-film music, and with track names like Vortex, Wraith and this here Obsidian, it’s also very, very prog…
Writer - Felicity Hall
The Gentle Storm - Shores Of India Anneke van Giersbergen has always been a favourite singer of mine, but the collaboration with Arjen Lucassen takes her work to another level. I love the fusion of cultures and sounds in this track, and I can’t get enough of it! The Gentle Storm project is truly stunning, and Shores of India is a firm favourite that’s on constant repeat.
