Shadow Of The Sun - streaming demos

* * * *

Shadow Of The Sun is a brand new band formed by Dylan Thompson, former guitarist/vocalist with The Reasoning.  The other members are Matthew Alexander Powell, Lee Woodmass and Rhys Jones (who was also in The Reasoning at some stage apparently).  I don't know how I'd classify them - at this early stage does it matter?  Maybe melodic metal?  I think they show great promise.  You can listen to four demo songs on their website http://www.shadowofthesun.co.uk/ (under Media > Music).  There is a CD of demos available at gigs, and shortly online we are promised. 

CD currently only available at gigs

The band is touring with Heather Findlay (ex-Mostly Autumn, or Mostly Humdrum as I like to call them!) in November - check out www.heatherfindlay.net .  There are a few other gigs in the pipeline too.  I hope to catch them soon.  I'm really excited about this band, it will be good to hear Dylan free from The Reasoning.

Birtwistle - Secret Theatre, Silbury Air

* * * * *

NMC re-issue artwork

It's quite a sobering thought to realise that I have owned this recording for over twenty years.  Sir Harrison Birtwistle is an avant-garde British composer.  Listen to the YouTube recording sample below if this stuff is new to you.  When I was starting out with classical music, often as not I used to buy on spec.  There was no internet for me in those days, so no downloads, samples or YouTube videos!  Gramophone reviews were a help (and don't start me on how that magazine has declined from essential to lifestyle froth).  So this is one of those CDs I bought on spec and have grown to love.  The performances are top notch, by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Elgar Howarth.

My copy was an expensive import on the Dutch label Etcetera, funded by the Arts Council of Great Britain!  British label NMC has since acquired the rights and re-issued with new artwork, and at a more reasonable price.  NMC is a registered charity with a lot of very interesting material on the label, so I suggest you check their website if you are interested in anything off the beaten track.  Website is at http://www.nmcrec.co.uk/

Original Etcetera label artwork  

Incidentally, for the sharp-eyed, the track timings quoted on the original Etcetera release were wrong...

The Dacoits - The Dacoits

* * * * *

Wow!  This is a really, really good album.  This is indie rock, with a touch of goth.  The songs are strong with good hooks and gorgeous melodies.  What a shame that the band don't sell copies at their gigs.  Having said that, all is not lost as the CD is available mail order from the band's website at http://www.thedacoits.co.uk/The_Dacoits/The_Dacoits.html and it is extremely cheap at just a fiver plus £1 delivery!  A bargain.  You can listen to the music from the album on the website, too.  It's also on Spotify, Amazon download etc.

My CD arrived promptly.  I eventually found a handwritten message from Carrie Rossiter, the singer, enclosed in the packaging.  A very nice touch indeed, and you can see it in the photos below.

"Gravity" is the track the band are plugging at the moment, although it's not on the album!  Anyway, here is the video for it:

I'd say it was pretty representative of the album, despite not being on it!  Favourite album tracks of mine are "Woman On The Wheel", "Holy Man" (a sort of goth "Son Of A Preacher Man") and the amusingly titled "Black Dog".

As mentioned above, I recently saw my first gig by the band.  It was a bit anarchic with all the fellas dressed in drag.  Singer Carrie  carried on regardless.  I think this was probably a one-off and would expect the band to be a lot tighter and better dressed normally!

This band will go far - far beyond their modest beginnings on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire border.

The Reasoning - Awakening / Dark Angel

* * * * *  /  * * * *

I really rate these first two albums by The Reasoning.  "Awakening" is an astonishingly confident debut.  The band at this stage boasted three vocalists, the rather plain sounding Rachel Cohen (nee Jones, ex-Karnataka), guitarist Dylan Thompson and keyboard player Gareth Jones.  The three vocalists blended sublimely on some very strong material.  Unfortunately the powerhouse six-piece line-up did not last.  Dylan and Gareth have now moved on, and the band is poorer for it.  In fact, of the original six-piece only Rachel and her husband Matthew, the bassist, remain.

"Awakening" features the outstanding title track, "Shadows Of The Mind", the Tolkien-esque "Chasing Rainbows", "Aching Hunger" and "Sacred Shape".

"Dark Angel" is the second album. It's not as strong as the first one, but it is very good despite that.  Standout track here is "Call Me God?" which with the departure of the male vocalists we are unlikely to ever hear again, I guess.  There was a double disc edition with a DVD featuring the "Making Of" documentary and priceless live footage of the early three vocalist line-up.

Availability of these early releases is patchy, so get them while you can.

I really hope The Reasoning produce some top notch material in the future with their new 5-piece line-up. You can find out about the band at their website http://www.thereasoning.com/home.php  I'm not sure what has happened to Gareth Jones, but Dylan Thompson has launched a new band Shadow Of The Sun, of which more may be found here.

Stop Press:  Gareth Jones has been in touch, as you can see from the comments below.  He has launched a new band along with fellow Reasoning refugee, Vinden Wylde.  The band is Sankara, and you can find my review of their first CD release here.

Philip Glass - Music In Twelve Parts (3 CDs)

* * * * *

It's hard to know how to rate this music. I've know it since the 1970s when radio DJ Alan Freeman played a snippet from a vinyl LP on his Saturday rock show! The LP was on Virgin's pioneering and cheapo Caroline label. I bought a copy as it was fascinating stuff - I'd never heard anything like it. That LP featured only the first two parts of the work, and is my favourite version of these pieces. This Nonesuch CD set features all twelve parts spread over more than three hours. The music is densely repetitive, at times irritating and at others so fascinating. It's really love it or hate it stuff. You definitely have to be in the mood for it. I'm glad I bought this set, although truth told, it only gets listened to infrequently.


This set comes in a rather superfluous card slipcase with the picture of Philip Glass shown above. The same picture features in the lush booklet that accompanies the set. This set seems to be quite expensive at the moment, so you might be better off buying the Nonesuch Retrospective 10 CD box which features a couple of parts from this and is a rather better buy at only a fraction more.

The Caroline Records release of Parts 1 & 2

Live in The Netherlands!

Live in Brighton!

Steve Reich - Phases (5 CDs)

* * * * *

I am adding some classical content to this blog, mainly because it seemed like a fun idea.  I have hundreds of classical CDs, many of which have since been re-issued in cheap boxsets.  Frankly, I have enough classical CDs to last me a lifetime.  So reviewing some of them here might stimulate my interest in my existing collection, rather than continually lusting after new releases.

This 5 CD boxset is available at a very reasonable price.  I used to own a CD of "Different Trains"/"Electric Counterpoint" - the same recordings as featured here.  I sold it a few years ago on Amazon Marketplace.  Truth told, I don't like listening to "Different Trains" as the subject matter is so heavy.  So it was great to get this set which features the same recording of "Electric Counterpoint" as played by Pat Metheney, and so many other treasures.  Particular favourites of mine at the moment are "Music For 18 Musicians", "Tehillim" and "The Desert Music".  However, my favourites do change and it's all good stuff here in impeccable performances, many featuring the composer himself.

Presentation is good, too.  A slipcase holds 5 digipacks and a nice booklet of photos, lyrics, an essay and recording details.

If you don't know Reich at all his music is heavily repetitive and hypnotic.  There is plenty to hear on YouTube such as:

Treat yourself to this set as it is a supreme bargain.

Panic Room - Altitude EP

 * * * * *

The new Panic Room EP "Altitude" is now available from the band's website (here).  You will find it available in a blue sleeve or a red sleeve (the latter being Anne-Marie's favourite).

This new release is a multimedia EP.  Lead track is the cover of "Bitches Crystal".  I'd had the pleasure of hearing this track courtesy of Radio Caroline.  It's very good even if no match for the band's best self-penned material.  The disc also features an interesting instrumental of "Dark Star" and an animated HD video for "Satellite", the title track of their last album as reviewed here.

There is a two minute sample of the video on YouTube as shown here:

 

Also present is "I Wonder What's Keeping My True Love Tonight" from their first album "Visionary Position" and "Sandstorms" from "Little Satellite" - the bonus disc from the double CD version of "Satellite".  I'd rather have had a couple of live tracks, chaps but these are top notch tracks in any case.

I recently attended one of their gigs again.  A fantastic show, as ever.  You really must go and see them.  Why Anne-Marie is not a big star is baffling.  New bass player Yatim has added an extra dimension to the live shows and his playing is amazing.

live in Swindon, September 2011

Accendo Astri

Barclay James Harvest - Taking Some Time On (5 CDs)

* * * * *

When I first saw this album mentioned I assumed it was another single CD compilation.  I could only groan at the prospect.  However, this turned out to be a comprehensive release of virtually their entire EMI catalogue, plus BBC sourced material.  I believe the only Harvest era stuff missing here is the Live 1972 disc which features the only known surviving recording of the band plus orchestra live gigs.  This again comes courtesy of the BBC and is currently only available in mono!  So not a huge loss, and perhaps best to regard that one as a supplementary release.

These 5 CDs contain the first four BJH albums - "Their First Album", "Once Again", "And Other Short Stories" and "Baby James Harvest".  Singles, Peel and Bob Harris sessions, the notorious Bombadil recordings, and out-takes all feature here too.  It is possible to recreate the early and fondly remembered compilation "Early Morning Onwards" from the tracks supplied here, although without the pseudo-stereo reprocessing that LP suffered from.  If you want it in that format it is available on the Brimstone label from http://www.bjharvest.co.uk/

Favourites on the set for me are "Early Morning", "Galadriel", "Mocking Bird", "Medicine Man", "Child Of Man" and "After The Day".  Bonus tracks include all the stereo ones featured on the "Once Again 40th Anniversary" CD.  In total there are three takes of "Mocking Bird" and three of "Galadriel".  Wow!

Presentation is good.  The 5 CDs come in a transparent large jewel case with a short but adequate booklet.  How nice to see the Harvest label features on all 5 discs.  The shades of green and blue used are a touch overdone but effective enough.

Sound quality is good and clean.  Inevitably, here and there the euphonic distortion of vinyl is missed.  For me, this is most obvious with "Child Of Man" which sounds thin, but still great.
 
The set is priced competitively at slightly more than the cost of a single full price CD.  Similar sets from Lindisfarne, UFO, Tangerine Dream and Robin Trower are available.  I'm hoping we'll get BeBop Deluxe and Cockney Rebel ones too.  This series competes well with the "Original Album Classics" sets in terms of value for money.

A further reason to love this release is it's the first one I have seen from this source without the tedious "Music From EMI" slogan plastered all over it.  Instead the booklet declares "EMI THE GREATEST RECORDING ORGANISATION IN THE WORLD".  Hmmm, I'm not convinced.  Especially as I worked for them for a short spell.  Tell it to Guy Hands!

More from the band reviewed here.