For those who have become jaded...

[Rick and Roll]

Here's an article that was posted on the Salem Hill Yahoo group site. His record of the year is my #5, and he mentions my top 2 first...

As Spock Beard said "Crap is King and the Good Don't Last", but it's nice to read something like this:

Here it is:

Attached, from National Review Online, is my essay on the Grammy Awards and the state of contemporary music. I hope that you will enjoy the piece and find it informative and constructive. As always, you may feel free to comment on it and send it to potentially interested parties, with due acknowledgment of the source publication. Best w's, Sam

S. T. Karnick
Senior Editor, Heartland Institute
Associate Fellow, Sagamore Institute for Policy Research
317/271-2329
317/331-9441 cell




http://www.nationalreview.com/karnic...0602080757.asp

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February 08, 2006, 7:57 a.m.
The Alternative Grammys
Underappreciated good stuff.



Award shows are almost invariably about three things: p.r., p.r., and p.r. The leaders of an industry get together not to honor greatness or artistry but instead to recognize those who most fully exemplify the things that make money.

Thus it is with the Grammy awards, the recording industry's big annual event, which will be shown on CBS tonight. What makes money today in the recording industry is apparently two things: intellectual simplicity and overt passion. Thus the nominations for major awards tend toward works with simple, driving beats, lyrics that express an uncomplicated point of view, and wailing or shrieking vocals loosely derived from the gospel-music tradition. (The drawling inflections of rap seem to derive from country music more than anything else, which itself has gospel roots.)

Jonah Goldberg aptly described the prevailing attitude of contemporary pop music on NRO last week as "canned rebelliousness." The appeal of canned rebelliousness, I would submit, is that it allows a consumer to feel both individualistic and one of the crowd. That appears to be a central premise of consumer culture, as it happens.

To demonstrate the industry's appeal to all types of people (and hence lure them to the record stores and websites), the Grammy-nominating committees strive for some variety in selecting candidates for the major awards, covering all types of music - except anything truly ambitious or challenging. This year the Album of the Year category, for example, includes works by Paul McCartney, Bono, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, and Gwen Stefani - something for the '60s generation, another for Gen X, and three major contemporary styles, but nothing artistically earth-shaking or new. The nominations for Record of the Year drop the two oldsters and add Gorillaz and Green Day, a couple of spunkier offerings for the kiddies. For Song of the Year, the nominees cover a few more styles by including Rascal Flatts, Bruce Springsteen, and John Legend.

Given the huge number of categories - more than 100 - there are always some nominees whose music does something out of the mainstream and worth doing (such as Adrian Belew, Death Cab for Cutie, and George Jones), but the bulk of the attention goes to the moneymaking superstars. This is an industry, after all, not a charity.

But there is a positive artistic story here as well, though we won't see much evidence of it at the Grammys. Modern digital technology is making music production less expensive, and modern telecommunications technology is making it ever-easier for independent artists to reach consumers eager for music that is more challenging, enlightening, and, yes, pleasurable than the commercial products the Grammys and other awards programs honor.

As a result, there are countless artists making very good music these days, and although they will not win Grammys any time soon, numerous releases in just the past year demonstrate that a significant number of artists are venturing outside the boundaries to create music that is simultaneously interesting, pleasing, educative, and challenging.


Introducing.
Among the most promising recent debuts are the appealing retro-progressive rock album Peace Among the Ruins, by Presto Ballet, and Motions of Desire, by the talented Norwegian band Magic Pie (the lyrics of which are sung in English). The latter release is delightfully inventive and enjoyable, with a definite classic song in the 20-minute opening track, "Change," a tune that spices up classic, Yes-style progressive rock with elements of hard rock, soaring power balladry, folksy pop, jazz fusion, funk, and whatever else they found in their kitchen sink during the recording sessions. These guys can play.

As good as those discs were, the Debut Album of the year is A Doorway to Summer, by Moon Safari, produced by Tomas Bodin of the Swedish prog giants the Flower Kings. Like the legendary rockers Yes, Moon Safari creates long, progressive rock songs filled with memorable melodies and bright, cheerful, musical textures. Acoustic guitar, Hammond organ, analog synthesizers, mellotron, soaring vocal harmonies (all sung in English), and other classic early '70s sounds are prominent in the mix, and there is real energy in the performances. This is one of the most tuneful, buoyant, and delightful albums of recent years.


It's Not Unusual to be Unusual
Genre-mixing and revival of forgotten musical forms are often good ways of generating original music, and some very interesting and unusual recent releases have taken that route. Might Could, for example, is a Maryland-based group composed of three guitars and one bass, all acoustic. In their aptly named All Intertwined, they perform highly complex but tuneful instrumental music simultaneously reminiscent of 1980s King Crimson, '70s fusion jazz, Baroque-era sonatas, and even a touch of flamenco. It works, and it's good.

Ed Englerth's D.I.A.L. Business has an unusual and very pleasing musical style combining elements of jam bands, jazz, progressive folk, blues, and modern melodic rock. Englerth's masterful guitar playing, direct and unpretentious vocals, and thoughtful lyrics are increasingly impressive upon repeated listenings.

Raw-Word, by Gypsy Carns, The Blues Preacher, an album of classic-style gospel blues consisting only of voice, dobro (a type of acoustic guitar), and kick drum and cymbal. Carns's sound is highly reminiscent of Blind Willie Johnson and the Rev. Gary Davis, which is high praise indeed. In fact, thanks to the better recording quality, Carns's work is more immediately enjoyable than some of what his great predecessors did.

The Origin of Consciousness, by the Texas-based band the Underground Railroad, is an idiosyncratic album of odd, jazzy time signatures, strange chord sequences, unusual sound textures, and philosophical lyrics, yet it has an undeniable appeal as the band manages to place memorable melodies in their distinctive sonic mixture.

Izz, a New York-based progressive-rock band whose earlier albums showed impressive instrumentation and a level of melodicism reminiscent of 1970s pop groups such as Badfinger and the Raspberries, released the somewhat harder-edged My River Flows. The new album is heavier and more guitar-oriented at times than the band's previous work, but the solid vocals, strong tunes, and thoughtful lyrics are still there.

Symphony for a Misanthrope, by the American progressive-rock band Magellan, has the musical intricacy (long, keyboard-driven songs in punctuated rhythms ranging in pace from restrained to frenetic), "wall of sound" density, morally centered lyrics, and passionate tenor vocals of Trent Gardner that we have come to expect of this veteran progressive band. Two brief, classical-oriented interludes add further sophistication to the sound.

The Dreams of Men, by Pallas, and Believe, by Pendragon, are two solid releases by veteran British progressive groups, each showing renewed energy by taking a step beyond their usual comfort zone to include socially engaged lyrics and an occasionally harder-edged sound. The Brass Serpent, by the American band Akacia, is a beautiful album of epic progressive rock with Christian lyrics.

Dracula, by the veteran 1970s Italian progressive rock band Premiata Forneria Marconi, is a dramatic, spectacular rock opera based on the novel of the same name. Sung in Italian by a variety of vocalists and featuring arrangements ranging from gentle folk to crunchy metal to angelic choirs, it's a grand, operatic, very Italian good time.

Spock's Beard is a veteran, California-based group that started recording in the early '90s and pioneered a sound combining the strong melodic appeal of the Beatles with the instrumental virtuosity and sonic complexity of progressive bands such as Yes, Genesis, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Octane, their latest release, includes a long suite, "A Flash Before My Eyes," in which the band illustrates the last moment of a modern American man's life as it races before his eyes after an automobile accident. Ranging from pop to metal to folk and classical-inspired passages, Octane shows a highly talented band of independent artists exploring interesting new sonic territory.

One Small Step is another impressive release by Manning, led by and named after the British singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist Guy Manning. Manning has a highly expressive baritone voice (although it is marred by an occasional lisp) and conveys strong passions without overdramatizing. Manning's songs, though long and progressive in style, are very accessible, taking the form of driving rockers, lilting ballads, jazz inflections, and the like. The instrumentation revolves around and complements the main vocal lines, which are invariably interesting and use Manning's voice to fine effect. The lyrics show an appealing concern for rightness in personal and social moral choices.

The English band Tr3nity features philosophical lyrics, earnest vocals, swirling washes of keyboards, and melodic, blues-based guitar solos in long songs that passionately express the dilemmas of living in a postmodern world of fleeting emotional connections and uncertain values. The music on their third album, Precious Seconds, is highly accessible and deliberately catchy and melodic, occasionally reminiscent of bands such Pink Floyd and Kansas but with a sound all its own. The grandeur the band is able to create with electric instruments is a testament to the widespread availability of sophisticated recording technology at relatively low cost.

Deadwing, by Porcupine Tree, the veteran English band led by Steve Wilson on voice, songwriting, guitar, and keyboards, is another excellent album of driving, hypnotic, passionate music of the sort for which the band is justly renowned. It's a tuneful mixture combining elements of progressive, metal, and ambient music.

Wall Street Voodoo, a two-disc solo recording by Roine Stolt, leader of the Swedish progressive rock masters the Flower Kings, demonstrates once again that Stolt is one of the most prolific and talented musicians of our time. Wall Street Voodoo hearkens back to the sounds of the late '60s as Stolt's lyrics look at the world today, measure it against Christian ideals, and find it wanting. Combining blues, psychedelia, hard rock, country rock, funk, and other sounds of that musically exuberant era, but with an original sound of its own, Stolt's tight musical arrangements and virtuoso guitar work evoke memories of classic performers such as Cream, Frank Zappa, and Jimi Hendrix - and his willingness to limit the self-indulgent soloing gives the recording a strong sense of musical logic.

The English band Arena offers a progressive-metal sound that combines heavy guitars with sophisticated keyboards, a complex interplay of melodies, and dramatic vocals. Their current release, Pepper's Ghost, consists of seven songs (ranging from four to thirteen minutes) that tell colorful stories set in the Victorian era. The narratives, given graphic-novel treatment in the artwork insert, deal with exorcisms, premonitions, time travel, serial killings, black magic, and other heavy-metal fare, but the Victorian setting makes for a very interesting variation. The music is appropriately grand, dramatic, and operatic.


And the Album of the Year Is.
The race for Album of the Year was extremely close this time, and the following four artists all created recordings of highly impressive quality.

The Florida band Little Atlas just keeps getting better. Their second and most recent album, Wanderlust, combines strong melodicism, philosophical depth, and musical sophistication. The vocal melodies are significantly catchier than those of most major-label pop groups, and the arrangements, featuring complex interplay between guitars and keyboards, eccentric rhythms, unusual chord progressions, and quick changes of tempo, make most rock music seem stuffy by comparison.

Mimi's Magic Moment, by the brilliant, Chattanooga-based quartet Salem Hill, consists of four epic songs in the classic progressive rock style, distinguished by memorable melodies, intelligently varied tempos, instrumental virtuosity, complex melodic interplay, sophisticated lyrics, and expressive vocals. As always, Carl Groves' tenor voice is a great strength, and the complex vocal harmonies are used to grand and stirring effect, as in the chorus of "All Fall Down." Guest performers such as singer Neal Morse, keyboardist Fred Schendel of Glass Hammer, and Kansas violinist David Ragsdale add further variety to the band's distinctive sound. The overall effect of the recording is that of a masterful group of musician/composers at the top of their game.

The Inconsolable Secret is a two-CD release by the American progressive rock group Glass Hammer. The lyrics and musical concepts are based on The Lay of Lirazel, a 20,000-word narrative poem written by singer and multi-instrumentalist Steve Babb. (Full disclosure: this author helped edit the published version of the poem.) The compositions are highly ambitious, ranging from intelligent art rock to medieval, classical, and early romantic music, with several passages reminiscent of early 20th century composers such as Ravel, Debussy, and Vaughn Williams. These sections in particular have the beauty of great classical music. The Inconsolable Secret is an essential recording for those interested in contemporary music that aspires to classical standards.

The Album of the Year is ?, by Neal Morse. In his third rock album since leaving Spock's Beard a couple of years ago, Morse's new release follows the pattern of Brian Wilson's brilliant album SmiLE in presenting an album-long suite of songs in which recurring musical and lyrical ideas tie the entire piece together into a coherent and moving whole. But whereas Wilson's sound was pop-based and dipped liberally into older forms of popular American music for its inspiration, Morse's album sticks largely to more contemporary influences.

Morse is a brilliant composer of appealing melodies, and with his passionate, Lennon-like voice, he sings highly spiritual lyrics in musical settings ranging from immensely catchy, Beatlesque pop through funk, soul, hard rock, metal, bebop, hip-hop, folk, psychedelic, jam bands, progressive, jazz fusion, adult contemporary, Celtic, southern rock, and even a full choir, is, among other good things, an amazing tour of American musical virtuosity, and its lyrics demonstrate the artist's passionate commitment to and understanding of Christianity. This is a great recording, and it well deserves recognition as Album of the Year.

- S. T. Karnick is an associate fellow of the Sagamore Institute for Policy Research and editor of The Reform Club.

[podakayne]

X-cell Lant read rick...taking notes for future listening pleasures

[roger]

and my IZZ just came in the mail today!!

thanks, Rick!

[yorksrvc]

thanks, Rick.......ya got me again..........I found interest in Magic Pie and Moon Safari...........shhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeesh!!!

[Michael]

Originally Posted by roger

and my IZZ just came in the mail today!!

thanks, Rick!

Rick got me hooked when i heard him play some IZZ( I would of never heard of em) now i bought em all.Don't get a big head rick but man your batting 1000 with me .I been a neo-prog guy really but since i been hanging here i been hiped on some amazing stuff buy just lisening and reading what you guys like.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by Michael

.Don't get a big head rick but man your batting 1000 with me

Don't worry about that. I've got plenty of friends all too willing to let me know when I play a song that's not to their liking (usually involves Ozzy or RJD )

I even like "I Move" better...

[PFD]

thanks for posting that Rick. Very good.

Must pick up some Izz.

[kirk]

out of respect, i erased what i originally typed.

let me sum it up by asking,
"what...kerry livgren didn't put anything out this year?"

k

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by kirk

out of respect, i erased what i originally typed.

let me sum it up by asking,
"what...kerry livgren didn't put anything out this year?"

k

It's always tough to glean meaning from such a small quote (9 words), but I'll try. Maybe that's why I have a tough time with poetry and lyrics

I'm assuming you're referencing the preponderance of "christian" bands on the list. There's some music on the list that doesn't fall into that category. For instance I was stunned by the mention of Might Could, a band that has little in common with the others. And really no play, except for my show (they're in MD and I'd seen them). Little Atlas, Porc Tree, Izz...little connection there.

It so happens that a lot of the great music in 2005 was put out by "spiritual artists". That's not anyone's cross to bear (pardon the pun).

I'm actually quite amused....on the Yahoo site, someone complained that this magazine was run by William Buckley, and it was a hate-mongering rag, fascist,etc. This set off a mini-firestorm. So I was confused...is there an agenda? Beats me. Who cares? It's a spot-on review of current music. I don't see that anywhere else. And that's all I got out of it. Is he a fascist? If so, why write about prog? So many inconsistencies....so I say...

Who gives a fuck? I liked the review....

If there's something I should know that I don't Kirk, by all means let me know. I'm not up on my political scorecard, since 2000 (we all know why there)...I just took it at face value. That's the only way I know. And I hope I still keep my head in the sand.

[kirk]

daaamn rick...i just like kerry livgren!

k

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by kirk

daaamn rick...i just like kerry livgren!

k

see what I mean? TOLD you I didn't do well with extrapolating meanings!

By the way, is Zenpool working on another project?

[kirk]

LOL!...i'm messing w/ you rickster.

i've been doing studio upgrades, everything in the recording chain
is now 24 bit minimum. the mackie 824 monitors arrive thursday,
the yorkvilles move to the rear for 5.1 surround mixing....(!)

i've produced a few projects, most notably a guitar prodigy
by the name of adam lastiwka. it wasn't until it was in the can that
the record company owner broke to me that adam's only 18!
he says "i believe i could hear your jaw drop over the phone, mate!"
you have to hear this kid, ran through the zenpool machine-
http://www.firstavenueofsound.com/V1/bands/4/

as for zenpool, you just never know...

[Rick and Roll]

neat stuff....like the website..

[Cozy]

This article has been the subject of discussion on more than one forum. I'm happy to see an article on such things, but I am a little "jaded" to see so much great progressive rock (and related) music that doesn't get mentioned. It's all fairly (not totally) music of the same 'flavor', without mention of some acclaimed albums from 2005 such as Guapo, Miasma, Miriodor, Nil, Machine and the Synergetic Nuts, and so on.

If he doesn't want to mention them, and only mention his favorites that's cool, but I just would have rather seen his list a little more "well-rounded".

[Michael]

Gets on the soap Box!!!!

Would being on the radio really mean anything to the said bands in this day and age of the internet.IMHO 70 to 80% in the United States are nothing but sheep that whatever P-diddy or whatever flavor of the month is tells them they thinks its cool.I live in Cleveland and never went to the Rock and roll Hall of Shame.Hell they can put in Aerosmith,U2 and more Yet What about Genesis and Yes(Which IMHO is Bullshit there not in)Which gets me back to awards Who cares about the grammy's anyway or whos on the radio.Would prog be any better or worse if it was on the radio anyway.If you ask me I like thats its under the radar And Im going to sound Eliteist but i don't think the people could understand the music that Bands such as the flowerkings,SB,Izz,Fill in the blank of your fav band here anyway.To put it in a nut shell the people have been spoon fed crap(mid 80's to NOW) for so long they think its great and are to close minded to know any better anyway the record company's tell the radio station what to play and they do it and the people eat it up.

Off soap Box Just MY 2 cents not that its worth anything anyway

[Cozy]

Michael,

FWIW, I think you have a good premise, but I think along the way you say a few things that my experience has found to be a little different.

I don't think it's very fair to call the average music listener a "sheep" because they happen to like the music they are exposed to. If you are going to apply that analogy in other places, are we all sheep because we might read magazines we find on the shelf, books in Barnes & Noble, TV shows on network television, movies shown on 2,000 screens? I'm sure *most* people aren't completely underground with their tastes in personal entertainment, but that doesn't necessarily make them robotic.

Secondly, it's not so much that people don't have the "ability" to enjoy a lot of progressive rock and other complex musics, they are likely more of a casual listener. Music means something a little different to them and they like music that scratches itches other than the ones many prog fans do.

Lastly, a good number of prog fans could be considered very 'comfortable' listeners, relatively speaking. They tend to enjoy music that has a strong tie in sound and aesthetics to the 70s, along with a mixture of other popular rock/AOR/metal they grew up with after that, without really exploring much beyond their already established tastes.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Cozy

Michael,

FWIW, I think you have a good premise, but I think along the way you say a few things that my experience has found to be a little different.

I don't think it's very fair to call the average music listener a "sheep" because they happen to like the music they are exposed to. If you are going to apply that analogy in other places, are we all sheep because we might read magazines we find on the shelf, books in Barnes & Noble, TV shows on network television, movies shown on 2,000 screens? I'm sure *most* people aren't completely underground with their tastes in personal entertainment, but that doesn't necessarily make them robotic.

Secondly, it's not so much that people don't have the "ability" to enjoy a lot of progressive rock and other complex musics, they are likely more of a casual listener. Music means something a little different to them and they like music that scratches itches other than the ones many prog fans do.

Lastly, a good number of prog fans could be considered very 'comfortable' listeners, relatively speaking. They tend to enjoy music that has a strong tie in sound and aesthetics to the 70s, along with a mixture of other popular rock/AOR/metal they grew up with after that, without really exploring much beyond their already established tastes.

Really i Base most of what i said from what i see around me.I feel Most music now is nothing but Corporate music born and breed for one thing money.Music Now is not about the Music its all about money.Case in point Were i work we have a few young kids(18 to 20ish)and i was playing Michael McDermott and one goes whos that?I tell em hes like man he sounds good and sounds a little like Bruce Springsteen.But then another kid comes by and says cool its Springsteen what CD is this from?Then i go to tell him its Michael McDermott and hes like Man what a ripoff this sucks.So im thinking to myself you liked it when you thought it was something you knew yet it sucks now that its not what you thought.Repeat this every now and then and you see why i think like i do.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by Michael

Really i Base most of what i said from what i see around me.I feel Most music now is nothing but Corporate music born and breed for one thing money.Music Now is not about the Music its all about money.Case in point Were i work we have a few young kids(18 to 20ish)and i was playing Michael McDermott and one goes whos that?I tell em hes like man he sounds good and sounds a little like Bruce Springsteen.But then another kid comes by and says cool its Springsteen what CD is this from?Then i go to tell him its Michael McDermott and hes like Man what a ripoff this sucks.So im thinking to myself you liked it when you thought it was something you knew yet it sucks now that its not what you thought.Repeat this every now and then and you see why i think like i do.

People are in to other things. Most people think of music in a different way. Lots of people are consumed by their jobs, sports, hobbies. Sometimes they're one in the same. They just don't listen to music the way we do.

I see no reason to look at it like that, Michael. Everyone likes money. But most artists, even rock and rollers, are in it for the love of what they do.

I've given up on trying to worry about any of that. I'm sure those who get into gardening, for instance are frustrated by people who just don't get it (not the best analogy, but you know what I mean). Let people like what they want.

Just because I think American Idol is the dumbest thing ever, doesn't mean 90% of the people I know don't watch it. It would give me a headache to argue about it. So I just smile and listen to Ozric Tentacles

[Cozy]

I'm sorry your experiences haven't been the best, Michael. I know that I gave up actively trying to get others to be interested in what I listen to a long time ago. As Rick mentioned, people are into other things in their lives and music is not taken so seriously.

However, I have found in my experiences that when you take an interest in OTHER PEOPLE'S musical interests, you'll find that many younger adults (say 18-35) have musical interests outside of the obvious, often with very eclectic tastes in genres like electronica, metal, rock, and even jazz. Even if I can't agree with them on a musical level, I respect the fact their musical independence.

It's a nice thing to be able to share something you have a passion about. So I can understand your frustration when you might feel a little "alone" in the world in regards to your musical taste. Take the Interzone show for instance. I play a lot of music on that show that is outside the current range of a lot of listeners. I expect most people on Aural Moon to at least be receptive when it falls out of their range (and to my knowledge, they almost always are), but I harbor no expectations that all that once the piece is over they would feel inspired enough to buy the album, listen to that style, or even care enough to write down the name of the artist. But I know I'm reaching a few people on that level somewhere, and that's good enough for me.

It's true that music is more corporatized than ever, but it's always been corporatized, especially rock music.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by Cozy

It's true that music is more corporatized than ever, but it's always been corporatized, especially rock music.

Great points cozy. The only thing I'd add is that everything is commercialized. Prog with it's "supergroups" and Jazz with it's heavy hitters.