Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Lunatic Soul
II is the second solo album from Mariusz Duda, the lead singer and creative force behind the post-progressive band Riverside.
The album follows on from the original Lunatic Soul album, which was released on Kscope to critical acclaim in 2008, and Duda has described the project as ‘a double album divided into two single ones by the period of two years’ anticipation.’“There is a little fear that the listeners, seeing a white cover with the characteristic sign and logo ‘lunatic soul’ but without any ‘2’ or ‘II,’ will think that it is a kind of re-release of the first album,” says the author of Lunatic Soul. “That’s why I’d like to highlight that it’s going to be entirely new material, and the cover looks as it looks because since the beginning it was supposed to be a black and white diptych. Lunatic Soul is simply a double album divided into two single ones by the period of two years’ anticipation. And now there comes the time for it's second and last part.
“It’s still a story about the journey through the afterworld, and more specifically about a journey through a certain place that exists somewhere in-between. White doesn’t refer here to a literal return to life. The protagonist will still remain on the other side. White doesn’t mean that instead of dark sounds we’ll hear happy songs and nightingales singing, either. It will still be very characteristic, trans-like, and (as I like to call it) oriental-alternative musical journey. In many places maybe even a little more oriental and maybe more unsetting. For instance, in one of the songs the protagonist will find himself surrounded by four white naked walls, dressed in... a straitjacket. Of course I wanted to create a lot of “light” sounds, a certain kind of lightness, on this album. And I admit that in many moments—with the help of Robert and Magda—I’ve accomplished exactly what I was dreaming of. It will surely still be a blend of everything I like, from Dead Can Dance, Peter Gabriel from IV or Passion , through films and books about ghosts, up to my favourite Silent Hill, yet I can already hear that the second album, despite the continuation, will sound differently. I hope, though, that the sounds on it will not leave the majority of the lunatic souls indifferent.”
The majority of the instrumental parts are played by Mariusz Duda himself. However, the guest musicians appear this time as well, for instance already known from the previous album Maciej Szelenbaum (keyboards, flutes, quzheng) or Wawrzyniec Dramowicz from Indukti (drums).
Praise for I:
‘Beautiful, kaleidoscopic and at times breathtakingly forlorn...
brilliant.’ 8/10 Metal Hammer (UK)
Top albums of 2008 #6 Eclipsed (Germany)
‘an excellent release, worthy to stand alongside anything in the Riverside catalogue’ Progression (USA)
Lunatic Soul 2 Tracklist
The In-Between Kingdom
Otherwhere
Suspended In Whiteness
Asoulum
Limbo
Escape from ParadIce
Transition
Gravestone Hill
Wanderings
Lunatic Soul : Wanderings
http://www.myspace.com/lunaticsoulband
The Pineapple Thief
In April 2008 The Pineapple Thief launched the Kscope label with the critically acclaimed album, Tightly Unwound.
While the album was many people’s introduction to the band they have actually spent the past ten years quietly building up a dedicated fan base across the globe, nurturing their ‘bittersweet’ progressive sound.
Initially a solo outlet for Bruce’s music the first album, Abducting, was released on Cyclops Records in May 1999. The critical plaudits and small but fanatical fan base that grew around the release was enough to convince Bruce that perhaps TPT was here to stay and he returned to the Dining Room studios to work on the second TPT album, 137.
Following the reaction to its release in the spring of 2002 and the growing demand from fans for live shows, Bruce felt the need to expand TPT to a full band. The band consisted of his close musical friends – former university band mate Jon Sykes on bass, Wayne Higgins on guitars, Matt O'Leary on keyboards and Keith Harrison on drums. Wayne and Matt have since left but Steve Kitch (who co-produced and mixed the albums since 10 Stories Down) has joined to replace Matt and play the keyboards.
The third album, Variations On A Dream (2004) gave TPT a further boost, reaching out to yet more people all over the world. Three albums followed, 10 Stories Down (2005), Little Man (2006), and limited the run What We Have Sown (2007) which featured re-worked un-released tracks. This was to prove to be the last album released via Cyclops before the band signed to Kscope and released Tightly Unwound. This was followed by The Dawn Raids EPs and 3000 Days, a 2CD re-mixed and re-mastered collection of songs from their ten year history so far.
The band return in May 2010 with their new album Someone Here Is Missing. The nine tracks mark a huge step forward in the band’s progression,
The album also features artwork by the legendary designer Storm Thorgerson, who is famous for creating some of the most recognisable artwork of the last 30 years including albums by Pink Floyd (Dark Side Of The Moon, Division Bell, Pulse), Muse, Led Zeppelin, Biffy Clyro and many more.
The Pineapple Thief : Preparation for Meltdown
The Pineapple Thief : Show A Little Love
The Pineapple Thief : Nothing At Best
While the album was many people’s introduction to the band they have actually spent the past ten years quietly building up a dedicated fan base across the globe, nurturing their ‘bittersweet’ progressive sound.
Initially a solo outlet for Bruce’s music the first album, Abducting, was released on Cyclops Records in May 1999. The critical plaudits and small but fanatical fan base that grew around the release was enough to convince Bruce that perhaps TPT was here to stay and he returned to the Dining Room studios to work on the second TPT album, 137.
Following the reaction to its release in the spring of 2002 and the growing demand from fans for live shows, Bruce felt the need to expand TPT to a full band. The band consisted of his close musical friends – former university band mate Jon Sykes on bass, Wayne Higgins on guitars, Matt O'Leary on keyboards and Keith Harrison on drums. Wayne and Matt have since left but Steve Kitch (who co-produced and mixed the albums since 10 Stories Down) has joined to replace Matt and play the keyboards.
The third album, Variations On A Dream (2004) gave TPT a further boost, reaching out to yet more people all over the world. Three albums followed, 10 Stories Down (2005), Little Man (2006), and limited the run What We Have Sown (2007) which featured re-worked un-released tracks. This was to prove to be the last album released via Cyclops before the band signed to Kscope and released Tightly Unwound. This was followed by The Dawn Raids EPs and 3000 Days, a 2CD re-mixed and re-mastered collection of songs from their ten year history so far.
The band return in May 2010 with their new album Someone Here Is Missing. The nine tracks mark a huge step forward in the band’s progression,
The album also features artwork by the legendary designer Storm Thorgerson, who is famous for creating some of the most recognisable artwork of the last 30 years including albums by Pink Floyd (Dark Side Of The Moon, Division Bell, Pulse), Muse, Led Zeppelin, Biffy Clyro and many more.
The Pineapple Thief : Preparation for Meltdown
The Pineapple Thief : Show A Little Love
The Pineapple Thief : Nothing At Best
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)