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The Tangent (For One) launch “The Single,” next track taken from ‘To Follow Polaris’  The Tangent recently announced the release of the new studio album ‘To Follow Polaris’ on May 10th, 2024. That’s not necessarily a surprise, that’s what the band are known for. But at the same time, it’s something else too. As Andy jokes, playing on the Jaws strapline, he says “well this time it’s actually no personnel”.Today, a brand new track aptly titled ‘The Single’ has been released, and you can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/mwdbLOerLH4Andy comments of the track: “’The Single’ was originally recorded by my previous band Po90 some 25 years ago now, on an album called ‘The Time Capsule’. In the spirit of that time capsule, I opened it a quarter of a century later and recorded this updated version of it with new lyrics added to the older version. The old Po90 version was the track that in a way defined what the Tangent would be and giving it the Tangent treatment was a great pleasure. It’s a song about the documenting of history and the new ways this is going to happen, both good and bad…”Watch the previously released video for ‘The North Sky’ here: https://youtu.be/x5CAzcKZXvA Watch Andy discuss the making of the new album here: https://youtu.be/Lbqa5QP77L4?si=b-Xji6zq8UheDJvF In a year when members of The Tangent could be seen onstage all over the world with Steve Hackett, Soft Machine, Karnataka, David Cross, It Bites, Cyan and others, plus on recordings by those artists and The Anchoret, The Michael Dunn Project, Argos and Retreat From Moscow, it became clear that there was not going to be time to get together for anything more than one gig in April 2023. So the band agreed that the band’s leader/main writer Andy Tillison would keep the material coming and would make an album by The Tangent entirely alone. It would still be The Tangent. Just for one. “Besides Which” Andy says, “I’ve always wanted to do this, use what I have learned from Luke, Jonas, Steve, Theo and many other alumni and take it to final production. Now was the time!” What transpired over the following year is in one sense an “absolutist” solo album and is entirely the work of one person in all aspects including artwork, layout, design, lyrics, composition, performance, recording, production, mixing, mastering and authoring. But in another sense it’s totally Tangent. “I could not have begun to make this record without having had the experiences of working with the band. So although the different instruments are not attempted to be played in the actual style of the normal lineup, they are inspired by the kind of things these guys do” ‘To Follow Polaris’ will be available as a Limited Deluxe Collector’s Edition CD Mediabook (including bonus track and extensive 24-page booklet, Gatefold 180g 2LP vinyl (also including bonus track), & as Digital Album. Pre-order now here: https://thetangent.lnk.to/ToFollowPolaris1.The North Sky 11:36 2.A ‘Like’ In The Darkness 08:19 3.The Fine Line 08:04 4.The Anachronism 21:01 5.The Single (From A Re-Opened Time Capsule) 05:51 6.The North Sky (Radio Edit) 03:42 7.Tea At Bettys (Bonus Track) 17:32  Produced between January and November 2023, the album features Andy using his multiple keyboards system as normal, but adds to the mix his first ever released performance on Bass Guitar and his second on stick driven (electronic) drums. Add electric and acoustic guitars and electronic wind controller and this is a full band recording in every sense of the word. A recording which shows Andy’s lifelong influence by artists such as Yes, Van Der Graaf Generator, Porcupine Tree, Groove Armada, Earth Wind & Fire, Roger Waters and his bands, Return To Forever, Deep Purple, Gentle Giant, Steely Dan and any band featuring the keyboard player Dave Stewart.Conceptually Andy claims the album is, ahem, “highly optimistic” but regular listeners to his work will anticipate correctly that this optimism will not be ill founded or over-easy and will be highly critical of obstacles to that optimism and the album will look as much into the dark as it does into the light.The album is intended to be thought of as a regular Tangent album – but not as the future of the band. It’s everyone’s intention to make the FOURTEENTH album as The Tangent. For Five.The Tangent online:www.thetangent.org https://www.facebook.com/groups/alltangentmembers/INSIDEOUT MUSIC online: www.insideoutmusic.com www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic www.twitter.com/InsideOutUSA www.insideoutmusicshop.comINSIDEOUTMUSIC Spotify Playlist: http://spotify.com/progrockessentials |
Tag Archives: new-music
We Really Like The Bardic Depths’ “What We Really Like In Stories”!
In this post, Kevin McCormick and Tad Wert discuss The Bardic Depths’ new album, What We Really Like In Stories. It is the third album from them, and it features songwriting by Dave Bandana and Gareth Cole, with lyrics by Bradley Birzer.
Tad: Kevin, it’s great to be reviewing this album with you! I know you and Brad go way back in your friendship – did you ever imagine he would someday be the lyricist for a British progressive rock group?
Kevin: Thanks Tad–great to be writing it with you as well. It was definitely a surprise when Brad first mentioned he was writing lyrics for a rock recording—we had a good laugh! But in retrospect it seems a natural step. We shared a love of the early prog music from the start of our friendship and he writes constantly, albeit in a more academic setting than rock lyrics. So it’s not as much of a stretch as you might think. One of his favorite aspects of Tolkien’s and Chesterton’s writings are their poems. And he’s a huge fan of T.S. Eliot. But I think his collaboration with Dave on the Bardic Depths albums is a great fit and I’ve enjoyed watching the development of the concepts and sounds over the years. You know, the first album started out as just a friendly experiment. Dave had some music he had written and asked Brad for a lyric to put with it.
Tad: Kevin, I always enjoy learning the “behind the scenes” details of albums, so thanks for sharing those.
Okay! Let’s talk about What We Really Like In Stories. As I mentioned, this is the third album from The Bardic Depths, and I think they just improve with every release. I really, really like this one. First, I think these are the best lyrics Brad has written yet. Every song is a tribute to an author, and taken as a collection they illustrate Brad’s love for various genres, primarily fantasy and science fiction. The title track refers to C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, who are responsible for two of the most popular fantasy series of the twentieth century: The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, respectively. Birzer imagines them discussing their literary aims over a drink and a smoke in the local pub:
Could we write fiction
That might combine these things:
A love of history; a desire to debate the defenders of the modern world
Promote one’s philosophical and religious thoughts
Could a modern writer create art but not be over blatant?
“You’ve Written Poetry My Boy” is about Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Illustrated Man, among many others), and refers to some praise that Aldous Huxley gave him. “Vendetta” is dedicated to Alan Moore, who put together the graphic novel, V for Vendetta. “Old Delights” is a delightful little song in honor of midwestern American author Willa Cather, while “The Feast Is Over” recognizes the genius of pulp writer Robert E. Howard (Conan the Barbarian stories). “Stillpoint” pays tribute to Walter M. Miller (A Canticle for Leibowitz), and the last track is about British fantasist Robert Rankin.
In other words, this is a very literate collection of songs, and they celebrate some of the greatest bards of modern times. I was an avid reader of Bradbury, Lewis, Tolkien, Howard, and Miller when I was in high school, so it is a joy to see them properly honored by The Bardic Depths. I’m not familiar with Rankin’s work, but I am certainly going to check him out now.
Kevin: Without a doubt this new album is a real step forward for the band. Everything from the songwriting, to the instrumental performances, to the production is excellent. You can see the maturation process as the band really seems to blend and complement one another so well. The vocal harmonies are tight and solid. The lead lines are powerful and expressive and carry the songs into new spaces.
I think my favorite track at the moment is “You’ve Written Poetry My Boy.” It opens with a beautiful arpeggiating twelve-string guitar evoking memories of early Genesis. But it is soon joined by an equally-beautiful soprano sax (if this is a keyboard patch it’s an extremely natural sound). The unlikely pairing dance around each other’s lines and set up the entrance to the tune proper. Again there are hints of Genesis here, but the band seems to have found a sound of their own. And I love the variety in the instrumentation–string pads, piano, organ, and I think I hear some harpsichord in there. And then mid-song there is a shift to a minor section which briefly darkens the mood and serves as a platform for a sax solo, only to pass through back to the main theme. Shifts like this can be clunky sometimes in prog bands, but TBD avoid this pitfall by carefully crafting the transition compositionally.
Overall I must say that I hear hints and suggestions of so many great prog bands throughout this album. Those hints position the album in a space that sits well with other classic recordings yet still retains its own voice. Moments of the Floyd and Supertramp peak out here and there, and there’s a bluesy hard rock sensibility in the final track, “Whispers In Space,” and some even some techno in Stillpoint. Some of the vocal work has shades of Big Big Train. But again, there is a TBD color in the sound that holds everything together as a part of the larger work.
Tad: Kevin, I knew you had excellent taste – “You’ve Written Poetry My Boy” is my favorite track as well! And that is Peter Jones on clarinet and alto sax. I too hear glimmers of classic Genesis (the Steve Hackett years) in this song, and I find that very appealing. There’s no wonder they chose this track to be the first single.
I also want to give a shoutout to Gareth Cole’s guitar work throughout the album – it is truly stellar. His solos in Vendetta are spectacular – driving, melodic, and pure. His slide guitar in “The Feast Is Over” is terrific!
To wrap things up, I think we can agree that What We Really Like In Stories is a big leap forward for a group that improves upon excellence. They seem to have really gelled as a unit – Dave Bandana, Gareth Cole, and Brad Birzer are at the top of their form as far as songwriting goes, and Peter Jones’ vocal and instrumental contributions are wonderful. I also like Dave’s vocals on “The Feast Is Over” – he’s got an “everyman” sound that is quite inviting.
Before we close, I’d like to mention how interesting Kevin Thompson’s artwork is. The style is somewhat primitive and whimsical, which complements the songs perfectly. Stylistically, it reminds me of the cover art for the Beach Boys’ Smile album. Thompson’s painting is of a cozy room with a fire blazing away, and piles of books on a table. The authors are the ones featured in the songs, and there are needlepoint hanging that spell out the “The Bardic Depths” and “What We Really Like In Stories”. I’m intrigued by the clock on the mantel: the numbers aren’t the standard 1 through 12! Instead, they run 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37.
What We Really Like In Stories is a contender for album of the year in my book. The subject matter of the songs is thought-provoking while remaining playful, while the musicianship is first-rate. This is one album I’ll be enjoying for years to come.
Here’s the video for “You’ve Written Poetry My Boy”:
Heart Land Mines, Vol. 1: Dave Kerzner’s Love Letter to the Past
In this, our latest dialogue, Brad Birzer and Tad Wert discuss the new album from the multi-talented Dave Kerzner, Heart Land Mines, Vol. 1. Kerzner has been involved in many different projects, all of them excellent. Besides his solo albums, he was also a member of Sound of Contact, Arc of Life, and In Continuum. He rivals Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy in the number and variety of musical ventures he participates in.
Tad: Brad, when I read Dave’s liner notes to Heart Land Mines, Vol. 1 and saw that these were songs from the 90s that he wrote after a relationship with a girlfriend broke up, I had low expectations. But I have really enjoyed this album from the first time I listened to it! It doesn’t hurt that Kerzner has a great ear for a musical hook – “Dreaming In LA” sounds like classic Bad Company to me, but better.
This album is proggy – Kerzner’s voice has that laconic quality that always recalls David GIlmour – but it’s primarily a straightforward rock album that would be at home on an FM radio station in 1975. There’s a lot of acoustic guitar – “Back To One” sounds like an Eagles hit with its vocal harmonies. Anyway, maybe I’m emphasizing its retro qualities a little too much, but I find myself really taken with them!
Brad: Tad, thank you so much for asking me to do this review of Kerzner’s Heart Land Mines. I’m sorry to be late in replying. Since you first invited me to write this, I’ve been to the University of Louisville and back. Not quite Tennessee, Tad, but still a beautiful city and state! I gave lectures on sociologist Robert Nisbet and fabulist J.R.R. Tolkien, and I had a blast while I was there–especially seeing one of my long-time friends, Gary Gregg. He’s not a progger, but he is a brilliant guy.
As far as I know, I have everything Kerzner has released (at least if bandcamp is to be believed), and I’ve been a huge fan of his since the deluxe edition of New World came out. Wow, do I remember when that came out–I was utterly blown away by it. Indeed, that album would rank as one of my all-time favorites, and I go back to it frequently. I also really enjoyed Static and would also rank it very highly in my all-time lists. His In Continuum albums also move me and have a high place in my rankings.
From my perspective, Kerzner is ELO progged up, and Pink Floyd popped up. He has an infectious way about creating an ear-friendly riff while also complicating the matter in the proggiest fashion. And, his production is always crystal clear and fetching.
For whatever reason, however, I’ve not been able to get into Heart Land Mines. I’ve listened to it now three or four times, but it’s failed to grab me in the way that Kerzner’s previous albums have.
I will say, however, that you’re absolutely right, if this were 1975, Kerzner would be huge on Album Rock Radio. On the album, he clearly embraces the ethos and sound of Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, Bad Finger, etc.
Don’t get me wrong. I really like Heart Land Mines, but it’s yet to become a part of my being in the way that his other albums have. At this point, I’m happy to move on to his other albums and consider Heart Land Mines a labor of love, but not of genius.
Please tell me why I’m wrong!
Tad: Brad, as always, you have the perfect phrase to describe an artist’s work: “ELO progged up, and Pink Floyd popped up” is Kerzner in a nutshell!
I wouldn’t say Heart Land Mines is a work of genius, but gosh, I think it’s a blast to listen to. It serves as a reminder of how far pop music has fallen since the 70s. We both agree Heart Land Mines would be a huge hit on mid-70s AOR. Today, it appeals to a niche audience. I know, I know – in the 70s guys our age were complaining about how great big band music was, and how awful radio was!
Anyway, I have enjoyed Kerzner’s semi-autobiographical musical journey here. He took what seems to be an ugly breakup of a relationship and turned it into a very catchy set of songs. “Manic Calm” has an irresistible guitar riff (I’m a sucker for a descending scale) that I can listen to over and over. “Eye Of The Storm” is the best Pink Floyd song since “High Hopes”. And I love the way he reprises a couple of songs to pull everything together into a cohesive package.
Like you, I’ve tried to buy everything Kerzner has put out, but it’s hard to keep up with the guy! Sound of Contact’s eponymous album was near-perfect progressive rock, but it looks like personality clashes have kept them from ever getting together again. I have both of his In Continuum albums, and I like them a lot, but to my ears, neither of them have any melodies that are as memorable as some of the ones on Heart Land Mines.
I agree that Heart Land Mines is a labor of love (or maybe broken love!), but I find it to be a thoroughly pleasurable listen. Sometimes, that’s all I want or need. I’ve always had a soft spot for power pop, and if a song’s melody doesn’t grab me, I have a hard time getting into it. Kerzner is a fantastic songwriter, I am so glad he decided to dust off these old tunes and record them.
Brad: thanks for the good words and the reminder, Tad. You’re absolutely right, Heart Land Mines is a work of AOR genius, and it would’ve been a massive hit–along with Hotel California–in the 1970s. Too bad for Kerzner that he’s temporarily out of joint!
For what it’s worth, I’ve given Heart Land Mines a few more listens since I wrote the first reaction, and the album very much continues to grow on me. I would say that the album not only embraces The Eagles and Bad Company, but also, to a certain extent, Elvis Costello.
Overall, it’s a delight of influences. I even hear bits of Stone Temple Pilots and Steely Dan and other bands from the 1980s and the 1990s.
Kerzner is never shy about his debt to other bands, but these debts seem quite blatant and serious.
Regardless, I’m so glad to live in the same world as Dave Kerzner Whatever I think of this particular album, I know that my life is immensely better because of his music.
Tad: And on that note, I think we’ll bring this joint review to a close. Spirit of Cecilia readers, if you haven’t yet experienced the magic of Dave Kerzner’s music, you should check out his first solo album, New World; if you like it (and we think you will!), then Heart Land Mines is a worthy followup.
Here’s the official video for “Eye Of The Storm”:
Spirit of Cecilia 
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