Haken – 4th Album to be Released Late April

London’s prog-metallers Haken have announced their fourth album entitled ‘Affinity’ will be released on April 29th through Inside Out Music.

2014 saw the release of an EP of re-recorded material – ‘Restoration’ – but ‘Affinity’ will be the full follow up to 2013’s highly acclaimed offering ‘The Mountain’.

According to guitarist Charles Griffiths, “The 1970s was a golden age for prog music. In the past we’ve taken a lot from bands of that era, especially Gentle Giant, but this time, we’ve gone more towards the next decade for our inspiration. It means albums like 90125 from Yes, Toto IV and King Crimson’s Three of a Perfect Pair. We all love the sounds they used and we’ve incorporated some of that approach on Affinity.” 

Haken have produced a micro-site dedicated to the release of ‘Affinity’, check it out here.

Hopefully 2016 will see the band return to Canada to promote ‘Affinity’…..

The album will be available on double vinyl and limited double cd.

Tracklisting:

CD 1:

1) affinity.exe (1:26)
2) Initiate (4:16)
3) 1985 (9:08)
4) Lapse (4:44)
5) The Architect (15:40)
6) Earthrise (4:48)
7) Red Giant (6:06)
8) The Endless Knot (5:50)
9) Bound By Gravity (9:29)

CD 2:

1) affinity.exe (1:26)
2) Initiate (instrumental version) (4:16)
3) 1985 (instrumental version) (9:08)
4) Lapse (instrumental version) (4:44)
5) The Architect (instrumental version) (15:40)
6) Earthrise (instrumental version) (4:48)
7) Red Giant (instrumental version) (6:06)
8) The Endless Knot (instrumental version) (5:50)
9) Bound By Gravity (instrumental version) (9:29)

Brian Eno Announces New Album

Inspired by the disaster of the Titanic in 1912, ‘The Ship’ is Brian Eno’s first solo album since 2012’s ambient workout ‘Lux’, and is released via Warp on April 29th.

The 47-minute offering includes the 21 minute title track, and also features a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “I’m Set Free,” which Eno described as “even more relevant now than it did then.”

Eno’s press statement is below:

On a musical level, I wanted to make a record of songs that didn’t rely on the normal underpinnings of rhythmic structure and chord progressions but which allowed voices to exist in their own space and time, like events in a landscape. I wanted to place sonic events in a free, open space.

One of the starting points was my fascination with the First World War, that extraordinary trans-cultural madness that arose out of a clash of hubris between empires. It followed immediately after the sinking of the Titanic, which to me is its analogue. The Titanic was the Unsinkable Ship, the apex of human technical power, set to be Man’s greatest triumph over nature. The First World War was the war of materiel, “over by Christmas,” set to be the triumph of Will and Steel over humanity. The catastrophic failure of each set the stage for a century of dramatic experiments with the relationships between humans and the worlds they make for themselves.  

I was thinking of those vast dun Belgian fields where the First World War was agonisingly ground out; and the vast deep ocean where the Titanic sank; and how little difference all that human hope and disappointment made to it. They persist and we pass in a cloud of chatter.

‘The Ship’ will be accompanied by a series of installations where listeners will be able to hear an “alternative telling of The Ship in multi-channel 3-dimensional sound installations,” according to a press release.

Available 29th April in the following formats:

COLLECTORS EDITION CD
CD, 8 page booklet and 4 art cards in case bound CD wallet with spot gloss UV and cloth bound spine

CD
CD and 8 page booklet in wallet

LP
2LP in printed inners in gatefold with 4 art prints

COLOURED VINYL LP
Ltd Edition 2LP on transparent vinyl in printed inners in gatefold with 4 art prints (Bleep, Enoshop and other participating stores only)

http://brian-eno.net/the-ship/

 

Track listing:

The Ship:
01 The Ship
02 Fickle Sun: (i) Fickle Sun (ii) The Hour is Thin (iii) I’m Set Free

 

Steve Hackett 5.1 mixes released May 2016

Following on from the recent ‘Premonitions‘ deluxe box set, Universal are releasing three disc versions of three Steve Hackett titles in late May 2016.

1978’s ‘Please Don’t Touch’ and 1979’s ‘Spectral Mornings’ will contain the new Steven Wilson stereo mix of the album (plus bonus tracks), a CD featuring the original album mix, remastered from 2005, and the Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround sound mix (on DVD).

1980’s ‘Defector’ will contain a ‘pseudo’ surround mix (by Ben Fenner) rather than a ‘true’ 5.1,  since the multi-track tapes couldn’t be located, the 2005 remaster and a live CD from the 1981 Reading Festival.

A couple of things stand out – ‘Please Don’t Touch’ includes tracks omitted from ‘Premonitions’ (Two extra versions of ‘Narnia’ that are on the 2005 remaster) and surely the Reading Festival 1981 set should be on the reissue of 1981’s ‘Cured’ (if that happens), especially as it contains tracks from that album?

There is no news at present regarding Steve’s first solo CD reissue ‘Voyage Of The Acolyte’. The multi-track masters are missing for this album too, ‘Premonitions’ included a Ben Fenner pseudo 5.1 upmix from the 2005 remaster.

Available to pre-order now.

Full tracklistings:

Please Don’t Touch

Disc: 1
1. Narnia
2. Carry On Up The Vicarage
3. Racing In A
4. Kim
5. How Can I?
6. Hoping Love Will Last
7. Land Of A Thousand Autumns
8. Please Don’t Touch
9. The Voice Of Necam
10. Icarus Ascending
11. Narnia (John Perry Vocal Version)
12. Seven Of Cups
13. Narnia (Alternative Version)

Disc: 2
1. Narnia
2. Carry On Up The Vicarage
3. Racing In A
4. Kim
5. How Can I?
6. Hoping Love Will Last
7. Land Of A Thousand Autumns
8. Please Don’t Touch
9. The Voice Of Necam
10. Icarus Ascending

Disc: 3
1. Narnia
2. Carry On Up The Vicarage
3. Racing In A
4. Kim
5. How Can I?
6. Hoping Love Will Last
7. Land Of A Thousand Autumns
8. Please Don’t Touch
9. The Voice Of Necam
10. Icarus Ascending

Spectral Mornings

CD 1
1. Every Day
2. The Virgin And The Gypsy
3. The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms
4. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
5. The Ballad Of The Decomposing
6. Lost Time In Cordoba
7. Tigermoth
8. Spectral Mornings
9. Every Day
10. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
11. The Caretaker

CD 2
1. Every Day
2. The Virgin And The Gypsy
3. The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms
4. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
5. The Ballad Of The Decomposing Man
6. Lost Time In Cordoba
7. Tigermoth
8. Spectral Mornings

DVD
1. Every Day
2. The Virgin And The Gypsy
3. The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms
4. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons
5. The Ballad Of The Decomposing Man
6. Lost Time In Cordoba
7. Tigermoth
8. Spectral Mornings

Defector

CD 1
1. The Steppes
2. Time To Get Out
3. Slogans
4. Leaving
5. Two Vamps As Guests
6. Jacuzzi
7. Hammer In The Sand
8. The Toast
9. The Show
10. Sentimental Institution
11. Hercules Unchained (B – side of single – released in June 1980)
12. Sentimental Institution (recorded at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 11th November 1979)

CD 2 – Reading Festival 1981
1. The Air Conditioned Nightmare
2. Every Day
3. Ace Of Wands
4. Funny Feeling
5. The Steppes
6. Overnight Sleeper
7. Slogans
8. A Tower Struck Down
9. Spectral Mornings
10. The Show
11. Clocks – The Angel Of Mons

DVD
1. The Steppes
2. Time To Get Out
3. Slogans
4. Leaving
5. Two Vamps As Guests
6. Jacuzzi
7. Hammer In The Sand
8. The Toast
9. The Show
10. Sentimental Institution

 

Steven Wilson Canadian Tour dates soon!

Don’t miss this show if you’re anywhere near any of these cities……..

Steven Wilson USA/Canada 2016 Tour Dates

Jethro Tull – Aqualung Reissue/Repackage

The 40th Anniversary Edition of Jethro Tull’s  classic ‘Aqualung’ is being made available at a sensible  price in the same 2CD/2DVD hardbook format as the other recent Jethro Tull reissues.

‘Aqualung’ received the deluxe treatment over four years ago in a large format edition also containing a vinyl LP and blu-ray disc which has become expensive to locate.

CD 1 contains the album mixed and mastered by Steven Wilson (the original 40th anniversary edition was not mastered by Steven). CD 2 features additional 1970 and 1971 recordings (also mixed and mastered by SW).

The DVDs include SW 5.1 surround mixes, hi-res stereo mixes, the 1974 quad mix, and flat transfers of both Aqualung and the Life Is A Long Song EP (two of the EP’s tracks haven’t been available in this form previously).

Pre-order for April 22nd release from Burning Shed or Amazon.

Full track listing:

CD 1 – Aqualung (mixed and mastered by Steven Wilson):

1. Aqualung
2. Cross-Eyed Mary
3. Cheap Day Return
4. Mother Goose
5. Wond’ring Aloud
6. Up To Me
7. My God
8. Hymn 43
9. Slipstream
10. Locomotive Breath
11. Wind-Up

CD 2

1. Lick Your Fingers Clean
2. Just Trying To Be
3. My God (early version)
4. Wond’ring Aloud (13th December 1970)
5. Wind-Up (early version)
6. Slipstream (Take 2)
7. Up The ‘Pool (early version)
8. Wond’ring Aloud, Again
9. Life Is A Long Song
10. Up The ‘Pool

The original Life Is A Long Song EP

11. Life Is A Long Song
12. Up The ‘Pool
13. Dr Bogenbroom
14. From Later
15. Nursie

16. Reprise Radio Advert

DVD 1 (Audio only)

Aqualung remixed in 5.1 surround and presented in DTS 96/24 and AC3 Dolby Digital and 96/24 LPCM stereo, including associated 1970 & 1971 Recordings. Seven tracks remixed in 5.1 surround and presented in DTS 96/24 and AC3 Dolby Digital, and all ten remixed in 96/24 LPCM stereo.

DVD 2 (Audio & Video)

A flat transfer from the original stereo master of the album in 96/24 LPCM stereo.
The original 1974 quad mix as 4.1 presented in DTS 96/24 and AC3 Dolby Digital surround
A flat transfer from the original stereo master of the EP ‘Life Is A Long Song’ in 96/24 LPCM stereo
The 1971 Life Is A Long Song promotional film with new remixed stereo soundtrack.

Anthony Phillips – Wise After The Event (3CD/1DVD)

Esoteric’s reissue of Anthony Phillips’ back catalogue continues with a deluxe 3cd/1dvd definitive rerelease of 1978’s ‘Wise After The Event’ – review by Tim Darbyshire

This deluxe clamshell box contains 3 cds, 1 dvd, a 2-sided poster and a 20-page booklet containing the usual excellent informative contextual essay from Jonathan Dann.

Cd1 is the 2016 Stereo mix of the album, CD2 is the Demos, Out-takes and extras disc (identical to the 2008 re-issue),  CD3 is the 2008 remaster of the original 1978 mix (identical to the 2008 re-issue), and the DVD contains the 2016 mix in 5.1 Surround Sound for the first time. The new stereo mix and 5.1 mix are by Simon Heyworth (of Mike Oldfield fame).

Following 1977’s ‘The Geese And The Ghost’, Ant’s second solo album ‘Wise After The Event’ was released in 1978 and was more song-based (albeit long, ambitious and multi-layered songs). Unable to call on friend Mike Rutherford to appear on the album –  due to the latter’s commitment to touring with Genesis –  Ant enlisted the help of King Crimson alumni Michael Giles and Mel Collins and ex-Caravan member John G Perry to record the music, aided and abetted by producer/performer Rupert Hine.

The new mixes are very rich and lush sounding – bringing new life to an album I’ve not heard for a few years. ‘Birdsong’, ‘Moonshooter’ and ‘Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends’ are the stand out songs for me. Less pastoral sounding that ‘The Geese And The Ghost’, but more progressive and ambitious than its follow up (1979’s ‘Sides’), ‘Wise After The Event’ would please existing fans but not be commercial enough for the record company.

Fans might question why this has been reissued again after a double cd came out in 2008 – and both discs are repeated here – but I feel the 5.1  Surround Sound mix justifies it. But you’re not into 5.1 mixes then I can understand this feeling…..

Esoteric have once again produced a nice package of high quality – the artwork by Peter Cross is mesmerising of course – and the album itself is a classic of Ant’s progressive era. ‘Sides’ will follow with a similar deluxe reissue from Esoteric in April 2016.

 

Track Listing:

CD 1 – Wise After The Event – 2016 Stereo Mix:

1. We’re All As We Lie (4:34)
2. Birdsong (7:30)
3. Moonshooter (5:52)
4. Wise After The Event (8:45)
5. Pulling Faces (4:32)
6. Regrets (5:15)
7. Greenhouse (3:00)
8. Paperchase (5:28)
9. Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends)? (8:30)
10. Squirrel (4:28) – originally released as the B-side of the 7″ single release of We’re All As We Lie.

CD 2 – Wise After The Event – Demos, Out-takes and extras:

1. We’re All As We Lie – Link
2. Sleeping On An Interstellar Plane (Greenhouse demo)
3. Paperchase (instrumental demo)
4. Birdsong (instrumental demo)
5. Moonshooter (Cottage Tapes demo)
6. We’re All As We Lie (Cottage Tapes demo)
7. Pulling Faces (Cottage Tapes demo)
8. Squirrel (instrumental mix)
9. Wise After The Event (instrumental mix)
10. Magic Garden (solo piano mix)
11. We’re All As We Lie (7-inch single mix)
12. Regrets (piano mix)
13. Chinaman (basic guitar mix)
14. Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends)? (instrumental mix)

CD 3 – Wise After The Event – Re-mastered version of the original 1978 stereo mix:

1. We’re All As We Lie (4:34)
2. Birdsong (7:30)
3. Moonshooter (5:52)
4. Wise After The Event (8:45)
5. Pulling Faces (4:32)
6. Regrets (5:15)
7. Greenhouse (3:00)
8. Paperchase (5:28)
9. Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends)? (8:30)
10. Squirrel (4:28) – originally released as the B-side of the 7″ single release of We’re All As We Lie.

DVD (NTSC, Region Free) – Wise After The Event – 2016 5.1 Surround sound Mix:

1. We’re All As We Lie (4:34)
2. Birdsong (7:30)
3. Moonshooter (5:52)
4. Wise After The Event (8:45)
5. Pulling Faces (4:32)
6. Regrets (5:15)
7. Greenhouse (3:00)
8. Paperchase (5:28)
9. Now What (Are They Doing To My Little Friends)? (8:30)
10. Squirrel (4:28) – originally released as the B-side of the 7″ single release of We’re All As We Lie.

Tangerine Dream – The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2

The second in a series of official bootlegs from Tangerine Dream, released by Esoteric – out now – review by Tim Darbyshire

This set follows the same format as ‘Volume One‘ with two complete Tangerine Dream concerts recordings of historical interest. The concerts included this time are Palais Des Congres, Paris – 6th March 1978 and the groundbreaking Palast Der Republik, East Berlin – 31st January 1980.

Unusually, the Paris recording isn’t derived from the now defunct Tangerine Tree project. This recording only surfaced in the last few years but to these ears it’s probably the best sounding recording from the 1978 Cyclone Tour.  The short lived line up to promote 1978’s controversial ‘Cyclone’ was Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, vocalist Steve Jolliffe and drummer Klaus Krieger.  After Peter Baumann’s departure in 1977,  TD briefly dallied with a vocalist resulting in the ‘Cyclone’ album.

The music on this recording is less intense than ‘Cyclone’, with themes loosely based on the album.  This set is mostly improvised with Jolliffe adding ad-lib made up vocal sounds and flute. Cd1 is especially mellow with washes of familiar mellotron choirs and strings.

Although enjoyable, the experiment with a vocalist was deemed to have run its course – the excellent accompanying essay in the booklet goes into more detail – and TD didn’t return to the stage until January 1980. As the decade ended, so did the technology. Digital sequencers and synthesizers enabled TD to structure their music more and from the 1980s onwards, all TD concerts would be mostly free of improvisation.

Augmented by new recruit former studio tech Johannes Schmoelling, Edgar Froese and Chris Franke played two concerts on the same day at the Palast Der Republik East Berlin – and in doing so became the first Western ‘rock’ band to play behind the Iron Curtain – presumably the authorities decided the lack of vocals meant no political message could be disseminated. Great quality bootlegs were abundant as the night performance was broadcast on East German radio. Official releases of parts of the show also followed – ‘Quichotte’ and ‘Pergamon’.

Taken from the pre-fm master reels, the audio included here is the best version I’ve heard. Some of the concert is clearly based on TD’s about to be released ‘Tangram’ album, but the majority is of the music especially on CD3 is unavailable elsewhere.

The clamshell box contains 4 cds, essay booklet and 2 sided poster. Hopefully there is more to come from Esoteric in this series.

 

Track Listing:

CD 1:
Palais Des Congres, Paris – 6/March/1978:
1. Paris Set One

CD 2:
Palais Des Congres, Paris – 6/March/1978:
1. Paris Set Two
2. Paris Set Three
3. Paris Set Four

CD 3: Palast Der Republik, East Berlin  31/January/1980
1. East Berlin Set One

CD 4:
Palast Der Republik, East Berlin  31/January/1980
1. East Berlin Set Two
2. East Berlin Encore

‘Staatsgrenze West’ bootleg vinyl version and Tangerine Tree CD versions:

 

Anthony Phillips-Sides Reissue out in April

Anthony Phillips’ 3rd solo album ‘Sides’ – originally released in 1979 – is to receive a deluxe, definitive edition re-issue on Esoteric in April this year.

Hot on the heels of the deluxe re-issues of ‘Wise After The Event’ (this week) and ‘The Geese And The Ghost’ (2015), ‘Sides’ will be released in a clamshell box containing 3 cds and a dvd.

The cds contain a new 2016 stereo mix, a disc of out-takes and demos and a remastered version of the original 1979 stereo mix. The dvd includes the obligatory 5.1 surround sound mix.

The lavishly illustrated booklet includes an essay by Jonathan Dann featuring interviews with Anthony Phillips and producer Rupert Hine and is accompanied by a folded poster.

Musically more commercial than its predecessors, it nevertheless contains enough progressive elements. Guest players include Michael Giles and Mel Collins of King Crimson fame, John Hackett and Morris Pert among others.

Available from 15th April from the usual outlets.

 

Tracklisting:

CD 1 – 2016 STEREO MIX:

1. UM & AARGH
2. I WANT YOUR LOVE
3. LUCY WILL
4. SIDE DOOR
5. HOLY DEADLOCK
6. SOUVENIR
7. SISTERS OF REMINDUM
8. BLEAK HOUSE
9. MAGDALEN
10. NIGHTMARE

CD 2 – DEMOS, OUT-TAKES AND EXTRAS:

1. UM & AARGH (INSTRUMENTAL MIX)
2. I WANT YOUR LOVE
(INSTRUMENTAL MIX)
3. SISTERS OF REMINDUM
(ALTERNATIVE MIX)
4. LUCY WILL (ORIGINAL MIX)
5. MAGDALEN (INSTRUMENTAL MIX)
6. SIDE DOOR (ORIGINAL MIX)
7. UM & AARGH (7” SINGLE VERSION)
8. SOUVENIR (INSTRUMENTAL MIX)
9. BLEAK HOUSE (ALTERNATIVE MIX)
10. NIGHTMARE (ALTERNATIVE MIX)
11. CATCH YOU WHEN YOU FALL (INSTRUMENTAL MIX)
12. BEFORE THE NIGHT (DEMO)

CD 3 – THE ORIGINAL 1979 STEREO MIX RE-MASTERED:

1. UM & AARGH
2. I WANT YOUR LOVE
3. LUCY WILL
4. SIDE DOOR
5. HOLY DEADLOCK
6. SOUVENIR
7. SISTERS OF REMINDUM
8. BLEAK HOUSE
9. MAGDALEN
10. NIGHTMARE

DVD – THE 2016 5.1 SURROUND SOUND MIX:

1. UM & AARGH
2. I WANT YOUR LOVE
3. LUCY WILL
4. SIDE DOOR
5. HOLY DEADLOCK
6. SOUVENIR
7. SISTERS OF REMINDUM
8. BLEAK HOUSE
9. MAGDALEN
10. NIGHTMARE