DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION Launch Third Single Today

Album Halcyon Hymns Out Now!

OUT NOW Downes Braide Association (DBA) fourth album Halcyon Hymns CD. DBA also launch the video and radio edit of the third track to be taken from the album entitled Today – today!

Buy Halcyon Hymns here:
CD/DVD OUT NOW – Pre-order the 2LP White Vinyl out 26th March: https://downesbraide.co.uk/

Today is an anthemic celebration of life and making the most of what we have, here and now, something we have all come to appreciate in these unprecedented times.

Today’s a perfect day, so spend it with me. The sun is high, the wheel of time. It will turn. You know it goes by so fast. No time to dwell in the past. I wish today would never end..

“Today Is about being in love with a moment that can never last,” says Chris Braide, “and treasuring the feeling that fleeting moment, brings. The lyric is truly from the heart.”

Geoff Downes adds: “Today is DBA’s 21st Century take on the romance of spending a perfect day with someone you love. Here’s to more perfect days – today, together and beyond.”

Geoff Downes (keyboards, programming) and Chris Braide (vocals) are joined on the album and Today by Ash Soan on drums, Andy Hodge (bass) and Dave Bainbridge who provides a particularly tasty guitar throughout the track. Today sends out a positive message while the infectious melody promises to make this a radio delight.

Halcyon Hymns is the fifth DBA collaboration and follows their previous critically-acclaimed studio albums Pictures of You (2012), Suburban Ghosts (2015) and Skyscraper Souls (2017). The duo have also released Live In England (2019) recorded at their first ever concert at Trading Boundaries, East Sussex, in 2018.

About Downes Braide Association
Downes Braide Association was formed as a studio-based project by Geoff Downes and Chris Braide and has already produced three acclaimed studio albums: Pictures Of You (2012), Suburban Ghosts (2015) and Skyscraper Souls (2017) together with a live album Live In England (2019). The project draws on Downes’ and Braide’s rich musical heritage to create a delightfully accessible brand of progressive rock.

Keyboard wizard Geoff Downes was thrust into the limelight with the worldwide success of Video Killed The Radio Star in 1979. The single topped the charts chart in 16 countries for The Buggles duo of Geoff and Trevor Horn (vocals, bass guitar). They briefly joined prog legends YES before Downes became a founder member of the supergroup Asia with YES guitarist Steve Howe, ELP drummer Carl Palmer and the late John Wetton (vocals, bass guitar).

The Wetton-Downes composition Heat Of The Moment became a world-wide hit in 1982 heralding many years of success for Asia with their FM radio-friendly brand of rock. Downes later returned to YES in 2012 and remains with the band alongside Steve Howe.

British singer-songwriter-pianist Chris Braide has recently returned to UK shores after many years based in California. He enjoys enormous success writing and producing music for film scores, advertising campaigns and working closely with artists including Toni Braxton, Sia, Lana Del Rey, Marc Almond, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears, David Guetta, Chris also co-wrote the music with Hans Zimmer and Sia for Seven Worlds One Planet – David Attenborough series.

Downes Braide Association release both the single Today and CD version of Halcyon Hymns, today 5th February.

Downes Braide Association: Halcyon Hymns buy it here:CD/DVD Out Now – Pre-order the 2LP White Vinyl out 26th March: https://downesbraide.co.uk/

JON GOMM SHARES NEW VIDEO FOR ‘THE GHOST INSIDE YOU’ TO COINCIDE WITH THE LAUNCH OF NEW IBANEZ SIGNATURE MODEL GUITAR JGM10

NEW ALBUM ‘THE FAINTEST IDEA’ OUT NOW ON KSCOPE 

Jon Gomm, the UK based acoustic guitar virtuoso, has shared the video for latest single ‘The Ghost Inside You’ taken from his recent album on Kscope, The Faintest Idea.

As with the previous videos in the series, Jon has collaborated with The Samsara Collective to film in the stunning setting of Niamos Radical Arts Theatre, Manchester, to showcase the immersive and expressive emotional quality of his music.

The instrumental video features the new JGM10 guitar Gomm has developed with Ibanez Guitars: A company he grew up admiring as the designers of electric guitars for his teen guitar idols. 

“To have been on this adventure with my childhood dream guitar company, to design a guitar perfect for modern fingerstyle guitar playing… I do not deserve it.”

Gomm becomes the first ever acoustic guitarist to develop a signature model with them.

When most people look at an acoustic guitar, they see exactly that – a wooden box with strings. As one of the pioneers of the modern fingerstyle sound, however, Jon Gomm has a rare gift for turning one instrument into what feels like an entire orchestra…

The Blackpool-born singer-songwriter’s 2003 home-recorded debut, Hypertension, was nothing short of a musical revelation: drumming beats, tapping chords and striking harmonics on his acoustic underneath that warm, soulful voice. 

Perhaps one of the greatest surprises with The Faintest Idea is how it contrasts the incredible human warmth of Gomm’s acoustic articulation with more icy affairs, thanks to the synth parts and production work from Australian musician Andy Sorenson. Instead of a war between man and machine, the collaboration delicately cross-pollinates simple honesty with more forward-thinking atmospheres. It is a contemporary masterpiece – rich in its sense of paths travelled and roads taken, while also daring to gaze into the unexpected future.

The album is complimented by the delicate hand drawn pen and ink cover art created by Lee Zimmerman. 

The Faintest Idea is out now on CD, double LP, digital and as a stunning limited edition deluxe 3 disc hardback book edition which will feature – CD1 – The Faintest Idea album, CD 2 – The Naked Artist Mix – a stripped back version of the album; a DVD containing 6 exclusive performances filmed in a medieval church, guitar technique presentations,  a 35 minute Jon Gomm interview, song description videos  and The Faintest Idea in high resolution stereo audio. The beautiful book features Lee Zimmerman illustrations, song descriptions, hand written lyrics and full track tablature for the song “Check You’re Still Breathing”. Jon’s reaction to the deluxe edition can be see in this latest unboxing video here.

All formats are available to order now https://jongomm.lnk.to/TheFaintestIdea

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR PREVIOUS SINGLES: COCOON / DEEP SEA FISHES / DREAM FACTORIES

Faintest Idea UK/Eire Tour

Oct 2021 

1 – Dublin, Academy 2 

8 – Haverhill, Arts Centre 

9 – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds 

10 – York, Crescent 

15 – Trowbridge, Emmanuel’s Yard 

16 – Swansea, Sin City 

17 – Cardiff, The Globe 

21 – Bristol, Thekla 

22 – Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms 

23 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms 

29 – Huddersfield, The Parish pub    

30 – Glasgow, Oran Mor 

31 – Newcastle, Cluny 

Nov 2021 

4 – Liverpool, The Leaf Café 

5 – Blackpool, Bootleg Social 

6 – Preston, The Ferret 

13 – Guildford, Boileroom 

14 – Southampton, Joiners 

15 – Brighton, Komedia 

27 – London, Bush Hall

Dec 2021 

4 – Manchester, The Bread Shed 

5 – Leeds, Brudenell Social 

16 – Runcorn, Brindley Theatre

OLIVER WAKEMAN and CLIVE NOLAN Announce Tales By Gaslight – 3CD Box Set includes re-issues of Jabberwocky & The Hound of The Baskervilles

Oliver Wakeman reunites with Clive Nolan after 20 years to issue a 3CD Box Set – Tales By Gaslight featuring remastered versions oftheir ‘future prog classics’ Jabberwocky and The Hound Of The Baskervilles along with a new disc Dark Fables. 

The Tales By Gaslight box set, comprising 3CDs each with a 16-page booklet and 3 individual Art prints of the three covers, will be released by Burning Shed on 23rd April.

Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena) and Oliver Wakeman (YES, Strawbs) first combined their considerable keyboard and compositional talents to create two rock opera/concept albums.

Jabberwocky, released in 1999, was based on the famous Lewis Carroll poem. It was followed by The Hound of The Baskervilles (2002), inspired by the Sherlock Holmes novel penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The project was always intended to be a trilogy of musical interpretations of literary classics, but an album inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was shelved because of a lack of record company funding.

This box set package also includes a third disc, featuring previously unreleased pieces that were intended to complete the trilogy. This third disc, Dark Fables, contains over 30 minutes of music conceived for the abandoned Frankenstein album.

Nolan and Wakeman also found pieces which were unused from The Hound of The Baskervilles. These include The Man Called Sherlock which was the original version of the Overture and 221B, inspired by Sherlock Holmes’ famous address.

Unusually for the time, the first two albums featured a host of guest performances, including narration by Wakeman’s father Rick and actor Robert Powell. Former YES guitarist, the late Peter Banks, Magnum vocalist Bob Catley and singer Tracy Hitchings appeared on both albums. Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen lent his talent to The Hound of the Baskervilles along with members from the bands IQ and Threshold. The unique artwork was created by Rodney Matthews for the original Jabberwocky release. Peter Pracownik was the creativity behind The Hound of The Baskervilles artwork 20 years ago and has returned to this trilogy by lending his talents to the new Dark Fables artwork. 

In keeping with the spirit of the two previous albums, the new recordings feature the talents of, amongst others, Gordon Giltrap, Paul Manzi (Arena, Oliver Wakeman Band, Sweet) Andy Sears (Twelfth Night) and David Mark Pearce (Oliver Wakeman Band). Also included is an original reading of the Jabberwocky poem by Rick Wakeman.

The Tales By Gaslight box set contains 3 CDs each with 16-page booklets including lyrics, previously unseen art work and many stories behind the creativity from both Wakeman and Nolan. The first 250 box sets will also include a 4th limited edition numbered art print of the box set cover signed by Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman. Tales By Gaslight will be released by Burning Shed on 23rd April. Pre-order this here: https://burningshed.com/store/oliverwakeman

About Oliver Wakeman
Eldest son of prog legend Rick, Wakeman filled the keyboard role, once held by his father, with YES from 2008 to 2011. His work with YES includes the triple live album in In The Present – Live From Lyon, Fly From Here and the From A Page box set featuring recordings from his time in the band released in 2019. During his tenure with YES, Wakeman also toured and recorded as a member of The Strawbs.

Wakeman’s debut album (1997) Heaven’s Isle was inspired by the island of Lundy, and he has since released a number of solo and Oliver Wakeman Band albums. He has also released several collaborations with renowned musicians, including Steve Howe, band mate to both Oliver and his father in YES for The Three Ages of Magick album, as well as uniting with another guitar legend Gordon Giltrap for the award-winning Ravens & Lullabies album. Both of which are set to be part of an upcoming boxset.

About Clive Nolan
Aged just sixteen, multi-instrumentalist Nolan became the youngest musician (at that time) to gain an A.L.C.M. composition diploma from the London College of Music. At university he studied composition, orchestration, musical arrangement and conducting, gaining a B Mus and M Mus. He has played a prominent role in the development of progressive music, as a member of Pendragon since 1986 and as a member of Shadowland (1992 – present), Strangers on A Train (1993 – 1994) and by forming his own band Arena in 1995.

Nolan’s interest in rock opera extends beyond his collaborations with Wakeman. In 2008 he wrote She, based upon the novel by Sir H Rider Haggard, and two musicals Alchemy and King’s Ransom. This year will also see the release of a new ‘Viking Inspired’ album Song of the Wildlands, as well as the new Arena album The Theory of Molecular Inheritance.

Nad Sylvan – releases new single & video for “The Fisherman” / Reveals cover artwork for “Spiritus Mundi”

Nad Sylvan ended 2020 on a rather happy note. He released “You’ve Got To Find A Way” in December 2020, a bonus track on his upcoming album “Spiritus Mundi”. 

Today Nad is excited to be releasing the first proper album track “The Fisherman” off of said album to the world.

Nad comments: 

“No one is a prophet in their own land”. W.B Yeats, the famous Irish poet penned the poem “The Fisherman” in 1914 that this song is based on. At this point in time, he felt misunderstood by his contemporaries, just like I have done growing up in a small minded world. Yeats poems are filled with double and hidden messages. So is this video.

Watch the video for “The Fisherman” here: 

After concluding the Vampirate’s trilogy, Nad now changes course on his upcoming fourth album by converting poems of WB Yeats into music. The new album is due for release on  April 9th 2021 featuring the stunning new cover artwork by Robin Damore.

The pre-order for “Spiritus Mundi” will start on February 12th 2021. 

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF TO RELEASE THE SOORD SESSIONS: VOLUMES 1-4

THE COMPLETE SESSIONS FROM FRONTMAN BRUCE SOORD’S ACOUSTIC LIVE PERFORMANCES STREAMED DURING LOCKDOWN

THE DELUXE 4 DISC HARDBACK BOOK EDITION WILL BE RELEASED 16TH APRIL

Over the last half-decade, The Pineapple Thief, led by Bruce Soord and bolstered by the involvement of master drummer Gavin Harrison, has rapidly ascended to the upper echelons of Europe’s Alternative Rock scene.

To acclaim from the worldwide media and fans, September 2020 saw the release of Versions Of The Truth, the latest instalment in the band’s discography. This was due to be followed, almost immediately, by an extensive live campaign which sadly due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation has been postponed until 2021.

 Bruce Soord, not wanting to disappoint fans, announced he would perform a solo acoustic live streamed performance of songs from across The Pineapple Thief’s illustrious catalogue. Due to the success of the initial performance, 1 session turned into 4 across the summer. 

Bruce Soord explains “Back in the spring of 2020 I decided to perform a live acoustic show from my attic studio. I figured I could set up something with a bit more production than just a face peering down a mobile phone. I created a little haven of guitars, pedals, loopers, microphones and webcams and mixed them all together ready to send out to the world.”

Bruce Soord had never streamed a live show before and most of the songs he had never performed solo before – some he had never performed at all.

“I played my first show, diving head first into the unknown and I soon learned how many people had enjoyed it and that resulted in another 3 sessions over the following weeks, playing songs from the 20 years I had been writing with The Pineapple Thief and more recently my solo work.

”The Soord Sessions Volumes1-4 will be released as a deluxe 4 CD hardback book edition. With the 4 CDs covering 36 tracks from The Pineapple Thief discography & Bruce Soord’s solo albums. The 48-page book features an extended forward and notes on each session by Bruce Soord plus previously unseen photos from the attic studio and images from the live streams along with technical and personal information on the equipment used.

The Soord Sessions Volumes 1-4 will be released on Kscope on 16th April and is available to pre-order HERE

(https://thepineapplethief.lnk.to/SoordSessions)

The Pineapple Thief will be supporting the release of The Versions Of The Truth live worldwide in 2021 & 2022, the dates having been rescheduled from 2020 and more are due to be announced. For details see www.thepineapplethief.com

Review – Hibernal – Infiltrators

I don’t know what happened to give Brisbane native Mark Healy the furtive and imaginative mind that he has but, boy, does he put it into good use on his sci-fi post rock project Hibernal!

I have been a fan of Mark’s since I reviewed his first release, 2013’s ‘The Machine’ , and his incredibly detailed, cinematic worlds have been capturing listener’s imaginations ever since.

‘Infiltrators’ is Mark’s seventh (bloody hell Mark, seven!) foray into post-apocalyptic worlds where humanity is butting heads with technology and self-aware machines. His mix of fantastic voice actors and ominous, incredibly well thought out soundtracks draw the listener into his detailed worlds and in the protagonists that exist there and his music has you on the edge of your seat, almost like another character in every one of his masterpieces.

On this latest instalment from his ingenious and visionary mind we find supposed sisters Imogen and Maddie on the run from the Infiltrators, machines that took the form of humans to overthrow society.

The well written script and utterly believable voice actors (please take a bow Sandra Osborne and Angela Tran) transport you right into their life or death journey, as if you were actually there and the superb orchestration of the music adds the required mystery and feeling of anguish as the storyline twists and turns.

You literally can imagine the dilapidated amusement park that the girls tentatively make their way through, you can see it in your mind and you become invested in what happens to them, really caring if they get through the trials and tribulations ahead of them.

I will not divulge any more of the storyline here, Mark has once again delivered an utterly convincing world and woven into it a compelling story that holds you from beginning to end. I believe that he has more enticing stories on the horizon this year and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next. Do yourselves a favour and come and join me on this journey of artistry and ingenuity.

Released 6th January 2021

Listen to, and order, ‘Infiltrators’ from bandcamp here:

Infiltrators | Hibernal (bandcamp.com)

Review – Downes Braide Association – Halcyon Hymns by John Wenlock-Smith

If there is anything positive or good that has come out of this tough time of the deadly coronavirus pandemic then it is that many musicians have been able to utilise this difficult time and lack of touring activity to create and craft a whole slew of new albums.

Many of these surfaced in autumn, like ‘Halcyon Hymns’, the new album from Geoff Downes and Chris Braide and the next chapter in their fantastic collaboration that has thus far yielded three albums, including the fabulous ‘Skyscraper Souls’ along with the excellent recording of their live debut concert at Trading Boundaries in East Sussex in 2018. 

Geoff had been working on music for Chris to work into complete songs and he used the suspension of activities with his main band Yes (who were due to play full shows highlighting the Relayer album from 1975) to finalise these ideas.

Well, this album is really impressive stuff with a fantastic set of songs and opens with Love Among The Ruins, which pretty much sets the standard for all that follows. This is a very fine track indeed, the video brings things to life with its portrayal of days gone by and how we look back with much fondness. The song is very upbeat with a great chorus that stays in your mind, there is also a fabulous guitar solo that elevates this from excellent into truly spectacular.

This followed by the more sedate but ever building burn that is King Of The Sunset, with its evocative imagery of England, Avalon. I must commend these two for the surreal and complex soundscapes that they evoke so well. Also worthy of note are the fabulous vocals by Chris Braide who really shows his class on these performances. This track will appeal to modern day followers of Marillion as they might see a similarity to that fine group. There are lots of interesting tones and textures that run through this song, along with some superb and striking guitar lines. Also adding to the mesmerising brilliance of the track are the dulcet tones of David Longdon of Big Big Train.

Your Heart Will Find The Way is next and this one has a great bass line that propels the song along with a lot of funk! Indeed, the bass on the whole album is exceptionally fine indeed, right on the beat, upfront when needed and very fluent and supportive throughout. There are lots of fine keyboard flourishes from Geoff that add to this heady recipe that they have concocted.

Then it’s onto the first of the three longer songs that this album offers. The first is called Holding The Heavens and, again, there is a prominent bass line that really drives the song along. The great lyrics make this song exceptionally fine too with another great vocal from Chris and good backing vocals that create a great sound. This is a fine album vocally and one that sounds good on headphones too. The chorus is also both very compelling and strong. and the song also has a good acoustic guitar section before returning to the chorus. A distinguished spoken section adds emphasis to proceedings while there is also a recurring chunky guitar riff that really adds value to this song.

Beachcombers is the next song. Shorter and opening with a brief spoken section, this one has a drum patter that percolates and brings the song to life. There is great imagery too as Chris tells of nightingales singing in the night, this is all topped with another spectacular soaring guitar break.

Warm Summer Sun opens with sounds of summer including church bells chiming and bird song, it is all very English and pastoral even before some strong keyboard sounds are introduced. The velvet tones of Marc Almond of Soft Cell fame are a brilliant addition. This is another shorter song but is none the worse for it with a great chorus. This track really shows off Geoff’s excellent keyboard sounds, textures, and tones fabulously.

I think this album will also appeal to fans of Big Big Train, not least because David Longdon appears on this album but also because of its pastoral imagery that will resonate with those fans. Today is the second of the longer tracks and speaks of summer days gone by and very evocative imagery and fond memories are voiced. This song is pure escapism, the lyrics are interesting, speaking of friendship and shared experiences and the desire for the day to never end. The song then moves into another spoken section from Joe Catcheside before another fabulous guitar break appears. David Bainbridge is a phenomenal guitarist on this entire album, playing with a good feel and soaring solo lines that really add to this fantastic ensemble piece.

Hymn To Darkness is a shorter track with mandolin playing throughout. There is rather a darker tone to subject matter as the song talks of putting the darkness to sleep, it is a nice mellow song with some more great acoustic guitar lines woven throughout.

She’ll Be Riding Horses speaks of a love gone by and a memory of her riding horses somewhere where they do not have telephones, they lose touch but find each other in later years. This is another very upbeat song, happy even, although the lyrics seem to suggest that she has gone and yet great memories of her live on in his mind. Another brief but very satisfying song. This is followed by another shorter piece, Late Summer. This is another song of memories asking why cannot it not last?

The last, and longest, track is called Remembrance and this opens with a spoken section that again evokes memories of the long summer of 1976 and the remembrance of passion walking along the Dorset coastal path. The song mixes vocal and spoken passages to great effect as it talks of loving this dirty old ground, ice creams, love in open places, holiday romances and many other seaside attractions. This song unleashes a treasure trove of memories, a memento-mori if you will, of one who has gone as have the days as it ends with a sad goodbye.

This is a truly sensational album, one that really deserves to reach as wide an audience as possible as it is truly worthy of that acclaim. Downes Braide have really made and delivered a very well realised album with lots of references to the past. Along with lots of imagery about death (which is a theme that runs through much of the album), this makes the memories bittersweet at times yet it is still an album to make you smile in these days.

‘Halcyon Hymns’ will reach into your soul and touch your emotions. It is very moving, well-conceived and produced. I think it is the best album I’ve heard this year but, then again, it’s only January so there is lots of time for more great releases this year. However, for now, this is definitely a strong contender, I urge you to listen to this if you can as you will find much to enjoy on this excellent album.

CD/DVD Released 5th February 2021

2LP White Vinyl is out on 26th March.

Order from Cherry Red Records here:

Downes Braide Association: Halcyon Hymns, CD/DVD Edition – Cherry Red Records

MONO ANNOUNCE NEW LIVE ALBUM ‘BEYOND THE PAST’ – RELEASED 19TH MARCH (PELAGIC RECORDS)

For two decades, MONO have defined and re-fined a kind of orchestral rock that is as emotional as it is experimental. Their 10 studio albums over those 20 years have established MONO as what Pitchfork described as “one of the most distinctive bands of the 21st Century.” Meanwhile, their live concerts are typically more subdued in instrumentation – and more supercharged in volume and voltage. Rarely is there the opportunity to combine those two experiences.

In their 20-year history as a band, MONO have presented no more than a half-dozen live concerts featuring the support of an orchestra. Such events are not only unusual they are also unforgettable.

Released on 19th March (Pelagic Records), Beyond the Past • Live in London with the Platinum Anniversary Orchestra documents MONO’s extraordinary performance from the Beyond the Past event that celebrated the band’s 20th anniversary, which took place at the historic Barbican Centre in London, England on December 14, 2019. 

For that once-in-a-life- time event, MONO selected a memorable lineup of old and new friends, including fellow Japanese underground icons, Boris and Envy, as well as French post-metal legends, Alcest, and UK collaborators A.A. Williams and Jo Quail. The event culminated with MONO performing with The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra, featuring National Youth String Orchestra to a rapt, sold-out audience of 2,000.

Playing through a two-hour set that touches on the band’s entire history, the sheer euphoria and dynamic resonance that engulfed the massive crowd was captured in brilliant detail by MONO’s live sound engineer, Matt Cook. 

Listen to ‘Meet Us Where the Night Ends (Live in London)’ for a taster:

Meticulously mastered by Bob Weston and presented here in its entire two-hour glory, Beyond the Past is one of the most essential MONO recordings. Packaged in a triple gatefold with accompanying 40-page photo book, this is the rare document of an event that is an event in and of itself.

Pre-order now – https://bit.ly/monobeyondthepast

SAGA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM SYMMETRY ON MARCH 12 VIA earMUSIC

Canadian Prog-Rock band Saga will release their new studio album Symmetry on March 12th via earMUSIC.

‘Tired World‘, the first single from Symmetry, made its first appearance on the band’s debut album as one of two pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that is The Chapters, a continuous narrative revolving around a central theme and character (Albert Einstein), and spread out over several albums throughout much of Saga’s extensive body of work.

Watch the “Tired World” lyric video here:

While ‘Tired World’ is considered by many to be one of the band’s iconic classics, this new interpretation of the song brings a new life and new energy to the track with its thoughtful and creative re-imagining — without sacrificing the integrity of the original recording.

This new version also features guest performances — as do a majority of the songs on Symmetry— along with new acoustic instrumentation and fresh perspectives, highlighting the intricacies and arrangement of the song.

After a Spring 2020 tour, SAGA went straight into their home studios. The result: An album full of acoustic originals.

Symmetry offers a unique listening experience by bundling complex and delicate arrangements with familiar melodies and sounds. It gives the listener the possibility to explore and discover SAGA classics like “Wind Him Up,” “Say Goodbye To Hollywood,” and “Tired World” once more — and in a completely new way. 

SAGA have managed to create more than just new versions of their songs; they created a sonic world full of little details that invites the listeners to dive deeper into the complex musical phenomenon that is the band. 

“After opening for ‘ourselves’ on our 2017 European tour acoustically, the decision to record and acoustic record was born,” says Ian Crichton. “This is different Saga everyone! We invited from Ontario Canada, Shane Cook on fiddle, and Stefany Seki, Beth Silver on cello to accompany us on our offside interpretation of music we’ve played for years, had a lot of fun doing so!  Acoustic Saga!?!?!… it’s like construction work for an electric guitar player.”

Kayak announce new studio album ‘Out Of This World’

Legendary Dutch progressive rockers are pleased to announce they will return with their 18th studio album ‘Out Of This World’ on the 7th May 2021. Following the bands return in 2018 with a new line-up, new record label and first new album since 2014 in ‘Seventeen’, the band are excited to reveal its eagerly awaited successor.

Founding member Ton Scherpenzeel comments: 

“Many people seem to consider the past year as a lost year, due to Covid. I don’t. I am not saying it was great, but it made me realize, once more, how fragile we all are. How connected everything and everyone is, with actions and consequences that touch us all. And that, on a smaller scale, and much closer to home, the new Kayak album could only have turned out the way it did. More than ever, it is clear that working with each other on this level can never be taken for granted. It requires dedication, and respect for each other’s talents and input. That’s the foundation upon which Kayak in 2021 is built.”

Watch a short teaser for the new album here: 

The first single from ‘Out of This World’ and the album pre-order will launch 19th February.

‘Out Of This World’, the band’s eighteenth studio album, with 15 new tracks, spanning 70 minutes of energetic and incredibly diverse material- though still very much recognizable as Kayak. It is clear that the new found energy has gained even more momentum since Hans Eijkenaar rejoined the group. Although they were forced to cancel all tours because Ton Scherpenzeel suffered a heart attack at the end of 2019, and immediately after that because of the Covid pandemic, we’re hearing a band that, since the demise of Pim Koopman in 2009, has not sounded more together, balanced and motivated. The current line-up of the band is as follows:

Ton Scherpenzeel – Keyboards, lead and backing vocals 

Bart Schwertmann – Lead and backing vocals 

Marcel Singor – Guitar, lead and backing vocals 

Kristoffer Gildenlöw – Bass, lead and backing vocals

Hans Eijkenaar- Drums 

Kayak History:

KAYAK was formed in Hilversum, The Netherlands, back in 1972, by keyboard player Ton Scherpenzeel and drummer Pim Koopman who struck up a friendship in their early teens after meeting at a local volley ball club. They were committed to writing original material. With loads of melodic, symphonic songs in their pocket they recruited fellow music conservatory student Max Werner (lead vocals) and Johan Slager (guitar). After bass player Cees van Leeuwen joined, the first lineup of KAYAK was complete with the new band being signed by EMI Records being launched as a new supergroup. Their debut album ‘See See The Sun’(1973) featured a minor hit single , ‘Lyrics’, with ‘Mammoth’ and the title track also reaching the top 40. The album sold well in Holland, earning the band significant critical acclaim and developing a growing army of passionate followers.

After a series of successful albums and several hit singles in their homeland KAYAK was on the verge of an international breakthrough in 1977 when the single ‘Want you to be Mine’, from ‘Starlight Dancer’ achieved chart success in the U.S, peaking at #55 in the Billboard Charts. KAYAK was even voted Most Promising Band of the Year by the influential American music magazine Record World. Due to the fact that charismatic lead singer Max Werner wanted to fill the vacant position of drummer meaning the band was suddenly without a lead singer, making it impossible to embark on an American tour. KAYAK focused on finding a vocalist instead. The search began with advertisements placed in British magazine ‘Melody Maker’, spotted by Edward Reekers, a huge fan of the band since the early days. Passing the audition with flying colors he became the new frontman for KAYAK and with the addition of two female singers the band returned to the recording studio to create their 6th album, the award winning ‘Phantom of the Night, which turned out to be their commercial peak. The blend of progressive rock and immaculate pop brought them phenomenal success. The album went to number one on the charts, reaching platinum status and ‘Ruthless Queen,’ became their highest charting single, (#4 in the Dutch charts). 

The next album, ‘Periscope Life’ (1980), was similar in style and recorded in Los Angeles. It consolidated KAYAK’s position as one of Holland’s most popular bands.

With their next effort, ‘Merlin’ (1981), KAYAK returned to its original progressive and symphonic rock roots, with a suite about the legendary medieval magician on side A. Many music fans considered this a milestone in the bands career. Personal and musical struggles within the band however led to a break up in 1982. The first era of KAYAK ended after the release of the semi live album ‘Eyewitness’. 

The next chapter in KAYAK’s career began in 2006 with ‘Kayakoustic’, presenting the now seven-piece band in an intimate setting.In the new millennium KAYAK was resurrected after an 18 year pause and came back with the strong symphonic crossover album ‘Close to the Fire’ (2000) with again Pim Koopman on drums and Max Werner on vocals. Unfortunately, due to ill health Max was soon forced to leave, with ex- Vandenberg singer Bert Heerink, who already joined the band on stage, taking over. With Heerink three studio albums were recorded, including the rock opera’s ‘Merlin – Bard of the Unseen’ and ‘Nostradamus – The Fate of Man’, their most ambitious efforts yet. The rock opera’s, dominated by longer, prog-based compositions, also showed KAYAK’s theatrical side with an extended cast of singers and dancers contributing to an impressive first rate live experience. It also marked the return of Edward Reekers and introduced Cindy Oudshoorn as first female lead singer. 

2008 was an important year celebrating their 35th anniversary and embarking on a large tour taking the group to the theaters and clubs. ‘The Anniversary Box’, a DVD containing the Paradiso concert as well as a collection of fan chosen tracks is released. 

The tragic, unexpected death of drummer and composer Pim Koopman one year later in the middle of the ‘Letters From Utopia’ tour almost led to KAYAK’s downfall, but two years later the group re- emerged with Hans Eijkenaar on drums and the album ‘Anywhere But Here’, dedicated to Koopman. After a period of two years preparing and recording the new rock opera ‘Cleopatra- The Crown of Isis’ was released in 2014. Shortly before the tour, lead singers Reekers and Oudshoorn unexpectedly and inconveniently announced their departure, leaving the band in disarray. But as they say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and like the proverbial cat with nine lives – in 2018 KAYAK came back with a vengeance and ‘Seventeen’. 

Look out for more information on the bands 18th studio album ‘Out Of This World’ in the coming months