Fractal Mirror – Slow Burn 1

I am not sure whether it was the dark mood of this album, or the amount of work on my plate (“There’s too much on your plate”, Leo Koperdraat sings on the track Miracle as I write this), but it took me almost 6 months and countless listens to get around to reviewing this album. Does that mean it’s a bad album? On the contrary, this is a set of 11 thought out tracks, in the style that we know from Fractal Mirror’s previous album Garden of Ghostsscreen-shot-2016-10-07-at-23-10-07

However, compared to the previous album, there are quite a few differences.  Partly because of the lyrics, which deal with the way technology is disrupting our lives – from the internet and smartphones all the way to our large telescopes that makes us learn about the universe. The deep, slow voice of Leo Koperdraat, which has not lost any of it’s Steve Kilby likeness, tells what this all does to our minds and our lives, accompanied by his guitar and the ever so well executed drumming of Frank Urbaniak and Ed van Haagen’s deep bass and floating keyboard work – and a nice list of guest musicians, including bass players Leopold Blu-Sky and Kenny Bisset Sr, and guitarits/producer Brett Kull (Echolyn).[acfw id=2]

Playing this album during my evening walks in the dark makes me change moods frequently, in line with the music. From melancholy (Miracle, Embers) to wonder (V838), via sadness (Fading, Embers – where Leo sings “We slowly burn…”) back to melancholy on Universal. What makes me happy underneath is the skill with which the compositions are formed. The mix of rock, indie and progressive rock the band claims to create does work well with the lyrics, and the eminent darkness of the lyrics is complemented by wonderful, fitting melodies.

The band has been worrying, also in public, about the low sales, and I can see why – this is not the most complex album to get into musically, but the moodiness may keep people away from it. A shame really, because after these 6 months this is an album I’d like to recommend, for an evening of contemplation every once in a while.

Almost through the year

We’re almost through the year, as far as reviewing is concerned. I promised no more than 26 and with what is now pending I think I will go over that. However, I have to make choices and I have a lot of things going, so after the list of reviews below is completed, I will not review any more this year. From next year, I’ll review what I want to review, or on very specific requests. No strutural plan anymore, since I have so much going on in my life that I can’t do a fixed review schedule, which I already noticed this year.

But! There will be airplay every week for any new artist that reaches my inbox, and soon there will be live interviews, all on ISCK Rock Radio in The Prog Files / Angelo’s Rock Orphanage. Wednesdays, 9PM-11PM CET, http://iskc.rocks.

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So – this year’s remaining reviews:

Aisles – Hawaii

Elaine Samuels and Kindred Spirit – Phoenix Rising

Pandora Snail – War and Peace

Nth Ascension – In Fine Initium

Fractal Mirror – Slow Burn 1

Colin Tench Project – Hair in a G-string

Flickr Rate – Flickr Rate

Colonel Petrov’s Good Judgement – Moral Machine

New Sun – Transitory

My first live show on Internet Radio!

The first time live on air was fun, and a bit exciting. I’m off to bed, but enjoy the podcast in case you missed the show.
Including an interview with Marek Arnold, of Seven Steps to the Green Door.

[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/angelo-hulshout/angelos-rock-orphanage-the-prog-files-on-iskc-rock-radio-2016-08-03-my-first-live-radio-show/ width=700 height=400 light=1]

T-shirts…

Arianna tshirt Rock Orphanage

Arianna Pernigoni – Mistress of House of Prog’s Metal Madhouse

When I started using the name Angelo’s Rock Orphanage, Sonia Mota made a nice drawing that I used as a logo. This was nicely incorporated later in the Facebook banner for my radio shows and the header of this web site.

As I posted earlier on Facebook, I also had a few t-shirts made based on this logo, one for myself, one for the artist herself, Duthc former prog reviewer and radio host Wouter van Hal, and very recently also for Osmo Jarvenpaa of Hullaballo Radio in Finnland and for Arianna Pernigoni at House of Prog.

After posting about this last week, people strarted sending requests to buy one. I’m looking into making that affordable, and will keep you posted. The shirts are high quality cotton, and if I do it price will be between 15 and 20 euro a piece. I would be interested to hear if that is an affordable price for a radio show / weblog t-shirt. Either way, it’s a fun gadget and I’m not making money from it, so I’m just going to make sure that if people want it, it is not going to cost me money either. Just let me know – thanks already!!!

Angelo Rock Orphanage t-shirt

Me – the dean of the Rock Orphanage

P.S. Osmo is going to photograph himself at Nordkapp wearing the t-shirt, and Wouter van Hal and Sonia Mota are sending their pictures in due time as well. All who wear one will end up in a big collage at some point….

 

 

Gagliarchives Top 20, June 10th

No idea if I’m going to post this here every week, but I was postively surprised by some entries in the Gagliarchives Top 20 for the week of June 10th, which I caught on Tom Gagliardi’s show this morning. Usually I don’t catch that programme, since it runs from 4AM-8AM local time on Sunday morning for me, but he had an extended show today, running till almost 9AM. Definitely a list to keep an eye on, even if you can’t catch Tom’s show.

Screen Shot 2016-06-12 at 09.48.09

It’s been a bit quiet, hasn’t it?

As I promised at the end of last year, this year I would focus on doing around 26 reviews this year – with maybe a few more. I’m still on track with that, but doing one every two weeks is not entirely a feasible option. Not that I need more time, but for some new releases I am asked, and really want to, to do a review that appears around or before the release that. That leads to a different way of planning, which is nearly impossible to fit into a regular review pattern.

ANGELOS ROCK ORPHANAGE with website

So, I switched back to somewhat irrelugar review scheduling, and to saying ‘No, I’m sorry’ to some review requests. For those, I’ll try to put out a monthly summary of albums that I listened to, with a very short mini review for each. No guarantee I wlll be doing it every month yet.

First of those will appear end of this month. On my list of albums at the moment are the following, some of which will (as explained) get a full reviews, while others will end up in the ‘roll up’ posts. All albums will at some point get airplay on ISCK Rock Radio, on my Wednesday edition of The Prog Files/Angelo’s Rock Orphanage.

My radio show got a special mention in a Murky Red review…

My radio show Angelo’s Rock Orphanage got a special mention in a Murky Red review by Memowakeman on ProgArchives.com:

“I first knew about Murky Red thanks to Colin Tench, a wonderful man who I’ve been in contact with for some time, who talked me about this Belgian band and project in which he is also involved. Later, listening to Angelo’s (our PA’s Angelo) radio show I listened for the first time to a Murky Red’s song, and later in the chat, I met Stef and Yolanda flaming, both musicians who are part of this band and who kindly shared to me their music. Now with this brief introduction, I would like to dedicate the review to these four great people.” ~ Memowakeman (Guillermo), Progarchives Special Collaborator

The Prog Files and Angelo’s Rock Orphanage charity shows (part 2)

In two days, it’s December 23rd, and time for the second charity show I run this year on ISCK Rock Radio.

In this second episode, amongst the regular tracks, we’ll be playing music from the following list of charity related publications. Hope to see you all there!!

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Various Artists – Spirit of December Vol. 05
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Whole album is sold for Music for Relief, who spent their donations on three programs currently: Nepal Earthquake, Ebola Prevention and Mangroves and Ocean Protection.

Info: http://mrrmusic.com/music-wanted-for-2015-holiday-charity-release/
Sales: http://thereishoperecords.com/album/spirit-of-december-vol-5
Charity: http://musicforrelief.org

Tiger Moth Tales – Wassail Song

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Proceeds of The Wassail Song and Selling England for a Pound go the UK Guide Dogs organisation, which trains guide dogs and won’t stop until every blind adult and child in the UK has the possibility to use a guide dog.

 

Info: http://www.tigermothtales.com

Sales:The Wassail Song / Pete Jones Plays Genesis – Selling England For A Pound

Charity: http://www.guidedogs.co.uk

 

Kristoffer Gildenlow – Pass the Torch

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All proceeds go the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which uses it to protect and raise orphaned baby elephants.

 

Info: http://www.hulshout.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Press-Release-BES-EN.pdf

Sales: iTunes, or via the links in the info above

Charity: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

 

Times Up – Meat to the Bone

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The band supports St Davids Hospice in Newport, Gwent, South Wales….It deals with  terminal illness, both in their hospital and through a home visit scheme

 

Info: http://www.timesup.co.uk 

Sales: C.D. ORDER LINE*

Charity: stdavidshospicecare.org

 

Steve Hacket et.al. – Spectral Mornings 2015

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Proceeds go the UK Parkinson organisation, supporting research and relief for this disease.

 

Info:  http://shop.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=5026 

Sales: http://shop.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=5026 

Charity:Parkinson’s UK – Homepage

 

 

Dave Brons – Based on a True Story
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Dave Brons, inspired by events in Paris and other things happening in the world decided to give all proceeds of his t-shirts and album until end of this year to charities supported by Giving What We Can.

Info: http://davebrons.com/change-your-world-and-change-theirs-as-well/
Sales: http://davebrons.com/merch/
Charity: https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/

The Prog Files and Angelo’s Rock Orphanage Charity radio shows

On Wednesday December 16 and 23, The Prog Files / Angelo’s Rock Orphanage on ISKC Rock and Web Radio will give attention to a number of artists who are donating proceeds of music and merchandise to charity.
Their music will be played on the show, next to the regular programming, with a short announcement explaining where the proceeds of the songs go.

Below are the charities for the show on December 16th.

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Various Artists – Spirit of December Vol. 05

Whole album is sold for Music for Relief, who spent their donations on three programs currently: Nepal Earthquake, Ebola Prevention and Mangroves and Ocean Protection.

Info: http://mrrmusic.com/music-wanted-for-2015-holiday-charity-release/
Sales: http://thereishoperecords.com/album/spirit-of-december-vol-5
Charity: http://musicforrelief.org

Armonite – By the Waters of Bablylon

Single sold for charity. Armonite and Children’s Hospital Trust in Cape Town coooperate in this. Proceeds go to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s hospital.

Info: http://www.armonite.com/By%20the%20Waters%20of%20Babylon.html
Sales: http://www.armonite.com/By%20the%20Waters%20of%20Babylon.html
Charity: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/your_gov/149

Yak – Quest for the Stones

Whole album sold for charity, all proceeds to the Towerhill Stables Animal Sanctuary, where ‘unwanted’ pets and animals find a new home.

Info: http://www.yaksongs.com
Sales: http://www.yaksongs.com
Charity: http://www.towerhillstables.com/

Dave Brons – Based on a True Story

Dave Brons, inspired by events in Paris and other things happening in the world decided to give all proceeds of his t-shirts and album until end of this year to charities supported by Giving What We Can.

Info: http://davebrons.com/change-your-world-and-change-theirs-as-well/
Sales: http://davebrons.com/merch/
Charity: https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/