Titan - A Raining Sun of Light & Love, For You & You & You [2007]

So we now have the incredible NASA astronomy images (seen below) to kill some time, now all we need is a suiting soundtrack to explore the cosmos! This excellent Tee Pee release will do the job just fine. I'll just put this right on out there for you. If you're a fan of the big-time, grandiose, space rock epics.. the extended track lengths, big ass bass, big ass riffs and one hell of an atmosphere then A Raining Sun of Light & Love.. is for you, & you, and yes.. even you! However if by some off chance this ain't your kinda thing.. drop it and walk away now. Come to think of it, what the f*** are you even doing here?

Serious, we're talking the big-time space rock influences here. Hawkwind obviously come to mind first, perhaps even mixed with a little bit of krautrocker's Can. The pounding bass and guitar is reminiscent of some of the desert scene stuff, which is certainly a plus! The production is a little bit murky throughout which might limit repeated listens.. but i guess it's just another one of those ass-kicking, brain-melting records you throw on at that perfect moment.

Another solid Tee Pee gem. These guys have been quiet for a few years now.. heres hoping some new material surfaces sooner rather than later.

Try It - Buy It - Myspace

Will-o-the Wisp - A Gift For Your Dreams [2007]

This was one of my favourites of 2007. New and old fans of Prog will find something to enjoy here, be it the classic song structures, or the superb modern day production. For such a relatively unknown group they have a remarkably mature and rich sound.

For those who may recall, i featured their instrumental track 'Serpent's Kiss' on my StW Mix 1.0 a year or two ago. That was a great example of what the band has to offer. Needless to say if you enjoyed that, check this out! Some of my favourite flute playing on any record to date. Not a lot is known of them but just trust me on this one, it's great! Enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Try It

Pamela Wyn Shannon - Courting Autumn [2007]

This is the first of a series of four seasonal themed records by the lovely Pamela Wyn Shannon. It's that kind of melancholic folk that breathes with the musky scent of its Irish setting and influences, among them the likes of Nick Drake and Pentangle. Massachusetts-based musician, Pamela Wyn Shannon’s inventive and intricate guitar work has been described as “a tiny chamber orchestra working in unison at the end of her hands.” She has walked with the legends of British and Irish folk music, garnering respect and admiration wherever she goes.

The songs on this album have an elliptical quality which creates its own time frame, rules, and kingdoms, reminiscent of that magic found in UK ’60s psyche-folk artifacts. She recorded it largely on her own throughout New England and has created a rustic almanac of autumnal songs burnished with a melancholy mood, wistful vocals, delicate hand-spun guitar playing, weather-worn and windswept by plaintive string and recorder arrangements.

If you're a fan of Drake, Pentangle, Magna Carta or any of that wonderful early folk/psyche-folk, give this one a go!

Link: Removed as per Request
Purchase: http://www.cdbaby.com/pwshannon2

Naan - Dokusa [2007]

Now to be honest with you, i don't know jack shit about Post-Rock. It's not as if i dismiss the genre as a whole, because there are a handful of bands i do enjoy (see Mono a few posts below.) But for the most part the middle is filled with too many uninspired, mediocre bands that i just find too boring. Maybe i don't get it? Am i so out of touch? All i know is i like what i like, and i damn sure like Japan's Naan, and their debut 'Dokusa'.

I took a chance on this Japanese band. Initially while not expecting much it turned out to be most excellent! It's more or less a fusion of Japanese and world sounds, loaded with lots of blaring sax and ethereal flute work. There are also the occasional falsetto vocals near the climax of the song but are used very sparingly and tastefully even though they remain a mostly instrumental band.

If you are like me and don't really get the whole Post-Rock thing, take a chance with this one. You will be pleasantly suprised.

Link: http://sharebee.com/509d5997

The Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound - Ekranoplan [2007]

Anyone interested in the retro/heavy rock releases from the awesome Tee Pee record label (Earthless, Ancestors, Witch, Graveyard, Titan) should get their hands on this little scorcher as soon as possible! With roots clearly in the psychedelic rock scene and influences such as Pink Floyd, Crazy Horse, Sabbath, Iron Butterfly, The 13th Floor Elevators & Blue Cheer, The Assemble Head is a band that might have better fit in the music scene in 60s.

This major label debut successfully merges the styles of some of the mentioned bands above into one ass-kicking experience. "Mosquito Lantern" for instance, is built around an Iron Butterfly-ish hard rock riff while "A Bourbon for Rudy" is even more blues-based, and bleeds straight out of the brighter "The Corner Zombies". In contrast comes the darker "Occult Roots" a song that slips right into Sabbath's satanic realms, while the blistering "D Brown" boasts Hendrixs-esque guitars early in, but swiftly settles into a delicious Creamy jam!

As with such groups as Comets on Fire or Dead Meadow, the individual elements of the Assemble Head's onslaught are less important than the music's overall cumulative wallop. It’s the kind of music that asks you to just sit back and let it all wash over you. Highly recommended stuff, god bless Tee Pee!

Link: http://sharebee.com/6aea7335

Pure Reason Revolution - The Dark Third [2006] + NEARfest [2007 Live]

Pure Reason Revolution is probably one of the most interesting prog related bands of today. On one hand they are a modern day rock band with lovely vocal harmonies, on the flip side they smack you in the face with their mesmerizing brand of Floyd-style space rock! Take The Beach Boys poppish tunes for example, and mix it all up with some heavy guitar riffs, complex song structures and otherworldly concepts. The result is a beautifully flowing record produced by Paul Northfield, who also worked with Rush, Porcupine Tree & Gentle Giant.

It seems there has been a different tracklist for every country this was released in. The version i am posting is the Euro release, which is actually the entire US release as well as 5 bonus tracks.

Link P1: http://sharebee.com/e00623f1
Link P2: http://sharebee.com/03ba9d27



Two years after the release of "The Dark Third", PRR offers a livesession recorded at the NEARfest festival in 2007. The sound quality is absolutely amazing. They play majority of their material from "The Dark Third" as well as a few new tracks. These sound somewhat heavier and even a little more electronic, perhaps this is an early example of what their future work will sound like?

The melodic and atmospheric passages somehow find their way between the sonic guitar explosions, sounding like something Steven Wilson would be happy to call his own. Their highly anticipated sophomore album is expected to drop sometime in March this year. Keep your eyes out for that one!

Link: http://sharebee.com/9acd8a8b