Welcome to Prog's Tracks Of The Week. Six new and diverse slices progressive music for you to enjoy.
Congratulations this week to former Kayak frontman Edward Reekers whose Good Citizens romped home with over 40% of last week's vote, and with psych band The Kobras and UK prog rockers Haken in second and third places respectively.
The premise for Tracks Of The Week is simple - we've collated a batch of new releases by bands falling under the progressive umbrella, and collated them together in one post for you - makes it so much easier than having to dip in and out of various individual posts, doesn't it?
The idea is to watch the videos (or listen if it's a stream), enjoy (or not) and also to vote for your favourite in the voting form at the bottom of this post. Couldn't be easier could it?
We'll be bringing you Tracks Of The Week, as the title implies, each week. Next week we'll update you with this week's winner, and present a host of new prog music for you to enjoy.
If you're a band and you want to be featured in Prog's Tracks Of The Week, send your video (as a YouTube link) or track embed, band photo and biog to us here.
So get watching. And get voting at the bottom of the page.
THE FIERCE AND THE DEAD - SHAKE THE JAR
The Fierce And The Dead boys are back with another single, Shake The Jar, as they gear up for the release of their much anticipated new album News From The Invisible World, which is released through Spencer Park Music on July 28. As has been widely reported, this is the first TF&TD album to feature vocals, with bassist and producer Kevin Feazey stepping up to the mic!
"We wrote this track with a lot of discontent around how the world is and how many people who are struggling are expected to take the brunt of any changes. We need more love!" says Kevin Feazey.
“The first track we recorded with the baritone guitars for extra low riff action. I love Tom from Orange Clocks backing vocals on this one,” adds guitarist Matt Stevens.
SPURV - URDRÅPENE
Spurv are a Norwegian post-rock sextet who have just signed with Pelagic Records and who will release their fourth studio album Brefjære on September 28, from which comes the rather epic Urdråpene. The band's label liken them to such doyens of the post-rock world as MONO, Sigur Rós and This Will Destroy You!
"This album is such a complete composition that it is difficult to pick out singles," the band explain. "But Urdråpene is a true banger - maybe the heaviest track we've ever made. It's a perfect part of the closing of the album, but also a great stand-alone track with its dense, majestic and hypnotizing finish."
SUSANNA - OBSESSION
Obsession is the latest single from Norwegian art rocker Susanna, who has been indulging her own obsession with the French poet Charles Baudelaire, which has thus far spawned two studio albums, 2020's Baudelaire & Piano and 2021's Elevation. Susanna is about to release Baudelaire & Orchestra, a new live album featuring music from those two releases, through her own SusannaSonata label on July 28.
"I’ve been wanting to develop this material since the first Baudelaire album," explains Susanna. "There’s a bit more complexity in the harmonies and the rhythms than you can hear in the bare piano arrangements. I think these songs have become even more accessible in these orchestral versions, and I hope many more people will be able to enjoy the music."
THE HOLY FAMILY - GO ZERO SUITE PT. II
It's a second Tracks Of The Week appearance for The Holy Family, who feature such noted musicians as Kavus Torabi (Gong, The Utopia Strong, Knifwworld), Emmet Elvin (Knifeworld, Chrome Hoof), David Jason Smith and Sam Waker, all of whom were members of influential art rockers Guapo, along with new drummer Joe Lazarus. The band will release their second album, Go Zero, through Rocket Recordings on July 21.
"Go Zero is based on a hypothetical theory that there is no such thing as ‘the future’," says Smith. "We are continually moving forward into our past until we arrive at our birth – creation – the Tree Of Knowledge… or ‘Going Zero’, as I’ve termed it."
THE 3 CLUBMEN - AVIATRIX
The 3 Clubman is a new project featuring former XTC mainstay Andy Partridge, alongside Albuquerque-based LA native musician-songwriter Jen Olive and Swindown-based musician Stu Rowe. This elegant slice of pastoral pop is taken from the trio's upcoming eponymous EP which will be released on June 30 via Swindon-based Lighterthief Records, in cooperation with Burning Shed.
"Like an 'action painter' throws colour at a canvas, we tend to throw musical and sound things, knowing that we'll cut through this seemingly insane mess later, to hopefully find some beautiful garden, hiding there," explains Partridge. "I throw paint, Jen throws paint, Stu throws paint... and we walk away. If, when we return, something in there calls to us, we'll move heaven and earth to get it out and let it breath. Using whatever it takes, be it contrary musical ideas, parts in clashing keys incongruous sounds, contradictory words/phrases. It's all clay to us."
HELD BY TREES - THE TREE OF LIFE
Instrumental prog/post-rock outfit Held By Trees have been best known as an act in thrall to the otherworldly sounds of Talk Talk up til now. And whilst there's nothing wrong with that, eventually the band, fronted by multi-instrumentalist and composer David Joseph, are going to have to start creating a more solid identity for themselves. It sounds like that may have begun with two new EPs, Solace - Live From Real World Studios, from which comes this rendition of Tree Of Life, and Eventide, an entirely new suite of pieces themed on the transition from daylight to darkness. Both EPs are out through Sound Canyon records on August 11.
AISLES - BAHAMUT
Chilean prog rockers Aisles have had an awkward year. Despite releasing their latest album Beyond Drama back in April, the band have shed half of their line-up. The remaining trio, who feature new drummer Alvaro Poblete, have wasted little time on getting new music out there in Bahamut, a 13-minute instrumental prog suite, based on the science fiction novel of the same name by author Francisco Ortega .
"This work has influences from progressive metal, from the ambient of keyboardist Rick Wright from Pink Floyd, to the sound of Porcupine Tree, and Muse in the period of their album Absolution. We had the idea of an intricate, cyclical suite that was difficult to understand," explains guitarist Germán Vergara,. "We wanted to give a sensation of instability and, at the same time, vertigo."
