Superluminal Pachyderm (Eclectic Prog?) |
Post Reply |
Author | |
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Topic: Superluminal Pachyderm (Eclectic Prog?) Posted: March 17 2008 at 22:44 |
I've been following this one-man project ever since I found it on mp3.com about seven years ago. I would describe it as Frank Zappa, Weird Al Yankovic, Syd Barrett, and Thomas Dolby forming a neo-prog outfit that only composes on a computer. It doesn't really sound like any of them, but it has the spirit of those four artists. It's strange stuff and takes a little getting used to. I sense neo prog, symphonic prog, psychedelic, electronic, pop prog, and who knows what else.
A selection of mp3 files can be found here: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=293277&content=music Superluminal Pachyderm's home page is here: http://www.xaagma.com/sp/index.html There is a history of the project here: http://www.xaagma.com/sp/history.html The history is rather lengthy. If this ever meets PA's approval, I can write a shorter bio. The project's discography is here: http://www.xaagma.com/sp/disc.html |
|
Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: March 17 2008 at 23:31 |
Thanks progaoppteryx for the recommendation. I'm listening now, very interesting. Like the funkiness of the first track, and the second one has a good electronica feel. Have to get through all of the tracks before making an evaluation, but wanted to respond relatively quickly. I'll mention it to Ricochet of the Eclectic (and Electronic) team.
Interesting that most of it is done on computer From the project's site:
|
|
Just a fanboy passin' through.
|
|
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Posted: April 01 2008 at 18:57 |
Thanks Logan. If you need any additional info, I'd be happy to assist.
|
|
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Posted: October 19 2008 at 14:51 |
Did anyone ever decide if this met PA inclusion standards or not?
|
|
Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: October 20 2008 at 12:12 |
I added it to ratingfreak (where we vote) seven months ago, but must have forgotten to put it on the charts, or was waiting to hear what developed before adding it to the Eclectic chart. I'll have to review what happened with it (I was more than a bit out of sorts back then).
Have located where I asked opinions in Eclectic in the team thread. We never came to a conclusion. I was unsure at the time, and because, though I added it to ratingfreak.com, but did not add it to the chart itself, it got lost in the shuffle. I will return to it to see where I think it might fit best. |
|
Just a fanboy passin' through.
|
|
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Posted: October 21 2008 at 19:42 |
Thanks Logan. If you need help with the bio, etc., please let me know. Or if it belongs elsewhere, let me know who I can pass it on to.
|
|
Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: October 21 2008 at 19:50 |
Okay; will do. Sorry for the very long delay.
|
|
Just a fanboy passin' through.
|
|
clarke2001
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: June 14 2006 Location: Croatia Status: Offline Points: 4160 |
Posted: November 06 2008 at 12:37 |
Proagaeopteryx, if you propose a band as Superluminal Pachyderm ever again, I'll kill you.
This is not mind-blowing; many prog is mind-blowing -- this is a creature taking your brain out and using it as a ball on a 9-dimensional pinball machine. Seriously though, I'm a bit shaken. We will be very, very, thankful if you help us with the biography and stuff. |
|
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Posted: November 06 2008 at 20:24 |
That's a good description. I think I have another artist that's rather strange that might fit in avant-garde, but I won't be submitting it any time soon. I have a slight interest in the absurd.
Here is a bio: Superluminal Pachyderm is a one-man project created by Ken Robinson of the State College area of Pennsylvania in 1999. The project is rather unusual in that Robinson rarely performs any instruments on his music, but instead composes them entirely of samples of real instruments using music sequencer software on his computer with the help of a sound editor and other music software. Like many other independent artists at the time, Superluminal Pachyderm had its start on mp3.com and debuted its first album "Lexicographic Lint" in 2000. After having some success on mp3.com's charts, Robinson decided to continue his project by releasing three more albums and a compilation on mp3.com until that company met its demise in 2003. Releases included Oddities (later in 2000), Perpetual Insanity (2001), The Great Big Dog Biscuit (compilation in 2001) and Prum (2002). After 2003, Robinson reissued all of Superluminal Pachyderm's previous albums on his own label and in 2005 released Sea of Peas, his most ambitious creation to date. Since 2007, Superluminal Pachyderm has been working on an album called Unsalted Pants. The music of Superluminal Pachyderm takes some getting used to. It has the humor and weirdness of Frank Zappa, Al Yankovic, and others of their kind, but the electronic aspects remind one of Thomas Dolby meets neo progressive rock with occasional bouts of psychedelic madness and dissonance. Since the music is entirely composed and created on a computer, it also has that "programmed" feel in places (like Magellan's programmed drums on their first two albums). Robinson's vocals are often spoken, often heavily processed, and full of echo and other effects. The subject matter of Robinson's songs are really odd with much of the material sounding like postmodern poetry, often making very little sense, with many references to food items, household appliances, and other inanimate objects. Occasionally some songs seem to deliver a message, often allegorically. Superluminal Pachyderm is hard to describe and usually leaves one wondering if this artist is out of his mind or some sort of mad genius. |
|
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Posted: November 06 2008 at 20:26 |
Here is the only image of the artist I could find. It's on the inside of the insert to The Great Big Dog Biscuit compilation. It seems like a fitting image for the music.
|
|
clarke2001
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: June 14 2006 Location: Croatia Status: Offline Points: 4160 |
Posted: November 07 2008 at 12:48 |
Many thanks Theo!! Artist and discography added..now onto reviewing! |
|
progaeopteryx
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 03 2005 Location: Refrigerator Status: Offline Points: 3613 |
Posted: November 07 2008 at 14:22 |
Thanks for all your hard work and to the rest of the Eclectic team members for taking the time to review this submission. Your work is much appreciated.
|
|
Post Reply | |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |