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Svetonio View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Preacher (UK) for Crossover Prog
    Posted: July 22 2014 at 23:41


"Preacher, a melodic rock band from Ayrshire, made history on April 27 2013 at O2 ABC1, Glasgow launching their newest album in their Discography ‘Signals’. It was the first time that an unsigned band has played a headline gig at the venue. 

Preacher has been met with great critical acclaim over the past few years. With some great shows at O2 Carling Academy Glasgow, King Tuts and The Garage under their belts the band are in high demand for repeat performances. The band has gathered a loyal and supportive fan base over the past few years and the new album is sure to be a hit with both old and new fans alike. Dedicating over 6 months in the studio the talented musicians have developed a unique sound.
Tracks written for the ‘Signals’ album has already receive interest from television production companies and one of the tracks ‘Destiny’ will be utilised on Channel 4 in the UK in the near future.
At the album launch UUC Management commented that Preacher ‘wowed the audience ranging from 16 to 50 with a set that even Pink Floyd would have been proud of. Their whole stage presence invigorated the hyped up crowd. From start to finish the set was flawless and with additional backing vocalists and acoustic guitars the sound was incredible to behold and a memory that won't be forgotten anytime soon.’ 

http://www.reverbnation.com/preacherayrshiresmelodicrockband

REVIEW FROM ROSS MUIR Fabrications HQ
"Ayrshire’s melodic progressives Preacher presented a set that worked as an album launch for Signals, showcasing that debut release; on the night the five Preachers were augmented by a trio of female backing singers and two additional musicians on acoustic guitars.
Those extra musical layers helped produce an accomplished, full album sound and the ever-changing images projected on to the above-stage video screen – featuring a myriad of images including crop circles, Margaret Thatcher and beings from another dimension (do your own jokes) – made for a very Floyd-esque show.
But then the band’s own brand of atmospheric prog, led by the voice of Martin Murphy, the keyboard textures of Arnie Burgoyne and the melodic guitar lines and solos from young Greg Murphy (whose remarkable self-taught ability belies his age) is very visual and takes its musical lead from the soundscapes of Pink Floyd, underpinned by a bluesy based rock structure.
Not obvious musical bedfellows but Preacher makes it work extremely well, the two styles merged into a cohesive, sometimes truly captivating sound by the band’s musicianship and Martin Murphy’s songwriting skills (aided lately in composition by Burgoyne).
Vocally, Martin Murphy is akin to a smooth, gravel-free variant of Joe Cocker with David Bowie styled phrasing and nuances, but his distinct timbre and lyrics give perfect ‘voice’ to the band’s musicality.
Showcasing an entire, relatively unheard album can be a dangerous, foolish or brave thing to do, dependent on quality of product and crowd-base, but Preacher were on safe musical ground from the introduction of ‘Time’ to the big finish of ‘I’ll be There,’ which open and close the album respectively.
There were highlights throughout the entire sixty minutes including the slow building title track, the punchy and rhythmic ‘Friends of my Dreams’ (which also carried Middle Eastern musical cadences) and the semi-anthemic ‘Destiny.’

I can only hope Preacher and Signals get the critical review and recognition they both deserve."







https://www.youtube.com/user/47preacher





Preacher – “Signals”

April 15, 2014

Review by Martin Leach

First, a question. Is it a blessing or a curse for your music to draw comparisons with other artist’s works? For your creative juices to be boiled down to just another version of a tried and trusted formula…. Ask Preacher how they feel about that!

The band was formed in 2007 and comprise of five musicians plus two female backing singers, all of whom have travelled different paths to arrive at this point. Various bands and projects over they years have gone by, acoustic nights and open mics, and in the case of Archie Burgoyne, the band’s amazingly talented keys player who also chips in with the writing, from a tour with Echo And The Bunnymen no less! “Signals” represents the band’s first attempt to build on their loyal fanbase which has grown mainly through word of mouth and gigs in the venues of Ayrshire, Scotland, where the band originate. In my honest view, it is a gem. A diamond in the rough. An audio experience.

We’re talking melodic prog here. Not your archetypal widdly, widdly, twenty minute songs with ten minute indulgent solos and more time changes than you can shake a drum stick at. The music on offer is sublime. It’s an album to turn on, tune in and drop out to. Turn off the lights, close your eyes and enjoy. And with that heady feel to the mix in the soundscape, comes the inevitable comparisons with certain influences…..

From the opening strains of “Time”, almost a prologue, with its piano led tempo and acoustic, earthy guitar, there are distinct Echoes, if you forgive the pun, of a Pink Floyd vibe to the music and lyrics. Now we can dissect and compare all we like. But listen to the understated chord changes, the subtlety of the backing vocals, and the laid back bluesy organic lush of the track. Similarly, the vocals of Martin Murphy draws its own comparisons….it’s hard not to hear the inflections of David Bowie throughout the album, also with a touch of Bryan Josh of Mostly Autumn or even Joe Cocker. “Time” is three minutes and forty three seconds which set the tone of the album brilliantly.

This leads us into “Jupiter To Mars”, track two, and a beautifully arranged track it is. With a flurry of choral singers, the acoustic guitar and piano again lead us into the lyrics. This isn’t a concept album as such, but there is a thread running through some of the songs; that of visitors from other worlds. With a sweep of Floydian chimes, we’re launched into a mid tempo track with Greg Murphy’s ( no relation to Martin ) guitars taking centre stage with a neck spanning solo. There’s a story here in itself. From joining the band as bass player, Murphy took the lead guitarist’s role in 2012. This is from only starting to learn the instrument in 2010! He’s self taught, and it seems he’s a very good teacher!

Each of the twelve, fairly short, punchy songs on “Signals” feels like a movement in a concerto. To reap the most rewards, it’s got to be listened to from start to finish. The longest track, “Arrival” is an instrumental that serves as a six minute musical interlude. Wonderfully placed on the playing order. Davy Johnstone’s bass guitar powers along in a complex arrangement with an awesome production that sounds fresh, vital and new. The band is as one, with great work from drummer Iain Duncan. The variety of sounds that come from his kit throughout the album is stunning. And it’s so simple. Expertly fashioned rhythms and musical layers on tracks such as “Friends Of My Dreams” are a pleasure, this is a standout track, based around a crunching Murphy blues rock structure, an original pounding bass line and an middle eastern influenced phase. “Destiny” will be a staple in the band’s live shows for years to come. The song has a lot of interest from media companies, and rightly so. The soaring guitars and melodic vocals provide a truly captivating moment. It’s an anthem that will have the fans on their feet.

Martin Murphy’s vocals and Greg Murphy’s guitars provide many, many moments of pure beauty on “Signals”, too numerous to mention here. But possibly even these are eclipsed by Burgoyne’s keyboards. We have piano, organ, sound effects and a hell of a lot of synth of show here, all expertly handled. You can almost touch the notes on the album’s closing track “I’ll Be There”. The backing singers pay homage to “The Great Gig In The Sky” before Martin Murphy growls his way through what we’ll call a love song. It’s a great track and a great close to the album, with faultless backing vocals throughout. The music builds into a crescendo and a classic synth solo from years gone by unashamedly launches itself at you. The space rock fills your ears. All it needs is a guitar duel to lead the album out, but sadly the keys fade out….

“Signals” taken as a whole, is something of an oddity….but what a wonderful thing it is. Forget the comparisons. Revel in the music. And all this from an unsigned band….nearly forgot to mention that! As with some debut albums, there are always improvements…..some of the tracks could be longer and the lyrics, whilst perfectly adequate on this chilled out album, could be more challenging or complex in the future…but that’s just this fan’s view! In some ways, the backing vocals lend so much to be band; I wonder whether the lead vocals could be shared next time out. In the same way that bands such as Mr So And So or Mostly Autumn do so well. It will be interesting to hear what the tricky second album is like. Preacher have an absolute classic within them somewhere. On a purely selfish point of view, I just hope “Signals” isn’t it! Time….will tell….


http://preacherrock.bandcamp.com/


Compact Disc (CD Signals, the 12 track album by Preacher on CD.

  • Includes immediate download of 12-track album in the high-quality format of your choice (MP3, FLAC, and more), plus unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.  
  • released 22 July 2014 








Edited by Svetonio - July 23 2014 at 05:24
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yam yam View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 23 2014 at 08:31
Already under evaluation, Svet.  Scott (rushfan4) added them to progfreak a few days ago, and must have dropped a note in the Crossover team thread: http://progfreak.com/Preacher-159356.html?path=pa/recent. One 'yes' vote so far from Kev. Thumbs Up
 
Edit: Thanks for the post - which is excellent, and will aid Kev greatly when the band is eventually added (assuming they get two more 'yes' votes). It is all well and good collaborators dropping notes into team threads that are hidden away from the general public, and can't be accessed by 99.9999% of the music-loving World, but I strongly believe that this should only be done after a mention has been made in the public forum, and everyone is therefore aware of what is happening. Embarrassed


Edited by yam yam - July 23 2014 at 08:38
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 23 2014 at 12:14
Originally posted by yam yam yam yam wrote:

Already under evaluation, Svet.  Scott (rushfan4) added them to progfreak a few days ago, and must have dropped a note in the Crossover team thread: http://progfreak.com/Preacher-159356.html?path=pa/recent. One 'yes' vote so far from Kev. Thumbs Up
 
Edit: Thanks for the post - which is excellent, and will aid Kev greatly when the band is eventually added (assuming they get two more 'yes' votes). It is all well and good collaborators dropping notes into team threads that are hidden away from the general public, and can't be accessed by 99.9999% of the music-loving World, but I strongly believe that this should only be done after a mention has been made in the public forum, and everyone is therefore aware of what is happening. Embarrassed
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 23 2014 at 22:00
Great band this. 
I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 22 2017 at 08:49
A friend has just mentioned this band from Scotland and I like it!!Cool
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