Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=98115 Printed Date: April 18 2024 at 04:07 Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Messenger (UK) for Prog FolkPosted By: Svetonio
Subject: Messenger (UK) for Prog Folk
Date Posted: May 01 2014 at 20:14
MESSENGER (UK) is a musical troupe from London formed in the spring of 2012 by Khaled Lowe and Barnaby Maddick. They booked a session with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios that gave birth to their debut album, Illusory Blues: a cosmic ode to the forces of nature and the inevitable cycle of life. To cite musical influences would be futile. The musicians had made their names with bands in scenes as far apart as hardcore punk, black metal, and ambient music. Tonally, one might recall finding oneself in the same "space" occupied by other architects of sound such as Ulver, The Beatles, Swans, or Pink Floyd. But the stream of sound that emanates from the source of Illusory Blues is a heaving mass of organic richness, brimmed with intricate sounds that acknowledge the original fathers of experimentation but look forward in creating something new and unique. They dwell equally in the earthly realm of folk music and in the celestial void of progressive psychedelia, but have chanced upon a sound and an experience that sounds like no other. Rounded off by Daniel Knight and James Leach, the lineup of MESSENGER is now complete, but the journey has just begun.
MESSENGER are Khaled Lowe (guitars, vocals), Barnaby Maddick (guitars, vocals), Jaime
Gomez Arellano (drums, percussion), Dan Knight (guitars, keyboards),
James Leach (bass).
MESSENGER (UK) have been awarded ‘Band of the Day‘ on TheGuardian.com, the website of England’s most prestigious newspaper. Citing an “ambition
that should be loudly applauded, as well as an attention to dynamics
and a degree of dextrous musicianship that will delight prog/psych fans,” the post on TheGuardian.com comes in lieu of MESSENGER‘s forthcoming debut album, Illusory Blues (review http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/m/messenger-illusory-blues-cd-lp-dd-2014/" rel="nofollow - here ), set for international release on March 31st through Svart Records. The post, which also features a stream to the new song ‘Midnight,’ can be viewed http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/03/messenger" rel="nofollow - HERE .
"Messenger
will appeal to fans of progressive and psychedelic music, although
claims that they are channelling the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Swans are
somewhat wide of the mark. At a pinch, there are musical passages that
could reasonably be described as Floydian - post-Syd era, when things
were ominously languorous not uptight and psych. And Zep-esque: some of
the sounds on their debut album Illusory Blues have the cosmic heft and
grandeur of Led Zeppelin. A Zep/Floyd hybrid? That would make Messenger,
in many people's ears and eyes, the greatest rock band in the history
of forever. They're not quite that, but certainly there is an ambition
here that should be loudly applauded, as well as an attention to
dynamics and a degree of dextrous musicianship that will delight
prog/psych fans (...) They straddle that supermassive black hole between prog and folk." http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/03/messenger" rel="nofollow - http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/03/messenger
Replies: Posted By: yam yam
Date Posted: May 01 2014 at 20:49
Listened to this the other day, and gave them a 'like' on facebook. Tagged as Prog Folk and Neo Prog on RYM, so it might end up in Crossover! Good stuff indeed - this definitely belongs on here somewhere.
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: May 02 2014 at 05:36
yam yam wrote:
Listened to this the other day, and gave them a 'like' on facebook. Tagged as Prog Folk and Neo Prog on RYM, so it might end up in Crossover! Good stuff indeed - this definitely belongs on here somewhere.
"Objectively, this is a grand release for fans of prog-rock." - from review at thesleepingshaman.com
Posted By: yam yam
Date Posted: May 20 2014 at 06:36
Album is now on progstreaming: http://www.progstreaming.com/_wb/pages/play-album.php?activeAlbum=00748+-+Messenger+-+Illusory+Blues" rel="nofollow - http://www.progstreaming.com/_wb/pages/play-album.php?activeAlbum=00748+-+Messenger+-+Illusory+Blues .
Once again - this is really good stuff, and needs to be evaluated imho... (if not already being looked into by the Prog Folk team, that is - I have no way of checking myself).
Posted By: Khaled
Date Posted: May 24 2014 at 10:59
I really appreciate the kind words! Thank you! Khaled (Messenger)
Posted By: yam yam
Date Posted: May 24 2014 at 11:04
Welcome to progarchives Khaled Congratulations on a fine album - hopefully it will be taken forward for evaluation shortly.
Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: June 21 2014 at 19:29
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=8909" rel="nofollow - Messenger (UK) have been added to Prog Folk.
------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging."
Albert Camus
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: June 22 2014 at 02:38
Cheers for the Prog Folk Team & the great new prog band - Messenger!
Good stuff indeed - this definitely belongs on here somewhere. 
yam yam wrote:
Congratulations on a fine album - hopefully it will be taken forward for evaluation shortly. 