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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=99045 Printed Date: April 28 2024 at 04:23 Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Preacher (UK) for Crossover ProgPosted By: Svetonio
Subject: Preacher (UK) for Crossover Prog
Date 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.’
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."
http://www.rock-zone.co.uk/category/review-centre/cd-reviews/" rel="nofollow - CD Reviews » http://www.rock-zone.co.uk/category/review-centre/" rel="nofollow - Review Centre
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….
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.
Replies: Posted By: yam yam
Date 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" rel="nofollow - http://progfreak.com/Preacher-159356.html?path=pa/recent . One 'yes' vote so far from Kev.
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.
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 12:14
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" rel="nofollow - http://progfreak.com/Preacher-159356.html?path=pa/recent . One 'yes' vote so far from Kev.
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.
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 23 2014 at 22:00
Great band this.
------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
Posted By: noni
Date Posted: July 22 2017 at 08:49
A friend has just mentioned this band from Scotland and I like it!!