Echolyn release finally coming

Zombywoof wrote: This is my first Echolyn album and I'm completely hooked. Why aren't these guys more popular? They should be huge... Ironically, Infocat, I'm listening to "The Cardinal and I" and read your signature right with the chorus.

Hey, I was just reading some posts from you on progressiveears

You're the 19 year old prog wonder child

Yes, the new album is fantastic, quite possibly their best work.  They are not more popular probably because they are American, are not strictly "prog", and have real jobs that keep them from putting out albums regularly.

Check out Suffocating The Bloom, As The World, and Mei for more of their finest work.  The first two are quite different from what they've done since 2000, much more traditionally "proggy" (whatever that means, lol) with a lot of Gentle Giant influence.  Mei is much more in the vein of the current album.  All their albums are worth a listen, but those three, along with the new one, are the best IMO.

This is my first Echolyn album and I'm completely hooked. Why aren't these guys more popular? They should be huge...

Ironically, Infocat, I'm listening to "The Cardinal and I" and read your signature right with the chorus.

Edited by Zombywoof - July 22 2012 at 02:15

Great great album - yet another ECHOLYN classic... this band NEVER fails!!!

This must be the same Frank Swarbrick that used to frequent the old 60S_70S_PROGROCK Fidonet echo.  This is Clark Ray, you may remember me...heh, or not!

Epignosis wrote: echolynfan wrote: Track 8 - "The Cardinal and I" is yet another personal song from Ray and reflects his feelings about his own life after watching a Cardinal repeatedly fly into his side view mirror of his car. When I asked Ray about this song he told me (paraphrasing) " After watching this bird beat his head into the mirror over and over it reminded me of how it feels for me to go to work sometimes" The song also reflects some of Ray's musical tastes which tend to be darker/sinister and Chris' keys are equally sinister. Great way to end the album! I had always assumed, based on the title, that this song was about Catholicism in some way.  I can also say that this song sounds nothing like what I imagined it would. What line of work is Ray in, by the way?

Ray has been involved in a number of types of jobs ranging from Sanding and refinishing floors to his current job of Janitorial work - which is a coincidence to me since I own a Janitorial Supply Company. Paul does construction....Chris teaches music at Abington Friends School...Tom works at a medical reseach lab that does drug trials and Brett has his studio work.

Just a bunch of really cool "regular" guys that are fun to hang out with and have a beer or 12 :)


Edited by echolynfan - June 15 2012 at 18:24

My official review of the new album:

echolyn's latest self-titled release (not to be confused with their debut album of the same title) is a culmination of over 20 years of producing beautifully complex crafted music and is their finest album to date.

Blending together the older Pre-Cowboy Poems style with the later more mature and layered approach to songcrafting - echolyn have created a gorgeous new (yet familiar) sound brimming with soaring vocals, beautiful melodies, creative and touching lyrics. Wrap all of this musical goodness in an exquisitely mixed and mastered soundstage and you have echolyn's crowning achievement which I have nicknamed "The Window Album".

Track 1 - "Island": echolyn's magnum opus on the album and has everything you've come to expect from echolyn: Stunning guitars...beautifully crushing keys....killer bass lines and some tasty drumming. At 16:34 it's also the longest track on the album and kicks off the album with dynamic energy which will leave you begging for more at the end.

Track 2 - "Headright" will take you by surprise as it's the exact opposite from the opening track. It's a short 2:58 upbeat tune that will instantly make you start tapping your feet or perhaps drive a little faster if you're listening on the road.

Track 3 - "Locust To Bethlehem": One thing Ray Weston has always done with his songwriting is to bring the listener into his world in a very personal way. This track starts off with a nice little slide guitar from Brett and continues with a soulful sounding Ray taking us on a journey through his old haunt of Ambler, Pennsylvania. Beautiful strings kick in around the 2 minute mark to accent the mood and his reflective vocals perfectly and the chorus at the end is just gorgeous.

Track 4 - "Some Memorial" returns to the epic echolyn sound we heard in the 1st track and again Ray's vocals are powerful here as are the harmonies. Some stunning guitar work by Brett and some tasty keys from Chris round out this amazing track. Paul's drumming and Tom's bass drive the energy and the song crescendos with the best (IMO) harmonies from the band ever and some just crushing guitars.

Track 5 - "Past Gravity" is a beautiful song and sounds more like one of Brett's solo efforts with echolyn as supporting band and takes the listener down a musical river...drifing along to an emotional ending. Brett's vocals are smooth and are always a great compliment to Ray's style. echolyn unlike many bands have two gifted lead singers and they use it to great effect.

Track 6 - "When Sunday Spills" is another very personal song from Ray and tells the story of an abusive husband and his wife the victim of his abuse. The opening and ending audio of the couple screaming is simply disturbing but very important as it sets the mood for the song perfectly. More hauntingly beautful harmonies....jazzy keys...sweet slide guitar and pulsing drums/bass ending with a powerful guitar solo. One more thing that makes this such a personal track: The voices you hear of the couple were recorded by Ray - of his neighbors.

Track 7 - "Lampblack": As hard as it for to pick out one track as "the best" from this album - Lampblack would be it. Starting out with vocal effects ala Porcupine Tree and piano - this song features Brett's lead vocals and is quite simply the most beautful song they've ever written. Brett's wife Jacque provides some nice background vocals on this track as well as contributing to the art design of the album. The last 3 1/2 minutes absolutely blew me away and were so emotionally powerful it gave me goosebumps and brought me to tears. Yes...it's that good.

Track 8 - "The Cardinal and I" is yet another personal song from Ray and reflects his feelings about his own life after watching a Cardinal repeatedly fly into his side view mirror of his car. When I asked Ray about this song he told me (paraphrasing) " After watching this bird beat his head into the mirror over and over it reminded me of how it feels for me to go to work sometimes" The song also reflects some of Ray's musical tastes which tend to be darker/sinister and Chris' keys are equally sinister. Great way to end the album!

Truly a masterpiece which will open up upon repeat listens - echolyn have given us a gift which will be cherished by fans and will draw many many more new fans to them with this very accessible release. Available as a 2 cd set and limited edition numbered 180 gram vinyl (500 copies)

Official release date is June 19th, 2012

Playing now for the first time.  (Guess it takes a day longer to get to Colorado from PA than it does to get wherever you guys are!)  So far so great!!!
Pretty amazing, really. 

infandous wrote: Mine arrived yesterday, but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.  Can't wait!  It will get plenty of listens on my trip to Bethlehem, PA at the end of next week though..........where I'll also likely be able to give my regards to Brett and a couple other of the Echolyn boys (they usually are part of the Nearfest crew, so I assume they will be for this final one).

They sure will and will be signing and selling cds at their table!

Here's a video I recorded of Chris and Brett working on portions of the keys for "Locust To Bethlehem" and "Lampblack". I uploaded a portion of this to youtube last year and have included the other part making it around 20 min.

It's nice to watch it now having listened to the album - hope you enjoy it as much as I have!