My Brother The Wind - Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One

Sweden’s instrumental cosmic rock quartet, My Brother The Wind, knows how to groove old school, and that's a fact. Okay, I'm just going to come right out at the beginning of this review and say that I'm a sucker for what bands like Sweden's My Brother The Wind (MBTW) do on their latest LP Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One. These guys make the kind of classic instrumental cosmic rock (I've always called it space rock, but whatever) that Pink Floyd made famous in their more contemplative, if self-indulgent, moments for generation of stoned teenagers where the sense of time goes by the wayside. And I couldn't be more into it. Dat title though.

Recorded live, and completely improvised, with no overdubs during one January day in Åmål, Sweden, the thoroughly analog feel of the album came from using vintage flangers, plate reverbs and tape echoes recorded to 2" tape on a 44-year-old 16-track Ampex. How's that grab you for authenticity? But it's all for naught if the tunes don't work, right? Luckily MBTW has the goods, indulging in songs that sometimes break the 12 minute mark without sounding like the needle's stuck on the record. And it's that kind of solid grooving that makes or breaks this genre; chill and groove out, but don't be boring, man. Nice work, lads.

The Bottom Line: Sweden's reputation for musical innovation and revival continues to grow to the delight of eager listeners with bands like My Brother The Wind. This is classic head-tripping stuff, and the fact that it's all performed without a net makes it all the more amazing. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta get my vape on.

Tracks To Enjoy While Lying On Your Bokhara Rug With Your Headphones On: Songs Of Innocence Part 1, Misty Mountainside, and Garden Of Delights

- Genghis is feeling toasted, nicely toasted...

Podcast #185: Resolution

It's new year's eve and the lads have rustled up Harem Scarem's Pete Lesperance for a chin wag. Bottoms up!Happy new year! Okay, we know it's almost February, but work with us. Made your resolution(s) yet? We haven't, but we're kind of slow with these sorts of things (you may have noticed). Join Genghis & Ragman as they discuss what tunes, concerts, collaborations and movies they'll be anticipating in the new year. If everything comes together, we're looking at another solid year of music. Next, the boys welcome back Harem Scarem guitarist Pete Lesperance for a one on one as he discusses the new CD Thirteen as well as plans for 2015.

DVD of the Show: Live at Wacken 2014

Beer of the Show: Smoked Porter with Chocolate & Orange Peel (Stone Brewing Co.)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.5 Palate: 3.0 Taste: 3.0 Overall: 3.0	"Stone's latest is not too unlike a rauchbier with one of those chocolate oranges dropped in it, but the flavor's more sophisticated than it sounds."

2nd Beer of the Show: Bourbon County Stout (Goose Island Brewery) Rating: 3

Standout Tracks: Empire 21 - When You're Falling; Gary Moore - The End of the World; Avantasia - Invoke the Machine; Savatage - Sirens and Handful of Rain; Lynch Mob - Believers of the Day; Van Halen - You and Your Blues; Harem Scarem - I'll be Brief, Garden of Eden, Saints and Sinners, Live It, Stardust, Change Comes Around

- Ragman is looking forward to another hard-rocking year...

Podcast #185: Resolution

Job For A Cowboy - Sun Eater

Love 'em or hate 'em, it's new technical death metal from those plucky Arizonans, Job For A Cowboy.You have to hand it to Glendale's Job For A Cowboy (JFAC); they've been plugging away at making their place in the metal community for over a decade now and, while still polarizing amongst critics, they seem to finally be coming into their own as a technical death metal band worthy of attention, something ably exemplified on their sixth studio album, Sun Eater.

While I tend to avoid bands with logos that look like something Dexter Morgan would be examining at a crime scene, I have come across JFAC's music before and been mildly intrigued. They're not breaking down any genre barriers or reinventing anything, but they do know how to throw down some heavy tunage, even topping it with some pretty sweet solos from Al Glassman and Tony Sannicandro, such as what's heard on The Stone Cross (1:23) or The Synthetic Sea (2:21). And it's nice to hear bassist Nick Schendzielos in the mix as many such productions can get a bit sludgey with the weight of the rhythym section needed to support most genre guitarists' wall of sound approach. But producer Jason Suecof does an impressive job of keeping even the most crazy runs listenable as well as heavy as fuck.

The Bottom Line: Fans of Job For A Cowboy will likely find even more to like about this evolving band, while newcomers looking for a good technical deathmetal fix should be pleasantly surprised what they find on Sun Eater. Bon appétit, motherfuckers!

- Genghis may need a new pair of headphones soon...

Podcast #184: Winter

Santa is metal. It's an indisputable fact.All the world rejoice for, lo, the lads have returned for their 8th annual Kicks and Kisses [to the balls] Lists for 2014. Join Genghis & Ragman as they make their picks for the best and worst of the last 12 months over fine food and drink live at Grub's Burger Bar. Then the boys hook up with their old pal, Mr. Big's Eric Martin, who waxes nostalgiac about the new album, ...The Stories We Could Tell. So pour yourself some egg nog and crank it up.

Featured Tracks: Dragonforce - The Sun Is Dead; Astra - Broken Balance; Winger - Queen Babylon; Anathema - The Lost Song, Part 1; Schenker - To Live For The King; Prong - Come To Realize; Marty Friedman - Horrors; Gus G - Dreamkeeper; Unisonic - Beggars At The Door; Project Arcadia - Beggars At The Door; Evergrey - A New Dawn; Saga - Let It Slide

- Genghis figures the New Year's Eve show should take less time...

Podcast #184: Winter

Triosphere - The Heart Of The Matter

These cats from Norway know how to make good metal. They even have a bitchin' album cover.Norwegian metallers Triosphere are going like gangbusters these days, due in no small part to the vocals of bassist/frontwoman Ida Haukland. Which is not at all to say that the rest of the gang on their third album The Heart Of The Matter isn't holding up its end of things. Oh no, the musicianship of this quartet is fucking stellar, featuring a fantastic blend of melodic, progressive and power metal with enough energy to power a small town through the winter.

And it's not all breakneck speed either. Too many metal bands tend to go full throttle at all times, forsaking the magic of a balanced effort, allowing space for the music. Check out the solo section of Breathless (around 3:15) and its sweet grooving for an example of this band's understanding of such dynamics. Following that track, Departure engages in some sweet Dream Theater/Rush style rhythmic crunching before its very tasteful solo. These guys are just making some great rock and roll here, folks. Haukland's voice is more on the Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) side of female vocals; not bad-ass rocker chick like Nina Oseguedo (A Sound Of Thunder) and not a classically trained opera singer like Tarja Turunen (Within Temptation). This works out great since it allows the music to share the soundscape without competing with what is often considered the novelty of female vocals.

The Bottom Line: Triosphere is some damn fine metal for fans of classic melodic/hard rock and power metal with a touch of the progressive thrown in for some flavor. Even if you're not a fan of female vocals (and why wouldn't you be?) you can't deny that the music here is really really good.

- Genghis would love to catch these cats in a club some time soon...