giovedì 27 maggio 2010

Frogg Café - Bateless Edge (2010)


Il quarto album dei Frogg Café è in uscita il 18 giugno. Questo è il comunicato della Band:

Progressive rock band Frog Cafe is pleased to announce the completion of their fourth studio release entitled Bateless Edge. The captivating new record is set to be released on 10T Records on June 18, 2010.

Bateless Edge is a stunning 78-minute statement, described by bassist/composer Andrew Sussman as a "...reflection on incidents revolving around our own personal lives, as well as an integrated and newly formed sound that takes this band into realms that have been unexplored until now." The seeds of Bateless Edge have actually dated back to 2003, when one of the pieces called "Pasta Fazeuhl", composed by co-founder and returning guitarist Frank Camiola, has finally come to fruition after seven years. Frogg Cafe has reworked and resurrected this 14-minute piece and it stands as one of the darkest and most intense musical statements made thus far by this ever-evolving band.

The centerpiece of the album is the nearly 20-minute "Under Wuhu Sun" composed by Andrew Sussman. Sussman explains, "This piece of music is very personal to me and based on true life events surrounding the adoption of our baby girl, and it has taken me nearly a year to get my thoughts into this piece". In this elaborate journey, Frogg Cafe explores textures and an detailed orchestration akin to symphony music; a giant step forward for the band. Clarinets, mandolins, cellos, glockenspiels, bass clarinets, xylophones, string quartets and many other instruments all integrate to create a sound world that will yield the listener infinite details on future listens. Sussman also contributes the Zappa-inspired and spacerock-tinged opener called "Terra Sancta", based on events surrounding the 9/11 attacks on The World Trade Center. This track also boasts Classical Indian influences, as well as a contemporary jazz-fusion sound that is unmistakably Frogg Cafe.

Lead Vocalist, keyboardist, and trumpet player Nick Lieto composed two tracks "Move Over, I'm Driving" and "From The Fence". Lieto's distinct style can be heard immediately and many Frogg Cafe fans will be thrilled to hear his two newest compositions, which are extremely well-thought out and expertly written. Lieto's enthusiasm for the music of J.S. Bach is imprinted into these pieces as the heavily contrapuntal scoring is both breathtaking and extremely intricate. Camiola's second contribution is in the 10-minute "Belgian Boogie Board", which began life as an unrecorded composition from his acclaimed avant-garde masterpiece Cardboard Amanda (1996 Liar Leaver Records). "Basically, it was an experimentation in orchestration and yields a new level of complexity for this band..." says Camiola on the composition which boasts a 28-page musical score consisting of roughly twenty-five different instruments.

Many additional instrumentalists were recruited to record this latest opus, including Andrew Sussman's father Steve Sussman on clarinet, Cardboard Amanda member Dee Harris on Indian Slide guitar and Tamboura, as well as fellow 10T artist Vessela Stoyanova from Fluttr Effect. Frogg Cafe Trombonist John Lieto adds his prodigious chops to "Bateless Edge" in many places as well.

Violinist, mandolinist, producer, and engineer Bill Ayasse has undoubtedly created his finest sonic work to date with "Bateless Edge". The standard of excellence that Frogg Cafe fans have come to expect will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of sound and detail that the new work demonstrates. Bill Ayasse has spent (in his own words) "Hundreds of hours...and then many, many, many more!...." on Bateless Edge. Ayasse elaborates further "The playing of the band is at an all-time high, especially for drummer James Guarneiri. He drives each composition with a flair and intensity that many drummers will be envious of when they've heard the album. If you thought he was good before, wait until you hear the new album. It is safe to say that this is James' finest playing of his career."

The amazingly diverse masterpiece Bateless Edge will be available for pre-order on June 3, 2010 by 10T Records.

www.froggcafe.com

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