Art Rock Show – Four Sides (Week 07)

Monarch Trail is een Canadees symfonisch progressief rockproject onder leiding van multi-instrumentalist en zanger Ken Baird, bestaande uit Dino Verginella op bas en Chris Lamont op drums. Er zijn ook gastoptredens op gitaar door Kelly Kereliuk en Steve Cochrane.

David Edwards van Prog Radar: “Four Sides is their impressive fourth release and, in my opinion, manages to not only match the quality of their previous album Wither Down, but brings it up several notches more.

Deliberately recalling the classic days of the double vinyl album, with each side having its own distinct character, and the space to fully develop musical themes (such as ‘Tales of Topographic Oceans’ perhaps?) – this is classic, keyboard-led progressive rock but with a distinctive signature sound and modern-edge that the band have cultivated since 2014. It is musically the antithesis of the modern quick-fix, 3-minute soundbite culture of the modern music streaming sites, where songs are never given a chance to blossom over a full album side. So, while the 73 minutes of music can fit on a single CD – Ken challenges you to consider the album as ‘four sides’ of music, to be enjoy individually, or as a cohesive and complete body of work. (…)

With Four Sides, Monarch Trail have produced their best and most ambitious album to date, with the ‘double album’ concept allowing space for the musical themes and deeply personal lyrics to fully develop and never feel rushed. The symphonic progressive rock instrumentation is stunning and whilst undoubtedly it is the keyboards that will rightly dominate the musical panorama, the poignant and gossamer-like vocals also have their place amongst all the proggy instrumental exuberance. Old-school prog for sure, but lovingly crafted for the modern era by Ken and his talented compatriots.”

Naast Monarch Trail (Four Sides), Lifesigns (Altitude), Machines Dream (Black Science), Kaprekar’s Constant (Fate Outsmarts Desire), Gentle Knife (Clock Unwound ) & Phoenix Again (Look Out).

• Thursday/Donderdag 12.00 – 24.00
• Friday/Vrijdag 12.00 – 24.00
• Saturday/Zaterdag 12.00 – 24.00