TEE "The Earth Explorer"

TEE is a five piece flute front progressive rock band from Tokyo, Japan. Their so-called 'European' sound is unique considering their far-east origin. The imaginative tunes with complex ensembles and rhythms will definitely catch the attention of prog lovers all over the world. Their sound will remind you bands like Camel, King Crimson, Asia Minor or even Frank Zappa on some parts. The band was formed in 2004 when... more

Kevin BARTLETT

You may not know his name but you have definitely heard his music more than once or twice in your life. Maybe on HBO, or on MTV, or on VH1, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel. Doesn't ring the bell? How about American Idol Rewind, or Dr. 90210? We had interviewed Kevin Bartlett a couple of years ago when his second solo album GLOW IN THE DARK was released. Bartlett has been quiet since that time but but he has been secretly brewing new projects. A few months ago he had put a new song...more

Peter Hammill, founding member of Van Der Graaf Generator, released his 28th solo album " nearly 3 months ago. He recently got back home from a short tour covering North America, Canada and Italy. In the 70's when bands like...more

FRIGHT PIG Barque At The Lune *** REVERSAL OF GRAVITY Scuba Gear ***

Fair To Midland / Fables From A Mayfly: What I tell You 3 Times Is True

"Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True" is the first release by Fair to Midland on Serj Tankian's serjicalstrike label. The group originates from Dallas texas and has been performing and releasing indie discs since 1998. They get their name from an old Texan play where the term is originally “Fair to Middling”. Noticed by Serj, the band holds the badge of honor by being the first signed to his budding label. Unfortunately, it's this recognition that puts them under heavier scrutiny.

Only because Serj took interest in this band do I approach them with the word “progressive”, I frankly found little evidence to support it. Yet, the official site for Fair to Midland asserts a bold mission to divert from categorization by telling the listener that they wish to “reinvent” sub genres and bring them together under one musical roof. Isn't that somewhat of a definition of progressive? The band WANTS to be seen as prog, even going so far as to delve into fantasy with inspiring artwork found on the CD insert as well as a Hobbit like video for Dance of the Manatee. They want the listener to think they are progressive. So for this reason, they will be reviewed in that light.

First the positives. They have an incredibly talented vocalist. He has an uncanny control over every aspect of his range and can transition from a low chest voice to a piercing high with apparent ease and grace. The backing band is locked into strong grooves and catchy riffs. The recording is masterfully mixed to boot.

However, some things simply do not add up... I'm having a difficult time making sense of this disc. System of a Down's founding member took an interest in this band for some reason that is lost on the rest of us. Not only that, but legendary progressive rock producer David Bottrill is at the helm. Bottrill is known for his work with Peter Gabriel & Tool, among others – so what happened here? Serj Tankian is credited as executive producer, but it appears he only slapped his name on it as a formality. With this much going for the band, you'd expect some interesting compositions and ground breaking ventures into musically unchartered territory. Instead, what you get is overly polished riff oriented songs written with the express intent to record a video for play on Fuse.

I do think this band reveals glimmers of hope. The vocalist offers intriguing changes in style and range. The band also gives me the sense that they'd probably be great in the rough, which may be the reason Serj took an interst in them to begin with. I'd be interested to see the band live to see if what they do without a producer is more appealing than the 80s filtered power pop they released here.

Dale JUDAY