Sunday, April 22, 2012

nextclues reviews CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues by 17 Pygmies

nextclues reviews "CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues" by 17 Pygmies

17 PYGMIES
CIII: EVEN CELESTINA GETS THE BLUES (A TALE OF LOVE AND QUANTUM PHYSICS) [CD]
TRAKWERX RECORDS
2012

17 Pygmies, groupe formé il y a un siècle et demi par Jackson Del Rey, un dissident de Savage Republic, continue de faire voguer la Celestina, un vaisseau spatial qui lors des épisodes précédents a réchappé à un trou noir, des quasars et autres phénomènes qui bouffent la matière et déforment le temps. La petite nouveauté avec ce troisième et donc dernier volet de la trilogie, c’est que la Celestina, au même titre que les Cowgirls de Tom Robbins, gets the Blues. Ce n’est pas immédiatement apparent, car le space-rock des Pygs est toujours en apesanteur totale, d’une légèreté à peine croyable, mais il y a définitivement de grands moments de spleen qui remontent de cette allégorie tournant autour des émotions humaines. Je sais pertinemment que dit comme ça, les Pygs vont passer pour des doux rêveurs d’un autre temps qui n’auraient pas oublié d’être prétentieux, alors qu’en réalité c’est exactement l’inverse : le plus dur quand on s’attache à un projet de la sorte, c’est de savoir rester humble, et l’humilité, c’est ce qui frappe en premier quand on enfile le casque d’astronaute et qu’on se laisse embarquer dans cet Odyssée de l’Espace lors duquel les secousses sont minimes. Even Celestina Gets The Blues est un album idéal pour rêvasser, pour se délasser et récupérer un peu des musiques tapageuses qui niquent nos oreilles prudes à longueur de journée, et même si les parties vocales, toutes féminines, sont parfois, à mon goût, assez difficiles à ingurgiter, les effets sont assez similaires à ceux du, par exemple, Selenography de Rachel’s. Sauf qu’ici on va beaucoup plus loin que la Lune : on devrait plus être très loin d’Orion.

Even Celestina Gets The Blues a été initialement conçu pour être joué par des instruments à cordes, mais ce n’est pas pour autant que ça ressemble à de la musique de chambre. D’autres instruments, dont une batterie, se sont invités en cours de route et permettent à la Celestina de faire autre chose que du sur-place. Alors que les deux premières parties (symphonies ?), CI et CII, comportaient XI titres, numérotés romainement, la CIII en comporte XI.III, pour un total qui ne donne certainement pas 33 1/3 par hasard. Encore une fois, le packaging est somptueux, renfermé dans du papier calque et scellé, numéroté à la main et même signé par ses auteurs. En plus du cd, on retrouve à l’intérieur la troisième partie du bouquin de Jackson Del Rey, The Book Of Celestina, fait je suppose pour être lu avec la musique qui tourne en fond. Bon trip. Ce qui est bien aussi avec 17 Pygmies, c’est qu’il est impossible de prévoir ce qu’ils feront par la suite, retourner à un truc plus rock, plus surf, plus pop ou plus electro, vu que ce groupe a déjà touché à tout et qu’il ne s’interdit jamais rien. Dans l’indifférence générale, et ce depuis 30 ans. 
(7/10)

Google English Translation

17 PygmiesCIII: EVEN CELESTINA GETS THE BLUES (A TALE OF LOVE AND QUANTUM PHYSICS) [CD]TRAKWERX RECORDS201217 Pygmies, group formed a century ago and half by Jackson Del Rey, a dissident of Savage Republic, continues to sail the Celestina, a spaceship that in previous episodes has survived black holes, quasars and other phenomena that puff and deform the material time. The small innovation with this third and last so the trilogy is that the Celestina, as well as the Cowgirls Tom Robbins gets the Blues. It is not immediately apparent, because the space-rock of Pygs is still in total weightlessness, a lightness almost incredible, but there are definitely some great moments of melancholy that go back to turning around this allegory of human emotions. I know that words like that, Pygs will pass for dreamers of another time that would not have forgotten to be pretentious, but in reality this is exactly the opposite: the harder whenfocuses on one such project is to learn to be humble, and humility is what first strikes when you put on the helmet of an astronaut and it embarks on the odyssey Space in which shocks are minimal. Even Celestina Gets The Blues is a perfect album for daydreaming, to relax and recover a bit noisy music that prudes nicate our ears all day long, and although the vocal parts, all female, are sometimes, in my opinion, quite difficult to swallow, the effects are quite similar to those of, for example, Rachel's Selenography. Except here it goes much farther than the moon: it should be very far from Orion.
Even Celestina Gets The Blues was originally designed to be played by string instruments, but this is not to say that it sounds like chamber music. Other instruments, including drums, were guests along the way and allow the Celestina to do anything other than standing still. While the first two parts (symphonies?), CI and CII, included titles XI, numbered romainement, the CIII in XI.III has, for a total that certainly does not 33 1/3 by chance. Again, the packaging is gorgeous, enclosed in tracing paper and sealed, numbered and hand signed by the same authors. In addition to the cd, found inside the third part of the book of Jackson Del Rey, The Book Of Celestina, is I suppose to be played with music that runs in the background.Good trip. What is nice too with 17 Pygmies is that it is impossible to predict what they will subsequently return to something more rock, more surf, more electro pop or more, as this group has already affected at all and that it prohibited anything. In general indifference, and this for 30 years.(7/10)







Thursday, April 19, 2012

Your Music Blog reviews CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues by 17 Pygmies


17 Pygmies, Celestina 3, 2012

17 pygmies - celestina 317 pygmies - Celestina trilogyWhen Jack and Meg from the Trakwerx label asked me to take a listen to their current release, I could not have imagined they´d sent me the whole Celestina trilogy by 17 Pygmies. Housed in what must be one of the most precious and luxurious packages on the planet! I took a photo of it (second image) but that does not do it justice. Trust me when I say this is a one of a kind set, that just oozes class…
Musically this has to be one of the most ambitious undertakings ever. Like Coheed And Cambria, 17 Pygmies set out to put a story to music and do so within a number of albums. Three in this case. Loosely based upon a 15th century novel about love and betrayal. Now placed in a science fiction environment. CD 3 has a 42 page book to tell the story by Jackson Del Rey, who also does synths, guitar, bass and vocals. In essence the band are a 4 piece, with several guest contributing.
Each CD has 11 tracks and the song titles are kept simple. They start on CD 1 with Celestina I and end on CD 3 with Celestina XXXIII.III. Oh wait, I forgot, CD 3 has an extra track, to make it a total of 33 1/3 songs…
I have been listening to all CD´s back to back and the atmosphere created is that of a hauntingly dreamy peaceful mood. So their claim at combining classical film scores with psychedelia stands. I might add ambient / new age. So in total the chosen label of symphonic progressive rock does this justice.
The vocals support these moods just perfectly. What is strong about it that the music speaks for itself. You don´t need to read the whole story to get caught by this music. If you take a comfortable seat, put the CD on and start listening, it won´t be long before you are sucked in and are probably imagining being in a film yourself. That is quality!
So a stunning discovery I hope a lot of people will follow up on. Beautiful stuff, so thank you Jack and Meg for letting me take a listen!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Sepiachord adds 17 Pygmies to playlist


Sepiachord Playlist for the Week Ending April 14th~

Published on 04/17/2012 by  in Playlists
Sepiachord Playlist for the Week Ending April 14th~
http://www.sepiachord.com/index/?p=1704
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/zoe.jpeg
Zoe Boekbinder: Going Home
Eliza Rickman: Coming Up Roses
Junkyard Amy Lee: Living in my Junkyard
Bakelite 78: Dark Spot
Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha: On Kuuuma
Jack White & His Orchestra: Waltzing Matilda
Spacedog: My Death
Mad Maggies: Shake Those Bones
Thomas Dolby: Spice Train
Paulina Cassidy: A Different Shade of Light
Pine Hill Haints: Halloween-time All the Time
Kal Cahoone: Fellow Sparrow
Piñataland: An American Man
DM Bob & the Deficits: Don’t Give Me Nothing
Dash Rip Rock: Man of Constant Sorrow
The Dad Horse Experience: The Party
Count Basie & His Orchestra: Every Day
17 Pygmies: Celestina XXV
Zen Hussies: Whiplash Waltz
127: Nobar
Vernian Process: The Last Express
The Other Flesh: Waltzing Down the Road to Hell
Peter Murphy’s Carver Combo: We are the Boys
Mark Shurilla & The Blackholes: Blitzkrieg Over Kenosha
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: In the Ghetto
Eli August: Nikola
Palodine: Fire in the Field
Ghostfire: The Confession

Monday, April 16, 2012

Capas de Culto (Portugal) reviews CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues by 17 Pygmies


Blogger Capas de Culto reviews "CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues" by 17 Pygmies


The third installment of Celestina was actually my first listen to the 17 Pygmies music. By the time I finished listened to the complete set of tunes I realized that having a theme that ties all the music together like a book isn't being done much anymore. The music overall has an ethereal, other-world feel that is very unique. I found it especially soothing for a Monday morning since usually it's kind of a panic-mode day. The main vocalist Meg Maryatt has a very resonant and pleasing tone, making so believable that an alien or robotic-hybrid person was singing and sharing her experiences of emotions she discovers.


Monday, April 9, 2012

QX Magazine Int'l reviews 'Above As Below' by Cult With No Name

QX Magazine International - The gay listings and scene magazine for London and the UK reviews Cult With No Name's latest release "Above As Below"
Issue 886
See page 39


"Have been listening to the new Cult With No Name CD, "Above As Below' (L.A.'s Trakwerx Records). Think Lou Reed performing the most heartwarming vocal accompanied by gentle piano and that would be a lazy way of describing this album. Gorgeous songs with the most wonderful ambience which will make you drift away with a smile firmly fixed on your face. The duo also get in guest stars such as Kelli Ali from The Sneaker Pimps, Bruce Geduldig from Tuxedomoon and more. There are beats too from trip-hop ('Hope Is Existence') to synth-pop ('Raise A Glass') not to mention a fancy letter pressed sleeve, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook. Such warmth, such style, such bliss."



Sunday, April 8, 2012

ProgAwards (Italy) nominates CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues (17 Pygmies) for Best Foreign Record 2012

Italian-based website ProgAwards, dedicated to Progressive Rock, nominates 17 Pygmies' release "CIII: Even Celestina Gets The Blues" for Best Foreign Record 2012. Finalists will be announced in the fall of 2012. Winners are announced in March 2013.

Other nominees in the Best Foreign Record category are:

BestForeignRecord
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