D’arcana
Lemuria Music
Looking for something new and exciting in the world of progressive rock? Need a change from the old-school fare of the ’70s? Fretting over what to do now that Neal Morse has left Spock’s Beard? Wondering who the next Flower Kings might be?
This Northern California-based trio is the answer. Jay Tausig, Shelby Snow and James Camblin, who happened into each other in and around Nevada City in the Sierra Nevada foothills, know exactly what they’re doing.
Tausig writes and sings the songs, and plays guitars, drums and synths; he’s classically trained and was in the East Coast prog bands E-Motive, Solid Space and Lunar Sea before Rodger Hodgson asked him to relocate west six years ago to work a North American tour. Snow learned bass under the tutelage of Bob Stern (son of famed concert violinist Isaac Stern). Camblin has played guitar for numerous Northern California bands and has opened for Rush.
This is their debut, recorded at Tausig’s home studio, The Pyramid, in North San Juan. Tausig’s vocals bring to mind Tony Carey, Adrian Belew and Roger Waters. The stellar musicianship is like the best of Genesis, Yes, Happy the Man and early Utopia, distilled into something completely different.
The sugar in the pot: Camblin’s slide Strat work on “Changes” and the 14-minute “Ancient Future,” accomplished using a steel bar and Bic lighter, respectively; Tausig’s mandolin accents on the latter; and the lone non-Tausig composition, “Pastozaporius,” in which Jaco Pastorius meets Frank Zappa.
Tracks
1. Miles Away
2. Picture This
3. Once In A Lifetime
4. Changes
5. Pastozaporius
6. Set In Stone
7. Nightshade
8. Let It Out
9. s.u.a.p.y.g.
10. Windows
11. Ancient Future
Total time: 57.5 minutes
External Links
artist’s website
