Prog-Nostication

So like HOLY CRAP I got my copy of Progression Magazine today. You know… the magazine that I sent an ad to back in MARCH (because they were on a DEADLINE don'tcha know) and only had to wait a further ELEVEN months to finally see it.

Well-

The ad looks good (nice color…whew.) and the review is pretty spot on as well. Kudos to Warren Barker for getting it! Anyone who mentions Keneally, Jello Biafra, and not just Zappa, but my favorite Zappa album has my grandest of thanks. (He even dug the relativity essay. Sweet!)

Just for reference, the categories are out of four stars. Here she is then. My Progression Magazine Review:

George Hrab INTERROBANG
Progressive power pop

sound ◊◊◊ composition ◊◊◊
musicianship ◊◊◊ performance ◊◊◊◊
total rating: 13 out of 16

When the laser hit the disc as I stared at this booklet cover, I thought Mike Keneally had shaved his head and started jacking steroids. Nope, this is drummer turned multi-instrumentalist George Hrab with his fifth ultra witty release. He’s moved more into a pop vein and away from the funk and rhythm and blues leanings of his earlier offerings. This is a more personal album, mixing self-doubt with self-worth and disappointment with elation. His lyricism is akin to Jello Biafra, in that both can have you belly laughing at wry or ironic observations. While not possessing the musical muscularity or virtuosity of Keneally, Hrab’s tunes still have that same taut playfulness. He even thanks you for listening to Interrobang as Keneally did on Hat.

A gifted writer and drummer, George rips it up on guitar and bass while turning in a respectable keyboard showing. The tunes are punchy and peppy and the closing piece would fit comfortably on Zappa’s One Size fits All. His explanation of the Theory of Relativity in the CD booklet is hilariously remarkable. I love this guy!

Warren Barker

Like I said... Really nice! I especially like the "While not possessing the musical muscularity or virtuosity of Keneally..." Well yeah- NO SHIT! Sheesh... just to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike is purty durn sweet. Anyway-

Here's the ad that we ran... with the Prog Your Girlfriend Can Love tease line.


I think it DOES stand out from the others that are in the magazine, if only because it's not SOLID FREAKIN SMELL THE GLOVE BLACK. (Gosh do prog bands like BLACK for a background color. It's like- so DARK maaaan... [yawn] ). Interestingly enough, and I don't know if this is a coincidence or done on purpose, (ooooo... spooky!) but on the same two page spread as OUR ad are ads for TWO OTHER bands featuring Moravian College graduates. One is Echolyn, which has keyboardist Chris Buzby in it, and the other is the band Pinnacle, which is Karl Eisenhart's group. Chris was a year older than me at Moravian, and Karl was... MY ROOMMATE. Weird no? I wonder if they place ads by zipcode or something.

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In quick other news- I just finished recording a narration for a short story that will be featured on a horror fiction podcast called Pseudopod. I read a story called Civilized Monsters written by Johnny Compton. It was a challenge for ol' mush mouth here to not mumble and speed his way through, like I'm so damn tempted to. The fabulous Mur Lafferty, who runs the whole Pseudopod thingamhoozits (as well as her own cool Geek Fu Action Grip podcast) instructs her narrators that if you think you're reading too slow- YOU'RE PROBABLY JUST RIGHT. That suggestion helped- I just hope that I don't sound TOO much like Warren Beatty as Bugsy Malone practicing his elocution exercises. (Twenty dwarfs took turns doing handstands on the carpet...) I hope that I do Mr. Compton's story justice. I believe it will be available sometime this weekend.