What in the hell? Why didn't anyone tell me that IZZ came out with a new album in 2015? Come on, people.
What in the hell? Why didn't anyone tell me that IZZ came out with a new album in 2015? Come on, people.
It's a good one, too. Best of the trilogy, in my opinion.
I had neglected the first in the trilogy (The Darkened Room) but corrected that egregious error when I ordered up "Everlasting Instant" from Laser's Edge. I had picked up "Crush of Night" when I saw this wonderful band for the second time at the NJ Proghouse Homecoming Weekend. Now...could someone explain the concept of this triad of succulent sympho albums? A child...sleep...dreams...
IZZ is amazing. And Everlasting Instant is no exception. Love everything they've ever done!!!
The Prog Corner
Yeah, the new one is really good! I've liked everything since I Move. Here's a live video of Own the Mystery, the first track from Everlasting Instant.
neil
You aren't the only one. I think the release of this CD flew under the radar somehow, but I'm not sure why. We did the same things we have done in the past re. online promotion. I think the lack of supporting live gigs was partly to blame, but a lot of the festivals and concert series are going away. We also had a few cancelled shows last year.
We have some live appearances coming up, and we'll play some of the Everlasting Instant material at those shows. Paul Bremner also has a CD coming out this year, so we'll play some of his tracks at those shows.
Thanks for the kudos, folks. I'll confess to feeling a bit down that this CD was met with a "deafening silence," so to speak, as I am very proud of it. It's probably a bit more delicate and less sonically-dense than Crush of Night. I think of it as our Wind and Wuthering, with a bit of a fusion-y quality thrown in for good measure. I am hopeful that it will find its fans over time, and if not, so be it.
Been a big fan of Izz ever since I saw them live at Calprog 2005. They ooze of quality on everything they touch musically. Love the trilogy, though I'd personally rank Crush as my favourite of the three. The two part title track stops me in my tracks, so to speak, whenever I hear it!
If you haven't checked out Izz before, then what on earth are you waiting for!
@izz_brian, seeing as you're responding here, could I ask you to explain how the three albums are connected? IZZ has described them as a trilogy but it's not obvious to me what the relationship is.
I didn't write lyrics for any of these songs, and I know it was always meant to be left open to personal interpretations. I believe the jumping-off point for the lyricists was the idea of someone on their deathbed looking back at key moments in their life and trying to find meaning in it all. However, I don't think that was meant to be the only way to interpret the songs and themes. It certainly wasn't intended to tell a linear story, like some other concept albums.Originally Posted by stickman393
My IZZ history (IZZ-story?) is that a former PE denizen (anyone remember MarkyD125, he seems to have disappeared after the migration) turned me onto both "I Move" and "My River Flows" many moons ago. I enjoyed these but did not feel compelled to explore further or follow subsequent releases until I saw the band at MarProg at Toad's in New Haven a few years later, when I also picked up the Nearfest DVD (missed that year) and the band really "clicked" with me, interestingly enough on the basis of the studio footage of the band moreso than the live material. As I mentioned above, I was really psyched to then see them for the second time at NJ Proghouse Homecoming, and a wonderful performance it was. Definitely in my top five current American symph outfits.
Ah, so that stuff DID serve a purpose besides comic relief!Thanks for sharing that - it's very interesting to know. It's really hard to gauge people's interest in DVD "extras." Some people never watch them, and some people really appreciate a glimpse behind the curtain. I'm also glad to know that you enjoyed the MarProg performance, as it was fraught with technical challenges and we were never sure how well we came across.
Ah! technical challenges...IZZ loves them! Remember Progday 2002 when the power went off?Ah, so that stuff DID serve a purpose besides comic relief!
Dave Sr.
I prefer Nature to Human Nature
I have a hard time fathoming why IZZ aren't talked about more here (maybe I am just not seeing it?) and elsewhere, or at least considered, discussed or promoted on a level with the very best of melodic-progrock bands out there today. They are spectacular songwriters, musicians, recording and performing artists with a standard of excellence I find hard to criticize, yet this amazing band continues to fly under the radar, much to my astonishment.
It's kind of like Advent to me; their new album is jaw-dropping but I am not seeing it talked about all that much (again, maybe I am missing things?) when I was certainly expecting to be hearing more about it (and yes, I've seen the PE thread).
It makes one realize that quality is not at issue here, so what is the issue?
Probably too many goddamned bands (my own included).
I think you're right Kerry. I've been meaning to hear Izz for a while now but have yet to discover their music and for me it's the physical product only (no downloads allowed)
For you Izz Undoctrinated folks, here's part two of the self titled epic off The Crush of Night disc. Directions:
1) listen, enjoy
2) buy disc, enjoy even more
Again I will say if IZZ was active in the 70s with FM radio the would be right up there with YES
And Genesis in popularity.
They are too nice a bunch of guys (& gals) to be that popular....I love em the way they are!
Dave Sr.
I prefer Nature to Human Nature
Yeah, that's a killer tune. Dig the plaintive vocal approach combined with those biting riffs.
Couldn't agree more. I was at that show as well. I saw all the CalProgs from 2005 to 2010 and IZZ is one of the biggest takeaways for me. Great people as well. Sorry this didn't do as well as others Brian, I like it a lot. I would like it a lot better if we could hear it live.
Composition is king - and IZZ are the best IMHO of our current niche landscape, certainly at feeding my particular tastes. I kept holding their music up as a standard during the writing/arranging of Pinnacle's last one and it really inspired Karl and I to keep looking at parts. For several years I was convinced their guitarist might be God (he can't seem to play a bad solo)
Kerry, you make a good point. I do wonder sometimes if this genre and the music industry in general, is a bit over saturated. With so many releases, it is inevitable that some will get lost. Case in point, I bought the first two albums in the IZZ trilogy when they were released and they didn't connect with me like their earlier albums. Jump to 2015 when I wrote a review for 'Everlasting Instant' for a prog website. As with any review that I write, I listened to the album multiple times. As I absorbed the album with each listen, it grew stronger. Ultimately, I gave the album a great review and it made my top 10 of 2015 list. It is a very good album that encouraged me to revisit the bands previous 2 albums. After doing so, it completely changed my opinion of those as well.
With so many album releases, it makes me wonder how many possible good albums have been lost by moving so quickly on to the next thing. More recently, I have tried to focus more on one or two new albums at a time to really give them a chance to sink in. The best albums sometimes need that investment.
As for IZZ, they are such an underrated band and they deserve more activity on this and other PROG sites. I enjoy PE, but it is a bit sad to see the 70 page threads to Yes, while younger (and currently more exciting) artists are pretty much ignored. Even when a member of the old guard does something great, it gets no play at the expense of another expansive Yes or R&R HOF thread. Case in point, Geoff Downes released with Chris Braide, what was in my humble opinion, the best prog related release of 2015. The thread or two about it on PE gained no traction and fizzled out quickly. There are many great releases by younger bands as well that go nowhere on PE. It is what it is, but it would be great to see the best bands from the 90's to current day get a bit more attention. The heyday of prog in the 70's was great, but perhaps we wallow in it a bit too much.
Kudos to IZZ for 'Everlasting Instant''. If it missed you somehow, there is no time like the present to rectify that. It is worth it.
This thread does my heart good. It's very nice to know that Everlasting Instant connected with at least some prog fans. The band/fan relationship is so symbiotic, especially with fringe genres like ours. We're obviously not doing this for the money
Count me as a fan too, Brian. There is a lot very strong material on here...Own the Mystery, Start Again, Can't Feel the Earth, Part IV, Illuminata...it may well be my favourite of the trilogy. It has a lot of the hallmarks of the IZZ sound, but still feels like it is evolving, also. For my personal tastes, I could have used a bit more Brems (his presence seems a little understated on this one), but Everlasting Instant is definitely on my list of top releases for 2015.
neil
However... there is more of the ladies!
Dave Sr.
I prefer Nature to Human Nature
I was just talking with a guy who is jumping into promotion after being out of the business for the last 20 years, and we talked about this very subject and how perhaps there may be a tiny niche for a promoter willing to re-promote what are essentially new albums (ie. less than 5 years old) that get lost in the shuffle. There's a ton of great stuff out there that might benefit from some re-promo.
Got it, likewise to you on the Advent album.
I don't wonder at all, I know it is. It's no secret more albums are being released on a daily basis today than ever before, even if relatively no one hears 99% of 'em.
Add over-saturation to the list of things that hinder today's original bands along with streaming, tribute bands, and the focus on the old-time major label acts.
I am probably gonna scrap my band after our follow-up is released (hopefully next year), the only reason I wanna finish the album is because the music is challenging us all and I wanna hear it finished. I have been feeling for quite some time now that I am just adding to the confusion by releasing music these days, and I don't need to.
Of course if my band were exploding that would be a different story but we all know that will likely never happen. Hell, John Mitchell's recent "Lonely Robot" album seems to have fallen completely off the radar and he has a legitimate and long-standing name in this genre. If he is struggling with exposure (and it just might be me not seeing things about the album) then it stands to reason those with less of a profile will struggle as well.
All good -- that's rock and roll!
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