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Треклист:
1. ELPO (02:34)
2. Influenza (05:24)
3. Smaller Wooden Frog (04:37)
4. Dead Play Awake (07:33)
5. Walk Away (03:03)
6. Seems So Real (04:28)
7. Nat Nayah (05:40)
8. Sons Of Anakim (03:55)
9. Nonchalant (07:33)

SPOILER ("Лог создания рипа")

SPOILER ("Содержание индексной карты (.CUE)")

SPOILER ("Лог проверки качества")

SPOILER ("Скриншот спектра частот")

SPOILER ("Содержимое контейнера")

Доп. информация: Вниманию добряков - дебют молодой канадской группы Druckfarben. Слово "Druckfarben" с немецкого означает что-то вроде "чернил для печати". Согласно легенде (ну а как же!), двое основателей группы, Трой Финер и Эд Бернар, будучи пацанами-хулиганами, залезли на какой-то склад и обнаружили там бочки с загадочной надписью. И тогда Эд якобы сказал: "Когда-нибудь у нас с тобой будет музыкальная группа, и мы назовём её Druckfarben"...

И ведь назвали...

А вообще Druckfarben категорически подтверждают мою напыщенную фразу "весь канадский прог сочиняется исключительно в провинции Квебек" тем, что являются редчайшим исключением из этого правила. Хлопцы все как один мужали в столице провинции Онтарио городе Торонто. А бассист Пётр Мюррэй вообще ходил в школу, в которой десятью годами позже учился мой старший сын - Jarvis Colledge. Это самый что ни на есть даунтаун Торонто, в пяти минутах ходьбы от озера Онтарио. Неказистый такой райончик. Квебеком и не пахнет.

Druckfarben почему-то упорно называют молодой группой, хотя все музыканты успели хорошенько поиграть в разных именитых и не очень группах. Да и под этим именем они играли на всяких джемах и сэйшенах аж с 2007-го, и уже имеют сформировавшиеся ряды фанатов. Так что - перед нами достаточно зрелый коллектив, даром что выпущен только один диск.

Музыка группы близка ранним Yes и ELP, некоторые критики также находят влияние "Gentle Giant" (композиция "Seems So Real") и Spock's Beard ("Walk Away"). Кстати, многие рецензенты именно поэтому занижают оценки альбома, говоря, что музыкальная картина недостаточно оригинальна, ибо многовато заимствований у грандов симфо-прога. Но, по-моему, подобные разговоры - шняга чистой воды. Трудно взрастить что-то совсем новое на перепаханной за 40 лет ниве симфопрога, тем более начинающей группе. Поэтому смело рисуем фигвамы доморощенным критиканам и отважно качаем, дабы порадоваться новому старому канадскому симфопрогу.

Моя личная оценка - пять баллов.
Ура!

SPOILER ("Об исполнителе (группе)")

The Druckfarben story began in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough in the mid 1980s, where guitarist Ed Bernard and drummer Troy Feener began exchanging musical interests in grade 9 art class. Ed introduced Troy to the progressive rock of Yes and Gentle Giant?---and soon the two started playing music together. One day, in the hall of their abandoned factory rehearsal space, the young musicians discovered some black barrels with a strange word stenciled on them...? Druckfarben. As they tried to imagine the contents of the mysterious barrels, Ed joked that one day they would be in a band together, and they would call it Druckfarben.

Meanwhile, at a nearby high school, young keyboardist Will Hare was working out on Bach and Rachmaninoff; at Jarvis Collegiate in downtown Toronto, young bassist Peter Murray was gaining a reputation as the guy who could play ?YYZ? by Rush; and, further south in Rochester, New York, singer Phil Naro was already a full-fledged professional front-man in the metal band Talas, alongside legendary bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan. The five musicians, still for the most part unknown to each other, shared two notable traits: all were very talented on their chosen instruments, and all were big fans of progressive rock.

Years went by?---and not surprisingly, all five became professional musicians. This entailed separate stints with unsigned and signed original bands and artists; cover bands and tribute acts; teaching and writing; jingles and studio work. All became highly respected in their local scenes. But the prog rock that had initially inspired them all seemed to be left behind---the stuff of nostalgia, of fantasy. It wasn't commercially or professionally viable; to form a prog band was simply unthinkable. At least for a while...?

Many years later, Troy became the main drummer for Classic Albums Live, a collective of musicians who perform classic records note-for-note. He longed to put on a prog show, and eventually the powers-that-be agreed to stage a recreation of the Yes albums Close to the Edge and The Yes Album. Predictably, all the future members of Druckfarben were called for the gig. Peter had to pass because he was producing an album in Germany at the time, but he attended the now-historic show at the Phoenix Concert Theater in Toronto on September 20, 2007. Performing this challenging, brilliant music inspired the forming of a band... and Druckfarben was born.

Druckfarben started off performing covers of prog classics by Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Kansas, Rush and others, and the band's first set (March 1, 2008 at Roc ?'n Doc?'s in Port Credit, Ontario) kicked off with the tour-de-force ?Close to the Edge.? The band solidified their chemistry with a monthly gig at Toronto'?s Orbit Room (co-owned by Alex Lifeson of Rush) and a monthly prog jam (perhaps the world's one and only!) at Roc ?'n Doc?'s. Area prog fans had much to celebrate, as a new community of musicians and fans was born, with Druckfarben at the center. As the band?'s reputation grew, audiences included Kim Mitchell, Nick D?Virgilio (Spock?s Beard), Terry Brown (Rush producer) and other prog luminaries.

Although Druckfarben built up their collective performance chops on prog classics, the band always intended to apply the fruits of those labours to their own music. Work on original material soon started, with Ed leading the songwriting and production charge, and in October, 2011, the band's debut self-titled CD emerged in all its glory. It?'s a tribute to the enduring love that all members of this quintet have had for progressive rock since their high school days. Maybe they should have been doing this all along... but two things are for sure: firstly, there could have been no shortcuts to where Druckfarben is now?---the band is the sum of its varied and extensive collective experience. And secondly: the road ahead is long and scenic!

SPOILER ("Об альбоме (сборнике)")

Following in the footsteps of some classic progressive acts that have emerged from the city in earlier years, Druckfarben is a Canadian band based out of Toronto. Although they are a fairly new act, their sound recalls a different time in the history of rock music. For all sake, Druckfarben executes their upbeat brand of vintage prog quite well, but much like far too many new bands these days, they default upon emulation, rather than innovation.

Druckfarben is music made between old friends, and their sound does reflect this to an extent. The musicianship is admirable, a mix of harder rock and symphonic prog tendencies. It comes together sounding like a crossroads between Yes, Rush, and Kansas. William Hare's grasp of the rock organ is impressive, and Ed Bernhard's work with the guitars demonstrates a versatility, tackling both technical passages and solos with feeling. Musically speaking, no one could speak ill of any band members' skill. Each member plays their part nicely, and there's even a tight blanket of warm production to give the performance that extra shine. Druckfarben's sound is not their own, but there is no question that they are able to pull it off.

Although Yes is the primary influence I am hearing in Druckfarben's sound, what Toronto prog band could be complete without a helping of Rush? 'Walk Away' enjoys guitar work that sounds plucked out of 'Hemispheres'. The vocals are higher register, but do not sound like Geddy Lee at all. Instead, his vocals will more likely draw comparisons with Jon Anderson's (of Yes), but- of course- they are graced with that lovable Canadian accent. His voice works well with the upbeat feel of the band's music. In short, despite their lack of originality and innovation, Druckfarben execute their sound well, even in terms of the composition. Although none of these songs instantly locks itself in my head after a few listens, there is a strong arrangement that lets each band member strut their skills. It will be interesting to see where Druckfarben go with their music; they certainly have the ear for it, but right now, that ear is a little too filled with the sounds of others.

SPOILER ("Состав")