The Journey begins....birds and buildings

Hello congenial fiends, welcome to the Journey through a burning brain, we hope to share interesting finds for you whether its music, literature, art, video or whatever.
I (jamscoopa) will be in the states for a year and I'll be writing about my experiences, me being originally from the UK it will be like traveling forward in time 10 years, but then stumbling back 10 years because I'll be in Iowa :)

So anywho, first post is one of my favorite albums from last year, a really great but relatively unknown progressive rock album by Dan Britton's latest band Birds and Buildings, entitled Bantam to Behemoth.

Birds and Buildings - Bantam to Behemoth - 2008
Progressive, Zeuhl.




















Birds And Buildings biography
Dan Britton (keyboards, guitars) is known already for his previous bands Cerebus Effect and Deluge Grander. Here he has created another project with Malcolm McDuffie (drums, trumpet, viola), Brian Falkowski (saxes, flute clarinet) and Brett d'Anon (bass, guitar) which plays on Deluge Grander as well.
In their Myspace, Dan says about himself that he likes all prog, especially Magma and Genesis. Indeed the first release by B&B has an amalgam of styles on it, notably the swirling and mesmerizing sound of zeuhl a-la Magma, while not neglecting the symphonic prog side and adding some fusion into the equation. This band seems to take the best of the two previous projects and incorporate their sounds, mixing them together into one. If you liked any of Britton's previous band's, this will surely appeal to you. Alternatively, this will appeal to anyone who likes variety, dynamics, top-notch musicianship and intricate composing style.
from progarchives.com

The album really is superb, it encompasses a huge range of styles from the King Crimsonesque frantic jazzy style along with the zeuhl influenced epic Birds Flying Into Buildings, to the more Yes like prog of later songs. It is a tour de force of energetic progressive rock, with brilliant musicianship and writing. The album has rather apparent influences showing yet it feels very much unique and fresh, with many listens needed to fully appreciate this incredibly consistent and deep album.
Confirmation of a follow up is great news, it should arrive late this year of 2010, in the mean time get yourself familiar with this album.
jamscoopa

Please buy this album from:
http://www.myspace.com/birdsandbuildings
http://www.amazon.com/Bantam-Behemoth-Birds-Buildings/dp/B0017HDMGE (US)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002IV7ZGG/ref=dm_sp_adp?ie=UTF8&qid=1248972697&sr=8-4 (UK)
Or please delete within 24 hours:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LNEOY6FI