Erik Norlander "Surreal"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Symphonic
Label: Think Tank Media
Format: CD, digital
Release date: June 21, 2016
Tracklist: 
1. The Party's Overture (7:52)
2. The Galaxy Collectors (Album Mix) (10:34)
3. Suitcase And Umbrella (7:08)
4. Unearthly (8:48)
5. Surreal (feat. Lana Lane) (10:46)
6. El Gran Final (11:08)

Total time 56:16
Line-up: 
Erik Norlander - keyboards
Mark Matthews - bass
Nick LePar - drums
Greg Ellis - percussion
Alastair Greene - guitars (1,2,3,4,6)
        with
Lana Lane - vocals (5)
Jeff Kollman - guitars (5)
Mark McCrite - acoustic guitar (3)
Don Schiff - cello, contrabass and fretless NS/Stick (2)

Description/Reviews: 

After two recent highly-acclaimed releases with his Rocket Scientists project, Norlander now presents the follow-up to his 2009 solo epic The Galactic Collective released in several forms including a live DVD/CD set. Surreal continues in that spirit with traditional rock band instrumentation fronted by Norlander’s own timeless, signature keyboards. Surreal gives both a nod to the past and puts an eye on the future with lush analog soundscapes, real living human grooves, and unforgettable melodic lead work that will keep the songs playing in the listener’s head long after the music stops. Like The Galactic Collective, Surreal is mostly an instrumental affair with 5 tracks driven by keyboard and guitar melodies. But there is a sixth song, the title track, that features vocals by Norlander’s chanteuse spouse Lana Lane.

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Rocket Scientists "Refuel"

Country: USA
Sub Genre: AOR, Symphonic
Label: Think Tank Media
Format: CD, digital
Release date: November 18, 2014 (digital), December 9, 2014 (CD)
Tracklist: 

1. Refuel - 02:13
2. She's Getting Hysterical - 06:05
3. Martial - 03:41
4. It's Over - 06:25
5. Regenerate - 04:33
6. The Fading Light - 07:29
7. The World Waits for You - 04:20
8. Reconstruct - 01:29
9. Cheshire Cat Smile -  05:25
10. Rome's About to Fall - 08:15
11. Galileo - 05:05
12. The Lost Years - 05:59
13. It's Over (no crossfade - bonus track) - 06:31
14. Regenerate (no crossfade - bonus track) - 04:36
15. Reconstruct (no crossfade - bonus track) - 01:34
16. Cheshire Cat Smile (no crossfade - bonus track) - 05:27

Line-up: 
Mark McCrite - vocals, guitars
Erik Norlander - keyboards, vocals
Don Schiff - NS/Sticks, bass guitars, cello, viola, mandolin
   With
Gregg Bissonette - drums
Lana Lane - vocals (12)
Kelly Keeling - vocals (9)
Emily McCrite - vocals
Jon Papenbrook - trumpet
Rich Hofmann - piccolo trumpet
Eric Jorgensen - trombone

Description/Reviews: 

California prog rockers begin their third decade with a new 7th studio album. Refuel started in 2012 with the idea of marking the band's 20th anniversary of their 1993 debut release. Refuel contains the balance of those 20-year anniversary recordings and is a more traditional album mixing vocal and instrumental tracks in the style that so identifies the group. 

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Rocket Scientists "Supernatural Highways" EP

Country: USA
Sub Genre: Instrumental, Symphonic, Electronica
Label: Think Tank Media
Release date: March 20, 2014
Tracklist: 
1. Traveler on the Supernatural Highways - 26:09
2. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - 4:14

Line-up: 
Mark McCrite: guitars
Erik Norlander: synthesizers, piano, organ
Don Schiff: NS/Sticks, cello
  With
Gregg Bissonette:drums
Greg Ellis: percussion
Lana Lane: vocal pads
Jon Papenbrook: trumpet
Eric Jorgensen: trombone

Description/Reviews: 

Supernatural Highways is the first new CD from Rocket Scientists since 2007. It is all-instrumental with a playing time of 30:13, dominated by the 26-minute, seven-part Traveler on the Supernatural Highways. The other track is an arrangement of the John Barry composition On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, written for the Bond film. This is Rocket Scientists at their (instrumental) best. The Bond piece is, like Rocket Scientists’ Space 1999 theme, much more fun than the original. The epic suite has much that is familiar to RS fans but sees the band stretching in new directions. Paramount is the integration of electronics. Norlander has already proven himself an excellent electronic musician, and here he incorporates sequencers and electronic sounds into driving progressive rock, something that a few have done (Ozric Tentacles, obviously) but that could be explored/exploited further. Other parts of the suite get fusion-y, and one has the feeling that, with a different mix, sections could be used as epic and thrilling Hollywood movie soundtrack material. (kinesiscd.com) 

Media/Samples 
Entire album online

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