|  |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | | Bio of the Artist | Gravity Tree is an experimental, progressive rock group hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, in California. What we play is referred to sometimes as Art Rock or Prog Rock or Avant-Prog or Math Rock or Fusion or any number of other titles - although no one's mistaken our brand of noise for hip-hop or country...yet. Our influences come from all over the musical map: rock bands of the '60's and '70's, film soundtrack composers, performance artists, game music (which keyboardist/drummer Alan also writes), and the "classics". Rock influences range from King Crimson to Gentle Giant, from Fred Frith to Al Di Meola, from Laurie Anderson to Frank Zappa. It's a mix of decidedly guitar focused modern experimentation with old school prog rock foundations. We play what sounds right to our own ears; call it what you like.
Those aren't drum loops. That's not a sample riff. And we're not playing anything that can be easily categorized by today's industry. This ain't pop. Listen if you dare.
Friend, follow, listen and like Gravity Tree on these sites:
http://www.facebook.com/gravitytree
http://twitter.com/gravitytree
http://www.myspace.com/gravitytree
http://www.itunes.com/gravitytree
http://www.last.fm/music/Gravity+Tree
Our latest CD:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gravitytree2
Gravity Tree and various artists: A Very Progressive Christmas:
https://www.mindawn.com/artists/AVeryProgressiveChristmasVariousArtist
The Gravity Tree Store at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Gravity-Tree/e/B000APKHJO
Napster:
http://free.napster.com/view/artist/index.html?id=11557297
Yahoo Music:
http://new.music.yahoo.com/gravity-tree/tracks/
iSound:
http://www.isound.com/gravity_tree
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1X-ejkrJ6k
more links at our Official website:
http://www.gravitytree.com
The latest album is ULTIMATE BACKWARD. It's a new music experiment: an entree of sound design sprinkled with 16th note triplets, served up on a hot plate full of guitar-drenched progressive flavor. The reviews are coming in:
"Gravity Tree is one of the more interesting progressive bands around, a duo who covers all the instruments of a four piece band, plus vocals; and they do this live too. Guitarist Linc plays a combo-guitar that has both bass and guitar strings, and separate pickups for each, allowing him to play both parts simultaneously. Drummer Alan Nu handles a keyboard with his right hand and drums with the others, as well as using various drum controlled triggers. The result is an amazing full band sound from just two players. Both provide the vocals. Some readers may remember "Aim to Please," their contribution to the Bay Prog Sampler disc that was included with issue #24; in fact that song has gone through further refinement in the years since and appears here on this, their second album, along with nine other original compositions. Their material bears a stamp of currency, yet also features the conceptual ideals of classic progressive rock. Their influences likely include Zappa, Happy The Man, Van der Graaf, and Gentle Giant, which they assimilate well as they explore new musical territory; most of the songs are long and labyrinthine, and rarely settle down into a pattern for very long. In that respect, I am reminded of another current band, The Underground Railroad. Familiarity with Ultimate Backward will require a few repeated plays, but over the haul the listener will be rewarded. This is a solid second effort." - Exposé Magazine
"This is a very thought provoking album by a duo who definitely punches a hole through the more established forms of Prog and creates their own sound." - USA Progressive Music
" No band other than a progressive-rock outfit would be so bold as to open its second CD with a song called “No Rest Part III.” So, lo and behold, here we have Ultimate Backward...this San Francisco-based duo — yes, a duo — cites influences as diverse as Genesis and Henry Kaiser, Franz Liszt and Joe Walsh, and Laurie Anderson and the Beatles. Throw in some Arena, Frank Zappa, King Crimson and post-Neal Morse Spock’s Beard, and you’re halfway there.
"This is dense, majestic stuff...the most modern song here is also the one with the longest title: Consider “Conversing With the Dead” Gravity Tree’s foray into progressive punk — albeit with a retro, British new-wave vibe and an acoustic-guitar break. It’s one of the coolest tracks on a record that also features studio versions of live Gravity Tree favorites, including “Can” (also known as “The Funk Tune”), “Go Away,” “Motion Sickness” and the band’s brief live intro piece “In.”
"...If you’re seeking modern, indie prog with traditional influences (and are tired of listening to — or even bored by — Glass Hammer), you might want to set your ears underneath Gravity Tree and wait for something special to fall." - Sea of Tranquility
" “Motion Sickness” does exhibit some very hot playing during its instrumental sections. “Wind” offers up some nice Jethro Tull-like acoustic pastoral moods, which evolve into a slightly more traditional classical feel during the short instrumental interlude. “Aim To Please” opens with heavy synth organ and powerful drum/bass interplay before pulling back to vocals and acoustic guitar in a comfortable and natural manner. And “Interference” feels very much like a Flower Kings track, with its mid-tempo groove, prominent keyboards, and anthemic, chiming guitars...obviously incredibly talented players." - ProgScape
Their previous CD, LIFE OR DESSERT? can be found at CDBaby.com and many fine online stores, including Amazon.com, iTunes, and others.
“Generally strong stuff, not heavy, but certainly progressive rock '70's style with a guitar rather than keyboard lead. The conventional threads together with the more unconventional and alternative as the excellent 'Minnie's Tree' precedes the eerie percussive 'Harmonic Indulgence' - very much something Zappa would be proud of...
Not for anyone of a nervous disposition, this is the rock of intense thinkers, driven by intense rhythms. If I was pushed on a comparison I would go for fellow North American's Mastermind, with a serving of Rush too!" - Wondrous Stories
“Gravity Tree is progressive like Rush and King Crimson are progressive - truly free from the chains of modern pop standards and expectations - free to explore and let the creativity flow from within and not be channeled from the outside.” - Warren
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Gravity Tree drummer/synthesist Alan is in sessions on his solo project, and the duo is in early stages of planning their third CD.
For more on the duo, check the Gravity Tree blog at:
http://blog.myspace.com/gravitytree | | |
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