I have not kept secret my love for Boston-based art rockers Bent Knee. Their music is consistently daring and innovative, and they truly embody the word “progressive”. Fittingly, they recently debuted a 30 minute, 6 part song cycle called “Paper Earth”. From their website:
“We’ve been writing a new song cycle for Bent Knee and percussion ensemble for the better part of a year now and are thrilled to be premiering the work in Zürich, Boston, and New York City. “Paper Earth” is about how memory continuously alters our present. It was commissioned by Judd Greenstein, with tremendous arrangement help from Sam Solomon and the Boston Conservatory Percussion Ensemble.”
The song itself is an incredible and varied musical journey. I loved the sonic diversity and range of the composition, and the interplay between the core musicians and the percussion ensemble is absolutely brilliant. If there’s any group in modern progressive rock/art rock that I would trust with writing a solid composition of this scope, Bent Knee would be at the top of the list. Listen and watch below:
Bent Knee has just begun their Paper Earth tour. Catch them on the road at the following locations:
Jun 6: The Saint, Asbury Park NJ
Jun 7: Mercury Lounge, New York NY
Jun 8: The Boot & Saddle, Philadelphia, PA
Jun 9: Metro Gallery, Baltimore, MD
Jun 11: Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro NC
Jun 14: The Masquerade, Atlanta GA
Jun 15: Gasa Gasa, New Orleans LA
Jun 17: The Sidewinder, Austin TX
Jun 19: Launchpad, Albuquerque NM
Jun 20: Valley Bar, Phoenix, AZ
Jun 21: Soda Bar, San Diego CA
Jun 22: Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles CA
Jun 23: Café Du Nord, San Francisco CA
Jun 24: Art Boutiki, San Jose CA
Jun 28: HiFi Music Hall, Eugene OR
Jun 29: Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR
Jun 30: Barboza, Seattle WA
Jul 3: Neurolux, Boise ID
Jul 5: Kilby Court, Salt Lake City UT
Jul 6: Lost Lake, Denver CO
Jul 7: The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS
Jul 8: Fubar, St Louis MO
Jul 9: 7th St Entry, Minneapolis MN
Jul 11: Schubas Tavern, Chicago IL
Jul 12: Art In, Madison WI
Jul 13: Mac’s Bar, Lansing MI
Jul 14: Pig and Whiskey Festival, Ferndale MI
Jul 15: Holland Theatre, Bellafontaine OH
Jul 17: Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, OH
Jul 18: Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
Jul 19: The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Jul 21: Amityville Music Hall, Amityville, NY
Proglodytes 