24-07-2019, 20:10
NAD SYLVAN ~ The Regal Bastard
![[Image: R-13844543-1563091821-8888.jpeg.jpg]](https://img.discogs.com/hwiKiKcgLR4b2tA9lqAwSPMINvU=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-13844543-1563091821-8888.jpeg.jpg)
Finally – after attempting to listen to this album three times, I made it! Uninterrupted.
Nad Sylvan (who autocorrect keeps on trying to tell me is And!! Lol!) came lateish to the world of things progressive in terms of his solo work, but he’d been a longtime fan of Genesis, for example. He’s been involved in various projects by Steve Hackett, doing vocals for his Genesis Revisited’s and other releases, and with fellow Swede (although Sylvan is American born) Roine Stolt (of The Flower Kings). The Regal Bastard is the third in his so-called Vampirate Trilogy – I am not at all familiar with the other two so listened to this without anything to compare.
I kinda like it – he’s inventive, at the very least, and despite being quite dramatic, which I am sure is essentially his character anyway, this is an eminently listenable album and nothing becomes too overbearing. I recently tried to listen to Billy Sherwood’s new release, of a similar oeuvre, and I actually couldn’t – it was too exhaustingly earnest and lacking in nuance – this is not that. There’s a discreet hint of things Gothic - nothing distasteful - I’m not sure I get the whole gist of the ‘story’ – haven’t listened to the words properly yet but Mr Sylvan has a most distinctive voice which he uses with ease and authority, and I found good melodies and a certain indefinable something that compelled me to persist. The music itself is great (Hackett, Tony Levin, Nick D’Virgillio, Jonas Reingold – a few names I know, and Sylvan himself). I get what he’s saying below about the ‘pop’ aspect but I don’t have a problem with that, I think it makes this offering that much more accessible without detracting from the essence, and after all – an artist must want people to listen and enjoy, surely.
Lifted from his website - https://www.nadsylvan.com/theregalbastard
For many years I have had this title in my head. Somewhat provoking, even my record label CEO was against it. " - Listen, I don´t mean it in a naughty way", I said. " - The Vampirate is 400 years old, this is his language. It means what it´s supposed to mean, the king´s illegitimate son, that´s all". So he gave in.
The Regal Bastard is the third and conclusive album in the Vampirate trilogy. Some say it´s my best yet, some say it´s too much pop. Judge for yourselves. One thing is for sure, if you listen to all three albums - you can hear that I don´t repeat myself. I go out on new waters I haven´t been before, that is what artists do. The sea is a metaphor for music, where my ship is constantly moving on in search for new adventures. That is my vehicle.
Tracklist: 1. I Am The Sea 2. Oahu 3. Whoa (Always been without you) 4. Meet Your Maker 5. The Regal Bastard 6. Leave Me On These Waters 7. Honey I´m Home.
Bonus tracks: 8. Diva Time 9. The Lake Isle of Innisfree
Cast: Nad Sylvan - Lead & backing vocals, keyboards, guitars. Anders Wollbeck - Keyboards, guitars. Nick D´Virgilio, Paul Mabury/That Sound, Aaron Sterling - drums. Jonas Reingold & Tony Levin - bass. Steve Hackett & Guthrie Govan - guitars. Andrew Laitres - acoustic guitar, bass pedals. Tania Doko, Sheona Urquhart and Jade Ell - vocals. Yann Marc & Isabel Blommé - cello, Karolina Weber Ekdahl - violin and viola
The lead track ....
Finally – after attempting to listen to this album three times, I made it! Uninterrupted.
Nad Sylvan (who autocorrect keeps on trying to tell me is And!! Lol!) came lateish to the world of things progressive in terms of his solo work, but he’d been a longtime fan of Genesis, for example. He’s been involved in various projects by Steve Hackett, doing vocals for his Genesis Revisited’s and other releases, and with fellow Swede (although Sylvan is American born) Roine Stolt (of The Flower Kings). The Regal Bastard is the third in his so-called Vampirate Trilogy – I am not at all familiar with the other two so listened to this without anything to compare.
I kinda like it – he’s inventive, at the very least, and despite being quite dramatic, which I am sure is essentially his character anyway, this is an eminently listenable album and nothing becomes too overbearing. I recently tried to listen to Billy Sherwood’s new release, of a similar oeuvre, and I actually couldn’t – it was too exhaustingly earnest and lacking in nuance – this is not that. There’s a discreet hint of things Gothic - nothing distasteful - I’m not sure I get the whole gist of the ‘story’ – haven’t listened to the words properly yet but Mr Sylvan has a most distinctive voice which he uses with ease and authority, and I found good melodies and a certain indefinable something that compelled me to persist. The music itself is great (Hackett, Tony Levin, Nick D’Virgillio, Jonas Reingold – a few names I know, and Sylvan himself). I get what he’s saying below about the ‘pop’ aspect but I don’t have a problem with that, I think it makes this offering that much more accessible without detracting from the essence, and after all – an artist must want people to listen and enjoy, surely.
Lifted from his website - https://www.nadsylvan.com/theregalbastard
For many years I have had this title in my head. Somewhat provoking, even my record label CEO was against it. " - Listen, I don´t mean it in a naughty way", I said. " - The Vampirate is 400 years old, this is his language. It means what it´s supposed to mean, the king´s illegitimate son, that´s all". So he gave in.
The Regal Bastard is the third and conclusive album in the Vampirate trilogy. Some say it´s my best yet, some say it´s too much pop. Judge for yourselves. One thing is for sure, if you listen to all three albums - you can hear that I don´t repeat myself. I go out on new waters I haven´t been before, that is what artists do. The sea is a metaphor for music, where my ship is constantly moving on in search for new adventures. That is my vehicle.
Tracklist: 1. I Am The Sea 2. Oahu 3. Whoa (Always been without you) 4. Meet Your Maker 5. The Regal Bastard 6. Leave Me On These Waters 7. Honey I´m Home.
Bonus tracks: 8. Diva Time 9. The Lake Isle of Innisfree
Cast: Nad Sylvan - Lead & backing vocals, keyboards, guitars. Anders Wollbeck - Keyboards, guitars. Nick D´Virgilio, Paul Mabury/That Sound, Aaron Sterling - drums. Jonas Reingold & Tony Levin - bass. Steve Hackett & Guthrie Govan - guitars. Andrew Laitres - acoustic guitar, bass pedals. Tania Doko, Sheona Urquhart and Jade Ell - vocals. Yann Marc & Isabel Blommé - cello, Karolina Weber Ekdahl - violin and viola
The lead track ....
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
