Composer/Musician Reacts to Agent Fresco - Pianissimo (REACTION!!!)

[@sebastianarmas897]

One of my favorite progressive bands of the modern age. I’m eagerly awaiting their next album. Other good songs to check out are: See Hell Dark Water Bemoan Eyes Of A Cloud Catcher Wait For Me Howls

[@viniciusmarcal5281]

Hard agree. Especially with Bemoan.

[@syrityflo5130]

Anemoi

[@ProgPro96]

Really glad Agent Fresco finally made it on the channel! I think they're the only other band that can pull off the same unique style of sound that Leprous has.

[@progperljungman8218]

Which does make them less unique... I do think this song is less in the Leprous-vein than many other though.

[@jonmar83]

"Of Keen Gaze" has to be one of my all time favorites by Agent Fresco. Can't get enough of it, just close my eyes and surf on the soundwaves.

[@StringHead92]

Gorgeous track. I feel it works even better in the album, following the instrumental Almost at a Whisper. The rhythmic ideas are really great and keep the momentum. Great insight as always, Bryan!

[@progperljungman8218]

The intimacy, the athmosphere and the intricacy is the hook for me 😊

[@Jake123557]

Having recommended Agent Fresco before and reading off other comments from this and other videos, honestly the only thing that makes sense is to listen to the Destrier album in its entirety. Make it happen, Brian! Okay, I'm partly joking, but at the same time it's so hard to pick only one song. I will say something from Destrier specifically because their sound is so much more refined there than it is on A Long Time Listening. To me what makes them so unique is their ability to make such focused compositions rich with rhythmically complex, yet catchy beats, beautiful vocals and tight interplay between the band members. Every song catches you off guard with new creative ideas that never outstay their welcome. Lastly, why I'm saying you should listen through the album in its entirety, is because then you will hear that the sum of these for the most part short and focused tracks make up for something akin to a suite, that all comes together in the final track. If I could only pick one song to pull you in I'd say Dark Water. It was, after all, what got me into them. However, many of them are good bets, like Wait For Me, Howls, Pyre or Bemoan. Whatever you choose for the next video I highly recommend you listen through Destrier in its entirety at some point. I promise it will never get boring. By the way, on the topic of songs in 17/16 time, check out Halo by Porcupine Tree. It's got a really interesting section that flows surprisingly smoothly for being in that time signature.

[@ScarsUnseen]

YES! This is the easily one of my favorite modern bands. Everything about them is just fantastic from the composition to the drums to the absolutely amazing singer (who is not really pushing himself at all in this song). Plenty of good recommendations in the comments already. I'll throw in three that I'm not seeing for my contribution. Though if you're just looking for a strong song that works as an introduction, Dark Water is kind of the go to. Stillness is actually a bonus track that is as good as anything on their second album Destrier, but got cut just because it didn't really fit the rest of the album. The drum work is great even among their other work. Long Time Listening is the title track of their first album, and the best way I can describe it as something of an anthem type of song. Mono no Aware kind of breaks my usual rule about songs to introduce a band to people with in that it's an album closer and doesn't really follow typical song structure, but it's still good enough that I'll recommend it anyway. I will say that the live version of this song is an absolutely must hear.

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

Heard of these guys, but never heard them. This was pretty cool. More alternative rock with some tasty proggy/mathy touches that act more as a spice than the main ingredient. I must say that combination is pretty unique as I can't quite think of another band that's gone in that direction: usually proggy/mathy bands tend to lean into that aspect rather than on the more mainstream/accessible influences. That said, I don't know if this is a track that makes me go "yes, I must listen to everything they've done right now," but it's definitely in the "I'm intrigued and need to hear more" category. RE your commentary, one song I know in 17/16 is King Crimson's Discipline (at least the drums; song is polymetric in general). I also know Bjork has several songs in 17/8 all from her Biophilia album.

[@CriticalReactions]

I'll have to check out Discipline and that Bjork album. 17 beats per bar is just so unorthodox that it wouldn't hurt to become more familiar with so I could pick it out easier in the future.

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

@@CriticalReactions Did a quick check and the Bjork songs in 17/8 are Crystalline, Hollow, and Moon. Crystalline and Moon are the easiest to count, as it just sounds like four bars of 4/4 until that little extra hiccup at the end! If you do check out Discipline keep in mind it came out in 1981: it's essentially the OG math rock album!

[@CriticalReactions]

Thanks for the direction. I've got that stuff added to my listen later list -- the good ol' "L3" 😂

[@LLCoolPeas]

Glad to see you got round to checking them out dude :) Pianissimo is definatley not the first song I would have recommended, for all the reasons you mentioned. I highly recommend you check out "Dark Water" or "See Hell" I've said it before, but after following you for a while I really think you'll like this band once you've heard a bit more material, like you say.. more of their hallmark stuff. If you fancy checking them out for your own personal interests... search for Agent Fresco (Live on KEXP) - 30mins long. I think you will agree that it was half an hour well spent :).

[@reguba3534]

I was really vibing to Agent Fresco's album Destrier around this time last year, cool to see them here. It seems they have a little bit penchant for randomly heavy sections followed by an abrupt transition into the chorus

[@maaaaaap]

it works great on Eyes of a cloud catcher

[@reguba3534]

@@maaaaaap No doubt. I don't mean to disparage it, just makes it more memorable to me

[@maximilianschultz8244]

If you want to give this band another shot, I prefer their song Howls. I think it works better with the singer's voice.

[@J_Echoes]

Nice vid! I'm working on a transcription, perhaps even a cover of this song. it is indeed the kind of piece that surely makes more sense in terms of writing and performing than in terms of transcription/reading. The feel is right, writing it down is so counter-intuitive. Best way I figured to write the rhythm down is two half-bars of 20/16 with different subdivisions in terms of sixteenth notes: - First half-bar is 20/16 = 4+3+4+3+3+3 - Second half-bar is 20/16 = 4+3+2+3+2+3+3 This works with the groupings and the accents and can be counted. It's decently readable as well. It also happens to fit in a 4/4 bar where the rhythm converges back every 5 bars, so that's another choice! It's really fascinating stuff, I'd love to know how they would feel/interpret/notate it.

[@SimoTmm]

If you want to listen to some more 17/16 I recommend Mirage and By My Throne by Leprous and Il Vitello Dai Piedi Di Balsa by Elio E Le Storie Tese

[@9thmaggot]

Are you italian? I hope so

[@SimoTmm]

@@9thmaggot yes I am!

[@fabionilsen5931]

Dark Water Pyre Destrier Wait for Me All from the Destrier album and all brilliant songs!!! If you have to choose only one then Wait for Me is a good option. 🙂

[@nicci4724]

Agent fresco is amazing. Please check out more.

[@StoneAndMortar]

What a lovely song - the layering was beautiful, the piano work was captivating, the grungier section was an awesome counterpoint to the rest of the track - loved this. The singers voice didn’t work for me 100% - there’s a strangeness to it at times that doesn’t click with me - it worked for about 75~80% though and that’s good enough!

[@maaaaaap]

imo his voice works way better on their second album, listen to Bemoan

[@StringHead92]

It might be because they are a Icelandic band. I feel the singer's voice has a similar quality to other Icelandic singers.

[@StoneAndMortar]

I’m listening to Bemoan now and vocally it is WAY better. I’m enjoying this track more than the one Bryan checked out even - going to be spending some time with this group.

[@maaaaaap]

@@StoneAndMortar good idea, i like some songs on this album too but Destrier just sounds so amazing

[@ScarsUnseen]

@@StoneAndMortar The band put the video of their live album on their KZbin page. It's a start to finish performance of their second album with a chamber orchestra accompaniment. I highly recommend putting that on and listening all the way through.

[@robdurfee6861]

Another band I recommend is Voices From The Fuselage. You should check out their song “Meteorites”

[@gustavmetal]

My favorite from their first album, but overall I like "Grave Digging" even more.

[@paravarium]

Yeesssss, LETS GO.. our hair's very similar today lol

[@CriticalReactions]

Sometimes you just gotta let your hair down lol

[@Jansku79]

Insomnium - Pale Morning Star (you wont regret, that's a promise)

[@christopherblowers443]

I want him to do more melodeth for sure. Be'lakor- countless skies

[@PaulHilburger]

Wow it sounds like the singer from Leperous

[@brianmannell9754]

Hi Bryan. Figure I'd drop a weird group to suggest you check out. They're an avant-garde group, who sort of toys with Black Metal, pop, rock. I don't know. Their name is: öOoOoOoOoOo (or, "Chenille," which means "caterpillar" in French. Which is why the band name looks like a caterpillar.) The song I'll throw your way is "Rules of the Show." I can't guarantee you'd enjoy it (I'm betting you'll think it's okay), but I think you'd find it somewhat interesting. Full disclosure though, that one song doesn't represent the rest of the album, as each song has it's own sort of groove and flavor, while keeping some of the group's weird musical changeups. The album as a whole was also a grower for me, as I thought it was "okay" at first overall. But, I think the group should get some more ears to tune in, and I think they'll develop pretty well over time if they continue making music. I like their potential quite a bit.

[@CriticalReactions]

öOoOoOoOoOo is one of those names I keep seeing and want to get around to. I should get an Avant-garde week going with these guys in it.

[@brianmannell9754]

@@CriticalReactions That kind of week sounds increeeeedibly interesting. Lol But yeah, I think they'd fit in for something like that pretty well. 👍

[@yotambraunshtein9786]

You must do bent knee (not 100% prog)- bone rage

[@CriticalReactions]

Bent Knee will be here this week!

[@yotambraunshtein9786]

@@CriticalReactions oh yeeeesssss I've been addicted to this band lately have fun and hope you find time to fit scardust