The brand new album from ScienceNV is quite literally the first part of an epic quest. The disc is titled “The Quest for Prester John Volume One.” It is to be followed by the second volume in the coming months. Together they will be a musical interpretation of a fascinating historical tale.
Prester John was a ruler of legend in the ancient world. Over the years (as many legends do), the legends changed. His kingdom was rumored to be in various parts of the world ranging from India to Central Asia and Ethiopa depending on the century. A letter purporting to be from Prester John circulated around Europe late in the twelfth century. At least one expedition was sent to bring greetings to the ruler and his kingdom.
Now, ScienceNV have embarked on a quest of their own, creating a musical adventure based on this story. They don’t just tell the legend, though. Instead they use it as a springboard for telling stories that relate more directly to the human condition in its many forms. Their take on this legend is being released as two full albums of music. In a review for the upcoming issue of Music Street Journal, Greg Olma had this to say about the first volume, ” it has more than its fair share of really good songs with the instrumental tunes and passages being the standout moments here. The Quest For Prester John, Volume 1 has many different elements ranging from jazz, rock, and even operatic vocals making for a very prog release. ”
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, ScienceNV was formed in 2005 by Larry Jay Davis (guitar and bass guitar), David Graves (keyboards), Jim Henriques (guitar and keyboards) and Rich Kallet (drums). ScienceNV released their debut album, Really Loud Noises in 2008. They followed that up with Pacific Circumstances in 2010. The Last Album Before the End of Time was released in 2013.
While their previous albums were strictly instrumental, the new work includes vocals. In another break, there are many guest performers contributing to the Prester John albums. In fact, between the two discs more than 30 artists worked on the music, recording in six different studios across the United States.
Track list:
1. Fanfare (1:22)
2. Eloise’s Tale (32:36)
3. An Earthly Paradise (6:12)
4. The Gates of Alexander (3:00)
5. Above the Falls (5:32)
6. Beyond the Falls (3:22)
7. The Mongols (0:30)
Samples from the album can be heard HERE. The album is available via CDBaby, and can also be accessed via Spotify.
For more information:
https://www.sciencenv.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNV-462667107136898/
https://twitter.com/sciencenv
