Live Review and Cherub Rock

FULL REVIEW GO

Howard Reich, from the Chicago Tribune writes;

...Chamberlin's playing encouraged the softer, subtler side of Catalano's music, the drummer crafting taut swing rhythm via thoroughly economical means. Chamberlin's less-is-more approach eminently suited the somewhat more controlled, more measured facets of Catalano's playing and showed a real sensitivity to jazz aesthetics... The soulfulness and blues-based phrase-making of Catalano's solos stood out, Chamberlin's delicate brush work enriching the music...

In addition to the live shows with Frank Catalano, following the set on Saturday night Chamberlin sat in with Umphrey's McGee - playing a version of Cherub Rock  > Listen (in part) to it here

Great Civilizations Reviews - Collected Here

I'll try and grab as many as I can, as they trickle in; hit up the comments if you see one I miss.

Cheers.

...Great Civilizations is rich with drum rolls that grab your attention, convicted guitar melodies and heart-felt lyrics. The whole album is an acclamation, a moving anthem. The tracks are arranged in a way that controls the mood; one song leading up to a frenzy the next turning the mood to a more reflective tone... >The Owl Magazine

...Chamberlin isn't able to play drums like it's 1995 (as he told this reviewer last Monday) but you'd be hard-pressed to convince listeners otherwise on album highlight "Capsized Jacknifed Crisis." His ridiculously fast but smooth stick work, and the pop rock behind this well-produced piece of work are pleasurable to listen to every time.... By the time you get through these 10 tracks, if you're like this writer, you'll appreciate and dig Chamberlin's new direction more than you thought you would and will definitely want to hear a follow-up to Great Civilizations, one of the more impressive debut records of 2011   >BlogCritics 

Skysaw’s debut album Great Civilizations is a tour of prog, arena, and quiet keyboard rock.  Pirog’s guitar hooks are fast and relentless; Chamberlin’s drums are tight and martial.  [Great Civilizations] reaches for the booming symphonies of Rush's Fly By Night or Moving Pictures. But only a handful of its 10 songs achieve those heights... One wishes Skysaw had included “Cathedral”, a seven-minute spectacle of shredded fury and ricocheting drum crashes the band has been playing at recent shows and one that could make Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart envious. > Washington City Paper

...in this ten song set that proves immensely listenable from start to finish and actually scales higher peaks as it works its way forward...Great Civilizations does occasionally bow to its handle with some sweeping sentiment. Indeed, songs such as the effusive "No One Can Tell," a soaring "Nothing's Ever Easy," and the ever-insistent title track diminish any cause to quibble about Chamberlin's intent...Great Civilizations excels on its own merits, a damn fine debut due the kudos the press is bound to toss its way. > BLURT

...Skysaw struts through modern rock with the kind of confidence you'd expect from a musician as sharp as Chamberlin (the song "Capsized Jacknifed Crisis" evokes its title primarily because of Chamberlin's superbly wrecked drums), and there's a wonderful '60s delirium along the music's edges -- backwards guitars (guitarist Anthony Pirog) and woozy bass wobbles and MGMT-worthy psychedelic voices (vocalist Mike Reina). > Chicago Sun Times []

Skysaw seems to be great prog simply because they do not try so hard to be great prog. Instead, they walk that fine line between complexity and accessibility, pooling their impressive musicanship to craft melodic riffs and textures that have the momentum of a roller coaster. As a result, Great Civilizations is accessible enough to be worth checking out, and deep enough to be rewarding in the long term From the Pharmacy of Dr. Spin

SKYSAW - [Live Review]

http://stereosubversion.com/reviews/minus-the-bear-live-the-handlebar

I assume Skysaw takes their name from the Brian Eno song of the same name, because, like Eno, their music is full of tension, yet melody.  And, like Eno, they know the importance of texture.  Singer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Reina’s voice comes out like a mixture of Ted Leo and Peter Gabriel—a forceful tenor able to capture a melody and make it his own.  Skysaw’s drummer is none other than Jimmy Chamberlin, formerly of Smashing Pumpkins—a fact I found out only a day before the show. As always, his style is tight and rapid-fire, but oddly enough, a bit understated.  As it turns out, Skysaw was originally Chamberlin’s outlet for some of his new musical ideas post-Smashing Pumpkins, and Reina worked with Chamberlin to flesh out the ideas along with the other band members.  But Skysaw aren’t the single vision of anyone, as it’s clear that the band is well-rehearsed and embodies a symphonic space all their own.  I’m anxious to hear more from them in the future.