Proteus
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Proteus

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"Proteus 2006 Idendendently Released"

Sometime in the late 80’s, the music known as
“Art Rock” or “Progressive Rock” fell from grace.
Perhaps it was the Seattle scene that pushed it out of the limelight, who knows. Led by bands like Rush, Yes, Queen, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and King Crimson, it eventually seemed to drown
under its own weight and disappear. I always blamed the shortening of our collective American attention spans. Others might say it was MTV that decided no one in those previously mentioned bands were as pretty and marketable (and therefore as talented) as say, George
Michael.
I’m happy to say there has been a grass roots effort to revive the style, and this is the best local
example I’ve heard so far. Heavily influenced by the jazz-fusion of the same era, Proteus doesn’t shy away from unpredictable time changes or dramatic, ambitious instrumental interludes. Musicianship is strong with impressive keyboards and guitars throughout. The rhythm section
keeps up very well and never misses a step. When it comes to their instruments, these boys
definitely did their homework. No lacking of talent there.
But just like the other examples of this style I’ve heard lately, Proteus lacks the unique vocal qualities of a charismatic front man like a Geddy Lee, a Peter Gabriel or a Jon Anderson- and there aren’t any showmen like Freddy Mercury
around so I won’t even go there. Even Pink Floyd, while not a show band at all- had unique and instantly recognizable vocals. That’s another part of the magic that the progressive art rock
bands of the day had, and I’m still waiting to hear that in a new band. The vocals on this album are good, but they don’t stand up to the instrumentation. And on one track in particular (Beyond the Earth) they even have a bit of a
“boy band” thing going. Ouch. Lyrics are also not a strong suit, which was another crucial piece in
the progressive rock puzzle.
But the important part of this band is the instrumental work and the sheer cerebral talent that seems to flow effortlessly when they’re jamming. Like the bands mentioned above, they seem to
be capable of doing a million things instrumentally without putting a foot wrong ever. If they can
do this live, they’d be a great band to see. The track “Spec o’ Fleck” demonstrates a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones style workout, which is
a challenge for anybody to pull off. That is the part about these guys you need to know about, the rest
will come in due time.
- Maria Mesa of Austin Daze


Discography

2006 Proteus self titled.
Available at iTunes.com and Rhapsody.com

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Bio

Proteus is a new band emerging out of South Texas, one whose appreciation for complex and progressive music has culminated in an intelligent and driving style that they call Progressive-Jazz-Funk-Rock. These four individuals, with varied backgrounds and influences, have come together to experiment with new sounds and musical ideas, without abandoning the core rock and roll roots that they have in common. One of the most significant elements behind the music of Proteus is their desire to experiment with new sounds and odd meters, all while maintaining the melodic and often driving feel that their fans have grown to love. By using the full range of their instruments, including a synth guitar and killer keyboard tones, Proteus is able to emulate a band twice their size and sound without missing a beat.