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░ ██ ██ Artist: 3RDegree ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Ones & Zeros: Volume 0 █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2018 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2018-12-30 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: self-released ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ These are the things on the mind of 3RDegree that █
█ make up its sixth album ONES & ZEROS: vol. 0 and █
█ the bookend to 2015Æs ONES & ZEROS: vol. 1-their █
█ first concept album(s)-now complete. All songs █
█ offer a unique take on the issues and ethics █
█ associated with the rapid progress of technology. █
█ Ray Kurzweil & others have been discussing █
█ futurism and transhumanism since the 1970s but █
█ only now are we seeing it impact our daily lives. █
█ Spearheaded by 1990Æs-era members California █
█ guitarist Patrick Kliesch & New Jersey lead █
█ vocalist/keyboardist George Dobbs, the rest of the █
█ band shortly pitched in different songs-all █
█ closely associated with the overall theme. As with █
█ previous albums, both fully-fledged and skeletal █
█ ideas were created and passed between band members █
█ via the Internet and worked on in the flesh soon █
█ after. █
█ 3RDegree circa 2017 continues to embody the █
█ musical direction envisioned by ôpower trioö █
█ Robert James Pashman, Patrick Kliesch & Robert █
█ Durham in 1991: to create interesting and engaging █
█ music that mixes accessible melodies and catchy █
█ hooks with the intelligence and complexity of █
█ Progressive Rock. Releasing a debut album (on █
█ cassette!) with THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE in 1993 █
█ (w/Pashman on lead vocals), 3RDegree decided to █
█ step up their game in 1995, adding a world-class █
█ lead vocalist in George Dobbs and releasing their █
█ second album, 1996Æs HUMAN INTEREST STORY, which █
█ was re-released in 2013, remastered. After playing █
█ many live shows in the New York City area gaining █
█ little traction, the band hung it up, leaving much █
█ material sitting on the proverbial cutting room █
█ floor. █
█ Dobbs would continue musical endeavors including █
█ solo albums, Pashman and Kliesch would work on █
█ projects together and a solo album each apartàbut █
█ talk of 3RDegree was couched in the past tense █
█ until Pashman would make a video collection in █
█ 2005, putting together all the bandÆs music videos █
█ and performances onto DVD and basement tapes onto █
█ CDs. Discussion of the songs left behind bubbled █
█ under throughout that year until the original trio █
█ met at a NYC bar where it was agreed upon that the █
█ band would record again and later, play reunion █
█ concerts at NJ Proghouse in 2007 with original █
█ drummer Rob Durham and long time collaborator, █
█ guitarist Eric Pseja. 2008 saw the release of █
█ NARROW-CASTER (which included the aforementioned █
█ songs along with brand new ones) making a big █
█ splash in small progressive rock ponds worldwide █
█ with the Dutch Progressive Rock Page (DPRP.net) █
█ reveling: ôItÆs not often an album as refreshing █
█ as this comes along, and we should treasure it █
█ when it does...an album that demands repeated █
█ spins, and rewards every listen with some new █
█ revelationö. In 2009, new drummer Aaron Nobel █
█ joined and the band played shows in Brooklyn █
█ (w/Phideaux) & North CarolinaÆs ProgDay (w/Ozric █
█ Tentacles) later finding themselves working on █
█ some tracks with two different themes but with █
█ election year coming in 2012, the band decided █
█ that their political crop of songs would be █
█ particularly timely. █
█ THE LONG DIVISION would be released ahead of █
█ election day followed by many 2013 mid-year shows █
█ culminating in a return visit to ProgDay Æ13Æs █
█ pre-show-all with new lead guitarist Bryan █
█ Zeigler. The albumÆs single ôYouÆre Fooling █
█ Yourselvesö made the Top 10 Songs Of The Year at █
█ DPRPÆs yearly poll alongside many, much more █
█ ôestablishedö bands. In early 2014, the band made █
█ an appearance at Quebec CityÆs Terra Incognita █
█ Festival (w/Glass Hammer) playing to an █
█ enthusiastic audience-3RDegreeÆs first show █
█ outside the USA. █
█ In August 2015, 3RDegree released a new album-ONES █
█ & ZEROS: vol. 1-on 10T Records (their last █
█ release) and performed live on their first world █
█ tour that not only hit the American northeast, but █
█ also France (Paris), Germany (Frankfurt), The █
█ Netherlands (Rotterdam), & U.K. (London, █
█ Leicester, Southampton & Wales) ending at The █
█ SummerÆs End Festival (w/Pallas). Shows continued █
█ into 2016 (with original drummer Robert Durham █
█ back in tow) including an appearance at RoSfest in █
█ Gettysburg, PA (w/SpockÆs Beard). The band █
█ continued writing songs related to the ôones & █
█ zeros themeö throughout 2016 with the goal of an █
█ equally compelling collection to accompany their █
█ career pinnacle. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ George Dobbs: lead & backing vocals, keyboards, █
█ percussion, violin █
█ Robert James Pashman: bass guitar, keyboards, █
█ backing vocals █
█ Patrick Kliesch: acoustic & electric guitars, █
█ keyboards, backing vocals █
█ Robert Durham: drums, percussion █
█ Eric Pseja: electric guitar, backing vocals █
█ Bryan Zeigler: electric guitar, backing vocals █
█ █
█ Produced by George Dobbs, Robert James Pashman & █
█ Patrick Kliesch █
█ Mixed & Mastered by Angelo Panetta █
█ Drums recorded at Panetta Studios & assisted by █
█ Dan D'Elia █
█ Drums on "Logical Conclusion" & drum arrangement █
█ ideas on "The Future Doesn't Need You" & █
█ "Olympia": Aaron Nobel █
█ Tech support: Ed Baumann █
█ Theremin on "Olympia": Sheuh-Li Ong █
█ Co-lead vocal on "Unintended Consequence": Moorea █
█ Dickason █
█ Additional violin on "Click Farm": Jay Friedman █
█ Spoken voice on "Perfect Babies": Ava Penelope █
█ Pashman █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ New Jersey's gift to intellectually stimulating █
█ eclectic and crossover prog is back with the █
█ follow-up (or predecessor?!) to 2015's wonderful █
█ Ones & Zeroes, Vol. 1. █
█ 1. "ReInstall_Overture" (3:57) fast, brash, and █
█ poppy, this one let's me know that we're in for a █
█ more rock operetta- like adventure here. I'm █
█ reminded here of XTC or some of the poppier KING █
█ CRIMSON or ASIA music from the 1980s. It's very █
█ nice, but not great. (8.75/10) █
█ 2. "Connecting" (4:53) bleeds over from the █
█ opening overture, quickly adding singing to the █
█ mix. There's a cool intensity to this one while █
█ the vocals are going on, but then it gets weird █
█ between. "You are the [&*!#] tonight" is an odd █
█ lyric to throw in there before going back to █
█ stronger intensity. The intricate weave is pretty █
█ cool in the next section. This is almost feeling █
█ like a visual song, a vehicle for a story to be █
█ told on stage. (9/10) █
█ 3. "Olympia" (5:15) again bleeding over from the █
█ previous song, I like the flow of this section of █
█ the album. Great melody line for the first verse █
█ followed by a nice little instrumental and decent █
█ call-and-response chorus. The story is again █
█ feeling as if it's being delivered (or should be █
█ delivered) on a stage. And a good story it is with █
█ Olympia being some kind of AI servant/slave (who █
█ goes off like the OS in the film Her). (9/10) █
█ 4. "The Future Doesn't Need You" (5:50) continues █
█ the story in a much more delicate, emotional way, █
█ with the album's best music, best melodies and █
█ powerful lyric. (10/10) █
█ 5. "Unintended Consequence" (3:35) Broadway, █
█ anyone? (8/10) █
█ 6. "Perfect Babies" (4:43) Despite continuing the █
█ clever tongue-in-cheek story, despite getting █
█ stronger as the song goes along, this one just █
█ misses. (7.5/10) █
█ 7. "Logical Conclusion" (6:40) despite two awesome █
█ instrumental sections (from the end of the second █
█ minute to 3:18, and 3:55 to 5:15) and a great █
█ choral section near the end, this song fails to █
█ "hook" me with any melodic or lyrical lines. █
█ (8.5/10) █
█ 8. "Click Away!" (15:28) an epic that opens with a █
█ sound very familiar to those who have luxuriated █
█ in the sonic magic of THE FLAMING LIPS' 2002 █
█ masterpiece, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The █
█ lyrics (referring to modern humankind's obsession █
█ with quick-access information and entertainment) █
█ are great but the melody and song dynamics fall a █
█ little flat. Despite several shifts and nice █
█ injections from chords, riffs, arpeggi, and █
█ interesting instruments/sounds, the song never █
█ really rises to a level deserving of superlatives. █
█ Great sound and melody in the chorus at 3:50. As a █
█ matter of fact, it's the "Thank you Click Farm" █
█ choruses throughout that are the most engaging █
█ highlights of the song. (8/10) █
█ 9. "Ones & Zeroes" (7:07) reminding me of a lot of █
█ some music by the CARS, this one gets into my █
█ brain enough to bring me back for more. For the █
█ finale of the story line, I'm not quite sure what █
█ the point has been: "It's always been binary █
█ code," means ... what exactly? (8.5/10) █
█ I think the failing of this album is in the band's █
█ decision to try to be cleverer and quirkier than █
█ they needed to be-- especially with vocal melody █
█ lines; just too busy! The best song has the most █
█ stable and simple melodies. █
█ Four stars; an excellent addition to the prog █
█ lexicon--especially to the necessary conversations █
█ regarding the values and priorities of "civilized" █
█ society. Too bad the album doesn't maintain the █
█ high and engaging standard that is sets forth with █
█ the first four songs. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Listening to this, the new and hotly anticipated █
█ 3RDegree album, my first thoughts centered around █
█ "Connecting": the band, more aggressive than ever, █
█ sings of trolls emerging, not in the high fantasy █
█ sense you'd expect from most prog but in the █
█ contemporary sense of malicious online hordes more █
█ fearsome than the forces of Mordor. Mostly, where █
█ Vol. 1 was focused on a parodic, Kafkaesque near █
█ future Internet of Things, Vol. 0 - appropriately █
█ enough for numerically taking a step back - is a █
█ record of the present, of our current █
█ technological issues, and from here looking █
█ forwards. The lyricism becomes dead serious, but █
█ the lyrics, concept, and songs still fail to █
█ glitch. And even on this very in-the-now release, █
█ the band still finds time for "Olympia", an █
█ interesting exploration of relationships with █
█ artificial intelligence and the group's █
█ fascinating idea of a love song. █
█ Of even greater note are the instrumentals. As █
█ mentioned earlier, the band comes charging out of █
█ the gate; "Re1nstall_0verture" and "Connecting" █
█ form a double whammy of some of their hardest █
█ edged material yet, proving quite exhilarating as █
█ their sound fleshes out. The tracks, especially █
█ the aforementioned three and the suite "Click █
█ Away!", prove their best yet. The guitars and keys █
█ here are used to their maximum potential, weaving █
█ vivid electronic soundscapes, beautiful prog-pop, █
█ and driving rock. As the binary switches, 3RDegree █
█ has gone into overdrive, crafting another winner. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Some of you may recall seeing in the #5 position █
█ of the 2015 PA Top 100 an album called "Ones & █
█ Zeroes - Volume 1" by a band named 3rdegree. I █
█ noticed it, and in early 2016 I ordered a copy and █
█ was sufficiently impressed to go ahead and order █
█ the previous three albums, all of which have their █
█ share of rewards. However, this top-ranking album █
█ really stood apart from the others for me. More █
█ than a collection of songs, it was a concept album █
█ about life extension and ultimately becoming █
█ trans-human, i.e. becoming integrated with the Net █
█ as an entity, leaving your biological human form █
█ behind. █
█ Now with any "volume 1" there can be expected a █
█ second volume, and after a long wait, 3rdegree █
█ finally released "Ones & Zeroes: vol. 0". Perfect! █
█ The duology is now complete! █
█ There was some trepidation on behalf of the band. █
█ Would the second part live up to the expectations █
█ of listeners who rated volume 1 so highly? From █
█ the get go, any doubts just fly out the window. █
█ Just plug into the opening track, an instrumental █
█ entitled "Re1install_0verture". If that isn't a █
█ solid welcome back that'll pull you out of your █
█ seat then I don't know what. It's a brilliant █
█ start to the album which includes musical themes █
█ from both Vol. 1 and Vol. 0. █
█ Now just let that album play and get into it. We █
█ are done with the topic of extending one's █
█ existence and so we've also said goodbye to █
█ Valhalla Biotech, which I felt added charm and █
█ atmosphere to volume 1. But our future modern █
█ world is dissected further with the topics of █
█ synthetic companions, genetic manipulation of the █
█ unborn, click farms, and other technological █
█ wonders we are enjoying or on the cusp of █
█ benefitting from. █
█ I say this with intended irony because that it how █
█ 3rdegree wants you to understand their views of █
█ these technological developments. As with the █
█ lyrics of any of their albums I know, there is a █
█ cynicism masquerading in naive optimism. Which █
█ brings me round to the opinion that each song has █
█ lyrics intended to provoke thought and possibly a █
█ little alarm or concern as well. Add to that the █
█ unique and skillful vocal delivery of George Dobbs █
█ and you have songs that beckon your attention. █
█ Although it would be easy enough for me to write █
█ complimentary words for every track, the big █
█ number has to be "Click Away!", a track over 15 █
█ minutes long and broken into parts, though it runs █
█ without breaks and shifts seemlessly from one part █
█ to the next. The song's lyrics are not included █
█ inside the digipak and you need to visit their web █
█ site where the lyrics appear with links to other █
█ web sites appear in the lyrics. 3rdegree have made █
█ the theme of "click away" a reality! █
█ 3RDegree have no problem coming up with engaging █
█ music, but at times you might not really pick up █
█ on the prog aspect. Their music older music █
█ previously struck me as 1990's alternative college █
█ radio intellectual tunage that was fed and raised █
█ on seventies prog. But with "Ones and Zeros" there █
█ seems to be much more going on. Wait! Was that a █
█ bit of Supertramp I heard closing off the album? █
█ Maybe it's just my imagination. Is there a █
█ suggestion of Styx? Or Queen? Well, you get the █
█ point. But anyway, 3rdegree's music is like a █
█ complex architectural structure that does its job. █
█ No blazing cascades of notes. No overt brandishing █
█ of time signatures in your face. No forced stops █
█ and starts. Just music that sounds cool and offers █
█ more nutrition for the soul than your typical █
█ mainstream alternative band. And yet I can't help █
█ feel that the band have really stretched █
█ themselves out this time, creating an album that █
█ is perhaps more "proggy" than their earlier works, █
█ but still managing to get some great melodies in █
█ the songs. █
█ What else can I say but congratulations to █
█ 3RDegree for an album well worth the wait! Now I █
█ really want to hear volumes 1 and 0 back to back! █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The new album 'Ones & Zeros - volume 0' is the █
█ prequel to 2015's volume 1 and another ambitious █
█ concept album from 3RD DEGREE that draws on themes █
█ of trans-humanism and the unintended consequences █
█ of being technologically connected with binary █
█ codes taking over our existence. █
█ Re1nstall_0verture opens the album in a maelstrom █
█ of spacey keyboards from Dobbs, from paradiddles █
█ and jagged guitar riffs. It is glorious to enter █
█ an album with such a glowing atmosphere. The lead █
█ guitar work of Kliesch, Ziegler and Pseja shines █
█ brightly alongside the complex bass lines of █
█ Pashman. The ominous symphonic strings coalesce █
█ with squealing guitars embellished by the █
█ relentless drum patterns of Durham. Overall this █
█ is a brilliant instrumental. █
█ Connecting opens with haunting piano motifs and an █
█ odd meter with estranged vocals. The effect is █
█ astonishing and makes this a very engaging █
█ composition. █
█ Olympia is replete with lead guitars and keyboards █
█ with gorgeous harmonies and the theremin thrown in █
█ for good measure. █
█ The Future Doesn't Need You has a soft opening and █
█ builds with quirky time changes and meters that █
█ would keep any respectable metronome swinging █
█ wildly. There are cool guitars and reflective █
█ lyrics to ponder over. █
█ Unintended Consequences has a bouncy rhythmic █
█ layer and a striking harmonised vocal treatment on █
█ the high and low register that works well with the █
█ Dickason and Dobbs Duet. It is a very quirky song █
█ in passages but it engages the ear for some █
█ compelling listening. █
█ Perfect Babies is really a low point of the album █
█ in terms of structure but I liked the Nietzsche █
█ quote by the child at the very end. █
█ Logical Conclusion brings the album back to a high █
█ standard with the pristine vocals of Dobbs. It is █
█ a wondrous keyboard journey with meandering █
█ guitars that are simply outstanding. █
█ Click Away! is the mini epic of over 15 minutes in █
█ length. It is a genuine multi movement suite that █
█ begins with airy piano and pondering lyrics. Here █
█ the atmosphere feels like something from the █
█ Beatles back catalogue from the White Album to █
█ Abbey Road era. Again the words echo the █
█ sentiments of the album that rejection is just one █
█ click away and there is a genuine anti social █
█ media theme permeating through out. The epic █
█ features glistening keyboards and marching drums █
█ with psychedelic harmonies. There are glorious █
█ guitar slides with impeccable fingerwork █
█ up-and-down the frets like a nervous spider. The █
█ lyrics have an emotional impact along with the █
█ beautiful acoustic picking and Beatlesque strings. █
█ It moves into early Gabriel Genesis structure, █
█ building slowly and inevitably to strong pounding █
█ orchestral rhythm. The offkilter percussion is █
█ jarring and urgent as it speaks of clicking on █
█ social media, and Facebook sites becoming a click █
█ farm for the consumer in this technological jungle █
█ we inhabit. The grinding organ and fuzzed guitar █
█ locks in and a more aggressive vocal as things █
█ heat up speaking of viral posts, spreading like █
█ wildfire projecting the ideal human. It is a █
█ wonderful track and the definitive highlight of █
█ the album. █
█ Ones & Zeros concludes the album with jaunty █
█ rhythms, pounding syncopated drums and raspy █
█ vocals asking the question are you a one or are █
█ you a zero, stuck in a binary code much like the █
█ nude on the cover being enveloped by digitised █
█ creatures. The track has some very progressive █
█ sections with unusual time sigs and extended █
█ instrumentals. The theme of trans humanism is █
█ prominent; what are we becoming, is the technology █
█ engulfing humanity to the point of assimilation █
█ and what are we doing about it? █
█ This new release is a dynamic album from 3RD █
█ DEGREE and a worthy successor to the previous █
█ releases. It comes highly recommended to lovers of █
█ concept prog with a quirky innovative central █
█ core. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ So the band continues with the suite of their █
█ concept album "Ones & Zeros vol.1" with their take █
█ on the issues associated with the evolution of █
█ technology. The story could apply to their own █
█ music! The music of 3rdegree has a foot in the █
█ retro prog and another one in the new prog. You █
█ can hear some past influences like Genesis, but █
█ they have their unique style. The band has done █
█ another great job with the vocals of George Dobbs █
█ who still have a unique voice which is quite █
█ enjoyable enhancing every song. The songs are well █
█ crafted with a Pop sensibility mix with some █
█ beautiful synthesizers arrangements, humouristic █
█ lyrics bringing a captivating atmosphere. The █
█ guitar is never taking the spot but is well █
█ balanced with the rest of the instruments. I █
█ really enjoy the sound old and futurist of the █
█ keyboards. The band is also using some well-dosed █
█ classical arrangements, but it never gives more █
█ emotion than the multi-part vocals arrangements. █
█ If I had some reservations about the music of the █
█ band in the past, I think that this time, all this █
█ has vanished with this album. I needed my █
█ headphones to discover this album... █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ What would I think of the two albums working █
█ together? The albums are designed to be viewed as █
█ a pair, from the artwork and layout through the █
█ music and ideas. While I smiled when I noticed █
█ that this was called 'Volume 0', part of me would █
█ rather it had been called 'Volume 10', which of █
█ course is 2 expressed in binary code, but that █
█ really is nit-picking (yes, I'm a geek ' been █
█ working in I.T. for more than 20 years, but it's █
█ not my fault). █
█ Lyrically it is the perfect follow-on from the █
█ debut, so much so that it feels that it could █
█ become part of a permanent loop, so much so that █
█ the question becomes 'which came first, 1 or 0?'. █
█ Musically it does feel very much of a second half █
█ of a piece of work, possibly slightly more █
█ acoustic? The musical themes and styling of the █
█ debut are carried into this, with the same █
█ influences very much in play, so much so that one █
█ actually finds it quite hard to realise that there █
█ was break between the recording of the two albums █
█ as opposed to being recorded at the same time. And █
█ if anyone doubts the City Boy analogy just listen █
█ to George at 5:20 on 'The Future Doesn't Need You' █
█ and see what I mean. █
█ It is also definitely worth mentioning that all █
█ the lyrics are in the pack, apart from one, and █
█ the only way to get that is to go the Valhalla █
█ Biotech site. Once there the lyrics can be seen, █
█ but also there are various links, for example '5 █
█ Things That You Need To Know' (which takes you to █
█ a blog about becoming more involved in the local █
█ music scene) or 'Become A Shareholder' (which of █
█ course takes you to their store). As I write this, █
█ I see that the album is #2 on the PA charts █
█ (interestingly I gave maximum scores to #1, #3 and █
█ #5 ' haven't heard #4). It is a totally different █
█ album to the latest by Roz Vitalis, the current █
█ incumbent of the top slot: that is very much a █
█ progressive album, from the RIO scene, while this █
█ is progressive pop that is fully Crossover. In █
█ terms of sheer pleasure and repeated playing this █
█ wins hands down, as it just makes me smile each █
█ and everytime I play it. And isn't that something █
█ that music should be about? The two 'Ones & Zeros' █
█ albums perfect complement each other, and all that █
█ can be done is buy both and listen to them back to █
█ back. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Never a band to do the obvious, 3rdegree followed █
█ up "Ones & Zeroes - Volume 1" a futuristic tale of █
█ the digitization of a human mind that ends badly █
█ with "Ones & Zeroes - Volume 0", a futuristic tale █
█ of a man who purchases a human companion that ends █
█ badly. █
█ Despite my tongue in cheek description of these █
█ album, I happen to love them both. 3rdegree have █
█ continued to produced albums of clever art rock, █
█ or crossover prog as we call it here at PA, █
█ fronted by exceptional vocals using lush harmonies █
█ and some deep intelligent lyrics. █
█ The album as a whole brings me back to the days of █
█ 10cc and Supertramp, two other bands that excelled █
█ at playing catchy, compelling and thought █
█ provoking music for the discerning listener. █
█ I find that this album draws me in even more than █
█ the previous album, and has become a staple in my █
█ car stereo this hot summer. █
█ I'm especially hooked on the three middle tracks, █
█ "The Future Doesn't Need You", "Unintended █
█ Consequence" and "Perfect Babies". And of course █
█ the 15 minute epic "Click Away!" is a joy. █
█ I'm not sure yet is this album has replaced "Human █
█ Interest Story" as my favorite 3rdegree album, but █
█ it's close. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Re1nstall_Overture 3:56 ░
░ 2. Connecting 4:53 ░
░ 3. Olympia 5:15 ░
░ 4. The Future Doesn't Need You 5:49 ░
░ 5. Unintended Consequence 3:35 ░
░ 6. Perfect Babies 4:42 ░
░ 7. Logical Conclusion 6:40 ░
░ 8. Click Away! 15:27 ░
░ 9. Ones & Zeros 7:07 ░
░ 57:24 ░
░ ▒ ▒
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