Release year: 2022
Genre: Progressive Rock / Rock Opera
Country: International
Tracklist:
01. Butterflies 2:33
02. I Like the Strange Things 3:49
03. Promising Direction 2:58
04. Who Are The Gatekeepers? 3:03
04. Who Are The Gatekeepers? 3:03
05. The Professional 5:06
06. Ignorance 0:13
07. The Patron 3:40
08. Anonymity 0:13
09. The Pundit 3:27
10. I Think I Like The Strange Things? 1:37
11. Obscurity 0:17
12. The Algorithm 3:49
13. A Compromising Direction 3:15
14. All the Way to the Bank 4:10
15. I Like the Normal Things 4:10
16. All The Way to the Bank (Remix) 4:15
17. The Professional (Seen It All Mix) 4:24
18. Tight Armhole (The Algorithm Remix) 3:28
19. The Patron (Cattle Baron Mix) 3:47
The Gatekeepers is a part-musical, part-concept album about an artist trying to get their work out in the world but facing a series of sardonic, disinterested gatekeepers. A 15-song cycle exploring the creative process from beginning to end, including the cynical aspects of marketing art to the public and the toughness of deciding your own artistic fate.
With a sophisticated blend of progressive, left-field rock, jazz, folk, and an authentic lo-fi spirit, the Gatekeepers creates a captivating musical contrast. Occasionally hypnotic, sometimes turbulent, the eclectic mix is reminiscent of The Lamb Lies Down Broadway, Kurt Vile, Of Montreal, and the Canterbury sound with a nod to Zappa. The album’s composer and mastermind Alex Wroten is joined by an array of highly acclaimed and unconventional vocalists to bring the story to life: The Residents, Shawn Phillips, Brian Poole (Renaldo & The Loaf), R. Stevie Moore, Elaine di Falco (Yugen , Caveman Hughscore), Mont Campbell (Egg, National Health), Bob Drake, Amy Denio, Deborah Perry (Thinking Plague) and CHEER-ACCIDENT.
Other performers in this musical’s ensemble include: drummers Morgan gren (Mats/Morgan Band, Frank Zappa), Jacopo Costa (Loomings), Brian Wnukowski (Salvation, Haymarket Riot), Rob Allum (Add N To (X)); guitarists Frdric L’pe (Shylock, Philharmonie, Yang), Alan Jenkins (Deep Freeze Mice, Ruth’s Refrigerator), Bill Brovold (Larval, Rhys Chatham Ensemble, East Village Orchestra), Paul Lai (Upsilon Acrux), Ty Citerman (Bop Kabbalah , Gutbucket); multi-instrumentalists Dave Willey (Hamster Theatre), Robert Webb (England), Dan Britton (Deluge Grander, Birds & Buildings); flautist Emily Hay (U Totem, 5uu’s); keyboardist Duncan Mackay (Cockney Rebel, 10cc); violinist Matthew Parmenter (Discipline); and additional vocalists Molly Harvey (The Residents), Wally Scharold (miRthkon), and Blaine Reininger (Tuxedomoon).