The Twenty Committee - The Cycle Undone (CD)
Though many presumed them to be defunct after significant time spent off the proverbial tour bus, the Committee have never left session. After years spent writing, rehearsing, and arranging in a nondescript New Jersey basement, the band emerged in May 2021, armed with enough material drafted for another studio-length release. They convened in New York with Rave Tesar (Studio X) of Renaissance to record drum tracks for what would become their sophomore album. Over the subsequent year, the band painstakingly recorded the rest of the album around that skeleton, with Bishop at the engineering helm in his home studio. Other engineering work for “Cycle” includes: Annie Haslam’s guest vocals recorded by Brett Kull of Echolyn (Catapult Sound), and Geoffrey Langley’s additional work on Moog and organ recorded by Matt Thomas of The Genesis Show (MTOverdubs). The band is extremely grateful to Larry Fast for his mastering work.
The Cycle Undone represents a decade of under-the-radar work. “Cycle” has been described as “rich, nuanced, and unpredictable” (albumrock), “excellently played and pleasantly sung, [with] thoughtful and cleverly crafted compositions” (Paul Rijkens, iO pages), “big and symphonic [with] impeccable and elegant playing” (Bert Saraco, The Phantom Tollbooth), and an album that "not only surpass[es] its predecessor in terms of scope, diversity, and ambition, but [also] easily measures up to virtually all of 2023’s other progressive rock releases” (Jordan Blum, Sonic Perspectives). Tracks from the album have been featured on numerous podcasts and online radio stations, including Music in Widescreen, Epic Prog Radio, Xymphonia, and Progzilla, and the single “Embers” was in the running for PROG Magazine’s feature, “Track of the Week.” To the band, perhaps the greatest compliment yet rendered for “Cycle” was Greg Spawton of Big Big Train recommending the album as his favorite prog release of the year in an interview with Progradar.org.
Produced by Geoffrey Langley and Jeff Bishop, engineered by Jeff Bishop, Matt Thomas (The Genesis Show), Rave Tesar (Renaissance), and Brett Kull (Echolyn), with special guest Annie Haslam (Renaissance and solo), Mastered by Larry Fast (Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Annie Haslam)
I am quite impressed with this album. It is excellently played and pleasantly sung, and the compositions are thoughtful and cleverly crafted. -iO Pages
"The Cycle Undone” is a success, though, with its amazing performances and delicious sense of melody. ...the album is like an intricate web full of color and light and meaning. -The Prog Mind
Check them out:
https://youtu.be/BPgLXDQSlP0
https://youtu.be/kbU2uGMmL4I
Tracks:
- 1. Recodified
- 2. Sparks In The Mind
- 3. Embers
- 4. A Star In The Eye
- 5. Forevermore
- 6. The Cycle Undone (ft. Annie Haslam)
- 7. Robot Death
- 8. Dust Returned
Format: CD
Artist: The Twenty Committee
Release Date: December 12, 2023