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Earthbound — Earthbound
(Bandcamp no#, 2025, DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2025-12-28

Earthbound Cover art

Portland, Oregon’s new progressive rock band Earthbound makes their recorded debut with this self-titled EP. The four tracks run just under 20 minutes, and most listeners will likely be left wishing there was more. This is instrumental music with a dark edge, moody and favoring minor keys, but in spite of the odd meters, it doesn’t sound especially like King Crimson. The group consists of Brian Heaney (guitar), Dan Mowery (bass), Brian Magill (keyboards), and Stuart McLeod (drums), and the compositions are all by Heaney. I first encountered him when he was in Stinkhorn back in the late 90s, and while Earthbound lacks the jazzy tendencies of that band, there are definite similarities. Heaney has always tended towards messy, distorted tones, but not with the kind of sound you hear in metal guitarists — it’s more like what you heard in the early 70s than later eras. Hearing him in this context, paired with keyboards, is very enjoyable. Magill uses electric piano, organ, Mellotron, and classic synthesizer sounds, and he does well on both lead and supporting parts. Mowery and McLeod are a solid rhythm section, shining on both the rhythmic pieces like “Strange Angles” and the moody “Listful Thinking.” This is a very promising debut, and my only complaint is that the recording sounds a little thin in places, robbing the music of some of its inherent power.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases

Related artist(s): Earthbound

More info
http://earthbound9.bandcamp.com/album/earthbound

 

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