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The Aaron Clift Experiment — The Age of Misinformation
(Bandcamp no#, 2023, CD / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2023-04-20

The Age of Misinformation Cover art

Austin-based composer, musician, and band leader Aaron Clift continues to mature and refine his music. His band’s fourth album, The Age of Misinformation, was born out of the days of the pandemic. This time around, he makes a political statement with his concept album about the destructive power of lies and the search for truth in the face of overwhelming odds. And it sounds like the dark days of the pandemic really boosted Aaron’s and the band’s creativity, pushing limits and stretching them musically into new dimensions. Aaron continues to augment his albums with unexpected and innovative elements such as the string quartet on Outer Light, Inner Darkness. For the new album, he enlisted the help of another Austin band, Big Wy’s Brass Band, for the best track on the album, ”Bet on Zero.” This sophisticated song has Aaron in the role of crooner, along with Anthony Basini’s powerhouse guitar work, combined with the raw brass energy of a big band sound. And to round things out, a cool drum solo, which bands tend to avoid these days. The rest of the album is just as great and with the band being injected with a shot of testosterone for their unique approach to metal progressive rock. You will hear guitar shredding, griity vocals, multi-tracked vocals, organ and other keyboards, and extremely well-crafted songs. Aaron put a lot of his blood, sweat, and tears into this release, and the powerful orchestrations are a testament to his musicianship. Plus there is a lot of variation from track to track, with “L.I.A.R.” sounding like a new arena rock classic, with its Porcupine Tree influences and pseudo-Queen harmonies. Aaron and the band have gained international visibility over the years, and The Age of Misinformation is an album that deserves to put them front and center in neo-progressive rock.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Aaron Clift

More info
http://theaaroncliftexperiment.bandcamp.com/album/the-age-of-misinformation

 

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