IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Oct 13 2015 11:43 AM
Fady, thanks very, very much for your compliments and comments! I really appreciate them. It's interesting that you compare the guitar sounds and the use of the echo on those two albums. The New World Relampagos album was the first time I used my trusty Korg Dynamic Echo pedal for recording. I got it in '98, but didn't use it on Tsar Wars. When I got it, I programmed two echo settings into it, and have used those settings pretty much without changing them for all Cossacks and the Madeira gigs since '98 until two years ago when I finally switched over to the Strymon El Capistan pedal (though I did use the Korg again when touring Italy and Spain with John Blair this last summer). I used the Korg pedal on the first three Madeira albums, too, but switched to the Stryrmon for Ancient Winds. However, I basically used a single setting on the Strymon for the majority of Ancient Winds - and it's a setting I replicated from the Korg pedal! I see some people really obsess over their echo settings, changing them for each song, and I just don't do that. The only songs I didn't use this regular echo setting for on the Ancient Winds album were The Argonaut and Coral Island - the two songs going for the Atlantics sound, on both of which I used a short staggered-echo setting intended to replicate the Atlantics' Echolette sound, and combined with a longer echo on The Argonaut. The other 11 songs all had my basic echo setting, tweaked slightly on the song Ancient Winds (level turned up a bit) and Dawn in Cadiz (time shortened a bit). So, it's funny to me to see you and Danny raving about my echo use, since it's really not something to which I gave a great deal of thought, it's just my usual sound. But I'm very glad to see that you guys think that it works so well!!
Anyway, thank you again, I'm thrilled to see that you're enjoying both albums so much, it means a lot to me to hear that.
— Ivan
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Oct 13 2015 12:21 PM
This album is so precious, I can't even arrange my thoughts to write something. I'm just listening in bliss, words will come later. I just feel right now that this is the best thing in Music. Amazing songs, each and every one. So much to listen to and absorb.
IvanP wrote:
... So, it's funny to me to see you and Danny raving about my echo use, since it's really not something to which I gave a great deal of thought, it's just my usual sound. But I'm very glad to see that you guys think that it works so well!!
Just like that, he doesn't even think about it  . That's why we rave, you see. Even the way you tweak the rate of your delays is masterful. Seriously, I'd love to know how do you approach timing? By feel or simply sticking with the tempo? When I "try" to play any of your songs, if it's not spot-on, it doesn't feel right at all. Does the delay usually go into the Vox, or just in those Atlantics type songs? Where's the reverb in all that?
The people need to know. 
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Oct 13 2015 02:46 PM
Damn, Ariel, wow... I'm blown away. Thank you very deeply.
DreadInBabylon wrote:
Seriously, I'd love to know how do you approach timing? By feel or simply sticking with the tempo?
It's all completely by feel. Like I said above, the echo tempo I use for almost all songs is already programmed into both the Korg and the Strymon pedals, so I rarely even think about it. (Come to think of it, I believe the longer echo I programmed into the Korg way back in '98 emulated the longer echo - from a Klemt Echolette - you can hear on some Atlantics songs. Not 100% about that, but that's my memory. They usually used a shorter echo settings with a bunch of very loud repeat but on some songs you can hear a longer echo. And ever since then I've stuck with that setting. I think it's about 400 ms.) Somehow that programmed setting works for pretty much all the songs, even if the tempo may not completely match it. I can't completely explain it why, but it's best not to question or overanalyze these things! 
Does the delay usually go into the Vox, or just in those Atlantics type songs?
The echo always goes into both amps. When recording with the Korg pedal I always used a splitter box after the echo, before going into the reverb units. The Strymon has stereo outputs so I used those, didn't need a splitter box.
Where's the reverb in all that?
I used two reverb units, one for each amp, and then seasoned the reverb to taste. When recording I tweak the reverb units a lot more than I do the echo pedal. For the Vox, I'll usually keep the reverb pretty low, since I'm using it for a particular tone which usually is not about reverb, but is more in the Shadows/Atlantics vein.
One exception to using reverb units on each amp on this last album: on the Atlantics' cover Coral Island I didn't use the reverb units at all. But I did use two amps: the '62 Bandmaster through a 2x12 cab (with EVs) and the '01 Vox AC-30 to capture the tones of both the Atlantics' '63 (Bandmaster) and '64-'65 (AC-30) lead guitar sounds. I also used those two amps for The Argonaut, but I did use some reverb on both amps, just a touch to give the sounds a bit more aggression and atmosphere. And then I used both the Strymon on the short, staggered repeats setting to emulate the unique Echolette sound as well as a longer single repeat from my Line 6 Echo Park pedal - the Atlantics used that double-echo setup on several songs, most notably War of the Worlds and SOS (Stomp on Stomp) (one other, but I can't think of it now). So, that's what I went for on that song - total echo overkill! I could have used my actual Echolette (which I did use on a few songs on Carpe Noctem), but that thing has a very loud hiss, and it's a PITA to maintain and make sure it works correctly. There was no time to waste in the studio, so I went with the more convenient option.
The people need to know.
There you go, hope that satisfies all your curiosity!
Thanks again, Ariel, your comments really made my day!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Oct 14 2015 01:55 PM
Thank you so much Ivan for taking the time to write this detailed answer. More than the insight on the technical side, which baffled me somewhat, revealing your methods of work and just approach to things, teaches more than meets the eye. To whomever is connected to Madeira's music by the belly, this means a lot. 
A thing:
There are many layers, many sounds that won't reveal themselves with mp3 on earbuds or lousy speakers.
I highly recommend to anyone, to listen to this album at it's fullest impact.
It is so rich acoustically, lots of overdubs, percussion, reverb and delay games to make your ear track and pleasure your brain. The snare sounds amazing, btw.
That means free time, no distraction, good head, great stereo, car system or headphones. You should feel mild tinnitus afterwards, nothing serious.  
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Jeroen
Joined: Feb 09, 2012
Posts: 100
Zeeland, Netherlands
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Posted on Oct 14 2015 02:28 PM
What a masterpiece of surf music! Lots of repeated plays and each track still brings great enjoyment. Thank you The Madeira.
— Instromania on Bandcamp
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eltwang
Joined: Feb 26, 2008
Posts: 540
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted on Oct 14 2015 02:28 PM
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Oct 18 2015 08:09 AM
DreadInBabylon wrote:
A thing:
There are many layers, many sounds that won't reveal themselves with mp3 on earbuds or lousy speakers.
I highly recommend to anyone, to listen to this album at it's fullest impact.
It is so rich acoustically, lots of overdubs, percussion, reverb and delay games to make your ear track and pleasure your brain. The snare sounds amazing, btw.
That means free time, no distraction, good head, great stereo, car system or headphones. You should feel mild tinnitus afterwards, nothing serious.
I've listened to this album through mp3 at home, in the car, even through the mixing software (I'd love to have an "Ivan" track to measure echo pulses  ) - but without question, as with many albums, the best is simply cranked through Marantz, filling the house with the speakers. We had a recent balmy doors-windows-open day & the kid that comes by sometimes to deliver the Mrs' portable O2 tanks, just took a break outside on my front porch for awhile and said "wow, who is THAT?" Teachable moment that surpassed someone else's bogus Rose Garden photo-op.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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Richard
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1674
Georgia
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Posted on Nov 10 2015 08:56 AM
A long overdue review I posted to Amazon for this great album, not really written for the initiated:
The Madeira are one of the best surf/instrumental bands in the world today. That's an opinion, but a Google search will tell you I'm not alone in it. I'll refer to them as a surf band, but that's not a totally apt description. There are decades of influences heaped on top of that, but for practical reasons the label works well enough. A friend of mine calls them "power surf," which I think works a bit better. They have always been a BIG sounding band, and they sound remarkably distinctive for a band that's a lot more rooted in their surf roots than many of their contemporaries to whom the surf label is more loosely-applied. Their melodies and arrangements are always complex and interesting, which is to say every song has a hook and a strong melody. If you're a musician of any kind, there's a lot here to appreciate. If you're just a music fan and like anything you find that's good, I say the same.
The Madeira have always tended toward the anthematic, and Ancient Winds takes that to the next level. This is an instro-surf rock OPERA. If you follow the titles of the tracks and listen, there's not just a theme but a story brewing that works really well in my mind. My favorite bands in instrumental rock genres have something I vaguely refer to as ambiance. It's not just how they package themselves; there's a tone and character to the music that's evocative, and The Madeira have this in spades. They have their own finely honed and distinct sound that combines driving surf rock and various "exotic" elements (I'll let you look/listen and draw your own conclusions about what that means) with the band's other rock/metal influences. All this while still managing to vary the tone and mood enough to keep the album from getting "samey," and even within each individual song there are a lot of dips and swells. The very first track, "Journey To The Center of The Surf" is a good example and an excellent start to the album.
Another factor that makes this such an epic album is that in addition to the considerable songwriting talent of the two guitar players, Ivan Pongracic and Patrick O'Connor (I like to listen to the albums without looking at the writing credits to try to guess who wrote what), there are tracks co-written by some of the most talented songwriters in instrumental rock alive. First and most notable is the collaboration with Jim Skiathis of legendary Australian instrumental combo from the '60's, The Atlantics, on the song "The Argonaut." As is usually the case with a Madeira release, there's also a cover of an Atlantics song, "Coral Island." The track "Hail, Poseidon!" was co-written by Jeremy DeHart of long-running surf mainstays, The Aqualads, who've been turning out strong material for decades. "Dawn in Cadiz" is a collaboration with Alex Faide of the world-renowned Los Twang Marvels. Last but absolutely not least is "Sirena" with Danny Snyder of The Tomorrowmen. Talking about any one of these songwriters and their respective bands would require a whole other review, but their contributions here are momentous.
What they've achieved with this album is most significant in the context of every album that came before it. Few bands, especially bands that make some REALLY good albums, manage to make a better one each subsequent time. This time, yet again, they have with Ancient Winds. Every one of their previous albums is well worth checking out, and given their trajectory you may even want to start back there and work your way toward this one.
— The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31
Last edited: Nov 13, 2015 11:31:12
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19194
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Nov 10 2015 09:21 AM
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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MadScientist
Joined: Jan 17, 2008
Posts: 2188
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Nov 10 2015 09:30 AM
Great review, Richard! I am CRIMINALLY late in touting the great releases I have gotten and heard this year, and I'm going to work hard to fix that. I think I'm totally going to copy you and do an Amazon review and copy it here as well.
—
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SilverFlash
Joined: Jul 14, 2015
Posts: 472
Near Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Nov 10 2015 10:09 AM
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Nov 12 2015 07:11 PM
Hey Richard!!! You RULE!! Thank you very much! Man, that review is written FAR better than at least 50% of reviews I read written by professional music critics! If you ever need an alternate career, you should definitely keep this in mind!
Big thanks again, buddy! I really appreciate it.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
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The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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MadScientist
Joined: Jan 17, 2008
Posts: 2188
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Nov 13 2015 11:53 PM
I really am shamefully late in chiming in about this album. It's so worth fussing about. As is happening with more and more music these days, it took me a good while to really digest this album. There was no denying right from the go that this is a powerful collection of music. As I told Ivan, I truly consider The Madeira "Power Surf." Thought out concept albums, BIG sound, a true sonic attitude and a sense of energy and drive in every song that points to this distinction. Even the slower and more mellow seeming songs are brimming with an urgency and fire. This is The Madeira's brand, and it's completely amazing. After hearing a song or two on various shows and podcasts, I first listened to the entire album on the way to Indianapolis to play the release party. Of course, the power of the record hit me (as well as Richard and Mystery Men bassist Jay) immediately. The nuances, though, were much slower to sink in. That's not to say it wasn't dazzling or enjoyable at first. Quite the contrary (especially witnessing this album live!! holy wow!)... It just needed more time. This is not an album to take lightly. The next morning at brunch we were discussing it a bit, as Ivan was (understandably) really excited about the release and wanted to talk about it all. I told him flat out that I really love the album, as I honestly do all of The Madeira albums, but Carpe Noctem is still the crowning achievement for me (Sahar alone would be enough!!). Well, I'm not embarrassed to say that Ancient Winds has taken over. This truly IS a dazzling record. There is a passion in this album that is almost unparalleled. Four perfect parts of a puzzle with not a one out of place. Ivan's prowess as a guitar god (that's right. I said it.) is well documented, as is the almost inhuman ability of Patrick on rhythm and Todd's confident and elegant bass work to tie it all down and keep it honest, but the guy that I REALLY need to point out is the MONSTER sound and explosive power that is Dane Carter on drums. Talk about the heart that beats and drives the machine! This dynamic is certainly present on all of The Madeira records, but I think it's truly honed and perfected here.
There isn't a "skipper" or "filler" track on this record. It's solid from top to tail. There are standouts to me, though:
Journey To The Center Of The Surf - One thing The Madeira are truly MASTERS at is opening tracks. This is in keeping with a very strong tradition! What a great primer for things to come! Truly a textbook example of The Madeira's power and dynamics.
Ancient Winds - Just pure beauty. Wonderful melody and a song that truly puts me into a great landscape within my imagination. A great example of what I mean about a song with a seemingly light touch having a fire underneath it.
Farthest Shore - Dark and haunting and sticks with you. If I hear even a part of this song, I'm singing it for a week. So many great layers to the recording as well!
The Argnonaut - Pure power. The guitar work is positively primal, but this is Dane's song. He is absolutely on fire and really ties the song together in a perfect way!
...and probably my favorite song on the album:
Sirena - Dynamics that I dream about. Volume shifts... Drive shifts... It pulls you in and pushes you away and does it all with the grace of a ballerina. I find it completely captivating.
This album has really gotten under my skin, and boy am I glad! There really SHOULD be a TON more fuss about it.
BIG congrats to Ivan and the crew! I know you are extremely proud of this record, and you damn well should be! I was actually SO fortunate to be there when Ivan first opened the box of CDs in front of the Purple Orchid at the SG101 Convention, and the look on his face perfectly sums up the joy and pride that he has about this album. He's right:
—
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Nov 15 2015 10:37 AM
Jamie, what a wonderful review! You're truly a prince among men! We greatly, deeply appreciate all your compliments, especially coming from such a talented musician as yourself, playing in a band that as far as I'm concerned is at the very top of the global heap of new surf bands! And it's just great to see that photo from El Segundo the night before the SG101 convention, seeing the CDs for the first time! As I think my face makes quite obvious, I was absolutely THRILLED! Excitement off the charts! Getting any CD to a satisfactory completion is, as I'm sure you know all too well, a huge task, but I have to say that this one had the most difficult birth of any Madeira album, and it probably cost me a few years of my life! It was pretty stressful towards the end. So, ultimately getting it just right and being able to finally hold it in my hands was a huge deal for me. I'm so glad you were able to capture that moment. Thank you very, very much again, Jamie!
Here's also the brief-but-nice New Gandy Dancer review of Ancient Winds:
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Nov 15 2015 11:00 AM
Awesome reviews by some pretty fantastic people!
Late to the party as always - my copy shipped late last week and should be here in a few days and I'm sure it will live up to the accolades and more.
The Madeira puts their all into everything they do and it shows.
It's going to be a fun music listening week in the shop!
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
Last edited: Nov 15, 2015 13:14:42
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Nov 16 2015 05:28 PM
Was listening to this again throughout the day, just putzing around the house. Danny mentioned the style Patrick often writes in, which seems to facilitate Ivan's style. A song that struck me today was 'Sirena', Ivan & Danny collaboration. Patrick still hits those breathy chords and incites tension in such a phenomenal manner - love the rhythm execution on that song; I could play along and pretend I had long hair. Coupled with Dane & Todd in that mix and it just oozes intrigue. What a great job by all.
Today this album was literally music for:
- cleaning up kid's bedroom in advance of her Thanksgiving arrival.
- winterizing the lawn mower to put it away (yes, doors open, blasted it!)
- install & bias new set of power tubes.
- clean, bake & freeze-pack fresh squash for the winter.
Maybe I'll do my Arabic homework to this...
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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wfoguy
Joined: Dec 11, 2011
Posts: 2092
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Posted on Nov 16 2015 06:08 PM
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sabahawig
Joined: Mar 28, 2006
Posts: 18
Noblesville, IN
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Posted on Nov 21 2015 05:07 PM
Thanks for all for the kind words, everybody!
Dane
Last edited: Nov 21, 2015 17:07:39
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BillAqua
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Chicago IL.
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Posted on Dec 30 2015 07:47 AM
I got it in the mail yesterday after work. Ivan, you've influenced me to practice a lot more. Great stuff from what I've heard so far.
— "as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"
https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Dec 30 2015 09:46 PM
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April Birthdays 
