Reviews

AGENT COOPER – "Beginner's Mind" CD '05

Our old friend Alice has made such an indelible stamp on rock that it's hard to hear anything with the name COOPER involved & not think of snakes, garish eyeliner & and endless line of hook-laden Detroit rock anthems. Well, give the man his due but Georgia band AGENT COOPER has put another positive spin on the surname with this, their 2nd album. Some people are calling these guys "prog," but before you get any idea about tired old Genesis or Floyd apings, no way! To me, these are 10 sharp, energy-driven hard rock songs, sparked with enough melody & off-the-wall ideas to make even the most jaded listener take notice. Sure, keys are present, but what I love about this is how far to the fore Doug Busbee's guitar is. I also like the immediate style of production plus the fact that the vocals, while clean & clear are not the often-operatic silliness associated with progressive music. This is a really pleasant surprise, highly recommended & I can't wait to hear what comes next (or their 1st album, for all that matter!).

- (Private, US)

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AGENT COOPER “BEGINNER’S MIND” (ZERO SUM RECORDS/PROROCK RECORDS)

The Atlanta/Georgia/USA based band AGENT COOPER returns with a new CD titled ‘Beginner’s mind’, which is the follow-up to their same titled debut CD from 1999. The band is still playing Progressive Rock, although I am not sure how it sounded on their first CD as I haven’t listened to it for quite some time now, but what I do know is that this new CD brings memories of bands like ENCHANT, ICE AGE, CAIRO, so what we get to hear is high quality superb melodic American progressive rock with very clean melodic lead vocals (almost AORish a la DENNIS DE YOUNG) and a sound also inspired by 70s KANSAS and STYX besides the usual progressive rock influences of YES and DREAM THEATER. A fantastic sensational original Melodic Pomp/Progrock CD in the best American tradition. Together with CRYPTIC VISION, this AGENT COOPER waves the flag of the next generation of classic progbands from the USA. The best songs from the 10 included are “East Indian sun”, “In the bottle” (superb uptempo, very strong chorus), “The heat” and “She screams” (beautiful calmer song, which also has keys a la STYX’s “Fooling yourself”). Without a doubt, a superb record, which should be in the hands of every Pomp/American progfan, because take it from me, this new AGENT COOPER is a perfect mix between STYX, KANSAS, ICE AGE, CAIRO, SHADOW GALLERY and ENCHANT.

(Points: 8.7 out of 10)

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Agent Cooper – Beginner’s Mind

There is sometimes a thin line between AOR, Metal and Prog music. The second release from Atlanta, Georgia based Agent Cooper proves it once again. Their album “Beginner’s Mind” can be discribed as a perfect mix of all three musical styles. The result of all those styles is a fine album which can be enjoyed by people who like the music made by bands such as The Beatles, Rush, Journey, Styx, Kansas, Dream Theater and Pink Floyd. The band has no problem to play heavy parts or very emotional pieces. After the bands first album (1999) a lot of music was recorded an re-recorded. It probably featured all those different musical styles. Enough music was made to release two albums but they did choose only the best songs possible. That’s probably also the reason that no weak tracks can be spotted on “The Beginner’s Guide”. Personaly I did find the last four tracks the tracks which had the largest amount of progressive rock influences. It certainly does not mean that the first part of the album sucks. It only features more heavy AOR elements. Which were also fine by me. That the musicians certainly can play proves the strong bass part on “Heat” played by Sean Delson. Also the vocals are very strong. Guitarist Doug Busbee is not only talented on his instrument but has also a gifted voice. Even the harmony vocals done together with the excellent keyboard player Eric Frampton are also very professional done. The use of two drummers and bass players shows that it took the band 6 years to record all the material.

Material that certainly stood the test of time and certainly was worth waiting for. - Henri Strik: Zero Sum Records (Netherlands)

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Agent Cooper: Beginner's Mind
Prog Rock Records

I must admit that what caught my attention to this band was their name – Agent Cooper, what sold me on Agent Cooper was their new release, "A Beginner's Mind."  A pleasant surprise to say the least, AG has been a frequent flyer in my car, mp3 player, home entertainment system and laptop.  I am very impressed with AG's ability to produce high energy progressive rock without the pomp and pretension.  In an interview with keyboardist Eric Frampton, he stated "We bring two things to the table, as far as I'm concerned: a song-oriented approach that is a bit more accessible than some other offerings out there and a sense of humor - we don't take ourselves too seriously." And I think that is a perfect description for AG.
The CD begins with an aural festival of eastern sounds and atmosphere that explodes into "East Indian Sun" and most powerful and mighty tune with a wall of sound approach.  Dissonant melody lines weave in and out of power chords and Hammond organ/strings pad while atop the heated air is vocalist/guitarist Doug Busbee clear-cut vocals belting out a vision of confusion.  Being a big fan of the now defunct band "Course of Empire", AG has replaced them in my library as tracks like "Shallow Disease" are like COE reincarnated.  Heavy riffery and a pulsing chord crunch provide the base for a dynamic chorus that washes and splashes black angst on the shoreline.  My favorite aspect of this piece is the discordant organ flourishes that accent the action of the story.  "Timing Crucial" is enthusiastically all over the place with lighting fast passages broken up by adept and tasteful instrumental interaction.  The main riff is by far one of the tastiest I have heard in a while.  The bass playing in "The Heat" is out of this world!  Sean Delson keeps a break-neck pace with the main theme of this tune and throws in a little "slap" to make it interesting.  The instrumental in the middle is pure prog with unison patterns flying and a funky solo from Frampton to give it levity.  My favorite tune has to be "She Screams" with an allusion to Styx with it's mini-moog arpeggios.  This is a beautiful tune with arsenal of instruments to make this tale of loss, rejection and juxtaposition that much more significant.  The CD ends with a somber "You Know" – a tune that highlights the talents of the band that my not be detected based on the style of the previous tracks.
I asked Frampton about touring and unfortunately his response was "You've got to have major regional followings built up to make the economics of touring worthwhile, and this is Prog we're talking about, so..."  Progressive Music Festival developers – invite these guys to your bill and have the joint buzzing with a new fresh energy that can't be ignored or sloughed off as pap.  Awesome stuff!  By the way, Mr. Frampton chooses homogenized.

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HERE’S A COMPLETE TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH REVIEW/WRITE-UP FROM “MusicInBelgium.Net”

After a first album éponyme left in 1999, here the second opus of American of Cooper Agent . The group is composed of Doug Busbee to the song and the guitars, Eric Frampton with the keyboards, Sean Delson with low except the first two titles where it is held by Glenn Longmuir and finally Frank Fontseré with the battery safe on four titles where the rods are with the hands of Forrest Robinson.

In fact Hindu tonalities open the opus. However, "East Indian Sun" is altogether rather energetic and heavy. The mixture sounds rather well with our ears. This part of progressive at the same time heavy and symphonic becomes serious extensive progressively. Excellent introduction.

Sometimes guitar and low launches out challenges. It is the case of "Crucial Timing" taken along mainly by the riffs. Environment circling for "The Heat" . The bass player y demene like a beautiful devil. One feels also elements plus jazz-rock'n'roll per moments what can bring back to us to old Spock' S Beard.

On "Struggle Like I C" , certain passages recalls us Zeppelin and other Camel. As for "You Know", its acoustic tendencies and its mainly vocal orientation gives him a particular and more intimate seal.

This own-produced second opus is of a very good quality. Agent Cooper is without any worthy doubt to sign with a great label such InsideOut or ProgRock. The future will say to us if we were right. Amateurs of progressive good rock'n'roll even heavy, you who like Spock' S Beard, Neal Morse, Dream Theater even Tiles, level you.

- Jean-Pierre Lhoir: MusicInBelgium.Net

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"I have to say that this is the most pleasant surprise as a blind submission that I've had in a long time, I really loved this CD, I'd never heard of the band before........ "I'm really looking forward to more people discovering this band like I did." - Shawn Gordon (President Of) Prog Rock Records

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This one gets better every time I play it. These guys can flat out PLAY. It reminded me of a harder rocking version of Porcupine Tree. Up tempo progressive rock, solid all around musicianship. The drumming is fantastic. The lyrics can be a bit pretentious, but they get you to sing along anyway with the great melodies. Buy this one. – George Speelman: Guitar Nine Records (USA)

This is the best recent example we've heard of marrying progressive with modern pop/rock. This is infectious stuff and would be on a major label if not for the worldwide ban on progressive rock. - Kinesis CD (USA)

Progressive Rock at its finest. These guys are excellent musicians and also very creative, the songs really speak for themselves. Their music has depth, and layers to it that you can only appreciate by listening to the CD several times. A great marriage of progressive and pop/rock. - CD Debut (Canada)

Agent Cooper's self-titled debut is a crisply-produced disc. The band has a "prog rock" style that reminds you of Kansas, Peter Garbriel, and Rush, without sounding like any of them. If you have the opportunity to see Agent Cooper live, do it, in the meantime get this CD and watch something good get even better. - Art Howard: Entity Entertainment (USA)

Brilliant arrangements and superb performances. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if this one ends up on a major label. RECOMMENDED! - The Missing Piece (Sweden)

Agent Cooper redefine progressive music for the new millennium. This modern mixture of progressive style with intelligent mainstream flow characterises the band's sound. Truly refreshing. - The Space of Carlos Tavares (Portugal)

Live...Matchbox 20...Saga...Rush...Beatles...I sure have mentioned a bunch of great bands here, but believe me when I say that Agent Cooper with their distinctive sound are just as great as any of those. So whatever you do, don't miss this extraordinary band. - Stefan Polzer: Rivendell Progpage (Sweden)

If you call Marillion's Radiation progressive then I would suggest calling the music here such as well. The band combines pop, rock and prog and writing great songs and thinking of great melodies in the process. Great music. Recommended. - Jurriaan Hage: Axiom of Choice (Netherlands)

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