Devin Townsend Project: Lucky Animals – new video & Epicloud – full album stream & commentary

 

 

A very Devin Townsendish video has been just released by the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT; the clip includes snippets of 130 videos (out of 150 submitted) filmed by Mr. Townsend's numerous fans. ‘Lucky Animals’ comes from the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT's latest epic and loud album ‘Epicloud’, which can be still listened to in full here (Exclaim!) or below, provided you like your music explained by its author, the prolific and slightly hyperactive Devin Townsend himself. ‘Epicloud’ was released in September 2012 through Inside Out Music and HevyDevy Records. The fifth album in the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT series that began in 2009 with the release of ‘Ki’ and ‘Addicted’, and continued in 2011 with ‘Deconstruction’ and ‘Ghost’, ‘Epicloud’ boasts thirteen “light-hearted, hook laden tracks” and features, once again, guest vocal appearances by Anneke van Giersbergen. Order the album here (official Devin Townsend store):

“With ‘Epicloud’, I wanted something catchy as the flu, but with a sentiment that is romantic, positive and beautiful. Spiritual without religion and set to heavy music. Again, because some structures are “common” (but new to me), this record is my take on what a big, epic, commercial sounding record that sings about nice stuff would sound like in Dev-land. Please don’t take it as a “sell-out” move, because it truly surprised me as well and is a “transition” between the four DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT records and my upcoming musical, ‘Z2’,” [explained the musician]

“About the only thing that one can count on from Devin Townsend is not to count on anything at all,” [began his review of ‘Epicloud’ Thom Yurek, Allmusic] … For fans who wondered where he’d go next, ‘Epicloud’ was perhaps the least likely direction. It is the most unabashedly mainstream and “pop”-oriented recording of his career thus far. … The single ‘Lucky Animals’ is driven by a catchy metal riff, but given the multiple vocal layers, it almost feels like QUEEN getting edgy. … Ms. van Giersbergen's vocals take it to an entirely different level musically; her level of self-expression throughout the record, but particularly here, is remarkable. … ‘Epicloud’ was recorded to be accessible to a wide range of listeners, and as such, it succeeds in spades. It’s not particularly adventurous, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. If half of what passes for mainstream rock was nearly as interesting or satisfying, radio would be worth listening to again, “ [he concluded and I agreed – read the rest here]

 

One of the most admired figures in the rock & metal world, Devin Townsend, once famously stated:

“Making music for me is like taking a shit. It’s just part of the day. I’ve got goals, of course, but it’s the process I really dig. I make sure everything’s right and then I go and listen to someone else's music before I lose my mind. Otherwise it’s like swimming upstream in a river of your own splooge! I’ve got so much left to say and so much more that I’m planning that it’s great to get this part, the end of the beginning, wrapped up.”

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT features: Devin Townsend - vocals, guitar and electronics, Anneke van Giersbergen – vocals, Ryan Van Poederooyen – drums, Brian Waddell – bass and Mark Cimino – guitars