Browsing Tag

The Star Prairie Project

It’s the end of the world as we know it, and The Star Prairie Project refuse to let it go quietly in their classic rock lament, Visions of War

The last time we heard The Star Prairie Project, they were serenading us through their rock ballad, Queen Isabella. Today, they are here with their aptly dark classic rock forewarning of a bomb-blistered destitute future, Visions of War.

With testaments of how visions of war pierce through the subconscious veil and perturb our dreams, it is a striking account of how plagued by the weight of the world we are. No matter how much we try to cast our gaze away from the screens which burn fear into our psyches.

It almost felt sacrilegious to appreciate the sheer ingenuity on offer here. But in the same breath, it is a stunning reminder that no matter how disparate the world gets as it amps up the chaos with every turn, humans are just as capable of fucking BEAUTIFUL things. And the tragedies falling like dominoes all around us are a crying shame of potential.

Here’s what The Star Prairie Project had to say on their latest album:

“Fight or Flight trumpets the fact that the world order as we know it is teetering and crumbling before our eyes. While too many remain oblivious to this fact, there is no denying that human civilization is facing its gravest challenges since World War II. To make matters worse, these challenges are hitting us from all possible directions.

As if we weren’t busy enough dealing with the accelerating climate change, environmental degradation, flora and fauna extinction, we’re also batting political and social discord unforeseen in many western nations … until recently. As the prices of consumer goods and gas are soaring due to the war in Ukraine, the poor become poorer, and the rich become richer. It’s unintentional, but we’re creating a fertile recruiting ground for street gangs and organized crime – the riot squads have never been busier.”

Visions of War is now available to stream on Spotify. Delve in and prepare to be arrested.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Star Prairie Project remind us what old school rock romanticism looks like with ‘Queen Isabella’

The international outfit comprising of artists from the US and Portugal, The Star Prairie Project, have released their nostalgically sweet 2021 album, Shine a Little Light, and that’s exactly what they did on the airwaves with this sentimental array of Beatles-inspired soundscapes.

The mellifluously easy chords in the standout radio-ready single, Queen Isabella, paired with the shamelessly impassioned vocals and lyrics that remind you what old school romanticism sounds like put The Star Prairie Project in the same league as Chris Isaak. Isaak may have set the bar high with Wicked Games, but The Star Prairie Project easily transcended it with the soul in their kaleidoscopically colourful melodies.

After starting with a Neo-western intro and working up to one of the most visceral rock homages to love we have heard this year, Queen Isabella is a triumph of an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.

Queen Isabella is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Star Prairie Project exhibit their eminence in their overwhelmingly evocative Alt Rock ballad ‘The Crying’

After their debut album, ‘Pancea’, amassed over 1.1 million streams and the standout single hit the iTunes UK Top 100 Rock chart at #36, Wisconsin-hailing alt-rock artist, The Star Prairie Project, unleashed their equally as compelling sophomore album ‘Surreal’.

The standout single, The Crying, demonstrates the evocative potential which Rock has always possessed but few have managed to achieve. With a sense of grief running deep in the veins of the classic rock-inspired single, it is safe to presume that plenty of people will find resonance when they hit play, given the 2020 we’ve collectively endured.

With the soul of a rock ballad and the monumental impact of a rock anthem, The Star Prairie Project allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds while introducing you to a brand-new realm of emotionally explosive rock.

The maturity and nuance delivered by The Star Prairie Project with The Crying definitely isn’t something which we encounter frequently. If they’re not on your radar, we’d recommend making room.

The Crying is available to stream now via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Sailing off on a ‘Sea Of Change’ with the Star Prairie Project

The Star Prairie Project – named as a portmanteau of the village of Star Prairie in Minneapolis and the Alan Parsons Project – is the project of songwriter Nolen R. Chew Jr along with a collective of musicians and producers from around the US and Europe.

‘Sea Of Change’ is the first single from the project’s second album ‘Surreal’, released on the 18th December. The Star Prairie Project’s first album, released in July, has already ratcheted up over 1,000,000 streams on Spotify, with the single ‘Frantic Mind’ reaching #36 on the iTunes Top 100 Rock Chart.

Fresh, light, americana-meets-rock, ‘Sea Of Change’ is part-Lemonheads, part-Jayhawks, with a touch of Tom Petty guitar jangliness thrown in for good measure. It’s catchy, poppy without being disposable, with a nicely wah-driven guitar solo and a cute little middle-eight before the sing-along chorus carries you away once more.

Check out The Star Prairie Project’s latest release via Spotify.

Review by Alex Holmes

The Star Prairie Project reflects 2020 with new rock song ”Frantic Mind”

The Star Prairie Project is the brainchild of Nolen Chew Jr who is a singer-songwriter from Star Prairie, Wisconsin. The main aim of this recording project is to write original songs and make them into records. Nolen collaborates with musicians and producers from LA to London to bring the songs to life.

The Star Prairie Project is named after the village of Star Prairie which is 50 miles north east of Minneapolis/St Paul and the Alan Parsons Project from back in the day.

Frantic Mind” is a powerful rock song that encapsulates the minds of most humans right now. Life is crazy at the moment.

The Star Prairie Project have strong vocals on this one and they back it up in style with a sound that is a joy to listen to. This is a proper band that rock out with speaker-busting guitar riffs and smashing drums. ”Frantic Mind” is a top track and the real lyrics makes this even better.

Stream this exciting rock track that defines 2020 here on SoundCloud.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

The Star Prairie Project strives for freedom with ‘Home of Hope’

Country and Americana artist The Star Prairie Project has released new track ‘Home of Hope’. 

Self described ’brainchild’ of Nolen Chew Jr. – a songwriter from Star Prairie, Wisconsin’ – The Star Prairie Project have projected talents strongly with ‘Home of Hope’. Inspiring music, especially in times like these as many Americans will agree, can go a long way to finding one’s feet and ‘Home of Hope’ delivers on this optimism with toe tapping goodness put to all-American loving drawl and a tightly woven guitar sequence.

Countrified goodness is good for the heart and soul – and this is one for americana lovers all over to throw up on to their playlists for the long-haul.  

You can listen to ‘Home of Hope’ on The Star Prarie Project’s Spotify page now