New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The Poetry Rock Project has released a new LP record album, titled, "Rocking Poetry." It is comprised of 15 rock compositions for an approximate total of 45 minutes' playing time. "Rocking Poetry" is a literal title, the record being a compilation of literature's best poems sung to heavy metal chugga-chugging and riffing, wailing guitar solos. With material from
William Blake, Wilfred Owen,
William Wordsworth, Robert Burns, S.T. Coleridge, Lord Byron, Robert Herrick, John Keats, and A. E. Housman, as well as original pieces from the artist, himself, "Rocking Poetry" is yet another remarkable offering from this exceptional, variously talented musician.
The album is a departure from the Poetry Rock Project's usual fare, which under the better-known moniker of BluesRock & Country Inc. is an amalgam of bluesy rockabilly music in the vein of traditional American rock 'n' roll with bluegrass undertones. Under this new name, the Poetry Rock Project has created music with influences such as
AC/DC and Rammstein, as well as more classic players such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe Bonamassa, and Pink Floyd. "Rocking Poetry" shares the guitar tones of
Metallica and boasts vocals much like those of Dave Vanian, of popular UK punk band, The Damned.
Speaking of the inspirations for Poetry Rock's new record is Jos Slabbert, the heart, mind and soul of the Project.
"This album of 15 songs," he writes, "the product of five years of development, reflects another passion of mine: poetry - particularly Metaphysical and Romantic Poetry, the teaching of which convinced me that music is the best way to bring young people into intimate contact with poetry."
The Poetry Rock Project treats the classic poems with unerring loyalty to their content, taking no lyrical liberties whatsoever. This makes the songs fantastic resources for teachers, and Slabbert has made them entirely available at no cost (donation optional) from his website at bluesrockcountryinc.com. Consequently, "Rocking Poetry" may be today's best avenue for introducing young readers to poets with whom they feel little natural connection.
Slabbert explains, "I started composing music to poetry, which led to my discovery that some metaphysical, some romantic poetry, as well as war poetry, is often best expressed through metal and Gothic music. So I started writing, playing and singing hard rock, metal and Gothic - and promptly fell in love and felt at home with these adrenalized forms of rock 'n' roll."
"Rocking Poetry" by the Poetry Rock Project is available online worldwide beginning late spring / early summer of 2013.
The LP "Rocking Poetry" is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes or www.top40-charts.com for convenient purchase and download.
