Pure Reason Revolution

British neo-prog outfit Pure Reason Revolution combine prog, classic rock, grunge, pop, and electronica for a melodic, accessible, and at times sprawling psychedelic sound.The band was formed in 2003 at the University of Westminster in London by fellow students Jon Courtney (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Greg Jong (vocals, guitars), and Jim Dobson (keyboards, guitar, vocals). With the addition of Chloë Alper (vocals, bass) and Courtney's brother Andrew (drums), the band was complete. The Courtney brothers and Alper had previously played together in Reading indie pop act the Sunset Sound; before that, the brothers had been in pop-punk combo Gel, and Alper was in riot grrrl band Period Pains. The bandmembers combined their love of grunge rock with classic prog and close vocal harmonies. Between them, they counted among their influences Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, and Super Furry Animals.PRR's 2004 debut single, "Apprentice of the Universe," was released on Alan McGee's Poptones label. The buzz surrounding it led to their signing by Sony BMG, who released their debut EP Cautionary Tales for the Brave (which included the 12-minute-long single "The Bright Ambassadors of Morning") in 2005 and their debut album The Dark Third in 2006. The band underwent a series of personnel changes. A few months before the album's release, Jong left the band, to be replaced by Jamie Willcox, another fellow student. After its release, Andrew Courtney left the band and was replaced by Paul Glover (formerly of Wire Jesus). Dobson also left in 2006 under mysterious circumstances. To top it all off, PPR were dropped by Sony BMG following disappointing sales of the album.Undeterred, they signed with German label Superball for their second album, 2009's Amor Vincit Omnia ("Love Conquers All"), and their third, 2010's Hammer and Anvil. These albums saw them going in a surprising electronic direction, creating a unique sound that was wholly their own. In 2011 the band called it a day, and its members moved on to various other projects (Flood, Bullet Height, Tiny Giant, and Twin Sun).PRR re-formed in 2018, signing to leading neo-prog label Inside Out, who had handled the continental European release of their debut. On 2020's Eupnea they mostly returned to their original sound, but Jon Courtney and Alper were the only remaining members of the band; for 2022's Above Cirrus, Jong rejoined. For 2024's Coming up to Consciousness, the band's sixth album, Alper, who was busy with touring commitments with James, was temporarily replaced by Annicke Shireen of Heilung on vocals, while My Vitriol's Ravi Kesavaram joined them on drums and LeSoir's Ingo Jetten on bass.
© TiVo Staff /TiVo

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