Heart Land Mines Vol. 1

Product Description

Heart Land Mines is based on a true story from around the mid to late 90s when Kerzner drove back and forth across the country between LA, NY and Miami trying to decide where to live and what he was going to do given he had all his stuff in storage and moved out of his then fiancee/girlfriend’s Santa Monica apartment. Kerzner grabbed a suitcase and guitar then just started driving with no particular plan. Heart Land Mines features a variety of great musicians including Fernando Perdomo, Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact), Elliott Randall (Steely Dan), Joe Deninzon (Kansas), Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd), Mark McCrite, Lyle Workman (Beck, Jellyfish, Sting), Alex Cromarty (Mostly Autumn), Stuart Fletcher (Mantra Vega), Derek Cintron, Toss Panos (Toy Matinee), Randy McStine (Porcupine Tree) and more. Photo by Erik Nielsen, Logos by Brigitte Roka, Graphic Design by Dave Kerzner Lyrics and Music by Dave Kerzner Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Dave Kerzner

Review

Progarchy.com review Dave Kerzner - Heart Land Mines Vol 1. After a troika of albums exploring distant worlds in the extended fashion prog fans so love, Kerzner brings it all back home. No, it’s not an original concept: boy meets, loves and loses girl, then drives across country to forget girl while writing songs about the whole mess. But it all happened to Dave back in the 1990s, including the songwriting – which gives this project (the first in a series based on his “songs from the attic”) a real edge and vibrancy. In terms of the music, think less Pink Floyd and Genesis, more Beatles, Steely Dan and Alan Parsons: sturdily constructed, left-field pop, chock full of emotion and color. From the cynical shuffles “Dreaming in LA” and “Dirty Girl” to the heartbreak ballad “Worlds Apart” and beyond, Kerzner gives this music his all, his singing more expressive than ever, his arranging and production even more vivid and intense. With tasty touches galore from his world-class backing band (Fernando Perdomo, Matt Dorsey and Derek Cintron) and special guests, Kerzner has hit my year-end favorites list yet again; on the surface, the first installment of Heart Land Mines (more volumes are promised) might seem less ambitious than New World, Static and The Traveler, but, it’s every bit as compelling and delightful. --Progarchy

Dave “Squids” Kerzner of Sound of Contact is a deservedly respected artist and person in the progressive rock world, with a deeply impressive resume featuring giants of the modern rock world and it was a pleasure to be sent this EP, Hand Land Minds – The Eye, released in advance of the full album, now available on his [Sonic Elements] Bandcamp page. and it serves as a very strong taster for the main event which is a concept album based upon true events in Dave’s life, sometimes several years ago. Eye of the Storm opens and is a thoughtful rocker reminiscent of Gilmour’s better solo work. I like the sense of anticipation created as Dave races towards the storm, especially the class guitar solo halfway through leading impressively mixed layers of guitars. When the storm itself hits, the bass rumbles menacingly and the mood is suitably dark before the track descends beautifully into a symphonic prog dive into the maelstrom. A very strong opener. Dreaming in LA follows, a very catchy slab of Americana. I love the raw feel and sound of Kerzner’s voice here, which takes one back many years to the heyday of West Coast rock. Lyrically, I think this is clever. Every intelligent commentary I have read about the city tells me that for every starlet who makes it, there are 99 others consigned to a life of drabness if they are lucky, or porn, prostitution, drugs, and other assorted ills of modern society. Be careful what you wish for, the lucky ones packing up their dreams and fading away into blissful obscurity. It is embedded below. Enjoy this bright pop rock track. --Lazland