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Mars
Lasar - The Eleventh Hour
- For lo-speed listeners: Page1 - Page2 - Page3
After
the release of my first record, "Olympus",
I wanted to create something a little more inventive. The "Eleventh
Hour" came about after many hours of research into technology based
sound manipulation. I have a huge library of sounds I'd always wanted
to use, but never seemed to have the right reason.
I mixed drum loops and sound effects (sound design) together and fused
this with my songs. In one case (Cellular City) I needed some dialog from
the telephone, so I called a friend and asked him to call me back and
leave a message about the state of the air in town on my machine. I then
took the answering machine tape and record it into my song (you can hear
this at the end of Cellular City).
So then, how about 3D sound? Q-Sound brought one of their machines to
my studio - in those days they were the size of a wardrobe (now
it's a plug-in for your computer), and I programmed the 3d moves into
the song. If you listen to "Cellular City", "Geronimo",
and especially "City Jungle", you will hear the effect.
Meanwhile, my very trustworthy Fairlight Computer was on its last legs
and needed some help. "MAC to the rescue"! This is when I first
started using the Apple Macintosh Computer. In tandem they worked
well together but the new features on the Mac encouraged me to retire
the Fairlight once and for all. I had had many great years with Fairlight,
but now sequencing and sampling technology was well and truly in the mainstream
and Fairlight was outdated.
"Amy's Lullaby" was created for my daughter 'Amy', and really
depicts the miracle of life. I am now up to "Amy's Lullaby V".
I write her a new lullaby on most of my records and someday will probably
release an "Amy's Lullaby Collection".
The subject matter can get serious at times, so for an intermission I
wrote "Live at the Eleventh Hour". This gives the listener a
chance to come up for air.
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Reviewed by Paul Verna, Chris Morris and Edward Morris
Second solo work from accomplished Australian synth wiz is an ambitious instrumental journey that pushes the limits of the genre. Strings, an airy soprano, voiceovers, and other warm sounds compliment the album's technological underpinnings. Standout cuts include the title track, "Hold On," "Children Of The World," and the show-stopping closer "Universe in Time."
REAL MUSIC: An 'Eleventh Hour' Earth Day Video
Reviewed by Deborah Russel
LOS ANGELES - Earth Day International and the Sausalito, Calif.-based independent label Real music kicked off an environmental media blitz April 22 Edith the worldwide release of the Mars Lasar video "The Eleventh Hour." The clip is the title track to the Australian Keyboardist/composer's current album and is the first in a series of media projects developed by Earth Day International, a nonprofit organization sanctioned by the United Nations.
The release of "The Eleventh Hour" on Earth Day 1993 was timed to represent an urgent catalyst for environmental reform, says Gary Herbertson, executive director of Earth Day International. The musical collage juxtaposes panoramic views of the Earth's natural wonders with the devastation wrought by man's carelessness.
The Clip, which is the first official Earthly International video, was serviced to mainstream music video outlets April 22, and will be distributed to a network of some 3,000 community and environmental organizations worldwide throughout the year.
"Music Video is one of the most powerful ways we can communicate our message," says Herbertson. "At Earth Day International we confront the realities of the Earth, but we also present the beauty, the hope, and the potential for the Earth. And that's what this video says for us."
Lasar created the evocative, instrumental video with film maker Sam Nicholson. Peter Theodoss edited. Earth Day International and Real Music collaborated to adapt the video to open and close with environmental messages from the late anthropologist Margaret Mead: Maurice Strong, secretary general of the 1992 Earth Summit: the Union of Concerned scientists and Earth Day International's Herbertson. Stargate Films produced the video in association with Real Music. Editing and postproduction were provided by Kappa Video in Burbank CA. "The Eleventh Hour" is one of 16 social, political, and environmental "sound stories" about the world on Lasar's album. This particular track, says Lasar, "Seemed really relevant to Earth Day International and this is the perfect opportunity to see my work used in a positive way.
Reviewed by Celeste Busk
Composer and keyboard wizard Mars Lasar is a man with a musical message "to put in as much as we take out of the environment, and socially to change our way of thinking."
The 29-year-old Australian's latest release "The Eleventh Hour" (Real Music), touches on issues ranging from ozone, the breakdown of the family unit and child abuse to displaced Native Americans, the dehumanization of mankind and the AIDS epidemic. Armed a keyboard, computer and synthesizer, the musician and his colleagues (including Yanni sideman Charlie Bisharat on violin and Greg Vail of Kilauea on wind instruments) present an assortment of dance - inspiring rhythms, annulus sound effects, subliminally styled vocals and get-lost-in-your-mind symphonies. And all this peppered with a little jazz, industrial and world beat styles.
"My music is a combination of live and computerized performances, I use the computer as an extension of the mind, which enables many things at once," Lasar said. Lasar says his music draws influences from artists such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Alan Parsons Project, Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream. "These guy were always breaking new boundaries. It seems today we're not breaking new boundaries in music mainly because of the social pressure in the sate of our economy." To get an idea of what he's talking about, Lasar will hit the China Club tonight as part of WNUA-FM's free listener appreciation night. He'll be playing solo on a baby grand piano with computer instrumentation. Eight cuts from his new release are on the program as well as an "Eleventh Hour" video.
"The thing I like about music is that you can get sentimental about life," he said. "I like people to open up and think creatively and use music as an
alternative to social pressure to fill, relax and motivate them. to do something while giving a
Reviewed by Brian Soergel / Daily Bulletin
Mars Lasar - born in Germany but who moved to Australia with his parents when he was an infant - delivers more than 70 minutes of incredible diversity on "The Eleventh Hour," a satisfying mix of avant-guarde, dance, jazz, industrial and world beat. It's music for the 21st century, but Lasar parterres in the hear-and-now is a world in crisis --- yet one filled with hope.
Trisha, begins the album with one of her many voice-overs, setting the tone with her eerie laundry list of ruminations on such social ills as communism and oppression. Other topics touched upon -- with various voice-overs -- Include challis abuse, the displaced Native American, violence and AIDS. But although the album tries to make a statement, there's no denying the serious fun involved in listening.
From the rock guitar of "Cellular City" (the message at the song's end should scare Southern Californians) and the techno dance whiz of "In The Den" (a voice-over rap on the family), to the tick-tock rhythm of "Amy's Lullaby." Lasar is one tough dude, with music to match
Reviewed by Terry Marshall
The official Earth Day video is "The Eleventh Hour" by Real Music's recording artist Mars Lasar. Earth Day International, the UN sanctioned, non-profit organization which co-orinates activities by environmental groups in more than 100 countries, will debut the 4 1/2 minute clip during a press conference aboard the Queen Mary on Earth Day, April 22. The clip is also being distributed to U.N. channels, environmental groups, music video channels and other broadcast outlets. Lasar, an Australian keyboardist and composer, created the clip with filmmaker Sam Nicholson, whose credits include "Cyborg," "Star Trek," and Millennium," as well as videos for Cher, Aerosmith and Poison. "The Eleventh Hour," video was adapted for EDI with opening and closing "bookend messages," from the late anthropologist Margaret Mead, and Maurice Strong, secretary general of last year's Earth Summit in Rio. (4/20/93)
PAC Chatter
Earth Day International, a United Nations sanctioned non-profit organization which links the environmental organizations of more than 100 countries, will release a 4.5 minute music video clip entitles "The Eleventh Hour." Created by Real Music recording artist Mars Lasar and filmmaker Sam Nicholson, the clip will be distributed world wide on Earth Day, April 22, 1993. In addition to wide-spread distribution
through the organization's United Nations channels the EDI's over 100 environmental organizations around the globe, "The Eleventh Hour" clip will be distributed via Real Music to other music video channels and other broadcast outlets in the U.S. Comment Lasar "I am very honored that my work will be heard by so many people through the auspices of Earth Day International, This clip visually represents the message of The Eleventh Hour --my concerns for the current status of our planet and the need for society to work toward a better future for our children.
Reviewed by Vince Tieto
Ostensibly a "new age" recording, Lasar's techno opus truly defies category, drawing on rock, avant garde dance, classical, reggae and jazz elements. Many of the compositions are built on hypnotic industrial funk grooves, but Lasar doesn't stop there; an incredible array of synthesized and sampled sounds are laced throughout the 16 songs and almost 74 minutes of music. Especially effective is Lasar's use of the spoken voice, which lends an eerie but satisfying quality to a number of tracks. Songs like "Children of the World" and "Amy's Lullabies" show off the composer's more lyrical side and provide a nice contrast to the more esoteric pieces. There is a philosophical component to "The Eleventh Hour"; it was intended to portray a world in crisis, yet filled with hope. Of course, almost all the music is instrumental, so the inherent messages of the songs are open to interpretation. One thing, however, is clear: Lasar is a creative visionary with the courage to explore unconventional musical landscapes and the talent to make it worth listening to.
Reviewer: Alexander Nordquist from Cary, NC USA
The Eleventh Hour has become one of my favorite new age albums. Mars Lasar uses many great sounds in it and he has created a great album. However it is the only album I own by him but I have heard from reading other reviews that his album "Karma" is supposed to have similar sounds in it.
The CD lasts over an hour and has 16 songs on it. When I read the back of the CD I saw that this album was dedicated to hope for a world in crisis and in my opinion that is a very serious issue. Anyway, I'll mention a few songs from the album. "The Eleventh Hour" is a great song to start off the album. It has great keyboard sounds and also it has a few voices in it. "Plateau Of The Gods" is another one of my favorite songs. It starts out soft and gets louder towards the end, it also featured guitars in it. One song I thought that could really exist in the future was "Cellular City". I would picture a future city in space. "Hidden Crater" was one that was a little bit more on the dark side. It has great keyboard sounds in it with a few whispers here and there. One song I thought was a bit unusual was "City Jungle" it had strange keyboards with a lot of water sounds in it. That's all the songs I am going to talk about but mostly all of them are worth the listen.
If you liked The Eleventh Hour you might want to try "Olympus". It is different than The Eleventh Hour mostly because of the different sounds he uses.
A Great CD!, October 3, 2002
Reviewer: A music fan Another great CD from Mars Lasar.
Just like Mars's previous album Olympus Mars makes great keyboard sounds. I picked this CD up at BORDERS only knowing Hidden Crater from the radio. When I started listening to it I thought it was great the CD is good from the beginning to the end. On the eleventh hour the 16 songs are about hope for a world in crisis. Every song on the album I thought was good but my favorite song still was Hidden Crater for the darkness in the song. If you like new age music then this is the album for you. Believe me you will not be DISAPPOINTED!
New Age's finest hour, June 2, 2002
Reviewer: Mitchell Carradine from Chicago, Illinois
I have been a heavy-duty New Age lover since I was like 8 or 9 years old. It was Mars Lasar's 'The Eleventh Hour' that eventually made New Age one of my favorite genres of music.
At first I thought New Age was just a kind of sleepy music kind of genre that seemed more like boring meditation music but The Eleventh Houre blew all that perception away. Many other albums since then have proven that New Age can be a very energetic genre, sometimes even more danceable than the antiquated, unlistenable R&B garbage of today.
In fact this CD sounds more like music from the future, like from 2093 instead of it's release year 1993.
Where most New Age CDs are mostly pleasant serene music, The Eleventh Hour is an album that is actually socially conscious. I might sound a bit odd but I often compare this to Janet Jacksons powerful 1989 masterpiece Rhythm Nation 1814 because this album is just as moving and awe-inspiring even though these two albums are from totally different genres. It shows that all genres can express messages.
The Eleventh Hour not only is energetic it is also a kaleidoscope of many sounds and the songs all have a distinctive sound ranging from the disturbing title track to jazzy like in Why Violate Every Law OF Nature to even fun like in Live at the Eleventh Hour to the tear-jerking yet joyous The Gift and Cathedral Waltz. No other album in my opinion stimulates so much imagination, not even the Eleventh Hours successor 11:02 even though that album comes close. Strangely the only other album that I compare this album to is Karma because while 11:02 was great, Karma has the kind of melodies that this album contains. 11:02 was more on the creepy space side where Karma had the peculiar melodies and the natural sounds of this album except Karma is far more ancient in sound.
To go into a detailed review of the songs to me would not be enough to do this extraordinary album justice because this album is like nothing that any other New Age artist maybe except Patrick O'Hearn my other favorite New Age meistro, can even dream of creating. It's that good. In fact it has even been powerful enough to shape the way I look at the world.
This is an album of my lifetime. It's one of those album I would buy again and again as I wear out copies over my lifetime.
And by the way this is a 19 year old who absolutely despises the horrofic gender-bashing R&B of today.
Give me the frightening darkness of Hidden Crater or In The Den anytime over any of the sunny cheap R&B trash of Destinys Child or Ja Rule.
Believe me this is an album to live by.
Hours of listening pleasure, August 15, 2001
Reviewer: David Roy, Vancouver, BC
What a wonderful CD this is. Very thought-provoking, yet it's also something you can just lie back and listen to, letting the music wash over you. This CD spans many musical styles (I hesitate to say genres, because it is all clearly New Age) The standout piece on this is "In the Den," with it's mixture of rhythm and message. "Plateau of the Gods" is wonderfully cosmic in scope, bringing a space-like listening sensation. The CD lasts over 72 minutes. With a mediocre CD, that would be almost cringe-inducing. Here, though, almost every minute is wonderful. This will be repeated in your CD player many times.
Can't stop listening, August 26, 1999
Reviewer: A music fan from BC, Canada
This, along with Delerium's "Karma," is my favorite CD in my collection.This CD has the distinction of being on almost non-stop repeat in my CD player at work. It's mix of warning and optimism is just wonderful. My favorite track, "In the Den," has a terrific beat, but it also has a terrific message if you listen to the words closely enough. A truly great CD.
Superb Ear Garden
Reviewer: from Rochester, N.Y.
Mars Lasar creates a future-world of aural landscapes that are flowing in the air of orchestral lushness or bubbling from a funky groove kicked by a rhythmic, industrial noise/ sound effects punch. Ricochet rifle shots are blended into the drum lines with other percusion sounds and they blend to rock a melody. A cleverly crafted soundscape hauntingly recalls american indian music, and a realisticly sounding indian voice tells about the great warrior and yet peaceful man,Geronimo- complete with horse hooves and naying that blend into the rhythm line. A child's lullaby emerges beautifully from the tune of a windup music box. A song about blasting into space and a cocktail lounge ditty defy the ability to conveniently label Mr. Lasar. Mars masters the unification of textile sound and aural grace. This album has variety, beauty,conscience,power,and wisdom- all delivered with a unique melodic flare of a master electronic composer. There is a theme of futuristic doom unde! ! rlying the concept of the "Eleventh Hour", but it crackles with a stubborn underlying optimism of the churchbell's gong triumphing over the electronic beep...and in some parts you can even dance to it!
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