{"id":31600,"date":"2026-09-07T10:42:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T10:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/?p=31600"},"modified":"2026-09-07T22:46:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T22:46:47","slug":"signal-meridian-reimagines-strawbs-classic-on-debut-single-heartbreaker-on-blue-elan-records-feat-members-of-grace-potter-david-bowie-moody-blues-the-killers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/2026\/09\/07\/signal-meridian-reimagines-strawbs-classic-on-debut-single-heartbreaker-on-blue-elan-records-feat-members-of-grace-potter-david-bowie-moody-blues-the-killers\/","title":{"rendered":"Signal Meridian Reimagines Strawbs Classic on Debut Single \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d on Blue \u00c9lan Records feat. Members of Grace Potter, David Bowie, Moody Blues, The Killers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Signal Meridian Reimagines Strawbs Classic on Debut Single \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d on Blue \u00c9lan Records feat. Members of Grace Potter, David Bowie, Moody Blues, The Killers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reinterpreting Overlooked Song Catalogs<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d\/Pre-order Signals in Autumn<\/em>: <\/strong>https:\/\/signalmeridian.lnk.to\/heartbreaker<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the lyric video: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RNtvicrV0cw<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signal Meridian<\/strong>\u00a0releases their debut single \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d from their upcoming album\u00a0Signals in Autumn<\/em>\u00a0on\u00a0Blue \u00c9lan Records<\/strong>. \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d reimagines the Strawbs track of the same name from their 1977 release\u00a0Burning for You<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signal Meridian sounds like a forgotten progressive-rock group of the \u201870s. It\u2019s not. It\u2019s happening right now.  It\u2019s a collective of top-flight session musicians and vocalists enlisted by Blue \u00c9lan Records co-founder Kirk Pasich<\/strong> to reimagine and reinvent the song catalogs of underappreciated artists from the progressive rock genre and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signals in Autumn<\/em>, the first of a planned four initial chapters (all featuring different groups), is inspired by the music of Strawbs, a U.K. band that has reinvented itself four times, and produced such alumni and collaborators as Yes\u2019 Rick Wakeman, Fairport Convention\u2019s Sandy Denny and Blue Weaver, a keyboardist who went on to play with the Bee Gees and Average White Band. Formed in 1963 by Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper as the bluegrass duo Strawberry Hill Boys, the band transformed into British folk-rockers among contemporaries such as Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Fotheringay, Pentangle and Richard and Linda Thompson. A progressive art-rock phase ensued with keyboardist Wakeman before Strawbs launched into a more hard-rocking, commercially successful phase in 1972 with the addition of singer\/songwriter\/guitarist Dave Lambert to the writing team of Cousins and Chas Cronk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom bluegrass to folk to prog to rock, Strawbs kept reinventing themselves,\u201d said Pasich. \u201cI wanted to reintroduce great songwriters in a contemporary way, with world-class players and singers. Also, to remind people that prog is not just in 7\/4 time with 43-minute-long tracks and technical proficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While at UCLA in the mid-1970s, Pasich became a fan of not only Strawbs, but progressive acts like Kansas, Triumvirat, and Camel, and has long wanted to redeem the often critically ignored, maligned genre. The 10 Strawbs tracks on Signals in Autumn <\/em>come from six studio albums released in six years. All those albums, including stints on the A&M, Oyster, and Arista labels, are represented on Signals in Autumn<\/em>, none of them cracking the Top 100 on the U.S. charts — Bursting at the Seams<\/em> (1973), All Our Own Work<\/em> (1973), Hero and Heroine<\/em> (1974), Nomadness<\/em> (1975), Burning for You<\/em> (1977), and Deadlines<\/em> (1978).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Pasich at the helm, the idea was not a tribute or covers album, but a chance to \u201creveal new versions just as rich and rewarding as pop recordings that revisit early songs, with fresh ears and artistic freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirk tapped keyboardist Sasha Smith<\/strong> as co-producer \u201cto help shape every aspect of the recording process.\u201d Smith is an L.A.-based musician who has worked with a wide range of artists, including Cat Power, Ariana Grande, Ann Wilson, Sia, and the Wallflowers, and released a solo instrumental album, New Leaves<\/em>, on Blue \u00c9lan. They were joined by a veritable all-star team, including guitarists Val McCallum<\/strong> (Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Sheryl Crow and his own Jackshit combo with Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas) and Nashville-to-LA native Adam Gimenez<\/strong> (Paris Jackson, 3OH!3, Savannah Pope).  The group is rounded out by bassist Kurtis Keber<\/strong> and female drummer Jordan West<\/strong>, who double as Grace Potter\u2019s rhythm section, along with longtime Billy Idol keyboardist Paul Trudeau<\/strong> (whose own solo album, Lost Diamond Boy<\/em>, was released on Blue \u00c9lan last year). The four lead vocalists include Blue \u00c9lan\u2019s Bernie Barlow<\/strong> (eight years with the Moody Blues, plus Sarah McLachlan and Melissa Etheridge), Vanessa Bryan<\/strong> (Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, The Killers, Idina Menzel), Holly Palmer<\/strong> (David Bowie, Gnarls Barkley, Dr. Dre, Allee Willis), and Jordan West<\/strong> (who also has a solo album on Blue \u00c9lan on tap).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signals in Autumn<\/em> offers the perfect showcase for those powerful female voices, with Bryan belting out \u201cHeartbreaker,\u201d the first focus track, featuring some jagged guitar riffs from McCallum and Gimenez, a track from \u201877\u2019s Burning for You<\/em>, while Bryan\u2019s and Barlow\u2019s pipes make \u201cThe Last Resort,\u201d the second single, one of the album\u2019s highlights. The eclectic styles represented, from Bryan\u2019s slow-burning ballad \u201cCarry Me Home,\u201d Palmer\u2019s take on \u201cDon\u2019t Try to Change Me,\u201d and the Stonesy-Chuck Berry R&B number, \u201cLittle Sleepy,\u201d given a raucous treatment by Barlow, to the epic three-part art-rock set piece, \u201cAutumn,\u201d with lead vocals by Jordan West, show how eclectic the band\u2019s primary songwriters \u2013 Dave Cousins, Chas Cronk, and Dave Lambert \u2013 really were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album was recorded in five days at Dave\u2019s Room Recording Studio<\/strong>, engineered and mixed by Steve Olmon<\/strong>, and mastered by Stephen Marsh<\/strong> of Marsh Mastering<\/strong>.  Signals in Autumn<\/em> is the first of a four-part series that will reimagine overlooked songs of the past, not necessarily just in the progressive genre, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProgressive rock provides the starting point because it contains a remarkable body of songwriting that I believe deserves continued exploration,\u201d Pasich pointed out. \u201cBut the philosophy itself isn\u2019t limited to progressive rock. Great songs exist everywhere. What will connect future Signal Meridian projects won\u2019t be style or instrumentation. It will be craftmanship, emotional honesty and the belief that exceptional songwriting continues revealing new possibilities over time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pasich is planning for an eventual Signal Meridian tour and looking to brand the semi-permanent collective in the mode of the rotating cast of characters in the Alan Parsons Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe core musicians will largely stay the same from album to album, though we may use an occasional guest vocalist,\u201d he noted. \u201cBut this stuff isn\u2019t easy to play live.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signals in Autumn<\/em> will release on October 23, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track Listing:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Cut Like a Diamond<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Carry Me Home<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Little Sleepy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don’t Try to Change Me<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Lay Down<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Heartbreaker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. I Don’t Want to Talk About It<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. The Last Resort<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Autumn [Suite]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Who Knows Where the Time Goes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CD Bonus Tracks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Cut Like a Diamond (Radio Edit)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Heartbreaker (Radio Edit)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Autumn Heroine’s Theme<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Autumn Deep Summer’s Sleep<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Autumn The Winter Long<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d\/Pre-order Signals in Autumn<\/em>: <\/strong>https:\/\/signalmeridian.lnk.to\/heartbreaker<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the lyric video: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RNtvicrV0cw<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information: <\/strong>https:\/\/blueelan.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Signal Meridian Reimagines Strawbs Classic on Debut Single \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d on Blue \u00c9lan Records feat. Members of Grace…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,2],"tags":[510,125,5279],"class_list":["post-31600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-news","category-news","tag-claassic-rock","tag-prog","tag-signal-meridian"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31602,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31600\/revisions\/31602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}