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Pepper's Ghost

Started by Peter, Thu, 2005-01-13, 22:09:34

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Peter

I received my copy of PG on monday after 10 anxious weeks of waiting. I played it about 6 times on my mobile player now and I must say:

THIS IS GREAT!

I thought it would be absolutely hard to make a follow-up to Contagion that would fulfill the expectations, and the guys have done it again.
Man, do I love this album! All the instruments are played with great mastery and the vocals are fantastic. I hear something new every time I give it a spin.

The only thing I can complain about is the duration :) Hey, sadly the CD stops after 52 gorgeous minutes and I am left to beg for more....
Arriving somewhere, but not here....

GeoffD

Hey, peter, It's not yet available in the shops, is it? Or are you a reviewer for some magazine and have received a promo, you lucky guy

Peter

Quote from: GeoffD on Sat, 2005-01-15, 13:56:19
Hey, peter, It's not yet available in the shops, is it? Or are you a reviewer for some magazine and have received a promo, you lucky guy
No, I ordered it though the Verglas shop as soon as it was listed there :) back at the beginning of December.
Arriving somewhere, but not here....

Draddi

Hi Peter,

I am ashamed to admit it, but I had no chance so far to listen to the new album. Bad, I know.....
So tell me, what's the difference to "Contagion", what are the songs like ?....

Peter

Quote from: Draddi on Tue, 2005-01-18, 18:14:10
Hi Peter,

I am ashamed to admit it, but I had no chance so far to listen to the new album. Bad, I know.....
So tell me, what's the difference to "Contagion", what are the songs like ?....
Well, first of all, the album is not a concept album, it's 7 songs of their own. Pepper's Ghost is recognizable as an Arena album from the very start. You could say tt's not as 'hard' as Contagion, but then again Contagion had its soft moments, too. I always find it quite hard to describe music with words, like all the reviewers do; just buy a copy and you'll know  :)
Arriving somewhere, but not here....

The ProgStore

Hey guys, I have heard bits and pieces of the album and what I heard sounds awesome! Arena has once again proven to have grown..man, where will this end  ;D

Unfortunately I did not receive a promo copy, so no scheduled review from me. Although I hope to get my copy someday soon.

Sorry for the plug, but the album is also available at my webstore  :-X

Cheerzzz,
Marcel
The ProgStore - Dedicated to Progressive Music
http://www.progstore.com

Minas Tirith - The Last Stronghold in Progressive Music
Promoting and supporting the Dutch Progressive Music
http://www.progstore.com/minas-tirith

http://www.prog-nose.org
http://www.progressiveworld.net

Alle Jansen

I must say...the first time the notes i have heard from PG was   Its HARD. After several times of listening  it IS Arena and it ISNT Arena....but after 10 times of playing   IT IS ARENA The boys dit it again. Its not like Contagion  (great album) but its like PG. All my new stuff I recieved from Arena I must grow in it,  but Conatgion was after one time playing my own. With PG I need a little bit more time to make it my own. It ROCKS man......it ROCKS very good....Yes....... where  will this ends....every time the boys getting better.   

LaraMoon

I just have to say... Pepper's Ghost is truly *amazing*!  You can really see (hear!) how much the band has grown and matured so to speak, since their first album.  :-)  Wow!  :-)

From the first few notes I heard when I got the cd, I was completely blown away - this has to be the best album I've ever heard.  Opera Fanatica is an absolute masterpiece - everything about this song is just brilliant.  I love when I close my eyes, listen to a song and when it's just right, it feels like it's part of me.  It's hard to explain and I hope I don't sound completely looney...  *lol*  Anyway, this one, Opera Fanatica, it's so powerful and overwhelming that for a few short minutes there, it's like I'm living inside the song, as if it had it's own little universe.  It's hard to find the right words to express this right -- it's like this is the music I've always been waiting for, like cinderella waited for her prince charming.

I won't say how many times I've played it, for fear of looking completely insane, but let's just say I haven't listened to anything else since I got it.  Everything else I own now seems incredibly pale in comparison...  I'm not sure I even want to remember what else I've got on my iPod.  *lol*
 
I think I'll go play it one last time before I go to bed.  ;-)

NewA120

Hi All,

Well I bought the new one as soon as it was available, and yes like announced it is a bit different from the other albums but it still is Arena.

Good songs, good music, only thing that is a littel bit not so good is the fact that at several parts you can hardly hear the singer, not because the music has turned into metal but simply because the soundlevel seems a little not like it should be.

Every new album after the one and only best one for me (The Visitor), they have managed to create new beauteful and exciting music and with PG it is no different.

The album is worth it's money.

Regards,
Ron

Johan Peter

 I also ordered my copy of Pepper's Ghost, after a few times listening
the album I find it a great album. The organ on Opera Fanatica reminds
me at the old ELP albums. I hope Arena will continue with these master-
pieces of music. I am loving symfonic rock or symfo for more than
35 years. 8)

Greetings from Johan Peter Lems of the Netherlands

 

Moonloop

Well, I've given it quite a few spins now and am suitably impressed. For me, it's a return to form as "Contagion" didn't really hit the spot, don't know why, but I couldn't get into it at all (maybe the forthcoming 2CD fan version will help  ;) ).

Pepper's Ghost though is excellent, especially the mix which somehow manages to showcase the vocals AND each separate instrument..!!

The only point I'd mention (and I usually have at least one..!!) is that I'm not overly keen on the 'spoken' passage half way through "Bedlam Fayre", I feel that the track loses momentum and fizzles out after a really strong opening - dare say it'll grow on me though.

Overall, a great album.
The brainwashed do not know that they are brainwashed...

SwissCow

Pepper's Ghost is in my MP3 player since I got the CD from the store (Verglas)... and I can't put it down !!! It's deffinitely a very, very, very good album, though my preference is still on some aspects with the Contagion album. But Pepper's Ghost has definitely something magic, and I especially appreciate the drums sound, which was so far (exception maybe with Contagion) a little bit weak. The double bass-drum pedal is simply adding an incredible power to these songs !!! Thanx Mick Pointer ! ;)

Hope to see you all visiting us again in Switzerland !

Bye !

Mattias

Got the album today. Thank you Clive!

After two spins I must say that I'm REALLY impressed. Probably the best album since The Visitor... I need to give it more time until I can say for sure, cause Contagion and Immortal are pretty damn fine discs too :)

Constable Hogweed

PG is an Arena masterpiece. It grabbed me by the unmentionables the very first time i heard it, something Contagion failed to do for some reason. For me its the best Arena album since The Visitor, and is wearing my CD player out. Thanks Clive, Mick, Rob, John and Ian for a brilliant album.........Now when is the follow up coming out.  ;)  ;D

Mark Jan

I'm still waiting for the funds to purchase the album. Still unemployd after my study  :( But everything I heard about the album is that it's really a masterpiece!

Ortega

Yes, a great work, indeed! Second best to me....in their 10 year history  ;D

CygnusX1

Finally got my copy yesterday, and must say I'm very impressed.  At the moment Bedlam Fayre and Purgatory Road are the two standouts for me.  I quite enjoyed Contagion, but feel this has really raised the bar once again.  Well done chaps! 8)

Deenfan

It seems as if this band will grow straight into heaven. Every album has been better than the one preceding it, and now it sounds like "Pepper's ghost" is about to give "Contagion" a good hiding! -Something I didn't think possible. But then I never expected "Contagion" to be better than "Immortal?" either. -An album that impressed me much by being better than "The visitor". -Which took me by surprise, the way it topped my favourite "Pride" (The first album I heard, so I've never actually thought of "Songs..." as their best album, even though it was their only for a while...  :o :-\ ::) ;D)

Peter

'Best Album' - Domino :)
Arriving somewhere, but not here....

Zaq

Hello guys, i'm new here :)

Pepper's Ghost is a really good album, although The Visitor and Pride are still on top of my personal list :). The music on PG is, in general, heavier and more dynamic than on previous albums (maybe excluding Contagion). Bedlam Fayre and Purgatory Road (my favourite two) are great songs for live-playing, especially the end of Purgatory Road with its amazing choirs (achh, it's greaat), they will be a great addition to Crying For Help :). Hope to see Arena here in Poland once again - last gig was (Contagion Tour) was superb. Keep up the good work, Arena :)

Appelmoes??

I really liked the more heavier part on Moviedrome near the end of the song ( 'So we're standing in the moviedrome...'). Therefor I reaheahealy liked Contagion with it's more powerfull songs like 'Witchhunt', but when I had listened to PG, I missed the more quiet parts. So to me PG is Arena's second best album and Contagion still #1 becauce of it's mix between heavy and calm parts.
Still... I can't stop listening ;D
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POM

 Hi

I couldn't wait, I bought it on the date of release!!!   ;)
And I'm so happy with it... LaraMoon... yeah you can say it, you're not insane, if so, I'm insane too: the CD is in my car since 17th january, and I didn't listen to anything else  'till then!  ;D Sometimes, at home my boyfriends put something else but... rarely  :D

I'm just in love with PG  :-*  :D All songs... What I really like in Arena's music is that each album is different, and it seems to me that it better each time...

Now I just have to wait for the date of the gigs in Spirit of 66  in Belgium! Please make it soon!

N.B.: sorry if my english is not at the top  :-[

Animal

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee just got PG and cant stop playing it. My Favourite song is  Opera Fantacia. i have to say with all the talk of a new sound I was a little worried, but never has an album clicked with me so quickly.
   I cant wait to this these songs played live, providing the band comes to Australia or i win the lottery ;D

Cinema Show

Hi to all Arena- and Progrockfans,

the new Album is a very great Rockalbum. Thank you for the fantastic music. The best song to my mind since The Hanging Tree is The Shattered Room (Play it loud!) with great guitars and keyboards and I hope so much, Arena would play it by the concert in Aschaffenburg in May 2005.

Many greetings to the Arena-Members.

Ralf from Siegen in Germany



Clive

Well ... that should be good news for you.... :)
We do plan to play 'Shattered Room' in May....