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Why do I love Arena?

Started by Rafal, Fri, 2005-04-15, 15:55:21

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Rafal

I think that the polls (fave track, fave album etc.) only scratch the surface. I'd like to share with Arena community (and band members) my views on what exactly makes Arena such a terrific band. Here we go.

1) The songwriting:
Talk about production, arrangements etc. but its always the song that makes it or not. Put a great guitar solo after a vocal line that moves you, and you get higher. Put the same great guitar solo after a weak chorus and it falls flat. And the success ingredients here IMHO are:

a) Writing a good theme and keeping on polishing it until the pretty becomes the beautiful. Some say that a real test for beauty is whether something still moves us when played on the piano with just one finger. Most of Arena tunes would easily make it. Many other bands write lines that are just chord progressions that look good on paper but fail to deliver in reality.

b) Writing vocal parts for the particular singer's range and style. That's where Arena shines, possibly because both Clive and John are singers themselves and understand what Rob's voice is capable of. Rob's songs are different than Paul's, aren't they?

c) Creatively combining classical (Clive) and down-to-earth-rock (John) approaches.

2) Always having a singer par excellance. With all due respect to Clive and John, I'm glad they leave lead vocals to experts. (Still, I'm impressed by John's singing in Kino).

3) The energy (also - being constructive). Too many times the prog songs are basically the old "I've been mistreated" emotions. With Arena it sounds more like "I've been mistreated and I pretty well know how to take my revenge". 

4) The right balance of the dark and the uplifting parts. Take Contagion: after all that bitterness one simply yearns for "Riding the Tides" and its a real bless when it comes. Am I right?   

5) Clive's obsession of filtering all the filler out of an album. Some bands release the albums where you have to look for the tiny meatballs that have been drowned in tons of sauce. With Arena you get the large steaks instead. No filler. That's why Arena records are simply good value for money.

6) The integrity and the obvious joy of playing live on stage. Let's be creative, let's be smart but first of all - let's rock. And here - I've got to mention it - I really appreciate this steady drive that Mick gives the boys. Playing drums (just like any other instrument) is not all about technique - its also the economy of notes and the consequence.

Nice to have it off my chest. Any opinions?
Clive and the rest of the pack: keep on doing it and for Christ's sake do come to Poland!
Rafal

Peter

Whoa, Rafal, that's really one hell of a good summary. If I were to do such a thing, it'd probably be something like 'Hey, they make me feel extremely good' or so....

Arriving somewhere, but not here....

Appelmoes??

Where's point 2? :P
Just kidding, nice topic 8)
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kmorse

I like Arena because their music takes the best of 70s prog and updates it with newer technology and a modern sensibility. I also hear a band of five musicians playing together rather than five musicians just playing. The compositions and arrangements are tight and economical and they flow well. Some prog bands make clumsy transitions from idea to idea within a selection. Arena seldom does that. One of the few I can think of is in "Solomon," which is one of my favorites, but the transition into the instrumental section is just a start and a stop. It's as if the composer had two great ideas but didn't know how to put them together.

The best example of a great "flow" is in "the Hanging Tree." The soft, acoustic part transitions into the heavier part very naturally. It matches the mood of the lyrics and communicates the emotion of the song very well.
I'm falling.....Falling down again!

Xanxtuary

All of the above are excellent reasons and I concur.

The other really special thing about Arena apart from their musicianship, passion and energy is that I will remember them as one of the bands that my beloved Chancellor Hogweed introduced me to.  In fact in the very first letter he wrote me (on paper, old fashioned snail mail) he asked if I had heard of Arena and what I thought of them.  I had to admit (ashamedly) that I'd never heard of them, but it was not long after that I went to my favourite independent music retailer and ordered a copy of Songs from the Lion's Cage ... that's what set me on the path to enjoying their music.
Progpriestess Xanxtuary Hogweed

Deenfan

I think it's been said, most of it. I could, of course, go on forever, but here's the bottom line for me:

I like the sounds that emanate from the speakers. And there is much to dig into if one wishes to do so.