Manatee

[Iggy]

I have hardly ever seen a goat. Did I call you Iggy, btw?!  

 LOL

By the way the Canary Islands is the place to find goats. They have more rights there than humans as far as I can remember.

Oops off topic. My apologies Big Green Sea Mammal.

[Manatee]

  LOL

By the way the Canary Islands is the place to find goats. They have more rights there than humans as far as I can remember.

Oops off topic. My apologies Big Green Sea Mammal.

Not to worry, we're always happy to hear about our fellow non-monkeylike mammals.  I rather thought they had mostly caribou up there.

On topic: still getting motivated to do a major LP overhaul, but I think we can safely assume Phideaux will be near the top of the new list considering I'm hearing them in my head even when I'm not playing them.

[Nicky007]

I am surprised that Nicky didn't react to the"angelic female vocals" mention  

The only place I'v seen'm use it is in Angels In America, Bups - and there it's with a gay, so that complicates things  

Female angels tend to be mother types rather than lover types - so there probably aint no French angels  

Nicky.

[Bupie]

I don't understand everything but you're right on one point : it's never too late to answer a post 

[Nicky007]

I don't understand everything

Ya can't fool me, Bups 

Nicky.

[Manatee]

Further adjustments and additions: (I'm still not editing the original post yet if ever though -- hurts my brain to contemplate)

Phideaux (Doomsday Afternoon and Chupacabras current favorites) - I love this band and will soon have the complete collection.  It's a bit soon to say, but I could almost see putting them in the absolute faves category.

Transatlantic - all three studio albums excellent - don't have the live stuff

Steve Hackett - (got two excellent live CDs of his and need to vinylly replace some studio stuff)  He probably deserved solo mention to begin with, but these live albums cemented it.   

IQ - Not removing them from my list certainly, but with all the new prog I've heard lately, they've faded a bit back to the pack (not as likely to be an all-time fave after all).  After several listens, I'm a bit disappointed with the new album too.  I actually prefer the solo Orford.  Then again, maybe I just need a rest from them since I've played them quite a lot.


Candidates that I like but need more exposure to:

Anathema - I have A Natural Disaster and like it a lot.  Need more examples.  Recommendations for a second album, anyone?

Satellite - Similar to the above: I just have A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset

Spock's Beard - Recently acquired Snow: good stuff, but I need to hear more

Magenta - I have two (Metamophosis, Another Time... Another Place...)   Jury's still out on this band.  I like them.  Question is, do I like them enough to make them what Nicky calls a "pantheon" band?  Need more plays and maybe another example.

It  Bites - I have The Tall Ships and think it's excellent prog pop.  I need to check out some from the original line-up to see if it's just the John Mitchell effect that I like.   


Don't think they quite made it, but I like them somewhat and could be convinced by some further strong material:

Abigail's Ghost - I have both albums to date.  I like Selling Insincerity and find d_letion rather disappointing.

Blind Ego - I only have Mirror.  A few of the songs I like a lot.  Some of the rest strikes me as just OK.  Maybe Numb would convince me -- as I recall, it's supposed to be heavier, and I tend to like the heavy parts of Mirror best.

Bruford - I just have One of a Kind, and while it's certainly well done and has some nice passages, it's basically jazz and doesn't really do it for me.  Nevertheless, he obviously still deserves respect for being part of several excellent other projects.


There's a notable omission, which I will not bother to mention by name.  Suffice it to say that it's a work in progress.   

[Iggy]

I'd go for Judgement as your second Anathema.

Well worth getting the Transatlantic Live albums not least because Maddox is on the European one (I think)  

Satellite - Evening Games is a good Cd I haven't got a Street between Sunrise and Sunset.

Btw have you got Dark Matter and The Seventh House?

[Manatee]

Btw have you got Dark Matter and The Seventh House?

I have both.  I think Seventh House is underrated.  I love the first half of Dark Matter.  Harvest of Souls makes me feel a little uncomfortable.  The music is fine, and I actually pretty much agree with the points Peter N. is making on it, but let's face it, it's one big bash at my country.  I'm not all that patriotic, but it would have somehow felt less awkward if it had been an American band that said it (and there are plenty willing to do so).  It's sort of like it seems more ok to make an ethnic joke if you're a part of that ethnic group.      Also, I must say, Peter usually has a bit more of a subtle touch than he does on that one.

Anyhow, IQ does indeed have an impressive body of work, and by no means am I abandoning them.  I just think they may fall a bit short of my most favorite bands (and I only listed 4 or 5 of those total).

[Nicky007]

Anathema - I have A Natural Disaster and like it a lot.  Need more examples.  Recommendations for a second album, anyone?

A Natural Disaster is wonderful - probably my fave Anathema album  

Their first two studio albums are rather doomy/growly. I don't have'm myself, but the samples I'v heard don't anticipate the beauty of Eternity. I'd say, everything from Eternity on is great  

Since 2000 they have Lee Douglas on vocals, a young woman who sings stunningly beautifully  

One of my fave groups - definitely pantheon  

Spock's Beard - Recently acquired Snow: good stuff, but I need to hear more

Another pantheon group  

I like the Neal-period albums, and I very much like his stories and metaphors.

Musically imo they took a big leap after Neal left. Probably Nick found some unknown resources within himself. Feel Euphoria (2003), Octane (2005), Spock's Beard (2006) are terrific albums  

Steve Hackett - (got two excellent live CDs of his and need to vinylly replace some studio stuff)  He probably deserved solo mention to begin with, but these live albums cemented it.    

I like Steve Hackett's stuff a lot too, but till now, I havent found him quite pantheon. However, I don't have any of his live stuff, and I'l take you up on that. Which live albums would you recom ?  

Nicky.

[Manatee]

I like Steve Hackett's stuff a lot too, but till now, I havent found him quite pantheon. However, I don't have any of his live stuff, and I'l take you up on that. Which live albums would you recom ? 

Nicky.

Well, the two I have (both Room rec's) are Genesis Revisited and The Tokyo Tapes (a double).   Both are spiffy.  Genesis Revisited is mostly his personal take on some Genesis songs.  Tokyo Tapes has a few of those and a bunch of other stuff (including Court of the Crimson King since John Wetton is in the band for this).  If I was to pick one, I'd probably go with Tokyo Tapes for being more varied and interesting, but I'm happy to have both.

[erik]

Anathema - I have A Natural Disaster and like it a lot.  Need more examples.  Recommendations for a second album, anyone?

Satellite - Similar to the above: I just have A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset

Anathema: as Iggy said, Judgement is a good next step. Alternative 4 and A Fine Day To Exit are also very worthwhile. I had The Silent Enigma which is ok musically (if imature) but has the infamous growls, did not remain in my collection. Next album Eternity (which I don't have) is said to be a transition album, more mellow and no growls but not as accomplished as the four albums that came after it. But Nicky is rather appreciative of it I see, so I may have to reconsider. I'm looking forward to their new album which has been in the pipeline for some time now, the new tracks I heard live and at their website are great!

Satellite: a good follow up is Evening Games I'd say, great album! Into The Night and Nostalgia grab me a bit less, Nostalgia is better though than the somewhat uneven Into The Night.

I like Steve Hackett's stuff a lot too, but till now, I havent found him quite pantheon. However, I don't have any of his live stuff, and I'l take you up on that. Which live albums would you recom ?

Before I just had Genesis Rev, Tokyo Tapes and Darktown, mainly because of the Genesis link. Hackett really came into my pantheon with Wild Orchids which impresses me a lot, also got its predecessor To Watch The Storms after that, then Guitar Noir and the great Live Archive box after I saw him live last year. The new one is marvellous and his first four albums are on my shopping list!