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[Steve Jones]

You know Téléphone  I'm impressed ...

I've seen them live, too, is that even more impressive? 

I first stumbled across them supporting Steve Hillage (I think) way back in my still-had-hair-days and enjoyed them enough to buy some albums.  Still got some vinyl kicking around somewhere, but have only got one CD.  Great Stonesey sounding band, good honest straight down the middle rock'n'roll. 

NP Dream Theater - Falling into Infinity

[Nicky007]

NP  Genesis:  The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway  (on repeat)   

In these times of rapid turnover within music, it's sobering to think that only few bands have equalled this monumental epic. There's Floyd's Wall, Arena's Contagion, DT's Six Degrees, Caamora's She, and a few more. These are albums that also future generations will enjoy, just like we still enjoy Wagner's monumental operas several generations after they were created.

When you catch the masses of talent that each Genesis member brought to this album, it actually becomes hard to imagine that they could keep all this together for much longer, and after The Lamb, Genesis did start breaking apart. Fortunately they made some more great albums, but questionably of the scope of The Lamb.

Speculation.

Yeah, Paco, but it makes sense, and it's not just taken out of the blue air.

Nicky.

[Bupie]

I've seen them live, too, is that even more impressive? 

Yes since I never saw them myself !

I first stumbled across them supporting Steve Hillage (I think)

Steve Hillage 

Great Stonesey sounding band, good honest straight down the middle rock'n'roll.

Excellent definition !

NP Kansas - Relentless

[Teunis]

Peter Gee - A Vision of Angels

1. Always

[PH]

Yeah, Paco, but it makes sense, and it's not just taken out of the blue air.

I'm not so sure, Nicky...

With "Follow You Follow Me" they finally had girls at the concerts. This was so motivating, that they wrote more 'accessible' songs like that.
I think it all began with this.


NP: Frank Klepacki - WALKCHP1

Ripped from the Kyrandia 3 game. Great song, but unfortunately it's mono and bad soundquality...


-Paco

[Steve Jones]

Genesis - Nursery Cryme.

As my late grandfather used to say, "They don't write them like this any more." 

[The Butterfly Man]

Demians - Building an Empire

Well I'm only half way through it, but I'm already impressed. 

Porcupine Tree end of the market, without being a Porcupine Tree clone.  The album seems to have that 'savage beauty' that Steven Wilson seems to do so easily while everyone else struggles. 

French, too.  It's not often a French band makes it out into international waters and lands in my collection, I think the last one was probably Telephone...

What do you think of it now you (probably) heard the whole album? I think this one is gonna end high on my list this year! I really like it so much. I keep playing it, day after day after day...

NP: Metallica - Master of Puppets

I'm gonna see Metallica play live tomorrow!!! And Porcupine Tree, and Incubus, and Alter Bridge...Great!



Tom

[Steve Jones]

What do you think of it now you (probably) heard the whole album? I think this one is gonna end high on my list this year! I really like it so much. I keep playing it, day after day after day...

Well I've just started it off for the third time, and it really is very good.  Everything I said before, only more so. 

I'm gonna see Metallica play live tomorrow!!! And Porcupine Tree, and Incubus, and Alter Bridge...Great!

Sounds like that should keep you amused for a few hours! 


Demians - Building an Empire

[Manatee]

NP: band: Apocalyptica, album:Apocalyptica, song: Distraction

Just discovered these guys on Pandora.  No idea how to categorize them, but I like it. 
Apparently they're Finnish classically-trained cellists who like Metallica.

[Nicky007]

I'm gonna see Metallica play live tomorrow!!! And Porcupine Tree, and Incubus, and Alter Bridge...Great!

For me, Metallica would also be the main attraction, Tom. They're real upfront with their concerts.

I also like PT a lot, some of their music is ingenious, but there's too much that I find sleepytime. But maybe their concerts are tighter. I'm eager to hear your take on the concert, Tom.

But man, how could you not mention Chris Cornell and Jonathan Davis    They're up there with Metallica imo.

Gosh, what a great festival !  Lucky you, Tom !  I wish they'd do something like that in Scandinavia once in a while. But e.g. at Roskilde, the only real attraction for me would be Radiohead. But Roskilde is mainly for kids under 40    and in Denmark, prog is a nasty word, like Paco's a*  

Nicky.

[Steve Jones]

Steely Dan - Countdown to Ecstasy.

Not particularly prog, but according to iTunes it's the oldest album (original vinyl released 1973) that I've ripped to mp3 but not yet played in 2008.  What a bizarre and geeky way to choose something to listen to! 

[Steve Jones]

Camel - Rajaz.  Relatively recent and excellent release from one of the bands I've seen most frequently over the years.  Always spine-tingley, goosebumpily excellent live except once when they let me down by being merely very good. 

[maddox]

Sylvan - Posthumous Silence

[Steve Jones]

Manning - A Matter of Life and Death.  Another prog-tastic album, I really must get around to ordering his latest 'Bilston House' release. 

[Steve Jones]

Fish - Field of Crows.  To my mind, Fish's albums just keep getting better.  It's a rare week when I don't play at least one of his last 3 releases. 

[Nicky007]

Manning - A Matter of Life and Death.  Another prog-tastic album, I really must get around to ordering his latest 'Bilston House' release. 

After Paco's and my bad treatment of Guy, I think he deserves some uplifting here in the Room.

Here's Dr. D. B. Sillars excellent review of A Matter on Amazon.co.uk:

My album of 2004! - 26 April 2005

"This album was my top choice of last year as best progressive rock album. So what makes this stand out from the competition, which last year was pretty good? Well, since 1999 Guy Manning has produced five albums for the British independent progressive rock label, Cyclops. Each album beautifully showcased his distinctive mixture of classic English progressive rock, with folk, jazz and other elements to produce songwriting of such individual character and depth. But with this latest album, his songwriting has reached astonishing new heights of quality and beauty.
When Cyclops lacked the funds to release his latest album, he searched valiantly for another outlet. Having secured a deal with American label ProgRock, he could at last release A Matter Of Life And Death. And it was worth it. This is a perfect culmination of everything Guy is good at. Beautifully constructed songs, with rich, full melodies augmented with excellent playing from himself and all concerned. Guy is a superb multi-instrumentalist, tackling various guitar and keyboard duties as well as drums. Though to be clear Manning is a band venture. Guy is more than ably supported by Laura Fowles on sax , Gareth Harwood on guitars and Rick Ashton on bass. Guy has also employed other instrumentalists to add fiddle, melodica and cello, embellishing the rich musical tapestry on show here.
The basis for the album is the story of Abel Mann a character first introduced in a song on an earlier album. As he sits at his desk reading his journals, each song represents his life experiences. There are many nautical references which pervade this album and water, rivers, sailing act as continuing themes throughout. The story is superbly illustrated by the gorgeous album artwork of Ed Unitsky who also produced the artwork for both Tangent albums, a project which Guy is also part of.
The opening track The Dream is a corker. What a way to open an album. This superbly rousing rocker has a chorus to die for. Excellent use of string synths to give a very full, symphonic feel and nice moog solo by Andy Tillison too. The River Of Time has a haunting, dreamlike quality to it, made more so by Laura Fowles slightly creepy vocals. But the highlight is undoubtedly Out Of My Life. This is a classic. With an excellent instrumental section, full of synths and Laura Fowles strident sax playing, this is so wonderfully arranged and developed. Superb! The album closes with Midnight Sail, pure rock and roll!
The songwriting and performances on this album are so strong and consistent throughout. Not a weak track in sight. It is a true joy to listen to this. On the evidence on this and Guy's other albums, it's a complete mystery why Guy Manning is not more widely known and appreciated, not just within the prog rock community, but his appeal as a singer/songwriter is so much wider that anyone interested in carefully crafted, quality songwriting will find lots to enjoy here. He has already started work on his next opus One Small Step .... Can't wait!"


Sounds exciting !  I'v added A Matter to my SL. Let's see when I can find/order a copy in Copenhagen or Malmö.

Nicky.

[Teunis]

Caamora - She

Track (Nicky's favourite ): The Bonding

[Nicky007]

Great song, huh, Teunis ?  Are you back in shape again ?


NP  Creed: Weathered

I bought it on Tom's recom. Here on second spin, I'm happy to have it. Let's see how it grows .....

Grungy, melodic, varied moods, very expressive singing by Scott Stapp, excellent guitars and bass by Mark Tremonti, and drums and keyboards by Scott Phillips.

Mark, Scott P, and further former Creed member Brian Marshall are together again in Alter Bridge, which Tom witnessed yesterday at the Pinkpop Festival (if all went well, which we all hope). (My guess is that Scott S was a difficult guy to work with.)

Nicky.

[Teunis]

Great song, huh, Teunis ?  Are you back in shape again ?

Indeed, great song. My shape is improving, have been working for 4 hours a day last week. Next week I hope to raise the number of hours to 6. Will see. Thanks.

np: Caamora - She

Track: Shadows 

[Steve Jones]

Staying with the Manning theme...

The Tangent - Not as Good as the Book.  I need more Tangent albums, as this one currently stands in splendid isolation. 

[Steve Jones]

After Paco's and my bad treatment of Guy, I think he deserves some uplifting here in the Room.

Shame on you both!    Presumably before my time on here as I don't recall seeing anything about him before.

Here's Dr. D. B. Sillars excellent review of A Matter on Amazon.co.uk:

I've noticed that Dr Sillars seems to have broadly similar tastes to myself, so I do tend to read his reviews when I come across them.


I'm now playing 'A Matter' for a second time as I enjoyed it so much earlier.  When I first bought it (a couple of years back) it took a few spins before I got into it.  My initial reaction was I wasn't too comfortable with the vocals sounding similar to Tull's Ian Anderson.  These days I think it's brilliant because the vocals sound similar to Ian Anderson.  An excellent work, classic-style prog rather than prog-metal if anyone's wondering.

[maddox]

Redemption - The Fullness Of Time

Track: [01] Threads

Heading towards the best Redemption song i've ever heard: Sapphire. 

[Steve Jones]

Dream Theater - Images and Words.  My joint favourite DT album along with Octavarium.

[Steve Jones]

Dream Theater - Octavarium.  My joint favourite DT along with...

[Steve Jones]

Camel - Coming of Age. (1997 "official live bootleg")