:: The Shattered Room ::

Other Stuff => Off Topic => Topic started by: PH on Sun, 2014-12-07, 17:17:07

Title: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: PH on Sun, 2014-12-07, 17:17:07
We're in December again. Time flies...

So which albums are your favourites of 2014?

Which albums did you want to check out but did not have the time/money to?

Are there any other bands/albums you discovered this year, that are not necessarily released in 2014?

And which albums are you looking forward to for 2015?
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: PH on Sun, 2014-12-07, 18:09:48
I find this always both extremely difficult and extremely fun to do. ;D

So far, I bought 15 albums that were released this year. Two albums I won't count in this list, because they are technically re-releases ("Contagion Max", and "Cover Version" by Steven Wilson). So that leaves 13 albums.

For now, I'm just listing the releases and underlining the ones that I really like. So a real 'top 10' has to be formed yet.

Transatlantic - "Kaleidoscope"
A.C.T - "Circus Pandemonium"
Glass Hammer - "Ode To Echo"
Gazpacho - "Demon"
Tuomas Holopainen - "The Life And Times Of Scrooge"
IQ - "The Road Of Bones"
Anathema - "Distant Satellites"
Yes - "Heaven & Earth"
Neal Morse - "Songs From November"
Opeth - "Pale Communion"
Threshold - "For The Journey"
Flying Colors - "Second Nature"
Devin Townsend - "Z²"


Albums that I want to check out eventually are:

Synaesthesia - "Synaesthesia"
Devin Townsend - "Casualties Of Cool"
Minor Giant - "On The Road"
Robert Reed - "Sanctuary"
Iamthemorning - "Belighted"
Work Of Art - "Framework"
Steve Rothery - "Ghosts Of Pripyat"
Enchant - "The Great Divide"
Pendragon - "Men Who Climb Mountains"


And these albums I know quite well (or are obligatory), and are on my 'to-buy-list':

Huis - "Despite Guardian Angels"
Nick Magnus - "N'Monix"
Lunatic Soul - "Walking On A Flashlight Beam"
Kaipa - "Sattyg"


I also (re)discovered Riverside and Lunatic Soul. Bought some Jean Michel Jarre remasters and completed my Moon Safari collection.

I am looking forward to the following:

Steven Wilson's "Hand. Cannot. Erase.", in February.
Neal Morse Band's "The Grand Experiment" on 16 February.
Arena's "The Unquiet Sky" and accompanying tour.
Arjen Lucassen & Anneke van Giersbergen's The Gentle Storm's "The Diary" in March.
John Mitchell releasing his "Please Come Home" under the monniker Lonely Robot, on 23 February.
More remasters of Jean Michel Jarre.
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: Teunis on Sun, 2014-12-07, 21:34:25
 8) PH, like these kind of threads. Will answer this later. I do recognise a lot of albums that will enter my top-10, but the order will be very difficult. It's been a great prog year as far as I'm concerned. Which demo of Gazpacho did you buy? ;)
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: PH on Sun, 2014-12-07, 21:53:37
Quote from: Teunis on Sun, 2014-12-07, 21:34:25
8) PH, like these kind of threads. Will answer this later. I do recognise a lot of albums that will enter my top-10, but the order will be very difficult. It's been a great prog year as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, 2014 was a wonderful year! I'm also looking forward to 2015, which seems to be another excellent year for prog!

Quote from: Teunis on Sun, 2014-12-07, 21:34:25
Which demo of Gazpacho did you buy? ;)

Ah I see it now! ;D And I corrected it!
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: Teunis on Fri, 2014-12-26, 20:09:30
Here is my list, it's about the right order I guess :-\ ;). Always difficult indeed, but the albums I play most are often my favourite ones:

IQ - The Road Of Bones
Threshold - For The Journey
Gazpacho - Demon
Knight Area - Hyperdrive
Anathema - Distant Satellites
Bjørn Riis - Lullabies In A Car Crash
Pendragon - Men Who Climb Mountains
The Pineapple Thief - Magnolia
Huis - Despite Guardian Angels
Anubis - Hitchhiking To Byzantium
Cosmograf - Capacitor
Opeth - Pale Communion
Lunatic Soul - Walking On A Flashlight Beam
Kayak - Cleopatra: The Crown Of Isis
Perfect Beings - Perfect Beings

It was an interesting year, I discovered 'The Pineapple Thief', was never fond of previous albums but this one is really 8). Will dig into their back catalogue, most recent first. Same goes (partly) for Opeth. Don't have to dig into their whole catalogue. There are two more albums without growls  ::) ;). No other music I want to check out, my wallet is not happy with that :).

Disappointment 2015: Asia - Gravitas. I keep on buying their albums, but I don't find myself playing them a lot :-[.

Looking forward to the following 2015 releases:
Arena - The Unquiet Sky
The Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment
Subsignal - The Beacons of Somewhere Sometime
The Gentle Storm - The Gentle Storm
Lonely Robot - Please Come Home
Toto - Toto XIV (don't know if this is a working title or the real one, but it will be released in March *horns*)

And I know some bands are busy working on a new album, not sure if they will be released in 2015: Seventh Wonder, Wolverine, Gazpacho, Anathema.

I hand the pen over to .... whoever feels like writing here. Very curious.
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: Teunis on Sat, 2014-12-27, 19:31:25
Quote from: Teunis on Fri, 2014-12-26, 20:09:30
Looking forward to the following 2015 releases:
Forgot the new Sylvan album 'Home', to be released on 20th February.

Quote from: Teunis
And I know some bands are busy working on a new album, not sure if they will be released in 2015:
There will be an new Comedy Of Errors album, looking forward to it.

And it's about time for a new Shadow Gallery album, really hoping for that.
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: Teunis on Mon, 2014-12-29, 11:10:29
Quote from: Teunis on Sat, 2014-12-27, 19:31:25
Forgot the new Sylvan album 'Home', to be released on 20th February.
And of course the new DeeExpus and Riverside ..... . Have to ask my wife for a raise of pocket money ;).
Title: Re: Best albums of the year (2014)
Post by: Bupie on Wed, 2014-12-31, 16:04:19
I am waiting for the new Angra album, Secret Garden, arriving in January. The two songs that are available so far are really good  *horns*