As we are heading towards that time of the year , what have been your fave albums of 2011 ?
Here are a few to get you started
Machine Head - Unto the locust
Anthrax - Worship music
Hell - Human Remains
Elbow - Build a rocket boys
Over to you lot
This year has brought me a pretty long list of excellent albums.
Wolverine - Communication Lost
Arch/Matheos - Sympathetic Resonance
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
Airbag - All Rights Removed
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
Anthrax - Worship Music
Darkwater - Where Stories End
Kamelot - Poetry for the Poisoned
Sunchild - The Wrap
Phideaux - Snowtorch
Sean Filkins - War and Peace and Other Short Stories
The Tangent - COMM
Jakszic, Fripp and Collins - A Scarcity of Miracles
Yes - Fly from Here
Neal Morse - Testimony II
Opeth - Heritage
Agents of Mercy - The Black Forest
Haken - Visions
Ben Craven - Great and Terrible Potions
And the list goes on and on and on. ...
Mad, I envy you since from your unfinished list, I have only DT and Kamelot albums :-[ Do you rent an apartment dedicated to the cd's ???
I am waiting for new albums from Arena, Magenta, Manning and Man On Fire, so it will make a choice of 6. Well, actually 5 since the Kamelot album was released in 2010, Mad ;)
In random order:
Neal Morse - Testimony 2
Wolverine - Communication Lost
Knight Area - Nine Paths
Pendragon - Passion
Airbag - All Rights Removed
Quote from: funkster on Fri, 2011-11-04, 16:12:41
Here are a few to get you started
I actually don't yet have any of those four albums, Funky, but Worship Music is on its way to me (from an Amazon shop), I'v listened to the songs on YouTube, and I have great expectations; I'l definitely get into Locust on your warm recom; Elbow I'v listened to a few times, I like'm, but they'r a bit lite for my taste; and Hell is new to me, but I'l also give'm a run.
Quote from: maddox on Fri, 2011-11-04, 17:13:00
This year has brought me a pretty long list of excellent albums.
Mad, I was surprised to find Worship Music in your list, but proggies
do surprise ;)
The new Haken and Kamelot albums I'm of course looking forward to, as they are pantheon with me. Wolverine, Arch/Matheos, and Neal Morse are also on my SL, and I'm also looking forward to them.
And of course I have great expectations for the new Arena album. At this point, I'v only heard a phone recording of Burning Down, but there sure is a lotta buzzz.
So, to get to some of my faves from 2011:
Yup, definitely DT and Opeth, both groups have been great for the past twenty years.
Yes still make fabulous music.
Other great albums from 2011:
Protest the Hero: Scurrilous (Funky, you
have to get into this band)
Trivium: In Waves (not released yet, but what I'v heard is great)
Ten: Stormwarning (not the best Ten album (that's Twilight imo), but excellent album)
So, have I forgotten any ? Remind me ;)
Nicky.
Here's a list of the albums I liked and/or loved in 2011 (so far ;)) :
Blackfield - Welcome To My DNA
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
The Dear Hunter - The Color Spectum
Di-rect - Time Will Heal Our Senses
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events
Dredg - Chuckles And Mr. Squeezy
Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys!
Face Tomorrow - Face Tomorrow
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
For All We Know - For All We Know
Hotel Of The Laughing Tree - Terror And Everything After
John Wesley - The Lilypad Suite
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness, Part 1
Leprous - Bilateral
Neal Morse - Testimony 2
Opeth - Heritage
Pagan's Mind - Heavenly Ecstacy
Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt Two
Pendragon - Passion
Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning
Sun Domingo - Songs For End Times
Symphony X - Iconoclast
Thirteen Senses - Crystal Sounds
Thomas Giles - Pulse
Three - The Ghost You Gave To Me
Tin Spirits - Wired To Earth
Tom
You'r not so hot on the new SyX album, Tom ? Neither the PoS and 3 albums ?
Nicky.
Quote from: Nicky007 on Sat, 2011-11-05, 20:54:29
You'r not so hot on the new SyX album, Tom ? Neither the PoS and 3 albums ?
Well, the new SyX album is good but it's too much of a 'balls-to-the-wall'-album for me. If they would have added a ballad or 2 it would be a lot better I think. The new PoS and Three-albums I haven't heard enough too say if I
love them. There's just too much music coming out these days which is great, but it makes it pretty difficult (if not impossible) to keep track of everything. :-\
Tom
The new Myrath album, Tales Of The Sand, seems to be another 2011 must-have.
I am not at all in the mood for prog metal these days but I will nonetheless check it. The cover alone is very appealing.
Not bought a lot this year -
Dec Burke - Storylines & Paradigms
Touchstone - The City Sleeps
Opeth - Heritage
Pagan's Mind - Heavenly Ecstacy
Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt Two
Pendragon - Passion
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Haken - Visions
No particular order here just what I like :)
Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here ;D
Lot of great releases this year, I usually buy a mixture of new releases and older stuff but this year I can hardly keep up with all the great new stuff! In random order, except for the first one that REALLY blew me away:
Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning
Steve Hackett - Beyond The Shrouded Horizon
Yes - Fly From Here
Van Der Graaf Generator - A Grounding In Numbers
Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins - A Scarcity Of Miracles
Pendragon - Passion
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events
Blackfield - Welcom To My DNA
Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
Peter Gabriel - New Blood
Within Temptation - The Unforgiving
The Watch - Timeless
Heather Nova - 300 Days At Sea
Beach Boys - Smile
Spinvis - Tot Ziens, Justine Keller
And anticipating: Arena, Kate Bush
Quote from: erik on Thu, 2011-11-17, 23:01:41
Heather Nova - 300 Days At Sea
Yes, I totally forgot that one. Great album! 8)
Tom
I've only bought three 2011 releases which is my top 3:
Arena - "The Seventh Degree Of Seperation"
Truly belongs in the top 3. On number 1. Yes it is that good! ;D
Dream Theater - "A Dramatic Turn Of Events"
I think Dream Theater comes second. Just a bit before Neal this time.
Neal Morse - "Testimony Two"
Neal did great! I love this album, but it's simply not as good as Dream Theater this time. I prefered "Sola Scriptura" to "Systematic Chaos" in 2007 and "?" to "Octavarium" in 2005, but this time Dream Theater is just a bit better.
I plan to buy more, because 2011 was/is such a great year for prog!
The following I've heard and got my attention very much! I am not sure on the order, but I think Steven Wilson really belongs on the first of this list. That's the one that I need to buy ASAP! But I can't find it in any shop... ???
Steven Wilson - "Grace For Drowning"
Wonderful double album! I love all the 70s prog influences. He's really a genius. Man, I keep on saying that!
Wobbler - "Rites At Dawn"
Another retro album. Really good!
Ben Craven - "Great And Terrible Potions"
A surprise there! At first it didn't grab me that much, but it is slowly becoming that masterpiece nonetheless.
Phideaux - "Snowtorch"
Could be better than "Doomsday Afternoon".
Anathema - "Falling Deeper"
My first Anathema and it's a best of... Ah well, these are very good reworkings! I love the closing track, it makes me all goosebumpish.
Sean Filkins - "War And Peace And Other Short Stories"
A good set of songs.
Steve Hackett - "Beyond The Shrouded Horizon"
Catchy and rocky.
Levin Torn White - "Levin Torn White"
Interesting! Sounds a bit like new King Crimson. Not for the faint of heart!
Mogwai - "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will"
Decent post-rock!
Mastodon - "The Hunter"
For some reason also catchy!
Myrath - "Tales Of The Sands"
Very original! Love the oriental influences.
Quote from: maddox on Fri, 2011-11-04, 17:13:00
Anthrax - Worship Music
This one is definitely one of the best albums of 2011 *horns*
Aint that so, Mad and Funky ?
Nicky.
Quote from: Nicky007 on Fri, 2011-11-25, 15:07:02
This one is definitely one of the best albums of 2011 *horns*
Aint that so, Mad and Funky ?
Nicky.
No. ;)
Think Arch/Matheos, think Haken, think Steven Wilson, think Pendragon, think Pandora and then maybe, just maybe Anthrax has the opportunity to visit the top ten list. :)
It truly has been a great year for prog
I think is an ordered list of my purchases, favourite first, but it is a very tough call between the first two. :)
- Steve Wilson - Grace For Drowning
- Arena - Seventh Degree of Separation
- Touch Stone - The City Sleeps
- Riverside - Memories In My Head
- Yes - Fly From Here
- Memories of Machines - Warm Winter
- Knight Area - Nine Paths
- Presto Ballet - Like what You've Done with this Place
- Black Field - Welcome to My DNA
- Steve Hackett - Beyond the Shrouded Horizon
And whilst it's not a 2011 release, I have to mention one album I brought this year: the 2010 compilation from the
Afro Celt Sound System called
Capture. This is simply awesome. A fusion of Celtic and African music that works very well. I think they have one of the best bass players I have ever heard in terms of not only technique but feel and "playing for the song". There are quite a few collaborations with big names like Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant. Well worth checking it. It was hearing "When You're Falling" featuring Peter Gabriel on Internet Radio that caught my attention. I then listened to another track that I found on YouTube with Sinead O'Connor and within another five minutes made an impulse buy!
I noticed Pendragon's new album mentioned above a few times. What's the verdict on it? I listened to the snippets on the web site before it came out, and they didn't really do much for me at the time, so my album cash went on more immediate albums (all very subjective of course). But I keep meaning to go back and check them again, but so many other albums have been vying for my attention! :) I'm a big Pendragon fan, but probably more the era from "The World" up to "Not Of This World". I liked "Pure" and "Passion" of course, and have always supported the band with all the CDs and DVDs up to this one. So I'll probably get it some point.
Quote from: dacook on Sat, 2011-11-26, 09:59:37
Yes - Fly From Here
Oh man, how could I forget that one, it entranced me *horns*
Funky, I'l have to get the Machine Head album soon, have read a lotta good about it 8)
Nicky.
I'm really sorry guys but there's no better album for 2011 then The seventh degree of separation!
When they played some track of this album at the gig in 2010 I immediately fell in love....
Had to wait this whole fre...n' year for this album. My patience was tested at his most!
My children are almost asking me to stop playing this album ;D *horns*
I said above it's a really close call between "Grace for Drowning" and the "Seventh Degree of Separation", but I think the former just about pips it due to its breadth and diversity. That of course doesn't detract from the fact that the new Arena album is superb and up with their classics.
And in my list above, how could I forget Magenta's new album "Chameleon". This is pretty good as well.
Quote from: dacook on Sat, 2011-11-26, 09:59:37
It truly has been a great year for prog
[...]
I noticed Pendragon's new album mentioned above a few times. What's the verdict on it? I listened to the snippets on the web site before it came out, and they didn't really do much for me at the time, so my album cash went on more immediate albums (all very subjective of course). But I keep meaning to go back and check them again, but so many other albums have been vying for my attention! :) I'm a big Pendragon fan, but probably more the era from "The World" up to "Not Of This World". I liked "Pure" and "Passion" of course, and have always supported the band with all the CDs and DVDs up to this one. So I'll probably get it some point.
Yeah it has been a great year for prog indeed! And not just great new albums, great rereleases as well that are on my shoppig list: Jethro Tull - Aqualung, The Who - Quadrophenia (and of course there's Floyd, but I'm not going to buy all their albums yet again).
Passion is a catchy, rocking, modern sounding Pendragon. I think of their new era (starting with Believe), Pure is better, but Passion is solid and very enjoyable, it really rocks. My all time fave is still The Window Of Life.
To me the only reason why Passion isn't better than Pure is because it lacks Indigo.
I truly believe that that is the best song the Pendies ever made.
As a whole, Passion is indeed better.
Quite rockier.
They indeed say that the new Pendragon-era started with Believe but that album did nothing for me.
Quote from: maddox on Sun, 2011-11-27, 20:05:12
To me the only reason why Passion isn't better than Pure is because it lacks Indigo.
I truly believe that that is the best song the Pendies ever made.
As a whole, Passion is indeed better.
Quite rockier.
I'm not so sure, Passion is rockier but also very "dense" soundwise, on Pure there's more "space", more air. Pure is a bit more melancholic as well. As a whole, I like Pure better I think. But Passion is a solid follow up, no mistake about that.
Quote from: maddox on Sun, 2011-11-27, 20:05:12
They indeed say that the new Pendragon-era started with Believe but that album did nothing for me.
Believe gets a lot of negative press form some reason, but I really like it. It's a bit of a transitional album between old and new Pendragon. A change of direction was welcome and necessary (with Not Of This World, great as it is, the law of diminishing returns for the classic Pendragon album format really did set in). Believe brings a fresh breath yet has all the ingredients of a great and emotional Pendragon album.
I enjoy it very much from start to finish.
My most listened to 2011 releases according to lastfm
20. Sky Architect - A Dying Man's Hymn
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/64060491.jpg)
Released 6/6/2011
19. Rush - Time Machine: Live in Cleveland
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/70724322.jpg)
Released 8/11/2011
18. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/59815465.png)
Released 1/3/2011
17. Anathema - Falling Deeper
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/67116042.png)
Released 5/9/2011
16. They Might Be Giants - Join Us
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/62146579.jpg)
Released 19/7/2011
15. Pendragon - Passion
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/61244503.jpg)
Released 11/4/2011
14. Richard Thompson - Live At The BBC
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/71420642.jpg)
Released 20/6/2011
13. Symphony X - Iconoclast
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/60803913.jpg)
Released 17/6/2011
12. Blackfield - Welcome to My DNA
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/62374767.png)
Released 28/3/2011
11. UFO - The Chrysalis Years (1973-1979)
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/66158634.jpg)
Released 1/1/2011
10. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/68546586.png)
Released 7/9/2011
9. Opeth - Heritage
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/68467392.png)
Released 14/9/2011
8. Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/45858785.png)
Released 7/6/2011
7. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/57582003.png)
Released 14/1/2011
6. Steve Hackett - Beyond the Shrouded Horizon
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/69313672.jpg)
Released 27/9/2011
5. Arena - The Seventh Degree of Separation
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/71684494.jpg)
Released 28/11/2011
4. Steve Hackett - Live Rails
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/62451191.jpg)
Released 3/5/2011
3. Within Temptation - The Unforgiving
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/58315129.png)
Released 25/3/2011
2. Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/66994170.png)
Released 26/9/2011
1. Yes - Fly From Here
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/174s/65625274.jpg)
Released 1/7/2011
Quite an eclectic list, Iggy. ;)
Quote from: Iggy on Sat, 2011-12-24, 15:15:25
My most listened to 2011 releases according to lastfm
8) Iggy
As you have good taste (read: Iggy's taste is close to Nicky's) :) I'v noted the groups and albums that I'm not familiar with for checking out ;)
Naturally Fly From Here arrives as nb 1. Great album *horns*
Mad, I'v done the same thing with your list 8)
Nicky.
As I don't want to (try to) grade my fave albums, here they are in alphabetical order:
Anthrax: Worship Music
Arena: Seventh Degree
Dream Theater: Dramatic
Haken: Visions
Opeth: Heritage
Symphony X: Iconoclast
Yes: Fly From Here
Only two real surprises: Anthrax became a pantheon group with me as late as 2011, and that Fly From Here was
that good *horns*
Albums that most certainly will become faves of 2011:
Mastodon: The Hunter
Trivium: In Waves
Steven Wilson: Grace For Drowning
I'v now ordered SW's album, and with all the enthusiasm that I'v heard, among other places in the Room, I'm looking very much forward to listening to it.
Albums that probably will become faves of 2011, as the groups are pantheon with me:
Pain of Salvation: Road Salt Two
3: The Ghost You Gave to Me
Ten's Stormwarning is a fine album, but it doesnt grip me the way Chronicles, Essential, and Babylon did. These are visionary and exciting (all three), and musically progressive (mainly Chronicles). I can't really say that about Stormwarning. Losing Chris Francis - super guitarist and more - was detrimental to Ten :(
Quote from: maddox on Fri, 2011-11-04, 17:13:00
Kamelot - Poetry for the Poisoned
Mad, this album was released in 2010 ;)
It will probably also become a fave with me (for 2010), once I get it and listen to it :)
Nicky.
Cool Iggy! Those are quite a few nice releases there!