Great moments in music

[Nicky007]

One thing I've noticed increasingly is that there are certain moments on my CD's that give me a rush. I'll share some of mine with you, and I'm eager to hear about yours.

What gave me the impulse to start this thread is a moment in Ten's Rome (on The Twilight Chronicles) where there is a soft synth creating a real pleasant atmos, then SUDDENLY the guitar strikes down like a lightning bolt or an owl, and the whole stuff starts rockin like crazy.

Another of my faves is in Opera Fanatica, the "Set them free" moment following the quiet passage, where Ian goes bananas on his bass.

Vanden Plas also have a great moment in Postcard To God (on Christ 0). There's a long passage in the middle of the song where the guys go banging around on their instruments, and then suddenly everything stops and it's totally quiet for a moment, and you wonder what the f*s gonna happen now, then comes the thunder, and the great melody line starts again.

Isn't it great being a proggie, guys? 

Nicky.

[PH]

Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura
2. The Conflict (Section II: Party To The Lie)

At the end Neal sings "I won't be party to the lie, party to the lie...", then all instruments stop for a little moment and Neal's voice echoes on (lie... lie.. lie...) and then suddenly:
WHAM!!

This is where I start air drumming and head banging, serious!

[Nicky007]

This is where I start air drumming and head banging, serious!

I'd sure like to see that, Paco. Maybe you can give us an extra after the Arena concert in April (but without the a* wiggling) 

Reminds me, in Upon The Door (on SS), Paul Gilbert's guitar also strikes down like a lightning bolt, and he goes off on one of the greatest solos on this planet.

Nicky.

[Bupie]

John Petrucci's solo on the LAB version of Hollow Years moves me so much. I love to watch the passage on the DVD when James LaBrie says "Mister John Petrucci" and John raises his arm ... Unrational, I know, but so damn good .

Music is the more accessible pleasure on Earth (no, Nicky, don't expect me to mention anything about girls here  ). How some people can live without it is beyond me ...

[Nicky007]

Music is the more accessible pleasure on Earth (no, Nicky, don't expect me to mention anything about girls here  ). How some people can live without it is beyond me ...

You're sooo very right about that, Bupie. Not all can get the lady they dream about - and Bluey not at all  - but music is there for all of us to enjoy - in unlimited measures     

Nicky.

[kmorse]

I call them "Goosebumps" moments.

An inexhaustive list, in no particular order:

Moments from "Serious" music:
"Rodeo," by Aaron Copland (I even sorta like the EL&P version)
The opening to Aaron Copland's "Billy the Kid"
    (Nicky, having been a cowboy, will understand these two, I think)
"Dies Irae" by Mozart
"For Unto Us a Child is Born" from Handel's "Messiah"

"Prog" moments
The instrumental break in Arena's "Solomon"
Arena's "Riding the Tide"
Guitar solo in Arena's "The Hanging Tree" and "The Visitor"
Genesis' "The Cinema Show" and "Firth of Fifth"
The ending on the very last track on Jadis' "Across the Water" CD
Pallas' "The Cross and the Crucible" from the CD of the same name
Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" and "Hey You" from "The Wall"
Yes' "Roundabout"
Kansas' "Song for America" and "A Glimpse of Home"
Several passages on IQ's "Subterranea" (I don't have the CD handy to name them)
"Ghost of a Chance," by Rush (though I disagree with Neil Peart's world view, I like the melody)
Just about any guitar solo from Steve Hackett

Other moments:
"Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen
"Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles
"The Punk Meets the Godfather" and "Bell Boy" from the Who's "Quadrophenia"
Van Halen's version of "You Really Got Me", plus "Dance the Night Away"

There are probably more, but this'd keep me happy for now.

[PH]

Genesis' "The Cinema Show"

Oh yes! How could I forget!
The instrumental section in The Cinema Show is EXTREMELY goosebumpish.

-Paco

[Nicky007]

(Nicky, having been a cowboy, will understand these two, I think)

Keith

> Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" from "The Wall"

Betcha, Keith    I don't know how many times I'v grooved to that one.


> ... though I disagree with Neil Peart's world view ....

What's wrong with Neil, Keith? - Can see us getting into a religious discussion again.

Nicky.

[Bupie]

I call them "Goosebumps" moments.

Kansas' "Song for America" and "A Glimpse of Home"

Somebody else who likes Kansas here. Nice !

A Glimpse of Home is not often quoted as a fave. I know it very well because Monolith was my first encounter with Kansas. I still remember the first time I saw that bombastic and mysterious cover with these space Indians around the teepee. Souvenirs ...

[bluepony]

Greatest moment in music - well, that has to be "Riding The Tide"!

[erik]

Nicky, great topic you've started here and and ooh, there are so many!! A list with the goose bumps moments that first come to my mind:

- Marillion - The Great Escape, all of it
- Marillion - Neverland, all of it
- Marillion - Fantastic Place, all of it but especially the bridge ("say you'll understand me..")  where the song goes from small to real big with pounding drums, followed by a wonderful Rothery solo
- Marillion, finale of 100 Nights ("You didn't notice me.." with the heavy drum beats and the howling Rothery solo)
- Marillion - Seasons End, the line "So say goodbye.." and then the guitar solo
- Arena - The Hanging Tree, all of it
- Arena - Tears In The Rain, all of it but especially the bit after the guitar solo "Don't give me..." with the harmony vocals
- Arena - Bitter Harvest, the "Time may fly.." etc part
- Arena - Madness Lies, the bass parts!
- Arena - Painted Man, the intro
- The guitar solo of the title track of The Visitor
- Pendragon - Breaking The Spell, the start of the guitar solo
- Genesis - the middle part of Firth of Fifth
- Genesis - Los Endos live, the double drums and that bit with those waves of mellotron choirs when the Dance On A Volcano theme recurs
- King Crimson - the finale of Starless when the theme of the first part of the song recurs majestically

[this list was abbreviated]

Edit: too abbreviated, Marillion - Out Of This World was missing, all of it but especially the guitar solo and the segue of the guitar solo to the next section, where this beautiful piano melody wells up subtly and takes you along, floating with the music.

[Nicky007]

Greatest moment in music - well, that has to be "Riding The Tide"!

I would'v thought it had been "Torture Me And Kill Me" by The Blackest Satan Metal Skulls, Bluey 

Nicky.

[bluepony]

I would'v thought it had been "Torture Me And Kill Me" by The Blackest Satan Metal Skulls, Bluey 

Nicky.

That's close up... 

[bluepony]

Oh, and I also like the "set them free" part in "Opera Fanatica" - but "Riding..." is slightly better (just my opinion).

[PH]

In Solomon (Arena, of course) there's this bit where I always turn the volume up, fall on my knees in despair with my hands in the air and tears in my eyes (sounds like a lyric in itself...) singing:

"Throw away my life in the fireplace, with the old love letters and the Nottingham laces. Trying to forget the warm embraces, video supper and the funny faces!"

Beautiful, beautiful!! Surely very high on the list of great moments in music!
(Going to play it right now)


-Paco

[Nicky007]

On Kamelot's Ghost Opera, when the haunting violin on Solitaire segues over into the massively heavy Rule The World.

Mmmmmmums, as we say here 

Nicky.

[Draco chimera]

Love the song "Spectre at the feast", very disturbing...
I also love the moment in "Ascencion" where Rob Sowden sing a bit more shrill : "Rising up"

[Unicorn]

Waiting for the flood...

when the keyboard solo start and then "You walked with me before, you know..." I always have to raise the volume and sing with it :

[Smegal]

Give me any spice girl song anyday


i guess its the extreme complexity of their voice clicking that gets me

[bluepony]

Give me any spice girl song anyday

i guess its the extreme complexity of their voice clicking that gets me

Oh dear!! 

[Appelmoes??]

One thing that always gets to me is the guitar solo on "First man on Earth" from the Ayreon album Universal Migrator - The Dream Sequencer. I think it's on of the most fitting solo's to a song I've heard.

The album is about this colonist dude on Mars, and he's the last man alive. He gets in a dream sequencer and pre-incarnates further and further back, until at last he's the "first man to stand". At the end of the song he's all happy and stuff, he feels like he belongs there. Then the solo begins and it feels like pride, destiny, hope, that sort of stuff. Then the solo ends and we hear some very sad sound as the colonist suddenly is aware he's back in the dream sequencer on Mars...

In fact the entire song is a beautiful piece of music where is all fits perfectly.

*shivers

[Nicky007]

Hey, that's quite a theme Arjen has raised here. Guess I'll have to get that album.

Thanks for the tip and overview, Appy 

Nicky.

[keyboardistmatt]

Ooo!  Ooo!

ARENA - "Purgatory Road" The chorus; (I'm here to stay/ 'Till the martians land on London town. etc...)
            - "Witch Hunt" The whole track.
            - "Elea" The whole track.
DREAM THEATER - "Dance Of Eternity" The ragtime piano solo.
GARBAGE - "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing"
                 - "You Look So Fine"
PET SHOP BOYS - "It's A Sin" The first 30 seconds or so.
PINK FLOYD - "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" On Pulse (Live).
QUEEN - "Bohemian Rapsody" The first few notes on the live at Wembley '86 shows.
RUSH - "YYZ" The bit where the synth brass sound comes in.
          - "Tom Sawyer" The beginning.

[Appelmoes??]

Hey, that's quite a theme Arjen has raised here. Guess I'll have to get that album.

Thanks for the tip and overview, Appy 

While your at it, also get his other albums The Universal Migrator - Flight of the Migrator is the second part of the story, where the colonists goes back to the begining of time and travels back to where earth began.
And since almost every album of Ayreon is part of one big saga, you should also get The Final Experiment, Into the Electric Castle (EPIC!!!) and The Human Equation. The upcoming album "01011001" will be due on Jan 28th.
I can promise you, you will like them

[Nicky007]

Appy, I actually have THE & ITEC. Guess I should give'm some more runs now and particularly focus on the lyrics.

Y'know, it's strange, many prog composers and groups make a big effort to bring up some intriguing themes and write good lyrics, but this seems to be wasted on the majority of listeners, particularly outside of UK & US. When you read reviews, it's seldom they relate to the lyrics, and when you ask people what an album is about, turns out they dont know 

The good thing about Arjen is that he makes a big issue of the philosophic content of his albums, so people around him can't avoid being drawn in.

Nicky.