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[maddox]

Riversea - Out Of An Ancient World
Grendel - The Helpless

Both on progstreaming.com. Nice but to say I'm impressed .... nope. Will give Riversea a second chance though .

Really?

I find it too...safe for the lack of a better word.
It creeps on and on, there really is no pleasure on this album.

[PH]

I'm not really playing anything at the moment. But I have a certain melody in my head...
I was trying to get it out, so I played Seeds Of Gold by Neal Morse.
But after that, the melody was still there. It's a very simple melody really.
These are the lyrics to the melody:

"Look up that skyline
There's a bad moon rising
You may not like it
But that's the lizard you're riding"

I guess I'm going to like this album...

[Bupie]

Man on Fire ~ Chrysalis

Do you like it ? I do, especially the last song, Gravity 

UFO - Walk on Water

Good choice, Steve !

NP Martin Orford - The Old Road

Now I can garantee that this is an aboslute masterpiece in my book. Listening to "Take It To The Sun", which is basically a pop song but a great one, sung by John Wetton, I was thinking that Asia could have taken example on that. It has everything of an Asia song but instead of the minimalist approach of Asia (robotic drums, very few solos), you get gorgeous drumming from Nick D'Virgilio and inspiring soloing.

[Manatee]

Birthday Album: Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight    The album that made me believe H-Marillion was worth the effort.  Just gets better with repeats.

Recently:

Golden Palominos - Pure
Opeth - Heritage   You guys were right.  Splendid stuff.
Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts     Anyone else into these guys?  I've come more and more to believe that they were very influential in the development of prog.

NP: Anathema - Eternity    Now without question my favorite album of theirs.  I suspect I'm in the minority here, but hey, it would be boring if we all had the same opinions.   

[Manatee]

Do you like it ? I do, especially the last song, Gravity 
Good choice, Steve !

(above was in response to Steve's choice of UFO - Walk on Water)

I know little about UFO beyond a vague memory of hearing them once or twice in college.  Is that album a good starting point?

NP Martin Orford - The Old Road

Now I can garantee that this is an aboslute masterpiece in my book. Listening to "Take It To The Sun", which is basically a pop song but a great one, sung by John Wetton, I was thinking that Asia could have taken example on that. It has everything of an Asia song but instead of the minimalist approach of Asia (robotic drums, very few solos), you get gorgeous drumming from Nick D'Virgilio and inspiring soloing.

An excellent album indeed, as is his other one.  I can't help but feel I would have appreciated John Wetton more if my introduction to him hadn't been Asia (which I continue to feel is fairly good proggy pop but could have been so much more given the participants).  He's really good in King Crimson -- I think he adds a melodic note to them without depriving them of their characteristic edge.  I also really enjoy U.K. (I really need to get vinyl replacements of their albums), which I think might be something in the direction of what I'd hoped for from Asia, and he works very nicely as the vocalist on The Tokyo Tapes with Steve Hackett as well as with Martin Orford.

And Nicky, I will get around to revisiting Royal Hunt, I promise. 

[Bupie]

Interesting toughts. I never got into KC, maybe I should try an album from the Wetton era for the reason you mentioned.

About UFO, Walk On Water is a very good album but I would suggest to begin with an album of the 70's "golden era" of the band, from Phenomenon to Lights Out. Maybe the best option is the live Strangers In The Night that was recorded at the end of that period ? In any case, for any of those albums, be sure to get a remastered version with bonus tracks and an extended booklet that are really worth it !

NP Marillion - Marbles Live

[Nicky007]

And Nicky, I will get around to revisiting Royal Hunt, I promise. 

More for your sake, Greenie 

Paradox is great, but if you really want to spoil yourself, get Collision Course, Fear and/or The Mission 

With this group, there seems to be an age factor. The two groups that to my ear have particularly influenced the RH-sound are Floyd and Priest, the wonderful Floyd spacy atmospheres, and the Priest pulse, are very much there. Priest got very religious with Nostradamus; with André it's there right from start, a unique dialogue, or maybe monologue  with God, about this and that, all the stupidities and oddities of mankind 

In the long run, I'm sure that all Roomies will enjoy RH, cuz they basically have all that which we love in Arena's music, but obviously the desire to explore new vistas varies from person to person 

Opeth - Heritage   You guys were right.  Splendid stuff.

Another group that one simply can't go wrong with 

Heritage is probably the most bewildering Opeth album. I still don't quite get it, but as always with Opeth, there's lotta great music there 

NP  RH:  Moving Target 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Riversea - Out Of An Ancient World

Really?

I find it too...safe for the lack of a better word.
It creeps on and on, there really is no pleasure on this album.

Was my initial thought too, but I had other things on my mind. Will listen to it by headphones. But it may be my final listening .

just: Gazpacho - Bravo
now: Toto - Tambu

[Iggy]

NP Royal Hunt - The Mission 2nd time. I'm quite enjoying it.

[Nicky007]

NP Royal Hunt - The Mission 2nd time. I'm quite enjoying it.

I'm expecting the "quite" to disappear 

NP  RH:  Fear

Hm, I honestly expected to play some other groups, but somehow I can't get this stuff outta my head 

Erik, just saw you in the Room, you'l surely go for this group .... 

- Nicky

[erik]

Erik, just saw you in the Room, you'l surely go for this group .... 

I'll give them a listen and will report back my findings

[Bupie]

NP Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls

I am never disappointed with a SW listen. I hope that they will go on despite of Tommy Karevik's duties with Kamelot. And frankly, apart from their respective cover, I would not trade The Great Escape for Poetry ... 

[Teunis]

Gazpacho - When Earth Lets Go
Toto - Toto XX: 1977-1997

[Steve Jones]

Royal Hunt - Eyewitness.

This is probably my fave RH release so far, but I'm still a relative novice.

[Nicky007]

Royal Hunt - Eyewitness.

This is probably my fave RH release so far, but I'm still a relative novice.

Well, that's the most Priestian of the RH-albums. Maybe that tells somethin 

Probably not the best starter for other Roomies tho. I'd generally recommend Fear or Collision Course 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Was my initial thought too, but I had other things on my mind. Will listen to it by headphones. But it may be my final listening .

Riversea - Out Of An Ancient World

This was the moment, the second (and last) chance . Doesn't grip me at all.

np: Albion - Indefinite State of Manner

A problem I have with more (Polish) bands: like the music, but the vocals spoil the joy .

[Nicky007]

I realised that I was gettin more into RH than I was into Arena ... and that doesnt work 

And now I don't need to prod you guys any longer, as you are on your royal hunt .... 

So:

NP  Arena:  The Seventh Degree of Separation  &  The Visitor

I'm enjoying Seventh Degree a lot now 

Clearly the music is handmaiden to the tales ... but what tales !!!

This album is really very extraordinary. You see it already on the front cover: dead serious - in all respects. Clive wanted to share his descents into then seventh degree with us ... and he has succeeded - remarkably. This stuff grips you, I'd say esoterically, at all chakras - of course, on the condition that you're willing to be serious. So, I'd say, probably there are only few who are willing to treat this album as intended (e.g. it's not even wikied, a year after release) - but aint that so nowadays with all serious matter ? 

I still don't get how The Tinderbox fits into the scheme of things ... but I'l let that stand for a while ... it may then be revealed to me after a few more runs 

Paul doesnt sing overtly as expressively as Rob, but he is deep into the lyrics, and he conveys them well ... and the lyrical content is after all what this album is mainly about 

I should say tho that a musical high is John M's solo in Catching The Bullet - whewee, highly original, brilliant 


The Visitor - oh man, what an enjoyable revisit 

- Nicky

[PH]

I also listened to The Visitor today!
Really love every aspect of that album.

[Teunis]

I'm enjoying Seventh Degree a lot now 

Agreed, really a great album . Contagion still my favourite though .

Gazpacho - Firebird
Toto - Through The Looking Glass

[PH]

I'm listening to a lot of different songs from my collection in playlist shuffling mode.
Just had Truth Is Pain by A.C.T, followed by Truth And Tragedy by Amaran's Plight. Then came Marillion's little instrumental Liquidity. And now Coming Of Age (again Amaran's Plight).

Not really how a real progressive rock fan should listen to his (or her) albums, but this way I listen to music that I wouldn't normally put on. It can be surprising sometimes.

[Draco chimera]

NP  Arena:  The Seventh Degree of Separation  &  The Visitor

I'm enjoying Seventh Degree a lot now 

...

I still don't get how The Tinderbox fits into the scheme of things ... but I'l let that stand for a while ... it may then be revealed to me after a few more runs 

Paul doesnt sing overtly as expressively as Rob, but he is deep into the lyrics, and he conveys them well ... and the lyrical content is after all what this album is mainly about 

I should say tho that a musical high is John M's solo in Catching The Bullet - whewee, highly original, brilliant 

- Nicky

The Tinder Box impresses me each and every time I listen to it. I don't know how, but it just feels so massive, as if Clive had simply took the word "fatality" and turned it into music. It is incredibly powerful, Paul adds a great dramatic dimension to it in my opinion.

Ahhh, no I have to listen to the album again 

[maddox]

Steven Wilson ~ Grace for Drowning

If people like Bach, Mozart, Brahms and Tchaikovsky were the top notch composers of their time, Steven Wilson must be a top composer of our time.
I very much like the music he makes, Porcupinish of Solo-ish.

[Iggy]

Steven Wilson ~ Grace for Drowning

If people like Bach, Mozart, Brahms and Tchaikovsky were the top notch composers of their time, Steven Wilson must be a top composer of our time.
I very much like the music he makes, Porcupinish of Solo-ish.

And he is prolific. What I like about todays music scene is the amount of collaborations between the artists. It is so different from the seventies.

Played today
Squackett
Spock's Beard - V
Steve Hackett - Metamorpheus
NP Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited II

[funkster]

communication lost by Wolverine

[Teunis]

communication lost by Wolverine

Excellent choice.

Played the new Muse album 'The 2nd Law' today. Gets better with each listening. More electronic than prog, but they're quite brilliant . They'll certainly enter my top 5 of favourite 2012 releases.

Right now I'm listening to my favourite prog radio show, like almost every Sunday evening. Really cool!