Now Playing Thread

[Teunis]

Huis - Despite Guardian Angels 
Opeth - Pale Communion (a few nice songs, especially the last track, but overall it doesn't grip me)

[Bupie]

Alright, so tell us what we're missing.

Actually I want to try out Kansas again. Where first?

You are missing a band that produced an unique and extraordinary mix of symphonic and sometimes metal prog with hints of pop, a band blessed with a gift for great melodies, a band that could come up with rather interesting/intriguing lyrics (thanks to Mister Livgren) and a band whose destiny (curse ?) is to be know for a song -the ballad Dust In The Wind- that doesn't reflect at all most his work. A band that was the American answer/counterpart of UK prog giants of the 70's in a more accessible though still complex style. A band that had one the greatest vocalists in the history of rock in the person of Steve Walsh, two guitar players (Rich Williams and Kerry Livgren) that played some of the most thrilling riffs and soli that I have ever heard and a criminally underrated drummer (Phil Ehart). A band that lost his way for almost twenty years but found redemption at the turn of the century with his last album to date, Somewhere To Elsewhere.

Talking about songs and picking one from each album of their "classic" period (from their debut to Audio-Visions) in chronological order, I would mention Journey from Mariabronn, Song For America, Icarus (Borne On Wings Of Steel), The Wall, Lightning's Hand, Angels Have Fallen and (maybe my favorite) No One Together. But it's a rather personal and unusual selection.

Talking about albums, you can't go wrong with Leftoverture and Point Of Know Return but the 2 CD edition of Two For The Show is a great place to start even if I know that you don't like live albums (but maybe this one will make you change your mind ?  ).

PP Karmakanic - Who's The Boss In The Factory ?
JF Karmakanic - In A Perfect World
NP Karmakanic - Live In The US

[Bupie]

PP Magenta - Seven 

NP Steve Lukather - Luke  too

[Teunis]

Arena - The Seventh Degree Of Separation
Cosmograf - Capacitor

[Bupie]

PP Simon Phillips - Symbiosis

NP Simon Phillips - Another Lifetime

[funkster]

Opeth - pale communion

I am enjoying this a lot more than Heritage and maybe even Watershed both of which left me a bit cold

[PH]

Bupie, thank you for your in-depth recommendation. I already expected those two albums to be their greatest so I'll definitely will check them out (again). Thanks a lot!

[The Butterfly Man]

NP: Opeth - Pale Communion

Stunning album. Yeah the music has become less heavy and the growls are gone (forever?) but what a beautiful album this is. I never liked Heritage so I was a bit sceptical at first but then I actually played this new album and I was blown away.

Tom

[Nicky007]

NP  SuperHeavy:  Miracle Worker

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTF7T1Nw5OU

Great video

Got some old cronies in the mix: Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Dave Stewart, A. R. Rahman, and Damian Marley.

Wiki: Stone and Stewart have collaborated in the past with Jagger. Jagger said of the band, "We wanted a convergence of different musical styles... We were always overlapping styles, but they were nevertheless separate". Jagger wanted SuperHeavy to showcase different musical styles, with music ranging from reggae to ballads to Indian music.

- Nicky

[Bupie]

@ PH : You're welcome

PP Transatlantic - SMTPe 
NP Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope

[PH]

Last night I was listening to Yes - "Heaven & Earth" again.
I enjoy at least half of it and I tolerate the other half. Some songs tend to be a bit too long (Light Of The Ages especially!), but I honestly don't know why half of the world is so angry about this album. What were they expecting?! This is a really catchy mainstream-ish album.

[Bupie]

NP Avantasia - The Wicked Symphony 

One day, I am (almost) sure that our Wicky Nicky will recognize the merits of this one ...

[Nicky007]

One day, I am (almost) sure that our Wicky Nicky will recognize the merits of this one ...

Hm, not so sure, Bupie: I have The Scarecrow, which I have listened to a few times, and I listened a bit to Edguy, but they didn't really grip me

But I'll keep your recom in mind, Bupie


JP  Morbid Angel:  Illud Divinum Insanus

Listening a lot to MA these days. This is their most recent album, from 2011, just got the cd. Quite special, will need many listens to get it


NP  Flying Colors:  Self-titled

What a joy

Paxi, you'll love this album, for sure

Steve Morse has become one of my absolute fave guitarists. His style is quite different from my other faves: Petrucci, Loomis, Vai, and Chris Maudling.

And Casey McPherson, what a wonderful singer

And Mike Portnoy has long been one of my fave drummers. He really shines here. Guess he needed to do something else than DT

- Nicky

[PH]

NP  Flying Colors:  Self-titled

What a joy

Paxi, you'll love this album, for sure

You bet. I really like it and I'm looking forward to their next album "Second Nature". Only a few days now.

Steve Morse has become one of my absolute fave guitarists. His style is quite different from my other faves: Petrucci, Loomis, Vai, and Chris Maudling.

I agree. It's very melodic. I never heard him in Deep Purple or Dixie Dregs, but the guitar solos on this album are fantastic!

And Casey McPherson, what a wonderful singer

He is good isn't he. A bit of a mainstream voice with all the well-known poprock tricks, but it works really well for this poprock record!

And Mike Portnoy has long been one of my fave drummers. He really shines here. Guess he needed to do something else than DT

I never noticed. I'll watch out for it the next time I listen to it.

You're a bit late Nicky. This amazing record has been out since 2012.


NP
Porcupine Tree - "The Incident"

[maddox]

Kingcrow ~ In Crescendo 

When I first listened to Phlegethon, their previous album, they really took me by surprise.
Not the first Italian band I listened to, but their 'plagiarism' of acts like Pain of Salvation, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater, totally worked!
Everything was right on this album.
On this album the PoS and PT influences are still present and though the album is a bit short to my liking, it's just as good as Phlegethon.

I also have the Live in Atlanta (PPUSA) album, limited to 100 copies but I don't really like their performance on that album.
To stereotype.

[Teunis]

Today:
IQ - The Road Of Bones (still my favourite 2014 release)
Gazpacho - Demon (close second, before Anathema)
jp: Jadis - More Than Meets The Eye (it's been a while, really enjoyed it )
np: Opeth - Pale Communion (fourth time by now. Some nerve-recking tracks, some okay tracks but the last two tracks are really great imo)

[maddox]

Green Carnation ~ Light of Day, Day of Darkness [60:06]

Not an ordinary dose of prog.
Just one song but this is sooo good. 

[Teunis]

IQ - The Wake

np: Work Of Art - In Progress (on YouTube)

[Bupie]

NP Transatlantic - STPMe

Have I already mentioned that All Of The Above is my favorite prog track ever ? Yes, a few times, I think ... 

[Teunis]

jp: Riverside - Shrine Of New Generation Slaves
np: Moon Safari - Himlabacken vol. 1

[Nicky007]

You're a bit late Nicky. This amazing record has been out since 2012.

OK, I misunderstood you, Paxi. I thought you meant their self-titled album when you wrote:

"But there are still some releases that I look forward to: Threshold, Flying Colors, ..."

but now I understand that you meant Second Nature.

I too am looking forward to listening to it

- Nicky

[maddox]

King Crimson ~ Lizard 

[PH]

Vangelis - "El Greco"

When I'm in the right mood this cd is the best thing ever.
Most of the time I'm not in the right mood, but right now I am!

Love this. Certainly one of Vangelis' best.

[maddox]

Yellow Matter Custard ~ One Night in New York

Mr. Morse, Mr. Portnoy, Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Bissonette, a.k.a. The Beatles 2.0

[Teunis]

Peter Gee - The Spiritual World