Now Playing Thread

[Teunis]

jp: Gazpacho - Soyuz (Still growing on me).
np: Blind Ego - Liquid 

[Teunis]

jp: Queen - A Night At The Opera
np: Soup - Remedies

[Teunis]

jp: IQ - Frequency
np: Soup - The Beauty Of Our Youth

[Teunis]

Master Men - From The Moon

It was recommended in the prog magazine iO-pages as an 'Arena alike' band from Poland. Well, just had to hear it of course, on Spotify. I certainly hear touches from Arena and on one track I even heard a bit of Shadowland, but it can't 'stand in the shadow of' Arena. The music is okay, but I don't like the singing. It's not an accent, the English is just fine, but the raw/screamy voice is not my cup of tea. And I miss the solos from John Mitchell .

[maddox]

NP> The Sea Within - S/T

In 2004 The Flower Kings released the album Adam and Eve.
On this album Daniel Gildenlöw, singer/guiterist of Pain of Salvation who on that time was also a member of The Flower Kings, sang two outstanding songs, A Vampires View and the title track.
The Sea within is basically the same sort of music as what you heard on the album Adam and Eve.
Maybe a bit mixed with the Stolt and Nad Sylvan combo Agents of Mercy, but then of course with better vocals.
I personally don't really like the vocals of Nad Sylvan.

I really like The Sea Within, drums are tight, keyboards colourful, vocals great as ever, guitars functional as we already heard from Stolt in the past and bass as it should be.
Fun thing is, some of the bonus tracks really would've fit between the songs on the album.
Not an album of the year, but close to no. 1. Top three for sure.

[Teunis]

NP> The Sea Within - S/T

I've heard the album once. I expected it to be not my cup of tea, but I was wrong. Positively surprised, will play it more often.

np: Ayreon - The Source

[Teunis]

jp: Mystery - Lies And Butterflies
np Toto - Toto XIV

[Teunis]

jp: Knight Area - The Sun Also Rises
np: Soen - Children Of E.L.B.

[Teunis]

Von Hertzen Brothers - Nine Lives

[PH]

Listened to:
Arena - "Double Vision"
Out of the last three, this is certainly their best! It's hard to compare with earlier albums, but I'm perfectly fine with them entering a new era when it is this good. I remember Clive talking in an interview about this possibly becoming their 'breakthrough' album. Well, they really deserve to get way more attention than they've had in the past. Paul Manzi is easily one of their strongest trump cards at the moment.

Threshold - "Legends Of The Shires"
I think this is a perfect album!! They mixed the progressive, the metal, and the accessible aspects very well. It also felt natural to play this after "Double Vision". Threshold and Arena share some of the same DNA. Much thanks to Karl and Clive.

Great to see The Sea Within getting some love here. I'm a Roine Stolt fan for sure. But this is more than a Roine project. I can hear the others' influences too.

[Teunis]

Riverside - Love, Fear And The Time Machine

[Teunis]

jp: Mystery - Lies And Butterflies
np: Soup - The Beauty Of Our Youth

[PH]

Neal Morse - "Sola Scriptura"
Whoaaaaa!! Still blows me away every time. I think it's still my favourite, but really, there's so much good stuff to choose from. "The Similitude..." is also excellent. One of the best double albums I know.

[Teunis]

Neal Morse - "Sola Scriptura"
Whoaaaaa!! Still blows me away every time. I think it's still my favourite, but really, there's so much good stuff to choose from. "The Similitude..." is also excellent. One of the best double albums I know.

Yeah, Neal rules 

jp: Soup - Remedies
np: Clouds Can - Leave

[Teunis]

Galahad - Quiet Storms

[erik]

Galahad - Quiet Storms

Really like that one, nice mellow "in between" album before the stormier Seas Of Change came.

NP Dukes of the Oriënt  - same. Bummer that the gig in October has been cancelled without a new date 

Before played:
Dare - Sacred Ground
Downes Braide Association - Suburban Ghosts

[Teunis]

Pink Floyd - The Final Cut

[PH]

Really like that one, nice mellow "in between" album before the stormier Seas Of Change came.

"Quiet Storms" is a 'reworkings' album right? With acoustic songs or something?
I've listened to "Seas Of Change" twice, and although I can hear there's something special in there, the penny is only dropping slowly (can I use that phrase in this way?).
But I do like it already more than "Battle Scars" and "Beyond The Realms Of Euphoria". I feel I need to try much harder with this band.

Major Parkinson - "Twilight Cinema"
Every once in a while I revisit this album, when I'm in the mood for it. I still think this is brilliant. It's like a scary circus.

[erik]

"Quiet Storms" is a 'reworkings' album right? With acoustic songs or something?

Yep, it is a reworking of existing tracks and a few new tracks and covers thrown in, not really acoustic (like the earlier "Galahad Acoustic Quintet" album) but mellow reworkings with focus on piano and synths. Very nice indeed.

I've listened to "Seas Of Change" twice, and although I can hear there's something special in there, the penny is only dropping slowly (can I use that phrase in this way?).
But I do like it already more than "Battle Scars" and "Beyond The Realms Of Euphoria". I feel I need to try much harder with this band.

Do keep trying Paco, because it is a great band that is rather underrated. All three albums you mention are brilliant IMHO, as well as Empires Never Last that preceded and was the album on which they really hit their stride and found a new direction. My personal favourite is Euphoria. Also have Year Zero, Sleepers and the Worlds Collide compilation album.

[Teunis]

Arena - Double Vision 

[Teunis]

Magnum - Lost On The Road To Eternity

[PH]

Magnum - Lost On The Road To Eternity

Good one!

Just listened to the first disc of Clive Nolan's "Alchemy" again. There are some wonderful melodies on this album.

Also something else I listened to yesterday and again today was Anekdoten. "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" is really good and I concluded this after just two listens. But I'm sure I'll listen again!

And The Dear Hunter: "All Is As All Should Be". This is also very good. Man, it's unbelievable!

[Teunis]

Also something else I listened to yesterday and again today was Anekdoten. "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" is really good...

Read a lot of positive things about this band/album. Will listen to it soon.

np: Bjørn Riis - Forever Comes To An End 

[Teunis]

jp: Anekdoten - Until All The Ghosts Are Gone (Not a 'wow' feeling instantly, but will certainly give it another listen ...)
np: Rocket Scientists - Refuel

[erik]

NP Tony Banks - Five

Before played:
Camel - Moonmadness, Rajaz. Yesterday got to see Camel after all, after the cancellation of the gig in May. It was absolutely brilliant, glad I had the chance to see this great band live for the first time.