Now Playing Thread

[Nicky007]

NP  Genesis:  Selling England By The Pound

Certainly a classic, and a masterpiece, but somehow it doesnt grip me quite like The Lamb. There's some special magic about The Lamb.

I have some problems understanding Peter Gabriels lyrics. E.g. when I hear lamb, I of course have all sorts of Christian associations, but the lyrics dont seem to point in this direction, or else they're simply more cryptic than I think. Paco and Keith, you must have some opinions about this. And of course anyone else is welcome to make a bid here.

Nicky.

[maddox]

Magenta - Metamorphosis

Track: [01] The Ballet Of Samuel Layne

[maddox]

I have some problems understanding Peter Gabriels lyrics. E.g. when I hear lamb, I of course have all sorts of Christian associations, but the lyrics dont seem to point in this direction, or else they're simply more cryptic than I think. Paco and Keith, you must have some opinions about this. And of course anyone else is welcome to make a bid here.

Nicky.

Good luck, Nicky. 

[The Butterfly Man]

For me, Metallica would also be the main attraction, Tom. They're real upfront with their concerts.

I also like PT a lot, some of their music is ingenious, but there's too much that I find sleepytime. But maybe their concerts are tighter. I'm eager to hear your take on the concert, Tom.

But man, how could you not mention Chris Cornell and Jonathan Davis    They're up there with Metallica imo.

Gosh, what a great festival !  Lucky you, Tom !  I wish they'd do something like that in Scandinavia once in a while. But e.g. at Roskilde, the only real attraction for me would be Radiohead. But Roskilde is mainly for kids under 40    and in Denmark, prog is a nasty word, like Paco's a*  

Nicky.

Well, what can I say......I got back yesterday and it was amazing! Great music, (too) much beer and barely no sleep at all! Music-wise I enjoyed friday the most, with performances of Incubus, Porcupine Tree and Metallica. It really was spectacular to see Metallica. They had a great show with excellent lighting and some fireworks as well. They also clearly enjoyed themselves on stage so yeah, great!

One of the 'downsides' of such a festival with multiple stages is that some bands play at the same time, so you have to make choises...That's why I can't say anything about Alter Bridge, 'cause Porcupine Tree was on at the same time and although I like AB, I simply like PT 10 times better...But I heard that AB played somewhat uninspired so I'm glad I went to PT. They were so great! You gotta give them credits for playing a 20-minute song (Anesthetize) at a 'pop'-festival!

Some highlights (in no particular order):

Metallica
Porcupine Tree
Incubus
Foo Fighters
Editors
Kaiser Chiefs
Queens Of The Stone Age
Jonathan Davis
Fiction Plane

I know, not really 'prog', but I enjoyed it immensely! I even bought a Foo Fighters t-shirt!

Maybe I'll expand on those bands at a later time or when I get asked about it but I haven't really got the time right now.

Tom

[Nicky007]

Yeah, Tom, I'd very much like to have your take on the Queens Of The Stone Age concert.

I have their Lullabies to Paralyze and Era Vulgaris. Till now, they've been quite good but not great for me.

Nicky.

[Steve Jones]

Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity.  This has never been one of my favourite DT releases, but in the last few weeks it's suddenly clicked with me and I can't stop playing it.  What ever was I thinking before? 

[maddox]

Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity.  This has never been one of my favourite DT releases, but in the last few weeks it's suddenly clicked with me and I can't stop playing it.  What ever was I thinking before? 

A lot of people share your view on the album however i always thought it was a pretty decent album.
Tracks like New Millennium, Lines In The Sand, Peruvian Skies and Trail Of Tears stand the test of time if you ask me.

[Bupie]

A lot of people share your view on the album however i always thought it was a pretty decent album.
Tracks like New Millennium, Lines In The Sand, Peruvian Skies and Trail Of Tears stand the test of time if you ask me.

This is certainly the DT album that I played the most after SDOIT and I&W, the less being ToT and ... SFAM 

NP - Rudess and Petrucci : Furia Taurina

Olé ... 

[Nicky007]

NP  DT:  Systematic Chaos   

In my mind, the best rock album eva !!!

I have no doubts about it anymore. I'v listened to SC over thirty times now, and each time it's a deeper experience. Now I also begin to catch the ingenious stuff that Jordan does. This guy really fits into the DT-gang.

This music is real, real heavy - in all ways. I'm actually surprised that our young roomies can tackle it. I feel that I'v lived my life to the full, and for me SC has been a real challenge. But I guess every new generation gets further, and our youngies here are also quite different from the youth I run into around here (hey Cap, where's the compliment smiley ? ) 

It's hard to imagine that DT can up this album. I'm not sure that I wanna hear their next ... but it'l probably sneak up on me - somehow 

Even the official Amazon.com reviewer is full of praise: "Dream Theater has built a career on delivering some of the most consistently strong progressive rock albums in history and Systematic Chaos proves no exception. Built upon the trademark musically diverse but stylistically reliable principles that made albums such as Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence and Train Of Thought instant classics, this album features new career highs such as Prophets Of War, Forsake, and Constant Motion. Although the band has flirted with commercially viable material in the past, especially on 2005's solid and exciting Octavarium, Systematic Chaos proves unrelenting in its pursuit of pure heavy rock. There are plenty of surprises in store, even for stalwart fans, perhaps one of the reasons that Dream Theater remains in a class by itself, ahead of the pack and ahead of the times. A truly outstanding album by any measure." --Jedd Beaudoin


Ha, what a coincidence:  Steve, Bups, and Mad are also in DT-mode. Well, summer, beer, and DT - not a bad combi 

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

NP - Rudess and Petrucci : Furia Taurina

This is what W. C Donovan writes about An Evening With John Petrucci & Jordan Rudess on Amazon.com:

"... thank God for Steve Vai and his Favored Nations label for having the vision to re-release this beauty.

This 2000 performance at the Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center in Nyack, New York by John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess was a truly special one. Being most of these compositions were written in a relatively short period adds to the album's impressive stature. Petrucci effortlessly switching from acoustic to electric, his fretboard precision, and his chosen notes during the improvisations are stunning. The same can be said of Rudess, whose virtuosity on the piano is breathtaking. The years of intense practice and formal training are evident in both men's playing.

My favorite tracks are Truth and State Of Grace, but they're all great. The entire album is ear candy for the hardcore music appreciator/afficianado. Highly recommended."

Thanks for the tip, Bups. Got it on my SL now.

Nicky.

[Bupie]

Thanks for the tip, Bups. Got it on my SL now.

I thought you already had it, Nick.

I would call it great soft melodic jazz-rock ... but I am everything but a jazz-rock specialist.

For the anecdote, I played it to my girlfriend (who is to DT what van Helsing is to vampires  ) without telling her that this is a DT side-project and she found it pretty good. She even copied it on a CD. When I told her who was playing, she couldn't believe it but had to admit the musical quality. For me, it was a VERY rewarding experience

Anyway, a very enjoyable album.

NP Porcupine Tree : Trains

[Steve Jones]

Opeth - Watershed.  Some albums take a fair number of  plays before I get into them, others grab me by the unmentionables instantly.  The new Opeth album is definitely an instant hit with me, they've surpassed themselves.  Excellent stuff - played it three times today already 

[maddox]

Demians - Building An Empire

Trackl: [01] The Perfect Symmetry

[Iggy]

Camoora She

[Draco chimera]

When I'm Gone [Instrumental version], Simple Plan

[Bupie]

NP Porcupine Tree - Russia on Ice

So far, it seems that I am more receptive to PT's mellower songs ...

[Teunis]

Casino - Beyond That Door

[Steve Jones]

Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited.

If you're not familiar with this one, it's a whole album full of reinterpretations of Genesis numbers.  I know it doesn't find favour with all Genesis purists, but I think it's excellent.

[maddox]

Epica - The Divine Conspiracy

[maddox]

Dominici - O3 - A Trilogy pt III

[Steve Jones]

Camel - Gods of Light.

Having been playing Queensryche, Dream Theater and Opeth a lot lately, I wondered why I was also going through a bit of a Camel phase at the same time - not exactly heavy!  It dawned on me eventually while watching an Opeth live DVD, where Mikael says "that song was ripped off from a band called Camel" or something similar.  On reflection, an awful lot of Opeth's quieter moments have a similar feel to Camel, so it's no wonder I keep getting the urge to play Camel albums. 

[Steve Jones]

Dream Theater - Score CD3.

Another one where I haven't got the DVD.

Yet 

[Bupie]

Dream Theater - Score CD3.

Another one where I haven't got the DVD.

Yet 

Another one where I have only got the DVD.

Yet 

NP Enchant - Seeds of Hate

[Nicky007]

NP - DT:  Octavarium

Well, strictly speaking I'm at the library. But this forenoon I listened to it.

To me, all DT-albums from Six Degrees on are pure prog heaven 

I like the earlier albums too (except WDADU), but only few places (like The Spirit Carries On) do they grip me like the later ones.

Nicky.

[Steve Jones]

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Liverpool.

Not exactly prog, but I can't play Dream Theater all the time, can I?