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[Steve Jones]

Just finished: Queensrÿche - Q2K, my fave Queensrÿche album by a large margin these days.

Once upon a time I was of the opinion that the world pretty much ended after Mindcrime & Empire, with the possible exception of 'Disconnected' on 'Promised Lands' which showed, erm, promise.  But one day, listening to Live Evolution whilst wedged in a train on the way back from London, it dawned on me that the tracks I was most enjoying were the later period ones.  Q2K ones, to be exact. 

A note-perfect album, to my ears, nothing could be improved.  Especially Falling Down and Sacred Ground as an opening pair, yum!! 

[erik]

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.  If I were to choose one word to typify Saga then it would have to be 'catchy'  

I haven't got all of their albums, by any means, but of the ones I do have I'd probably rate the following as the most catchy personally: Behaviour. Worlds Apart. House of Cards. Wildest Dreams.  I could pick more, of course; sticking with 'Trust' the opener 'That's as Far as I'll Go' always has me singing along pretty rapidly.  

The other thing that always leaves me gobsmacked by Saga is some of the guitar solos.  Not always in-yer-face, but immaculately put together and tastily executed.  Slick.  

Yeah Saga is catchy isn't it! The track Wind Him Up was my first acquaintance with them and still love it. Great hook lines and choruses, the punchy guitars, the great keyboards and most of all the interplay between guitars and keys, that is really their trademark and is so well done. I've been reading up on them on the internet and understood that the period of their first five albums and from Full Circle onwards are considered their best, with a meandering period of varying quality in between. So there's lots to explore and obtain

[erik]

Just finished: Queensrÿche - Q2K, my fave Queensrÿche album by a large margin these days.

Once upon a time I was of the opinion that the world pretty much ended after Mindcrime & Empire, with the possible exception of 'Disconnected' on 'Promised Lands' which showed, erm, promise.  But one day, listening to Live Evolution whilst wedged in a train on the way back from London, it dawned on me that the tracks I was most enjoying were the later period ones.  Q2K ones, to be exact. 

A note-perfect album, to my ears, nothing could be improved.  Especially Falling Down and Sacred Ground as an opening pair, yum!! 

Interesting view which is not shared by many Queensrÿche fans! I don't think Q2K is their best, but it's really good and too much criticised. I put it on quite often. My fave is still Promised Land though, that's where I started with Queensrÿche.

[Steve Jones]

Now playing: Liquid Trio Experiment - Spontaneous Combustion.

If I remember correctly (and I can't be *rsed to check) a couple of 'reviews' on Amazon UK gave this CD one star.  I think some perspective is required here.  There's a whole load of mind-numbing, bowel-loosening, tedious chart-drivel out there that routinely gets more than one star.  Are these chimps trying to tell me that this Portnoy/Levin/Rudess outiing is markedly inferior to, for example, James Blunt or McFly?  I'd suggest a grip needs to be got!  

Straight tapes of studio jams, this album doesn't claim to be anything approaching a finely-honed finished product - start with 'Liquid Tension Experiment' or 'Liquid Tension Experiment 2' for that.  But jams or not, this material is better than around 75% of the stuff in my collection.  If you're interested in top-flight musicians at play, then this is a contender, a lot of it makes my hairs stand on end.  Finding them takes long enough, these days, yet alone getting them to stand up.  

Some of the jazzy bits are awesome.  Other bits are just the job if I've been playing King Crimson.  I lurrrrrrve this CD!  

[Deenfan]

It is interesting and heartening to see modern day Queensrÿche being appreciated. I for one loathe it and wonder what on earth happened to their heads. From being arguably the best on the planet, they took a plunge not paralleled by even the most fearless skydiver.

Saga, yep, I got all their albums. The only one not worth the money is "Pleasure and the pain". Do the Detours album instead, you'll get a live version of the best track off the album, and the live version is much better, too.

[Nicky007]

NP  Shapeshifter  (on Once And Future King, on repeat)

Another of the catchy rockers. Here it's Irene Jansen, Floor's younger sister, who sings (Morgana, recorded by Arjen in his studio btw). She's an amazing singer, man, what control and power 


"Trick of the light
Shapeshifter
Thief in the night
behind a lovers disguise."

All these eeevil women 

Nicky.

[Steve Jones]

Just about to step out into the dark accompanied by...

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play 

[Bupie]

Just about to step out into the dark accompanied by...

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play 

The Poet and the Pendulum is indeed a good way to start a day   

NP Within Temptation - Mother Earth

Mmm    Don't know what to think of it. Gentle ? Insipid ? Brilliant ? This will need further listens.

[Bupie]

NP Nightwish - Ghost Love Score

You said epic ?   

[Steve Jones]

NP Within Temptation - Mother Earth
Mmm    Don't know what to think of it. Gentle ? Insipid ? Brilliant ? This will need further listens.

Having spun the thing 5 times myself so far, it's still not happening for me.  If all else fails, I'm sure it'll make a smashing Christmas present for my mother. 

NP: Pendragon - The World.

[Teunis]

Satellite - A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset

[Steve Jones]

Satellite - Evening Dreams.  The CD at the moment   The DVD will have to wait until the weekend.

[maddox]

Saga - Chapters Live

Track: [02] Don't Be Late

[erik]

Satellite - A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset

Satellite - Evening Dreams.  The CD at the moment   The DVD will have to wait until the weekend.

I thought it couldn't get better than Moonshine by Collage (and Safe indeed though good didn't match up), but A Street... was even better! Evening Games and Into The Night still have to be purchased, urgently!

NP Radiohead B sides again

Before that: Dream Theater / Systematic Chaos. Acquired it only very recently, love it!

Saga - Chapters Live

Track: [02] Don't Be Late

Excellent choice!

[Iggy]

DVD of Galahad Live in Poland (where else  )

[Deenfan]

Stratovarius - Visions

Well produced, well performed and at times well written, bar the lyrics.

[Nicky007]

NP  King For A Day  (on Once And Future King, on repeat)

With all these repeats, I'm moving veeery slowly thru this album 

But I dont mind that:  There's so little music that really grips me, so when some does, I just float around in prog heaven.

On this song we got Bob Catley (any of you guys heard (of) him ?  ) singing Merlin's character.

This guy is awesome. He's become one of my alltime fave singers (not cause he's a Brummie). He has sooo much expression in his singing - man, it's overwhelming - also on this song. And so unique; nobody sings like him.

I actually didnt know that Merlin considered Jesus a wimp, and that he worked hard to reinstate the old pagan gods. Hm !!!  Till now I thought that he was a great guy, but this changes things.

Oh, and btw, this piece rocks too 


"If I was king for a day
This land would burn in the mystical flames
Born through the fire
The Old Gods would reign
If I was king for a day."

I think that it shines thru that I consider this album a masterpiece, so dont ask 

Nicky.

[Deenfan]

On this song we got Bob Catley (any of you guys heard (of) him ?  ) singing Merlin's character.

This guy is awesome. He's become one of my alltime fave singers (not cause he's a Brummie). He has sooo much expression in his singing - man, it's overwhelming - also on this song. And so unique; nobody sings like him.

Now that is as spot on as humanly possible. Well put, to say the least.

[Teunis]

Satellite - Evening Dreams.  The CD at the moment   The DVD will have to wait until the weekend.

It's worth the wait, it's great  .

[maddox]

Faith No More - King for A Day...Fool for a Lifetime

[Steve Jones]

Just finished: Honeycrack - Prozaic.  Bouncing, high-spirited, sing-a-long rock of the first order.  Very similar to The Wildhearts. 

Prior to that: Dr. Feelgood - Be Seein You.  Genuine R&B. 

Just started: Gentle Giant - Gentle Giant. Now playing for the third time today, this really is rather good for something of it's age.  I did intend to replace my vinyl GG, but was curious about this one as I'd never heard it as far as I was aware.  Curious how some of the vocals sound like 10cc.

Given up on: Within Temptation - Mother Earth.  It's very rare that I don't find something of worth in an album I buy, but this one just doesn't connect.  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the music (feel free to sing it's praises if it's just your thing) but for me it completely passes me by.  I think it's mainly down to the uninspired and lacklustre recording quality.  The orchestra sound like a bad sample, the band sound as if they're in the next room and the drums don't sound like any drums I've ever heard, even if they were in the next room with the rest of the band.  They sound like they've been 'imagined' by someone who has never heard drums in their life.  A small child, perhaps, or a record company executive.    Mp3s removed from iPod, CD filed away in the 'to be dusted every spring' section. 

[Nicky007]

NP  Deadsoul Tribe:  The Dead Word 

I also have this Tool-DST vein. They're both faves with me.

Requires a lot of patience, just so you know 

Anyone else into this group ?

Now that is as spot on as humanly possible. Well put, to say the least.

Thanks, Deenie.

It was actually Pusle's opinion, so it was a Catley verdict 

Nicky.

[Bupie]

Given up on: Within Temptation - Mother Earth.  It's very rare that I don't find something of worth in an album I buy, but this one just doesn't connect.

I haven't given up so far but I am not impressed. One think is (almost) for sure, I don't like the opener and I am not found of Sharon's voice neither.

 

Mp3s removed from iPod, CD filed away in the 'to be dusted every spring' section. 

You should try to sell those CD's on the web, Steve, not to make money but to make a potential buyer happy to find them, especially if they are rather rare. I, myself, have a copy of the limited special edition (bigger format including a poster) of Pallas The Sentinel on sale waiting for a fan ... 

NP IQ - The Seventh House

[Iggy]

I haven't given up so far but I am not impressed. One think is (almost) for sure, I don't like the opener and I am not found of Sharon's voice neither.

 
You should try to sell those CD's on the web, Steve, not to make money but to make a potential buyer happy to find them, especially if they are rather rare. I, myself, have a copy of the limited special edition (bigger format including a poster) of Pallas The Sentinel on sale waiting for a fan ... 

NP IQ - The Seventh House

Very tempting.

Np Wintersun Wintersun

[Steve Jones]

I haven't given up so far but I am not impressed. One think is (almost) for sure, I don't like the opener and I am not found of Sharon's voice neither.

Personally I love her voice, just don't find this particular album interesting.  'Heart of Everything' gets regular plays here. 

You should try to sell those CD's on the web, Steve, not to make money but to make a potential buyer happy to find them, especially if they are rather rare. I, myself, have a copy of the limited special edition (bigger format including a poster) of Pallas The Sentinel on sale waiting for a fan ... 

Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!  Sell CDs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to lie down in a darkened room until I feel better! 

Seriously, it's not something I ever do as quite often I've found the album I didn't understand five years ago is suddenly The Best Thing Ever Released when I dig it out again.  Also, if I'm honest, I just can't be bothered.  With the Government over here having closed down an awful lot of post offices, the cost of a journey to one of the remaining establishments makes it not worth the effort for low-price, easily available items such as Mother Earth.

NP: Heart - Dog & Butterfly.  Awesome album by the pre-MTV version of the band.