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[Steve Jones]

I strongly believe that somebody who likes catchy AOR/metal with hints of progressive music, in the vein IMHO of Shadow Gallery's Room V that we were discussing lately, should check Kansas Audio-Visions. Sorry for proselytism again but you got me started 

Timely.  I've been pondering a Kansas purchase or two.  I had at least one album back in vinyl days, although I can't remember what as that was before I discovered computers and databases.  I also heard a lot of stuff on the radio (Tommy Vance or Alan Freeman, I suppose, although I can't swear to that) which I liked.  So, as well as Audion-Visions, are there any other obvious contenders?  Any to avoid whilst one is learning? 

NP: Anthrax - Among the Living.  Pretty mundane, glad I only payed 2.98 for it! 

[Teunis]

Just played Pendragon - The World

np: Darwin's Radio - Eyes of the World

[maddox]

Amaseffer - Slaves For Live



Pure genius!!!

[Iggy]

Keeper of the seven Keys part 2

[Steve Jones]

Osada Vida - The Body Parts Party. 

Amazing how I've played this wonderful album to death yet I still don't much like the first minute of it.  The opening vocals in particular sound rather too close to some corporate-indie act back-slapping their way to a Brit award.  Still, after a minute things settle down and by 2 minutes 30 secs I'm back in prog heaven.  I don't mean this as a criticism of what I regard as one of the finest albums ever - it's just odd how I've still not got over that initial impression.

[Nicky007]

NP: Anthrax - Among the Living.  Pretty mundane, glad I only payed 2.98 for it! 

If you had said that about Coldpay, I would have understood what you meant. But Anthrax, Stevie  


NP  Mercenary:  Architect Of Lies

This sure was some surprise to me. I'd known about'm for long - being Danish (Aalborg, 1991), playing many concerts around here, a well-known group in Scandinavian metal circles - but I thought they were one of the many Danish very hard-driving growl groups (and therefore nothing for me).

But surprise, surprise. These are highly intelligent, mature, hard-working musicians. The music is very varied, melodic, well composed, played, and produced, the singing everything from mellow, over harmonies and chanting, to growl. They cover a lot of territory, from Nevermore, over Opeth and Circus Maximus, to Kamelot.

Did anyone say that the Danes couldnt play good prog ?  Whoops! I have some recollection that it was the guy sitting on this chair. Well, that's fortunately been disproven to me now:  Mercenary, Section A, and Wuthering Heights are fully up to the best Swedish and Norwegian standards (are there any other countries on the Scandinavian prog chart ?   ), and I'd say that with Mercenary, we're talking Opeth and CM league. Check'm out, guys. You can start with their latest album, Architect Of Lies, which is terrific 

And, of course, tell me what you think 

Nicky.

[Iggy]

Shadow Gallery Room V

Enjoying it very much despite it apparently being a disc short 

[Steve Jones]

If you had said that about Coldpay, I would have understood what you meant. But Anthrax, Stevie  

LOL    Each to their own, and if Anthrax float your boat then rock on, dude!    But personally, although I thought Anthrax were entertaining enough back in the day, I've had the likes of Dream Theater hard-wired to my brain for too long now.  Run-of-the-mill metal so rarely presses the right buttons for me these days.

Anyway, I'll be 50 next year.  I look a complete tw*t on a skateboard. 

NP  Mercenary:  Architect Of Lies
Check'm out, guys. You can start with their latest album, Architect Of Lies, which is terrific 

Well I've given them a punt, we'll see what I think when the CD turns up.  If it sounds like Anthrax then you're a dead man. 


NP: Fish - Field of Crows.

[Steve Jones]

Shadow Gallery Room V
Enjoying it very much despite it apparently being a disc short 

My thoughts on the matter, too.  Personally I think 2 discs are soooooo overrated. 

[Iggy]

Anyway, I'll be 50 next year.  I look a complete tw*t on a skateboard. 

Surely not!

[Iggy]

Well I've given them a punt, we'll see what I think when the CD turns up.  If it sounds like Anthrax then you're a dead man. 

[Deenfan]

Millenium - All the tracks on the best of that I didn't already have, on a minidisc.

[Nicky007]

Well I've given them a punt, we'll see what I think when the CD turns up.

I'm sure that you'l like'm, Stevie (and therefore that I'l stay alive). They're quite close to Nevermore - bit less complex, bit more melodic, just as heavy 

I havent spun any other group the past two [edit Aug 6: make that three] days.

If it sounds like Anthrax then you're a dead man. 

Strangely, I'v never heard Anthrax (and since Slayer are so anti-Christian, havent looked'm up either). Since I consider myself more cosmopolitan than mundane, guess I'm outta that game 

Nicky.

[Bupie]

Timely.  I've been pondering a Kansas purchase or two.  So, as well as Audion-Visions, are there any other obvious contenders?  Any to avoid whilst one is learning? 

Well, for a safe pick, Leftoverture is the clear winner. Point of Know return, Masque and Monolith are also brilliant. Vinyl Confessions is a good AOR album but it's almost no prog at all. The first two albums, Kansas and Song for America, have some good songs but are uneven and pretty much dated. Everything that comes after Vinyl Confessions is really to avoid at the notable exception of their last album, Somewhere to Elsewhere, which reunited for the time of the recording the original line-up and is rather good.

So my advice is : go for Leftoverture and Audio-Visions and if you don't like any of those two ...      

Shadow Gallery Room V

Enjoying it very much despite it apparently being a disc short 

My thoughts on the matter, too.  Personally I think 2 discs are soooooo overrated. 

 

NP: Fish - Field of Crows.

I like this one. It's on the poppy side but it has some pretty good songs !

NP Kino - Picture 

[Steve Jones]

Well, for a safe pick, Leftoverture is the clear winner. Point of Know return, Masque and Monolith are also brilliant.

Thanks for the hints. After some browsing last night I ordered 'Point of Know Return' as I'm pretty sure I had that on vinyl, although the cover doesn't quite look how I remember it.  I also think I had 'Leftoverture' at some point (haven't ordered it on CD yet) but the cover definitely doesn't look familiar.

It's on the poppy side but it has some pretty good songs !

Poppy?  POPPY?  I'm not sure I like your tone, young man! 


NP: Fischer-Z - Going Deaf for a Living. 

[Steve Jones]

Heart - Little Queen.

[Nicky007]

Millenium - All the tracks on the best of that I didn't already have, on a minidisc.

So which one, Deenie (from Wikipedia):

Millennium (Backstreet Boys album), a 1999 album by The Backstreet Boys
The Millennium, a 1960s band led by Curt Boettcher
Millennium (Earth, Wind & Fire album), a 1993 album by Earth, Wind & Fire
Millennium (Front Line Assembly album), a 1994 album by Front Line Assembly
"Millennium" (Front Line Assembly song), a single from the album
"Millennium", 1994 song by Killing Joke from the album Pandemonium
"Millennium" (song), a 1998 song by Robbie Williams from the album I've Been Expecting You
Millennium Records, a record label
Millennium (compilation album), a reggaeton album released under Machete Music




NP  Mercenary:  The Hours That Remain 

Take Circus Maximus, add an extra shot of heavy, and a dash of Linkin Park, and you got Hours.

I'm simply breathless 

Nicky.

[maddox]

So which one, Deenie (from Wikipedia):

Millennium (Backstreet Boys album), a 1999 album by The Backstreet Boys
The Millennium, a 1960s band led by Curt Boettcher
Millennium (Earth, Wind & Fire album), a 1993 album by Earth, Wind & Fire
Millennium (Front Line Assembly album), a 1994 album by Front Line Assembly
"Millennium" (Front Line Assembly song), a single from the album
"Millennium", 1994 song by Killing Joke from the album Pandemonium
"Millennium" (song), a 1998 song by Robbie Williams from the album I've Been Expecting You
Millennium Records, a record label
Millennium (compilation album), a reggaeton album released under Machete Music



Nicky.

New Millennium - Opening Track of Dream Theater's Falling Into Infinity. 

[Appelmoes??]

Kamelot (yes Nicky, Kamelot ) - Centre of the Universe!

[Steve Jones]

David Bowie - Earthling.  Easily my favourite of his post-glam releases. 

[Iggy]

Thanks for the hints. After some browsing last night I ordered 'Point of Know Return' as I'm pretty sure I had that on vinyl, although the cover doesn't quite look how I remember it.  I also think I had 'Leftoverture' at some point (haven't ordered it on CD yet) but the cover definitely doesn't look familiar.

I have leftoverture it has the classic carry on my wayward son on.

I'm not a big fan of Kansas but an enjoyable CD

[erik]

NP Van Der Graaf Generator / Still Life / Pilgrims

Pawn Hearts is considered their crown achievement (and is indeed a stunning album), but I think the first two albums by Mk II (Godbluff and Still Life) with the more stripped, bare sound are Van Der Graaf Generator at their very best. Amazing band, haunting music.

[Bupie]

Thanks for the hints. After some browsing last night I ordered 'Point of Know Return' as I'm pretty sure I had that on vinyl, although the cover doesn't quite look how I remember it.  I also think I had 'Leftoverture' at some point (haven't ordered it on CD yet) but the cover definitely doesn't look familiar.

The POKR cover is certainly the most appealing of Kansas entire discography : you want to know where this ship is gonna fall ! It arouses the choice of the undecided potential buyer. The album also contains the only worldwide hit by the band in the name of Dust in the Wind but I find it to be the weaker song of the buch and certainly the less representative of the band's music. Let me know if you enjoy it (if you don't, better send me a PM to avoid public disgrace  ).

I have leftoverture it has the classic carry on my wayward son on.

I'm not a big fan of Kansas but an enjoyable CD

I have the feeling that Kansas is pretty much an American affair and that their 70's recordings have been hugely overshadowed by the European competition of that time. I can understand that youngsters (I mean under 40  ) dislike them -or do not feel any need to check- since their music is kind of special (the violin) and a bit dated. But I am surprised that they didn't raise more interest for the people who were contemporary of their early releases. Maybe they were too mainstream compared to Yes, PF or Genesis ? Maybe they didn't make their way to the English market ? Maybe they appealed more to metal fans ? I discovered them through some older friends who liked them mainly for their hard rock edge and then I made my way backwards through their entire 70's discography, which was a very rewarding quest.    It took more than 20 years for the same thing to happen to me again, this time with Dream Theater.

NP Kansas - Song for America

[erik]

I have the feeling that Kansas is pretty much an American affair and that their 70's recordings have been hugely overshadowed by the European competition of that time. I can understand that youngsters (I mean under 40  ) dislike them -or do not feel any need to check- since their music is kind of special (the violin) and a bit dated.

I do like Kansas, and I'm under 40! Apart from the ubiquitous Dust In The Wind, my first acquaintance with them were the tracks Carry On Wayward Son and The Wall on a compilation tape I got from an (older, there you have it) uncle when I was in highschool. I had a "best of" album for a while, but as happens more often I found it unsatisfying, generally I prefer albums over compilations, because songs out of the album context and the mixture of different eras of one band just doesn't work (for me at any rate). And especially in prog, greatest hits isn't quite the best of in the true sense In the end I subsituted it by Song For America, Leftoverture and Point Of Know Return. Kansas may be a bit of an odd fish, but there's much to like and enjoy, worth checking out as Bupie has already stated.

[Teunis]

Shadowland - Ring of Roses
Simon Says - Tardigrade

np: Toto - Original Soundtrack 'Dune'