Now Playing Thread

[Nicky007]

Interesting Nicky, Hear In The Now Frontier has received a lot of harsh criticism and is widely regarded as their worst effort.

Hear is posibly their most difficult album, Erik ... and you know music critics 

It took me a real long time too, but now I truly enjoy it.


NP  SyX:  Lost Paradise

Also a fabulous album 

Nicky.

[erik]

Hear is posibly their most difficult album, Erik ... and you know music critics 

It took me a real long time too, but now I truly enjoy it.

You're right about the critics, but this seems to be the view amongst the Queensrÿche fans too.. I'll take up on your recom and judge for myself.

[Steve Jones]

You're right about the critics, but this seems to be the view amongst the Queensrÿche fans too.

In the same way that many Marillion 'fans' don't like H-era stuff and often admit they haven't listened to any albums since Fish left!  I've often been struck by the similarity between ex-Marillion and ex-Queensrÿche fans.

I don't think everything by a given artist should be treated with blind, fawning admiration.  I'm the first to admit that I like older Genesis stuff more than the 80s+ equivalent and I don't much go for Hagar-era Van Halen.  I don't know (or even care) where one might draw the line between fans and non-fans.  But I can't help thinking that folk who so vocally dislike the greater part of an artist's catalogue are very clearly not fans, whinging b*st*rds seems more the mark.  Not people I'd accept input from when making purchasing decisions


NP: Saga - Generation 13

[Bupie]

Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity

Each time I play this album it gets one step closer to being my favourite thing they've ever done

I am glad to read that 

NP Genesis - Duke

[Steve Jones]

Just: Wigwam - Nuclear Nightclub
Now: Stackridge - Mr Mick

[Manatee]

Hear is posibly their most difficult album, Erik ... and you know music critics 

In the same way that many Marillion 'fans' don't like H-era stuff and often admit they haven't listened to any albums since Fish left!  I've often been struck by the similarity between ex-Marillion and ex-Queensrÿche fans.

I don't think everything by a given artist should be treated with blind, fawning admiration.  I'm the first to admit that I like older Genesis stuff more than the 80s+ equivalent and I don't much go for Hagar-era Van Halen.  I don't know (or even care) where one might draw the line between fans and non-fans.  But I can't help thinking that folk who so vocally dislike the greater part of an artist's catalogue are very clearly not fans, whinging b*st*rds seems more the mark.  Not people I'd accept input from when making purchasing decisions

Well first off, there seems to be a strong tendency toward music critics being a bunch of pretentious w*nkers who like to hear themselves talk, so I generally don't pay much attention to them beyond trying to mine the reviews for some information about the style of the music.

As to fans and their attitudes toward bands that have changed enough to have "eras," I think there are instances when the bands have changed so much as to be essentially a new band in the new era, although I'd agree that if you admired the music pre-change and the band still includes some original members, you ought to at least be willing to give the new stuff a listen and see what it's like, even if it's not what you'd come to expect from that band.
I agree with Steve about Van Halen; they just flat out weren't as good without DLR, although they did do an occasional good song with Sammy (and it seems clear that Sammy would be a lot easier guy to get along with).  Marillion, I think really is a different band with Hogarth than with Fish.  I think it's legitimately possible to like one and not the other.  h is growing on me, but I'm basically having to get to know the band all over again -- both the vocals and the instruments are so different from the Fish-era, that I doubt most people would guess it was the same band without being told the name.   Initially, Genesis did an impressive job of "being the same band" without Peter Gabriel (which I rate as a good thing since Gabriel Genesis is among my all-time favorites).  They eventually metamorphosed into something less (IMO) than what they were, but I think in that case, the change actually came a while after the change in "eras."

Oh yeah, almost forgot the topic.

NP: Marillion - Afraid of Sunliight   

[Nicky007]

Not people I'd accept input from when making purchasing decisions

Yeah, I think I agree a lot with ya there, Jonesy.

When seeking good music, I listen a lot to friends (mainly second-life friends like you guys, as Denmark is severely underdeveloped re prog), and I read a lot of wikis and reviews to find the serious artists; but then when I seem to have found somethin good, I go at it in a very personal way and make my own judgements. If get the impression that I'v found a band or artist that are real exciting and promising, I'm willing to buy the band's entire catalog, well knowing that there'l be ups and downs, cause that's the way it is with prog musicians, and the downs will usually be just as, if not enjoyable, at least interesting. Basically it's like with humans: If I get interested in a person, I'l take the whole package. Guys, that's what makes bands and persons exciting: That they have so many aspects, some of'm real convoluted and complex.

E.g. re Genesis, I find the period from Cryme to Duke so fascinating that I'm intent on completing my collection of their albums, altho I find the last three studio albums rather superficial, but they also reveal some aspects of this epical band.


NP  SyX:  Paradise Lost  (on repeat)

Yup, this has become one of my fave albums 

Nicky.

[Manatee]

But we're talking like elitists now...

Yes, Erik, we can seem so. But it's not that I like priding myself in being an elitist, I'v become one cause (in the long run) I don't compromise on quality 

I rather enjoy being an elitist but not an exclusionary elitist. I'm perfectly willing to accept former peasants into the elite fold with us if they decide to start thinking for themselves and come to appreciate some of that which we love (or at least try it and come up with plausible reasons why they don't care for it).   

NP: Riverside - Rapid Eye Movement

[Manatee]

NP: Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

[maddox]

Anathema ~ Judgement

[Teunis]

Blind Ego - Numb 

[maddox]

Music after Anathema?

King Crimson of course.

In The Wake Of Poseidon

[Bupie]

NP IQ - Are You Sitting Comfortably

I am listening to this one for something like the 233 333th time and it is still painful to my mind that this album is so despised by critics AND fans since I find it so riddled with great melodies, harmonies, stories ... 

Call it the Ten syndrom if you wish  but I just don't get it 

Next to this one, I am thinking of playing Pendragon's Kowtow and Marillion's Holidays In Eden and I send a big NAY to all the prog ayatollahs that don't stand one drop of pop in their ocean of prog 

Sorry but I needed it (and I admit that there is more than a few drops on pop in AYSC ...  )

[Nicky007]

Call it the Ten syndrome if you wish  but I just don't get it 

Bups.

Yeah, people arent all that adventurous - maybe they're sitting tooo comfortably 

It's a bit too much "I aint gonna let that bugger tell me what to do", but in reality we're just trying to share the good stuff 

OK, with such a warm recom, I'v now added AYSC to my SL.


NP  Deadsoul Tribe:  The January Tree

Some time ago, I was sufficiently gripped by DST to place them on my prog pantheon, but then there was a long interval where I didnt have the inclination to listen to them. Now I thought, better get back to'm, and, man, was I happy I did. This is great stuff 

Actually a group that could gain quite some currency in the Room. Medium heavy, catchy rhythms, lotta melody, great singing by Devon Graves and drumming by Adel Moustafa - both are among my faves on their resp. instruments.

Close to Tool and Queensrÿche, but more pleasant 

Nicky.

[Teunis]

Just: Live - Awake: The Best Of

np: Satellite - Nostalgia

[maddox]

Tool ~ Lateralus

[maddox]

Satellite ~ A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset

Marvellous. 

[PH]

Alright then.
I'll join you.

NP:
Satellite - Evening Games

The first song (Evening Games ) is excellent!!!


-Paco

[maddox]

Alright then.
I'll join you.

NP:
Satellite - Evening Games

The first song (Evening Games ) is excellent!!!


-Paco

Besides excellent, it's also a bit long. 

[PH]

Besides excellent, it's also a bit long. 

Which, with an excellent song, is excellent!

[PH]

Frank Klepacki (with Jarrid Mendelson) - C&C: Tiberiun Sun soundtrack

This is really great when doing homework. Really atmospheric, moody and gloomy, and still very energetic!

-Paco

[Nicky007]

NP  Satellite - Evening Games

Frank Klepacki (with Jarrid Mendelson) - C&C: Tiberiun Sun soundtrack

That's more like my man Paxi 


NP  Queensrÿche:  The Art Of Live 


I'v realised that I have four turn-on styles:

Ethereal - like Jeff Buckley, Chris Cornell (Euphoria Morning), and Lisa Gerrard

Grunge metal - like Nevermore, Queensrÿche, and Down

Melodic metal - like Arena, Dream Theater, and Ten

Tribal metal - like Queensrÿche, Tool, and Deadsoul Tribe


Just to prove that I eschew tags 

Nicky.

[PH]

That's more like my man Paxi 

That's more like me.


Here we go again!

In the train I listened to Porcupine Tree (Deadwing and In Absentia)
I came to realise that Deadwng is actually one of my favourite albums ever ever ever ever ever.

Now playing:
Frank Klepacki (with Jarrid Mendelson) - C&C: Tiberiun Sun soundtrack

I'm doing homework again...


-Paco

[Manatee]

In the train I listened to Porcupine Tree (Deadwing and In Absentia)
I came to realise that Deadwng is actually one of my favourite albums ever ever ever ever ever.

I believe you've said that before.  There's a good reason for that, of course: Deadwing is, in fact, one of the best albums recorded ever ever ever ever ever.     

Now thinking about playing once I've admitted I'm awake: Deadwing.   

[maddox]

Epica ~ The Classical Conspiracy