Now Playing Thread

[PH]

Neal Morse - "Momentum"
6. World Without End

Yes, this album is a winner. It's much much better than "Lifeline" and it's actually already becoming one of my favourites!

I know I'm going to like it, but perhaps not as much as "Testimony Two" or "Sola Scriptura".

I was wrong. Yes, it's at least as good as "Testimony Two". It's not far from "Sola Scriptura" actually. This new Morse album sounds much like that one, and it sounds much like Spock's Beard and TransAtlantic too!
World Without End is a truly wonderful epic!
It's gonna be hard to choose a top ten at the end of the year. Neal Morse is in it, for sure!

(Watch out Anathema!)

[PH]

Again:

Neal Morse - "Momentum"

Second run today. And third overall.
The first time I listened to this album, I felt nothing. But this evening it clicked big time!

The short songs are extremely catchy and the big one World Without End is absolutely one of the best epics written by Neal.

One funny thing: in the first part of the second 'movement' of this epic (Never Pass Away), Neal reminds me of Ian Anderson. Anyone else with me?

[Nicky007]

Decided to get more into H-Marillion, since you and some Amazon guys dig'm:

NP  Marillion:  Seasons End  &  East of Eden

Quite nice, even the lyrics now grip me 


Looks like Jonesy is playin some odd kinda hide & seek 

- Nicky

[PH]

East of Eden?

[Teunis]

Muse - The 2nd Law

Muse has gone electronic. Have to get used to it, but it's gonna work .

[PH]

Today again Neal Morse's "Momentum". It's getting better and better. Guys, this is truly fantastic music!

Now playing:
Threshold - "March Of Progress"

Giving it the first serious listen.

[Nicky007]

East of Eden?

Hm, got that wrong, should be "Holidays in Eden". "East of Eden" is a novel by Steinbeck and a movie by Elia Kazan, with James Dean, both excellent. Thanx, Paxi 


Needed somethin more rocky now, so

NP  Royal Hunt:  The Mission

Based on Bradbury's Martian Chronicles. Super group, and super album 

Got ten RH albums now, bought during the past month, with whatever means I could scrape up. Strange that you guys have no interest at all in this formidable group 

Actually I can't either understand how I could bypass them for so many years 

Check up my "Classic songs" list if you want tips for good RH songs. RH is one of the most frequent groups in that list now. Have an unbelievable sense of melody 

Nicky.

[Bupie]

Decided to get more into H-Marillion, since you and some Amazon guys dig'm:

NP  Marillion:  Seasons End  &  East of Eden

Quite nice, even the lyrics now grip me 

Hey, you are cheating : those two (well, with a slightly different title for the second  ) are not the most representative of H's era. The first one had even been partly composed before H's arrival, if I remember correctly. Well, that point doesn't show on the band members comments : http://www.marillion.com/music/albums/seasons.htm but I must have read it somewhere else.

Anyway, musically, Seasons and Holidays are more linked to Marillion phase one than the albums to come. Try Brave or Afraid of Sunlight instead, that will be more fair 

NP The Undertones - Positive Touch 

[Steve Jones]

Got ten RH albums now, bought during the past month, with whatever means I could scrape up. Strange that you guys have no interest at all in this formidable group 

They are indeed rather good, I picked up "Eye Witness" and "Paradox" recently, which brings my grand total to a whopping 3 with "Collision Course" - must get more!

Now playing: Judas Priest - Nostradamus

[Nicky007]

OK guys, good to get some response on my preferences - at last 

Hey, you are cheating

Bupie, I have Seasons End, Holidays in Eden, Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, Marbles, and Araknophobia. At this point, I'm fondest of Seasons, cuz there are most s's in it    no, probably just because it still has some of the excitement of the Fish era. I'v really tried with Brave, man have I tried, some 4-5 times, cuz sooo many of my friends, you included, say it's great; problem is, it just doesnt really grip me. It's nice, but yaaawn, maybe cuz it's tooo nice. Looks like the guys got more than they asked for with Fish, and he sure fidgetted some Scottish imperialism into the mix too, but he also brought some tremendous enthusiasm and excitement into play.

Bupie, with a Frenchie like you, let me use the following comparison: You got this nice woman, she says the right things, has the right job, the right parents, does nice things forya etc. Then there's this other woman, who's totally chaotic, turns yer life upside down, moves the chairs downstairs and runs away, but she's got that WOW-factor. Now tell me: Which of'm do you choose ? (Tip: Remember, you'r the Frenchie.)

H seems to be a real nice guy, and he sings nicely, and the guys do nice things on their instruments ... but what happened to the b*s ?

Maybe they went here:

They are indeed rather good, I picked up "Eye Witness" and "Paradox" recently, which brings my grand total to a whopping 3 with "Collision Course" - must get more!

Now playing: Judas Priest - Nostradamus

Whew, Jonesey, you just made my day there 

How about stickin around for a while ? - with such sweet talk 

Just ordered Eyewitness (it's actually one word (altho even Amazon has two)), so I don't know it well, but man, all the albums from Moving Target to X are fantastic 

Just dont get their latest, Show Me How To Live. Severe disappointment ! Donno what went wrong, they just lost it there. DC came back, fine, altho the two other singers, John West and Mark Boals are fabulous too. They got another guitarist, who I don't find as exciting as his predecessors. Allan on drums and Andreas on bass are super. But what a downer. I don't play it any longer 

Nostradamus, of course, is a masterpiece. Tell me what you think of it, Jonesey 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Today again Neal Morse's "Momentum". It's getting better and better. Guys, this is truly fantastic music!

I know . Just played it again.

np: Silhouette - Across The Rubicon

[maddox]

Marillion ~ Sounds that can't be Made

I'm glad they've found a way to make them. 
Awesome album, indeed. 

[PH]

I know . Just played it again.

I also played it again today. I'm addicted!

About Royal Hunt: when Amaran's Plight came with their debut album, I was really impressed by DC Cooper's voice. I wanted to try out more stuff with him behind the mic.
Royal Hunt was really cool when I tried it. But then I realised that most albums sound much alike.
I agree that I need to check it out again some time. But with all the nice progressive rock releases this year, there's no chance that I'll go back to melodic hard rock (with a progressive approach) soon.

[maddox]

Today again Neal Morse's "Momentum". It's getting better and better. Guys, this is truly fantastic music!

I agree.
Very fine album.
Especially World Without End is breathtaking. 

Now playing:
Threshold - "March Of Progress"

Giving it the first serious listen.

And another fine album.
Nothing new under the sun, but very entertaining. 

[PH]

I'm now watching Neal Morse's Momentum "making of" DVD.
He said he wanted to write a new TransAtlantic album (I hope they still make another one, The Whirlwind was excellent!), but then it turned out to be a Neal Morse album.
And yes, sometimes it truly reminds me of a TransAtlantic album. It's really good you know...

[Bupie]

Bupie, with a Frenchie like you, let me use the following comparison: You got this nice woman, she says the right things, has the right job, the right parents, does nice things forya etc. Then there's this other woman, who's totally chaotic, turns yer life upside down, moves the chairs downstairs and runs away, but she's got that WOW-factor. Now tell me: Which of'm do you choose ? (Tip: Remember, you'r the Frenchie.)

Well, at this point of my life, I have to think. But a few years ago, the second one, of course  But I don't think that it has something to do with the fact that I am French, has it ?

For Brave, it took me more than 10 listens and more than 10 years. And I am still not sure ... 

NP Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos

And what would you think of finding a woman that likes DT, Nicky ? 

[Steve Jones]

Nostradamus, of course, is a masterpiece. Tell me what you think of it, Jonesey 

As you say, a masterpiece.  But the album needs to be taken as a whole, which is a first for Priest I think.  It's not a collection of stand-alone battle hymns.

Now playing: Queensrÿche - Dedicated to Chaos.
To me, this band just keeps getting better.  The lyrics to the opening track are very apt.

[Nicky007]

But then I realised that most albums sound much alike.

Yeah, just like Arena. Ask Granny: Lotta banging around 

melodic hard rock (with a progressive approach)

Maybe you should listen a bit more attentively, Paxi 

As you say, a masterpiece.  But the album needs to be taken as a whole, which is a first for Priest I think.  It's not a collection of stand-alone battle hymns.

It's true that Nostra is the most cohesive album lyrically, but Jugulator is pretty conceptual in that it deals with various types and aspects of violence, crime, punishment, and destruction - pretty harsh, but a marvellous album for hardy proggies 

Steve, are you into Jugulator and Demolition, the two Ripper-albums ? Very different from the Halford-albums, and great too. Also Live in London, the live Ripper-album, is a treat 

However, I can easily play e.g. Lost Love and Exiled (on Nostra) alone 

You more than anyone else got me into Priest (first acquired album: Sad Wings), so you can blame yerself 

But OK, makes me kinda proud of my heritage 


Here's another one of yers:

NP  Primus:  Pork Soda  &  Rhinoplasty

Pretty crazy shit 

Now playing: Queensrÿche - Dedicated to Chaos.
To me, this band just keeps getting better.

Donno whether I'd agree to the "better", but it's certainly as great as ever. I like all Q-albums. This group is really somethin special 

must get more!

Jonesey, don't miss out on the marvellous RH-album The Watchers, a collection of odds and ends, Track 1 being the fabulous full 14-minute version of Intervention 

But I don't think that it has something to do with the fact that I am French, has it ?

Hm, guess you'r right, we seem to also get babies in Denmark 

For Brave, it took me more than 10 listens and more than 10 years. And I am still not sure ... 

That's pretty brave, here in the Room !

And what would you think of finding a woman that likes DT, Nicky ? 

You know, Bups, when I met Ms 007 twelve years ago, I was almost entirely into classical music. Ms and her sons were into rock and metal, the most played group being - yeah, guess what ? Middleson even had bought himself a Petrucci guitar (now replaced by a Vedder guitar). So my second rock journey started with DT 

Altho RH are competing heavily these days, DT seem to stand their ground 

Like many more or less casual DT-listeners, Ms likes the ballads, and not the "noodling". Me, I'm a sucker for the whole package 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Antimatter - Leaving Eden
Threshold - March Of Progress

[PH]

The Flower Kings - "Banks Of Eden"

First listen. The fact that the album starts with a 25 minute song doesn't really help them... 
A few bits where it gets exciting, but overall it seems very tiresome to me.
I really had to push myself to listen on and not put on Neal Morse's new album (also with an epic, but that song is the fastest 30 minutes I know).
I am not a fan of Hasse Fröberg's vocals either...

I must persevere! How can I not like The Flower Kings, while I LOVE TransAtlantic and Kaipa and Roine Stolts' solo album?
It's not fair! I want to like it!

[Bupie]

Yes, TFK, I know what you are feeling, PH ...

NP Lou Reed : Growing Up In Public  Dedicated to a fellow Roomie 

[Bupie]

NP Rush - Roll The Bones

Great artwork, good album.

[Teunis]

The Flower Kings - "Banks Of Eden"

It's not fair! I want to like it!

Yes, TFK, I know what you are feeling, PH ...

You're not alone, don't like TFK either .

Neal Morse - Momentum (it was a nice ride, driving to and from work. Only heard the epic. Started with it on purpose )
Marillion - Sounds That Can't Be Made (Really want to like Marillion, but unfortunately ....  )
Darkwater - Where Stories End 

[Nicky007]

Talking about the "Wow" factor, Nicky ?

NP Rush - Roll The Bones

Great artwork, good album.

Bupie, have you heard the two latest Rush albums, Clockwork Angels (2012) and Snakes & Arrows (2007) ? Super 


Here's another Wow-factor, my fave Royal Hunt song. A sublime example of how progressive and beautiful can come together:

Royal Hunt:  Days Of No Trust  (from The Mission)   www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeH1JQuPSCI

Must melt any heart 


Jonesey, how are you comin' along with RH ?

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Gazpacho - March of Ghosts (too long ago that I played this album, really enjoyed it )
Mostly Autumn - The Ghost Moon Orchestra (their best release since a very long time!)