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[Steve Jones]

More than a touch of Yes in the vocals but a most satisfying slice of prog 

I've not heard the latest one, but had noted the vocalist is also the current Yes vocalist - must check it out

Also, if you've not already heard it, yer actual Jon Anderson did guest vocals on GH's 'Culture of Ascent'


NP: Genesis - Calling All Stations

[Nicky007]

Jonesey, if ya want somethin real cuttin edge atm, and also exciting and melodic, than give Animals as Leaders a run or two. Washington DC based instrumental group, two 8-string guitar players, geat drums too. Try e.g. CAFO:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmfzWpp0hMc

Super 

Didnt take long for'm to go pantheon with me 


NP  Dream Theater:  Dramatic Turn Of Events

Great as always, never go wrong with these guys 

- Nicky

[funkster]

The seventh degree of seperation accompanied me on the cross trainer at lunch time.

Most enjoyable.

[Teunis]

Moonrise - Stopover Life

On progstreaming.com. Really enjoyed their previous (2) albums. This one needs more listenings though, found it boring at first listening .

[funkster]

Jonesey, if ya want somethin real cuttin edge atm, and also exciting and melodic, than give Animals as Leaders a run or two. Washington DC based instrumental group, two 8-string guitar players, geat drums too. Try e.g. CAFO:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmfzWpp0hMc

Super 

Didnt take long for'm to go pantheon with me 



- Nicky

That ain't half bad Nick , i am now intrigued

[funkster]

i have moved from intrigued to hooked !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4G0SIXxx2U

[Nicky007]

That ain't half bad Nick , i am now intrigued

I didnt know that you were Jonesey 

i have moved from intrigued to hooked !!!

See, that's what happens when people actually listen to my links 


I have both AaL studio albums, and they'r 


So, now that you'r in the right mood, Funky, here are two more great videos:

André Andersen (from Royal Hunt):  In My Arms   www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObPnCEsB_eA

Crimson Glory:  Astronomica   www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZHbPXeI4bQ

- Nicky

[funkster]

I have the first 2 Crimson Glory albums Nicky and not keen on their stuff after that sorry

Listening to that other track now so feedback to follow

[Steve Jones]

Jonesey, if ya want somethin real cuttin edge atm, and also exciting and melodic, than give Animals as Leaders a run or two. Washington DC based instrumental group, two 8-string guitar players, geat drums too. Try e.g. CAFO:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmfzWpp0hMc

Thanks for that.  After the video I also checked out some music-only samples and may well be investigating further (spending!) in the near future

Porcupine Tree - Moonloop EP

[Nicky007]

I have the first 2 Crimson Glory albums Nicky and not keen on their stuff after that sorry

I consider Astronomica a fabulous album. I think you should give it a run or two 

Listening to that other track now so feedback to follow

André's In My Arms is imo one of the most beautiful ballads eva, in line with I'm Not In Love (10cc) and Midnight Shadow (Oldfield).

He can also write great heavy pieces, like:

Royal Hunt:  Intervention   www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYzqT_FaU5Y

Super piece, give it some time to build up 

Thanks for that.

may well be investigating further (spending!)

-Nicky

[funkster]

Not keen on Royal Hunt - a bit cheesy for me but what do i know eh 

Now listening to Leere with Ever being on lark lane which is soft folky and acoustic.
Loving it and not just because i was at junior school with Simon the singer and lyricist 

www.leere.co.uk/music

[Nicky007]

Not keen on Royal Hunt - a bit cheesy for me but what do i know eh 

Exactly, Funky 

Yes, RH have that reputation. Donno why ? - lotta prejudices around in progworld too. When one starts listenin to'm, one realises that it's all wrong. As exciting and prog as Arena and DT, and nicely close to both 

RH are now one of my top 3 groups. RH and André's solo albums are the music I'v been listening most to the past ½ year - for whatever that's worth 

- Nicky

[PH]

Exactly, Funky 

Yes, RH have that reputation. Donno why ? - lotta prejudices around in progworld too. When one starts listenin to'm, one realises that it's all wrong. As exciting and prog as Arena and DT, and nicely close to both 

RH are now one of my top 3 groups. RH and André's solo albums are the music I'v been listening most to the past ½ year - for whatever that's worth 

- Nicky

Well, a few years back I enjoyed some Royal Hunt. But I also thought it was cheesy. But cheesy is not always bad. For example, most people (me included) think Neal Morse's vocal delivery is quite cheesy. But still he's my favourite prog artist.

[Nicky007]

Well, a few years back I enjoyed some Royal Hunt. But I also thought it was cheesy.

Well, if RH are cheesy, then Arena are cheesy too. Many people automatically think that if there are keys in the mix, well, then it's gotta be cheesy. The fact is that RH are pretty much as cheesy/prog as Arena. Quite similar approach and sound the two groups have actually.

Let's then include Dream Theater in the cheese club. Many young death and black metalheads think so. It's all a matter of perspective and taste.

See, Paxi, what I do is, I actually listen to the stuff, instead of speculating about what it could sound like. I go at least YouTube Mix, spend hours with a group I'v chosen to get into, and usually get an album or two, cuz one only really gets to know a group when one listens to a full album several times. In that way I'v become familiar with some 400-500 groups. I can actually give a pretty good description of those groups ;-)

- Nicky

[PH]

Well, if RH are cheezy, then Arena are cheezy too. Many people automatically think that if there are keys in the mix, well, then it's gotta be cheezy. The fact is that RH are pretty much as cheezy/prog as Arena. Quite similar approach and sound the two groups have actually.

Let's then include Dream Theater in the cheeze club. Many young death and black metalists think so. It's all a matter of perspective and taste.

See, Paxi, what I do is, I actually listen to the stuff, instead of speculating about what it could sound like. I go at least YouTube Mix, spend hours with a group I'v chosen to get into, and usually get an album or two, cuz one only really gets to know a group when one listens to a full album several times. In that way I'v become familiar with some 300-400 groups. I can actually give a pretty good description of those groups ;-)

There's no need to get all upset about it.
Arena may have something cheesy about them. Although I think with "The Seventh Degree..." they totally lost that aspect. I don't mind a little bit of cheese in my prog though.
Other than that, I'm sorry, but I absolutely can't compare Arena to Royal Hunt. I would rather compare Royal Hunt with a band like Ten. Those two are much more alike. They are pretty good melodic hard rock bands. With a good sense for melody and catchy hooks. Both have really good vocalists too!
I compare Arena with IQ and (to a lesser extent) Marillion. But in the end all comparisons fail. It's all a matter of tastes and opinions anyway.
Let's just enjoy good music. Everyone has different tastes. Each has their own opinion.

Today I was listening to Dream Theater's "Train Of Thougt". A really cool album. With some over the top musical firework. Perhaps a bit cheesy. But still, I like this album very much.

[Steve Jones]

So far, in today's 'Homage Fromage':

Edam Yankees - Mister Cheese
Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Cheddar
David Bowie - Stilton to Stilton
Dairy Lea Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile

Stay tuned for some James La Brie...

[funkster]

Liking that Mr Jones 

A bit of Sigur Ros for me today. Not sure how to describe them but i think you have to be in a certain
mood.

Later on a bit of Amplifier or Oceansize 

[Nicky007]

Other than that, I'm sorry, but I absolutely can't compare Arena to Royal Hunt.

Paxi, there's one thing you still gotta learn, and that is that a proggie doesnt speculate, s/he listens 

We're talking about one (two) of the world's greatest bands, in terms of both music, lyrics, and skill ... and you'r making pompous statements about them that show that you know basically nothing about their music. Instead you should listen to it. That will be a new musical adventure for you 

One of the best RH albums is Collision Course (as I have mentioned several times now). That's the album that's compared with Floyd's The Wall - righteously so !  If one listens closely, one will understand why. An excellent place to start with RH - that's where I fell into'm 

And then we'l be seeing you chew up every piece of cheese that you'v spewed out, Paxi 

So far, in today's 'Homage Fromage': ....

Serve this to Paxi, Jonesey, he's the cheeseman 


NP  Dream Theater:  Dramatic Turn  (on repeat)

I'm now listening intensively to this album. What an adventure 

DT is one of the very few bands where I really can't rate their albums, from Awake on, they'r all so rich and perpetually gratifying 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Neal Morse - Testimony Two 

[Bupie]

I have no problem with cheese : I am French 

NP Seventh Wonder - Waiting in the Wings

Cheesy prog metal. Very tasteful

[Iggy]

Procol Harum - A Salty Dog and Shine on Brightly the 40th Anniversary editions. Another band that my brother had and I never bought. Very pleasing.

[Bupie]

NP Retrospective : Lost In Perception

On progstreaming. And once again, I am impressed. Vocals are an acquired taste (English lyrics sung by a Polish vocalist) but the music is very likeable. Strangely enough, the first track is the one I liked the least at first listen. On the contrary, the fourth track, Lunch, is 

Oh, and beautiful cover IMHO.

[Steve Jones]

Procol Harum - A Salty Dog and Shine on Brightly the 40th Anniversary editions. Another band that my brother had and I never bought. Very pleasing.

Although a huge Trower fan I never really went back and investigated Procol Harum, but I did have a few tracks on a Fly Records Compilation. A promo with the Sun "newspaper" if I remember correctly, also featuring Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Move and Joe Cocker.  As I've got stuff by these others, I really should catch up with Procol Harum.  After all, if 'A Salty Dog' is good enough for Transatlantic, it should be good enough for me

JP: Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
NP: Asia - Alpha

Both with undeniable cheese content

[Nicky007]

Guess I'm somewhere else 

NP  Monuments:  Gnosis

No cheese here, fortunately. One of the exciting new English djent groups, pantheon with me. Very heavy, requires many listens, but is then terribly gratifying 


Bupie, I would certainly not characterise SW as cheesy. They'r very serious about their music, and Tommy doesnt overdramatise, he's just very expressive - and I like his style.

I wouldnt either characterise Ten as cheesy, not when ya know'm properly 

Cheesy - that's more, hm ... all the X-factor and Idol stuff, Eurovision, maybe Coldplay, Oasis, and Asia, but I think that true fans of these groups wouldnt either like their band(s) to be characterised that way. It's a pejorative, so we should be careful in using it; if we do, we should really know what we're talkin about 

- Nicky

[PH]

Vangelis - "1492: Conquest Of Paradise"
3. Monastery Of La Rabida

No sign of cheese. Not proggy but very moody and beautiful.