Now Playing Thread

[Iggy]

JP Richard Thompson - Electric

[Bupie]

NP Shadow Circus - On A Dark And Stormy Night

Thanks again to progstreaming 

[Nicky007]

You think you know the theory of music and rhythm, and then you listen to Animals as Leaders. And it turns your world upside down.  Seriously though, it needs time to get used to.

Exciting stuff, ainit Draco 

Well, when we get animals as leaders, there'l be a lotta karma to readjust, might not be too pleasant for us humans 


NP  AaL:  Weightless  (on repeat) 

Had to turn the volume down, as my neighbor's workin at home 

But OK, just cuz one's a metalhead, dont mean one gotta be mean 

- Nicky

[Bupie]

PP Jethro Tull - Under Wraps
I have this one for ages but I am not sure that I had already played it entirely. After listening to it this morning, I think it should gather a few more dust. As you may know by now, I have nothing against pop prog or new wave, quite the opposite. So I have no problem with the principle of Tull going new wave ... as long as the songs are good, which doesn't seem to be the case here. The lack of real drums badly hurts too 

NP Avantasia - The Metal Opera Part I & II (Gold Edition)
This one is a different beast : I remember how thrilled I was the first time I listened to it and I have not changed my mind since 

[Nicky007]

as long as the songs are good, which doesn't seem to be the case here. The lack of real drums badly hurts too 

Yeah, I was also very disappointed with this one, Bupie. I only found one really good song, European Legacy - but it was good enuff to end up on my classic list 


NP  Genesis:  Nursery Cryme  (on repeat)

I decided that, since my neighbor asked me to crank down, I'd use the opportunity to get properly into the Genesis albums. Now I'v played NC three times thru, and I'm goin on to Foxtrot.

For me, the G/genesis is NC, as Trespass had two musicians that the other guys werent satisfied with, and replaced, and the album doesnt seem to be so interesting. NC is the first album with the classic lineup.

Genesis for me ends with Abacab, which imo is an exciting experimental album, while the following albums are sellouts 

-Nicky

[PH]

Porcupine Tree - "The Sky Moves Sideways"
At the moment Moon Touches Your Shoulder is playing. This is some spacey stuff. I really like it. It's amazing when you take a look at Porcupine Tree's discography, how broad this band is. Steven Wilson is a genius.

[maddox]

Pulsar ~ The Strands of the Future

[PH]

Rebecca St. James - "If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something"
Very nice catchy poprock. Lots of carefully placed keyboards and crunchy guitars. Very much rock, considering this artist's audience consist mostly of young christian girls...

[Nicky007]

NP  Sabaton  on  YouTube Mix 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWlYDTH48bg&list=AL94UKMTqg-9CogIJewSvsJzWKoS2SNqlQ

This Swedish band is BIG in Scandinavia. Bit like Manowar 

Lots of gripping war footage. Guess humans still got a lotta that in our blood 

- Nicky

[Bupie]

Yeah, I was also very disappointed with this one, Bupie. I only found one really good song, European Legacy - but it was good enuff to end up on my classic list 

Since I don't like giving an album only one chance, I listened to it again last night and I liked some of the songs, including the one you named. With real drums, it could have been a decent album.

PP Touchstone - Mad Hatters EP
JF Touchstone - Discordant Dreams

Those two complete my collection of Touchstone' studio offerings and I don't regret their purchase BTW, PH, Touchstone opened for It Bites during the Tall Ships tour, they will guest at the next Marillion week-end and Rob Cottingham, the leader of the band, quotes Kino's Picture as one of his favorite albums. And, Teunis, their drummer also plays for DeeExpus. Prog is a small, sometimes related by blood, world ...

NP Steve Lukather - Transition

I agree with you Teunis, this one gets better at each listen. I bought my ticket for the Paris gig.

[Nicky007]

Since I don't like giving an album only one chance, I listened to it again last night and I liked some of the songs, including the one you named. With real drums, it could have been a decent album.

I actually played it a few times - I always do before I make any decision 

But it didnt help much 

And I agree with you, Bupie, about the drums. Strange, Ian has such a good reputation that he could'v easily gotten himself an excellent drummer 


NP  Genesis:  Abacab  (on repeat)

I decided to get more into this one. I continue to consider it a fine, if not great, album. (Duke and the preceding albums are great, real great.) I want to understand the transition to the self-titled album better, so it will be next .....

Who knows, maybe I'l make some comments on this matter 

- Nicky

[PH]

NP  Genesis:  Abacab  (on repeat)

I decided to get more into this one. I continue to consider it a fine, if not great, album. (Duke and the preceding albums are great, real great.) I want to understand the transition to the self-titled album better, so it will be next .....

Who knows, maybe I'l make some comments on this matter 

I'm looking forward to your views on this.
I also think "Duke" is the last real great Genesis album. Some songs on it are among the most exciting stuff Genesis has ever done. "Abacab" is still a very good and daring album indeed. I love Me And Sarah Jane and Dodo/Lurker.

[Teunis]

PP Touchstone - Mad Hatters EP
JF Touchstone - Discordant Dreams

And, Teunis, their drummer also plays for DeeExpus. Prog is a small, sometimes related by blood, world ...

Heard/read several good reviews of this band. Always wanted to check them out. Having read this I might give it a sooner listening .

NP Steve Lukather - Transition

I agree with you Teunis, this one gets better at each listen. I bought my ticket for the Paris gig.

Yeah, really one of my favourite Luke releases.

Funny, many of the Roomies seem to be in a Genesis kind of mood. Without reading your comments:

np: Genesis - Selling England By The Pound 

[Nicky007]

I'm looking forward to your views on this.

OK, Paxi:

I'v been listening in to the self-titled album now. Home At The Sea is clearly the centerpiece of the album, great piece, and I think it supplies the key to understanding the transition:

"Picking up the pieces, putting them away
Something doesn´t feel quite right

Adrift without direction, eyes that hold despair
Then as one they sign and they moan

Help us someone, let us out of here
Living here so long undisturbed
Dreaming of the time we were free
So many years ago
Before the time when we first heard
Welcome to the home by the sea

Sit down sit down sit down
As we relive our lives in what we tell you

Images of sorrow, pictures of delight
Things that go to make up a life
Endless days of summer longer nights of gloom
Waiting for the morning light
Scenes of unimportance, photos in a frame
Things that go to make up a life"

Particularly "Dreaming of the time we were free." Here you have the epitome of rich middle-aged life. It's the feeling of having all the adventure of life behind ya. So what's left ? Well, you can play golf, fly to Hong Kong, make an album now and then.

Remember, these are Englishmen - "in quiet desperation" - Pink Floyd.

Well, the thing is that even this gloom can be transformed into great music - all the more. Glenn Tipton did it. Banks & Co. have the talent to do it ....

Of course, the times were against creativity. Music had turned back to dance, and dance we got, with disco, britpop, and all that. Even the great Jethro Tull put their creativity under wraps. Sparks were destroyed by it 

Fortunately we had Priest, and then Metallica, to carry the torch 

And then came Dream Theater, and the rest is history 

Funny, many of the Roomies seem to be in a Genesis kind of mood. Without reading your comments:

np: Genesis - Selling England By The Pound 

Teunis

NP  Genesis:  Foxtrot 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Home At The Sea is clearly the centerpiece of the album, great piece, and I think it supplies the key to understanding the transition:

Home By The Sea/Second Home By The Sea (personally I consider this one track) is probably my favourite Genesis track 

Neal Morse - One

[PH]

I'v been listening in to the self-titled album now. Home At The Sea is clearly the centerpiece of the album, great piece [...]

Yeah, I also think Home By The Sea/Second Home By The Sea is the best song on the album. Not much is needed for that to be honest.

[...] and I think it supplies the key to understanding the transition:

An interesting take. But Tony Banks revealed the following:

Lyrically, the song is about a burglar who breaks into a house only to find it is a haunted prison. The burglar is captured by the ghosts who force him to listen to their stories for the rest of his life - "'Cause you won't get away, no with us you will stay for the rest of your days, let us relive our lives in what we tell you".

After "Genesis" Genesis made an album which is slightly better in my opinion: "Invisible Touch". Which has Domino, Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, The Brazilian and the catchy pop songs Invisible Touch and Land Of Confusion.


NP:
Threshold - "March Of Progress"

[Nicky007]

Home By The Sea/Second Home By The Sea (personally I consider this one track) is probably my favourite Genesis track 

Cool, Teunis, it's really a great track 

Thanx for the correction: Home By The Sea. Gotit now. Guess you know that I'm a perfectionist 

An interesting take. But Tony Banks revealed the following: ....

Paxi, with great music there'l always be an occasion, and then the composers fill up with a lotta wisdom of life.

Iac I think that my main thesis holds: The 80's were a real low for rock music. I can see that clearly in my list of classic songs. Come '81, and there are only Priest, Metallica, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Robert Plant, Marillion, Mike Oldfield, Jon & Vangelis, and a few others, who don't turn dance, and bring us real creative rock.

They sure were a low for Genesis, Yes, and Tull. Yes & Tull rose again, Genesis didn't 


NP  Dominici:  O3, Part 2 

Phew, The Monster 

Another super band that's way below the radar. These guys just have it in'm. They'l slowly be recognized by those who have ears to hear with 

Wiki: "Charlie Dominici recently stated on his Facebook account that Dominici is coming back strong in 2011, but he also mentioned in the comments of the post that if people wanted to see them live or releasing another CD, then fans should spread the word about them, saying ´hardly anyone knows about us´."

- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominici

I really hope that they persist. This is one of the most exciting acts around 

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Thanx for the correction: Home By The Sea. Gotit now. Guess you know that I'm a perfectionist 

Exactly

Neal Morse - One
Anathema - Weather Systems

[Nicky007]

NP  Circus Maximus:  Nine

First listen. Quite different from Isolate, and quite different from anything - but hey, this is a progressive band, par excellence. Incredibly melodic, and some dazzling guitar runs, still very complex, groundbreaking album 

I can understand Bupie's "album of 2012" 

- Nicky

[Nicky007]

www.metalsucks.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/SHREDTILYOUREDEAD.jpg

Sometimes you'd wish you lived in the States. Whew, Petrucci, Loomis, and Abasi, together - man 

- Nicky

[Bupie]

NP  Circus Maximus:  Nine

First listen. Quite different from Isolate, and quite different from anything - but hey, this is a progressive band, par excellence. Incredibly melodic, and some dazzling guitar runs, still very complex, groundbreaking album 

I can understand Bupie's "album of 2012" 

- Nicky

Man, I could talk about this album for hours. I am amazed that it does not get more publicity. After the intro, yout get Architect of Fortune, the first epic an a great one. Then comes the very heavy Namaste, enlightened by its beautiful chorus. It is followed by the streak of three "poppy" tunes (Game Of Life, Reach Within, I Am) that are just outstanding  The heaviness comes back with Used, maybe my least liked song but still a good one. The One is heavy too but has, again, a great chorus and a wonderful middle section. After those six shorter songs comes the second epic, Burn After Reading, that is a favorite of many fans. It begins softly, with a noticeable Muse touch (yes Muse  ) in the verses then goes much heavier in the instrumental section. The album ends in the best manner with Last Goodbye and its fabulous guitar intro, that makes me think of DT's Count Of Tuscany each time.

This was my first encounter with Circus Maximus. I then purchased Isolate but so far haven't beeen gripped in the some way. Nine seems such an improvement, especially in the vocal departement. But I need more listens of Isolate though.

NP IZZ - The Darkened Room

[Nicky007]

I am amazed that it does not get more publicity.

Well, that's the way it is with progressive music, Bupie. Only few are up to it 

Actually CM have gained quite a lotta attention in progworld, not as much as Dream Theater, but much more than the equally excellent similar groups Seventh Wonder and Royal Hunt, who also have been around for 10-20 years. (Interestingly both CM and SW started in 2000 - must have been some special constellation of stars, nice start of millenium.) A good indicator is the number of Amazon reviews for an album: A CM album typically gets 40 reviews, while SW and RH albums get around 10. DT albums typically get 300.

I think it has a lot to do with radio and TV coverage. By happenstance, Pull Me Under got a lotta plays on big channels - and it's far from being one of the best DT songs, imo iac 

Otoh maybe that's why we still have DT with us 

I need more listens of Isolate though.

1st Chapter and Isolate are great albums too 


NP  Infected Mushroom  on  YouTube Mix

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLWXSsYJoWY&list=AL94UKMTqg-9C3czldk8adD6Bf858VMXdQ

A friend wanted me to check out these guys 

- Nicky

[Bupie]

NP Semantic Saturation - Solipsistic

On progstreaming again ... two steps besides the new Lukather album. Considering the people involved and what I hear, I think that you could enjoy this one Nicky 

[erik]

After "Genesis" Genesis made an album which is slightly better in my opinion: "Invisible Touch". Which has Domino, Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, The Brazilian and the catchy pop songs Invisible Touch and Land Of Confusion.

A mix of the best tracks of "Genesis" and Invisible Touch combined, that would have been an awesome Genesis album for the 80s... Alas, this is not how it went and now we have the "Genesis" album that is easily the worst album Genesis ever made. Much of it sounds rather uninspired, the second half (side B) is, well, B sides material really.. Mike Rutherford has remarked that his favourite album is "Side A of Genesis", sums it up really!

I'm rather fond of Abacab though, they really went for a fresh new sound, bold and daring and for me it works well, especially the title track, Dodo/Lurker and Sarah Jane but also Keep It Dark.

[Nicky007]

NP Semantic Saturation - Solipsistic

Considering the people involved and what I hear, I think that you could enjoy this one Nicky 

Thanx for the tip, Bupie. Yes, it does seem interesting. From Facebook:

Semantic Saturation is a progressive rock/metal project founded by guitarist Shant Hagopian, featuring progressive metal gurus Virgil Donati (drums), Ric Fierabracci (bass), Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater - keyboards), and Andy Kuntz (Vanden Plas - vocals).

Shant Hagopian is a Canadian songwriter/guitarist, of Syrian/Armenian heritage. From 1996 to 2003 he specialized in Jazz guitar... studies, and in 1997 he founded the progressive rock/metal band Nu.Clear.Dawn along with musicians in the Syrian city of Aleppo, as one of the first and very few bands to emerge out of the Syrian scene.

- www.facebook.com/SemanticSaturation/info

"The music will come to you and slap you hard in the face, a sweet punishment, painfully delicious. Music that goes beyond magic and reality, a prog-fairy-tale. Passion, wisdom, crazy theory... Solipsism."

- Rocio Flores Bedoya, Lady Obscure (Jan 29, 2013)

It's interesting that reviewers continue to use Derek Sherinian's short membership of DT as his main, often only, qualification. OK, he did some nice stuff on Falling Into Infinity and A Change Of Seasons, but his seven self-titled albums should speak louder 


From Wiki (Redirected from Semantic Saturation):

Semantic satiation (also semantic saturation) is a psychological phenomenon in which repetition causes a word or phrase to temporarily lose meaning for the listener, who then processes the speech as repeated meaningless sounds.

- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Saturation




NP  Genesis:  Foxtrot  (on repeat)

Rather unusual album, by no means easy listening 

- Nicky