Now Playing Thread

[maddox]

a~Ha ~ Scoundrel Days

[Teunis]

Played my latest purchases today:
Lonely Robot - Please Come Home
The Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment

[maddox]

Flying Colors ~ Live in Europe

I was there. 

[Teunis]

Today:
Bjørn Riis - Lullabies In A Car Crash
Knight Area - Between Two Steps (EP)
Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment

[PH]

Listened a lot to Neal Morse's "The Grand Experiment" lately.
I think it's REALLY good!

The first song (The Call) is everything we know about Morse, and more! After that it's time for the title track, which has grown on me really well. Really like the guitar solo. Also Agenda which is typically un-Morse, but good and extremely catchy. The slower song Waterfall has yet to sink in with me. I do like the vocal harmonies.
The album is not bad so far (far from that in fact!), but honestly everything (except for the opener perhaps) pales in comparison with the big epic Alive Again. It ranks up high with all the other Morse epics. You can really hear the difference that Eric and Bill make on this album in general, but especially in this track.

I have the special edition (of course) which has an excellent cover of MacArthur Park. I don't know the original, but this is good stuff.
The other two songs (New Jerusalem and Doomsday Destiny) should have just be part of the main album. They are not less of quality. I especially like Doomsday Destiny which has a nice bass guitar section.
And then there are the live songs, which are of course very good songs, but I just tend to skip these. Even then, it leaves us 77 minutes of extremely well played and enjoyable prog!
In my opinion this album is even more enjoyable than Flying Colors' or Transatlantic's latest.

And 2015 has just started.

[Bupie]

Thanks for the report, PH. I still have to find a place in Melbourne where I could find prog CDs ... or at least an Australian website that sells prog online.

NP Sylvan - Home

Thanks for the link Teunis 

[funkster]

Hoping to listen to some Redemption tonight plus The Grand Experiment which on first listen was great 

[Bupie]

a~Ha ~ Scoundrel Days

Great album. The first three tracks streak is outstanding. I could have done without Cry Wolf though. I recently purchased a De Luxe 2 cds edition with alternative versions of most songs. Those versions/demo are more synth/pop/dance oriented, loosing all their guitar/rocking edge and I find them much poorer than the originals. So I am glad that A-Ha chose the rock option initially.

NP Kansas - Audio-Visions

Always the same pleasure, listen after listen ...

[Teunis]

Threshold - For The Journey 

[maddox]

Great album. The first three tracks streak is outstanding. I could have done without Cry Wolf though. I recently purchased a De Luxe 2 cds edition with alternative versions of most songs. Those versions/demo are more synth/pop/dance oriented, loosing all their guitar/rocking edge and I find them much poorer than the originals. So I am glad that A-Ha chose the rock option initially.

Great that you aprove.
Cry Wolf is indeed one of the weaker tracks, if not the weakest.
Never really liked that song.
Somehow people always mock me because I like a~Ha but I always had a soft spot for them.
Take on Me was nice but the second single blew me away (The Sun Always Shines on T.V.).
Yes, it's pop-rock but still.
After they became more and more unsuccessful they got a lot better in my opinion.
Too bad they called it quits.
Great band.

NP> The Neal Morse Band ~ The Great Experiment

I'd say that this sounds a lot more like Spock's Beard then the latest album from Spock's Beard.
Like this is the album where Neal Returned to the mighty Beard.
Great album!!!
Yes, even Agenda. 

[Nicky007]

Played:

Muse:  Absolution  (on repeat)

Muse:  Resistance

After having listened several times to Absolution, I cherish it every bit as much as Black Holes.


This could well be my fave Muse song, because of both lyrics and music, from Absolution:

Muse:  Thoughts Of A Dying Atheist

www.youtube.com/watch?v=glx9SVaH2uw

When one sees this video, it's obvious that the guys are not in it for the money

"I know you're in this room
I'm sure I heard you sigh
Floating in between
where our worlds collide

it scares the hell out of me
and the end is all I can see

and I know the moment's near
and there's nothing you can do
look through a faithless eye
are you afraid to die?"

Whew, can't get any better, can it, Teunis ?

Teunis, how do you rate the Muse albums (incl. live albums) ?

- Nicky

[PH]

Ah! Do I hear another top list coming up?
So, for what it's worth:

1. Absolution
2. Origin Of Symmetry
3. Black Holes And Revelations
4. Showbiz
5. The Resistance
6. The 2nd Law

I think......


EDIT:
Sorry, just listened to "Origin..." again and had to switch places with "Black Holes..."
It might even be better than "Absolution" (which was my first Muse album).
"Origin..." is filled with energy. When I listen to that album, I want to jump and run and scream!

[maddox]

Mastodon ~ Crack the Skye

[Teunis]

Teunis, how do you rate the Muse albums (incl. live albums) ?

Ah! Do I hear another top list coming up?

Good idea .
1. The Resistance
2. The 2nd Law
3. Black Holes & Revelations
4. Absolution
5. Origin Of Symmetry
6. Showbiz

I really like their two latest, more electronic, albums. 'The Resistance' has some obvious Queen influences, really dig this album from start to finish and wouldn't play this album randomly. I've read the album Muse is working on is more guitar orientated, very curious what the change in direction will bring.
As for the live albums: the only one I've heard several times is their latest 'Live At Rome Olympic Stadium', which is really cool. 'Hullabaloo' is nice, but I find the obvious 'breathing' of Mr. Bellamy in the microphone before singing somewhat disturbing. Can't rate 'HAARP', as I've only heard it once. But I know this one has a fan here in The Room .

np: Lonely Robot - Please Come Home 

[maddox]

We should get a separate topic for that. *hint

NP> Marillion ~ Sounds that Can't be Made

Really really like this album.
Apart from Montreal.
That song is the weakest.

[Teunis]

We should get a separate topic for that. *hint

Exactly my thought. Go for it .

np: Ayreon - Into The Electric Castle

Way too long ago that I played this album . What is your favourite Ayreon album?

[Nicky007]

Thanx, Teunis & Paxi

Paxi, didn't know that you are such a big Muse fan - cool, great sharing

Still, Teunis is the most Muse-ical

When I see Matt B in that video, the expression "force of Nature" comes to mind. This dude is totally Music. He's dressed in a kinda sportssuit, his teeth are non-Hollywood, but his music goes straight to the heart - whew

Forget about all the fancy crooners - zzzzzzz

NP  Muse:  Absolution

- Nicky

[maddox]

Just played : Symphony X ~ V - The New Mythology Suite
Now Playing: Symphony X ~ The Odyssey

Prog metal at its best! 

[Teunis]

IQ - The Road Of Bones (Number one in the annual DPRP poll and also my favourite 2014 release )

[Nicky007]

NP  Shining:  Blackjazz

1) Crazy
2) Over-the-top
3) Exciting



Norwegian group led by Jørgen Munkeby.

Very King Crimson influenced, but even more over-the-top

There's a 21st Century Schizoid Man cover on Blackjazz

- Nicky

[Teunis]

Anathema - Distant Satellites
Arena - Contagion Max
Muse - The Resistance

np: Radio Sympho Shop

[The Butterfly Man]

NP: Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase.

It's still early but I feel this is another masterpiece. Some absolutely stunning songs.

Tom

[maddox]

The Custodian ~ Necessary Waste of Time

[maddox]

The Flower Kings ~ Tour Kaputt

Live album from 2007, recorded Zoetermeer, Netherlands.
Nice addition to any Flower King-fan.

[Bupie]

Threshold - March Of Progress