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20 CANDLES

The No Name Experience (TNNE) / ex No Name

Neo-Prog


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The  No Name Experience (TNNE) / ex No Name 20 Candles album cover
3.35 | 21 ratings | 4 reviews | 14% 5 stars

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Boxset/Compilation, released in 2009

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. First Night (6:27)
2. The Summer's Already Gone (5:03)
3. Mat Enger Tréin (4:45)
4. The Man (4:48)
5. Merry-Go-Round (3:32)
6. Orient Express (12:04)
7. Broken Heart (5:30)
8. Strange Decisions (6:34)
9. Dolphins, Sharks and a Flood of Sunshine (5:38)
10. Thoughts Pay No Toll (6:17)
11. Battlefield (5:35)
12. Uncompromising (4:29)

Total Time: 70:42

Line-up / Musicians

- Patrick Kiefer / vocals
- Alex Rukavina / Keyboards, programming
- Yves Di Prospero / guitars
- Marc Muller / bass
- Christian Sonntag / drums

Guest musicians
- Fred Hormain / saxophone on ''Broken Heart''
- Jonathan Tilly / bagpipe on ''Battlefield''

Releases information

Musea (FGBG 4824)
The tracks: First Night and Uncompromising are previously unreleased additions to this 'best-of' 20th anniversary celebration of the band's music.

Thanks to proglucky for the addition
and to NotAProghead for the last updates
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Buy THE NO NAME EXPERIENCE (TNNE) / EX NO NAME 20 Candles Music



THE NO NAME EXPERIENCE (TNNE) / EX NO NAME 20 Candles ratings distribution


3.35
(21 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(14%)
14%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(48%)
48%
Good, but non-essential (33%)
33%
Collectors/fans only (5%)
5%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

THE NO NAME EXPERIENCE (TNNE) / EX NO NAME 20 Candles reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Hibou
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Here is a fresh new approach to NO NAME's repertoire, plus a couple of previously unreleased tracks. It should appeal to fans of PENDRAGON, ARENA and above all FISH- era MARILLION. If you're not into neo-prog, perhaps you'd best skip the review, as this album embodies everything one expects from classic neo-prog: strong melodies, shamelessly infectious choruses, a highly emotional vocalist, cascades of synth arpeggios ala Clive Nolan, solid guitar chops ala John Mitchell, and a no-nonsense rhythm section that deftly complements the band's musical portrait.

It is hard to imagine a more mature NO NAME album: knowing their repertoire, I sense that every detail, every meter on this album has been perfected to a "T". Without losing their original soul, the old tunes have been carefully reworked and brought to the next level. I definitely hear more meat to the guitar play and more muscle to the rhythm section. The bass playing shows restraint and applies the punches where it counts. I also hear more adventurous keyboard flights that I am used to with NO NAME. The addition of a sax solo on "Broken Heart" totally transforms the track, and the eerie bagpipes on the anthemic "Battlefield" elicit a Celtic call-to-arms that is unique for this band (yes, the gents from Luxembourg have hired the services of a professional bagpipe player via their British embassy). And last but not least, the album boasts a production quality Alan Parsons himself would be proud of. Moreover, the quality of the tracks seems to increase as the album unfolds: tracks 6 to 12, for example, are pure ear candy. All in all, the main feeling that pervades the album is one of triumph, joy and elation so cynics: you've been warned :- ).

Why not a full 5 stars? Oh dear, this is where it truly breaks my heart : Patrick Kiefer's vocal delivery is so heartfelt, yet I wish he would modulate his voice a bit more; I find a sameness in his pitch that gets to me after a while ? please note that this is a highly subjective opinion which you may not share. The album still deserves no less than 4.5 stars in my books.

I strongly recommend "20 Candles" to those of you who already own NO NAME's other albums or who would like to get to know them. Far from a "Best of"compilation, this is a carefully planned project from a band celebrating 20 years of playing prog together in the best way they can think of : by offering their fans the crème de la crème of their repertoire in the form of 12 super-polished, scrumptious little musical nuggets. A very classy album from a very classy bunch of guys indeed.

Review by Prog-jester
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars I heard "4" from NO NAME before checking this one, and I liked it, so I was kinda prepared what to expect. My expectation was just right - nothing too special, just good Neo-Prog in IQ and MARILLION vein. It's not like clone or something, it just follows the path of genre's dinosaurs. Some tracks are just filler, some are quite good (like 12-min long "Orient Express" and some other tracks from the middle of the record). I'm not quite sure if this is an album or a compilation (they say it contains some tracks that had already been released on other albums), but it can give you full impression of what is NO NAME. Genre's aficionados, take note!
Review by Windhawk
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars No Name are among a select few progressive bands from Luxembourg, and they have been around for quite some time now - 20 years to be precise. Hence the name of their album.

20 Candles features mostly old and a few new tracks, assembled in the shape of an expanded best of package. Unless I'm much mistaken all the old songs have been re-recorded though, which does add some extra value to such a release.

Musically we're deep set in vintage Neo Progressive territories on this album, with strong similarities to acts like Galahad and Marillion. Lush and rich keyboards and synths dominating, with subdued guitar riffs underscoring on occasion. A driving bass is a common feature, while a few the tunes on the lighter side of the stylistic expression comes across as purebred pop. Well made and well performed, although the vocals are slightly on the weak side, but like many other artists exploring this subset of progressive music No Name have a hard time creating the truly stunning magical moments.

Fans of the genre should enjoy this one, especially those most fond of the classic Neo acts.

Review by Marty McFly
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Without knowing any of their studio albums (! even I'm surprised, you should be too), I acquired this album, today even not remembering how. I'm normally not so much into "best of" albums (because these songs are to be found on studio albums, so why bother with BO, right ?), but exceptions are known (to me), so here we are.

Approach to neo-prog. There is a lot of neo-prog these days. This genre seems slowly crawling its way up in my charts, as I review more and more neo (like in Matrix) bands. Also, I feel that common tradition here on PA is to rate compilations with lower ratings than studio albums, even these albums should literary compile, or consist of the best. Like a derivate. Nevermind (never mind). This deal is not so special. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but it really is average neo-prog. There are worse (Martigan's first for example, I still remember the horror I had when I was listening it), or Germany's Morphelia (I was listening today too, after few days of listening).

3(+) for, well, average neo prog I suppose.

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