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limeyrob View Drop Down
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Points: 1402 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2006 at 16:33
Sorry folks I haven't heard any album by the Flower Kings. Perhaps I ought to start. What do you suggest to begin with? Please don't say their best one as I won't have anything to build up to. Something in the middle, eh!
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Points: 1188 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2006 at 16:56

Originally posted by limeyrob limeyrob wrote:

Sorry folks I haven't heard any album by the Flower Kings. Perhaps I ought to start. What do you suggest to begin with? Please don't say their best one as I won't have anything to build up to. Something in the middle, eh!

Anything up to and including 'Space Revolver' [probably their best] but anything after I was dissapointed with, although they do include at least one enjoyable epic!
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Points: 116 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2006 at 18:17

No way.

They have totally forgetable hooks, no really good melodies and don't get me started on the lyrics.

The playing is good however but that's not enough.
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Points: 1188 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 05 2006 at 18:48
Originally posted by maribor maribor wrote:

No way.

They have totally forgetable hooks, no really good melodies and don't get me started on the lyrics.

The playing is good however but that's not enough.

yOU ARE OBVIOUSLY REFERRING TO gENESIS
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Points: 848 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 06 2006 at 04:59
Originally posted by ghostdog ghostdog wrote:


No weak albums? Adam and Eve is mostly terrible. That bit about the porn
star in the title track. Laughable. Prog cheese at its stinkiest.

I disagree wholeheartedly!
IMHO Adam and Eve is TFK's best work since Space Revolver (although it is not as good)
In particular, it stands tall and proud when put side to side with Unfold the future, which is almost completely forgettable save for the wonderful opening track The truth will set you free and a couple of other excerpts
A flower?

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Points: 8548 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 06 2006 at 05:01
don't get me started on the lyrics.
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Points: 106 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 18:49

Not fair to put anyone besides Yes up against Genesis.  I just listened to the Flower King's "Alive From Planet Earth" and was completely blown away.  Unlike alot of the Neo Prog (full of MM), there are actual songs here!  If they are trying to be retro, I guess it's working (perhaps it is the familiarity that I am subconsciously responding to). It is hands down, the best prog album I have heard since the 70's and no one is more surprised than I am.  T
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Points: 7606 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 19:13
I used to be impressed by the Flower Kings, and other bands like Ayreon and Spock's Beard, but that's because I wasn't really *listening* to the classics.. neo-prog has the advantage of the easier hook and for a while I was caught. However I can't stand to listen to any of them anymore; each so happy, so ludicrous in places, irritatingly glib and religious in others and all with entire albums of filler dressed up as epics. I can't believe I was so stupid. Ouch
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Points: 31157 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 19:18
Just bought their first two albums (in a "2-in-1" kinda' box) and I must say that that's VERY good stuff! The Genesis influence is clearly there, but thy doesn't directly rip'em. I recommend those two albums for a starting point. Try to get the "2-in-1" version.

Edited by Bj-1 - May 08 2006 at 19:18
RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
EXERIOR Experimental tech/death/progmetal from Norway!
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Points: 106 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 19:24
laplace, Are you saying you've given up on all NEO Prog?  That sounds a bit jaded.........
 
All the old stuff, we know in our sleep and it is always exciting to here something new that you like.  I admit that you have to "kiss alot of frogs" and the return is a low % but I will always keep trying.  I agree that it is debatable as to how fresh it may be.
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Points: 7606 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 19:36
I certainly won't be investigating new neo-prog releases anymore, and my hopes for new symphonic music certainly does not rest on the movement.

That's not to say I don't look forward to new music, of course, but now I'm looking towards the avant-garde side of the spectrum - bands like Ruins, Present, Thinking Plague and many more besides are still making challenging and rewarding music. Post-rock is not for me, but I'm interested in the bands that wrestle it into something more exciting, such as Guapo and Kayo Dot. Even on the more commercial side, The Mars Volta are an exciting band who play passionate, surprising music - even if they're little more than enthusiastic art rock, really. All that and possible new Rush and King Crimson albums keeps me contemporary. Tongue

Between these bands and the broad depth of past works of bands I've yet to sample, I don't think it's too much of a concern to entirely cut neo-prog from my listening..
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Points: 1125 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 19:50
 
The Flowers are a fine prog band who  recreate the great sounds of 70's prog.They are highly talented and inventive and are greatly underrated by many.But to compare them to Genesis aka Gabriel is just silly.Enjoy them for what they are a modern prog band who can and still deliver excellent music but they cannot compare to the masters.
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Points: 508 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 20:53
Originally posted by Zitro Zitro wrote:

I never imagined myself saying this, but I think the Flower kings grown so much on me that I like them more than Yes (my previous #1 band), now I like them as much as Genesis and only Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin are more enjoyable (and barely).

This band has everything I want: Consistency, a discography with no weak albums, very few weak tracks, Beautiful atmospherics that surpasses 70s yes (because of the modern technology), Good epics, a guitarist as complete as Steve Howe who has a neat bluesy vocal style, A great bass player that reminds me of David Lebon (Seru Giran), and some of the best percussion I've heard. The keyboardist is my least favourite member (after the new bass player and the drummers came), but he still manages to sound great most of the time. His album "I AM" is pretty good.

I wish this band would get more recognition. It has the virtuosity of Yes and the beauty of Genesis. I also like the general happy tone of it. It sounds like Progged-up beatles in the first albums.

Sometimes, they amaze me when they get influenced. "The World of Adventures" which is clearly influenced by the beatles sound as good as the beatles best songs. Rumble Twist Fish is clearly influenced by Camel, and it sounds better than anything Camel did.

By the way, in "hummanizmo" (one of my favourite epic from Roine by the way) has 2 things that just blow me away : The church organ riffary + "THIS IS THE NIGHT" and when the epic is about to end ... I hear an awesome wail from Roine. Trust me, it puts the dude from Pain of Salvation to shame.

Anyways, I'll stop rambling.

Flower Kings ---> Prog Kings.

I should edit my reviews as I like them much more as before.

 

 
The same thing happened to me. TFK has grown very very much on me. And i also agree they have everything, and i think it's far to compare the to yes or genesis. Musically i find them more refined htan genesis and yes, they jazzy influences and improvisation-like playing is quite simply amazing. I'm a bass player, and i'm a fan of chris squire, but i have to say that TFK's bassist impressed me more than Squire, his technique is admirable, and the drumming of TFK is woooow. This two elements combined  makes TFK's music very very sofisticated, much more than Genesis and Yes music , but i recognise that TFK would never have existed if Genesis and Yes and some other bands have appeared first (they 've shown the way). Without a doubt The 70's symphonic prog were the ones who invented a style that every other symhponic band would later follow, but i enjoy more the music of bands like TFK, Anglagärd, Sinkadus, SB,.., and musically there's no doubt they are as good as the 70's, what makes them hjave more recognition is the innovation, they made things that were unexpectable, modern bands just keep doing what old ones were doing, but improving the quality.
 
 
To sum up, i think The Flower Kings should have far more recognition than he has actually.
 
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Points: 6336 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 21:47
Originally posted by Zitro Zitro wrote:

I never imagined myself saying this, but I think the Flower kings grown so much on me that I like them more than Yes (my previous #1 band), now I like them as much as Genesis and only Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin are more enjoyable (and barely).

This band has everything I want: Consistency, a discography with no weak albums, very few weak tracks, Beautiful atmospherics that surpasses 70s yes (because of the modern technology), Good epics, a guitarist as complete as Steve Howe who has a neat bluesy vocal style, A great bass player that reminds me of David Lebon (Seru Giran), and some of the best percussion I've heard. The keyboardist is my least favourite member (after the new bass player and the drummers came), but he still manages to sound great most of the time. His album "I AM" is pretty good.

I wish this band would get more recognition. It has the virtuosity of Yes and the beauty of Genesis. I also like the general happy tone of it. It sounds like Progged-up beatles in the first albums.

Sometimes, they amaze me when they get influenced. "The World of Adventures" which is clearly influenced by the beatles sound as good as the beatles best songs. Rumble Twist Fish is clearly influenced by Camel, and it sounds better than anything Camel did.

By the way, in "hummanizmo" (one of my favourite epic from Roine by the way) has 2 things that just blow me away : The church organ riffary + "THIS IS THE NIGHT" and when the epic is about to end ... I hear an awesome wail from Roine. Trust me, it puts the dude from Pain of Salvation to shame.

Anyways, I'll stop rambling.

Flower Kings ---> Prog Kings.

I should edit my reviews as I like them much more as before.

 


Wait a tick Zitro!!! David Lebon was Seru´s guitarist...that machine that is Pedro Azanar was the bassplayer!!!


I think I dont like The Flowers that much cause they are too happy for me...
A by the way the other day I met the guy that did the cover from Paradox Hotel...cool guy, has the best record store Ive ever seen...all prog!!! hehehe
"You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Points: 940 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 05:54
Genesis with Gabriel can't be beaten by any post 70's band IMO.
That said, I must say that I like TFK and they have the merit of releasing more hours of music in ten years than many classic bands in all their careers. But probably if they had condensed their best ideas in three or four releases, their albums would be masterpieces and they would be very close to Genesis.
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Norbert View Drop Down
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Points: 2506 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 07:17
Originally posted by Fragile Fragile wrote:

 
The Flowers are a fine prog band who  recreate the great sounds of 70's prog.They are highly talented and inventive and are greatly underrated by many.But to compare them to Genesis aka Gabriel is just silly.Enjoy them for what they are a modern prog band who can and still deliver excellent music but they cannot compare to the masters.
Exactly what I think, good band, but not comparable with the masters.
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Points: 1043 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 08:28
I don't know if they're better than Genesis or Yes or Pink Floyd, these bands are all outstanding. So it's all a matter of taste in the end, i sure like the Flower Kings more than Yes and Genesis, they're more or less equal to Floyd for me.

I don't think much of the originality argument. I  know that Yes was there before TFK
and that TFK is influenced by Yes. My ears don't care about these things though, they
just want hear good music and TFK delivers ClapClapClap.
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Points: 7559 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 08:31
I haven't read the rest of the posts here, but no.

Just no.

I like the Flower Kings, but as good as Genesis?


Well, OK, better than the album, "Genesis".
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
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Points: 7003 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 08:47
Nay, nay and thrice nay!
 
Which isn't to say that there's anything wrong with TFK, but if my house was burning down I'd rescue my Gabriel era Genesis albums well before anything by TFK (but after Magma and King Crimson, obviously).


Edited by Syzygy - May 09 2006 at 08:51
'Like so many of you
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to the already rich among us...'

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Points: 5308 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 12:01
Maybe better than 80's Genesis. Wink
 
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