Modern QF #4 - In Absentia v. Spirit of Eden

Meltdowner wrote: ^ See? I'm suspicious about it for a reason ...also because I had to listen to a lot of 80's cr*p in my childhood

It sounds nothing like the 80's. "One of a kind" is the phrase. The closest for a post-rock album it comes to is ... hmph ... jazz ... pop ... ? ... No. ... Jazz/classical/pop/ambient.

Edited by Dayvenkirq - September 15 2015 at 10:27

PTree for me

TGM: Orb wrote: I understand the instinct to want to humble Porcupine Tree, I really do but... does anyone have an argument for why Spirit of Eden is any good? The bits I liked the most sounded like Velvet Underground after a calming valium. The rest... nothing doing that I enjoyed. Anyway, pitch it to me guys?

PT

TGM: Orb wrote: I understand the instinct to want to humble Porcupine Tree, I really do but... does anyone have an argument for why Spirit of Eden is any good? The bits I liked the most sounded like Velvet Underground after a calming valium. The rest... nothing doing that I enjoyed. Anyway, pitch it to me guys?

I honestly don't know much about VU. I only heard their album with Nico, and it does not remind me of Spirit Of Eden  that much.

Edited by Dayvenkirq - September 16 2015 at 11:50

i voted for "Spirit of Eden".

TGM: Orb wrote: I understand the instinct to want to humble Porcupine Tree, I really do but... does anyone have an argument for why Spirit of Eden is any good? The bits I liked the most sounded like Velvet Underground after a calming valium. The rest... nothing doing that I enjoyed. Anyway, pitch it to me guys?

All I can say is sit yourself down in a quiet room one evening with no distractions, put "Spirit of Eden" on and immerse yourself in it. For me this is about the best experience in music there is.

Great responses - I'll give it another shot : )

Raff wrote: TGM: Orb wrote: I understand the instinct to want to humble Porcupine Tree, I really do but... does anyone have an argument for why Spirit of Eden is any good? The bits I liked the most sounded like Velvet Underground after a calming valium. The rest... nothing doing that I enjoyed. Anyway, pitch it to me guys? Personally, I don't want to humble anyone. I believe I am somewhat smarter than that. However, while I do occasionally enjoy listening to Porcupine Tree (as opposed to bands such as Dream Theater, who give me hardly any enjoyment at all), I don't consider any of their albums (especially the later ones) as masterpieces. On the other hand, I genuinely enjoy Spirit of Eden. If you don't like it, that's OK - I just don't understand the point of asking us why you should find something to like in it, which sounds just a tad patronizing, if you ask me. Anyway, the point of the whole "Summer Madness" thing was NEVER to force anyone to like anything. As Micky and I happen to live under ths same roof, I know for certain that his main aim was discovery, not coercion.

I come across wrong sometimes and I'm not looking to humble or patronise people. I didn't really see anything in Talk Talk personally on the first run; there wasn't really any discussion or people explaining why they loved it in the first page and I wanted to go in again with a better idea of what other people were going for. I really appreciate the responses and love people arguing for something they love, even if I don't end up going for it. Like, I'm more interested in why people like things rather than whether they like them, there's been some really good discussion that helps me appreciate stuff more in these polls and that's part of discovery for me. I really appreciate all the responses on it.

TGM: Orb wrote: Raff wrote: TGM: Orb wrote: I understand the instinct to want to humble Porcupine Tree, I really do but... does anyone have an argument for why Spirit of Eden is any good? The bits I liked the most sounded like Velvet Underground after a calming valium. The rest... nothing doing that I enjoyed. Anyway, pitch it to me guys? Personally, I don't want to humble anyone. I believe I am somewhat smarter than that. However, while I do occasionally enjoy listening to Porcupine Tree (as opposed to bands such as Dream Theater, who give me hardly any enjoyment at all), I don't consider any of their albums (especially the later ones) as masterpieces. On the other hand, I genuinely enjoy Spirit of Eden. If you don't like it, that's OK - I just don't understand the point of asking us why you should find something to like in it, which sounds just a tad patronizing, if you ask me. Anyway, the point of the whole "Summer Madness" thing was NEVER to force anyone to like anything. As Micky and I happen to live under ths same roof, I know for certain that his main aim was discovery, not coercion. I come across wrong sometimes and I'm not looking to humble or patronise people. I didn't really see anything in Talk Talk personally on the first run; there wasn't really any discussion or people explaining why they loved it in the first page and I wanted to go in again with a better idea of what other people were going for. I really appreciate the responses and love people arguing for something they love, even if I don't end up going for it. Like, I'm more interested in why people like things rather than whether they like them, there's been some really good discussion that helps me appreciate stuff more in these polls and that's part of discovery for me. I really appreciate all the responses on it.

I think I do actually see where you were coming from but for some people it can get rather frustrating when certain acts or albums achieve a level of popularity that appears to be well above that which they deserve. Of course one mans meat is another's poison and all that but when one sees or hears popular mediocrity it can be somewhat disheartening. (I am not btw saying PT is mediocre and hey, I'm a lover of Genesis that certain malcontents around here feel are vastly overrated )

Back in the day, I was totally immersed in what now seems to be called Symphonic plus a bit of Ambient and Electro. I most unfairly dismissed what I now realise were many fine performers. While I seriously doubt Zeuhl or Rio/Avant and I will ever be lovers what I have gathered from much of this is an awakening for some forms that I've never fully appreciated and a reawakening for some that I put aside decades ago and havn't revisited since.  What I have learnt is to stop going into any new (to me) album with preconceived notions. Just listen to the bloody thing and see what stirs, too boot just because I didn't like it in 1975 doesn't mean I won't get it now. It's not all about the massed waves of Mellotrons.

(sorry if that sounds at all preachy, that was not my intent.)


Edited by t d wombat - September 16 2015 at 17:41