Interactive Poll # -45 (or something)

OK, here we go... Actually, my "album-side" top three would be different compared to my song top three.

Regarding my album-side votes there was only one that I didn't hesitate about: Pram - they get my first vote. The first time I listened to it with Blue included. Yesterday without Blue, which brought up a slight reserve: Blue has a long instrumental passage, which is actually quite interesting and welcome. Without Blue included the thought came to me that the singing, on the long run (an entire album?), might become a bit annoying. This could easily be undercut (and it is maybe what they do?) by more instrumental passages or tracks. Anyway, this doesn't change my vote.

Then, I first thought that Radian would be an obvious second vote, untill I listened to some of the others again... So, deciding on the two votes left between Radian, My Morning Jacket, Azam Ali and Litania wasn't easy. As album side-selection I finally vote for Radian and My Morning Jacket, who - to my ears - bring a bit more diversity between the songs.

Most of the other suggestions were good listens (and sometimes discoveries) too. Dara is growing on me with some of the songs (acquiring the taste re. the singin), it was great to hear some 80s Helloween again - after all these years! - and there's a lot of musicality in both Jorgensen and Shawn Smith... Great selections and great listens!

If I had to choose some favourite songs, there would be some more and other contenders and since we're not voting for songs but for album sides I am ranking them in no particular order. These songs, after several listens, stood out for me:

- Pram: Blue

- My Morning Jacket: Smokin' from Shootin'

- Azam Ali: either Endless Reverie or My Ode to Melancholy

- Litania: either Madre or Intimisto

- Radian: Scary Objects

- Dara: Trei peceți

...

The current lockdown is actually quite welcome to find the time to listen to all these gems several times. You gave us some homewrok, Mike, but it was a very good poll idea!  to you and to all!

Yes, it's ok, like Francesco Guccini, my favourite Italian "cantautore" (singer-songwriter)! 

Dara: Another case of high level musicianship and sparkling arrangements with a voice that I find hard to get into. For me this is surely prog, the great thing about this is dynamics, a masterful journey through different energy levels.

Helloween: Although this is not my kind of music, I'm happy to have it here to make me listen to some solid metal for once. I hear they're good at what they're doing, so rock on!

Pram should be up there with Litania, and then a draw between Dara and Azam Ali... I could drop Pram for the sole reason that I know some of their stuff, that'd make things easier. Yeah, I think I do it like this, Logan you know I loved your Pram selection anyway!

The second song, Scary objects, is always based on noise, they are mechanical percussion, then around a minute and a half comes the drums, and a semblance of music around two minutes. The song is at least less monotonous than the first, around three minutes the "rhythmic noises" stop and then start again. I must say that I really like the video. 

The third song, always minimalistic, live, finally comes to be music. The sound stops around 4 minutes, then the drums play free jazz, there is a certain progression, for the first time the music is not just cerebral coldness. Ok, it is avantguarde. In my opinion we are in a very different field from the first song, and also the second one, and as far as I can understand, here listening becomes much more interesting, because it touches the emotions, while before it was above all sensory curiosity for the strange. noises. This song is definitely two cutes above the others, in my opinion.

 Dara Aura, the first song has a long intro and only halfway through takes off, the vocals are interesting, and the ending reminds me a bit of Tool. I understand the idea of ​​inserting it in Pa. Unfortunately, singing doesn't excite me at the end. 

The second song, a good eight minutes, has a very strong emotionally part, with an almost melodic interlude. This seems to me remarkable. 

The third song also transmits an enormous energetic charge, the sound is saturated, and I perceive its charge, even if in these cases after a while I would prefer a ballad to dissolve the tension, which otherwise reaches the emotional over-saturation and therefore takes a detachment, here we come close but I resist. 

With the last song comes the ballad too! I would have put it second to last, however, this group is in my opinion considerable, with the risk of overdoing it but considerable. Podium candidate.