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lazland 
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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 Posted: May 31 2022 at 11:51 |
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 Fantastic! Review will come, I promise! |
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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nick_h_nz
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Prog Metal / Heavy Prog Team Joined: March 01 2013 Location: Suffolk, UK Status: Offline Points: 6737 |
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Posted: May 31 2022 at 12:02 |
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Promises, and reviews, unnecessary- I assure you! I didn’t mention it for that reason, but only because it was the fist thing I thought of, given the other title. 🤪 |
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Jared
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Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 17537 |
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Posted: May 31 2022 at 14:16 |
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You know, putting Steve's marvellous blog to one side for a moment...
This thread is very quickly starting to resemble both 'The Shed' and 'The Shed 2: Gazebo' frequented by myself and an assortment of 40/50 years old, mainly British PA'ers, generally disgruntled with life and how they were treated by it. There was obviously a need for such an establishment! I'll have to ask Chopper (Alan) whether he knows where the keys are!
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 03 2022 at 09:02 |
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Reviews of new albums by Pure Reason Revolution and Talisk (a Scottish modern folk band) added to Album Reviews of 2022.
Plus a couple of historic reviews of Transatlantic & Frequency Drift added to 2014 section of Album Reviews by Year Page.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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Jared
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Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 17537 |
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Posted: June 03 2022 at 09:09 |
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Now, you have piqued my interest...
 It may not be today (working long hours this Bank Hol weekend) but I'll certainly head over there for a read... |
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 03 2022 at 09:42 |
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 I think you will enjoy both the album and the review. |
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 05 2022 at 15:10 |
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Ale of the Week updated and some sports musings in the Beer & News Pages.
Album reviews updated with Comedy of Errors from 2013, and Airs, Hogarth & Barbieri, 3rd Degree, Steve Hackett, The Minstrel’s Ghost, and Mudway from 2012. |
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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Jared
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Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 17537 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 08:39 |
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Once again, a very enjoyable review Steve. I must pick this up at some stage, along with the 2CD reissue of their debut. I have to confess that by 'Hammer & Anvil', they had lost me a bit, but mercifully they seem to have been reborn and returned to the complexity of their roots. |
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Jared
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Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 17537 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 08:41 |
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I'm intrigued, Steve. how many times on average would you say you listen to an album, before you put pen to paper, so to speak? Edited by Jared - June 06 2022 at 08:42 |
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lazland
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Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 09:44 |
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Hi Jared. There are two answers to this question, as I can see why you might be confused or asking. When I listen to a new album, I will listen to it at least three times before making rough notes. I will then listen at least a couple more times before expanding said rough notes into a review narrative, and sometimes more. So, a minimum of five times, sometimes more. The reviews I placed on the site last night are not new reviews, they are historic ones which have only been edited to the extent that I have removed PA ratings from them, in line with my review "policy" on my new site, and corrected grammatical errors & etc. I always felt constricted by the five star review system here. One of the main purposes of my new website was, in addition to reviewing brand new music, books, booze, food, and etc. and etc., to act as a repository of my old reviews here on PA, which I regard as being my intellectual property and not those of Max. It takes quite a bit of work to transpose my old reviews, edit them where I feel it necessary, and finally to upload them to my site with videos and necessary comments. There are also a couple I will not post, because the main protagonist has passed away and my review was not altogether fully positive. Therefore, the rush of historic reviews uploaded last night were just that - historic reviews. I will, as soon as I have finished that particular sub-project, which will take a few weeks yet, start placing on the site brand new reviews of stuff I either missed, or simply did not review at the time, and I will differentiate between these and historic ones.
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SteveG
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Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20505 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 12:11 |
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Edited by SteveG - June 06 2022 at 12:14 |
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This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State.
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:05 |
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It's horses for courses. We are all different. What I think is consistent is that a review after only one or two listens will generally be a poor one, especially with prog rock and all the intricacies and complexities we love.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:07 |
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I am on holiday this week, so a busy one ahead.
Uploaded tonight. Book Review page updated with All In It Together by Alwyn Turner. Video of the Week - Bill Bruford. Historic 2011 album reviews of Phideaux, VDGG, Arena, Jon Anderson, Majestic, Magnum, Believe & Rush added to 2011 section of Album Reviews by Year Page. |
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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Jared
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Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 17537 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:16 |
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I think this is a really interesting discussion, actually, so these questions are to both Steves, Nick if he's around, and other reviewers who pop in here.. When you listen to a CD with a view to doing a review, does it get your undivided attention, ie do you sit at a desk with pen and paper, sketching out a framework or ideas for each track, or can you form a good basic picture, while you're driving? Also, do you read up about the background behind the recording, artists aims, band personnel (for new bands), concepts etc beforehand? Or do you prefer to listen to it 'cold' with only the liner notes on the basis that your views might be shaped by the views of others, with too much research? |
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:29 |
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Yes, this is interesting, so here is my response. When I listen for the first couple of times, I am usually working, or sitting on my arse in the evening popping music on my headphones whilst Glynis is watching something on the television. This is what I am doing tonight with my second listen of Solace and first of Enneade. I listen to the albums and simply try to get a sense of them, particularly whether I like them, or not. I do not write anything down at this stage, simply listen and make mental notes. When I start making rough notes, it will be when I am listening of an evening or weekend. Then, when I tidy those up, it will also be evening or weekend, because I like to give the album my undivided attention, out of respect to the artist. Mostly, the final review will be similar to the initial mental sketch I make, or the rough notes, because I know my own mind and listening tastes, although the detail is not the same, so if I describe a particular movement, instrumental passage, and etc. this will come from the later listens when I am more familiar with the album. I always try to undertake research. This might be on the meaning of a title, for example, although I very very rarely search for interviews, or other reviews, by the writers or band members as to song meanings, because I prefer to provide readers with my interpretation. This can sometimes go wrong, as it did with my views on The Leavers on FEAR by Marillion. I was a million miles away, but I was not that bothered, because it was what the song meant to me, and that is the important thing. I will always try to get the band members and their role correct and sometimes a background to the band if I think it adds to the reader’s enjoyment of the review, band, or adds some unknown knowledge. Mainly, however, I try not to do things by rote. I am a career civil servant, and bound by rules, many of them bloody stupid and senseless. Music to me is my escape from that nonsense. Music is an emotional experience, something to be lived and treasured, and I try my best to let my words convey that emotion.
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lazland
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Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13273 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:36 |
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I might also add, by the way, that I am always tempted by the new. I love listening to the old classics, particularly if I have had a few too many, but I get far more excited by something new and something different which adds to the texture and experience of life.
Progressive rock, to me, must always move forward, and that is what I look for. It is why I am usually a little bit disdainful of tribute bands and albums which simply try to copy somebody else without adding anything new or interesting.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
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Jared
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 17537 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:52 |
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Great posts Steve, thanks. I remember starting a thread here on tribute bands (over a decade ago now) which developed into a thoroughly interesting conversation, on the sociology of them and psychology behind them. In some sense, I always found it very frustrating that a prog band could write some really good, original material, but when they tour to support the album, they are getting audiences of 50-70, whereas if they went on the road as a Genesis tribute band playing WaW through, they can quadruple the audience immediately. Too many people know what they like and like what they know.... |
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nick_h_nz
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Prog Metal / Heavy Prog Team Joined: March 01 2013 Location: Suffolk, UK Status: Offline Points: 6737 |
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Posted: June 06 2022 at 13:53 |
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I never read ANYTHING about a release I’m reviewing until after I’ve written the (hopefully) final draft. At that point, if I have been provided with an EPK I will look at that, or if not, I might explore the artist’s website. If I have any queries before submitting my review, I will send a message to the artist and ask them. But generally speaking, I don’t really need to look at any material/website, or query with the artist for the actual review, so much as for credits, etc. I definitely don’t want to be swayed by either what others have written about the release, or even by what the band themselves have written about the release. My review is my take on the release. I don’t pretend it is “right” in any way, and I’m sure I sometimes make inferences the artists never expected and/or intended. Before I start writing, I don’t really mind how I listen to an album. In the car. While I’m browsing FB. Whatever. The first couple of times I’m just letting it soak in. I’m never going to take in all the details and intricacies this way, but it sets me up for deeper listening when I feel ready to start taking notes. There is no hard and fast rule about this. Sometimes I’m compelled to do this fairly quickly - maybe after the first time I’ve listened to the release - and other times I might be listening to it on and off for a couple of months before I know that I’m ready to write. Although I say notes, my first notes are almost a review written as a flow of consciousness as I listen. I put them away, and I’ll listen to the release two or three more times, giving it full attention. I’ll then bring back my notes/draft review, and listen again, making changes as I feel them needed. I may need to listen to the albums a couple of times while I do this, or I may not. Sometimes the final draft that results is dramatically different from those first notes, and on rare occasions, it is almost identical. |
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SteveG
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Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20505 |
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Posted: June 07 2022 at 04:18 |
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This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State.
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SteveG
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Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20505 |
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Posted: June 07 2022 at 04:21 |
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nick_h_nz wrote: