THE FLOWER KINGS TOO CONTRIVED

For the love of all that is good and right, turn off your caps lock!

I haven't heard much from The Flower Kings; neo-prog doesn't especially interest me at the moment.

Edited by Atkingani

From what I've heard of the Flower Kings, I thought they sounded very contrived indeed.

And, as I heard it, by emulating and incorporating 70's prog elements, in a sense I thought them to be more retro than truly progressive.

The Flower Kings isn't a neo-prog band, it is a symphonic prog band. And besides being contrived or not, it is a great band, and one of the leaders in prog of nowadays. It's true that they have a lot of influences of the old symphonic groups, but they manage to sound original IMO, and i love their jazzy style, it's a question of tastes i guess.

I must say they have grown on me considerably over time, but I think they, more than any other band, need to learn the importance of self editing...They must have made about 4 double albums(!) by now, not including live albums. Without even hearing them, you get the impression these are bound to include some filler...I agree that their looseness sometimes works against them at times- it creates an impression that they are striving for something but not quite getting there, and also that the songwriting isn't quite tight enough.

That said, alongside Spock's Beard, they are amongst few bands keeping the spirit of 70s symphonic prog alive. They are adding little to what Yes particularly have done before them, but for those living in nostalgia (I fully count myself in that category!) they are an entertaining diversion from the more extreme modern prog metal that is often prevalent now.

Minkia wrote: IS IT ME OR DO THE FLOWER KINGS SOUND SOOOO CONTRIVED? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT?

     'Ave you a leesence for this Minkia?

Ok, The Flower Kings are NOT NEO PROG!!!!!! 

Personally I have a hard time believeing that a band with such a pechant for improvisation like The Flower Kings do can be considered contrived.  The Flower Kings are quite possibly one of the most naturally flowing bands out there.  The talent that these guys have just blends togethor so well.

They are the pinnical of moderne prog rock. Deffiantly not contrived

well, probably yes.

at first I liked them a lot but after several listenings of Space Revolver and Unfold the future I started realizing that they are composing just for the sake of doing smth progressive but without any clue WHY they are doing it. IMHO

Rorro wrote: The Flower Kings isn't a neo-prog band, it is a symphonic prog band. And besides being contrived or not, it is a great band, and one of the leaders in prog of nowadays. It's true that they have a lot of influences of the old symphonic groups, but they manage to sound original IMO, and i love their jazzy style, it's a question of tastes i guess.

 

Sean Trane wrote: TFK goes left, right, centre, North, East, South and West but they go absolutely nowhere.

Sometimes the way itself can be the destination.

I know what you mean, but they're enjoying themselves and it's not like they were pretending to go somewhere. In a way many symphonic prog bands of the 70s are similar, Camel in particular.

To put it another way: Sometimes a tune has no other purpose than to exist.