Present, Univers Zero, Vortex -- disappointing

While there isn't a bad album on that list, I voted for Heatwave. The relative dominance of keyboards and guitars over the strings and woodwinds that are such an integral part of UZ's sound is the major weakness I think - at times it strays rather a long way from the chamber prog sound that UZ pioneered and later returned to. 

Rocktopus wrote: Yukorin wrote: edit: apologies for brusqueness, I've been off the fags for a month I've been off for over five years, and I'm still angry and hateful towards everyone.

I'm surprised Pnoom! also felt like i did when i first heard "Ceux DU Dehors". At the time i was going chronologically through their recordings and had heard that "Ceux Du Dehors" was the favourite UNIVERS ZERO album of quite a few people.I also maybe had too high expectations and felt it didn't measure up to "Herisie". As a matter of fact i liked the debut better than that one as well.It's still an excellent record.I also was blown away by VORTEX's recordings,especially the second one. I think "No 6" might be my least favourite PRESENT album with "Certitudes" and "High Infidelity" neck and neck for my number one.

laplace wrote: I haven't really liked the last three UZ albums. Lapirella tasted 1313 and declared, "Why, this is far too sour!" Then, she nibbled on Implosion and remarked that it seemed far too sweet. But when she came to sample UZed, her verdict was that it was *just right*. Or something ;P ze point being zat UZ had something good going in the late '80s and I listen to that side of them much more than Heresie.

Shouldn't that be Lapilocks? 

Although I have the two first Present albums and I dont really find them interesting, I must vote for Heresie... an album I seem not to "get", for I see no masterpiece what so ever, just boring unison repetetive dark tones for 50 min...

Indeed, there's not much in it, but I use the 5 star scale, so I'd say:

Vortex - 4.8
Les Cycles de Thanatos - 4.7

Rounded up on the P.A. scale, that makes them both fives... although didn't I say Vortex was 4/5 in my review?  I cannot remember!

James wrote: I'm going to be a wee bit controversial... or maybe I'm not in retrospect... but I think Vortex's self-titled debut is  just a tiny bit better than Les Cycles de Thanatos

I'm going to be a wee bit controversial... or maybe I'm not in retrospect... but I think Vortex's self-titled debut is  just a tiny bit better than Les Cycles de Thanatos, but then again, Hipopotalamus Negrus is just perfect in every way... but then so is Délicieuse Créature... it's a tough call!

I'll call them equal.

I guess i'm the first to vote."The Hard Quest" came out 13 years after the previous record and for me it was disappointing.Still a good one mind you but my least favourite.The only one i haven't heard  is "Rhythmix" but the rest on the list i have oh except "C.O.D. Performance" which i don't know if i'd call an official PRESENT recording or not.

Volpapuk, another one I considered for this poll,  interesting.  I lent "Where is Tamashii?" to a friend who moved away more than a year ago, and never got it back. :(  It's okay, I've borrowed Cds from him that I forgot to return too (now wish I made a copy). Polyglot has been top of my most wanted list for months, but, well, a lot of expenses over the last months.  I do have the first two albums.

EDIT: to respond to your edit: Les Cycles was issued by Triton in 2003 on CD. I don't know how available it is now, or if it's still in print.


Edited by Logan - May 06 2008 at 00:29