Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

I didn't like DT12 when it was the new album. I was not in the right head space for prog, metal, and anything too dramatic. Phish, jazz, and funk is the majority of what I was listening to in the latter half of 2013 into 2014. I think I was also having a quarter-life crisis at the time. Over time, DT12 has grown on me a little. The epic is good, a bit disjointed, but contains one of the most beautiful passages of music I've ever heard (the orchestral section, and it was too much for me to handle back in '13) and there were a couple of other cool tunes, but overall, I found the album flat, and the production is waayyyy too hot. Hard to blast it without clipping from the speakers. I've heard the HD tracks version is a 1000 times better in sound. Overall, DT12 is my least favorite album of theirs besides the debut, which was very disappointing for me when I realized it.

Still digesting The Astonishing, don't want to say too much until I'm more familiar with it.

What's with the code down below? This happened to me once before on this forum:

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Edited by darkshade - February 06 2016 at 18:59

Well I listened to the new DT once.  It sounds better than the last two, much more pompous and bombastic, but two cds of DT is a bit tough to get through in one sitting and I've actually been dreading listening to it again if you follow me.  I've decided I'm going to listen one disc at a time, hopefully I can digest it better that way.

Why are we talking about Dream Theater on the Flower Kings thread?

rushfan4 wrote: Roj wrote: Well I listened to the new DT once.  It sounds better than the last two, much more pompous and bombastic, but two cds of DT is a bit tough to get through in one sitting and I've actually been dreading listening to it again if you follow me.  I've decided I'm going to listen one disc at a time, hopefully I can digest it better that way. My first listen was in one sitting while at work so I was only mildly paying attention but I enjoyed it.  This second sitting I've been listening to it in the car on the ride back and forth to work.  About 15-20 minutes per ride so it is taking a while, but I am listening closer.  I am really liking it.  It is DT, the musical, but I think that it is great that they are doing something different than they have done before.  The storyline is sort of 2112 take 2, but that is alright as well.  I'm still only vaguely paying attention to the story itself.  One of these days I'll sit down with the lyric book open....maybe?  I think that James LaBrie's voice sounds excellent on here.  They are sticking to slower songs than their normal but I've always felt that his voice works best on their slower songs anyways.

That's the step I've taken too Scott, and I think it's a good idea.  I have a 35-ish minute commute each way, so like you it will take a few days to get through the whole thing but it seems to be working.  I got to the end of track 8 this morning and enjoyed what I heard quite a lot, and much more so than on first listen.  I think I'll stick with this strategy for now.

Last night on the sofa with headphones on my Zune media player, got thru about half. There were some songs that I really liked but prolly need more time with this album, once I finish it.

^ So how do you really feel about the album?? . My fear is that once I am done listening I will have a similar opinion. Even the last two IMO were void of new ideas, but there were some bright spots.....What is much missing is Myung's bass, his sound is just buried in the mix and all I hear is Rudess with synth bass sounds.

I tend to agree. I think he is more talented than Mangini...production and writing wise.

Agree, WD are pretty good, saw them in Seattle at a very small bar/lounge 2yrs ago. It was too loud and small though, for some reason my wife likes Portnoy, she likes drummers. Anyhow he is a prick on stage sometimes to fans. The picture of him in my signature she took at the T2 Neal Morse show in Seattle 4-5 yrs ago, Portnoy used it as his FB profile picture for about 3 months. It is probably one of her best concert action shots......she loves taking tons of pics when we go to shows. If you have read some of my concert reviews here the pics I post are her work.

Well, I have seen nothing about a new FK album, so I suspect the boys are just too busy with other things (particularly Roine).

I know not all of you guys are crazy about Nad Sylvan's voice, but I suspect a lot of you would enjoy his recent solo album, Courting the Widow.

Along with Nad, it features Steve Hackett's entire live band, including Steve.  Roine plays on a track, and Jonas plays a several.  Nick DiVrigilio plays drums on a lot of it as well.

It is in the neo-prog vein but a bit more "retro" than most.  It actually has a strong early 80's Genesis type sound, but with compositions more in the Wind and Wuthering vein.  There is a 23 minute epic with Hackett on lead guitar that is quite enjoyable.

Personally, I think it's pretty darn good, though not great.  It's not really anything like Agents of Mercy, which for some here will be a good thing.  Still, it's got a lot of our favorite players on it and if you have to have everything Roine plays on, you'll want this (though he is only on one track).  I really like Nad's vocals, and here he manages to sound like Gabriel and Collins all at the same time.  Anyway, something to check out if you get the chance that is actually (slightly) FK related.

@Infandous

Edited by zumacraig - February 20 2016 at 17:03