Saga vs. Art Zoyd |
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SaltyJon
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 08 2008 Location: Location Status: Offline Points: 28772 |
Topic: Saga vs. Art Zoyd Posted: April 24 2011 at 19:25 |
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I think if Art Zoyd were bananas, they wouldn't be able to play their instruments...unless they were bananas in pajamas, in which case they'd just be creepy.
I vote for Art Zoyd. |
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colorofmoney91
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 16 2008 Location: Biosphere Status: Offline Points: 22774 |
Posted: April 23 2011 at 17:49 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Art Zoyd is bananas. I recently made a post about how I was running to a playlist of Art Zoyd.
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wilmon91
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 15 2009 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 698 |
Posted: April 23 2011 at 17:46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
What a cool thread! I just love to see Saga and Art Zoyd mentioned together.
Wow I havent thought of that! Interesting observation! I didnt vote in the other Saga threads - it just feels silly to vote for saga because I happen to be a big fan of them. But in this case I can easily vote "both". I still only have Faust and Berlin, but have heard "le champ des larmes" , some of Häxan on internet radio, and samples of most of their material of which the eralier material seems extremely promising. I have postponed buying their albums for several years, because they're quite expensive. And I dont want to download anything or listen on youtube. But this thread is a reminder that I reeeeally must get Generation Sans Futur which has been on my "to buy" list for too long! The thing with Saga is that prog people may think it's not "proggy" enough, I guess they oversee the relevant substance of the music and are blinded by specific details. Pop-people might think it's not enough pop-oriented. It's hard to describe the "point" of some music, like explaining why a certain chord sequence is so good or something like that. It's definitely something you cant easily put a label on. Many varied aspects of quality is combined into what they are, and they are not quite like anything else, despite not sounding strange in any way. |
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someone_else
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: May 02 2008 Location: Going Bananas Status: Offline Points: 23993 |
Posted: April 23 2011 at 04:40 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Worlds Apart was one of the best albums of the '82 vintage. Of Art Zoyd I know nothing but the name (yet). No vote.
Edited by someone_else - April 23 2011 at 06:28 |
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Man With Hat
Collaborator Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166178 |
Posted: April 23 2011 at 02:53 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Art Zoyd.
I actually prefer Asia to Saga.
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32601 |
Posted: April 23 2011 at 00:27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A couple of reviews (stuck with five star ones which is why I didn't use your fine reviews for both of these particular albums, John):
Art Zoyd - Generation sans Futur Cesar Inca Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator The third studio effort by Art Zoyd (the first one with pianista Patricia Dallio in the band's line-up) is an excellent sample of the gradually more aggressive approach to chamber-rock to be pursued, and then re-invented in following albums. "Génération Sans Futur" goes to more obscure places than the notably more ethereal preceding release "Musique Pour L'Odyssée": Art Zoyd's musical ideology has always been focused on exploring the sinister sides of the human mind and the universe in an avant-garde pattern, and this album finds the band delivering a special twist through its cohesive trend. 'La Ville' occupies the album's first 17- minutes, getting started with mysterious whispers, piano beats and nervous flourishes on violin, while the wind instruments relay a properly sustained climax. Right before getting at the 2 ¾ minute mark, the track's main body is set upon a solid basis of bass and violin upon which the trumpet and sax interact in delirious colors and the lead guitar displays controlled phrases. The augmenting neurosis does not take too long to manifest itself, but it indeed makes an unforgettable momentum. A new motif emerges on a less frantic note, albeit not less demented: the pulsating dissonant sounds on brass and strings and bassist Zaboitzeff's chanting state a very surreal, disturbing landscape. Before the arrival of minute 10 comes a very relaxing passage, bearing a minimalistic aura full of mysterious undertones. Actually, this passage serves as a bridge toward the track's final section, which retakes one previous motif with an enhanced pomposity, leading the track's development to a terrific grand finale in a most cerebral way. 'Speedy Gonzalez' takes its name from a cartoon mouse, a very funny character whose cocky nature and Latin lover manners helped him to overcome any trouble that came his way. Regarding the Art Zoyd piece itself (written by saxophonist Renard), this is a very gracious one, bearing a colorful playfulness that comes to show that avant-rock (even in the guise of chamber-rock) can also provide optimistic moods. Well, the album's second half gets started with the title track, whose initial ceremonious ambience set on a lyrical framework states an unequivocally evocative mood. But there must come a time when the Art Zoyd standards of neurosis and tension emerge and take hold of the whole situation, and when this moment comes for this specific track, things get really dense and disturbing, even enhanced with jazzy leanings. The environment gets dark and somber, and Daniel Dennis' participation as a guest drummer/percussionist happens to be a major asset at this. The last 90 seconds are focused on a set of syncopated deliveries on strings and woodwind that might as well resemble 73-75 King Crimson. In comparison, 'Divertissement' brings less emphasis on the disturbing and enhances the majestic, giving a protagonist role to the stringed instruments' interventions. 'Trois Miniatures' (penned by Eckert) closes down the album with a taste of modern jazz-fusion in this mini-orchestral context. Eckert's phrases are exquisite beyond words, with his partners being the perfect accomplices in the elaboration of subtle nuances through the basic harmonic scheme. There is a vital interlude that sets things on fire toward a climax, but basically the track is focused on its well-defined main body. "Génération Sans Futur" has a special importance in Art Zoyd's history, since it signifies the tendency to create an ever-robust sonic source in the rams of RIO. Being Alan Eckert's swansong in the band (besides the re-recording of the first album), this is a great way to depart and go through a different road.
Cesar Inca |
5/5 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saga - Worlds Apart
And a couple of tracks from these albums. I think I would have liked to use "La Ville" and "No Stranger", but not available (whole Generation album is great, I think), and to be fair the compositions I used are the first to come up for the albums so I can say I chose the albums, but not the songs (though I certainly knew both well as this Saga song really does get a helluva lot of airtime in Canuckistan). Edited by Logan - April 23 2011 at 00:45 |
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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer Joined: August 27 2006 Location: The Beach Status: Offline Points: 12919 |
Posted: April 22 2011 at 22:03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Art Zoyd has some amazing records while Saga doesn't have even one.And i don't mean to disrespect the band because there's several Saga songs i still enjoy everytime they come on the radio but i just haven't heard an album by them that is good throughout.
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"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
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Triceratopsoil
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 03 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 17995 |
Posted: April 22 2011 at 18:02 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
That will probably change my vote. |
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32601 |
Posted: April 22 2011 at 17:46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maybe at some time I'll pit Jean Louis first two albums against Art Zoyd's first two. It's ether that or an Art Zoyd and Magma tag-team battle against Spock's Beard and Frost. ;) |
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Triceratopsoil
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 03 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 17995 |
Posted: April 22 2011 at 15:18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You keep making these Art Zoyd polls, and they remain one of my favourite bands so I keep voting the same thing
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32601 |
Posted: April 22 2011 at 15:13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I recently did an Art Zoyd and Asia poll that was pretty much a wash-out in terms of discussion, and then it struck me like a lightning bolt through the brain (think my battery operated beer hat was on the fritz again) that perhaps, maybe just maybe, but probably not, Saga would have been a preferable choice to go up against the Zoyd.
Two very different bands musically -- Zoyd and Saga. Both released their first albums in the later half of the 70's and were prolific and venerated (at least by some) for the work in the 80's and both have contined to release albums until today. Both certainly adapted to the 80's with music but in different ways. There's an interesting similarity to album names: Generation Sans Futur and Generation 13; Phase IV and Phase One; Marathonerres and Marathon (it's almost freakish, like two sides of the same pandimensional coin) Various album covers have similar aesthetics to me, such as Le Mariage and Full Circle; the Pleasure and the Pain and Les Champs des Larmes.
Please mention favourite albums and or pieces of music. You don't have to compare them or know both and I'll have to edit this post as soon as I post it to remove the code that will apper under the albums as soon as I post this. Edited by Logan - April 22 2011 at 15:36 |
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