Wobbler- Rites at Dawn

Its been a long wait, I think this album's been in the post for the last 3 weeks or so, but Rites.. has finally got to me and listening to it for the first time, I have to say its actually a disappointment. Gone are the medievel influences that added so much charecter to Afterglow and what we're left with is seemingly a Yes clone. Its not that its a bad album, its just that its definitely the worst of Wobblers three albums so far on the first listen, I just hope that it grows on me since I really like this band.

Whats the take on it from others that have heard it?

Edited by sleeper - May 11 2011 at 10:27

Yup.  Hard to disagree.  The vocals demote this band from one of the modern greats to somewhere a long way from there   When the singing stops there are moments of greatness once again, but a disappointment overall.

After three listens I'd say I'm disappointed. I thought the first time a heard the album that it was Jon Anderson on vox. Yes and Beardfish are the first two bands that come to mind. No comparison to thier first two albums.

This is really growing on me. Not what one would expect following Hinterland, but a great album in its own right. If anyone still hasn't heard it yet, Tom will be playing some tracks to night on the Gagliarchives

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Hi all (first post in about a year, I think) ...

Been anticipating Rites of Dawn for a while  ... and now that I've given it the obligatory 3 spins ... I still tend to agree with Sleeper's opening comment.

When the vocalist is silent, Rites of Dawn has some great moments (for example the awesome synth solo work towards the tail end of In Orbit, ... but it's hard not to feel a little frustrated at this new Yes-clone direction ...  Wobbler has never made a secret about its "retro" roots, but it feels like something has been lost here.

Hinterland and Afterglow had different personalities but I enjoyed both immensely. This is taking some getting-used to.

Great mellotron I will say. After a couple of more listens this sounds like Yes Mk. I(s/t and Time And A Word) and even, do I dare say it, a little bit of a Styx sound scattered in there.

I couldn't disagree with this thread more. I think the addition of the vocals has put Wobbler on a whole different level. I love the vocals in combination with the crazy eclectic prog music they are known for. It is like some crazy combination of Yes and Gentle Giant with their own sound mixed in. I really love it. Rites at Dawn is sure to place high on my year end list of best albums.

I'm quite dissappointed by Rites of Dawn, from what I've listened on the tubes. Then again, I doubt they will ever surpass their second album, a concise, well organized, though through and round masterpiece.

Hinterland is good, but goes on for way too long IMO.

Have to check it yet.

I really dont get what Wobbler is doing.
A frustrating album to listen to.. The melodies are weak, harmony vocals like Yes all over the place, and MUCH less keyboards.
They have abandoned the frantic ELP-like sound, which I liked.
The old Wobbler is completely gone, and a Yes-clone is what remains,
and they're not even close to Yes' standards.
I LOVE Yes, but I dont need Wobbler to try to sound like a bad verson of them, I just want them to sound like Wobbler.

I have listened to it maybe 30 times, but it doesn't get any better, it just gets more annoying really.
If this is their new path, I think I'll pass on their future albums.
One of this years biggest dissapointments in the Prog-world, at least for me..