What albums did you listen to today?

Meltdowner wrote: Steve Roach - Bloodmoon Rising (How did he record this without falling asleep ) Solaris - The Martian Chronicles (Amazing album, the hard rock guitar riffs, the incredible synth work and nice flute playing. Love it! )

Sam, I am fascinated by these sort of tracks. I wish I understood how ambient artists compose these sort of pieces, knowing when is enough, when to implement subtle variations, etc. Truth is, I wish I had the musical skills and knowledge to write and perform this sort of music myself. I should have taken it up twenty years ago, don't feel it's much use starting now.

Glad you dig `Martian Chronicles', it's an album both Sagi and I rate as simply one of THE best 80's prog albums, as good as anything from the classic Seventies period.

Gorod- A Perfect Absolution - that tech death mmm

Meltdowner wrote: Utopia - Artificial (Easily their best original release) Hoederlin - s/t (Lovely album Michael )

Yes, I think `Artificial' probably was their best release, it at least lacks the padding of the previous double disc. Hoep you enjoyed that Beatles pastiche track better than I did!

Ha, I'm actually playing that Hoelderlin album at work right now!

I think it's the `come together' bit that grates on my nerves, Sam!

You know, my mate who I went to all the Yes/T.Dream shows with and I actually saw Unitopia play live in Melbourne some years back. It was a surprise, because while there's no shortage on Aussie prog-metal bands, there's almost none that perform proper vintage symphonic prog type of stuff. We couldn't believe we were going to see a real deal "prog" band, even if they were from out own country! Anyway, we went along...and I don't think there was more than 25 people there! I said to my friend `Enjoy the show, because we'll never see them down here live again....' Sadly, there's such a small market for little prog bands like that.

Mind you, they pull a decent crowd on their live DVD, can't remember where it was filmed, somewhere in Europe I think?

^ Yeah, really good album, haven't listened to that one in a while though. Bem-vindo! 

Aussie-Byrd-Brother wrote: I think it's the `come together' bit that grates on my nerves, Sam! You know, my mate who I went to all the Yes/T.Dream shows with and I actually saw Unitopia play live in Melbourne some years back. It was a surprise, because while there's no shortage on Aussie prog-metal bands, there's almost none that perform proper vintage symphonic prog type of stuff. We couldn't believe we were going to see a real deal "prog" band, even if they were from out own country! Anyway, we went along...and I don't think there was more than 25 people there! I said to my friend `Enjoy the show, because we'll never see them down here live again....' Sadly, there's such a small market for little prog bands like that. Mind you, they pull a decent crowd on their live DVD, can't remember where it was filmed, somewhere in Europe I think?

It the same way here as well, there are not much vintage/symphonic prog bands here and they probably play one or two concerts a year for a dozen of people. Surprisingly José Cid's symphonic prog concerts were a success: he started with two concerts and played another two after those, all sold out, although many people didn't even know what he was playing . I'm glad I went to one of those 

ELP - Works Vol. 1 (First listen. Really good album, I think it's highly underated )
Klaus Schulze - Body Love
Tangerine Dream - Cyclone (I have mixed feelings about this one, I probably need to listen to this one more.)
Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra - Live on Planet Earth (Very good (avant-jazz?) album, really unpredictable and incoherent )

Meltdowner wrote: Tangerine Dream - Cyclone (I have mixed feelings about this one, I probably need to listen to this one more.)

I'm the same with this one, Sam. It's certainly a decent album, but I much prefer their albums on either side of it. I'm mot adverse to them using vocalists once in a while (I also think their 80's album `Tyger' with the female singer is rather good), but I find them a little forced here, like he's trying a bit too hard. I also think the instrumental track on the second side is kind of `by the numbers', even if it's really nice to listen to.

I know Tom Ozric and Dave Guldbamsen rate it very highly.

Two great Italian albums there, Dr Wu!

For my own listening today:

Finch - Beyond Expression
Ainur - The Lost Tales
Tangerine Dream - Rockoon, Cyclone
Ramases - Glass Top Coffin
Mongol - Doppler 444
Ayreon - The Theory of Everything
Astrolabio - L'Isolamento dei Numero Pari
Michael Brueckner - Thirteen Rites of Passage
Scott Lawlor and EugeneKha - Jupiter's Cyclone (a hugely challenging 5 (!) hour electronic/drone set, wonderful if you have the patience)

Asia Minor - Between Flesh and Divine (Sagi, this is another one of those defining 80s albums like Solaris for me, do you know this one?)

Aussie-Byrd-Brother wrote: Asia Minor - Between Flesh and Divine (Sagi, this is another one of those defining 80s albums like Solaris for me, do you know this one?)