Late Bloomers/Second Wind
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=105925
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Topic: Late Bloomers/Second Wind
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Subject: Late Bloomers/Second Wind
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 10:59
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I rarely dig new releases from the old dinosaurs. About 90% of what I hear old bands turn out can be reduced to 2 things for me: sonic tiredness prolonged to keep the wheels go round and a general unimaginative approach to making music. There are however exceptions out there. I've recently been bowled over by German Krautrockers Electric Orange's Vol 10 - their tenth studio effort. They've honestly never sounded better. In fact, I rank this release as their absolute finest inside their 25 year long career. Franco Battiato also made one hell of a comeback album with 2014's Joe Patti's Experimental Group - a release that rivals his best 70s work, which is quite a statement coming from this diehard fan. I sure as hell wasn't optimistic when I first popped it on my stereo. Then there are those rare bands that somehow never get stale. They keep pushing the limits and evolving their sound. Here I'm specifically thinking of two Norwegian bands - Ulver and Motorpsycho respectively. Both acts seem right on the edge of "hip" and "cool" to the young music fans out there - kids that probably were in their diapers, or momma's internal handbag, around the time they started out. Yet whenever either of these bands release something new, you'll see countless of teens from around the world write grammatically challenged odes. Now I'm not that interested in seeing this thread turn into members merely posting lists of bands that fit the criteria, but infinitely more enthralled by a possible discussion on the subject. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Replies:
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 11:08
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you might like "Düülirium" by Amon Düül 2. it has all the qualities of the old Amon Düül 2 - quirkiness and long improvisations. I had not believed the Düüls still had it in them, but this is one of my favorite albums of them -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 11:13
If you take Ulver and Motorpycho as examples you could speculate that this has something to do with the musicians keeping themselves fresh by continually collaborating with new people, either in the band context or outside of it. I think AKA Moon would be another instance of this. It probably helps for such a collaborative approach if you've got a flourishing local scene that is full of people with similar (or nicely contrasting) musical interests, providing a ready source of musical bedmates. Norway seems to have that in spades! |
Guldbamsen wrote:Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 15:58
Yeah I felt the same when I first purchased this, but my interest has since then waned somewhat. Still a good album though considering most of the band members are close to a hundred. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 16:03
You might be onto something there Simon. Norway, in particular, has seen a multitude of new progressive bands during the last 15 years or so - many of whom do a little gang-banging outside of their respective groups. It also helps being open to new frontiers - new venues of sound. Ulver fx started out as a black metal band for then to embrace folk, post rock, ambient, electronic/IDM and now with their latest something akin to Krautrock - Ulver-style that is. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 16:17
I think Jaga Jazzist should be added to the equation  -------------  
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 16:36
I'd say Dream Theater fits the bill with their latest. After all of their years and all of their albums, they have arrived with a double concept album created for music theater. And despite all of the naysayers, I know I am right, because every long-term fan that I know seems to hate the new album because it is apparently not what they want from their Dream Theater album. Now take that in your daddy prog pipe and smoke it.  ------------- 
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 16:39
  ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 17:35
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Pendragon. I prefer their last three albums over their first seven. ------------- -- Frank Swarbrick Belief is not Truth. |
Posted By: Pastmaster
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 19:41
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^Same, although I don't like their latest. For me, I don't truly enjoy any King Crimson albums other than ConstrucKtion of Light and Power to Believe.
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Posted By: Replayer
Date Posted: February 20 2016 at 22:17
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I was pleasantly surprised by Jean-Michel Jarre's 2015 album Electronica 1: The Time Machine. While there were certain tracks I disliked, I enjoyed the bulk of the album. As was mentioned earlier, collaborations seemed to have helped getting the creative juices flowing. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 21 2016 at 04:59
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^Funny you should mention that. You are the first person I've seen talk of this album in a positive manner. I've mostly heard folks complaining about it being too...erm...plasticy and anodyne. A friend of mine even got mad at it ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 21 2016 at 07:22
well GAWD damn... that sounds like an album I might like.. wait.. *slams head into table* ok... better now. I'm sure it still sucks.. even if it is different ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: February 21 2016 at 14:47
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I agree Bamsen about being disappointed by far with most older band's new releases, 90% would probably be close. YES is a good example but there's lots. CIRCLE's new one blew me away, a fresh sound from a band who's released something like 30 albums(approx.). I'm about to review KOMARA's debut and will mention that this could have been what KING CRIMSON's latest sounded like. Of course Pat on drums for both bands is the connection. That Bruford quote about "when you want to hear what music is going to sound like in the future, you put on a King Crimson album" sure didn't hold true for their latest but KOMARA showed what could have been. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: February 21 2016 at 20:19
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I've always preferred new material from older artists. To me the old veterans are more hungry to take things to new places because they've already tread so much ground. I'd suggest Henry Kaiser as older fellow still pouring out fresh stuff; from tortured avant guitar on Lake Monsters (with Sandy Ewen) to histrionic leads alongside classical keyboards on Ultraviolet Licorice (with Bob Bralove) to the Rock and Jazz intermingling on The Celestial Squid (with Ray Russell) to the Prog candy of Invisible Rays (with Morgen Ågren and Trey Gunn) to the dual randomly timed delay trick he uses on Requia and Other Improvisations for Guitar Solo making him sound like more than one person playing. He improvises everything, so it never sounds stale. I'm not sure what hip is nowadays, but I'd say he dabbles in hip with his use of bit crusher type distortion he uses on the track, March of the Wind Potatoes, off Ultraviolet Licorice (a wee bit to my chagrin, since I don't really care for bit crushers, but what the hey). ------------- A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now) |
Posted By: Prog Sothoth
Date Posted: February 21 2016 at 20:52
| When the SWANS went on an indefinite hiatus, after awhile it seemed to me like they were permanent history, but not only did they eventually reform, but came back with a monstrous vengeance. Hell, they returned with such force that even PA couldn't deny their presence here any longer. Personally I'm partial to their 83-87 stuff due to nostalgia plus it being pretty nuts in retrospect, but their new releases are damn cool, and there are plenty of new fans that seem more down with The Seer & To Be Kind than their 80's era. |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: February 22 2016 at 09:35
| Swans best stuff is their latest stuff. I would argue that Black Sabbath's 13 and IQ's Road of Bones in a way, both qualify. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 22 2016 at 09:40
I totally agree on Swans and I can't believe I forgot about them Currently spinning To Be Kind and digging the hell out of it. Must've been a year since I last heard it.------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: February 22 2016 at 09:45
That was such a great review John The best "King Crimson album" since Power to Believe imo. I really dig what that trumpet brings to the table! I think I'll spin it later today for my workout. Pat's drumming is perfect for a little dumbbell action. Circle also fits the bill but it took Pharaoh Overlord for me to realise that. I haven't heard anything new from them in a long while. They must've made 10 albums while I was away. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: February 23 2016 at 09:58
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Hi,
As much as I like this band, and will forever love them, this album is nice ... but seriously sad. It is a tired album, and the one thing one gets from them, is something like this ... we can improvise, and do what you/we want and it will be good ... and in this case it wasn't that good, because it was not focused ... everyone doing what they want ... they stop at one take (or two ... whatever) and figured that it was enough ... which kinda tells you that they lost the "source', and that they figured that anything was better than nothing ... or ... I'm tired of this and want to go do something else. I found that sad. If that was not the case, then the bad, no longer had a "feeling" for something that happened then, and is long gone ... the romantic side of it all is far gone ... and if anything ... this just brings up what they had already specified before ... in "Apocaliptyc Bore" ... and that was that. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: February 23 2016 at 10:17
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Hi, If there is a single band, that is still doing some experimental stuff and doing it right, and well, it would be DJAM KARET ... and "The Trip" is fantaboulous and stands out ... it takes its time to develop and to get done, and this is something that band knows how to do, and over 30 years later ... is still doing it. I have not located many bands out there, that can do this kind of thing ... well ... and beautifully so. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Wanorak
Date Posted: March 04 2016 at 18:33
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I think IQ and Galahad are perfect examples. Both groups have become much stronger. ------------- A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!! |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: March 04 2016 at 19:12
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Big Big Train was around for like a hundred years before they started making good albums. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Intruder
Date Posted: March 10 2016 at 12:31
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I thought Peter Gabriel's New Blood albums and tour were fantastic.....breathing life into old classics by reimagining them. Of course, at the shows people were filing out after the first few numbers 'cause they knew Peter hadn't brought the Sledgehammer video with him. This is the fly in the ointment for older artists....if they don't produce a replica of their hit records, then the old fan base dwindles and those who'd have been introduced to their music via radio or video won't hear/see 'cause the album sinks into obscurity so fast. ------------- I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there..... |
Posted By: King Only
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 12:08
I agree, I love that album and the Live Blood album.. Scratch My Back was good too. Peter's vocals still sound amazing. So much emotion in his voice. And I love the orchestral arrangements. Great to see people in their sixties still making an effort to make real music instead of just going through the motions.
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Posted By: King Only
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 12:18
| Richard Pinhas started in the seventies (with Heldon) but in my opinion he has released some of his best work in the last decade. Beautiful ambient guitar noise that scrubs your brain clean. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 12:33
Oh..at least a hundred years.... ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Michael P. Dawson
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 12:54
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I'd give Van der Graaf Generator credit for a major second wind. Their comeback was really tentative at first--Present had a couple of great songs and a whole lot of what can best be described as dicking around. But since then they've gotten the old fire back, even with the sad departure of Jaxon, and have been putting out some ripping stuff. Looking forward to their new one. ------------- Buy this thing! https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson" rel="nofollow - https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 13:31
Fixed that for ya  I even prefer them to The Watch. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 13:36
I prefer ALT to anything else they've done since their reformation, but I gather I'm on my own there ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 13:41
I have one of his collabs with Merzbow entitled Rhizome and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Great fizzy sodapop like music with a strong whiff of ambient gone violent...or something to that effect. I think it's his best solo thang yet, but it's got nothing on Heldon imo. I still prefer Stand By, Agneta Nilsson, IV and Interface. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: June 16 2016 at 18:57
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If Phideaux crushes it with "Infernal", will that count? |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: June 17 2016 at 09:15
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I find Art Zoyd stunningly stubborn in evolving their sound including injecting new ideas. There are many dinosaur bands to which my reaction about a new release will be "not interested", but I'm as curious and excited about any new Art Zoyd album/project as ever. It may help that they developed a distinctly "contemporary experimental music" identity rather than "rock music". This probably fits grannie-aged musicians more naturally than rock, which has more of a youth feeling to it and may fade more easily. It also gives them lots of musical space to explore. To some extent both Düülirium and VDGG's Alt go in this direction. Düülirium is interesting in this respect because I agree with both the opinions that this is fresh and enjoyable, but also that they could have tried harder; they didn't put much into the album and it shows. It therefore doesn't feel to me like a second bloom, rather like a one-off fun thing to do. Alt also has something youthful to it, but wouldn't necessarily suggest that this is a direction they want to explore further. It's different from Düülirium in the sense that VDGG still seem to be continuously creative and active, whereas Düülirium seems casual. |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: June 17 2016 at 09:47
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Radiohead's new one, A Moon Shaped Pool. I have listened to it more than a dozen times already, partly because I am hooked and partly to make sure I am not overestimating how good it is. But it is, unbelievably good. While I sort of liked Hail to the Thief/In Rainbows, I hoped for something more substantial and Radiohead have delivered that with this album.
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