IQ and Martin Orford
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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=99113
Printed Date: April 25 2024 at 19:36
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Topic: IQ and Martin Orford
Posted By: Gerinski
Subject: IQ and Martin Orford
Date Posted: July 28 2014 at 16:54
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I do not have The Road of Bones yet (one more in the long wishlist) but according to the reviews it's a very good album retaining the IQ personality. I had always taken the great Martin Orford to be a key soul member of the band's style and composition, but Frequency was a great album and now they seem to have made it again with Road of Bones. Was perhaps Orford not such a key element after all in IQ's trademark style of music? were perhaps Peter Nicholls and Mike Holmes the real makers of the IQ style and sound?
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Replies:
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: July 28 2014 at 17:05
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I think Martin had some input on Frequency even though he was no longer with the band at the recording sessions. I think Martin mentioned in an interview here that he had a hand in some of the writing. And I'm sure that Mike and Peter have always made significant writing contributions as well, so there is two thirds of the core writing team still there. That said, I know Frequency is highly rated around here, but to me, while I still enjoy it, it's a step down from Dark Matter and the albums that came before (Seventh House remains my favorite). Something felt like it was missing a bit. Road of Bones is on my shelf at home waiting for a listen. I'll be able to say more once I hear that one. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: ScorchedFirth
Date Posted: July 28 2014 at 18:50
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I think it helps that those who came after him, Mark Westworth and now
Neil Durant, clearly studied his style and were so influenced by him. I
mean, it's obviously not identical, but you can sort of still feel his
presence in the music I think. Easier going once someone has blazed the
trail already I guess, although that's not to take anything away from
the skills of Mark and Neil though, I should say, who both made
excellent contributions to Frequency and Road of Bones.
------------- breathing, eating, defecating, screwing, drinking, spewing, sleeping... 
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: July 29 2014 at 00:37
| Mike Holmes and Martin Orford were the joint architects of the IQ sound and style. As said before this is so well established that Westworth and Durrant only needed to continue on with it. Nothing radical has changed with The Road Of Bones although I'm not convinced that it quite deserves its current exalted status.Some of the material is a little bit tired perhaps. Frequency was a wonderful album though and one of their very best imo. |
Posted By: Roland113
Date Posted: August 04 2014 at 11:21
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To me, the bulk of work from all three keyboard players sounds very similar, so yeah, you can easily hear Martin Orford's influence on Mark Wentworth and Neil Durant. I will say this, in listening to "The Road of Bones" I am really liking the nuances that Durant is adding. In my mind, he adds just a little flair of the exotic in terms of previous IQ work. I'm not saying that either of the two predecessors are bad, Orford obviously pioneered the sound and Wentworth continued on with it but, so far, I'm liking Durant's work. I do reserve the right to change my mind at a later date though, I'm really only familiar with two songs on the new album, I'm working my way through the rest of the album. ------------- -------someone please tell him to delete this line, he looks like a noob------- I don't have an unnatural obsession with Disney Princesses, I have a fourteen year old daughter and coping mechanisms. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: August 06 2014 at 12:13
I personally think that Frequency was a very good album but a definite step down from Dark Matter. I know Martin did write some of the material on it. The Road of Bones has improved with every listen and is up there with their best now. No doubt in my mind that both keyboard players listened to Martin's style and played in similar (but not exactly the same) style. |
richardh wrote:Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: August 06 2014 at 15:32
Love the opening track on Dark Matter ( Sacred Sound) but the rest is just okay to me. Frequency has a 'tension' to the music that I look for in neo prog. Dark Matter is okay but works better in live performance as evidenced on the bonus DVD for Frequency (okay it does have the brilliant Andy Edwards which is another reason I love Frequency) Funny that my opinion of the album hasn't changed for 10 years since I posted my review http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=30168" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=30168 |