THE RAVEN THAT REFUSED TO SING (AND OTHER STORIES)

I really tried to listen to this with a positive starting point. I've heard so much good things about this album.. but i really can't understand what the fuzz is about. There are good parts, and the actual sound is good - even though it does sound too sterile and modern in my opinion. It doesn't really help though, since the compositions and melodies are rather mediocre. Sure, the playing is very good - technical and so on, but take for instance the drums: just the sound it so sterile and soulless that it basically could be a drum machine. There's no signature sound, it just sounds like all other technically good drummers these days.. For me this goes for every element of the record. Take the mellotron; it sounds like a cheap and bad sample - all in perfect pitch, which for me takes away the magic of the instrument. The positive thing about the vocals, is that the English pronunciation is good (dah), and that it doesn't have the embarrassing blues heavyness many of these modern prog groups have. Also i like that it's not super positive, like The Flower Kings and so on, which often makes me wanna vomit in my mouth. That being said, this is all rather sad and almost emo, without any light and shade, just shade.

To me this sounds like Kenny G goes prog (with reference to that annoying soprano sax all over the place).