2014 Picks

Interesting, uhm speaking of 4 or 5 star reviews, Guldbamsen have you considered the fact that some P.A. Collabs only review albums that they really like and are up their alley in terms of music choice? The fact is this is an amateur site with people who actually have a great insight in many different genres of prog. Dismissing wonderful funny most insightful and articulate reviews by a collab especially (the love of a band by a newcomer fan also should not be disregarded btw) is the best thing about this site. I have no problem with low scoring reviews, in fact Gerinsky gave a 2 star rating review to my dearest favorite band in 2012, his review I cannot fault it because he clearly showed that he heard the whole album (hated it btw) this is doesn't matter but the fact he made an effort to listen, this was so clear he described the whole album, no running away from that. I love him qa lot and respect him so much as a reviewer even if our moozik taste is so far apart.

This said, you speak of collabs giving bands high ratings, I rather point out that some your collabs (not all and my buddy Gereinsky is brilliant example of a fab reviewer grrr bad taste in moozik tho' ; hihihi)  who really score bands low, the only thing they seem to mention is the band name, the rest redundant and could be related to any other band, no description as to why, all very general, lacking insight or articulate skills. Obviously some have not done their homework because what they say has nothing related to that band, i.e. one review even the only track they mentioned the name of the song title was wrong. Our tastes are very diverse and this is a good thing too, however instead of critiquing high scores by enthusiastic reviewers who one can clearly read/understand and feel how much they enjoyed an album, one should also pay attention to those who write negative and say nothing that a new listener/prospect may relate to..   

I'll take you up on your challenge, David:

Of the 101 albums currently charting on PA's Top albums of 2014 list, I have heard 56, rated/reviewed 36 and given 5 stars to three (3):

---No tengas miedo by KANT FREUD KAFKA because it is truly an exemplary work of intelligently crafted symphonic prog with amazing flow and cohesion, great instrumental performances and contributions throughout, all inspired by a modern Pandora/Persephone-Demeter myth the story of which the music is synchronized. 

---City of the Sun by SEVEN IMPALE because they have produced an amazingly deep and memorable album of multi-layered hard rocking jazz which takes the music of VDGG and DISCIPLINE farther than their 'grandfathers' (Peter Hammill & co.) and 'fathers' (Matthew Parmenter & co.) did.

---Behind the Sun by MOTORPSYCHO because they have produced an album of amazing confidence and clarity of purpose in which exemplary vocal stylings, guitar play, active drumming, melodic and harmonic mastery, composition, enthusiasm and maturity are on full display in nearly every minute of every song (which cannot be said of many 1970s Genesis albums). 

I also gave 5 star ratings to several albums which PA has not (yet) included or which have fallen below the arbitrary cutoff rating number necessary to stay on the "Top" list, including: 

ELECTRIC ORANGE's Volume 10, 

ANTOINE FAFARD's Ad Perpetuum, 

PINGVINORKESTERN's Push, 

UT GRET's Ancestor's Tale, and 

HOMÍNIDO's Estirpe Lítica. 

Of these eight (8) albums I have to admit that three or four of them I'd give 9/10 or 4.5 star ratings were they used here on PA, but I choose to err on the side of my enthusiasm out of respect and admiration for the talented, hard-working musicians who receive their inspiration from and choose to work within the 'world' of prog.

While I think the year has been absolutely drenched in wonderful releases, I do not feel comfortable in awarding any of them with the full monty. Some, however, do have the potential to reach the upper shelf, but for me that takes time. Maybe in a year, I'll be able to sing the praises of one of these albums - stamping a 5 star rating on my review, but I want to be sure and not just driven by the moment I first hear something good (like I strongly suspect a fair few reviewers tend to do).