2014 Picks

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   I didn't listen to a lot of 2014 stuff. But I can choose 2 albums so far:
Swans - To Be Kind. I became a Swans' fan about a year ago and I began with The Seer. I gotta admit that it was pretty difficult to find they enjoyable at first. But after some listennings I discovered the sense and beauty of their music and since then I love them. It isn't pure prog, I agree. I think it is so far the only "no so prog" band I love so much that they are one of my most fav artists. I read an information about the release of To Be Kind in my birthday and that was really nice  I listened to it a lot of times and I think it is their best piece ever recorded. Yesterday I was not sure about that but now I am. Maybe it is not so dark as The Seer is but more electronic. However, it is not the problem in that case. Gira did a great job and it is incredible that they released two 2-hours f**cking awesome albums in 4 years. I hope for the next one in 2016 that will make my head blow up next time. 

Univers Zero -Phosphorescent Dream. I fortunately visited the UZ site in the day they wrote about the new release and it was hard to wait about 4 months for that (as I remember the date of release was delayed, unfortunately). I think it is the beginning of the new era of UZ. First, they resigned from Cuneiform Records. I know it is a great company that has a lot of avantprog musicians but their music is rather difficult to find. Maybe not in US where you have Wayside and it is not a problem to buy there music. Buy in Europe it may be a bigger problem (for example with shipping). It is also almost impossible to find their music on Youtube, besides those experts published by Cuneiform. I don't say it is wrong policy. But I think that UZ is going to make their music more available since they went with Arcangelo and published the new album on Spotify and Deezer. The album is very nice. It is not the same UZ as the other pieces but sounds very very good. Nice RIO, more electronic, less atonal but it doesn't mean it is worse or "less RIO". It is just different but still well made. I hope we will be able to hear more new UZ's music soon. 

Yesteday I listened to Atomic Ape debut since Ian (as I remember) posted some information about that on RIO appreciation thread I've been looking at for a few days. I think it is really nice but I listened to this only once so I can't say more today. Also I try to change my mind about IQ's album. I think it is not so bad but I still can't enjoy it as a lot of PA's members do. But I'll give it a few more chances and we will see. 

Oh and 2014 remaster of Power and Glory is OK (I bought today )... but it is not counted, I think.

But if have are here to discuss 2014 stuff I ask you to recommend me some of them. Mainly RIO, Zeuhl interests me but you can give me some music from another subgenres, but not a lot of neo-prog which I don't enjoy so much