2014 Picks - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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HolyMoly

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 09:33

dem rejection feels

My other avatar is a Porsche

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased.

-Kehlog Albran

Guldbamsen View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 10:01

“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

HolyMoly

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 10:08

RUN AWAY!

We just showed my daughter that movie a couple of weeks ago. LOL

My other avatar is a Porsche

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased.

-Kehlog Albran

Guldbamsen View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 10:20

That's what I call parenting Approve

I remember watching it when I was about 10. The knights of NI made me laugh uncontrollably for about an hour. I laughed so hard I cried. Since then NI has been part of my vocabulary. I even have a NI gear in terms of drinking. It's when I've had far too much of *insert alcoholic beverage* tumbling around like some deranged gibbon yelling NI, ie the stage I can't remember the following morning - THAT is the NI gear.

“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

Polymorphia View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 10:43

HolyMoly wrote:

Syd Arthur won me over with their live set (opening for Yes), but I've had a harder time with their albums. It has nothing to do with the performances or the compositions, either. It's just a weird feeling I get from the way they mix the vocals, I'm not sure how to explain it.. It's weird, but it's distracting enough that I have had a hard time enjoying the albums because of it. Sucks because I love the band otherwise. I get a similar feeling from ELO's 2nd thru 4th albums. Give me time, I guess, I dunno, maybe I'm just nutso.

That's kinda how I feel about them. The vocals really aren't bad and, like David said, they certainly aren't what you'd normally hear in most prog, but I think it might have something to do with the mix. The vocals just feel very much like "recorded" vocals. The reverb is part of it. It sounds a bit unnatural and takes a bit of the "human-ness" away from it while the vocals don't necessarily seem to aim for inhuman qualities. The vocals are also very poppy (a more recent kind of poppy; see Laura Mvula), which I can dig, but with the wrong production, those vocalists can seem like their humanity is hiding behind their melodies and not projected through them. If that makes sense.

Edited by Polymorphia - October 30 2014 at 10:44

My Music

Guldbamsen View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 12:37

Hey Tony

If you liked that Camera track then check out this live clip of them. It's shot at some train station in Berlin with the type of crowd I usually hang out with, merry jolly people dancing around the band with great exuberance and probably a fair bit of brewskis in their tummies. It's from 2011 and very raw. No real drum kit but the motorik groove is still there.

Makes me think back to when I lived in Copenhagen Heart

“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

Polymorphia View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 15:18

^Drumming is groovy either way. These guys have a no nonsense punk ferocity about them.

My Music

aapatsos

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Posted: October 30 2014 at 16:16

sleeper wrote:

I was really disappointed in For the Journey. I'm just left with the feeling that musically the band are a little tired now, this certainly doesn't come close to matching albums like Clone and Wounded Land.

Aye, too much of the same, not a bad album per se - The Box stands out but the rest are a bit of a copy/paste exercise

Opeth has of course made it in my list, great comeback

Edited by aapatsos - October 30 2014 at 16:17

Sagichim

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Posted: October 31 2014 at 03:48

This year I focused mainly on 70's albums so I can't say I actually have a list of 2014 favorites.

But the past few days I've given the new Happy Family a few spins and I must say it's getting better every time.
It seems their Zehul influences are all gone and the album has a much more fusion feel to it, plus it's fairly heavy. The material and playing is even more complex than before so you have to be in that mood to fully appreciate, but still this is one hell of a comeback!! Definitely recommended to all of you who enjoy heavy and complex prog with fusion tendencies.

Guldbamsen View Drop Down

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Posted: October 31 2014 at 04:05

Duly noted Approve

“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

musitron

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 14:27

My list - Cosmograf, IQ, Anathema, Archive, Tim Bowness, Opeth, Pineapple Thief, Huis, Lunatic Soul. Enjoy!

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

Dark Side Radio - Best new Prog 2015 mixed with good old stuff. - www.live365.com/stations/young_gun

Raff

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 16:49

This year I haven't been as active on the music listening front as I was in the past three years (when I wrote reviews almost non-stop), but that doesn't mean that I haven't found anything to appreciate in 2014. Just off the top of my head, here's some of my favourites:

Ut Gret - Ancestor's Tale
Moraine - Groundswell
Accordo dei Contrari - AdC
Seven Impale - City of the Sun
Djam Karet - Regenerator 3017
Spoke of Shadows - s/t
Susan Clynes - Life Is...
Necromonkey - A Glimpse of Possible Endings
Matt Stevens - Lucid
Deluge Grander - Heliotians
Nodo Gordiano - Nous
Dean Watson - Fantasizer

richardh

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 17:16

^Heliotians is a really good album, Dan Britton's other band Birds and Buildings is also well worth checking out

I think the eclectic Corvus Stone II will probably end up being my favourite album of the year.

Randone - Ultreia is also a very decent RPI release that deserves a mention.

Slightly disappointed with Anathema's Distant Satellites album although its 'listenable'.Lots of 3-4 star releases in the year.

Raff

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 17:18

richardh wrote:

^Heliotians is a really good album, Dan Britton's other band Birds and Buildings is also well worth checking out

I think the eclectic Corvus Stone II will probably end up being my favourite album of the year.

Randone - Ultreia is also a very decent RPI release that deserves a mention.

Slightly disappointed with Anathema's Distant Satellites album although its 'listenable'.Lots of 3-4 star releases in the year.

Yes, the Birds and Buildings album released last year was undoubtedly one of the top albums of 2013. Haven't heard the Randone album yet, but I'd like to. I agree with you on Anathema's album being disappointing - I found it quite soporific.

richardh

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 17:23

Raff wrote:

richardh wrote:

^Heliotians is a really good album, Dan Britton's other band Birds and Buildings is also well worth checking out

I think the eclectic Corvus Stone II will probably end up being my favourite album of the year.

Randone - Ultreia is also a very decent RPI release that deserves a mention.

Slightly disappointed with Anathema's Distant Satellites album although its 'listenable'.Lots of 3-4 star releases in the year.

I did like Weather Systems and the Steven Wilson produced Were Here Because Were Here but it seems they have just hammered the formula a little too much.

I reckon you will like that Randone album quite a lot.

Nogbad_The_Bad View Drop Down

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 18:26

Raff, you haven't heard the Knifeworld yet?

Ian

Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com

https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/

Raff

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Posted: November 03 2014 at 18:28

Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

Raff, you haven't heard the Knifeworld yet?

Yes, I have, but I forgot about it because I didn't get to review it or recommend it Embarrassed

! Great album indeed!

progbethyname View Drop Down

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Posted: November 05 2014 at 17:58

Guys, Tim Bowness's ABANDONED DANCEHALL DREAMS is worth a serious listen. It's getting consideration for a top ten slot for me now. :)

I have to say 2014 has been surprisingly good and at least for 2015 I will have ARENA's THE UNQUIET SKY.
That will be at the top for sure. But for now, I am eagerly awaiting a listen to that Latest Floyd release.
I'm all ears....waiting.

Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣

musitron

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Posted: November 05 2014 at 20:51

Tim Bowness's ABANDONED DANCEHALL DREAMS is on my top 10 as well.

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

Dark Side Radio - Best new Prog 2015 mixed with good old stuff. - www.live365.com/stations/young_gun

Kati

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Posted: November 05 2014 at 21:33

P.A.WN. would be one of my top picks for this year!

I mentioned and described them previously on here: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=100003&KW=p%2Ea%2Ew%2En&PID=5063689#5063689

More hugs to you all