Collaborators Top Prog Rock Albums 2009

rushfan4 wrote: Padraic wrote: rushfan4 wrote: so it would be kind of like being able to vote for the King Crimson remastered releases as the top album of 2009.  So what you're saying is that there has to be some time limit on when material can be recorded after it's been composed. Pretty much, especially since a version of the music was already previously in existence.

OK, well I respect your opinion despite complete disagreement.

Raff wrote:

Logan wrote: stonebeard wrote: It's not like I voted for what would be the top albums of the year when I was a collab, but if I were to make an exclusively prog list, only Crack the Skye would make it. Maybe in a good mood The Hazards of Love. E-Re was spectacularly routine and boring. I can't expect much else from Magma playing the same Magma music Magma always does. But then again, this year was horrifically disappointing for the prog music I like. I seriously laugh when I see Porcupine Tree on this list at all, thought it's predictable they'd be here, given Wilson could poop out anything and people'd love it (re: Insurgentes) (re:re: this was me before 2009). Magma was spectacularly routine, with an emphasis, I'd say, on spectacular. You've never liked any Magma, have you?

I like MDK. Other songs here and there. Thing is, their style bounces around a bit, but it's so mind-bogglingly niche that I can't put up with more than one album in like...months. MDK has the most interesting melodies without being too off-putting. Most everything else I find unnecessary and it doesn't even factor in.

Windhawk wrote: After having given that latest Magma album enough spins for me to write about it a while ago, I failed to get the magic there. Bog standard repetitive fusion with Wagnerian overtones so strong that I was tempted to stretch out my right hand in a signature pose, the one and only element that was truly amazing on that album was the performance. Nothing new, nothing original, okayish compositions utterly devoid of any emotion whatsoever. But  perfectionist and clinical in performance, I readily admit that. Vander in particular may be among the best drummers in the business.

Change the word fusion with metal and Magma with Dream Theater and you may just have Pablo's review of the Black Skies and Silver Linings.

Finnforest wrote: I just want to say a great big THANK YOU to Rico for his efforts in putting this together.

Seconded.

stonebeard wrote: Logan wrote: stonebeard wrote: It's not like I voted for what would be the top albums of the year when I was a collab, but if I were to make an exclusively prog list, only Crack the Skye would make it. Maybe in a good mood The Hazards of Love. E-Re was spectacularly routine and boring. I can't expect much else from Magma playing the same Magma music Magma always does. But then again, this year was horrifically disappointing for the prog music I like. I seriously laugh when I see Porcupine Tree on this list at all, thought it's predictable they'd be here, given Wilson could poop out anything and people'd love it (re: Insurgentes) (re:re: this was me before 2009). Magma was spectacularly routine, with an emphasis, I'd say, on spectacular. You've never liked any Magma, have you? I like MDK. Other songs here and there. Thing is, their style bounces around a bit, but it's so mind-bogglingly niche that I can't put up with more than one album in like...months. MDK has the most interesting melodies without being too off-putting. Most everything else I find unnecessary and it doesn't even factor in.

MDK is, of course, generally considered to be Magma's masterpiece.  While it was that studio album that got me into Magma, I much prefer the Retrospektiw 1-2 version (and other live versions).  My favourite studio album is the début, Kobaia, which is more jazz-fusion.  I do think that Magma is recycling material too much thsese days, in a way (and, yeah, there is quite a sameness with various classic era works), but I just love E-Re, it has everything that entranced me about Magma when I got into it and more.   And while it borrows old themes, it develops, expands and plays with them in such a way to create a very familiar album, but still different enough from any other Magma album to create music that is really satisfying for me.  It was actually quite different than what I was expecting (I thought they'd be bringing in some different compositions that they've been playing live of late - "Felicite Thosz", "Kmx" etc.).

And a note to earlier comments, it's not all rehashed material though it does, of course, borrow themes.

That said, I can totally understand someone being disappointed with the choice for progressive reasons or for being dull and repetitive (goes on too long in part for me without enough variation).  But I find it joyous and sublime in parts... The smile I get whenever I mishear "He's got to love that knee... Oh that knee" is priceless.  Gets an extra star from me just for that.

Yeah, the misheard lyrics aspect was one of the first things that kept me listening to Magma.  I mean, I still hear "Z's spooking them, Z smoked with them...etc." while listening to MDK. 

rushfan4 wrote: The sad thing in my mind is that if my readings of the forum are correct, they actually performed this music live in the 70's and even have a live recording of it from then, but it wasn't actually released as a studio release until 2009, so it would be kind of like being able to vote for the King Crimson remastered releases as the top album of 2009.

Part of the material was written a long time ago, but not all - I've heard E-Re two times live and none of the versions were as developed as the final, studio version.

Anyway, the fact that part of the material was published previously does not make the case of E-Re similar to that of a remastered reissue, at all. What makes music a form of art is not the "what" but the "how", just like in any other of the arts, be it painting, literature, theatre, etc. The "how" on this album is new and fresh - actually both of Magma's studio albums from the 00s sound very little like the band used to sound in the 70s. BTW, if you ever want to check out Magma, I strongly suggest you try K.A, the previous album, then E-Re; I don't think you'd like their 70s music, but those albums have a very strong symphonic and fusion component, with a powerful modern sound, and with a less avantgardistic approach.

The Quiet One wrote: rushfan4 wrote: Windhawk wrote: After having given that latest Magma album enough spins for me to write about it a while ago, I failed to get the magic there. Bog standard repetitive fusion with Wagnerian overtones so strong that I was tempted to stretch out my right hand in a signature pose, the one and only element that was truly amazing on that album was the performance. Nothing new, nothing original, okayish compositions utterly devoid of any emotion whatsoever. But  perfectionist and clinical in performance, I readily admit that. Vander in particular may be among the best drummers in the business. Change the word fusion with metal and Magma with Dream Theater and you may just have Pablo's review of the Black Skies and Silver Linings.    You're right!

Hehe, Dream Theater is another band with strong tendencies to be clinical, precise and unemotional indeed, and their compositions does leave a bit to be desired at times as well - although DT tends to go for instrumental w**kery rather than endless repetitions *chuckles*