I just streamed this album and thought it was excellent! The eclectic mix of instrumentation along with H's voice singing/narrating makes this a very intriguing result. On my purchase list it goes.
Yes, very different from Courting the widow album. Easier to find the ´hooks' and immerse yourself into it. Sound production reminds the last Hackett album. 3.5 stars
Typical Aeryon album. Heavier than the last effort. A good mix of metal, heavy, prog, eccletic and space rock. I would suggest to listen to the dvd material first as it is providing helpful insights on The making of this album. Arjen Lucassen made it again. As for the emotional vocals, it comes standard with Aeryon. Do remember it is a rock opera... Different characters, differents feelings and emotions.
So far this years crop in prog has been very good. On top of what others have already posted: Hawkwind - Into the woods ***1/2 The Watch - Seven ***3/4 Jethro Tull - Songs from the wood ***** Nemrud-Nemrud ***1/2 Anathema - The Optimist **** Can't wait for the new Can singles album to be delivered...
Aaaaaaaagh! I just found this thread. Of the albums mentioned above, I only have "The Optimist" by Ana_thema, which is very good. Just when I thought I could cut back on the spending on music (daughter going to university soon) - currently listening to Big Big Train (not heard of them before) - they're another artist selling through Burning Shed (I really ought to have shares in that site given the amount of money I have spent there over the years).
There's another new Big Big Train coming out in June - The Second Brightest Star, a companion piece to the Grimspound album, which of course was a companion piece to Folklore....... Also features some extended pieces from those two albums.
Have not gotten into BBT yet, I may.....Just received my red vinyl set of Anathema~The Optimist, very good on first spin, needs more for it to fully soak in. Also Edensong has been getting some time with me. Looking forward to the new Steven Wilson arriving and also the reissue of Marillion~Misplaced Childhood.
@Calling All Stations, Dear Humter intrigue me, I, like a few more around here, am attempting to cut back on music buying (money and in the case of LPs*, no room. So can you give some info please. @Rodney Toady, @calgary669, @micksmuse, @PJayBe you all will be happy with this; Big Big Train to release new album later this week and this; The Second Brightest Star A new album this week! That came out of the blue! I`ve ordered the CD&LP, another empty wallet week! * Big Big Train, along with The Beatles, Dylan, Neil Young & The Waterboys are among the few who I will continue to buy any new LP releases.
Curious to hear why not. I've already purchased the hardbound CD version, but I've yet to crack it open.
It is also amazing how productive this band is. This is their 5th output since a year (3 studio albums, 1 live, 1 dvd). Great musicianship!
Kaprekar's Constant are a fairly new British prog band, who because of the fact that they go with "proper" story style songs and have a touch of the English pastorals about them are often compared to Big Big Train. Whilst passengers may enjoy them, I don't yet feel they're that good, but the debut album Fate Oustmarts Desire on Uranium Club is worth a listen. VERY fancy limited boxset through Bandacmp (6 left apparently). Fate Outsmarts Desire, by Kaprekar's Constant
so far... 1. Ayreon. I love this album. I bought it on HDTracks and then decided I had to have the 5.1 too. 2. Hackett. His last four albums have all been great, this might be the best. 3. Anathema. I like the Optimist, but the first half seems much better than the second half. Not as good as any of the previous three.
Best prog (ish) albums this year for me so far: 5) Steve Hackett - The Night Siren - excellent, diverse collection 4) Mostly Autumn - Sight of the day (2-disc version) - great songs - though worth it just for the 14+ title track on its own! 3) Big Big Train - Grimspound almost matches The Underfall Yard and English Electric 1) 2) Mike Oldfield - Return to Ommadawn - reall surprised just how good this is. 1) Anathema - The Optimist (I'm a bit of a fan boy of theirs since We're here because we're here) Haven't played Big Big train's The Second Brightest Star enough - but really enjoying it so far Looking forward to Steven Wilson's new one next month. Best reissue the simply wonderful 40th anniversary of Tull's Songs from the Woods.
So much newer prog to me sounds completely derivative and not at all 'progressive'. I've had a really hard time finding anything that actually sounds new and interesting.
There haven’t really been too many interesting prog releases this year. I do love Mike Oldfield’s Return to Ommadawn and I quite enjoyed Anathema’s The Optimist. Steven Wilson’s new album is of high interest to me despite whatever reservations I expressed on here. People talk about Big Big Train all the time, but I just haven’t been able to get into them. What’s so special about them? What am I missing?
That’s the problem with newer progressive music in general. All of the bands and solo artists that have made their name in prog music have passed away, retired, or only doing reunion concerts/benefits and aren’t making any new music. I am really thrilled, however, that King Crimson are still going strong.
If you don't like them, then you're missing nothing. To some poeple they're special, to others they're not. I'm in the former category but wouldn't dream of telling you what you should like.
Why are we calling Steven Wilson's new album "prog"? I think we've heard enough to know that he's trying something else this time -- namely 80's pop. Surely its the music that counts, not the artist. One shouldn't judge a book by its cover...