If you like Beck, go with Oceana, if you like Holdsworth, go with Quantum. I prefer Quantum. While you're at it, pick up the very excellent "In This Life" - Virgil's new one.
If you like Beck, go with Oceana, if you like Holdsworth, go with Quantum. I prefer Quantum. While you're at it, pick up the very excellent "In This Life" - Virgil's new one.
If you like Quantum and Serious Insects then check out Donati's In This Life. That is just awesome! With added orchestration it adds another dimension and reveals VD compositional skills. Correct me if I m wrong, but VD was the main composer of Planet X material. At least on Quantum.
Just bought this album yesterday. Good stuff. Not quite as memorable as Sherinian's solo albums or Relocator, but pretty decent all the same. I like Hagopian's guitar tone; it's very unique.Originally Posted by arj
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
Doin' da bump (and I promise it's my last one) because this Semantic Saturation album is VERY good. It's like instrumental latter-day Enchant with Derek Sherinian popping in occasionally. The first two songs are pretty Petrucci-esque but it goes off in a different direction after that.
There are many days when I think Sherinian has got it goin' on much more than Jordan Rudess does.
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
You guys seen this?
Although I wish it was Virgil drumming - this is pretty awesome.
So do I, mostly because Portnoy's showboattyness is a little grating. But it's wicked tight stuff, although it could use a few more groove pockets and SLIGHTLY fewer stop-start runs along the fretboard.
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
No dynamics, no tunes, no Nosebone.
I downloaded the cd from EMusic and the whole album is smokin'.
Not quite - Derek produced the album, but Alessandro plays all the keys.
Another Planet X link: Brett Garsed is featured on guitar - he played on Derek's debut "Planet X", Planet X's "Quantum" and the PX tracks on Derek's more recent "Molecular Heinosity".
"the new CD by Allesandro Bertoni " Keystone
Bought it, great album!
Yane
Everything from Planet X is good or great.
Sherinian's first two solo records are very good, after those there are so many guitar dominated tracks that it's hard to believe that they're solo albums from a keyboardist. Very often those guitar oriented songs are just mediocre. Starting with the third record, there are some good songs here and there, but those albums are so much dominated by uninteresting guitars that those good tracks just disappear. Oceana is different (and with it better), but I wouldn't say that it's great.
Relocator was mentioned here - I agree with this recommendation, that's such a great album.
Also highly recommended are Alex Argento's album "Ego" and Collins/Wardingham record "Interactive" - they are in a similar style to Planet X and some of Sherinian.
It's such a shame that Planet X haven't made anything since 2007 and even more a shame that this kind of instrumental music is not made more often. Well, it is made, but often the keyboards are not done the right way.
SecondSpin had 2 of the Planet X Live From Oz discs.
I bought one.
https://www.secondspin.com/search.js...=Planet+X+Live
Massive Sherinian fan here, with Mythology probably being my favourite of all of his solo efforts, but they're all well worth a listen! It's Lukather's sublime playing on 'Going to Church' from Mythology that's probably the pinnacle for me, though. Love the Planet X stuff, too, though I will agree with Ernie (was it?) who said that it can be somewhat exhausting. That said, I was a little disappointed with Planet X's performance at NF in '04, which I was very much looking forward to at the time. Not only did DS seem to be having serious onstage sound problems, but T.J. Hemerlich (sp?) wasn't, for my money, a particularly successful replacement for Tony MacAlpine.
On a slightly controversial note, may I also say that imho Sherinian was by far the best keys player Dream Theater ever had - his playing was always very musical: he knew when to back off and when to hit the gas; his parts were always interesting; and his sound choices were top notch with an excellent combination of vintage and contemporary instruments. Compared with the over-busy dross that Rudess has been turning in for album after album, not to mention his truly appalling taste in keyboard sounds with DT, and it's no coincidence for me that DT's music took a significant step downwards when Sherinian was ousted.
*Bump*
Still loving the Planet X stuff, and am about to put in Donati's Ruinati for the billionth time.
Amazon review of the Live From Oz disc (he's serious!):
This is by far the most incredible live performance that I have ever heard. The musicians of Planet X play on stage with more complexity and clarity than most other skillful bands can produce over time in the studio. I have heard of no guitarist that could play like Tony Macalpine live. I was startled when I heard a recording of Vinnie Moore playing 'The Thinking Machine' live, but Macalpine's godlike abilities are not of this world. The playing of Tony Macalpine's in this live album is better than practically anything that I have heard of anyone's in any studio album; I always felt that Macalpine was perhaps the greatest keyboard player in the world, but after getting his instructional video and this album, I'm tempted to think that Macalpine might have the edge over even Michael Angelo Batio for gutiar playing. But the technical side is as nothing, as the musicianship of Tony is incomparable and unequalled in all the world.
I honestly think that Macalpine is the best musician since the other geniuses of history such as Chopin and J.S.Bach; he is the genius of our age. Tony has proven in this album that he could be the best electric guitarist in history. I'm so happy for Tony that he has found such an amazing band to play with. Planet X is perfect for him; they incorporate the futuristic style that he so subtly touches upon at times, and also it is a fully instrumental and art/music-driven band. And the two musicians that he works alongside are both excellent. Virgil Donati is becoming well known as a virtuoso drummer. Derek Sherinian, (the conceptualizer of the band, and the keyboard player), has had a very successful career hitherto, having been the keys player for Dream Theatre (sic). Derek provides some amazing tones and inter-planetary atmosphere, and has a totally unique vision here.
Another noteworthy point is that Macalpine uses a seven string guitar and the rhythm in the songs is some of the deepest and heaviest I have heard, (it should become a norm in the future to use seven string guitars for rhythm because of the deep notes that are available). Planet X are instrumental if that was not already clear.
So many of the songs are amazing here that I'm tempted to say that Planet X are BY FAR the best band ever. This is not a knee-jerk review; I'm serious. This is truly some of the best music that I have ever heard, and Tony Macalpine's guitar playing is the most beautiful and maniacly (sic?) genius guitar playing and composition that I have ever heard.
Big fan of all things instrumental and intense. Like/Love most of the recommendations thus far. As for the Virgil Donati and Planet X, adding some
On The Virg - Serious Young Insects from 1999 is a no-brainer. His Loose Change - Live at the Grainstore album is a solid find also. Virgil Donati - 2013 - In This Life is also a very solid cd. His release from 2019 is a great cd featuring some outstanding talent as are all of his projects. In his words:
"When creating new music, you really have to dig deep. You always hope for those moments when the unexpected happens, those elements of surprise, but there’s also the potential for failure…and you keep grinding away, keep putting in the effort, until you make it manifest. That’s what happens when you explore new possibilities, when you take chances. As I started writing, I realized this record was going to take some diverse turns, and that was the path I wanted the music to head in. The journey begins with one note, one lyric, one beat of a drum, and grows from there. It’s quite remarkable.
The other important factor, is the cast of musicians… on this video, you’ll be witnessing some of the outstanding talent appearing on this record, who were able to pull off some of the challenging playing I was demanding of them. The rhythm section on many of the tracks includes members I’ve been touring with for the last couple years, André Nieri, guitar, and Junior Braguinha, bass, and the list of other musicians includes on Bass: Evan Marien and Anton Davidyants, Guitars: Julian Lage, Marco Sfogli, Carl Mörner Ringström, Matteo Mancuso, Irwin Thomas, Keyboards: Chris Clark, Joe Chindamo, Steve Hunt, Alex Argento, Vocals: Irwin Thomas"
I also love his new band Icefish, it's progmetal with a few twists and turns, features, Alex Argento on keys, Marco Sfogli on guitars and Andrea Casali on bass and vocals
Anyway, this is my main style of music, so I love when a thread like this pops up. Here are some more suggestions for you progfusionists.
Felix Lehrmann's Rimjob - Felix Lehrmann's Rimjob (2011)
Aliano, Sam - Emalgamation - 2001
Nilles, Anika - 2017 - Pikalar
Persini, Sebastian - Lost City 2010
Simon Phillips - 2017 - Protocol 4
Simon Phillips - 2022 - Protocol V MP3
Gergo Borlai - The Missing Song (2020)
Aphelion (Alessandro Bertoni)
Arch Echo - 2017 - Arch Echo
Arch Echo - 2019 - You Won't Believe What Happens Next!
Dean Watson
European Mantra
Gnarbot - Origin (2021)!!!!
Hectic Watermellon - The Great American Road Trip
Helmet Of Gnats!!!
Impact Fuze - Moscow!!!!
Kick the Cat - Gurgle 2021!!!
Thrailkill - Everything that is You!!!
Morglbl
Nova Collective - The Further Side (2017)!!!
Optimystik Visionaries - 2012 - Optimistic Vision
Quassi - Mareas (2020)
Special Providence !!!
The Resonance Project - Lang Zhao & Yas Nomura
Argento, Alex - Ego
Art Spike' Schloemer - Transfusion
Bertoni, Alessandro - Keystone (2013)
Jonathan Lundberg - 2017 - Iterations
Last edited by MJBrady; 04-03-2022 at 01:40 AM.
Thanks for that list. I've been wanting to get Protocol V for a while now. Also like the Morglbl I have (Grotesk, Jazz For The Deaf), and the Arch Echo (You Won't Believe...) as well.
May get the Rimjob on the name alone!
Checking out Icefish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkExYyD2nwE CD i$ too rich for my blood.
Edit: Dean Watson!
Last edited by Finch Platte; 04-03-2022 at 08:54 AM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks