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Thread: Wobbler - From Silence To Somewhere coming in October

  1. #76
    Profondo Giallo Crystal Plumage's Avatar
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    Opinions... Duo review...
    http://www.dprp.net/reviews/2017-073/
    Wobbler has really outdone themselves once again and produced an absolute masterpiece. With Rites at Dawn, the band found a lot of praise, but it is this new album that puts them right at the forefront of the genre. With four wonderful songs and a mature sound, Wobbler deserve a lot of credit for the use of analogue equipment and classic, progressive elements. This album will be on a lot of "best of" lists at the end of the year. It surely will be on mine. And that's a promise I will love to keep!
    But what bothers me with all this music that refers to Yes, Gentle Giant, Camel, Van der Graaf Generator, Änglagård and many more, is that we are not listening to music that is simply inspired or influenced by said bands. The point is that it sounds exactly like the originals, with no additional colors added. It's somewhat of a miracle that the composers have managed to create all of this without having added a personal style to it all.
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  2. #77
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crystal Plumage View Post
    Opinions... Duo review...
    http://www.dprp.net/reviews/2017-073/
    The age-old argument here. One guy could care less if the music is original or not as long as he enjoys it (which he does). The other obviously has a chip on his shoulder the entire time, regardless of how good the music is, its lack of originality (allegedly) is the main detractor here. So who is rite?
    If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.

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  3. #78
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Both can be right, I won't know which way I feel about it until I give it a couple of listens, tends to be a gut reaction rather than brain.
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  4. #79
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    The age-old argument here. One guy could care less if the music is original or not as long as he enjoys it (which he does). The other obviously has a chip on his shoulder the entire time, regardless of how good the music is, its lack of originality (allegedly) is the main detractor here. So who is rite?
    Depends on whether listening for you is a mostly emotional experience or an intellectual one, or at least where the percentage line between the two gets drawn.

  5. #80
    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    Depends on whether listening for you is a mostly emotional experience or an intellectual one, or at least where the percentage line between the two gets drawn.
    Yeah, but the two (intellect/emotion) interact in such mysterious and chaotic ways that makes it almost impossible to tell them apart. A thought becomes emotion at lightning speed, and the opposite.

    Wobbler's music, being at the same time clearly derivative and of incredible quality, poses this kind of issues for a lot of people, it seems.

  6. #81
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    I've never had any fundamental issue with bands that are clearly trying to play within the "idiom" of what the best known 70s Prog bands were doing, My own band did that.

    The issue with Wobbler, and I think that second reviewer captured it perfectly, is that it's hard to pin down Wobbler 's "voice" within the context of what they are trying to do. You hear strong elements of other bands in Wobbler's music, but you hear that in a lot of band's music, even some of the Avant and chamber rock bands who often have very similar sounds and use similar techniques. The problem is that had I heard those clips without knowing it was Wobbler, I'm not sure I would have guessed it was them. There's nothing "signature" about their sound.

    Generally speaking, I don't hear Wobbler directly nicking other band's music, which was why I was a bit surprised by that Entangled section in the clips. But that's the exception. Usually, they evoke the "spirit" of Yes, Genesis, Anglagard, GG, etc., but as I said, I've never considered them clones. However, I think the band opens themselves to the type of critique that reviewer wrote by not doing enough to put their own stamp on the idiom they have chosen to work in. So it's not really their derivative-ness, but rather the somewhat nebulous sense of what the band is all about, other than getting off on reproducing music like Yes, Genesis, Anglagard, GG, etc.

    I say this as a fan of the band. I own all their stuff, and I'll probably buy the new one. But I think this issue is why Wobbler is not among my top favorite modern bands playing in the the "Prog" style. They just lack a signature voice, even though thye make music that is enjoyable for its reverence of things past.

    Bill

  7. #82
    ^ well put, Bill. I too am a fan, but also think that they can give us something more, their own stamp as you say. I refuse to listen to the "teaser" and will wait for the whole thing to see if they've nailed it this time.

  8. #83
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sputnik View Post
    I've never had any fundamental issue with bands that are clearly trying to play within the "idiom" of what the best known 70s Prog bands were doing, My own band did that.

    The issue with Wobbler, and I think that second reviewer captured it perfectly, is that it's hard to pin down Wobbler 's "voice" within the context of what they are trying to do. You hear strong elements of other bands in Wobbler's music, but you hear that in a lot of band's music, even some of the Avant and chamber rock bands who often have very similar sounds and use similar techniques. The problem is that had I heard those clips without knowing it was Wobbler, I'm not sure I would have guessed it was them. There's nothing "signature" about their sound.

    Generally speaking, I don't hear Wobbler directly nicking other band's music, which was why I was a bit surprised by that Entangled section in the clips. But that's the exception. Usually, they evoke the "spirit" of Yes, Genesis, Anglagard, GG, etc., but as I said, I've never considered them clones. However, I think the band opens themselves to the type of critique that reviewer wrote by not doing enough to put their own stamp on the idiom they have chosen to work in. So it's not really their derivative-ness, but rather the somewhat nebulous sense of what the band is all about, other than getting off on reproducing music like Yes, Genesis, Anglagard, GG, etc.

    I say this as a fan of the band. I own all their stuff, and I'll probably buy the new one. But I think this issue is why Wobbler is not among my top favorite modern bands playing in the the "Prog" style. They just lack a signature voice, even though thye make music that is enjoyable for its reverence of things past.

    Bill
    Well said. Hopefully they will have found their voice with this one. The samples sound delicious!!!
    The Prog Corner

  9. #84
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crystal Plumage View Post
    Opinions... Duo review...
    http://www.dprp.net/reviews/2017-073/
    > The point is that it sounds exactly like the originals, with no additional colors added.

    I definitely don't find this to be the case here and in most such cases. If there was any song that sounded exactly like a classic Camel, GG, Yes, etc. song I'd be celebrating! A long lost Camel, GG, Yes song, etc.!

    And I agree with what Sputnik said: "I've never had any fundamental issue with bands that are clearly trying to play within the "idiom" of what the best known 70s Prog bands were doing."

    That's, IMO, what they are doing, but IMO they inject a certain amount of spaciness and psychedelia into the affair by NOT sounding exactly like "the originals" but using some of the sounds/moods from the originals as a palette. But the compositions are their own. As Ian and others have said, we have to see if those compositions hold up, but I find that a spacey, psychy pastiche using some of those classic sounds is often a recipe for a satisfying 70s prog stew. And I'm usually up for some 70s prog stew!

    Just preordered the digipak from Bandcamp. A couple of bucks more than Burning Shed, but I can skip the Burning Shed "no insurance" guilt trip, ordering from Bandcamp is easier for me, and I get the digital album on my birthday (and in my Bandcamp collection)! Sweet.
    Last edited by JKL2000; 10-09-2017 at 04:21 PM.

  10. #85
    Kogut
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    tracklisting on “From Silence to Somewhere” is as follows:
    1. From Silence to Somewhere
    2. Rendered in Shades of Green
    3. Fermented Hours
    4. Foxlight
    Here you can listen to "Fermented Hours":
    http://rockserwis.fm/ftp/2/215/[69335]_PDM_12.09.17.mp3
    It starts from 0:32:20.

    And here you have "Rendered In Shades Of Green" plus "Fermented Hours":
    http://rockserwis.fm/ftp/10/206/[698...2017-09-20.mp3
    It starts from 0:31:21.

    Unfortunately, audio quality is very low. I found these podcasts on www.rockserwis.fm.

  11. #86
    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    The age-old argument here. One guy could care less if the music is original or not as long as he enjoys it (which he does). The other obviously has a chip on his shoulder the entire time, regardless of how good the music is, its lack of originality (allegedly) is the main detractor here. So who is rite?
    We like what we like. Someone who digs the old sound is A-OK in my book, as is someone who prefers something new/different/pushing the envelope.

    The only point of contention for me personally is what I consider the "cognitive disconnect" of declaring something overtly derivative as an absolute masterpiece.

    And while I liked the first couple of Wobbler albums, the last one left me cold. Eventually I'll give the new one a listen but it's not terribly high on my to-do list to be honest.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
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  12. #87
    I for one adore Rites At Dawn and am very excited about the new one!

  13. #88
    Anyone got their hands on a copy yet? Curious to hear some thoughts so far.

  14. #89
    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    Curious to hear some thoughts so far.
    It's not only a disgrace - it's an ABOMINATION!




    [The band conducted signings and audio presentations at the Big Dipper record store here in Oslo last Friday, but I lost out due to responsibilities of parenthood. I'm gonna catch a glittering vinyl copy this upcoming weekend and report back then]
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  15. #90
    Is the vinyl accompanied by any sort of digital format?
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  16. #91
    Quote Originally Posted by Smörgåsbord View Post
    Is the vinyl accompanied by any sort of digital format?
    Well, there's a CD and (AFAIK) some downloads to be had. Check with Karisma records.

    Steve F. has both the vinyl and the CD. No cassette yet, tho'.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  17. #92
    It has arrived here in Athens. I decided to buy it blindfold, or should I say earfold? I hope it's good, my bying capacity is almost zero at the moment (price for the black vinyl is 28 euro the vendor told me)

  18. #93
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    It's not only a disgrace - it's an ABOMINATION!



    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    [The band conducted signings and audio presentations at the Big Dipper record store here in Oslo last Friday, but I lost out due to responsibilities of parenthood. I'm gonna catch a glittering vinyl copy this upcoming weekend and report back then]
    I forgot Wobbler are based in Norway!

    Sorry to hear you weren't able to make it to the record store signing, but parenthood is the more important of the two.

    I listened to the whole album front to back last night, and FWIW, found it very enjoyable. Fits this autumn weather perfectly too.

  19. #94
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    I listened to the whole album front to back last night, and FWIW, found it very enjoyable. Fits this autumn weather perfectly too.
    Oh very nice! Aaron how do you think it fits in their catalog? Anything new and unique brought to the table? (I know these might be silly questions after only one spin but I think I'm gonna pick it up regardless). Glad you are digging it, and I'm so glad its released at the perfect time of year, eh?
    If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.

    "And it's only the giving
    That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson

  20. #95
    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Oh very nice! Aaron how do you think it fits in their catalog? Anything new and unique brought to the table? (I know these might be silly questions after only one spin but I think I'm gonna pick it up regardless). Glad you are digging it, and I'm so glad its released at the perfect time of year, eh?
    Not silly at all.

    First impression was that it's more cohesive than Hinterland; definitely shows more songcrafting maturity since their debut. On Hinterland the chops were definitely there, but the songwriting wasn't quite there yet. This new one shows more development on that front.

    It's a bit more angular and/or contrapuntal than Rites at Dawn, and not as "Yessy" (although I still enjoyed Rites, don't get me wrong). The compositions are pretty dynamic too. The long-form song approach really works here; I like the idea of three songs between 10 and 20 minutes, and one short piano interlude.

    I think it's the same vocalist that was on Rites, and he's very good here. There's also some really cool synth work on this album. I can't say yet whether it brings anything new to the table, but good dark Scandinavian symphonic rock is something I can never really get enough of. I think if you like Anglagard, this one is worth your time. It's probably not as dark as Anglagard, but it is great autumn music still. I'm glad that it came out at this time of year as well.
    Last edited by aith01; 10-18-2017 at 06:50 PM.

  21. #96
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zappathustra View Post
    Yeah, but the two (intellect/emotion) interact in such mysterious and chaotic ways that makes it almost impossible to tell them apart. A thought becomes emotion at lightning speed, and the opposite.
    Hmm, yes seems so. Interesting observation. I tend to relate more emotionally, but somewhat intellectually too, and can feel emotional about an intellectual passage. some, like Dave Stewart, bridge the two well.

    People do tend to get hung up on whether or how closely something sounds like a 70s band. Unless it's a clone (and even then, sometimes that's okay too), who cares, if it sounds great and the melodies and feel are new. 'Rites' had its Yesisms, but 'In Orbit' brought a completely different feel to the table that I found pretty original, well specifically in parts, such as in and around the 4-7 minute mark. Anyway, this was an auto-buy, so I hope to receive shortly.

  22. #97
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    Not silly at all.

    First impression was that it's more cohesive than Hinterland; definitely shows more songcrafting maturity since their debut. On Hinterland the chops were definitely there, but the songwriting wasn't quite there yet. This new one shows more development on that front.

    It's a bit more angular and/or contrapuntal than Rites at Dawn, and not as "Yessy" (although I still enjoyed Rites, don't get me wrong). The compositions are pretty dynamic too. The long-form song approach really works here; I like the idea of three songs between 10 and 20 minutes, and one short piano interlude.

    I think it's the same vocalist that was on Rites, and he's very good here. There's also some really cool synth work on this album. I can't say yet whether it brings anything new to the table, but good dark Scandinavian symphonic rock is something I can never really get enough of. I think if you like Anglagard, this one is worth your time. It's probably not as dark as Anglagard, but it is great autumn music still. I'm glad that it came out at this time of year as well.
    Great stuff - cheers mate.
    If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.

    "And it's only the giving
    That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson

  23. #98
    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    People do tend to get hung up on whether or how closely something sounds like a 70s band. Unless it's a clone (and even then, sometimes that's okay too), who cares, if it sounds great and the melodies and feel are new. 'Rites' had its Yesisms, but 'In Orbit' brought a completely different feel to the table that I found pretty original, well specifically in parts, such as in and around the 4-7 minute mark. Anyway, this was an auto-buy, so I hope to receive shortly.
    Totally agree. And "In Orbit" is a great song -- probably my favorite from Rites, which I thought was a marked improvement upon Hinterland. I've yet to hear Afterglow so can't really comment on that for now...


    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Great stuff - cheers mate.
    Anytime, brother. Actually had another listen to Silence to Somewhere while at work earlier today and enjoyed it a bit more even. Very digestible, with plenty yet to unravel.

  24. #99
    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Anything new and unique brought to the table?
    Frankster, this fresh one has a brand new asset in that it employs a fulltime soprano saxist constantly swingin' along to the vocal patterns, a bit in line with Kenny G. and that theme from the Cosby Show. The band members have their fingers crossed that this somewhat experimental approach would render the music more sex-appealing to hot women. There's also frequent (and multiple) application of DX7 vibe-piano sound donning extra chorus effect, this to enhance the Kenny-thing and replace those reactionary analog keys.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  25. #100
    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    Not silly at all.

    First impression was that it's more cohesive than Hinterland; definitely shows more songcrafting maturity since their debut. On Hinterland the chops were definitely there, but the songwriting wasn't quite there yet. This new one shows more development on that front.

    It's a bit more angular and/or contrapuntal than Rites at Dawn, and not as "Yessy" (although I still enjoyed Rites, don't get me wrong). The compositions are pretty dynamic too. The long-form song approach really works here; I like the idea of three songs between 10 and 20 minutes, and one short piano interlude.

    I think it's the same vocalist that was on Rites, and he's very good here. There's also some really cool synth work on this album. I can't say yet whether it brings anything new to the table, but good dark Scandinavian symphonic rock is something I can never really get enough of. I think if you like Anglagard, this one is worth your time. It's probably not as dark as Anglagard, but it is great autumn music still. I'm glad that it came out at this time of year as well.
    Thanks for this. It seals the deal. I leave work in a few hours and go and buy.

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