Page 11 of 28 FirstFirst ... 78910111213141521 ... LastLast
Results 251 to 275 of 677

Thread: Japanese Rock...Prog or Not...

  1. #251
    Member TheH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3,231
    Very Flute stuff


  2. #252
    Quote Originally Posted by TheH View Post
    Does anyone know bands 3 and 4 from this vid?

    http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm13582811
    As near as I can tell, there’s one song each from Sense of Wonder and Shingetsu, and the rest is from Picaresque of Bremen.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  3. #253
    Member TheH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3,231
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    As near as I can tell, there’s one song each from Sense of Wonder and Shingetsu, and the rest is from Picaresque of Bremen.
    Thanks, by having a closer look that's is noticed in the vids header too. Stupid me!

    Sense of Wonder are a very mixed bad between ELP like bombast Prog and almost Schlager like terrible stuff. Shingetsu are awesome very elegant Prog delight.

    Picaresque of Bremen are very peculiar, between great and awful. Horrendous production on the other hand really unusual. (I know you don't like them)

  4. #254
    I only have the official, eponymous Victor-label album from Shingetsu, but it’s one of the best albums from Japan in its genre. Often written off as a “Genesis clone,” I actually hear a lot of refined Italian prog influence, that runs a lot deeper than many other fellow countrymen. There seems to be an album of early recordings under the name Serenade, among other archival stuff.

    I’m with you on Sense of Wonder/Hiroyuki Namba. The playing chops are there, the compositions frequently leave a lot to be desired.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  5. #255
    Member TheH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3,231
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    I only have the official, eponymous Victor-label album from Shingetsu, but it’s one of the best albums from Japan in its genre. Often written off as a “Genesis clone,” I actually hear a lot of refined Italian prog influence, that runs a lot deeper than many other fellow countrymen. There seems to be an album of early recordings under the name Serenade, among other archival stuff.
    There are a lot of connected recordings. There is a box set (5 CD + DVD) which would set you back by several hundred bucks.

    There where some more recent archival releases, most noticeable a reconstruction of what was going to be album no. 2 "From A Distant Star" which I think was rerecorded in part in 2005.

    The two long tracks on this (which you may have heard on their live albums), Voyage for Killing Love Part 1 and Part 2 and Red Eyes on the Mirror are even better than the official album.

    They are far away from being a Genesis clone, they have a great quality on their own.


  6. #256
    Member Zalmoxe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    652
    Asturias has a new one out. It's called "Across the Ridge to Heaven".


  7. #257
    Kept meaning to get some Shingetsu. Thanks for the reminder, guys.

    Also, just a few days ago I managed to get a physical copy of Tipographica's Floating Opera, and holy cow -- that disc is great! I think it's actually better than God Says I Can't Dance, and that's saying something!

  8. #258
    Member interbellum's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Xymphonia-city
    Posts
    4,603
    This is one of the shortest previews I've seen: for the new, 5th album of Lu7, coming this Winter:



    And a reminder of their fourth album on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgJ...LUgqhhMSo8WGoQ

  9. #259
    Member Zalmoxe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    652
    Quote Originally Posted by Zalmoxe View Post
    Asturias has a new one out. It's called "Across the Ridge to Heaven".

    And now a new Electric Asturias:


  10. #260
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Kingdom of YHVH
    Posts
    2,770
    the new one sounds like they are trying to stretch out a bit from their usual excellent sound... I'm psyched to hear it!
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  11. #261
    Member Mascodagama's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    7th Circle of Brexit
    Posts
    2,150
    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    Kept meaning to get some Shingetsu. Thanks for the reminder, guys.

    Also, just a few days ago I managed to get a physical copy of Tipographica's Floating Opera, and holy cow -- that disc is great! I think it's actually better than God Says I Can't Dance, and that's saying something!
    God Says is my fave of the three I have. But they are all pretty much untouchable. A genuinely incredible band.
    “your ognna pay pay with my wrath of ballbat”

    Bandcamp Profile

  12. #262
    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    I managed to get a physical copy of Tipographica's Floating Opera, and holy cow -- that disc is great! I think it's actually better than God Says I Can't Dance, and that's saying something!
    Floating wipes out middlegrounds between Zappa, Squarepusher and Dog knows what. From what I've heard, Tsuneo Imahori basically disbanded Tipographica on the pure strength of this final statement by acknowledging that he wouldn't be able to outdo it. Amazing how shit like this is even possible to perform in "organic" manner. Still, it's also their most difficult listen - IF you are to discover its myriad of secrets.
    "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

  13. #263
    LinkMan Chain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Townsville, Australia
    Posts
    163
    Japanese Rock Is Rock

    Japanese Prog Is Prog
    “Pleasure and pain can be experienced simultaneously,” she said, gently massaging my back as we listened to her Coldplay CD.

  14. #264
    But Japanese Dog wearing Clog sips Egg-Nog'n'eats Leg-of-Frog while posting on Prog-Blog in the city Smog.
    "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. #265
    Quote Originally Posted by Mascodagama View Post
    A genuinely incredible band.
    yes, there's no other word to describe this except "incredible". In all aspects, performing, arranging, composing. I think I prefer the debut, but maybe because of its higher accessibility. God Says...is so dense that I take in doses, even the infamous head-pan cannot help here.

    Floating Opera I don't know at all. It gets the highest rating in PA so probably it's the worst of the three.

    I cannot but single out in this maelstrom of complex arrangements Imahori's guitar playing. This is the exact guitar sound that seduces my prog-worm.

    What a great journey from Wowie Zowie to Tipographica!

  16. #266
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Planet Lovetron
    Posts
    13,023
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    But Japanese Dog wearing Clog sips Egg-Nog'n'eats Leg-of-Frog while posting on Prog-Blog in the city Smog.
    That's livin' High On The Hog!

  17. #267
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    705
    Quote Originally Posted by MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER View Post
    the new one sounds like they are trying to stretch out a bit from their usual excellent sound... I'm psyched to hear it!
    Same - really looking forward to hearing the whole thing and seeing them play it.

  18. #268
    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    A few faves of mine that are seldom mentioned: (Perhaps cos I'm the only one who likes 'em)

    Kimio Mizutani -'A Path Through Haze'
    V.A. -'Prospective Faces II'
    Mugen -'The Princess Of Kingdom Gone'
    Midas -'Beyond The Clear Air'
    Love Mugen. Sinfonia Della Luna is quite good as well. Beautiful mellotron. Anyone know any other Japanese symphonic prog like Mugen?

  19. #269
    Quote Originally Posted by nodak View Post
    Anyone know any other Japanese symphonic prog like Mugen?
    While I'm certainly no particular fan of Jap "symphonic" rock, Mugen-offshoot Ie Rai Shan made one sole s/t album (1994) which IMO sits better than the "motherband". Of recent Japs in that direction, Interpose might do the job.

    The single finest Jap "symph" endeavour of all time, to my ears at least - was Mr. Sirius' Dirge from 1990.
    "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

  20. #270
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    The single finest Jap "symph" endeavour of all time, to my ears at least - was Mr. Sirius' Dirge from 1990.
    And that thing is still so darn hard to find.

  21. #271
    Have faith and thou shalt have fate: http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Pr...-spc-3625.aspx

    Uncle S. was wise enough to see the hotcake potential. As usual.
    "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

  22. #272
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    Have faith and thou shalt have fate: http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Pr...-spc-3625.aspx

    Uncle S. was wise enough to see the hotcake potential. As usual.
    ...!

    How did that slip by me?

    Ordering now!

    Richard, I owe you one. And Steve, for that matter.

  23. #273
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Planet Lovetron
    Posts
    13,023
    Quote Originally Posted by nodak View Post
    Anyone know any other Japanese symphonic prog like Mugen?
    I am a fan of much of Japanese 80s Symphonic Prog-Rock. If you don't have it yet, you should track down a v/a CD called Prospective Faces II, containing bands which mostly did not release full albums.

    https://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...tive_faces_ii/

    I think it's one of the best from the Japanese Prog-Rock scene of the time, and if you like Mugen, I'd expect that you should like it also. I don't know if any samples are on the Web, and it may be hard to find, but it's well worth the effort, imo.

    A couple others that I haven't played in yonks, so preview them before purchase, but may scratch your Mugen itch are:

    Magdalena -s/t

    https://www.discogs.com/Magdalena-Ma.../master/570061

    and

    August

    https://www.discogs.com/August-8%E6%...elease/6628917

    I don't find either to be as good as Mugen, but iirc they're ploughing a similar field. Ymmv.

    EDIT: I listened to some of the Magdalena album on YouTube. Not much like Mugen, so disregard that rec.
    Last edited by moecurlythanu; 01-19-2019 at 11:55 AM.

  24. #274

  25. #275
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Kingdom of YHVH
    Posts
    2,770
    my top Japanese Prog albums:

    Asturias Missing Piece of My Life
    KBB Four Corner's Sky
    Asturias Fractals
    KBB Lost and Found
    Kenso II
    Asturias Circle in the Forest
    Asturias Elementals
    Asturias At the Edge of the World
    Asturias Across the Ridge to Heaven
    Happy Family Toscco
    Mongol Doppler 444
    Pochakaite Malko Laya
    Sakuraba, Motoi Gikyokuonsou
    Sakuraba, Motoi Beyond the Beyond
    Sakuraba, Motoi Shining the Holy Ark
    Sakuraba, Motoi Force of Light
    Watanabe, Kazumi Spice of Life
    Watanabe, Kazumi Spice of Life Too
    Yamashta's East Wind, Stomu Freedom is Frightening
    Ain Soph Marine Menagerie
    Asturias Brilliant Streams
    ExhiVision Overexposure
    Fragile Fragile
    Happy Family Happy Family
    Head Pop Up Tokusen Burari tabi
    Imada, Masaru / Trio + 2 Green Caterpillar
    Kenso Kenso (aka III)
    Kitajima, Osamu Masterless Samurai
    Pochakaite Malko Pochakaite Malko
    Sakurai, Tetsuo Gentle Hearts
    Stella Lee Jones Escape from Reality

    there are more really good Japanese Prog albums, but these are the top tier for me
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •