Indisciplined Lucy - About the Black Eyed Girl
Indisciplined Lucy - About the Black Eyed Girl
I'd have preferred Italian vocals as well, though I've come to appreciate what ITdR's vocalist does. Their approach to the vocal melodies, however, is quite different from the Flower Beards, not as dependent on the chords, and not reliant on the big chorus. Far more interesting to my ears.
I agree with all this, except... digital drums? Perhaps I've been fooled, but it sounds like a drummer playing a real kit to me. What makes you think they're digital? And if they are, what makes you think this was an issue for people? I've never seen this mentioned with regard to ITdR.
Bill
I liked to Norwegian band Thule a lot. They've released 5 albums (first one in 1987, last one in 2005) that contained progrock as dark as the polar night. No real surprise considering the came from Honningsvåg, which is very close to the Nordkap.
When the biggest Norwegian weekly paper (Morgenbladet) were to have 100 musicians and "music-workers" vote their top-10 of all time records from here, Thule's Natt came in at ca. the 50th spot. And that's an album not even listed in national rock encyclopedias or ever mentioned by *anyone* - apparently. Meaning: you are considered very well versed - but equally bright and lucky - to know of Thule. One of the most unique bands ever from around these parts. Graks is great as well.
"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
"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
I have a very good reason for making this claim: my head is like a sieve and I'm talking out of my arse. I was quite sure the drummer was using samples or electronic timbres for his snare and toms, but I must have got that mixed up with some other 1990s album, as that's not the case (three years since I've last heard the album). I do remember Mike Taylor of the GEPR complaining about the drumming being too regular, but that wasn't a real issue with him. So no, I'm not going to make any more guesses as to why people liked or didn't like this album. I like it, I'm just not ecstatic about it.
I recently heard Cairo for the first time when I found a copy of their debut record. It's a rather enjoyable listen. Unfortunately, according to Wikipedia, it seems that their singer Brett Douglas passed away in 2011. Anybody know if the other members of the band are active in any way, shape or form?
A couple of bands from Québec:
Pangée - Hymnemonde
Dagmahr- I preferred As Far As We Get to My Magnificent Instability, though the former was released in 2001 IIRC.
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
"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
Forgotten prog? Interesting. These are the kinds of bands that make prog. They should have a big chair at the table. We all hear the weight of the big prog bands be it from the '70's, '80's or '90's. It's these type of one album or two album bands under all that weight that makes prog worth the effort for me. I would love to hear this "forgotten prog", over let's say, Transatlantic or Steve Wilson. Been through that and I get the idea. And so it is with alot of other named prog bands. This isn't pop-in-a-box type of music. Prog is very challenging and it can be very hard to just cough up one album. I will be most happy in seeking out these "forgotten" bands and albums. Maybe it's true. What's old is new again?
The older I get, the better I was.
Good thread!
The older I get, the better I was.
Good! I'm glad my hearing isn't that damaged!
I can totally understand not being ecstatic about this album. Lot's of people aren't ecstatic about ELP either, who I love. For me, this one is the bees knees, embodying so many of the elements I like best about 70s Prog, and to me, not following the neo/melodic path and bringing something fresh to the Symph type sound. But I completely understand others hear it differently. If they didn't, ITdR wouldn't be in a "forgotten Prog" thread, would they?
I agree with this totally. When I was getting back into Prog back in the 90s these were the bands that excited me, and I was disappointed the extent to which the most popular bands exhibited so many "AOR/Stadium rock" elements, or sounded only superficially "Proggy" without having the substance. It's true, many of these forgotten 90s bands relied on technology to render drums and sometimes lacked in the production department. But to me they so totally made up for it it their compositions and sense of adventure and excitement, playing and composing at the edge of their abilities rather than playing it safe. It's good to have a thread to remind folks that these forgotten gems are out there, though many are probably hard to find at this point.
Bill
Absolutely. You mentioned Pye Fyte, right? Now there's a release completely out of the blue at the time, with a most DIY-feel to it yet making all the right musical moves. Adventure and excitement, yes - but also immense dedication and enthusiasm at what they were attempting to accomplish artistically. I could name a lot of such artists, and they would all have the one thing in common that they apparently lack that overall shallow aura of "prog professionalism" which seems to be warranted for someone to be allowed in (whatever) to the Grand Hall of OutsideIn and Mog Pragazine.
"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
"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
Has anyone mentioned Dark Aether Project yet? 3 albums, main guy plays a stick, with a variety of instrumentals and various vocalists (I want to say Echolyn's Ray Weston provided vocals for them at one point). Superb.
Also Sunday All Over the World -- basically, King Crimson + Toyah on vocals. In fact, that would be a good two-fer...
rcarlberg: Is there anything sadder than a song that has never been played?
Plasmatopia: Maybe a song in D minor that has never been played?
bob_32_116: That would be a terrific triple bill: Cyan, Magenta and Yello.
trurl: The Odyssey: "He's trying to get home."
I also had a couple of Versus X albums, but wound up ditching them. Weak vocals were probably the major reason. I never owned Apogee, but dismissed them likely for the same reasons.
John and Mark were nothing if not enthusiastic and dedicated. They had to assemble a variety of players around them to accomplish the recording, many of whom were not particularly into Prog. They really went through hell and a fair amount of expense to make this record. It was recorded to tape, and they bought a Mellotron to use for the album, that they had nothing but trouble moving in and out of the studio. They truly did it for their love and obsession with this kind of music. I think one of the big draws for them was the sense that finally one did not have to be a "professional" to be able to release music, and back then actually have a reasonable chance of recouping much of the cost to make it (which Pye Fyte did easily - the second pressing is sold out, I have the last few in my possession).
I wish I'd known them then, I'd have loved to have contributed to this band.
Bill
Agree with you on Sinkadus. Some of their members put out "Lost Kites " recently - many references back to the original Sinkadus sound.
The 90's and the internet were a huge awakening for me. Imagine - there were other, relatively normal, people who actually liked the same music I did. I absorbed GEPR and the catalogues of some online prog shops. Some early finds were:
Ezra Winston's "Ancient Afternoons" had such a great mood to it. I always have to listen through to the end.
Nuovo Era's "Dopo L'infinito" was the only release I heard of theirs, but the reviews point to better albums that followed.
I got pulled under the spell of Sagrado Coracao da Terra early on, until he started writing music for Latin soap operas. The later stuff would make Yanni yawn.
I'm also a big fan of Townscream, and I have tried to follow Csaba Vedres' music ever since. He now he writes solely classical, he still has that knack for interesting and lyrical music.
The Culture Cafe, Sundays 6-9am on WWUH-FM
Broadcasting from the University of Hartford, CT at 91.3FM, streaming at www.wwuh.streamrewind.com and at www.wwuh.org
Interesting, hadn't heard about that one. I'll check it out.
To me, Dopo L'Infinito is their best. Their first one, L'Ultimo Viaggio, is fun but I don't think the playing is as good as on Dopo. So pretty good tunes, though. Io e Il Tempo moves in more of a "Neo Prog" direction to me. It's not bad, but it isn't as flashy or exciting to me as the first two. Il Passo del Soldato from 1995 is a bit of a return to form musically, but lacks the original guitarist and singer, so it has a different vibe. Keys are far more present. I think of all the others besides Dopo, this one may be your best bet.
I'm hoping their new one in the works will be good (original guitarist/singer is apparently back in the fold).
Are there some by Vedres you'd recommend that you think would appeal to a Towscream fan?
Bill
A band that could have used some more albums where Galaad from the Swiss.
Boy, there still was some Neo Prog back in the 90s that I really liked. Not as blant and
slick as today.
Some of the guys still have a band (in a far more Pop area)
There might be a little hope for a new Ezra Winston (rumours, nothing I could confirm)
I concur completely! Dopo is up there with Ezra Winston's Ancient Afternoons and the first Eris Pluvia for the really good EARLY 90s Italian "symph". The Montefeltro album was also very nice, although slightly neo in spaces and not too strong vocally (despite being one of the earliest Italian 90s prog bands to employ their native tongue exclusively).
For some excellent melodic Italian "neo-symph" (i.e. mostly vintage gear but highly refined and accessible) from the 90s, I'd take Mad Crayon's Diamanti or Germinale's Il Suo Respiro, and a rather intense variety was offered by Lothlorien (Il Sale Sulla Coda) and the awesome Delusione Ottica by Jet Lag, which was admittedly a bit later on (2001, I believe).
"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
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