ANEKDOTEN: "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" April 10

[Crystal Plumage]

Jan Erik says: “How to pick a first single from the forthcoming album? Choose a song that is fairly representative and has a bit of everything in it, but is less than 10 minutes long. That the first line in the lyrics is “Hello my friend!” is a bonus in this case.”

http://www.anekdoten.se/

[Kcrimso]

From Within is my favourite Anekdoten album. Nucleus is also quite good. Other albums are kind of disappointing.

[Sputnik]

If you had to chose one....Vermod or Nucleus?

Nucleus for me, but I like them both a lot.

While Vemod was a disappointment to just about anyone I knew within the Scandinavian "prog circuit" back in the day - mostly due to the triumphs that the Colours label had provided with Thule, Landberk and Änglagård - Nucleus was pure magic. Rather than more of the downright immature KC-wannabeings of the debut, they aimed for something core contemporary in charge, sound and concept, and they hit hard as hell.

I'm still not much of a fan of Vemod, I have to say. Some cool themes and solid playing, but the arrangements are partly half-baked, the singing quite poor and the cello comes across as, well, sparkless and unlively.

Certainluy Vemod exhibits more of an overt KC influence, but I disagree they were simply "immature KC-wannabeings" here. There is a more contemporary feel to their stuff, that you are right comes more to the fore on Nucleus, but is still present of Vemod. And while they have never exactly been great singers, I think Wheel displays some of the best singing I've heard on any Anekdoten album, and that their approach to this song is not something you'd expect from KC.

Personally, I miss the angularity and more intricately composed instrumental sections in Anekdoten's music that evoke KC. The new sample has the sweeping Gothy-sympho sound down, and has perhaps bit more horizontal complexity than some of their more recent stuff, but totally lacks any vertical complexity, and it was these sections that I think made Anekdoten's sound on those first two albums so special; the combination of those two elements. the "light" and the "heavy" working in tandem.

But, tastes differ, and if this albums is what they want to do and is a success for them, then more power to them. I'll just stay home and listen to Nucleus, and Vemod.

Bill

[mozo-pg]

You know, I have this, but never really dove into it. A problem I'm sure many of us here have owning so much music lol. I'll have to put this on the top of the stack, Greg. What I remember is an overload of mellotron.

Not a lot of love for Gravity I'm seeing. I've always liked that one. Nucleus deserves all the love it gets though. Great album.

I should clarify that by return to form I really meant to say the style of Time Of Day is more similar to Nucleus than Gravity and From Within. I still think it's a strong album overall.

[Sputnik]

I should clarify that by return to form I really meant to say the style of Time Of Day is more similar to Nucleus than Gravity and From Within.

Really? Huh, I don't recall that, but I may not have heard the right tracks. I will definitely give this one another sample. I did buy Gravity, but not Time of Day.

Bill

[mellotron storm]

To my ears Nucleus sounds like nothing they have done before or since but I still prefer Vemod to it. Love Gravity but felt A Time Of Day was a step down from that one. From Within took a long time for me to appreciate, they seem to jam more or at least continue with the same theme longer to my ears and it's not as dynamic as their other albums but it's a killer record. I would rate them in this order:
Gravity
Vemod
From Within
Nucleus
A Time Of Day

[Scrotum Scissor]

I disagree they were simply "immature KC-wannabeings" here. There is a more contemporary feel to their stuff, that you are right comes more to the fore on Nucleus, but is still present of Vemod. And while they have never exactly been great singers, I think Wheel displays some of the best singing I've heard on any Anekdoten album, and that their approach to this song is not something you'd expect from KC.

I'm not saying they were immature KC-wannabeings, I'm saying this was how they were perceived with the majority of people I knew within the early 90s "prog circuit" here in Scandinavia. As for my own position, there are a couple of parts from that album I really like, but its "immaturity" is caught in the rather obtuse theft of Trettioåriga Kriget's "R¨ster Från Minus till Plus" in "The Flow" and, again, that staunchly unconvincing cello throughout. However I certainly DO agree that "Wheel" was the overall greatest tune on that record and definitely paved the way for their ensuing ventures into more powerful sonic terrains.

Ankedoten's line by the time of From Within and on, was always highly marked by influences from the mighty Motorpsycho - if anyone wonders. One of the reasons why I found Time of Day as refreshing as I did, was that they somehow finally succeeded in breaking somewhat free from that. I think the closing track on ToD catches the band at their melodic and moodiest very best, with magnificent lyrics to go with the feel of the song and with even a well functioning vocal performance. The closer on Nucleus is great as well but was apparently never performed in concert due to the effects of how the doubled voice (Jan E. and Anna Sofi) had to be barely uttered at very low volume.

[Crystal Plumage]

My first introduction to Anekdoten was when I heard the third Cyclops sampler. That version of Book of Hours is still my favorite.

[Digital_Man]

Vemod is a total classic in 90's prog and imo as important a record as Hybris(or at least close to it).

[Fracktured]

I've always felt like they got their inspiration from Cream's "We're Going Wrong." I bought Vermod first then Nucleus and that they are so similar to each other I've always preferred Vermod. Sometimes I think your first remains your favorite.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

yes, but tht's only one track

Wait and hear more.

Oh no doubt.

This is definitely a hear before buy band for me.

[JKL2000]

I really liked Vemod and Nucleus, and I took it as a somewhat worrisome sign when Niklas Berg changed his name to Niklas Barker. I could be completely off base on that, but it seemed to indicate a coming simplification. Even if I like some of what came later.

[mozo-pg]

I have to backtrack again! lol

I'm listening to Time Of Day right now. It's really an excellent album and my favourite of the three later Anekdoten's releases. It's more aggressive than Gravity and From Within but not close to the sustained aggressiveness of Nucleus. There is some fine guitar playing on Time of Day and but it's more mellow overall. I love the vocals, the melancholy, the melody, and the orchestration. It's really beautiful music and I think an underrated band. I would rate their music in the following order: Nucleus, Vemod, Time of Day, Gravity and From Within. There Live in Japan double CD is pure bliss and I like their live Waking The Dead too.

[Sputnik]

I'm not saying they were immature KC-wannabeings, I'm saying this was how they were perceived with the majority of people I knew within the early 90s "prog circuit" here in Scandinavia.

Gotcha. You clearly need new friends.

that staunchly unconvincing cello throughout.

Anna Sofi has always had me totally convinced. I must be an easy mark.

However I certainly DO agree that "Wheel" was the overall greatest tune on that record and definitely paved the way for their ensuing ventures into more powerful sonic terrains..

Took me a while of listening to this album to latch onto Wheel. But when I finally did, it rapidly became my favorite on Vemod, and one of my favorite Anekdoten songs. I thought they should have made more use of that doubled vocal, it really works well for them.

Bill

[Trane]

I've always felt like they got their inspiration from Cream's "We're Going Wrong." I bought Vermod first then Nucleus and that they are so similar to each other I've always preferred Vermod. Sometimes I think your first remains your favorite.

wow!!! love both, but they are cery different beasts... in a blind test of less than two seconds, I'd know on which album I am mistening to

I really liked Vemod and Nucleus, and I took it as a somewhat worrisome sign when Niklas Berg changed his name to Niklas Barker. I could be completely off base on that, but it seemed to indicate a coming simplification. Even if I like some of what came later.

well I did notice the name change back then, but certainly never made the link you're speaking of.

Anna Sofi has always had me totally convinced. I must be an easy mark.

Bill

while I love her cello on Vemod, it is somewhat flawed - even if it d id bring an amazing flavor to their then-soundscape. FTM, there isn't another album of theirs where the cello is nearly as present as on the debut and I kind of regret it.

[spacefreak]

Vemod is a total classic in 90's prog and imo as important a record as Hybris(or at least close to it).

I agree. My rating of their albums:

Vemod (out of sheer importance)
Nucleus (best in the musical department)
-and the ones I can live without-
From Within
A Time Of Day
Gravity

[Scrotum Scissor]

Gotcha. You clearly need new friends.

Anna Sofi has always had me totally convinced. I must be an easy mark.

New friends? This was 21 years ago! Not really "friends" but rather just folks I met on the way. And many of them were usually bearers of vast integrity as far as music was concerned, so I was quite happy with their opinions to begin with.

And the more I learn about the cello as instrument (as opposed to sex toy, that is), the more unlistenable is that insecure and unsteady tone of hers. She got a bit better on the following two 'doten records, but Vemod suffers from poor performance and lack of spark on the thing.

[Trane]

Vemod is a total classic in 90's prog and imo as important a record as Hybris(or at least close to it).

Well, it's certainly part of what is remembered as "the Swedish trilogy" ali-ong with Hybris and Riktigt Akta

[Scrotum Scissor]

remembered as "the Swedish trilogy" ali-ong with Hybris and Riktigt Akta

To be fair, the main reason why people in Norway and Sweden would put the three together back then was the fact that the musicians knew each other and thus certified a common contact with the folks at Colours (who were located in Skien here in Norway). That whole package of "prog" or "retro" bands in the Stockholm area was actually much larger than those three, with acts such as St. Mikael and The Spacious Mind among the major assets.

Altogether I'd say the Ad Perpetuam Memoriam (APM) label was what truly defined the culmination of that whole string.

[Phlakaton]

I can agree with a few people who dont really get as much from these guys after Gravity or From Within - they did lose the hard edge - or it was definitely curbed a lot.

[Fracktured]

wow!!! love both, but they are cery different beasts... in a blind test of less than two seconds, I'd know on which album I am mistening to



well I did notice the name change back then, but certainly never made the link you're speaking of.



while I love her cello on Vemod, it is somewhat flawed - even if it d id bring an amazing flavor to their then-soundscape. FTM, there isn't another album of theirs where the cello is nearly as present as on the debut and I kind of regret it.

They both sound similar to me. Maybe I would have to revisit them, but I've always thought they were companion discs.

[Jerjo]

Is there any consensus on what a good entry point to the Anekdoten catalog would be?

[Sputnik]

Is there any consensus on what a good entry point to the Anekdoten catalog would be?

No, this is Progressive Ears, there isn't consensus on whether water is wet. Just start with Nucleus.

[gpeccary]

No, this is Progressive Ears, there isn't consensus on whether water is wet. Just start with Nucleus.

Nice!

I like the new one, its not ground breaking, but its one thing for sure....more Anekdoten!

[Trane]

Is there any consensus on what a good entry point to the Anekdoten catalog would be?

No, this is Progressive Ears, there isn't consensus on whether water is wet. Just start with Nucleus.

totally agree

start with anything else than Nucleus



(Vemod or From Within - Nucleus is maybe a little to harsh to serve as an intro)