I have had the most difficulty getting into Culture of Ascent.
For me it is Chronometree, though I love them all. I especially love the Live DVD version of Chronos Deliverer>When We Were Young>Heaven- gorgeous stuff. And I do miss Walter Moore.
I'm not lazy. I just work so fast I'm always done.
"Chronometree" is probably my least favorite GH album, but I know people like you who love it, so different strokes I guess. I like the Moore era too. His voice was very similar to Steve Walsh so it brought a bit of a Kansas vibe to some of the stuff. "Shadowlands" and "On To Evermore" are both really good examples of his tenure with the band.
I dug this one out last night and you're absolutely spot on in your comment - I liked the fact that the songs didn't get too cluttered with instruments all over the place (something I struggled a bit with Shadowlands).
Interesting to see that the songwriting credits for OTE were split 4 ways instead of the FS/SB norm.
I like Chronomatree, although I can see why others don't. It's in the guilty pleasure category.
"Chronos Deliverer" especially rocks the house with pure over-the-top Proggy joy!
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
So opinions are all over the map here! But if you want a more broad overall consensus, Prog Archives has 'If' and 'Perilous' currently tied as the favorites with a 3.91 rating, and 'Lex Rex' (3.75), Cor Cordium (3.74), and Shadowlands (3.72) neck and neck in the 3 thru 5 spots. The newest, 'The Breaking of the World' is also close at 3.69. I don't know how truly accurate all that is, and of course by the time the day is over, the ratings may be different.
Lex Rex would be a great start for the more classical GH sound.
I'm not lazy. I just work so fast I'm always done.
The vocals are the thing that makes Chronomotree such a great album for me.........without them it is pretty derivative of a few of the 70's "greats". I just thought it was interesting to have such a non-prog sounding vocalist on such a "prog" album. Still, I happen to not mind derivative music at all if it is done really well and isn't outright plagiarism (and really, how often does that happen?). Since we are talking about albums after Shadowlands, however, I wholeheartedly agree with the Davison trilogy. My favorite of all GH albums is Perilous....just a great symphonic prog concept album that sounds a lot less like Yes than the two before it (not that I minded that on those either, though). I personally like Ode to Echo quite a bit, but would agree that the newest one is better (one of their best, I must say).
My biggest issue with the band has always been the vocals for some reason, which Davison took care of quite nicely (and in a totally different way, so did Brad Marhler). On the last two, the vocals haven't been my favorite part, but they haven't detracted from the music either.
I do think I'm long overdue to get The Inconsolable Secret though (haven't heard a note of it).
If I could join any band I wanted to, It would be Glass Hammer. They are the perfect Prog band. everything is always right where you dont expect it. Always Nicely done. I've actually written a 25 minute prog song which I considered to be kind of a "hey dudes, can I join your band"? type of thing. It was written with Glass Hammer in mind. If not them then maybe Dream Theater will replace Myung someday... If not them, then maybe Blue Vino will have an opening for me.
I've never played it for anyone. Or should I say, no one has been able to endure the whole thing?
Give Glass Hammer a try. You cant lose. They are worthy of scary adoration. I waited a couple of years for Inconsoleable Secret to be re-released. Yes, it was worth the wait, although my wife left me, and I lost my job while camped out at the best buy.
I got nothin' :
...avoiding any implication that I have ever entertained a cognizant thought.
live samples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwbCFGbAtFc
https://youtu.be/AEE5OZXJioE
https://soundcloud.com/yodelgoat/yod...om-a-live-show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUe3YhCjy6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VOCJokzL_s
I'll second 3Cheers. Lots of ballsy guitar on that one as well as their best short-form pop/rock songs. I also like Culture of Ascent. Seems I'm less a fan of the Windham Hill style prog.
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