IQ new cd(s) details announced!

[Kcrimso]

Seventh House is their highpoint but Frequency was quite good also.


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[Paulrus]

The Wake is their highpoint but The Road of Bones was quite good also.

Fixed.

[LeFrog]

I have a soft spot for The Seventh House because it came out just when I was getting into the band.
I always found Frequency a rather pedestrian effort by their standards but it seems to get a lot of love.

[saucyjackstl]

Dark Matter is still my favorite from them by far. Everything else is a whole grade lower. Seventh House, Wake, Frequency are good. Subterranea hasn't aged well. Tales From The Lush Attic is probably #2 for me after Dark Matter.

[mozo-pg]

Subterranea aged fine for me. Easily my favourite.

[Progatron]

Love/like them all (with Nicholls)... my order would probably be:

The Wake
Ever
Frequency
Dark Matter
Lush Attic
Road Of Bones
Subterranea
Seventh House (although the title track is way up near the top of their catalogue for me)
Nomzamo
Are You Sitting Comfortably

[prog_frog]

In general each new album is a counterpoint of the previous one so I am expecting it to be less heavy then Road Of Bones and maybe a bit more lyrical. I would love it if the music had a bit more acoustic sections cause whenever IQ has done that in the past it really sounds wonderful.

If I recall, there was an interview maybe a year ago with Peter Nicholls where he suggested that the next album would continue to develop the heavier sound that we heard on much of Road of Bones. We'll see soon enough whether that bears out.

Auto-buy for me as well. For me, when it comes to this style of prog (they don't care for the "neo-prog" label), there's IQ, and then a big gap, and then there's everyone else. They're just so consistently good. Would also love a re-recording of Tales and The Wake, both for sound quality and because I think Nicholls's voice has matured extremely well and he sounds better from Ever onward than he did in the 1980s, to my ears anyway.

[Progatron]

Would also love a re-recording of Tales and The Wake, both for sound quality and because I think Nicholls's voice has matured extremely well and he sounds better from Ever onward than he did in the 1980s, to my ears anyway.

The officially released The Wake (Live At De Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Holland June 19 2010) sort of suits this purpose, if you don't mind that it's not studio. Likewise with the recent live Ever from last year's 25th anniversary set, which I think sounds superior to the album. Lush Attic is another story, but at least sound quality-wise, the 2013 remix was an enormous improvement IMO.

[JAMOOL]

I'd get a massive headache trying to rank the IQ albums. I think all the ones with Nichols are roughly the same level of quality. Some a little better, some a little worse (I actually think of Ever as the worst Nichols album which just means I effectively give it an A-), but whatever, they're all kinda alike to me.

I agree that IQ is really the only band to really live up to the promise of "Neo Prog". They singlehandedly make that 80s revival seem like a great idea.

[Drake]

If I recall, there was an interview maybe a year ago with Peter Nicholls where he suggested that the next album would continue to develop the heavier sound that we heard on much of Road of Bones. We'll see soon enough whether that bears out.

Auto-buy for me as well. For me, when it comes to this style of prog (they don't care for the "neo-prog" label), there's IQ, and then a big gap, and then there's everyone else. They're just so consistently good. Would also love a re-recording of Tales and The Wake, both for sound quality and because I think Nicholls's voice has matured extremely well and he sounds better from Ever onward than he did in the 1980s, to my ears anyway.

One does not simply re-record The Wake.

But seriously, cruical parts of the greatness of that album is the punky attitude - the low sound quality and the strained vocals. If Wake sounded like Ever it would lose a lot.


By the way, the new cover is ...meh, right?

[aith01]

I agree that IQ is really the only band to really live up to the promise of "Neo Prog". They singlehandedly make that 80s revival seem like a great idea.

I support this notion. I think they came the closest to the spirit of 70's "prog rock" than any other 80s neo-prog group that I've heard.

[prog_frog]

One does not simply re-record The Wake.

But seriously, cruical parts of the greatness of that album is the punky attitude - the low sound quality and the strained vocals. If Wake sounded like Ever it would lose a lot.


By the way, the new cover is ...meh, right?

Fair enough re: The Wake

I don't pay a great deal of attention to covers anymore but it's fine with me. I can't quite make out what the guy is doing, but it matches the album title (carrying on with something mundane while the sun is exploding).

[Steve983]

Its interesting reading the diverse opinions here, one man's favourite is another's trash, as ever. No pun intended

[Top Cat]

I think I own just about every album IQ has ever released but I've never had the privilege to see them live. However, I do have most of their concert tours on DVD.
I couldn't begin to rank them from best to worst, but I do admit some of their albums are winners from start to finish while some may contain reworked or IQ influenced inspiration from previous works, but even those albums have real gems in them.

I think IQ is a lot like Marillion, because their songs seem to come to life when performed live. Even the most ordinary pieces of music are refreshed and renewed when seen or viewed live.
In other words some of their songs may sound average on an album, but in a live performance they seem a lot better.

[Azol]

So, any album teasers spotted so far?
Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait...
Cha-cha-chaaa cha-cha... ahem!

[Paulrus]

I think IQ is a lot like Marillion, because their songs seem to come to life when performed live. Even the most ordinary pieces of music are refreshed and renewed when seen or viewed live.

This is true, but IMO it's not because IQ is known for revamping their songs for live performance. It's because they have an understanding and appreciation of the power of analog music. Their live mix feeds in lots of low end and growling bass synth tones, plus no shortage of Mellotron and other old-school textures. For prog fans it's like catnip.

[lazland]

I think I own just about every album IQ has ever released but I've never had the privilege to see them live. However, I do have most of their concert tours on DVD.
I couldn't begin to rank them from best to worst, but I do admit some of their albums are winners from start to finish while some may contain reworked or IQ influenced inspiration from previous works, but even those albums have real gems in them.

I think IQ is a lot like Marillion, because their songs seem to come to life when performed live. Even the most ordinary pieces of music are refreshed and renewed when seen or viewed live.
In other words some of their songs may sound average on an album, but in a live performance they seem a lot better.

Absolutely agree with this statement. I love both bands studio output, but it is the live experience that really brings all to life for both of them.

[Crawford Glissadevil]

Road of Bones is my wife's favorite prog CD since the 70's.

[Top Cat]

This is true, but IMO it's not because IQ is known for revamping their songs for live performance. It's because they have an understanding and appreciation of the power of analog music. Their live mix feeds in lots of low end and growling bass synth tones, plus no shortage of Mellotron and other old-school textures. For prog fans it's like catnip.

Actually I think all the magic comes from the "suit".

[Steve983]

I saw IQ live many times from their support slots to headliners at the Marquee in London, the thing I remember most about them is that sound was often bad. The best one was at the Picadilly Theatre in central London they did a showcase gig, their first with Paul Menel, it was astoundingly good, a huge step up in production and audio. Sadly it was not to last. The last time I saw them must have been at The Astoria in London with Subterranea, again the sound was overloud and bad. Good memories of the music and theatrics though.

[LeFrog]

I think it's hard for most of us to appreciate IQ as a live band since they play very rarely and usually in the UK with the occasional trip to the Netherlands.
I was lucky enough to see them once, the last time they played in Paris, which was in late 2000, just as I was getting into the band and a few songs from The Seventh House were premiered. I remember it as a very enjoyable gig to a rather small audience. Unfortunately, Paris is no longer a viable gig unless you are a high profile prog band with label backing (Inside Out most of the time).

[Progatron]

I think it's hard for most of us to appreciate IQ as a live band since they play very rarely and usually in the UK with the occasional trip to the Netherlands.

Fortunately for me, they've hit Canada a few times in recent years. Same with a few other bands... Wobbler, for example. And yes, they are certainly a strong live band!

[Rajaz]

I'm not going to go into my personal album history with this incredible great Neo-Prog band that for me, even surpasses their predecessors Genesis and Yes.

Not only this is an auto-buy but I will be aiming for the two-disc version. And yes, I have seen them twice! Quebec (2017) and Rahway NJ (2018), simply put totally awesome!
Thanks for sharing this great news.

[yesman1955]

I think the time interval between studio albums is dictated by their day jobs. IIRC, the band is a side project for them rather than a full time job.

[Paulrus]

I think the time interval between studio albums is dictated by their day jobs. IIRC, the band is a side project for them rather than a full time job.

Pretty sure that's the case. I thought I read, though, that Martin Orford had been making his living solely as a musician back when he was in IQ. Part income from the band and part being on the dole. Probably why he reacted to the whole piracy thing so... dramatically.