First Flower King Remasters Out Today

**dmh84** · 04-29-2023

Thanks!

**Splicer** · 05-14-2023

Finally gave a listen to the remastered Paradox Hotel and found it very good indeed. Spectacular job.

**Rick L.** · 05-14-2023

Originally Posted by Soc Prof

I was just browsing The Flower Kings offerings on Qobuz and noticed that the remaster of Unfold the Future in now available in 24/96. This is the first time any of the 2 CD remasters have been available in hi res. Why now and not when it first came out in December 2022? I gave up trying to figure on Inside Out Music. Only they know. But I decided to buy and download it before they change their mind!

I checked HDtracks, and they are not selling this. Ditto for Highresaudio.com.

They did it just to fuck with you.

**chalkpie** · 05-14-2023

Originally Posted by Rick L.

They did it just to fuck with you.

lol

**Soc Prof** · 05-15-2023

Originally Posted by Rick L.

They did it just to fuck with you.

A perfectly logical explanation. Now, let's hope they fuck with me some more and release the other 2 CD albums in hi res. Bring it on!

**Plasmatopia** · 05-25-2023

Originally Posted by Splicer

Finally gave a listen to the remastered Paradox Hotel and found it very good indeed. Spectacular job.

I just received my copy last night and have just started to dig into the first disc. I always liked Monster & Men but I really like how it sounds on this version. It's been years since I heard the original so I want to go back and compare. I heard lots of things I don't recall hearing on the original version and I don't know if that's just due to the new mix revealing things, if new parts were recorded, alternate takes used, etc.

If Roine had taken extensive notes throughout the process of remixing these albums and published that I would buy it.

**Czyszy** · 05-25-2023

I would buy a mixing course/masterclass presented by Roine Stolt.

**Plasmatopia** · 05-25-2023

Originally Posted by Czyszy

I would buy a mixing course/masterclass presented by Roine Stolt.

No doubt! The man has decades of knowledge.

**Splicer** · 05-27-2023

Don't like the changes to "Don't Let The D'evil In" especially the way the solo starts in a more stripped down arrangement. The original was driving all the way. The remix loses that a bit.

**JKL2000** · 07-17-2023

Just listened to the last third or so of Retropolis (the old CD). I had somehow not really noticed how cool the song “Flora Majora” is. Awesome soloing from Roine!

**aith01** · 07-17-2023

Originally Posted by JKL2000

Just listened to the last third or so of Retropolis (the old CD). I had somehow not really noticed how cool the song “Flora Majora” is. Awesome soloing from Roine!

That is a really cool song! I haven’t heard it in a long time, but I remember also loving Tomas’ choice of keyboard sounds at the beginning.

Retropolis also contains another one of my favorite TFK songs, Silent Sorrow.

**JKL2000** · 07-18-2023

Originally Posted by aith01

That is a really cool song! I haven’t heard it in a long time, but I remember also loving Tomas’ choice of keyboard sounds at the beginning.

Retropolis also contains another one of my favorite TFK songs, Silent Sorrow.

Yes - I was really enjoying that one as well! I've always liked Retropolis, but I guess I didn't always make it to the end.

**calyx** · 07-18-2023

Originally Posted by JKL2000

Just listened to the last third or so of Retropolis (the old CD). I had somehow not really noticed how cool the song “Flora Majora” is. Awesome soloing from Roine!

It's an outtake from "The Flower King". The theme is quoted during the last track on that album, which consists of bits from every track on the album, including "Flora Majora" which was eventually left out to keep the album under 74 minutes.

**progmatist** · 07-18-2023

There Is More To This World has always been a favorite of mine. On the Tour Kaput DVD, Pat counted in 1-2-3-4-5. If that doesn't epitomize prog, I don't know what does.

**Czyszy** · 07-18-2023

I was never a big fan of There is More to this World. My fave song on Retropolis has always been The Road Back Home followed by Rhythm of the Sea followed by Silent Sorrow.

**aith01** · 07-18-2023

Originally Posted by progmatist

There Is More To This World has always been a favorite of mine.

I absolutely love "There Is More to This World" too.

**Splicer** · 07-19-2023

I've seen some of it mentioned above, but has anyone tried to make a comprehensive list of songs that ended up on other albums but contained themes heard on previous ones.

**Soc Prof** · 07-29-2023

A hi res version of the Stardust We Are remaster just showed up on Qobuz. Why now when the album came out in June 2022? Was the delay the fault of Inside Out Music or Qobuz? No f***ing idea. I just know that the same thing happened with Unfold the Future recently.

At this point, there are hi res versions of all of the currently released remasters except for Flower Power, Paradox Hotel, and The Sum of No Evil. Maybe this will change for each of them at some random time.

**Mota** · 07-29-2023

I listened to a sample of Poor Mr Rains Ordinary Guitar on Quobuz and the noise level still seems to be pretty high, but I didn't hear the popping sounds this time. Could it have been cleaned up?

EDIT: The noise levels on this song are high because there is rainfall and thunder in the background of the track.

**chalkpie** · 07-29-2023

^ I've always loved that piece. Roine came up with a brief but very beautiful little nugget way back when. It's always been vintage Howe-inspired to me.

**Soc Prof** · 07-29-2023

I'll give that piece a close listen when I download the album. The "Summary of your order" email from Qobuz noted that they were having technical problems with their new downloader, so I might wait a week and hope it gets fixed.

**Mota** · 07-29-2023

It's one of the quieter pieces on the album, so it was the easiest one to identify the digital pops or artifacting that were on the 2022 remaster. It's also one of my favorite TFK albums, so I would love to get the remastered version.

**SRS** · 07-31-2023

Yes please let us know if the Quboz high res download of Stardust We Are still has the popping and vinyl click like sounds. "If 28" would be a good one to check, quiet piano piece where the clicking was very noticeable.

Do you think a High Res download of Invention of Knowledge 2023 will be made available there? Although Roine has said the remix/remaster is not a dramatic change I'd still like to get it as the title track is 2 minutes longer and supposedly includes a Brislin synth solo which was left off the original release. As of now the only way to get this is the vinyl re-release (and the vinyl does not come with a CD). The CD is being re-released separately but oddly is just a reissue of the 2016 original with no changes.

**Soc Prof** · 07-31-2023

Originally Posted by SRS

Yes please let us know if the Quboz high res download of Stardust We Are still has the popping and vinyl click like sounds. "If 28" would be a good one to check, quiet piano piece where the clicking was very noticeable.

Do you think a High Res download of Invention of Knowledge 2023 will be made available there? Although Roine has said the remix/remaster is not a dramatic change I'd still like to get it as the title track is 2 minutes longer and supposedly includes a Brislin synth solo which was left off the original release. As of now the only way to get this is the vinyl re-release (and the vinyl does not come with a CD). The CD is being re-released separately but oddly is just a reissue of the 2016 original with no changes.

I'll let you know what I hear after I download this one. It should be the same master used for the CD and LP.

I don't know what Inside Out Music has planned for the remix of The Invention of Knowledge. There's no rhyme or reason as to which Inside Out Music releases get a hi res offering and which don't. Only the original version is currently listed on Qobuz at 16/44.1.