I've hardly been buying anything this year unfortunately. I'm getting that itch to buy some stuff though.Originally Posted by progeezer
Just buy the damn thing, will ya!
If you appreciated Shibboleth & Water Rd., Thomas, this is a no-brainer.
I've hardly been buying anything this year unfortunately. I'm getting that itch to buy some stuff though.Just buy the damn thing, will ya!
If you appreciated Shibboleth & Water Rd., Thomas, this is a no-brainer.
BTW, all this talk about the cover art, am I only one who doesn't like it at all? Pretty ugly if you ask me. As to what I normally like, it's usually the predictable fantasy scenes of classic prog. But there are exceptions, like Anglagard's Viljans Öga from last year. I'm mesmerized by that cover. Of course the music ain't too shabby either...
We're only distributing Plane Groovy albums to very limited outlets at the moment; if you want to get the album on vinyl come to www.planegroovy.com and you can order from there; I've even got a few fully-signed copies left. Each album is hand-numbered by Amy and there are only a total of 250 copies. Should you want a signed copy, just let me know on the PayPal checkout page ....
Wow, signed and hand-numbered by Amy. Well that's just.... plain.... groovy!
See, I'm in the camp that thought Water Road was too lush. It's something that I have to be in the right mood for, like the last couple Marillion or the Echolyn album. It doesn't have to be full-on Dream Theater, but I need a little edge to the proceedings. The guitar in the YouTube track was definitely a surprise for me and now makes me consider getting this album.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
Absolutely get the CD and try it for yourself. As I said earlier, I feel Fools Journey is one of the only songs on the album that transcends the "lush" approach, and is a really great song! In fact this album was more "lush" to me than Water Road overall. But get it and make up your own mind. Or do a bit more sampling.
Bill
Funny how Kev seats just next to me here in the office…
Not something I listen every day, but I certainly appreciate complex rhythmical structure and application of cranked up modern guitars over generally slow tempo mellotronish environment. That methodology seems to be consistent from release to release. So we shouldn’t be expecting To-Mera like passages here. Flutes on Hypatia are incredibly good. Heavier intro into Fool’s got that hooky riff in it, which carries on through the whole piece – clever. Very creative indeed and multidimensional, hence requires a few consecutive spins to be appreciated.
Does it all remind me a bit of English Electric here? The general feel…
Rob Aubrey has proven again he’s got a pair of ‘golden ears’, Not that he is DA best, but he is sure better than others.
Reviving this thread because I got One for Sorrow, Two for Joy a couple months ago and have just been transfixed by its beauty. What an emotionally satisfying listen. I agree with the observation that it's another affirmation of the welcome revival of outstanding music from the UK. Phil's writing has continued to develop depth and sophistication. The stately (but not lugubrious) pace the album takes for much of its length makes it easy to settle into for an uninterrupted listen.
If I were to describe the music, I would say it takes the harmonic approach of the first two National Health albums and folds it into a verdant English pastoral mood. The textures are usually "lush" but never thick and congested, always supporting and never overwhelming Amy Darby's beautiful singing. I can't help comparing her to Amanda Parsons in the climax of "Of Sparks and Spires." There's plenty of shifting terrain for the rhythmic section (half of Sanguine Hum's "Diving Bell" configuration), but never in a tricky way, always following the contours and shapes of the melody and drama. It's lovingly recorded with a wonderful sense of texture and naturalness and no hint of producer-itis.
If you have a taste for sophisticated symphonic prog with that unmistakable British thing about it, you really owe it to yourself to have this album.
That ^^^ is a very nice summation of the album. I'm to the point where I'd defintely pick Amy Darby as my favorite female vocalist if I had to pick just one. She was kind enough to do a guest appearance on the forthcoming cirrus bay cd, (of which I am gratefully honored) and her vocal section literally gave me chills-so much richness in her delivery.
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