Bump!
I have bought and will buy any music that involves LFF (& Jacob as well).
That's my story & I'm stickin' to it.
"My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"
President Harry S. Truman
Wobbler? I don't even know her! Oooooooooohhhhhhhh.............
My problem is that Wobbler sounds amazing except for the vocal parts. Great vocal prog employs songs that could stand on their own without all the progginess. It bums me out when great prog bands just sing over an instrumental section rather than building the song up around a good tune. There's nothing compelling about the vocal melodies in Wobbler's music. When they stop singing though, they hit their stride.
I agree with your premise here, but I certainly think that Rites at Dawn fulfills your criteria. It is filled not only with great vocal melodies, but also lush harmonies - all sung by a great singer.
As for new material, I know that Lars&co are working on it, but Lars' schedule is very full these days with other musical projects as well, so I suspect we won't see any brand new Wobbler release in 2014. Maybe '15, but that's just me guessing.
If these guys were from say Texas or Alabama and had a lot more southern rock influence, I think they would be my favorite band ever. As it stands, the Scandinavian influence doesn't really work for them, so I am going to have to pass over them for now. IMO of course. YMMV. ESPN. WWF.
Funny, I was just thinking about Wobbler today...how much I love their last album. Rites at Dawn is clear and away my favorite. In fact, I think it is a minor prog classic. The Chris Squiresqe vocals really appeal to me and the whole thing has this mystical feel to it that I really enjoy. I really hope they record another one with the same lineup and even more mellotron (yes, I have a problem).
What really bums me out is when rubbish "prog" bands employ "progginess" to camouflage what amounts to equally rubbish Bryan Adams/BonJovi'an "tunes" so as to make for 10-47 minute "suites" with the hope of rendering this altogether "more prog".
Wobbler, on the other hand - are exactly what they aspire to be; no more, no less. Few bands commit to this specific style of "prog" with such dedication and ambition nowadays, and very few succeed in pulling it off.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Wobbler is a great band.
I do have and like the first album, but it is sometimes too dark, and it's too short. How are the other two?
Loving Rites at Dawn! Not usually my normal listening tastes these days, but what a gorgeous slice of prog! Clever-ass time changes, some killer almost classical progressions (always with a Scandinavian scent), weird RIO-blurbs and blips that last one or two meausures, and a fuckin KILLER bass tone. Actually really accomplished playing with real deal tones; "crappy synths - I summon you to my clogged cesspool, now damnit you filthy maggots!!"
I like this.
PS - cool dudes. I hung out with these guys at NF, the year they played the slot before Frogg in '05.
Yo, Frankie - I'm right there with you. With the contemporary "retro-symph" progressive bands there are only a couple of handful I can really enjoy nowadays, but Wobbler certainly sit near the peak. There's yet another badass Norwegian band currently doing something "same but different", namely Seven Impale - you should try them out as well. And Tusmørke, although they are a different beast altogether ('though still donning two Wobbly-members, including Lars).
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Glad to see you come around, Frank.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Seven Impale is available right now on Progstreaming:
http://www.progstreaming.com/_wb/pag...Of%20The%20Sun
As for Tusmørke, no they are not really the 'new' Wobbler, but they may appeal to you regardless.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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Haven't heard them since Hinterland, which I didn't stay with for long. I'm ready to try them again. I like 'Rubato Industry" on first listen.
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