You have a cool picture under your username. Predator 2, right? Shame that there was no Kenso soundtrack in that movie.Originally Posted by dropforge
You have a cool picture under your username. Predator 2, right? Shame that there was no Kenso soundtrack in that movie.
Yeah, that's Henry Kingi. Zombi should re-score that movie.
Yeah, with the same intro music as Kubrick's 2001 (as the shot from the forest goes to the city) and an alternate ending inspired by Spielberg's "Close Encounters" where it turns out that those were just friendly aliens after all.
I've recently transitioned to just buying downloads, unless the CD version is all that is available. Any chance a downloaded version would be available? I imagine not likely, but had to ask.
I see the first two David Sancious albums are now available and Laser's Edge has them. I went to Amazon and they only have the overpriced imports and no downloads. Bummer.
As I understand from some of the comments on some other previous threads here and elswhere, also on some bands Facebook pages, there is a demand for download versions and people ask why some bands are not doing it. It seems that not every band is keen to release a download version or there are other aspects. Just recently Presto Ballet released their first album in download version, I did not even know that it wasn't available in that format.
I don't know about Kenso, maybe some other posters have info on this.
I don't recall seeing many downloads from Japanese fusion bands because not that many sites carry them and it is difficult just dealing with the distributors in Japan for the hard copies.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!
I think there was a thread some time ago on this (the option of downloads). I did not read much of it but I don't think I would be wrong if said that there are many positions/points of view which can be taken when you look at this. And that most of these discussions go in circles.
I think it was Sherinian who said that it is difficult to promote, release and sell instrumental prog music. As I understand it, that's why Planet-X hasn't done anything for seven years. And if it's difficult for Planet-X, I would imagine it's just as complicated for Kenso.
I really like this kind of music...well, not every band, but some of them definitely...I would like Relocator, Alex Argento or Motoi Sakuraba to release music more often, but it is what it is.
Good news here everyone. Greg has them in stock.... for $30! I already ordered mine....
Nice! I look forward to other reviews...
Ordered mine from Greg yesterday, should be here in a few days.
I don't see it on the website.
Send him an email
Got my copy yesterday and gave it a first spin. I like it. It's sort of a "kinder, gentler Kenso."
I often feel that Kenso tries to pack too much into their compositions. On first spin, I didn't get that impression with this disc. It seemed a little more organic to me, and if felt like they took a little more time to let themes and moods develop before rushing off to the next one. It usually takes me a while to get my ears around a Kenso disc, but I immediately connected with this one.
I was concerned that there would be another vocal track on this album. I think there are four on the previous album, one about mid-way and three at the end. Those three at the end are like an ice pick in my ear, so I made a CDR that omits them. The vocal piece here, though, is pretty good. It's a longer piece that changes moods, much more "Symph Prog" leaning than a lot of Kenso material. The vocalist uses a sort of operatic style that I don't really like, but I got used to it and I feel it worked in the context of the track (particularly when the music kicks in a bit harder).
Obviously just a first spin, but I think this will be a Kenso disc I will reach for with frequency.
Bill
Cool. I ordered my copy yesterday evening (from Greg's Amazon store), and am looking forward to hearing it in a few days
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
Oh, I didn't realize Greg had an Amazon store. What's it called?Cool. I ordered my copy yesterday evening (from Greg's Amazon store), and am looking forward to hearing it in a few days
(Assuming this is Greg Walker. If it's a different Greg, please pardon my ignorance.)
Check out some of the prices here. http://www.amazon.com/Uchi-Naru-Koe-...keywords=kenso
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!
Well...when I looked at the Amazon buying options, I saw a seller called ProgHeaven out of UT...I made a logical deduction that it was Greg (Walker). It might not have been at all. Either way, whoever it was shipped it already, so they're getting good ratings from me
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
I wonder why they're including one track with vocals if the rest of the album is purely instrumental. Doesn't it break the overall feel? It was the same with one of the 7 for 4 albums - all the tracks except one were instrumental and the one with with singing felt so much out of place.
I guess they have some kind of an idea if they do it.
I don't know for sure, but my guess is that after doing many instrumental albums, Kenso just wanted to branch out a bit and try something different. They put some vocal pieces on the last album and have continued that with this album.
Does it break the overall feel? Yeah, a bit. As I said above, I like the vocal track on this new one, and one of the vocal tracks on the previous album, so it's not a deal breaker for me. I didn't like those last three vocal tracks on the previous Kenso album, and felt they disrupted the ending of the album. But that was easily fixed by eliminating them.
There are a number of largely instrumental bands/albums with one vocal track. The second Accordo Dei Contrari album has one track with Richard Sinclair singing. I love that track, and while it is different, it fits in pretty well to me. The last track on Quiet Sun's album has vocals. Here, I personally feel that track is vastly less successful than the instrumental tracks and does horribly interrupt the flow of that album. But it's clearly something instrumental bands do from time to time for whatever reason motivates them to do so. The success of these attempts is in the ears of the behearer.
Bill
I agree that it's up to the listener what he/she makes out of it. Btw, I think that there were other Japanese bands which did it this way - putting one or several vocal pieces on an otherwise instrumental record.I don't know for sure, but my guess is that after doing many instrumental albums, Kenso just wanted to branch out a bit and try something different. They put some vocal pieces on the last album and have continued that with this album.
Does it break the overall feel? Yeah, a bit. As I said above, I like the vocal track on this new one, and one of the vocal tracks on the previous album, so it's not a deal breaker for me. I didn't like those last three vocal tracks on the previous Kenso album, and felt they disrupted the ending of the album. But that was easily fixed by eliminating them.
There are a number of largely instrumental bands/albums with one vocal track. The second Accordo Dei Contrari album has one track with Richard Sinclair singing. I love that track, and while it is different, it fits in pretty well to me. The last track on Quiet Sun's album has vocals. Here, I personally feel that track is vastly less successful than the instrumental tracks and does horribly interrupt the flow of that album. But it's clearly something instrumental bands do from time to time for whatever reason motivates them to do so. The success of these attempts is in the ears of the behearer.
Bill
It reminds me of one discussion about Kubrick's 2001 - some saying that the first Dawn of The Man episode is too long and others criticizing the ending or saying that something is unnecessary.
It's just that you can't change a movie (unless a director decides to release a new version) so it stays as it is. It's different with albums these days - you can basically make your own version. I don't do that but judging from the comments, quiet a bit of people do it.
Wonderful. That's one of the reasons I appreciate Sparta-- a little more spacious and elegant, and yet still complex.
Can't wait!
Finally got a copy...Yeah! As dense and creative as ever. Jeesus-- opera funk into math rock! Some truly novel combinations going on here. And their best-sounding recording to date. Magic indeed
I got my copy today. Listened to it once but will have to listen again. Didn't blow me away enough to draw me away from what I was doing.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!
One of the things I love about this band is their very un-typical jazz-rock/fusion-- it gets symphonic, and importantly, skillfully mixed with native Japanese/Asian stylings/melodies/aesthetics. Then mix in a healthy dose of Japanese, Indian, and European pagan spirituality meeting Led Zeppelin, all with a rich, melodically lilting ease and panache and voila!--something approximating this band. Is there anything else quite like it? That's why I think they're one of the most significant progressive acts working today. Kenso rules.
Yeah, they have their own thing for sure. I tend to put it in the same category of Bruford (the band); prog/fusion, although to me, Kenso leans more towards the symph/prog thing.
A few people have mentioned that my former band, Bad Dog U reminded them of Kenso at times. That was actually kind of a fluke, because I didn't discover them before all of the material on our album was already written. But I get it... because when I finally heard them (In the West was my first exposure), I did feel an immediate kinship to the way that they write, although they pack a lot more into their compositions and honestly, they have a lot of tunes that I wish I had written... that is if I was actually capable of writing on that level! But their chord progressions and melodies often resonate with me because I hear things in a somewhat similar way when I write.
Inspired by this thread, I made myself a Kenso compilation CD-R a week or two ago. This tune was stuck in my head for the following couple of days, especially the melody that occurs at 2:13. Beautiful stuff!
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