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Limelight View Drop Down
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Points: 5 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Any opinions on Presto Ballet?
    Posted: August 07 2005 at 17:48

Hello All,

I have recently heard a couple of tracks from Presto Ballet on Morow prog radio at www.live365.com (not an endorsment). I was really impressed with what I heard. I have been to the band's web site and it looks like there are snippets of music from the tracks to what I believe is their first album. I have not had the time to review these snippets yet. Unfortunately, Presto Ballet is not listed on this site.

Does anyone have a thought or opinion on this band?

Best,

scott

Jacksonville, Florida
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TheProgtologist View Drop Down
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Points: 27802 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 07 2005 at 19:19
Originally posted by Limelight Limelight wrote:

Hello All,

I have recently heard a couple of tracks from Presto Ballet on Morow prog radio at www.live365.com (not an endorsment). I was really impressed with what I heard. I have been to the band's web site and it looks like there are snippets of music from the tracks to what I believe is their first album. I have not had the time to review these snippets yet. Unfortunately, Presto Ballet is not listed on this site.

Does anyone have a thought or opinion on this band?

Best,

scott

Jacksonville, Florida

I think their Peace Among the Ruins album is a very good symphonic prog album,or would they be considered neo?And I am working on getting them added if Mike doesn't beat me to it


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Limelight View Drop Down
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Points: 5 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 11:27

Thanks Progtologist. I was thinking neo, but then, what do I know? I think they just have the one album that you mentioned, but then, uhh, what do I know?

Thanks for getting them added too (when that happens).

Best,

scott

Jacksonville, Florida
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 11:35
I think they're Neo-Prog with some AOR influences. But I'm not an expert on Neo-Prog. Maybe Certif1ed can add his input here?
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 11:37
Originally posted by Limelight Limelight wrote:

Hello All,

I have recently heard a couple of tracks from Presto Ballet on Morow prog radio at www.live365.com (not an endorsment). I was really impressed with what I heard. I have been to the band's web site and it looks like there are snippets of music from the tracks to what I believe is their first album. I have not had the time to review these snippets yet. Unfortunately, Presto Ballet is not listed on this site.

Does anyone have a thought or opinion on this band?

Best,

scott

Jacksonville, Florida

Beware of those snippets - the album is much more progressive. The tracks available on the website are essentially demo recordings.

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eugene View Drop Down
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Points: 2703 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 11:45

I had their first and only sofar album "piece among the ruins", and I did not like it at all, so I sold it. IMO it's got nothing to do with symphonic prog apart from they fact that there is plenty of keyboards there. I do not even think that this is prog in true meaning of this word, but if you want to call it so - it should be rather neo, but not symphonic in any case. I understand this band is founded by ex Metal Church guitarist Kurt Vanderhoof. It is of course closer to prog than Metal Church itself, but still rather simple and unimpressive to me. 

As to the inclusion of presto Ballet into PA - OK, let it happen, why not? We have already so many bands here which IMO are rather regressive than prog, that the addition of another one does not really matter.   
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 11:50
Originally posted by eugene eugene wrote:

I had their first and only sofar album "piece among the ruins", and I did not like it at all, so I sold it. IMO it's got nothing to do with symphonic prog apart from they fact that there is plenty of keyboards there. I do not even think that this is prog in true meaning of this word, but if you want to call it so - it should be rather neo, but not symphonic in any case. I understand this band is founded by ex Metal Church guitarist Kurt Vanderhoof. It is of course closer to prog than Metal Church itself, but still rather simple and unimpressive to me. 

As to the inclusion of presto Ballet into PA - OK, let it happen, why not? We have already so many bands here which IMO are rather regressive than prog, that the addition of another one does not really matter.   

"simple" is one of the key attributes of Neo-Prog. But Presto Ballet aren't THAT simple - some of the songs are quite "active" - and not at all boring IMO.

They're not symphonic, that's obvious - but then again, much of Neo-Prog isn't either. I think that the really great Neo-Prog bands are symphonic to some degree (Marillion, Pendragon, Glass Hammer, ...), but it's not mandatory for the genre.
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eugene View Drop Down
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Points: 2703 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 12:07

yes, Mike, some of the songs are active, but to me they are also boring and simple. something can be extremely active but very simple in the same time, and this combo can be awfully boring

I expected you to disagree with my opinion, as your preferences in music are quite different from mine, but that's the beauty of it - people with different tastes express their honest opinions and let others to look at the matter from different point of view

also talking about sub-genres, I think that Glass Hammer are not neo, but purely sympho
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 13:21
I like their album very much, but I realise that it is simple. I don't have a problem with that, and they are not trying to trick people into thinking that they're a prog supergroup or something. The most fascinating aspect of their album is the way they combine an awesome retro sound - they recorded the album on analog equipment and didn't use samplers but real organs, mellotrons etc. - with lots of fresh ideas from many progressive styles. The AOR influences are mainly in their vocals, and they implement these hooks and huge multivoice arrangements so perfectly that you simply have to be amazed - but of course you don't have to like it.
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Points: 5 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 08 2005 at 22:56
So I'm sitting here again tonight with Morow on the computer hoping to hear some stuff I'm not familiar with, and this tune comes on, and I'm thinking, "I really like this!", so I click the tab to see what is being played, and it was "Bringin It On" from Piece Among The Ruins. Simple or not, I think it sounded great.
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