Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

I absolutely love The Flower Kings. Over the years, I managed to track down all their albums including the live ones, the dvds, and even found a used (signed!) copy of "Edition Limitee Quebec 1998". Their discography is one of my favourite sections to scan through on my cd shelves.

I am not one of those fans who is down on albums like Adam And Eve or Paradox Hotel, I love it all. I don't skip any tracks, even the ones generally regarded as 'filler'. Even TFK filler is good stuff.

I think the absolute apex of their career is the stunning trio "Stardust We Are", "Flower Power" and "Space Revolver"... just chock full of wondrous prog from beginning to end.

LONG LIVE THE FLOWER KINGS!

Roland113 wrote: Welcome to the club Progtron.  I think you'll find a wide variety of tastes here in the FK Appreciation Thread and for as many people that don't like "Adam & Eve" you'll find at least one that thinks it's their best album (Pablo).  Same with "Paradox Hotel" which is my favorite by them. Enjoy and welcome to the group.

Thank you, fine fellow, it's nice to be here!

"Adam And Eve" is worth the price for "Driver's Seat", IMO. Excellent track. To rank their albums, I'd have to have "The Rainmaker" and "Retropolis" at the bottom of the list, but only because something has to be last. I love it all!

Harry Hood wrote: Riainmaker is one of the ebst and it's a shame no one gets it. It's definitely their most challening and proggiest record. Plus it has the Joni Mitchell tribute "Elaine" which is one of their most underrated songs.

There is a part of me that's very happy to hear this Harry.  I think that "The Rainmaker" was the only CD that wasn't someone's favorite until this moment.  I'll actually give it a spin this afternoon in honor.  I like the album well enough, though there is a lot of it that fades into the background for me.  The notable exception is "Serious Dreamers" which is probably my second favorite Flower Kings song behind only "I am the Sun".

Can't say i've listened to Rainmaker for quite a while - Currently freaking to CD1 of Glasshammers, inconsolable secret - track 1 is truly fabulous - who concurs?

Hi guys! I'm new to the forum but not to prog(ressive rock)! I only have Unfold the Future, and when I first got it, I hated it! But as I listened to it more and more,it started getting better and now I love it! My favorite track id The Devil's Playground. Opinions on this album? (P.S. I've been trying to get another TFK album, but I can't find one. I've looked at so many secondhand shops, because, I don't know why, but I like them used. (The only reason I got Unfold  the Future was off this nationwide trading website)) 

Unfold is their best album, bar none.  Of course, this is my opinion, but I'm always right so there you go 

Rainmaker was my least favorite when it came out, but now I find it pretty good.  It always sounds like a "stop gap" album to me, something to release while they got down to serious business on Unfold.  Roine said himself that the drums were basically Jamie "finishing a job" rather than his usual inspired and high quality work.  I can actually hear this every time I listen to the album, and it's hard to get past (which isn't to say the drumming is poor, far from it).  But  Rainmaker has risen in my FK rankings over the years, and some of the songs are truly great (Last Minute, Serious Dreamers, Road To Sanctuary and even City Of Angels...........though I just can't stand sword of God, not a fan of Froberg's "screaming" vocals, in this particular instance anyway).

But yeah, ALL their albums are great, just varying levels of greatness.  Retropolis is still my favorite though (even though it's not their best album).

The best CD is Flower-Power - I reckon - most consistent - Yo Roj You Got Galleon - Land to Ocean yet - read my review - it's the closest thing to as above so below I've heard - fan bloody tastic ! Get your ears around it soon buddy - and everybody else - Galleon are top-banana !

SolarLuna96 wrote: Thank you for the warm welcome and the tips I'll be sure to fill up my iPod!

Well, if you haven't figured it out yet..........you need to have ALL of their albums.  And side projects. 

Seriously, you won't regret it at all.  We all have our favorites, but for myself at least there is not a single album by TFK (or even off shoots really) that is less than great.

Roland113 wrote: ...... and for as many people that don't like "Adam & Eve" you'll find at least one that thinks it's their best album (Pablo).

Catcher10 wrote: Roland113 wrote: ...... and for as many people that don't like "Adam & Eve" you'll find at least one that thinks it's their best album (Pablo).    What!! Seriously why is that? I don't understand, peoples ears must not be working....Adam & Eve is a great album one of their best for sure.   I like em a lot!!

Nothing wrong with my ears.  It's just my least favorite Flower Kings album, one that I rarely listen to.  I pull it out once a year or so to see if my feelings have changed, and so far they haven't (got it when it was originally released).  Of course, I would never say it was a bad album, because it isn't by any stretch.  Just my least favorite of the Kings.  My main issue is that I just don't enjoy Love Supreme at all.  In fact, I find large parts of it irritating (the main melody just gets on my nerves for some reason).  I also don't care for Cosmic Circus or Starlight Man, and the title track seems a bit disjointed to me.  But I love A Vampire's View, Timelines, Babylon, and Blade of Cain.  Driver's Seat isn't bad and has some parts I quite like.

But you know, it's all subjective.  Some people consider Retropolis their least favorite, and it's my favorite.  We all have different tastes, even though we all seem to agree on certain tracks.