Pendragon Appreciation Thread - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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infocat

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Topic: Pendragon Appreciation Thread
Posted: July 29 2012 at 16:48

Can't post in the old one, so though I'd start a new one.

I've been doing a "Pendragon marathon" in my car, and I'd like to hear people's thoughts on the band.

My first exposure to Pendragon was in the early 90s. Specifically, the song "Shane". I hated it. It seemed to have everything that was hated about neo-prog. So I avoided them for about 20 years. Ouch

Last year I saw Passion in the "new releases" section at my local record store, and I figured I'd give them a shot. Very glad I did! Took me a couple of listens, but I fell in love with it. Lovely melodies, emotional guitar, great atmosphere, nice bit of heavyness without going all "metal".

The the Madfish label reissued Pure. Wow! "Indigo" blew my mind on first listen, and its now my favorite song from them. Whenever I see the "what are you listening to now...in your head" thread, I can very often say it is this song. The entire album is so great.

Madflsh reissued Believe next. I was less impressed. Seemed to have a bit of what turned me off all those years ago. But listening to it yesterday I realize it is for the most part a very good album. Not as good as the last two, but still very nice. Really love "The Edge of the World".

Madfish then jumped back to reissue The Window of Life. Not sure why they didn't continue the reverse chronological order I had thought they'd been following, but anyway... Again, not so impressed on first listen. Love the guitar, as always, but the songwriting is a bit too "neo-prog standard", I guess you might say. As of now this is by far my least favorite of their albums.

Finally, Not Of This World. Much better than TWoL. Still has the classic "neo-prog" sound, but the songs are much stronger. Not sure what else to say here.

Curious question... All five of these albums end (sans any bonus tracks) with a relatively light ballad, containing a wonderfully emotional guitar solo. Is this common for all of their albums? I love the songs, but it seems a bit formulaic.

I'm hoping that Madfish reissues The Masquerade Overture next, as that appears to be their mostly agreed upon classic.

So what are your thoughts? Are you a classic Pendy fan that doesn't like their new "heavier" direction? Are you a fan of the new and find the older ones a bit lacking? Or are you just a fan of all of their work? (If you are not a fan at all you probably need not post. Dead

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Posted: July 29 2012 at 21:06

I haven't heard their newer recordings Passion and Pure, but I own every album from The Jewel up to Not Of This World. I didn't like The World that much, but I've enjoyed the other recordings I own. My favorites are The Window Of Life and, of course, The Masquerade Overture. Can't say I've been keen to explore their newer recordings as I heard they mark a new direction for the band.

Edited by Mirror Image - July 29 2012 at 21:09

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Posted: July 29 2012 at 21:07

I don't like Neo Prog at all!! but I love Pendragon. The first album I got was The Masquerade Overture, I liked it but left it aside for a few years then when Pure came out I saw all the positive reviews and thought "why not?" Well Pure blew my mind off!! I am a big fan of Heavy Prog so I really like their sound now, any way I consider this to be their best album yet. Since then I thought I'll go back to TMO, and I enjoyed it more than ever, certainly it's one of their best albums. Passion is fantastic and also Believe, but I'm not sure I can like more of their early albums since I'm not a big fan of the Neo Prog sound but I'll definitely try.

I really advise for anyone who doesn't like Neo Prog to check out Pure or Passion, since it's more like Heavy Prog and very interesting stuff too.

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Posted: July 29 2012 at 21:31

infocat wrote:

I'm hoping that Madfish reissues The Masquerade Overture next, as that appears to be their mostly agreed upon classic.

Madfish has already reissued The Masquerade Overture:

http://www.amazon.com/Masquerade-Overture-Reis-Pendragon/dp/B0007YNRRM/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343615441&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=Pendragon+The+Masquerade+Overtgure

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Posted: July 29 2012 at 21:43

Went ahead and bought Pure and Passion. Got them cheap as hell. So why not? Cool

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infocat

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Posted: July 29 2012 at 23:44

Mirror Image wrote:

infocat wrote:

I'm hoping that Madfish reissues The Masquerade Overture next, as that appears to be their mostly agreed upon classic.

Madfish has already reissued The Masquerade Overture:

http://www.amazon.com/Masquerade-Overture-Reis-Pendragon/dp/B0007YNRRM/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343615441&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=Pendragon+The+Masquerade+Overtgure

That's not the Madfish reissue. That's the Snapper 2005 reissue.

Mirror Image wrote:

Went ahead and bought Pure and Passion. Got them cheap as hell. So why not? Cool

Very good! Promise you'll keep an open mind... Wink

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Posted: July 29 2012 at 23:53

infocat wrote:

That's not the Madfish reissue. That's the Snapper 2005 reissue.Very good! Promise you'll keep an open mind... Wink

Oh, I have the two Madfish reissues: The Window Of Life and Out Of This World. They're very nice. I own The Masquerade Overture on the Toff Records label. I'm really happy with it. I don't think I will be parting with it. Big smile

Yes, I will keep an open-mind when I listen to these two newer Pendragon recordings.

Kind of an out-of-the-blue question: on the first track The Walls Of Babylon off The Window Of Life do you hear some distortion in Nick's opening solo towards the two or three minute mark? I noticed this through my headphones. No other Pendragon album I own has any kind of distortion but this one track. I was curious...

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Posted: July 30 2012 at 14:42

I discovered them with The Jewel when it was released, I don't have Kowtow but then I purchased every album from The World until Not Of This World when they came out.

The World and Masquerade Overture are my favourites of this classic Neo period.

I don't have any of their last 3 studio albums, there is simply too much other music I'm interested in and Pedragon was no longer in the top list I would spend money on, although recently I bought the Concerto Maximo DVD which is good, so I'm familiar with some of their modern heavier sound. Scott is so much more powerful at the drums than Fudge Smith and he has a very visual body language when playing.

All in all a good band I enjoy, but not a top favourite. I don't know the modern material enough except for what's included in the DVD but I would say that I like both, I can enjoy the classic Floydian Neo of their first period but I can also enjoy the harder and more powerful Neo they play now.

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Posted: July 31 2012 at 14:24

In our new house, we have a special room, with a cinema screen and sound proofed walls. I have put my home cinema system in there, and I wondered what would be the ideal album to play to test it out, very loud, without disturbing neighbours and family in the house?

I chose The Masquerade Overture at very loud volume, and it was perfect.

It is a testament to this great band that this is the album I chose to test the system out with.

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Posted: July 31 2012 at 15:21

lazland wrote:

In our new house, we have a special room, with a cinema screen and sound proofed walls. I have put my home cinema system in there, and I wondered what would be the ideal album to play to test it out, very loud, without disturbing neighbours and family in the house?

I chose The Masquerade Overture at very loud volume, and it was perfect.

It is a testament to this great band that this is the album I chose to test the system out with.

The Masquerade Overture is just a great album all the way through. It's certainly one of the best Neo-Progressive albums I've heard right up there with IQ's Subterranea and The Wake and Marillion's Misplaced Childhood, Clutching At Straws, and Brave.

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Posted: July 31 2012 at 15:25

Nick Barrett posted on PA a few times way back when. Also, forum member Wilcey is very close with the band. She is pretty good about providing us with band updates and happenings.

Edited by rushfan4 - July 31 2012 at 15:29

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 03:42

Snapper's Madfish label will be re-issuing Kowtow in the next few weeks (I don't have a definitive release date yet. It'll have jazzed up artwork and a couple of bonus tracks (demos from the time) Kowtow is definitely an album of the 80's, & has a very 80's sound. I first started seeing Pendragon live about the time of this album so holds special memories for me! It's been out of print for some years so it'll be nice to see it "out there" again.

The "Out of Order Comes Chaos" Blu-Ray/DVD is finally in production now, so should be out at the beginning of September after a loooooong and patient wait!

No other major news, Nick's currently in writing mode so we'll just have to wait and see where the next album takes us.

2013 will mark the 35th anniversary of the band...... few bands of that age are still evolving rather than sitting on their laurels and doing what they are expected to do, I think it's always pretty exciting to see what comes next!

:-) W x

Edited by Wilcey - August 01 2012 at 03:42

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 04:13

`Kowtow' is such an underrated Pendragon album! I always loved it, even if it's got a stronger 80's pop sound than what they're usually associated with. More comparable to bands like Tear For Fears, ie intelligent but catchy pop? `I Walk The Rope' has always been a favourite Pendragon track of mine!

I wonder what the chances would be of seeing the band perform the entire album live for a DVD recording! I don't think too many of the `Kowtow' tracks have had a live performance? I can't think off the top of my head, and I'm not at home right now to check my DVD's!

Have any of you guys seen `The Jewel Anniversary' concert DVD - I forget the actual title of it?! That's my favourite Pendragon live DVD, so great to see all those old players come back, and there's a real positive energy to the performance! Makes me smile seeing Nick and Clive hopping up and down during `Higher Circles'!

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 04:28

The Jewel concert was called "Past & Presence" and we had so much fun with that! In fact it was so much fun we took Barney, Rik and Jools out on a mini tour because we didn't want it to end! If you're a fan of the early stuff then "Past and Presence" should be a "must buy"!!!

I love Kowtow, I think a fair few of those songs do spring up on other DVD's though. off the top of my head.... Kowtow was on "And now everybody to the Stage" DVD, 2am was of course on "Past and Presence" and Total Recall was on Concerto Maximo...... I think there's a couple popping up on the new DVD too....... off the top of my head though I can't recall which ones!

:-) W x

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 21:06

Wilcey wrote:

Snapper's Madfish label will be re-issuing Kowtow in the next few weeks (I don't have a definitive release date yet. It'll have jazzed up artwork and a couple of bonus tracks (demos from the time) Kowtow is definitely an album of the 80's, & has a very 80's sound. I first started seeing Pendragon live about the time of this album so holds special memories for me! It's been out of print for some years so it'll be nice to see it "out there" again.

Interesting. I wonder how they chose the re-issue order. Is it for sure that they will re-issue all of the studio albums? Anyway, I will certainly buy it.

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 21:16

I have to say that I didn't enjoy Passion at all. I thought the heavier sound worked against them. I stopped the CD after the first track. It just was disappointing to me. I understand their music had headed in a new direction, but I was surprised by the heaviness and gobs of crunch guitar. It just did little for me. I might listen again after I fully recover from this letdown.

Edited by Mirror Image - August 01 2012 at 21:17

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 21:18

Mirror Image wrote:

I have to say that I didn't enjoy Passion at all. I thought the heavier sound worked against them. I stopped the CD after the first track. It just was disappointing to me. I understand their music had headed in a new direction, but I was surprised by the heaviness and gobs of crunch guitar. It just did little for me. I might listen again after I fully recover from this letdown.

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Posted: August 01 2012 at 21:25

infocat wrote:

Well, it's nobody's fault. Sometimes you just have take some chances, right? I very rarely buy a CD that I'm completely repulsed by, but this new Pendragon offering is pretty close to making me want to give up on them, but, as I said, I'm going to listen again. I hope Pure is better because I have that one on order too.

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Posted: August 02 2012 at 02:07

infocat wrote:

Interesting. I wonder how they chose the re-issue order. Is it for sure that they will re-issue all of the studio albums? Anyway, I will certainly buy it.

the release order is a complicated thing....... I don't think they'll be re releasing The Jewel, it's certainly not in the schedule at present. Other than that I think they're pretty much there with all the studio albums. There will also be a compilation thingy sometime soon to be a kind of "Pendragon sampler"

Mirror Image wrote:

I have to say that I didn't enjoy Passion at all. I thought the heavier sound worked against them. I stopped the CD after the first track. It just was disappointing to me.

you stopped the cd after the first track??? really, you didn't listen to the rest? I mean whoever the album is by is that not a bit rash? you didn't think there might be something in it worth listening to? That's like NEVER going to a restaurant because you don't like the first thing on the menu!

Good luck with a second attempted listen...... although if you didn't like the track Passion, I can't imagine "Empathy" will improve your mood much Confused

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Posted: August 02 2012 at 16:35

I heard Pendragon for the first time on PA! Oh. My. God. Thank God for this website!