Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

Okay, rating FK epics.

I'm not going to do it

I'll just say that Garden of Dreams is my favorite epic of all times, and the rest all fall somewhere below that, order depending on my mood (though many of you may have guessed that both A&E epics are at the bottom of my list).

It's good to see Mr Trane posting in this thread.

I too have been rather annoyed (actually make that very) by his reviews of TFK albums and have been close to making a complaint.

He's one of these people who, for whatever reason, has taken a decision to dislike to The Flower Kings that has little to do with their actual music. They could come out with the greatest prog album since 1977 (actually to me they have come close to this) but he would still say that he dislikes it regardless because he doesn't want to like it.

I'm not sure how old Mr Trane is but I grew up with bands such as Genesis, Yes, Floyd, Camel, Rush, Tull, Superttramp, etc, etc and have seen all of these bands, some many times. However, because I have an open mind towards newer prog bands, it is obvious to me that The Flower Kings are the best (or at least my favourite) from the last 15 years or so. The musicianship is literally second to none, the writing is beautiful, the love they have for what they do is infectious, and they are extremely nice (and humble) people as well.

If Mr Trane picked one Flower Kings album and listened to it a few times with an open mind he would like it. I've seen this many times before. He likes (mostly) the same stuff as me so there's no reason why not.

The problem is, as I've said, he doesn't want to like them.










Edited by Nov - August 14 2009 at 12:32

progrules wrote: Sean Trane wrote: i mean, we can find eventually (not sure but talking won't hurt) a solution to my reviews not appearing at the top of the page , but somewhere between the fourth and seventh review, and I will rewrite a fully detaikled review about where Stolte steals this passage.... just kidding here       These options have crossed my mind and I think they are fair. One of the problems I have with the reviews is that they are on top of them all so replacing them (instead of removing ...) is an option. Make no mistake that it is very hurtfull for a hard working band (even you admitted that) - with proven high qualities but that aside - to see almost all their albums begin with your review and a one or two star rating.   And as you rewrite the reviews please say something positive about some of their songs (other than that it's a hard working band). I mean they do their songs in many different styles and ways and I cannot imagine you hate them all. It's simply unlikely. For instance (as a comparison) I feel nothing for the three famous eclectic bands (VDGG, GG and KC) but when I review an album by them I try to find something good about it, hell I even pulled out a four star rating for Three Friends (however hard that was). You would regain a lot of sympathy from us and other TFK-fans if you would make such a kind of gesture to the Flower Kings.   One more thing: Don't keep coming back to the retro and stealing matter all the time. Even bandleader Stolt knows that TFK is retro and he has his influences from the 70's. Just try to admire the mucisianship for a change or the great compositions by Roine and his men.   Oh and yes I am a fanboy and therefore things got a little heated yesterday. But of course you're always entitled to give 1 star ratings even to TFK. I never meant to say you don't have that right. But I think we are waaaayyyy too different about this matter to ever be able to agree. We both have to accept that.

I think i hit with my torpedoes, especially the DSOTM pop album  jibe. I too struggle to see the delights of VDGG (Though Theme 1 is an extremely good track) nor KC (I have their first two albums), never heard any Gentle Giant so I can't comment) I think Mr Trane is a WUM (wind-up-merchant) and if you read his reviews (let me take Selling England by the Pound, my all time favourite prog album and all he goes on about is the albums political and Social commentry - not one mention of THE BEST PROG GUITAR SOLO EVER or the fact that Cinema Show and Firth of Fifth are two of the best peices of symphonic progressive rock ever written - thus if he gets off on the political/social impact of lyrics then I can see why he'd love Floyd (all politics and no real musical virtuosity) and hate the FLOKIS where the lyrics are mostly hippy trippy but the music is truly breathtaking.............

Roland113 wrote: Ok, unrelated to all of the going ons from the past couple of days, I've finally gotten around to posting a family picture of my family online.  I threw a copy of it over in the 'Rogues Gallery II" thread, but figured I'd drop a copy of it here since this is practically my home on the web (I can hear Phil singing now . . . Home on the web...home on the web, sneaking up the firewall duck into a stream . . . ) Anyways, here we are: My wife, Marianne is on the left and my two year old Tori is on the right.  We were on our way to see Glass Hammer (Marianne and I, not Tori) and my mother in law snapped a few pictures of us. Now you have a face :) Who's next?

Tom - that is a lovely photo - thank you for sharing with us, If I can persuade my lovely wife & son, I will return the favour. You are clearly blessed.

Sean Trane wrote:   peace (sincerely)

Thanks Jeff.

I posted my list of epics a little earlier, but I listened to a few of them today and I just want to reiterate how much I love "I am the Sun" and this band in general.  The baby is apparently getting a new set of molars and is quite ornery.  In the midst of fifteen minutes of terror, I finally said "That's Enough" and threw on my favorite Flower King songs playlist.  While the baby didn't immediately calm down, both the wife and I relaxed a little.  (To those of you without kids, an upset baby is quite the stressful situation) 

When "I Am the Sun" (part 2) came on, she calmed down and listened to the song intently, she now calls that part 'The Baby Elephant Song' or more specifically, 'baby elephant'.  An hour later, when it was bed time, I sung the song to her again and gently eased her off to sleep.

For that, I thank Mr. Stolt

I ranked Flower Kings epics when I first started posting on this thread, but since that was so long ago, I'm going to do it again 

1. Monsters and Men
2. The Truth Will Set You Free
3. Stardust We Are
4. I Am The Sun
5. Love Supreme
6. Garden of Dreams
7. Love Is The Only Answer
8. Driver's Seat
9. Devil's Playground

I Am The Sun was a lot lower on my list several months ago, but this thread has made me re-analyze and now it is on the verge of cracking my top 3! What an incredible group of epics here, and it shows exactly why I love The Flower Kings so much

lazland wrote: Roland113 wrote: Ok, unrelated to all of the going ons from the past couple of days, I've finally gotten around to posting a family picture of my family online.  I threw a copy of it over in the 'Rogues Gallery II" thread, but figured I'd drop a copy of it here since this is practically my home on the web (I can hear Phil singing now . . . Home on the web...home on the web, sneaking up the firewall duck into a stream . . . ) Anyways, here we are: My wife, Marianne is on the left and my two year old Tori is on the right.  We were on our way to see Glass Hammer (Marianne and I, not Tori) and my mother in law snapped a few pictures of us. Now you have a face :) Who's next? Tom - that is a lovely photo - thank you for sharing with us, If I can persuade my lovely wife & son, I will return the favour. You are clearly blessed.

Thank you Lazland, I appreciate the kind words.  We'd love to see you and yours as well :)

Sean Trane wrote: edited   I had written an answer to Nov without reading the proposal that came a few post later     so I withdraw ny answer to fanboyNov   Just that he knows I've heard plenty of TFK (I even owned Retrop, Advent and Stardust ) and saw them live twice., so I do know what I'm talking about.     Guess what ??? It is possible to not like TFK (relatively speaking, since I would prefer to listen to TFK than to Michael Jackson or Oasis) without having a chip on hisc shoulder   all you need is yo open your eyse and see music from a different angle than escapism       Now retrieving from this thread, but I'll be checking  if effectively the breaking my back has stopped

You need to realize, NONE of us have a problem with the fact that you do not like The Flower Kings. We had a problem with your reviews for their albums, which really didn't explain why you didn't like them, or even prove that you know who they are. We now know that you do know their music, but your reviews didn't show that.

We NEVER had a problem with your opinion. I stated many times that you're entitled to your own opinion. The problem was that the reviews never showed you listened to them, and quite frankly, they aren't helpful at all from any perspective. I'm done commenting on this topic.

Roland113 wrote: lazland wrote: Roland113 wrote: Ok, unrelated to all of the going ons from the past couple of days, I've finally gotten around to posting a family picture of my family online.  I threw a copy of it over in the 'Rogues Gallery II" thread, but figured I'd drop a copy of it here since this is practically my home on the web (I can hear Phil singing now . . . Home on the web...home on the web, sneaking up the firewall duck into a stream . . . ) Anyways, here we are: My wife, Marianne is on the left and my two year old Tori is on the right.  We were on our way to see Glass Hammer (Marianne and I, not Tori) and my mother in law snapped a few pictures of us. Now you have a face :) Who's next? Tom - that is a lovely photo - thank you for sharing with us, If I can persuade my lovely wife & son, I will return the favour. You are clearly blessed. Thank you Lazland, I appreciate the kind words.  We'd love to see you and yours as well :)

Lovely family Roland.  I'm sure I have pics of my son and I somewhere.  His mother has remarried a couple years ago (however, her and I were never married........she was married and divorced once before, before she and I got together).

This reminded me that years ago, I played Retropolis for my son's future mother, and she commented that the music was too depressing for her.  Huh???  I think that is the only time someone has ever said that about TFK to me.  I still don't get it (I suppose Rhythm Of The Sea and The Judas Kiss could be heard as somewhat depressing, but more than half the album oozes postivivism).

Of course, she was diagnosed with chronic depression less than a year later, so maybe that was a factor?  She also only really listens to whatever is popular this week or month or whatever, on the contemporary pop radio and MTV.