Simon Says Tardigrade: a forgotten masterpiece?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=130600
Printed Date: November 27 2024 at 21:34
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Topic: Simon Says Tardigrade: a forgotten masterpiece?
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Subject: Simon Says Tardigrade: a forgotten masterpiece?
Date Posted: March 08 2023 at 09:01
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The third of this Swedish band's trilogy, when I joined PA in 2008 this album was all the rage--standing at or near the top of the Year's rankings for most of the year. My ears had been without prog for about 15 years and so were, at this time, unaccustomed to the symphonic bombast bombarding me from this long and dense album. Upon recent revisitation I have come to the conclusion that this is a lost masterpiece. The songs are composed, performed, and engineered so well; there really are no weakness with the album except in terms of whether or not this type of retro symphonic music is your cup of tea (or if you like lead singer Daniel Fäldt's voice and singing style). What are your thoughts? Did you like this album when it came out? Do you know it--or listen to it today? The reviewers who have relegated Tardigrade to a status just below that of Transatlantic, Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, or Karmakanic, are, I think, missing out on something special! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 08 2023 at 10:14
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I remember that I loved this band and album back in the day. I have not listened to this in quite a while though and it is in need of a current listen. ------------- 
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 09 2023 at 10:13
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Apparently Tardigrades will inherit the earth.. ..but anyway I've found the album on Apple music and will give it a listen. Thanks!
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 09 2023 at 10:14
| oh and it is Tardigrade not 'Tardigarde' as per the thread title. |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: March 09 2023 at 11:10
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One of my favourite modern prog albums!! When I reviewed it so long ago I gave it 4 stars and below is what I wrote, but if I should rate it now I would give it the 5 stars, it has only got better and better with more and more listenings! That's what happens when you review an album after much too few listenings... you need to let it sink before making a serious veredict. I agree, it's a forgotten masterpiece! Review from 11/20/2010: "This album is like a compilation of the complete history of traditional symphonic prog. It clearly honours the classics, most notably Yes and Trick of the Tail / Wind and Wuthering-period Genesis and occasionally ELP or GG, it also shows Neo influences mostly IQ and Wrightson- period Arena, and finally what it mostly is is post-neo symphonic in the style of Neal Morse (with or without SB), The Flower Kings, Karmakanic, Transatlantic etc. <p> The only critizable point is the lack of originality, but for all the rest "very good at everything though not really outstanding at anything" seems to be my constant evaluation of each aspect in this album. The compositions are all consistently strong without any moments which feel as filler, but none of them deserves the masterpiece status. All the guys play their instruments very competently but none stands out as a true virtuoso. The voice timbre of Daniel Faldt is equally not particularly special but he sings well and it works.<p> The sci-fi concept is good enough but I will not explain it here, you can read it in full in their website www.paradisesquare.net. The production is also good, and they use a wide palette of keyboard and guitar timbres so the sound never gets monotonous, although they constantly remind us of one or another prog fragment we have heard before. The music style is accessible but complex enough, melodic, generally energetic but they do not forget calmer moments and as a whole the album achieves a good dynamical pattern. <p> The two "plats de resistance" are surely the two longest tracks, the opener "Suddenly the Rain" sets things clear from the start being a great song with all what a traditional prog fan loves, and the 26 minutes suite "Brother Where You Bound" is also strong, but the shorter tracks are no less good, including the beautiful acoustic and electric guitar duet in "Moon Mountain".<p> A very enjoyable album in every respect although if fails to give that "wow factor" of the true masterpieces, highly recommendable to lovers of modern and yet traditional symphonic, but it may disappoint those who seek innovation and uniqueness." |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: March 09 2023 at 11:33
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Tardigrades rule! They can literally exit in the vacuum of space and tolerate unthinkable levels of radiation. http://bio4climate.org/featured-creature/featured-creature-tardigrade/" rel="nofollow - https://bio4climate.org/featured-creature/featured-creature-tardigrade/
-------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Prog-jester
Date Posted: March 10 2023 at 06:20
| interestingly, I'm currently listening to Paradise Square, their previous album, which I've always liked more. Gotta give the 2008 one a spin again as well then |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: April 07 2023 at 14:05
| Indeed as all of their/his other CDs |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 07:46
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Tardigrade is a superb work of art. A beautifully composed, and wonderfully performed album. I especially love the jazzy chord progressions and soaring, romantic, melodies Stefan Renstrom wrote. BTW, I just discovered the band Twin Age, which to my ear sounds uncannily like Simon Says. They were quite impressive, so I'd recommend their album Lialim High to every Simon Says lover who has a soft spot for Tardigrade. Twin Age - The Pelican Lie ------------- “On the day of my creation, I fell in love with education. And overcoming all frustration, a teacher I became.” — Ernest Vong |
Posted By: edefakiel
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 09:40
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I guess that it depends on what your concept of a masterpiece is. 99th percentile in perceived quality over all albums? 98th percentile in perceived quality over all albums in a genre? 90th percentile in perceived quality over all albums in a subgenre and a year? Any combination of those? Without establishing what a masterpiece is, is very difficult to give a definitive answer. Going by personal preferences and gut feeling, I would consider Tardigrade a good album, maybe even a great one, well above the mean of all albums, for sure, but maybe not exceptional enough to be a masterpiece. For me, a masterpiece is something that it is well above other albums and may be considered a timeless classic. Something with charisma that perfectly captures a sound, a time and a genre. Something like Wish You Were Here, Fear of a Blank Planet, OK Computer, Red, Still Life (Opeth), The Sound of Perseverance, The Power and the Glory, Apostrophe, Godbluff, etc. Even if it is a cliche to love those albums.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 10:38
| Yes!!!!!! I was actually playing this one not too long ago. Some amazing music on it. Very dazzling recording. This is what prog is all about. It's heavy on the instrumental sections which is ok by me. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 10:39
Tardigrade is the only one I know by them. Unfortunately, I think they are all out of print now. By the way, Ritual is another good forgotten Swedish prog band. I think we can now add Moon Safari to the list since it's been a while they released a full length album too.
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Prog-jester wrote:Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 11:43
For me, Tardigrade checks those boxes. I'm planning to do an in-depth analysis/review of it in the future.
------------- “On the day of my creation, I fell in love with education. And overcoming all frustration, a teacher I became.” — Ernest Vong |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 12:58
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[QUOTE=Hrychu] Tardigrade is a superb work of art. A beautifully composed, and wonderfully performed album. I especially love the jazzy chord progressions and soaring, romantic, melodies Stefan Renstrom wrote. BTW, I just discovered the band Twin Age, which to my ear sounds uncannily like Simon Says. They were quite impressive, so I'd recommend their album Lialim High to every Simon Says lover who has a soft spot for Tardigrade. Twin Age - The Pelican Lie VG neo prog from Sweden , as far as I know they recorded 3 cds , the present one is their second and best..imho |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 14:37
Thank you! corrections made. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 14:43
Yep. Somehow a bit off topic but also called a water bear.
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 19 2023 at 15:46
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I'll have to look them up! As an environmental biologist, I LOVE tardigrades!! I like to introduce students to these "water bears!" Sadly, they will likely inherit the earth. https:///www.sciencealert.com/earth-could-feasibly-descend-into-chaos-physicists-warn" rel="nofollow - https:///www.sciencealert.com/earth-could-feasibly-descend-into-chaos-physicists-warn ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |