Russian Prog Appreciation Thread

eugene wrote: erik neuteboom wrote: Apple Pie too much AOR, Rivertree? Give it a few more listening sessions and you will have a totally different opinion   It's always very good to hear dfferent opinions. As long as it is an "appreciation thread", I'd rather witheld my further comments about this band and album, but I will post something for sure in "what you dislike about russian prog" thread as soon as one appears, if any.   Sorry to be negative here, but there are quite a few really good Russian prog bands lately, really deserving wider recognition and praise.

Earlier Dirk said they didn't care for the vocals of Little Tragedies ( The Sixth Sense ) and I responded that they are a bit overly dramatic. I had it on in the car the other day when my 19 year old son got in. His comment: "Sounds like a soap opera!"

My son is not a lover of prog; quite the contrary, but I thought it was an interesting observation.


Edited by artguyken - May 15 2007 at 07:41

Well Garion81, good to read that you like Lost World because at this moment I am really delighted about Russian bands, especially Lost World their album Awakening Of The Elements is great, so varied and dynamic, to me this seems an element of the new Russian prog movement 

Apple Pie too much AOR, Rivertree? Give it a few more listening sessions and you will have a totally different opinion

Promised quick looks on AVIVA and KARFAGEN (see my reviews later )

AVIVA - they've impressed me with their variety and eclectic nature (mix ambient, ELPish prog and piano-driven avant altogether!), but failed to hold my attention after the 7th track. These last tracks (8-11) sound just like a too long coda. Hence I'd give it only 3.5 stars

KARFAGEN amused me with their melodic side (a great pile of tunes to hum in bathroom ...no, really there are excellent jams like "Through A Stream Of Images" or "The Great Circus" and "Retrofall" is an awesome ballad), Anton has wonderful gift of writing catchy yet proggy motives...Use of accordion and sampled bagpipes made me wonder in a good way too. But overall I feel there's NO improvement comparing to their debut, which was perfect in its new agy CAMELism . This one is longer, a bit more easy-listening (while not new-agy) and even has one boring track (number 7) - IMHO. So, this is a bit better (4 stars), but still ain't perfect.

Thanks for enduring these boring messages of mine, hope it'll make you more informed somehow...

Have some news from INFRONTers. First of all they successfully played on SKIF festival (dedicated to Sergey Kuryohin, a prominent firgure of Russian Avant and Experimental Art and Music). Also guys had rotation on Polish radio, along with new Kaipa and Genesis (a pleasant company ).

And there's a surprise - brand new song that won't be featured on a new INFRONT album!!! Total outtake!

Morning Combinatorika (by band's permission)

Enjoy!!!

Prog-jester wrote: Rivertree wrote: For me Disen Gage and The Gourishankar are the surprising russian bands ... Have you heard INFRONT? I guess you did! Their "Wordless" album is avalaible for free listening via their LastFM page. Also I got a promo from them, which contains 13-min footage of their live show on Moscow INPROG fest back in 2005 (Erik, have you seen it too? ). I hope it's avalaible via their site or LastFM page.Otherwise I'll ask them to upload it, because it's EXTREMELY SPECTACULAR !!!

Unfortunately I had not enough time to listen to INFRONT, Igor.
But hey man - it's promised

So it will need some other turnarounds for me to write a review with a passably substantial content

If there is any chance to listen to the promo - let me know ...

I am listening to Apple Pie now - it's so unoriginal it's not even funny - plain ridiculous.

Dirk wrote: ^Prog-jester, i have 4 albums from  bands from Russia/Ukraine now, Little Tragedies - Sixth sense,Lost world-Awakening of the elements, Infront-Wordless and Karfagen-continium. Didn't like LT (not too good vocals and a bit static) and Lost world (too much high energy drinks) too much. Infront and Karfagen are very different from each other but both very good. What's the next russia sphere album i need to pick up you think?

Dirk wrote: I've a feeling the real P-J might agree .

...and here he comes now

First of all, I've listened both to AVIVA and new KARFAGEN, and still have mixed feelings about them (more information coming soon ).

On Russian Prog recommendations - I have to agree about THE GOURISHANKAR first, as it's still the best Prog CD from 2007 I faced with!!! A mixture of Modern Prog and Symphonic Art, very varied and challenging! Sure you won't regret! BTW, guys plan to issue "2nd Hands" in Russia/post-USSR area in budget edition for their own money! It's a huge finance breakdown for them actually, but I appreciate their wish to make their music more avalaible. I guess I'll pick A COUPLE of their CDs as soon as find them as presents for friends

On APPLE PIE - I agree with Erik, this is when "SPOCK'S BEARD's clone" (as someone unattentive might say) turns to be more original and challenging band than their "prototype". Very melodic and sometimes even AORish, they're less intriguing and eclectic than THE GOURISHANKAR, but everything's on its right place - they're great band in their own way, and I'm impatiently waiting for another release from them!

Apple Pie is good but not exciting 

For me Disen Gage and The Gourishankar are the surprising russian bands ...