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Rivertree 
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions Joined: March 22 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 17627 |
 Posted: May 12 2007 at 14:27 |
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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 ... |
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Rivertree
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions Joined: March 22 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 17627 |
Posted: May 12 2007 at 14:29 |
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Apple Pie is too much AOR in my opinion - but I'll give it a new try  |
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Prog-jester
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: June 05 2005 Location: Love Beach Status: Offline Points: 5871 |
Posted: May 12 2007 at 15:10 |
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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
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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!!! |
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Rivertree
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions Joined: March 22 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 17627 |
Posted: May 12 2007 at 15:35 |
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Hey - very funky/groovy a compelling Jazz Rock tune Thanks for the suggestion, Prog-jester |
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Prog-jester
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 05 2005 Location: Love Beach Status: Offline Points: 5871 |
Posted: May 12 2007 at 15:37 |
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Promised quick looks on AVIVA and KARFAGEN (see my reviews later
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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... |
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Dirk
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: August 11 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 1043 |
Posted: May 14 2007 at 18:40 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: May 14 2007 at 18:48 |
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Apple Pie too much AOR, Rivertree? Give it a few more listening sessions and you will have a totally different opinion
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Garion81
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2004 Location: So Cal, USA Status: Offline Points: 4338 |
Posted: May 14 2007 at 18:51 |
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First impression is they have a LOT of things going on differetn instruments and styles. I'll have to listen a few more times but I do like it.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: May 14 2007 at 18:54 |
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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
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eugene
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 30 2005 Location: Ukraine Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 07:08 |
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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.
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carefulwiththataxe
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artguyken
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2006 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 07:38 |
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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 |
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artguyken
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2006 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 07:58 |
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I've wondered about New Faust. Are you also familiar with Sixth Sense? How are they similar and how are they different? |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 08:09 |
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Well Artguyken, here are my reviews:
LITTLE TRAGEDIES — New FaustReview by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom)SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Prog Expert
LITTLE TRAGEDIES — The Sixth SenseReview by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom)SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Prog Expert
The first song The Sixth Sense is loaded with bombastic keyboards (especially Hammond organ and fat synthesizer flights) and heavy guitar riffs, it sounds like “ELP meets Ayreon” but the warm and distinctive Russian vocals give an extra dimension. The next track Bird is a kind of musical Pandora’s Box: first a Floydian atmosphere with dreamy saxophone and fragile slide-guitar, then an accellaration featuring sparkling piano, propulsive guitar riffs and great interplay. This is followed by sensitive electric guitar work and an organ solo, then suddenly a spectucalar break with sensational synthesizer sounds and heavy metal-guitar riffs, impressive!The other ten songs sound melodic, very tasteful, elaborate and especially varied, from dreamy with sensitive piano/warm vocals and compelling with Latimer-inspired guitar to fluent with fiery guitar/saxophone and sumptuous with lush keyboards. The interplay between the harpsichord and howling guitar in some songs sounds very delicate. My highlight on this CD is the track You And I: first sparkling piano, sensitive guitar and warm vocals, then a wonderful classical piano piece and finally a great build-up with bombastic Hammond organ and flashy synthesizers, accompanied by a dynamic rhytm-section, breathtaking! My conclusion: Little Tragedies has made a great album, very varied and loaded with good musical ideas and excellent soli on several instruments. Just check their MP3 files or try to get their CD’s, highly recommended!  |
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artguyken
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2006 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 08:10 |
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Wow! I'm glad I went back and was re-reading this thread! There's some gorgeous music here by Er J Orchestra. The problem with a board like this is the cost factor! LOL! There's always some new music to buy, although for now I'll just enjoy the download. Thanks PJ! From what I've heard so far (listening for the first time as I type), Er J Orchestra sounds much like Pat Metheny's orchestral outings, particularly Secret Story. If you like PM's SS, I recommend you check out Er J Orchestra. and vice versa. Edited by artguyken - May 15 2007 at 09:10 |
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artguyken
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2006 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 09:06 |
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Thanks, Eric, for the Little Tragedies reviews!
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Prog-jester
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 05 2005 Location: Love Beach Status: Offline Points: 5871 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 10:53 |
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You bet, artguyken, this thread is extremely useful!!!
Yes, ERJs are quite impressing, but they also bear that easy-listening approach one can dislike (IMHO). I have no problem with it, and I look forward to other stuff from them. Considering Lil' Tragedies - I wonder what new 2CD album shall bring...they haven't released it yet, as far as I know, but I hope it will be not worse than others And wish they'd only sing less!  ...
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artguyken
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2006 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 11:05 |
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Agreed. To be honest, I wish most bands would play more and sing less. Too many times the words get in the way. I can only understand about 5-10% of what's being sung by LT, so I have no problem with lyrics getting in the way of my musical enjoyment. Some people only want to hear singing they can understand. I find that singing in another language moves the voice into the realm of musical instrument, away from communicator of ideology or philosophy. All depending, that can be a good thing! |
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eugene
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 30 2005 Location: Ukraine Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 11:34 |
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^^^Do you know that they sing Nikolay Gumilev genius poetry, which I love a lot as a poetry but absolutely can't stand this vocalist's performance
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carefulwiththataxe
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Prog-jester
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 05 2005 Location: Love Beach Status: Offline Points: 5871 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 11:57 |
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^ seconded
Besides I'm afraid the same goes to this poetry as a part of LT's music. Good on its own, but ridiculous in Prog - IMHO again |
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Rivertree
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions Joined: March 22 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 17627 |
Posted: May 15 2007 at 15:18 |
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That's exactly what I'm doing, Erik. I'm not treating it easy and it takes at least 5 or 6 rounds before I am rating. You noticed my review? I gave faire 3 stars! But as I posted before - I'll give it a new try ... I agree - there's actually a lot of exciting stuff from Russia (and the neighbourhood) and it makes me very curious what is following (Prog-Jester is suggesting?) |
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Russian Prog Appreciation Thread
Topic Options
Prog-jester wrote:
One of my favorite albums of the last years is Return by the Russion formation Little Tragedies. So I was very excited to hear that they had just released a 2-CD, after a first listening session I can only conclude that Little Tragedies is a new progrock sensation! The focus is on the bombastic keyboard play, this man is obviously inspired by Keith Emerson featuring flashy synthesizer runs and swirling Hammond organ but he also delivers some delicate harpsichord play in more mellow parts. The interplay with the powerful, harder- edged guitar work is very exciting, it often sounds like a blend of ELP and Ayreon because of the heavy, propulsive guitar riffs and fiery, flowing guitar soli. The Russion vocals give an extra dimension to the music, it often reminds me of Hungarian progrock band Omega. Despite the two CD’s and the long running time of some tracks (even at about 30 minutes), Little Tragedies never bores, I am sure that many progheads who love ELP, the keyboard driven Japanese prog like Gerard and Ayreon will be delighted about this outstanding, very exciting Russian formation! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
