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stonebeard 
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 Posted: June 30 2008 at 01:10 |
 DJPuffyLemon wrote:
6b) Neo-prog + Modern Symphonic (Added June 29th)
Okay, so I've put aside all my notions of these two genres and I've decided to give them another chance. (yay openmindedness). So here's my mindset: I'll go into this listening as though its a pop song or some sort of rock like Nickelback (ew nickelback?? yeah, nickelback).
Because that's basically what it is. the Tangent and FLower Kings are really nothing more than the pop of the prog world. Neo i guess i would call "art rock" but not quite as that would be an insult to art rock bands. So both are basically alternatives to normal rock which I won't try to give a name. |
As far as being easy on the ears, Neo Prog does take the cake, pretty much. But I don't think you should go into it with any mindset. Just listen; you'll like it or not. But try not to be a drone and insult Neo like every other motherf**ker on the planet.
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DJPuffyLemon
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Posted: June 30 2008 at 02:30 |
I'm not even being insulting anymore, doing so just seems pointless now.
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Queen By-Tor
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Posted: June 30 2008 at 02:47 |
Personally, the simplicity and subsequent build in songs by bands like
Tangent really appeal to me. Easy on the ears? Oh god yes, a lot more
than something like Tool or Kayo Dot. What's wrong with that though?
Nothing really. But it's all in personal opinion, some people just need
their music to be complex. Personally, I just like what appeals to me.
I thought the latest Tangent album was fan-freaking-tastic, and I feel
it has a lot more longevity than some of the other bands you compared
them to. But hey, that's my opinion. Ain't the world just full of them?
Spice of life I say. 
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DJPuffyLemon
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Posted: June 30 2008 at 19:40 |
I have A Place in the Queue. The compositions and song structure were very Anglagard-eske in that it sounded random and the songs were very underdeveloped. Its not that i like complex music (though I ADORE it to be honest) its that I can't stand certain things, which a place in the queue has, including that random idea generator which they seem to call a song.
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DJPuffyLemon
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Joined: February 18 2008
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Posted: August 06 2008 at 19:17 |
6c) More grief concerning neo-prog, but I'm getting better (Added August 6th)
Neo prog annoys me, which includes IQ, Pallas, Arena, and now Marillion, who I love but has their flaws which were made apparent through listening of more neo prog. Its NOT bad music at all, but not something I can truely enjoy. I am amazed by the production quality and wish sometimes that Yes and Genesis had this quality of recording, but perhaps the production actually get in the way of the music. Possible, and it would be nice to hear a stripped down version of neo prog. I haven't listened to nearely enough though to make a final opinion that I can be content with...but the process is just so PAINFUL. btw I still think Misplaced Childhood is the greatest thing to come out of the early 80s if you're not counting metal.
stonebeard wrote:
As far as being easy on the ears, Neo Prog does take the cake, pretty much. But I don't think you should go into it with any mindset. Just listen; you'll like it or not. But try not to be a drone and insult Neo like every other motherf**ker on the planet.
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I didn't used to drone about it, but its giving me a hard time to say otherwise. I really hate saying bad things about any music, least of all a genre that is already getting a hard time because then it seems like I'm joining the bandwagon.
8) Canterbury Scene Krautrock (Added August 6th)
Canterbury Scene Krautrock (Amon Duul II, CAN, Neu!, etc) is very much a stoner genre. Nothing against the genre, I enjoy it very much, but its 100% (from what albums I've heard) music to get dumb by. Its nice as background music or something to relax to. Its great for that actually, and the energy put into the compositions is great, but you really can't hope for instrumental interaction, at least, you don't listen to this music for intellectual stimulation, as you might when you listen to some types of prog. Rather this is just really cool music.
9) Miles Davis' Bitches Brew (Added August 6th)
This is mainly a commentary on the first two tracks since that's what I listened to today:
So after listening to the first track, Pharaoh's Dance, I'm kind of indifferent. It didn't really leave an impression on me. The dual drums (plus percussionist) are really cool but nowhere NEAR the amazingness of Magma. John McLaughlin basically didn't do sh*t. He just hit random...actually it was what sounded like the same chord for 10 minutes. The track really just sounded like something I'd use to block out outside noises while reading. Admittedly, I didn't listen to it that closely.
The title track is much better from what I heard. But also I've put myself in a better condition to hear the music. I put my jazz ears on so to speak. You can't listen to this music (at least not the first two tracks) and expect it to "go anywhere" in the manner that rock does. The tracks are entirely improvised, and severely editted (which I only found to be a problem once, when an abrupt beat change in the first track kind of annoyed me). I think live in the moment with these songs and see how the instruments/musicians interact with each other rather than how the song progresses.
Also, despite the title track having three drummers/percussionists and two bassists, it sounded awfully empty.
Also2, just started on Spanish Key, and it sounds pretty good, like it has a point, I think that the rest of the tracks are more rehearsed?
Edited by DJPuffyLemon - September 09 2008 at 16:09
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DJPuffyLemon
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Joined: February 18 2008
Location: L
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Posted: August 31 2008 at 15:33 |
2b) Disappointed in Nucleus (Added August 31st)
Listening to Nucleus (their second album), has left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it has some amazing absolutely amazing songs, but on the other, its got horrible ones. The worst part is, that every song has potential to be better than Vemod material, but most fail. The title track and Raft/Rubhank are the only good ones. The others suffer from too much crazy jamming. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but dude's gotta lay off the fuzz bass a bit.
The long track, Book of Hours, I think its called, has a great intro and buildup, but its ruined by the intensity of the fuzz bass, even though its being played with restraint. It also has bad transitions right out of the buildup. I expected them to do something with it, but rather they just throw it away and do something different. Maybe I just listened to the album on the wrong day, any opinions?
4c) Magma is AWESOME!! (Added August 31st)
I've been listening to Magma a lot lately, and not only has it influenced me enough to get one of their band shirts, but its also made me rethink what type of music I want to play. Zeuhl is amazing, and Magma is possibly the most unique jazz/rock/fusion band ever.
Theusz Hamtaahk is an awesome song, and yet whenever I compare it to MDK I feel slightly disappointed, despite knowing that TH is a different kind of composition. Its a great song, probably my second favorite Magma piece, but MDK is just so much more epic. Perhaps other versions of TH (I have Retrospektiw I+II's version only) are better?
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DJPuffyLemon
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Joined: February 18 2008
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Posted: September 09 2008 at 12:21 |
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10) Friday Night in San Francisco by DiMeola, Lucia, McLaughlin (Added September 9)
So, Friday Night in San Francisco, while definately an event I would
like to experience, isn't as great as I thought. Its got tight (yet
simple) arrangements, but its actually very much just them shredding
away. Opening track is pretty cool, but its also mostly just shred
soloing after the initial opening section. idk I'll have to listen to
it again, but it doesn't seem like something I want to have anything to
do with creatively speaking. I mean, Its definately something I want to
be able to do ability wise, but even that (I know I have no place
saying this because I haven't actually written anything like this yet)
would be easy.
I'm speaking mostly from the experience I had
learning the opening section of the opening track. Arguably (but not
much) the best track from that album, and its pretty easy to learn
minus the incredible speed.
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Padraic
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Posted: September 09 2008 at 12:28 |
DJPuffyLemon wrote:
8) Canterbury Scene (Added August 6th)
Canterbury Scene (Amon Duul II, CAN, Neu!, etc) is very much a stoner genre. Nothing against the genre, I enjoy it very much, but its 100% (from what albums I've heard) music to get dumb by. Its nice as background music or something to relax to. Its great for that actually, and the energy put into the compositions is great, but you really can't hope for instrumental interaction, at least, you don't listen to this music for intellectual stimulation, as you might when you listen to some types of prog. Rather this is just really cool music.
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You mean Krautrock here, not Canterbury.
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DJPuffyLemon
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 18 2008
Location: L
Status: Offline
Points: 520
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Posted: September 09 2008 at 16:08 |
Oh...damn. Embarrassing....
Well I guess now I should listen to some actual canterbury and see what I think.
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My opinions on various music I've recently heard