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Andy Webb 
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: June 04 2010
Location: Terria
Status: Offline
Points: 13298
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 Topic: Becoming a "prog reviewer"?
Posted: October 25 2010 at 18:55 |
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I've seen quite a few of them around the forum, and although I (with only about 30 albums reviewed) probably don't meet whatever requirements are necessary to become a "prog reviewer," I was wondering what those requirements are, if there even are any.
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Finnforest
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 03 2007
Location: The Heartland
Status: Offline
Points: 16913
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 19:13 |
I think the way it often happens is that when a person writes many good
reviews on a regular basis, eventually these reviews catch the eyes of
our regular Collab readers. These Collabs will then send a PM to an
Admin member mentioning the person to be considered. From there, the
Admin team deliberates about the various nominations, and people they
have noticed, and a few times per year they select new Reviewers. They look for people who write well and have a well-rounded taste in music, I believe. Keep writing and good luck to you! 
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harmonium.ro
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: August 18 2008
Location: Anna Calvi
Status: Offline
Points: 22989
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 19:15 |
It's written right on the top of the FAQ page  How do I become a Prog Reviewer/Special Collaborator?
"Prog
reviewers" are people who have been identified by the site’s owners as
regularly contributing high quality reviews of a diverse range of bands
and albums.
"Special collaborators" also regularly submit high quality reviews,
but in addition they participate in (or have participated in) the
running of the site.
You would normally become a Prog Reviewer or Special
Collaborator by invitation from the site owners. If however, you feel
you have met the following criteria, and would like to be considered for
induction as a Prog Reviewer, send a Private Message (PM) to
"Atkingani" (the Collaborator Manager) making your case.
NOTE:
It's important to bear in mind that the following criteria are solely
for general guidance, and do not constitute any sort of prerequisites or guarantee
of acceptance. Also, that although applications can be submitted at any
time, the processing of applications will be done only a few times each
year, so please do not be impatient.
- Submit at least 30 well composed reviews, which talk in
some detail about each album. Ideally, the albums covered will be spread
across a range of bands and sub-genres, and will not simply focus on
those in the top 100. If possible, try to do a sequence of at least 5
albums by one of these "lesser-known" bands.
- Contribute one or more band biographies
for bands on the site who do not presently have biographic details.
(With a little time and research, these can be prepared quite easily,
even if you are not too familiar with the band. Do not however simply
copy the words from other people’s work. Collate the facts, then present
them in your own words.)
- Participate constructively in the forum, offering intelligent
contributions and avoiding becoming embroiled in personal battles with
other members. (When applying, make sure to mention both your reviewer
name AND forum ID).
- If you can obtain the agreement of a current Prog Reviewer or Special Collaborator to support your request, that will also help.
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J-Man
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 07 2008
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Status: Offline
Points: 7826
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 19:17 |
^ and this is why it's a "frequently asked question". 
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Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: June 04 2010
Location: Terria
Status: Offline
Points: 13298
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 19:42 |
I should probably read those first posts before creating those shouldn't I?
And how do you edit biographies or submit biographies? I know I've noticed an error here and there in a bio and wanted to edit it but couldn't, and I submit band requests all the time on the new bands thread.
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29630
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:12 |
If you whack enough people and like RPI you can become a made man. I got invited because I think I was writing good reviews. I also went for the lesser known albums and still do. This hasn't me stopped from taking on some old friends that I know really well. Well written reviews though are the key to ascension.
Edited by Slartibartfast - October 25 2010 at 20:14
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: June 04 2010
Location: Terria
Status: Offline
Points: 13298
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:14 |
Would this be considered a "good review"? For TALES by Yes
 It's wonderfully pretentious, but that's a good thing!Tales from Topographic Oceans is Yes's first double album, and it's an impressive show. Inspired by the Autobiography of a Yogi, the 4-movement epic starts off with the impressive Revealing Science of God (Dance of Dawn), then The Remembering (High the Memory), then The Ancient (Giants under the Sun), and ultimately Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) (or "we are the sun," for the non-French speakers). The Revealing Science of God is an absolutely fantastic song, and it's hard to refute that. Opening with a quiet vocal piece, breaking into a sweeping instrumental section, featuring Wakeman and Howe's great prowess, the song is off to a good start. The piece serves as a sudo-overture, using riffs and tones which are used in the other movements of the track. Despite its near 21-minute length, it is a very "popularly-acceptable" track, featuring a nice chorus, not too bombastic instrumental sections, smooth part changes, and beautiful melodies. To listen to the track all the way through is a refreshing and relaxing experience, especially with Steve Howe's magnificent guitar sections. Vocal melodies are near-perfect all throughout, as are the great lyrics. One quarter down, and we're off to a great start, and really puts the Mood for a Day (good insinuation? I think so). The Remembering opens with a folk-y section very reminiscent to Mike Oldfield's work. The entire track is lighter than its predecessor and has a much more folk-inspired sound. The intro in this song drags a little bit, as the guitar and vocal part repeat on and on for 3 minutes before breaking into something new past the 4 minute mark. Despite this, the reed organ and rotary guitar sound is a nice instrumental duo. The track doesn't vary as much, and isn't as interesting as TRSoG. Around 11 minutes, half way through the song, it finally picks up, but then slows down. The work "Relayer" is repeated frequently, which is probably foreshadowing for the band's next album. Overall, this side is a little bit less exciting and more folk-y, similar to Mike Oldfield in the sound. It drags at times and picks up at times, making this track about average. The Ancient opens with an eerie percussive section, introduced by a gong and continued with some hi-hat smacking before breaking into a faster paced and exciting instrumental section with all 4 instrumentalists, most notably Wakeman's keyboard sound and White's rim hits, and then Howe and Squire coming in. The song is the most exciting of the 4, and is drastically different from TRSoG and The Remembering. It is more bombastic, and is much more experimental. The instrumental sections are odd and exciting, and really keep you on the edge of your seat until the next part change takes you on a sweeping melodic journey. Overall, the piece may alienate a few classic symphonic fans as a weird bombastic attempt at hard rock, but will attract more fans that are looking for something eclectic and different. Ritual is the song that ties the 4 mammoth movements together. Opening with a Peter Gabriel era Genesis like guitar solo, the instrumental section is spectacular, combining all the sounds from the rest of the album into a great intro. The "catch-phrase" Nous Sommes du Soleil is heard all throughout the album is a great addition, especially with the instrumental section behind it. Riffs and melodies heard throughout the rest of the album are revisited here and in great new ways. Overall, this is one of the better tracks on the album. It is the longest, exceeding 21 minutes, but is so massive in its depth and magnitude that I wish it was longer. ALBUM OVERALL: If I could give this album 100 stars, I would. I may be a bit partial to long pieces, such as The Flower King's Garden of Dreams, Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, any Mike Oldfield piece, or Transatlantic's Whirlwind, but even those are nothing compared to the gracious magnificence of Tales. If you can, buy this album. I found it in vinyl in my father's basement, and was nearly jumping up and down in joy. It is an essential prog album.
Edited by andyman1125 - October 25 2010 at 20:17
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DisgruntledPorcupine
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 16 2010
Location: Thunder Bay CAN
Status: Offline
Points: 4395
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:35 |
 andyman1125 wrote:
Would this be considered a "good review"? For TALES by Yes
It's wonderfully pretentious, but that's a good thing!
Tales from Topographic Oceans is Yes's first double album, and it's an impressive show. Inspired by the Autobiography of a Yogi, the 4-movement epic starts off with the impressive Revealing Science of God (Dance of Dawn), then The Remembering (High the Memory), then The Ancient (Giants under the Sun), and ultimately Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) (or "we are the sun," for the non-French speakers).
The Revealing Science of God is an absolutely fantastic song, and it's hard to refute that. Opening with a quiet vocal piece, breaking into a sweeping instrumental section, featuring Wakeman and Howe's great prowess, the song is off to a good start. The piece serves as a sudo-overture, using riffs and tones which are used in the other movements of the track. Despite its near 21-minute length, it is a very "popularly-acceptable" track, featuring a nice chorus, not too bombastic instrumental sections, smooth part changes, and beautiful melodies. To listen to the track all the way through is a refreshing and relaxing experience, especially with Steve Howe's magnificent guitar sections. Vocal melodies are near-perfect all throughout, as are the great lyrics. One quarter down, and we're off to a great start, and really puts the Mood for a Day (good insinuation? I think so).
The Remembering opens with a folk-y section very reminiscent to Mike Oldfield's work. The entire track is lighter than its predecessor and has a much more folk-inspired sound. The intro in this song drags a little bit, as the guitar and vocal part repeat on and on for 3 minutes before breaking into something new past the 4 minute mark. Despite this, the reed organ and rotary guitar sound is a nice instrumental duo. The track doesn't vary as much, and isn't as interesting as TRSoG. Around 11 minutes, half way through the song, it finally picks up, but then slows down. The work "Relayer" is repeated frequently, which is probably foreshadowing for the band's next album. Overall, this side is a little bit less exciting and more folk-y, similar to Mike Oldfield in the sound. It drags at times and picks up at times, making this track about average.
The Ancient opens with an eerie percussive section, introduced by a gong and continued with some hi-hat smacking before breaking into a faster paced and exciting instrumental section with all 4 instrumentalists, most notably Wakeman's keyboard sound and White's rim hits, and then Howe and Squire coming in. The song is the most exciting of the 4, and is drastically different from TRSoG and The Remembering. It is more bombastic, and is much more experimental. The instrumental sections are odd and exciting, and really keep you on the edge of your seat until the next part change takes you on a sweeping melodic journey. Overall, the piece may alienate a few classic symphonic fans as a weird bombastic attempt at hard rock, but will attract more fans that are looking for something eclectic and different.
Ritual is the song that ties the 4 mammoth movements together. Opening with a Peter Gabriel era Genesis like guitar solo, the instrumental section is spectacular, combining all the sounds from the rest of the album into a great intro. The "catch-phrase" Nous Sommes du Soleil is heard all throughout the album is a great addition, especially with the instrumental section behind it. Riffs and melodies heard throughout the rest of the album are revisited here and in great new ways. Overall, this is one of the better tracks on the album. It is the longest, exceeding 21 minutes, but is so massive in its depth and magnitude that I wish it was longer.
ALBUM OVERALL: If I could give this album 100 stars, I would. I may be a bit partial to long pieces, such as The Flower King's Garden of Dreams, Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, any Mike Oldfield piece, or Transatlantic's Whirlwind, but even those are nothing compared to the gracious magnificence of Tales. If you can, buy this album. I found it in vinyl in my father's basement, and was nearly jumping up and down in joy. It is an essential prog album. |
I like. 
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J-Man
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 07 2008
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Status: Offline
Points: 7826
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:41 |
andyman1125 wrote:
Would this be considered a "good review"? For TALES by Yes
It's wonderfully pretentious, but that's a good thing!Tales from Topographic Oceans is Yes's first double album, and it's an impressive show. Inspired by the Autobiography of a Yogi, the 4-movement epic starts off with the impressive Revealing Science of God (Dance of Dawn), then The Remembering (High the Memory), then The Ancient (Giants under the Sun), and ultimately Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) (or "we are the sun," for the non-French speakers). The Revealing Science of God is an absolutely fantastic song, and it's hard to refute that. Opening with a quiet vocal piece, breaking into a sweeping instrumental section, featuring Wakeman and Howe's great prowess, the song is off to a good start. The piece serves as a sudo-overture, using riffs and tones which are used in the other movements of the track. Despite its near 21-minute length, it is a very "popularly-acceptable" track, featuring a nice chorus, not too bombastic instrumental sections, smooth part changes, and beautiful melodies. To listen to the track all the way through is a refreshing and relaxing experience, especially with Steve Howe's magnificent guitar sections. Vocal melodies are near-perfect all throughout, as are the great lyrics. One quarter down, and we're off to a great start, and really puts the Mood for a Day (good insinuation? I think so). The Remembering opens with a folk-y section very reminiscent to Mike Oldfield's work. The entire track is lighter than its predecessor and has a much more folk-inspired sound. The intro in this song drags a little bit, as the guitar and vocal part repeat on and on for 3 minutes before breaking into something new past the 4 minute mark. Despite this, the reed organ and rotary guitar sound is a nice instrumental duo. The track doesn't vary as much, and isn't as interesting as TRSoG. Around 11 minutes, half way through the song, it finally picks up, but then slows down. The work "Relayer" is repeated frequently, which is probably foreshadowing for the band's next album. Overall, this side is a little bit less exciting and more folk-y, similar to Mike Oldfield in the sound. It drags at times and picks up at times, making this track about average. The Ancient opens with an eerie percussive section, introduced by a gong and continued with some hi-hat smacking before breaking into a faster paced and exciting instrumental section with all 4 instrumentalists, most notably Wakeman's keyboard sound and White's rim hits, and then Howe and Squire coming in. The song is the most exciting of the 4, and is drastically different from TRSoG and The Remembering. It is more bombastic, and is much more experimental. The instrumental sections are odd and exciting, and really keep you on the edge of your seat until the next part change takes you on a sweeping melodic journey. Overall, the piece may alienate a few classic symphonic fans as a weird bombastic attempt at hard rock, but will attract more fans that are looking for something eclectic and different. Ritual is the song that ties the 4 mammoth movements together. Opening with a Peter Gabriel era Genesis like guitar solo, the instrumental section is spectacular, combining all the sounds from the rest of the album into a great intro. The "catch-phrase" Nous Sommes du Soleil is heard all throughout the album is a great addition, especially with the instrumental section behind it. Riffs and melodies heard throughout the rest of the album are revisited here and in great new ways. Overall, this is one of the better tracks on the album. It is the longest, exceeding 21 minutes, but is so massive in its depth and magnitude that I wish it was longer. ALBUM OVERALL: If I could give this album 100 stars, I would. I may be a bit partial to long pieces, such as The Flower King's Garden of Dreams, Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, any Mike Oldfield piece, or Transatlantic's Whirlwind, but even those are nothing compared to the gracious magnificence of Tales. If you can, buy this album. I found it in vinyl in my father's basement, and was nearly jumping up and down in joy. It is an essential prog album.
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Definitely considered a very good review! The only (small) problem is that it seems most of your reviews are of pretty high-profile releases. Reviewing old hidden gems and new obscure releases is something that the admins usually look for.
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DisgruntledPorcupine
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 16 2010
Location: Thunder Bay CAN
Status: Offline
Points: 4395
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:44 |
And yeah Andy, I'm also trying to become a reviewer at the moment.
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Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: June 04 2010
Location: Terria
Status: Offline
Points: 13298
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:51 |
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I recently got Diagonal..... by Diagonal (which is certainly an obscure gem!!) and I'll be working on a review soon. I've been getting onto some of the more obscure stuff lately so I think my variety should expand soon. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Epignosis
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 30 2007
Location: Raeford, NC
Status: Offline
Points: 32530
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 20:56 |
andyman1125 wrote:
Would this be considered a "good review"? For TALES by Yes
It's wonderfully pretentious, but that's a good thing!Tales from Topographic Oceans is Yes's first double album, and it's an impressive show. Inspired by the Autobiography of a Yogi, the 4-movement epic starts off with the impressive Revealing Science of God (Dance of Dawn), then The Remembering (High the Memory), then The Ancient (Giants under the Sun), and ultimately Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) (or "we are the sun," for the non-French speakers). The Revealing Science of God is an absolutely fantastic song, and it's hard to refute that. Opening with a quiet vocal piece, breaking into a sweeping instrumental section, featuring Wakeman and Howe's great prowess, the song is off to a good start. The piece serves as a sudo-overture, using riffs and tones which are used in the other movements of the track. Despite its near 21-minute length, it is a very "popularly-acceptable" track, featuring a nice chorus, not too bombastic instrumental sections, smooth part changes, and beautiful melodies. To listen to the track all the way through is a refreshing and relaxing experience, especially with Steve Howe's magnificent guitar sections. Vocal melodies are near-perfect all throughout, as are the great lyrics. One quarter down, and we're off to a great start, and really puts the Mood for a Day (good insinuation? I think so). The Remembering opens with a folk-y section very reminiscent to Mike Oldfield's work. The entire track is lighter than its predecessor and has a much more folk-inspired sound. The intro in this song drags a little bit, as the guitar and vocal part repeat on and on for 3 minutes before breaking into something new past the 4 minute mark. Despite this, the reed organ and rotary guitar sound is a nice instrumental duo. The track doesn't vary as much, and isn't as interesting as TRSoG. Around 11 minutes, half way through the song, it finally picks up, but then slows down. The work "Relayer" is repeated frequently, which is probably foreshadowing for the band's next album. Overall, this side is a little bit less exciting and more folk-y, similar to Mike Oldfield in the sound. It drags at times and picks up at times, making this track about average. The Ancient opens with an eerie percussive section, introduced by a gong and continued with some hi-hat smacking before breaking into a faster paced and exciting instrumental section with all 4 instrumentalists, most notably Wakeman's keyboard sound and White's rim hits, and then Howe and Squire coming in. The song is the most exciting of the 4, and is drastically different from TRSoG and The Remembering. It is more bombastic, and is much more experimental. The instrumental sections are odd and exciting, and really keep you on the edge of your seat until the next part change takes you on a sweeping melodic journey. Overall, the piece may alienate a few classic symphonic fans as a weird bombastic attempt at hard rock, but will attract more fans that are looking for something eclectic and different. Ritual is the song that ties the 4 mammoth movements together. Opening with a Peter Gabriel era Genesis like guitar solo, the instrumental section is spectacular, combining all the sounds from the rest of the album into a great intro. The "catch-phrase" Nous Sommes du Soleil is heard all throughout the album is a great addition, especially with the instrumental section behind it. Riffs and melodies heard throughout the rest of the album are revisited here and in great new ways. Overall, this is one of the better tracks on the album. It is the longest, exceeding 21 minutes, but is so massive in its depth and magnitude that I wish it was longer. ALBUM OVERALL: If I could give this album 100 stars, I would. I may be a bit partial to long pieces, such as The Flower King's Garden of Dreams, Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, any Mike Oldfield piece, or Transatlantic's Whirlwind, but even those are nothing compared to the gracious magnificence of Tales. If you can, buy this album. I found it in vinyl in my father's basement, and was nearly jumping up and down in joy. It is an essential prog album.
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It's a five-star review of the greatest album ever made. You win.
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Conor Fynes
Prog Reviewer
Joined: February 11 2009
Location: Vancouver, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 3196
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Posted: October 25 2010 at 22:41 |
Epignosis wrote:
andyman1125 wrote:
Would this be considered a "good review"? For TALES by Yes
It's wonderfully pretentious, but that's a good thing!
Tales from Topographic Oceans is Yes's first double album, and it's an impressive show. Inspired by the Autobiography of a Yogi, the 4-movement epic starts off with the impressive Revealing Science of God (Dance of Dawn), then The Remembering (High the Memory), then The Ancient (Giants under the Sun), and ultimately Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) (or "we are the sun," for the non-French speakers).
The Revealing Science of God is an absolutely fantastic song, and it's hard to refute that. Opening with a quiet vocal piece, breaking into a sweeping instrumental section, featuring Wakeman and Howe's great prowess, the song is off to a good start. The piece serves as a sudo-overture, using riffs and tones which are used in the other movements of the track. Despite its near 21-minute length, it is a very "popularly-acceptable" track, featuring a nice chorus, not too bombastic instrumental sections, smooth part changes, and beautiful melodies. To listen to the track all the way through is a refreshing and relaxing experience, especially with Steve Howe's magnificent guitar sections. Vocal melodies are near-perfect all throughout, as are the great lyrics. One quarter down, and we're off to a great start, and really puts the Mood for a Day (good insinuation? I think so).
The Remembering opens with a folk-y section very reminiscent to Mike Oldfield's work. The entire track is lighter than its predecessor and has a much more folk-inspired sound. The intro in this song drags a little bit, as the guitar and vocal part repeat on and on for 3 minutes before breaking into something new past the 4 minute mark. Despite this, the reed organ and rotary guitar sound is a nice instrumental duo. The track doesn't vary as much, and isn't as interesting as TRSoG. Around 11 minutes, half way through the song, it finally picks up, but then slows down. The work "Relayer" is repeated frequently, which is probably foreshadowing for the band's next album. Overall, this side is a little bit less exciting and more folk-y, similar to Mike Oldfield in the sound. It drags at times and picks up at times, making this track about average.
The Ancient opens with an eerie percussive section, introduced by a gong and continued with some hi-hat smacking before breaking into a faster paced and exciting instrumental section with all 4 instrumentalists, most notably Wakeman's keyboard sound and White's rim hits, and then Howe and Squire coming in. The song is the most exciting of the 4, and is drastically different from TRSoG and The Remembering. It is more bombastic, and is much more experimental. The instrumental sections are odd and exciting, and really keep you on the edge of your seat until the next part change takes you on a sweeping melodic journey. Overall, the piece may alienate a few classic symphonic fans as a weird bombastic attempt at hard rock, but will attract more fans that are looking for something eclectic and different.
Ritual is the song that ties the 4 mammoth movements together. Opening with a Peter Gabriel era Genesis like guitar solo, the instrumental section is spectacular, combining all the sounds from the rest of the album into a great intro. The "catch-phrase" Nous Sommes du Soleil is heard all throughout the album is a great addition, especially with the instrumental section behind it. Riffs and melodies heard throughout the rest of the album are revisited here and in great new ways. Overall, this is one of the better tracks on the album. It is the longest, exceeding 21 minutes, but is so massive in its depth and magnitude that I wish it was longer.
ALBUM OVERALL: If I could give this album 100 stars, I would. I may be a bit partial to long pieces, such as The Flower King's Garden of Dreams, Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, any Mike Oldfield piece, or Transatlantic's Whirlwind, but even those are nothing compared to the gracious magnificence of Tales. If you can, buy this album. I found it in vinyl in my father's basement, and was nearly jumping up and down in joy. It is an essential prog album. |
It's a five-star review of the greatest album ever made. You win.
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Tales wins big in my books.
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Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: June 04 2010
Location: Terria
Status: Offline
Points: 13298
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Posted: October 26 2010 at 20:01 |
is there any way to somehow purposefully catch the admin's eyes?  i guess i could say i review obscure as well as popular albums, such as Pat Metheny's 80/81 (had no reviews until about 5 minutes ago), but I doubt any admin would come looking for me
Edited by andyman1125 - October 26 2010 at 20:03
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Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: June 04 2010
Location: Terria
Status: Offline
Points: 13298
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Posted: October 26 2010 at 20:03 |
My "80/81" review
 If I could recreate sax solos in text, I so would.NOTE: I am reviewing this from the single CD version, so Open and Pretty Scattered are omitted. Pat Metheny, a fantastic jazz guitarist, has done it again. 80/81 is a fantastic double album. It is definitely one of my favorite folk-jazz crossovers, with fantastic musicianship all across the board from all the collaborators. Jazz improvisations are sprinkled here and there, which a nice color to the album. It may not be Genesis and it may not e Miles Davis, but it's still great. Two Folk Songs, the two-track-but-really-one song, (on my version the two songs are combined), is a fantastic, you guessed it, folk song. The melodies are beautiful. Listening to them makes me feel like I'm flying high above the Great Plains, lead by fantastic saxophone soloing and other improv beauty. Although at some points the improv gets a little discordant, the track itself is beautiful. And, being a drummer, I love the drum solo in the middle of the track. Not only is it solely drums, the solo is rhythmically magnificent. The guitar solo in the middle of part 2 is fantastic. The jazz chords are wonderfully crafted to sound great. Short little bass solos with that organic acoustic sound are just amazing. Two Folk Songs: setting this record off on the very right foot! Everyday I Thank You breaks away from the folkiness of the last track and brings the album into the smooth jazz territory. The sax solo in the intro just reminds me of a 90s sitcom love scene in a smoky bar. But after the dreamy solo, the rhythm and guitar pick up the song and take it to new heights. The amazing skill brought to the table by all the musicians really help this song along; just by playing a few chords in the right way, Metheny makes this song memorable. The sax solo might drag, but it still is a good song. Goin' Ahead is a much more melancholy song, with soft melody and beautiful soloing. Metheny is really goin' ahead making feel great about life! The title track really picks up the tempo for a speedy jazz track with synchronized sax and guitar soloing. The entire track is mostly a switch off solo based off that synchronized "head" section between Metheny and sax player Michael Brecker. It's a fun fusion track, with some speedy and sometimes odd solo sections. The Bat is another slow melodic smooth jazz song. This features more soloing between guitar and sax. It's nice, but very similar to the other slower switch off solo tracks. Turnaround is a fun track, opened by a nice bassline by Charlie Haden. A guitar solo is based off of the bassline. It speeds up at times, but is still mainly a switch off solo track, but this time between guitar and bass. It's still a great though. ALBUM OVERALL: This album has it's ups and downs. Two Folk Songs is so amazing, however, that it's hard to say very many bad things about the album. Every Day I Thank You and The Bat are just slow smooth jazz songs and are essentially the same thing. 80/81 and Turnaround are also very similar, both sped up jazz improv tracks. The best songs on the album are Two Folk Songs and Goin' ahead, mainly because they are different from the rest and the most creative. Sadly, I haven't heard the two tracks omitted from the single CD version, so I can't comment on them. Hopefully they wouldn't have brought the review rating down at all, which is 4(-) stars. I say 4 mainly because of Two Folk Songs. If that track was not on the album, I would most likely say 1 or 2 stars. Two Folk Songs is just magnificent. Bravo to Metheny for that fantastic composition.
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toroddfuglesteg
Forum Senior Member
Retired
Joined: March 04 2008
Location: Retirement Home
Status: Offline
Points: 3658
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Posted: October 27 2010 at 05:50 |
Ten reviews of Senmuth albums (free downloads) will always bring you closer to the hallowed ground (and/or a lengthy stay in a mental institution).
Again, and I am repeating myself: Forget the titles and the halloobalooba stuff under your name and really enjoy the music instead. This is music website. Not a snobbish village in England where titles is everything and contents is nothing. That's why you Americans had this Boston Tea Party, remember. When I am seeing threads/debates like this one, it dawns on me that this British colony issue USA is still not fully resolved. In short; never mind the title under your name. Enjoy the music.
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someone_else
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: May 02 2008
Location: Going Bananas
Status: Offline
Points: 24338
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Posted: October 27 2010 at 06:04 |
andyman1125 wrote:
My "80/81" review
If I could recreate sax solos in text, I so would.
... (not necessary to repeat it all here - s_e)
ALBUM OVERALL: This album has it's ups and downs. Two Folk Songs is so amazing, however, that it's hard to say very many bad things about the album. Every Day I Thank You and The Bat are just slow smooth jazz songs and are essentially the same thing. 80/81 and Turnaround are also very similar, both sped up jazz improv tracks. The best songs on the album are Two Folk Songs and Goin' ahead, mainly because they are different from the rest and the most creative. Sadly, I haven't heard the two tracks omitted from the single CD version, so I can't comment on them. Hopefully they wouldn't have brought the review rating down at all, which is 4(-) stars. I say 4 mainly because of Two Folk Songs. If that track was not on the album, I would most likely say 1 or 2 stars. Two Folk Songs is just magnificent. Bravo to Metheny for that fantastic composition.
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This exposes a weakness in your review. If one track, which makes up about a quarter of the entire album, suffices to promote a 1 or 2-star album to a 4-star, this track seems a bit overweighted to me, especially when the content of the review does not make clear that the album is mediocre or even poor.
Your review on Tales is far better in all ways. Not because I agree with your opinion on it: I would rate it 2.5 stars (maybe because I'm not a Prog Reviewer  ). But it explains very well why you rate it 5 stars.
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UMUR
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 19 2007
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 3069
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Posted: October 27 2010 at 07:22 |
andyman1125 wrote:
is there any way to somehow purposefully catch the admin's eyes?
i guess i could say i review obscure as well as popular albums, such as Pat Metheny's 80/81 (had no reviews until about 5 minutes ago), but I doubt any admin would come looking for me |
There are more than one way to get promoted on PA, but writing consistent quality reviews always catch admin eyes. And if they don´t catch admin eyes, they catch Collab eyes who can then nominate you to the admins for promotion. I´ve nominated a couple of people who I felt did something special for the site along the way and I know others have too.
Being active in the forum ( being positive and showing understanding of progressive music) is another way of getting promoted.
...but as Torodd said you don´t need to be a Collab to enjoy the site. If you have a burning ambition to work on the site that´s of course admirable, but be patient and prove your worth. Don´t worry you´ll be noticed.
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CCVP
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 15 2007
Location: Vitória, Brasil
Status: Offline
Points: 7971
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Posted: October 27 2010 at 07:47 |
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One interesting and effective way of becoming and reviewer is reviewing lesser known albums / albums with few reviews / unknown bands. Those will surely get you noticed.
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harmonium.ro
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: August 18 2008
Location: Anna Calvi
Status: Offline
Points: 22989
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Posted: October 27 2010 at 07:47 |
andyman1125 wrote:
is there any way to somehow purposefully catch the admin's eyes? |
harmonium.ro wrote:
It's written right on the top of the FAQ page
How do I become a Prog Reviewer/Special Collaborator?
"Prog
reviewers" are people who have been identified by the site’s owners as
regularly contributing high quality reviews of a diverse range of bands
and albums.
"Special collaborators" also regularly submit high quality reviews,
but in addition they participate in (or have participated in) the
running of the site.
You would normally become a Prog Reviewer or Special
Collaborator by invitation from the site owners. If however, you feel
you have met the following criteria, and would like to be considered for
induction as a Prog Reviewer, send a Private Message (PM) to
"Atkingani" (the Collaborator Manager) making your case.
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I feel invizible and useless 
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/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
Becoming a "prog reviewer"?
