Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

 

I have always been a great admirer and fan of my guitar playing compatriot Steve Hackett. I have supported his faux pas on "Highly Strung" and "Till We have Faces". Everything about this new album sounded very promising, until the cd entered my player. The booklet promised a splendid symphonic album, but I was bored to death instead. The playing on "Beyond The Shrouded Horizon" sounds dull and uninspired. The presence of great drummer names, like Simon Phillips and a bass player like Chris Squire can't prevent the music from sounding static. A drum machine sounds more alive. There are absolutely no beautiful or catchy themes to discover on this album. Being a true fan, I naturally bought the double disc version, but that turned out to be an even bigger mistake. The boredom continued on the second disc. Where have remained the sparkling and brilliant themes that keep you on the tip of your chair. On albums like "Voyage Of The Acolyte" and "Spectral Mornings" Hackett is literally reaching for the stars, but apparently everything is shrouded now. Probably "true" Hackett-fans will think my words blasphemy, but you will have to be blind (or deaf) not to notice the lack of inspiration on this album. I have so much enjoyed "Live Rails" and I was so full of expectation about this new album, but it turned out to be a cold shower. I consider this album for die-hard fans only and therefore I will grant it the obliged two stars. Whistler.

When I first come on here, I forgot what I used, something generic for a few months.  I wanted something unique.  In the summer of 2008 I was at the 3RP, a local Pittsburgh prog festival that lasted only two glorious years.  Nonetheless, the 2008 show had a great lie up, The Flower Kings, Neal Morse and Spock's Beard.  I actually got to see Neal sing 'The Light' with the Beard and it was amazing.

After that show, I decided that I wanted my icon to be 'The Catfish Man' so I gave a friend of mine a task 'draw what I'd look like if I was a catfish' hence the glasses, turtleneck and jacket.  Even though I'm not quite as hot and heavy on The Beard as I once was, I still love the artwork.

I will change the background at some point, it's a matter of making the time to do it and as you can see, I haven't gotten around to it as of yet.

(PS, still waiting for the Bans of Eden to arrive, I may just break down and buy the MP3's from Amazon if for no other reason than the fact that it will guarantee that the CD will arrive the same day)

Aye I'd second that - And why should a collaborators rating be worth more than anybody else's???? I bloody hate cliques...PSA shouldn't have one!!!!