Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

@DM,

Edited by zumacraig - November 02 2012 at 12:39

Ytse_Jam wrote: Just bought this. Transatlantic is always a pleasure to listen to, and I personally love their SMPTe stuff.

I have it too, but I kind of feel like it was unnecessary.  Especially since Live In Europe is so much better.  Roine even seems doubtful of the release in his liner note comments.  It was nice to have at the time, but I haven't listened to it in years, unlike Live In Europe.

infandous wrote: zumacraig wrote: I think Adam and Eve may be in my top three.  I love the two epics.  Drivers seat maybe my favorite.  That intro and the melodies!  The only issue I have is with Daniels songs, although I'm warming up to them.  I get that Roine was trying to go in a different direction.  Anyway, when an 80 min album starts to feel like 15 min, then I know it's classic.   Almost six months since BoE.  Wonder what's next.  New karmakanic, 3rd world, AoM?  I'm psyched for the new year. Heh, I have pretty much the opposite feelings to you on A&E.  My least favorite FK album, my least favorite two epics by them, and I prefer the Daniel stuff over most of the rest of the stuff (well, A Vampires View is my favorite track on the album).  Of course, having said that, I still consider it a decent album in the grand scheme of things. As to new stuff, yeah, I'm always looking forward to whatever Roine has in store next!

M27Barney wrote: I have just been looking through a few reviews of BOE and a lot of the reviews have given this a real slating for being "Prog by numbers" and just a 1974 album rehashed...these are possibly reading from the Steve Wilson handbook on what "progressive" means. I find it hard to reconcile such thoughts, because when I take Genesis and Rush.... Genesis - superb until W & W and then a whole heap of turgid bilge...Same with Rush - all good up until MP and then the progression into short bilge - after Signals - I've refused to listen to anything - unless I saw a review where someone said hey wow a return to 2112.......So if thats progression then stick it up your arse - for me progression in that sense means ditching one set of fans and getting another set.....

Well, saying Banks is just a 1974 rehash is completely wrong.  In many ways I find the album far less "retro" than their earlier albums (like Stardust and Flower Power).  Personally though, as you know, I find the album pretty disappointing.  I feel it is "FK by numbers", not "prog by numbers" though.  It just seems like a stripped down version of the band.  I've been listening to Banks and Sum lately, and Sum is just so much more of what I love about the band.  In fact, listening to it lately, I like it a lot more than I did when it first came out!  It is pretty dense musically though, so I understand why many fans have/had trouble with it.  Banks seems like almost the opposite, very musically "lite" I guess.  Just seems like all the "eyebrows" (as Zappa used to say) have been removed and just the stripped down basics of the band are retained.  For many people, this appears to be a good thing.  For me, not so much.  I still like Banks better than A&E, but that's it.  Of course, it still rates as a good album for me, just not great.

Really though, I don't see much resemblance to anything from 1974 (or the 70's in general) in the music, production, or arrangements.

Hey guys. Ive missed this thread. I got my power back today after it was off since Monday, and I have been blasting TFK because it's so good to have my speakers on. All week I was reduced to these little pocket speakers so I listened to mostly jazz or background music due to not-so-awesome sound from them.

Technically the first thing I put on my speakers was John Scofield - "Uberjam", and some random Frank Zappa tunes, but that's because it was what I had queued up last night. First thing I put on and blasted today was Haken - "Aquarius" and then Flower Kings - "Unfold The Future". Been feeling great all day.

dennismoore wrote: darkshade wrote: Hey guys. Ive missed this thread. I got my power back today after it was off since Monday, and I have been blasting TFK because it's so good to have my speakers on. All week I was reduced to these little pocket speakers so I listened to mostly jazz or background music due to not-so-awesome sound from them. Welcome back my friend!   My mom just got her power back. I hope everything is ok with your family & loved ones up there by the beautiful Hudson River!

Glad to have you back Darkshade, glad you were able to weather the storm.

Darkshade, glad to hear all is well and that you are back with us!

Ytse_Jam, I have noticed that.  The solo at the end of Big Puzzle is one of my top 5 by Roine.