Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

zumacraig wrote: infandous wrote: Rob, you reminded me what a great freaking song My New World is.  Certainly the best Flower Kings song played by TA (I say that because I get the feeling that Roine would have put it on a FK album if TA had not happened........similar to how Monster Within was supposed to be a TA track but Roine just couldn't wait and put it on Space Revolver instead). As to dub step, my only experience with it was a joke YouTube video my son played me of some guy telling his parents he found what he wanted to  do with his life and then proceeded to "sing" a basic dub step line (dub wub wub boosh!) over and over again as his parents look on in horror and disgust.  Something like that. I kind of feel like TFK's changed direction a bit with Banks.......making a stripped down, ultra clean type of album in the Karmakanic vein..........though I suppose it's really not that much of a change.  You guys all seem to like it a lot so I guess I'm in the minority here on feeling like it's nearly their worst album (though, as I've said before, not bad by any means).  Listening to the other albums I have confirmed that it's not just FK burnout, as I still love all the others to varying degrees. zumacraig.......maybe that's why I like Vampire's View so much, because it "breaks the flow" of an album that wasn't doing anything for me prior to that track............... good point about Vampire's View.  it really is an ambitious song and i can't imagine anyone by Daniel singing it.  as far as Banks goes, to me it seems like a continuation of SoNE.  wasn't that supposed to be a back to basics prog album?  i see where you're coming from in terms of wondering if your nuts not liking the album.  i'm not a completist in the least.  in fact, i go through periods when i actively hate neal morse...it's usually when i think i need to get everything he's done so i don't miss some amazing hook.  truth is, i only like a handful of his tunes, with and with out Spocks.  neil young is one of my favorite artists and even though critics have been gushing over his last two albums, i think they blow  so, are you guys gonna pick up the new steven wilson.  i find his stuff to be almost too good.  does that make any sense?

I don't see Banks as a continuation of SoNE at all, obviously.  SoNE was just supposed to be pure symphonic FK's, and I think they achieved that (no filler, no pop, no jazz excursions as Roine said).  I actually always hear SoNE as a kind of cross between Unfold and Rainmaker (which is a good thing).

You know, I have all of Morse's stuff (well, prog stuff anyway) including the Spock's, and I don't listen to any of it very often.  I have to be in the mood for "comfort prog" or "prog by numbers".  Morse really does hit all the right prog buttons for me when I'm in the mood.  I think what makes him different from other people that constantly repeat themselves is that he really seems to have total conviction every time he does an album.  He "sells" the music very well with his energy, enthusiasm, and feeling.  Haven't listened to any Neil Young since that Rockin' In The Free world album.

I pre-ordered the new Steven Wilson.  I absolutely love the approach he's been taking.  I don't consider it "too" good though, more like just right.


Edited by infandous - January 31 2013 at 10:03

I agree that BoE is not a continuation of TSONE, but damn are they great to listen to back-to-back.

infandous wrote: Roland113 wrote: zumacraig wrote: Roland113 wrote: Here's a review for you all: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=902763 Enjoy, great review man!  i actually like the vocoder on Pandemonium.  i  usually hate that stuff though.  nice that you discussed the artwork as well.  i love the cover.   Really, on the vocoder?  I wanted to give Mr. Bodin grief for the whole passage but tried to keep it tame :) Glad you enjoyed the review. As to your review Tom, I think it goes without saying that I mostly disagree (we don't seem to share all that similar tastes I've noticed.......though we seem to more or less agree about The Whirlwind.......I think I like it more than you though).  One thing I do agree on is the "...and then the numbers......" part, which is the best part of the epic and the best Roine lead work on the album.  Also agree that the cover art is beautiful.

zumacraig wrote: Roland113 wrote: Thanks for the compliments guys. Craig:  sadly the novel has taken a back seat for a year or so, I keep thinking of new material but between the band and the writing that I'm doing for the site, I just don't have the time for everything artistic that I want to do and sadly, the novel is taking a back seat for the time being. Darkshade:  that's a pretty bold statement there though, I'll agree in that it was the best prog moment of last year and I'm comfortable with giving it the moniker of best prog moment in the 2010's.  I'll have to give it more thought before I'm willing to go beyond that. Barney:  Thanks, there aren't nearly as many angry reviews on this one, it's actually their highest rated album on here.  Regarding the Genesis references, I don't really see them that much.  Big Big train is a different story entirely, but I don't see a pervasive Genesis theme in Banks of Eden.  (well, beyond the name of the CD of course) i'm the same with my artistic endeavors.  so many ideas, so little time and motivation.  i write songs all the time, but getting them on tape in some sort of finished form is my issue.  my musical partner and i are going to try and remedy this.

My problem is that I haven't recorded ANYTHING I've written, which includes stuff that more than 20 years old now! 

That wouldn't seem so bad except for the fact that I've had the software and hardware for recording since 2007.  Actually, I have recorded a couple things, but they are really just demos and I need to re-record all of them for various reasons.  I guess I just wasn't meant to be a musician

infandous wrote: Roland113 wrote: infandous wrote: Roland113 wrote: zumacraig wrote: Roland113 wrote: Here's a review for you all: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=902763 Enjoy, great review man!  i actually like the vocoder on Pandemonium.  i  usually hate that stuff though.  nice that you discussed the artwork as well.  i love the cover.   Really, on the vocoder?  I wanted to give Mr. Bodin grief for the whole passage but tried to keep it tame :) Glad you enjoyed the review. As to your review Tom, I think it goes without saying that I mostly disagree (we don't seem to share all that similar tastes I've noticed.......though we seem to more or less agree about The Whirlwind.......I think I like it more than you though).  One thing I do agree on is the "...and then the numbers......" part, which is the best part of the epic and the best Roine lead work on the album.  Also agree that the cover art is beautiful. Naah, we have certain similarities, just not one hundred percent.  If memory serves me, we both have a rather high opinion of "Paradox Hotel" which is somewhat unique among the Flower King faithful. Yeah, I love Paradox Hotel, with the exception of Monsters and Men, which is probably my least favorite of all the FK epics. If I recall, you are a bit more into the melodic Neo-prog side of things than I am.  I lean towards the dissonant / avant side of prog more I think.

infandous wrote:    I lean towards the dissonant / avant side of prog more I think.

infandous wrote: No, that would not be music Dennis.  Dissonance does not exclude melody, neither does RIO/Avant type stuff.  It's a common misconception.  Of course, I am first and foremost a symphonic prog fan.......I just like the more quirky exponents of that (which, actually, includes our Flower Kings at their best......well, what I consider their best ) I play guitar and sing, have since I was 15.  Good to have you back Dennis

Ok, you freaked me out a bit when you said you prefer the "dissonant / avant side"...  You mean like Gentle Giant - Free Hand?   Actually I think we have had this conversation.....

I asked if you play an instrument as it seems that most listeners who have no idea how music is composed seem to jump all over the Phillip Glass random noise thing....  Those who have an idea on how hard it is to actually come up with original composed music are not so quick to dismiss it as "too classical sounding" or too "composed" like that is a bad thing...  Ok, now I am just ranting...

Stop!  There I hit my head on the desktop.  There.  All better now.

Fact is it is nice to see you as well.           

Anyway - bout this Gig - Think I might have to wear my "Rotting Christ" tour-T-shirt....or maybe My "SATAN LIVES" , JESUS SUCKS effort...always good to get a balance of yin-yang just to make sure the god of balance (Cygnus) is happier in his cosmic playground.....

Hey M27Barney!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roland113 wrote:  . . . just for the record, I think it would be an absolute hoot to get together with you all.  I think the set of personalities would be hysterical in real life.

Edited by dennismoore - February 01 2013 at 14:51