Polymorphia wrote: micky wrote: perhaps it will be a grower. It has been known to happen I think Raff may have also hit on something that keeps it from really connecting.. it's underlying punk influences.. which don't really connect with me. Plus there is the complete lack of colors that keyboard driven.. or keyboard infused prog albums can deliver. Perhaps that right there might be the biggest key. I do love guitar driven prog.. but most of that is more riff based of the traditional heavy prog.  It just sounded kind of samey... I'm sure I'll have plenty of chance to have it grow on me..  Raff loves it.. Yeah, the punk influences are probably the reason it appeals to me and not their later albums. I definitely like myself a bit of punkiness. But I can see where that would be unappealing to many a prog fan.

perhaps that is why they are a bit of a divisive band.. or perhaps more of a band of extremes...some seem to adore them.. others would rather have red iron irons jammed up their asses than listen to them.

micky wrote: I think Raff may have also hit on something that keeps it from really connecting.. it's underlying punk influences.. which don't really connect with me. Plus there is the complete lack of colors that keyboard driven.. or keyboard infused prog albums can deliver. Perhaps that right there might be the biggest key. I do love guitar driven prog.. but most of that is more riff based of the traditional heavy prog.  It just sounded kind of samey...

That's something I noticed at first listen: the keyboards are always on background unlike the tiresome loud guitars. I think the second album is better in that aspect, but that album seems lenghtier and more inconsistent

TMV, though the Devouring is great as well.

Went with The Mars Volta here, even though it's the only album they made I truly love. Frances the Mute is decent, but they lost something special after this one.

Moogtron III wrote: BTW I love GG too! Soulless, maybe... but dreamy, imaginative, colourful...

my love affair with GG begins with the debut and ended after Octopus .. they  lost something very tangible in their sound when Phil left the band..

oh somethings like...dreaminess, imagination, atmosphere, soul, and colour not to mention a damn fine vocalist.

micky wrote: Moogtron III wrote: BTW I love GG too! Soulless, maybe... but dreamy, imaginative, colourful... my love affair with GG begins with the debut and ended after Octopus .. they  lost something very tangible in their sound when Phil left the band.. oh somethings like...dreaminess, imagination, atmosphere, soul, and colour not to mention a damn fine vocalist.

I have the same thing: the first four albums. The Phil-factor.
I do like some tracks on later albums a lot. But the first four are my favorite.

Edited by Moogtron III - August 03 2015 at 01:15

pianoman wrote: micky wrote: Moogtron III wrote: BTW I love GG too! Soulless, maybe... but dreamy, imaginative, colourful... my love affair with GG begins with the debut and ended after Octopus .. they  lost something very tangible in their sound when Phil left the band.. oh somethings like...dreaminess, imagination, atmosphere, soul, and colour not to mention a damn fine vocalist. No love for Power and the Glory? There are some beautiful tracks there: 'Aspirations' and 'Playing the Game' come to mind.

ohh...  no love I suppose.  However I respect the hell and like every damn one of their albums. Few to any bands can claim that.. they really did not do one 'less than good' album.  However to get the love you have to be great.. and those first 4 albums had things the later ones did not.  You will not find anywhere in their last 4 moments like Schooldays .. or Edge of Twilight.. or even something like Black Cat.  IN those they had a distinct mastery of atmosphere and letting the music breath.. and sink IN before dazzling you with their insturmental and compositional skills. 

enjoy.. but never could love.

i voted for "The Devouring".

The Mars Volta, De-Loused in the Comatorium.

Sorry to vote about Djam Karet, whose music I find very appealing, but De-Loused is one of the greatest albums released in this century - even if an acquired taste for many.