Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

Catcher10 wrote: infandous wrote: Catcher10 wrote: infandous wrote: So weird thing.  Found the original receipt (a txt file) from my first ever TFK albums purchase. FLOWER KINGS RETROPOLIS $18 STARDUST WE ARE (2 CD) $25 2-5 ITEMS $3.50 Total amount: $46.50 Bought from Synphonic music on 5/4/1999 Crazy I still have it but brings back good memories of the first time hearing those albums. That's cool.....Do you still have the CDs? I do.  Still the same copies I bought 22 years ago (roughly).  They still play just fine, though I've ripped them to my PC a long time ago and mostly listen to the digital versions.  I do though occasionally play them in my car, which has a CD player. Must be an ancient car....

I have a CD in my car and it is a 2019 lease.  I think it might be one of the last vehicles to come with a CD player.  In my old truck I bought a new stereo with bluetooth connectivity so that I could bring that one into the 21st century, but I made sure that that had a CD player too.  I'm not sure what I am going to due when the lease is up at the end of this year.  I am not looking forward to getting a vehicle without a CD Player.  I don't mind listening to music off of the phone, but when I have the physical media I like to make use out of it from time to time.  

Catcher10 wrote: infandous wrote: So weird thing.  Found the original receipt (a txt file) from my first ever TFK albums purchase. FLOWER KINGS RETROPOLIS $18 STARDUST WE ARE (2 CD) $25 2-5 ITEMS $3.50 Total amount: $46.50 Bought from Synphonic music on 5/4/1999 Crazy I still have it but brings back good memories of the first time hearing those albums. That's cool.....Do you still have the CDs?

14. Serious Dreamers (9:00)

I love this song, it's one of those unknown TFK gems that absolutely rock.

GoliathTMV wrote: What are your top 20 Flower Kings songs in no particular order? Just curious.

GoliathTMV wrote: What are your top 20 Flower Kings songs in no particular order? Just curious.

What are your top 20 Flower Kings songs in no particular order? Just curious.

miamiscot wrote: I love it. A lot.

Catcher10 wrote: Islands. My delayed copy has arrived, spun some yesterday after stuffing my face with turkey and all the fixins.  This one will take a few spins to sink in. The 3-LP/2-CD package is excellent, comes in a slipcase with 1 gatefold holding LP1&2 and a single sleeve holding LP3, the CDs come in a plastic sleeve. The gatefold has all the lyrics and other liner notes with different band pictures on back covers. The pressing quality is stellar, these are done by Optimal Media in Germany who is one of the best IMO, everything I get from them is as perfect as can be with no surface issues no noise at all, a flea fart makes louder noise than what I hear in between tracks. The mix and mastering is very good to really really good, I can't say excellent as Roine still is not at a Steven Wilson, Bernie Grundman or Kevin Gray level. He's still doing a bit too much digital processing, but so far these records sound fantastic. I really like side II so far, side I I'm hearing some Queen type rhythm guitar work..........but as stated I need several more spins to let it all soak in. So far I'm very pleased with the direction of the music, more of what I've come to expect from The Flower Kings.

 

plasmatopia wrote: Catcher10 wrote: I only had the original release from 2002, I think this album is incredible. What always drove me nuts was the heavy compression the CD had, it was difficult at times to listen to and really fatiguing. I was able to get a nice deal on the 2017 reissue/remaster/remix LP version including the CDs. In the liner notes Roine confirms his displeasure for the album as it was originally released, calling it "painfully brutal".  The CDs are better, the 3 brilliant songs he remixed bring out much more detail and musicality as he pushes certain sounds front and back. The rest of the songs are remastered as 24/96kHz, of course the CDs are redbook truncated to 16bit.....But man the LPs are amazing sounding!! The soundstage is much wider and low frequencies are more pronounced which suffered on the original mix, plus its not compressed to hell anymore, there is dynamics and resolution now........I'm a happy boy!! I have the vinyl, but don't really trust my turntable.  It has some issues.  Someday I'd love to hear the vinyl version to hear if it's significantly different from the CD.  Seems like Roine mentioned it was mixed differently from the CD, but maybe I'm remembering that wrong.