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Guldbamsen 
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
Status: Offline
Points: 23104
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 Topic: 2014 Picks
Posted: July 25 2014 at 03:07 |
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Seeing as we are approaching August next month, I thought it would be cool to see what people have been listening to from the first half of 2014.
I haven't been purchasing too much new music because I am broke, but out of the few new ones I do have, these are definitely some that keep receiving air play:
Agusa - Högtid (thrilling instrumental throwback album with nods to Kebnekaise, Fläsket Brinner and the early Swedish proggers)
Fire! Orchestra - Enter (more big band jazz prog from an absolute stellar act, which is getting a fair amount of attention in Scandinavia)
Watter - This World (Zak Riles off my beloved Grails partakes in a wonderfully soaring and psychedelic post rock album with one Britt Walford (Slint) sounding as fresh as a chilled Beduin riding a yak convertible)
Wovenhand - Refractory Obdurate (the perpetual doom folkers go for a more tangible rock feel)
Current 93 - I Am The Last Of All The Field That Fell (A Channel) - (avant folk with a bit of everything thrown in the mix. Sharp, edgy and still delightfully melodic in it's delivery)
Albums I'm dying to check out include Syd Arthur's Soundmirror, Swans' To Be Kind and the new one from Wolves In The Throne Room.
What are your personal picks from 2014?
Edited by Guldbamsen - July 25 2014 at 05:06
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Nogbad_The_Bad
Forum & Site Admin Group
RIO/Avant/Zeuhl & Eclectic Team
Joined: March 16 2007
Location: Boston
Status: Offline
Points: 21488
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 05:10 |
My favorites so far this year.
Sonar - Static MotionAtomic Ape - SwarmUnivers Zero - Phosphorescent DreamsFilthy Habits Ensemble - Plays Stravinsky: L'Histoire du Soldat Live at JamboreeAnimals As Leaders - The Joy of Motion
Susan Clynes - Life Is...
Factor Burzaco – 3
Ut Gret - Ancestor's Tale
Jack O' The Clock - Night Loops
Swans - To Be Kind
Led Bib - The People In Your Neighbourhood
Stars In Battledress - In Droplet Form
Rabbit Rabbit Radio - Vol 2, Swallow Me Whole
I'll probably add Knifeworld & Accordo Dei Contrari once they've had enough spins.
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Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
Status: Offline
Points: 23104
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 05:13 |
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I am trying to make this thread about prog albums, but safe to say that one of my favourite albums of 2014 up until now is Soundcarriers' Entropicalia. It does get quite 'Krauty' and psychedelic at the end of the album, but I'm not sure whether it should be included on PA.
Edited by Guldbamsen - July 25 2014 at 05:14
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
Status: Offline
Points: 23104
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 05:16 |
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Hey Ian.
Have you had a chance to check out the new Pinhas/Yoshida collaboration?
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Sagichim
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 29 2006
Location: Israel
Status: Offline
Points: 6632
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 05:58 |
So far this year I bought...0 new albums  All the albums I got are older albums.
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Kotro
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 16 2004
Location: Portugal
Status: Offline
Points: 2815
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 06:10 |
This is my full 2014 list so far. I know, seriously unimpressive:
Discipline - This One's For England 19/20
The Oath - The Oath 17/20
Perfect Beings - Perfect Beings 15/20 Messenger - Illusory Blues 15/20 Temples - Sun Structures 15/20 Frequency Drift - Over 15/20 Sabbath Assembly - Quaternity 15/20 Lazuli - Tant Que L`Herbe Est Grasse 15/20
Matria - Defying My World 14/20 Se Delan - The Fall 14/20 Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - f**k Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything 14/20 St. Vincent - St. Vincent 14/20 Eden Shadow - Phases 14/20 Gazpacho - Demon 14/20 Solar Corona - Outerspace 14/20
iamthemorning - Miscellany 13/20
At least there were no real stinkers. Also, first time I've ranked a live album at the top - but what an awesome performance it is, easily the most pleasureble listening experience so far.
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Bigger on the inside.
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Nogbad_The_Bad
Forum & Site Admin Group
RIO/Avant/Zeuhl & Eclectic Team
Joined: March 16 2007
Location: Boston
Status: Offline
Points: 21488
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 07:17 |
 Guldbamsen wrote:
Hey Ian.
Have you had a chance to check out the new Pinhas/Yoshida collaboration? |
It's sitting on my 'to buy' list, I'll probably pick it up in one of my orders over the next 6 months.
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Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
Status: Offline
Points: 23104
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 07:52 |
Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:
Guldbamsen wrote:
Hey Ian.
Have you had a chance to check out the new Pinhas/Yoshida collaboration? |
It's sitting on my 'to buy' list, I'll probably pick it up in one of my orders over the next 6 months. |
Alright cool. I just remember you mentioning this release and me going absolutely apefeaces over it. Probably be a little while before I can afford to spend money on music. I'm planning on spending them on my holiday to Copenhagen instead 
Oh and btw, I strongly recommend you check out any of the three Fire! Orchestra releases. They are absolutely breathtaking, especially if you are into Sun Ra like space fusion.
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Imperial Zeppelin
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2013
Location: Kuwait
Status: Offline
Points: 6116
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 10:35 |
Favs of the year so far (prog or not):
Swans - To Be Kind Peter Hammill & Gary Lucas - Other World Ben Frost - A U R O R A BADBADNOTGOOD - III Pat Metheny Unity Group - Kin Kosmischer Läufer - Volume Two
Edited by Imperial Zeppelin - July 25 2014 at 10:46
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tszirmay
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: August 17 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 6673
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 10:40 |
1-
IQ- Road to
Bones
Logos-
L’Enigma della Vita
2-Synaesthesia- same
3-Fabio Zuffanti- La Quarta Vittima
4-Ad Maiora- same
5-Panic Room- Incarnate
6-Frequency Drift- Over
7- Phoenix Again – Look Out
8-Ego-Sistema
9-Monarch Trail- Skye
10-Elephants of Scotland- Execute and Breathe
11-RPWL- Wanted
12-Huis- Despite Guardian Angels
13-The Gift- Land of Shadows
14-Gazpacho-Demon
15-Majestic- Epsilon 1
16-Nodo Gordiano- Nous
17-Perfect Beings-same
18- Dean Watson- Fantasizer!
19- Machines Dream- same
20- Dawn- Darker
21- Strattman- The Lie of the Beholder
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I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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snowsnow
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 09 2011
Location: Belper, England
Status: Offline
Points: 555
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 11:34 |
1 Gazpacho -Demon 2 IQ - The Road of Bones 3 Anathema - Distant Satellites 4 The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream 5 Coldplay -Ghost Stories 6 Mostly Autumn - Dressed in Voices 6 Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope 7 Fish - A Feast of Consequences 8 Crippled Black Phoenix - White Light Generator 9 Panic Room - Incarnate 10Mike Oldfield -Man on the Rocks
Best album I've actually purchased - Tull's astonishing extended performance of A Passion Play - one of the greatest albums just got better.
Biggest disappointment (though not a shock) Yes -bless 'em)
Still looking forward to ....Pendragon's new one :)
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melotron98
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 28 2014
Location: Polska
Status: Offline
Points: 188
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 12:03 |
I didn't listen to a lot of 2014 stuff. But I can choose 2 albums so far:
Swans - To Be Kind. I became a Swans' fan about a year ago and I began with The Seer. I gotta admit that it was pretty difficult to find they enjoyable at first. But after some listennings I discovered the sense and beauty of their music and since then I love them. It isn't pure prog, I agree. I think it is so far the only "no so prog" band I love so much that they are one of my most fav artists. I read an information about the release of To Be Kind in my birthday and that was really nice  I listened to it a lot of times and I think it is their best piece ever recorded. Yesterday I was not sure about that but now I am. Maybe it is not so dark as The Seer is but more electronic. However, it is not the problem in that case. Gira did a great job and it is incredible that they released two 2-hours f**cking awesome albums in 4 years. I hope for the next one in 2016 that will make my head blow up next time. 
Univers Zero -Phosphorescent Dream. I fortunately visited the UZ site in the day they wrote about the new release and it was hard to wait about 4 months for that (as I remember the date of release was delayed, unfortunately). I think it is the beginning of the new era of UZ. First, they resigned from Cuneiform Records. I know it is a great company that has a lot of avantprog musicians but their music is rather difficult to find. Maybe not in US where you have Wayside and it is not a problem to buy there music. Buy in Europe it may be a bigger problem (for example with shipping). It is also almost impossible to find their music on Youtube, besides those experts published by Cuneiform. I don't say it is wrong policy. But I think that UZ is going to make their music more available since they went with Arcangelo and published the new album on Spotify and Deezer. The album is very nice. It is not the same UZ as the other pieces but sounds very very good. Nice RIO, more electronic, less atonal but it doesn't mean it is worse or "less RIO". It is just different but still well made. I hope we will be able to hear more new UZ's music soon.
Yesteday I listened to Atomic Ape debut since Ian (as I remember) posted some information about that on RIO appreciation thread I've been looking at for a few days. I think it is really nice but I listened to this only once so I can't say more today. Also I try to change my mind about IQ's album. I think it is not so bad but I still can't enjoy it as a lot of PA's members do. But I'll give it a few more chances and we will see. 
Oh and 2014 remaster of Power and Glory is OK (I bought today  )... but it is not counted, I think.
But if have are here to discuss 2014 stuff I ask you to recommend me some of them. Mainly RIO, Zeuhl interests me but you can give me some music from another subgenres, but not a lot of neo-prog which I don't enjoy so much
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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 27 2006
Location: The Beach
Status: Offline
Points: 14259
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 17:38 |
Sagichim wrote:
So far this year I bought...0 new albums
All the albums I got are older albums.
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I got IQ's latest but just about everything i've got this year is older stuff. I will have The Swans latest too.
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"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN
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Horizons
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 20 2011
Location: Somewhere Else
Status: Offline
Points: 16952
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 17:49 |
Swans' To Be Kind is so amazing it reaches almost a degree of spiritual enjoyment for me. Blasting "Bring the Sun" is oddly therapeutic and every other song just digs into my nerves. A masterpiece.
Gazpacho's Demon is an interesting journey filled with unique Scandinavian textures mixed with Gazpacho's classic moody alternative sound. A nice break from the typical virtuosity and emotional devoid music out there.
I really need to search around for more prog albums from this year. The other popular ones don't interest me.
Edited by Horizons - July 25 2014 at 17:50
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Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
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Luna
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 28 2010
Location: Funky Town
Status: Offline
Points: 12794
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 17:56 |
Only have To Be Kind, but am completely stoked for new albums from GODFLESH, Primus, and Kayo Dot. Gotta check out that new Devy too.
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aapatsos
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 11 2005
Location: Manchester, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 9226
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 18:07 |
The only one that stood out for me thus far is Phoenix Again - Look Out and Distorted Harmony's sophomore is not bad either... still to check IQ (heard samples of), Opeth, Enchant, Threshold to come 
Edited by aapatsos - July 25 2014 at 18:07
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team
Joined: March 12 2005
Location: Neurotica
Status: Offline
Points: 166183
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 18:11 |
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Hmm...reading over these lists and reading my own...makes me realize I haven't heard much from 2014.
A short list for now:
Yoshi/Pinhas - Welcome...In The Void
Machine Mass - Inti
Led Bib - The People...
Factor Burzaco - 3
Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere
I have work to do...
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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The Doctor
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 23 2005
Location: The Tardis
Status: Offline
Points: 8543
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 18:16 |
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Only one title makes my list this year. Yes - Heaven and Earth.
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I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
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january4mn
Forum Groupie
Joined: April 07 2009
Location: Ontario
Status: Offline
Points: 67
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 20:09 |
tszirmay wrote:
1-
IQ- Road to
Bones
Logos-
L’Enigma della Vita
2-Synaesthesia- same
3-Fabio Zuffanti- La Quarta Vittima
4-Ad Maiora- same
5-Panic Room- Incarnate
6-Frequency Drift- Over
7- Phoenix Again – Look Out
8-Ego-Sistema
9-Monarch Trail- Skye
10-Elephants of Scotland- Execute and Breathe
11-RPWL- Wanted
12-Huis- Despite Guardian Angels
13-The Gift- Land of Shadows
14-Gazpacho-Demon
15-Majestic- Epsilon 1
16-Nodo Gordiano- Nous
17-Perfect Beings-same
18- Dean Watson- Fantasizer!
19- Machines Dream- same
20- Dawn- Darker
21- Strattman- The Lie of the Beholder
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Thanks so much for including Monarch Trail in your top 20, Thomas!!! It's an honour to be on your list :) Ken
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january4mn
Forum Groupie
Joined: April 07 2009
Location: Ontario
Status: Offline
Points: 67
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 20:14 |
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I should do a bit of a list too although these are the only albums I've bought so far!,
IQ: The Road of Bones
Asia: Gravitas
Cirrus Bay: the first three albums (but oddly, not their 2014 one yet)
And in the near future,
Yes: Heaven And Earth
Saga: Sagacity
Druckfarben: Second Sound
And I finally picked up Martin Orford's "Classical Music and Popular Songs" although that's hardly a new record.
Ken
Edited by january4mn - July 26 2014 at 10:09
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2014 Picks
