PROG CORNER

[slightbreeze]

Played this just the other day. A fine debut with glimpses of what was to come.



So good, it could have been a Yes album in it's own right

[C]

Wow !

I love this album - particularly the extended/extra tracks version






.

[Neil Jung]

Saw Big Big Train this week. Still not impressed. 13 on stage included brass section. Sound poor too much bottom end. Songs meandered without memorable tunes. Singer isn’t any good.... etc etc.
Loads of fans there with band t shirts so they must be doing something right but I just don’t hear it!
Could not make out what singer was saying or singing much of the time! They had 2 guitarists, including Dave Gregory, 2 keyboardists, violin, bass, drums, singer, 5 brass.

[Lord Rother]

Lovely stuff. In fact, an oooof.

[Lord Rother]

[Lord Rother]

Saw Big Big Train this week. Still not impressed. 13 on stage included brass section. Sound poor too much bottom end. Songs meandered without memorable tunes. Singer isn’t any good.... etc etc.
Loads of fans there with band t shirts so they must be doing something right but I just don’t hear it!
Could not make out what singer was saying or singing much of the time! They had 2 guitarists, including Dave Gregory, 2 keyboardists, violin, bass, drums, singer, 5 brass.

Interesting comments re the sound.

I thought it was pretty average too, drums and bass obscuring everything else particularly in the “full-band” passages. Vocals also drowned out and a bit muddy.

I have had this conversation on the fans’ page and a significant number of people thought the same. The sycophants amongst the troop thought it was brilliant on all levels of course and I’ve even had the drummer’s wife taking issue with my (exceptionally polite and constructive) posts.

You know how much a fan I am, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show, but not bringing sound issues to the band’s attention would be doing them no favours.

PS The singer is great! And the melodies one of their real strengths!

PPS Apparently they absolutely killed it at Loreley last night.

PPPS Don’t Forget the flute!

[Lord Rother]

This sounds so much like Elbow at the start but develops into so much more.

Excellence!

[Neil Jung]

Saw Big Big Train this week. Still not impressed. 13 on stage included brass section. Sound poor too much bottom end. Songs meandered without memorable tunes. Singer isn’t any good.... etc etc.
Loads of fans there with band t shirts so they must be doing something right but I just don’t hear it!
Could not make out what singer was saying or singing much of the time! They had 2 guitarists, including Dave Gregory, 2 keyboardists, violin, bass, drums, singer, 5 brass.

Interesting comments re the sound.

I thought it was pretty average too, drums and bass obscuring everything else particularly in the “full-band” passages. Vocals also drowned out and a bit muddy.

I have had this conversation on the fans’ page and a significant number of people thought the same. The sycophants amongst the troop thought it was brilliant on all levels of course and I’ve even had the drummer’s wife taking issue with my (exceptionally polite and constructive) posts.

You know how much a fan I am, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show, but not bringing sound issues to the band’s attention would be doing them no favours.

PS The singer is great! And the melodies one of their real strengths!

PPS Apparently they absolutely killed it at Loreley last night.

PPPS Don’t Forget the flute!

I’m glad it wasn’t just us that thought the sound poor. I had the same problem with Steven Wilson at RAH which was worse and really spoiled the concert for me. I was beginning to wonder if my ears are losing the ability to hear higher frequencies.

The singer. Seems like a nice bloke, but... Melodies? Dunno. Maybe they need more songs with choruses, they don’t really do choruses do they..?

Ah yes, the flute, I liked the flute.

Things got better with and after that acoustic song, no idea what it was, but I wondered if having so many instruments made it difficult for the sound guy.

We could certainly hear the drummer!

[Lord Rother]

Now that’s odd because I thought the sound for SW at RAH was damn good.

Gavin Harrison is a similarly talented drummer to NDV who I love to watch / hear but he didnt “get in the way”.

Admittedly Wilson has a somewhat bigger budget available than BBT!

[Neil Jung]

Now that’s odd because I thought the sound for SW at RAH was damn good.

Gavin Harrison is a similarly talented drummer to NDV who I love to watch / hear but he didnt “get in the way”.

Admittedly Wilson has a somewhat bigger budget available than BBT!

I was at the side for Steven Wilson at RAH, where I think the sound is usually good, although lots of people disagree.

Do you have any other gigs lined up? I think I only have Steve Hackett plus orchestra at the RFH or somewhere on the south bank.

[Lord Rother]

Now that’s odd because I thought the sound for SW at RAH was damn good.

Gavin Harrison is a similarly talented drummer to NDV who I love to watch / hear but he didnt “get in the way”.

Admittedly Wilson has a somewhat bigger budget available than BBT!

I was at the side for Steven Wilson at RAH, where I think the sound is usually good, although lots of people disagree.

Do you have any other gigs lined up? I think I only have Steve Hackett plus orchestra at the RFH or somewhere on the south bank.

Franck Carducci at Boston Music Rooms on 25th July is likely, plus a few other possibles.

I quite fancy Resonate on 8th September at the Islington Academy, 4 out of 6 bands I know and like (The Gift, Lifesigns, Verbal Delirium and Comedy of Errors). But it’s a bloody long day (at my age).

[Lord Rother]

Chorus? You want a chorus?

[Lord Rother]

After a 26 year break, Happy The Man reformed and released this album in 2004. Pleasantly surprised, this is creative, interesting and quite fresh. Bit jazzy at times and very prog.

Recommended to those who like the idea of hearing new(ish) material but generally think everything after 1974 is rubbish. Actually, forget that, if you’ve got that mindset nothing is going to shift you, especially not something I have recommended!

Midway through 2nd play and it fits the sunny Sunday afternoon pre World Cup Final mood very nicely.

[Lord Rother]

All Will Be Quiet - On The First Day

Very nice post rock indie album from Finland. Nothing too ambitious but well put together and a pleasant listen.

[Lord Rother]

There are few more satisfying albums than this for me. My 2nd most played band from the last 10 years.

[Lord Rother]

I like what Anthony Arjen Lucassen does but he’s never quite hit the spots with me.

This is probably the closest. Pretty epic, as always with AAL, and some decent tunes. Going to have to follow up quickly before I lose the impetus....

[Hightea]

After a 26 year break, Happy The Man reformed and released this album in 2004. Pleasantly surprised, this is creative, interesting and quite fresh. Bit jazzy at times and very prog.

Recommended to those who like the idea of hearing new(ish) material but generally think everything after 1974 is rubbish. Actually, forget that, if you’ve got that mindset nothing is going to shift you, especially not something I have recommended!

Midway through 2nd play and it fits the sunny Sunday afternoon pre World Cup Final mood very nicely.

yes agree this is very nice comeback album. Saw them back in the day and again at NEARfest in the early 2000's. My brother is actually friends with the bass player Rick, nice guy.

[Lord Rother]

Good to hear!

Earlier..... Jade Warrior - Way of The Sun

Didn’t get them at all when I first played them a few years ago, but they have been a real grower. As opposed to the African and Far Eastern influences on earlier albums this one is more Latin American. Largely instrumental and although they do rock out a bit more on this album it’s still pretty chilled.



And NP

The rather splendid Anneke Van Giersbergen joined her first (?) band The Gathering in the mid 90s. This is the 2nd album with her up front and (without being anything new for the genre) pretty decent prog metal it is; nice melodies, superbly sung and thankfully none of the chugging metal riffs that make me reach for the off button pretty damn quick.

[Lord Rother]

Early French prog album from 1972, renowned as being one of that country’s best from the era.

Vocals are a tad harsh and caterwally at times but overall a good discovery for me.

Sandrose - s/t

[Neil Jung]

Good to hear!

Earlier..... Jade Warrior - Way of The Sun

Didn’t get them at all when I first played them a few years ago, but they have been a real grower. As opposed to the African and Far Eastern influences on earlier albums this one is more Latin American. Largely instrumental and although they do rock out a bit more on this album it’s still pretty chilled.



And NP

The rather splendid Anneke Van Giersbergen joined her first (?) band The Gathering in the mid 90s. This is the 2nd album with her up front and (without being anything new for the genre) pretty decent prog metal it is; nice melodies, superbly sung and thankfully none of the chugging metal riffs that make me reach for the off button pretty damn quick.

I love Way Of The Sun, probably the best of the 4 they recorded for Island.