bruford era yes = awesome
80s yes is meh (drama is ok)
I actually really like Drama, Tempus Fugit is a great song as is Machine Messiah and most of the others. Only one or two are bad on that. It's better than 90125 imo, took me a while to accept that for what's said to be a great comeback album there's only like, one or two good songs on it.
Fragile was their top album though, by far
Yes are a bit of an enigma imo. People who don't like prog make them out to be worse than they actually are and people who love prog make them out to be better, they kind of sit in the middle of that
I liked Tales the few times I heard it.
I can just never be bothered to do it anymore
[editline]30th March 2013[/editline]
I prefer Close to the Edge to Fragile
Lots of people do
I think Fragile has more aggression to it though and punch, plus that riff in Heart of the Sunrise ho man
I think Fragile would be one of the best prog rock albums if it didn't have so much dumb filler.
I really don't get 90125 hype at all, i've only listened to it a couple times but it's not so good a pop record and nowhere near a prog album. Even Invisible Touch was more prog.
Owner of a Lonely Heart is a great song though - but the rest is just shitty (cept Changes, good song that)
Also Hakita what filler, I can't think of a single filler song really
90125 just isn't very good. Literally all I enjoy from that album is Owner of a Lonely Heart
[QUOTE=killerteacup;40093722]Also Hakita what filler, I can't think of a single filler song really[/QUOTE]
The only songs that really feel like songs for me on Fragile are Roundabout, South Side of the Sky and Heart of the Sunrise.
I guess it's just me then, but all the other songs just kind of are there, while these 3 really carry the album.
I still have 90125 on CD
Bought it assuming the album would be a bunch of songs in that style but they were all kinda bad
[QUOTE=Hakita;40093727]The only songs that really feel like songs for me on Fragile are Roundabout, South Side of the Sky and Heart of the Sunrise.
I guess it's just me then, but all the other songs just kind of are there, while these 3 really carry the album.[/QUOTE]
For We Have Heaven and Cans and Brahms I'd agree. The rest, no way. Long Distance Runaround is great, and Mood for a day is a great composition, wish I could play it
Wouldn't really call minute long tracks filler.. especially on a 40 minute album.
[QUOTE=killerteacup;40093728]For We Have Heaven and Cans and Brahms I'd agree. The rest, no way. Long Distance Runaround is great, and Mood for a day is a great composition, wish I could play it[/QUOTE]
Fair enough, but they just dont really feel like songs for me.
I've listened to Fragile quite a few times and I can't recall a single thing about those small songs, except that 5 per Cent is really short and has cool bass.
Do you mean they feel rushed
because if you're saying they're not songs at all that's a bit silly i mean they're obviously songs
[QUOTE=killerteacup;40093769]Do you mean they feel rushed
because if you're saying they're not songs at all that's a bit silly i mean they're obviously songs[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying that they're not songs.
I'm just saying that they dont feel like there's really anything to them.
[QUOTE=killerteacup;40093769]Do you mean they feel rushed
because if you're saying they're not songs at all that's a bit silly i mean they're obviously songs[/QUOTE]
songs that aren't prog aren't songs. :downs:
So some steven wilson discussion I'd brought in
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krE1tET2YXE[/media]
Someone ripped a copy of his very first album in 1983 when he was in a band called Altamont
It's lo-fi and spacey, and really awesome, sounds like tangerine dream and I highly suggest listening. Totally different and weird sound
[QUOTE=Hakita;40093656]In my very honest opinion, Yes are overrated in the prog scene.
They're a good band, don't get me wrong, but I don't really think that they're one of the best.[/QUOTE]
I agree. I could never just enjoy Yes much. They aren't anything out of the ordinary.
Also someone used to have most of King Crimson's albums uploaded in their entirety on Youtube, but it seem they're removed now. Only ones I can find now are In the Court of the Crimson King and Lark's Tongue in Aspic. It's too bad because I'd often listen to King Crimson albums from Youtube on my laptop while at school.
listened to the new Steven Wilson.
Quite a soothing record, enjoyed it.
Not sure I'd hear it again, it's way too linear for me. But worth a listen and it's produced so cleanly too, very detailed.
It gets a bit tiring hearing him sing about ghosts all the time.
Also, I relistened to PT's The Sky Moves Sideways, not having given it a fair judgment the first time I listened to it as I wasn't really paying attention. I still don't like it. I'm glad I gave the band another chance years later with FOAB and not outright dismissed them and that they had outgrown their space rock noodling era.
I like sky, it was quite complex
I am a bit on the edge about the new album - I've listened to it a bunch but I dont know. I don't think it holds up to repeated listens as well as Grace for Drowning does. Drive home and Raven that refused to sing are fantastic but the others are just big show off pieces really
thing is, I just wish that dude would come up with something [I]new[/I].
It's like I pretty much know what I'm in for if I go for a solo record of his. I wasn't surprised one bit by the production either, it was "cleaned, polished and dusted" the same as he's done for years. Even the vocal is done the same, literally sounds the same as it always has.
Yeah I agree, Storm Corrosion I loved because it was so odd. I can still listen to that and know I haven't heard much that's similar to it.
As for knowing what i'm in for with solo I would disagree to an extent - Insurgentes I had no idea, that was a fantastic album. It still stands alone compared to the rest of what he did. Grace for Drowning, still a bit shocking at points because it was a new step, more musically complex and weird. Raven that Refused to Sing? Standard fare by that point. Typical prog stuff. There's some great songwriting on it (funny because the best songs on it are the two most musically simple ones) but overall it's eh.
And that's exactly why I posted the altamont stuff above - its early 80s Steven Wilson and it's actually lofi
its the first lofi thing i've heard from him its a pity its so old
as for what you said about vocals I don't think he's really to blame, he can't get a new voice after all. Pin Drop was a different vocal approach from him though - probably the first kind of new vocal approach I've heard from him in years. But some of his more recent songs kind of feel like him going through the motions, there's little soul there
[QUOTE=killerteacup;40139917]
as for what you said about vocals I don't think he's really to blame, he can't get a new voice after all.[/QUOTE]
His voice isn't very remarkable by itself so he tries to compensate using various effects like the telephone middly equalizing or the Beach Boys-esque vocal layering and harmonies. But even those production techniques get a bit old after listening to his stuff for a while. As Ak'z points out, he isn't being very "progressive."
Raven was recorded live in studio, so I can't remember a time he actually used the layering - his voice suits it. He didn't even use the telephone.
And I agree - but I don't find it all that surprising. I'll always love his music but he's basically like every other post 70s prog rock musician - not progressive really at all
[QUOTE=killerteacup;40140219]Raven was recorded live in studio, so I can't remember a time he actually used the layering - his voice suits it.[/QUOTE]
IIRC Raven's vocals were prerecorded, as Steven has always done with his vocals for his albums, and it's just the music that was played live.
it's not the voice, it's how he uses it with effects.
It's the same harmonising style that contributes to the linear music. I'm surprised I enjoyed it though, I was listening to the 24bit so it could be like how HD quality can mesmerise even if the film is crap :v:
I guess it probably was - point is he wanted the live feel so vocal effects were not common throughout the album
I think its summed up best by Richard Barbieri actually. I was reading an interview with him and he was all "When Steven goes solo, the songwriting is usually a bit better and more solid, but sonically it's just not as interesting as when other people are contributing" which I think is true. He doesn't have much theory knowledge so the chords are always pretty similar sounding and you can always count the instruments he's going to use on one hand
I think that's pretty true. Apparently after the incident was released he went to Barbieri and was like 'shit man, you should have stopped me doing this'
That's the problem with going solo and having 100% creative control over your work. Without anyone else to consult and bounce ideas off of, you may have your head up your own ass the whole time and not even realize it. Just look at the Star Wars prequels, for example.
morrissey was good after smiths so that's not always the case
Key word is "may" :v:
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