1. Descent of the NOMACS
2. Dystopian Overture
3. The Gift of Music
4. The Answer
5. A Better Life
6. Lord Nafaryus
7. A Savior in the Square
8. When Your Time Has Come
9. Act of Faythe
10. Three Days
11. The Hovering Sojourn
12. Brother, Can You Hear Me?
13. A Life Left Behind
14. Ravenskill
15. Chosen
16. A Tempting Offer
17. Digital Discord
18. The X Aspect
19. A New Beginning
20. The Road to Revolution
ACT II
1. 2285 Entr'acte
2. Moment of Betrayal
3. Heaven's Cove
4. Begin Again
5. The Path That Divides
6. Machine Chatter
7. The Walking Shadow
8. My Last Farewell
9. Losing Faythe
10. Whispers on the Wind
11. Hymn of a Thousand Voices
12. Our New World
13. Power Down
14. Astonishing
The selection of "The Great Northern Empire" and "The Ravenskill Rebel Militia" per the email list and it seems part of the concept of this album, has been up for like a week or whatever.
A lot of critical comments online about this, just based on the premise and title alone. I guess my expectation for it isn't all that high anyway. If it's cheesy, so be it, I just hope there's a few moments to enjoy. But the truth is, their S/T album I barely remember much about. A Dramatic Turn of Events was okay, although I hardly find myself longing to go back to it right now.
an 18-month battle with cancer, which I guess his family kept private understandably.
Jeez, Lemmy and now Bowie.
I don't have time to talk more in detail about my experience with Bowie, but maybe later today or this week i will. It does put his new album Blackstar into a different light.
Okay, well this is the 1st part of a 2 or 3 part series of entries about the current and upcoming albums for the year. Of course as I adopted a couple of years ago, the year began November 1st, and so November and December albums are included.
As for this entry, it is the stuff that has come or are scheduled to be released at this point, along with a few that seem highly likely given the information.
The next entry or two though, is where a lot of the blue chips will show up, but of course many may come much later, or of course not even at all. But to say a lot of the names in the next 1 or 2 are on my mind a lot, is accurate (Fjokra and Pepe Deluxe to name just a couple of them).
But as far as the below list/calendar, it does include some strong and optimistic stuff. Having just heard the Brooke Waggoner album finally in the last couple of days, I can already say that is one I enjoy and should go back to a lot (maybe even an early leader?).
The metal titles seem potentially formidable, with Vektor and Hands of Despair definitely something to be excited about, among some others.
Dream Theater: I just read a couple of actually pretty positive reviews of their new record, which adds something more I suppose.
Cloud Cult's new album and film keeps sounding better and more intriguing.
And then there are the November/December titles, which Falling Up and Mutemath certainly factor into this season's crop. And the SikTh EP/Mini-album as well.
------------November-------------
13: Chris Isaak - First Comes the Night
My fiancee is a pretty big fan, and I did see him a few years ago with her. And I at least can claim to enjoy both his and some covers of "Wicked Game" (Kaddisfly namely). The reviews for it actually have been decent; although the amount I'll be hearing it largely depends on the fiancee's interest and possibly if he comes back into town and we go to see him.
13: Mutemath – Vitals Despite a lot of polarizing feelings about this album from longtime fans, I am enjoying this album a lot. It has great energy, like many Mutemath albums. The use of synths I am finding really work well on this album, despite them usurping the guitar presence. From the wall-of-sound instrumentals "Bulletproof" and the title track, to tracks like "Stratosphere," "Light Up," and "Joyrides," this album is consistently engaging. I even think some of the slower/more ballad-y tracks still work rather well and don't disrupt any flow to this album. Where it lands come next November/December is unclear, but I can see myself continuing to listen to it over the next year certainly, especially around the time of the concert at First Avenue on April 3rd.
13: Falling Up - Falling Up The final Falling Up album. Some of the initial details were given in the interview I did with Jessy Ribordy last Summer. My overall feeling about Falling Up has been, I am a fan of their albums, namely the ones since Fangs from 2009. Although I find Fangs to be my favorite, I do enjoy a lot of the music on Sparkling Death Cometh and the Hours/Midnight on Earthship records, but especially the latter 2 I probably didn't invest enough time to fully get into them. Part of that was due to lack of time, and possibly part of that was how they got released, 1-track at a time, I sort of lost momentum in trying to listen to them. Blech, cutting-to-the-chase, this album is really bloody good. I'm not exactly sure why I am enjoying it more than even the previous records, but I think it could be given how much time and thought I think may have been put into it. As Jessy explained in that interview: ALLMR:How does it differ from even the most recent Falling Up records like Hours, Midnight on Earthship and Your Sparkling Death Cometh, and how is it similar?
Jessy: Well I’ve taken a lot more time to write this album than the others. YSDC I wrote in about three weeks ha! This one I took three months to really get the songs the way I wanted them. Not to say that the songs lacked anything on those older records. In fact normally I write better under pressure and in a shorter amount of time. Sometimes when I have too much time I second guess myself way too much. But it was different with this album. Time was a good thing. I needed to be in the space that my life was in at the time to really absorb inspiration. But it’s similar in ways of recording. Since we’ve become independent we’ve lived by the standard of not holding back with our albums. We let the songs be the songs that they are meant to be instead of trying to form them into anything for any other purpose than just being music.
As for tracks, etc the 1st single/video "Into the Woodshop" probably stands as my favorite as it has this great story of sorts it seems to tell. The guitar lines are melancholic and yet beautiful. And the emotion comes across really well in Jessy's vocal delivery.
Other highlights include the opening track "Boone Flyer" and the 2nd epic track "Flora" which each time I listen to it, I notice new things to like. "Hydro" and "The Insect" are a couple other favorites that musically work well, and lyrically, add to the intrigue of the concept/story that it being told with this album, which seems to be about stories about/in a house as Jessy mentioned in the interview.
I guess part of why I may also be enjoying this album so much as it is their final album, and it seems they wanted to go out on a great final note/swan song. The beauty and magic and cinematic element is as great as it's been with any Falling Up album, and much like some of Jessy's other work which I happen to love (The River Empires, The Gloomcatcher). It is kind of bitter-sweet in that sense. And I'm hardly the only one taking notice as on the rateyourmusic page, it is getting rather favorable ratings thus far.
But even though it is their last album, I am really happy it came out so good, and it does have me curious what Jessy and people like Nick Lambert and Josh Shroy will do now. Josh for example, really stands out on this album, probably more than any other record, as his drum work is outstanding. Even how well it is emphasized and mixed. The drums are at times my favorite part of many songs.
I probably will continue with this album from now until next October, and unless something changes, I can't see this not finishing pretty high among my favorites from 2015-2016. --------------December------------
4: SikTh - Opacities [EP] (December) The first SikTh release since 2006's Death of a Dead Day. And of course the 1st since they broke up in 2008? and then reformed a couple of years ago to play live. I do enjoy a lot of this, as I am SikTh fan, and a fan of their chaotic, theatrical and technical style of Prog Metal. "Walking Shadows" is the stand out track early-on, and it also doesn't seem to have any of the clipping cymbal mix that is on other parts of this Mini-Album. But the compositions are certainly on par with their older work. the djent moments come, but I guess I'm not bothered by them, as much as other more recent bands. And the spoken sections still add charm but don't seem too excessive. SikTh are back finally, and there isn't another band doing this kind of music like them (or as good as them, although I suppose I would love for uneXpect to comeback at some point and compare).
11: JennyLee (Jenny Lee Lindberg) - Right On! Debut solo record from Warpaint's bassist/vocalist. I honestly only checked out about 1/2 of this album, and the jury is still very much out about it. I guess the mellow/moody vibe still seems to be apparent in the writing, which does remind me more of the last Warpaint record from 2014, which overall I didn't love . But given how little I've heard of this still, and it's her own project, rather than what Warpaint are doing collectively, my expectations aren't as high.
-------------January-------------
8: David Bowie - Blackstar The 1st single, which was the title track, just remembering, I did enjoy. But not to the point of addiction. I am a David Bowie fan, but not massive; so while I will be checking this out, I don't have huge expectations for it, but if it surprises me, I won't be surprised, lol. It also only includes 7 tracks, and just glancing on rym, it is being rated rather highly right now. Sleeper?
15: Brooke Waggoner - Sweven The 1st 2 singles "Widow Maker" and "Ovenbird" are both really good, and sound like Brooke may be using more orchestral elements on this album, maybe more than on her last record Originator from 2013. Although regardless, all of Brooke's records have been really good, so I honestly almost expect to love this thing, and hopefully soon since January 15th is right around the corner. edit: Stream it in Full here
Thumbs up on "Pennies and Youth"..reminds me a bit of Go Easy Little Doves.
The whole thing, not surprisingly, has impressed me a ton.
22: Steven Wilson - 4 1/2 The next release which per the title, is like a Half-Release or an EP, etc. Although rym shows it as a full-length. It is 37 minutes of music I guess, for what that's worth. It includes "Don't Hate Me" which from memory, is a Porcupine Tree track from Stupid Dream. I am assuming the version on this album will be different, re-arranged, etc. It also includes the opening 9+ minute "My Book of Regrets" which I think is the track that was played at many shows on the tour of the US I saw last Spring (in Minneapolis), but it wasn't named at that point. Looking forward to this, although given it is only 6 tracks, 5 new original/ etc I suppose my hopes aren't as high as they would be for his next full-length. Then again, I find Nil Recurring to be one of the best Porcupine Tree records.
22: The Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum
Atmospheric psych/rock band from Canada who are still around. They released something a year or 2 ago which kind of put me to sleep, but I can't deny, I loved the 1 show saw them. I'll check this one out certainly, but even if I don't go apeshit over it, I probably will continue to look at their best heard in concert where their trippy-ness comes out best.
29: Dream Theater - The Astonishing
34 track, and a double Concept album. And the band are to perform the whole thing live next Spring.
And the concept is so overtly-fantasy Game-of-Thrones/Dungeons and Dragons/Lord of the Rings like, at least just based on the track titles, I think I'm hardly alone in just expecting an all-out cheesy nerdfest.
That being said, I am a lifer Dream Theater fan, and will always pay attention to what they make, even with their approach to songwriting/composition in recent years.
This at least has them trying something different, with the big concept and another double-record, their 1st since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence from 2002.
I guess I don't expect to get attached to this record, but if I somehow enjoy more than half of it, I'll be pleasantly surprised. I guess it wouldn't even surprise me if I and many other fans love it or just forget about it. Which from a time standpoint, is kind of a win-win situation.
----------------February--------------
5: Obscura - Akroasis One of the better technical death metal bands returns with their 1st album since 2011's Omnivium. I do enjoy them, but can't say I love them like some other bands. They do at times sound a fair amount like early Cynic, which is a plus. But I can't forget, how I love Necrophagist, and this band along with Hannes Grossman's solo work has kind of killed the chances of more music coming from Necrophagist. I.e. I kind of see Obscura as the next best thing if Necrophagist never comes back.
5: Field Music - Commontime I certainly will check this out, from this british group who some compare to XTC. I seem to recall enjoying their record their 2010 record Measure, more than Plumb, the follow-up in 2012. Although just scanning their rym, they made music for a film titled Music For Drifters in 2015, so that may be worth checking out as well. 5: Textures - Phenotype
Another record from Textures, which I know they sort of moved the whole Djent thing along before Periphery sort of mainstreamed it. 2011's Dualism I rated at 2.5 stars, whereas their previous 2 albums I have at 3.5. But their last record was 5 years ago, so the break in time may help. Definitely an album I will check out.
12: Cloud Cult - The Seeker The cover art I'm using is just for the 1st single "No Hell" (and I should edit/replace it when the official cover comes). Another Cloud Cult album, which I am certainly excited about, as they have yet to put out a poor record, and especially Feel Good Ghosts in 2008, I've enjoyed their music more and more. Love, from 2013 though I did enjoy, not as much as the previous two. But where this album seems to be different or have more/different potential is the approach. It not only is an album, likely a concept album, but it goes along with a film of the same name. But not apparently a film with any actual heard dialogue, but I guess the album/music is synchronized to. Quite ambitious idea. Also having Cloud Cult Superfan and How I Met Your Mother/Independent Film Actor/Screenwriter Josh Radnor involved, as he does play a part in the movie. But the 3 or 4? tracks (No Hell, Through the Ages, No Hell just from memory) I've heard thus far are all quite good, and sound like Cloud Cult. I suppose the big thing musically is how varied or different the album will seem compared to their others. I recall 1 or 2 clips being mostly instrumental, and given it's used for the movie, there may be more all-instrumental or longer instrumental-features.
15: Hands of Despair - Bereft Hands of Despair I recall getting introduced towards the end of 2011 and their album Hereafter. That album featured a ton of bone crushing riffs, extremely clear production; plus a very well thought-out and executed blend harsh and clean vocals. Progressive Death Metal of a kind, that really worked on many levels, that it's sad that they are still unknown, even among the progressive and death metal communities I see online. And the 1st single "Sleeper" is 9 minutes of a lot of the same. if the rest of the record is like this, I can definitely foresee listening to this record a lot this year.
-------------March------------- 4: Tiles - Pretending to Run I used to be a pretty big fan of this Michigan-based prog rock band, who definitely were big fans of Rush. Namely with their 1st 3 albums, the 1994 Self-Titled debut, Fence the Clear and 1999's Presents of Mind. The other stuff they've done since, I never got too into, despite some impressive guest musicians from memory (Ian Anderson, Alex Lifeson). The list of guests is maybe more expansive on this one: Pretending to Run was produced by Terry Brown (Rush, Fates Warning) and features a remarkable collection of guest musicians including Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Mike Portnoy (Flying Colors, Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Chad Smith), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), Mark Mikel (Pillbugs), Joe Deninzon, Max Portnoy (Next To None) and many others. And I guess this is a Double Concept album, that the band spent quite awhile making, which adds some to the curiosity about it. Although I remember seeing a comment about how given Dream Theater are also making a double concept album, that's being released not too long before this, it may steal some of Pretending to Run's thunder, at least in the progressive rock communities. I guess we'll see. 4: Ihsahn - Arktis I reall enjoyed a lot of 2010's After. The blend of Black Metal and featured saxophone really seemed unique. The follow-up 2012's Eremita, I honestly only recall liking some moments, but still struggling with. And Ihsahn's most recent record, 2013's Das Seelenbrechen, I don';t recall even knowing about, let alone hearing. Rateyourmusic.com doesn't give it a bad rating, but it's not scored as high as the previous 2.
11: Vektor - Terminal Redux 2011's Outer Isolation is an awesome record. Pretty much a go-to for modern Thrash Metal for myself, per it's technical and progressive tendencies. Plus like the previous Vektor record, Black Future, has this infectious amount of energy. Why I am extremely excited to get to hear a new record from these guys. And finally get to see them live for the 1st time with Voivod next month in St.Paul, MN. The 1st single is below, and hopefully is just a taste of what's to come. 2016 very well may be a huge year for these guys.
25: White Denim - Stuff
I have enjoyed a good amount of the music from White Denim, ever since being introduced to them back in 2011 or 2012 when they were on the same tour with The Dear Hunter and Manchester Orchestra.
They have this fun style of almost progressive jam-band or progressive blues rock, reminiscent of The Allman Brothers or even Umphrey's McGee in some ways.
Their last album Corsicana Lemonade from 2013, I did enjoy, although it was kind of late as I remember not checking it out very late in the year, or even early in 2014.
The previous LP D, from 2011 I remember being pretty addicted to.
As for this album, the cover are is quite odd, but the 1st single at least doesn't seem vastly different for White Denim, but that also could be a good thing.
-----------------April------------- 22: dredg - Catch Without Arms (Vinyl)
A favorite band of mine, and certainly one of my favorites. I already preordered it of course. It looks pristine and highly colorful.
Radical Face - The Family Tree III: Leaves
From some of the updates on Facebook, this album could have come out last Fall, but Radical Face released The Bastards album instead, and Ben Cooper decided to wait until early in 2016 to release this.
I love a lot of Radical Face's music, with the cinematic style of folk-rock. I haven't really felt anything they've released has been bad. The Family Tree series included. And this concept/series may be the final part, from memory when it was introduced a few years ago, which adds even more to the anticipation for this one.
No certainty when this album does come out, but they have been posting on Social Media a lot over the last 2 years about writing and recording, including I recall last Summer and Fall.
It's been nearly 8 years since 2008's Just In Case We Never Meet Again (Soundtrack for the Cassette Generation), so the timing of when this does finally drop just seems unclear, year after year. But given their Social media presence and the fact they did recording recently, seems to support it'll finally be coming relatively soon.
I hope so, as I really love a lot this Italian college-prog/post-rock band's music, especially 2005's Dopoguerra.
The Woods Brothers - The Woods Brothers This is the long-worked on debut record of these 2 brothers from Southern California. The 1st 2 shared songs are really good, namely "Terra Firma" which features Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter on vocals. Casey did a lot of work with them on this record, including producing. As well, members of some other bands, including The Fall of Troy, also make appearances.
Definitely a record to look forward to. which given a lot of the details shared in the last 9 months, it may be released early in the year.
1/08/16 1:55PM Link to STREAM the WHOLE album
The whole thing is there, but I haven't had the chance to check it out yet. I hopefully will be able to later today/tonight.
Hopefully the preorder download links will show up soon, othewise, it's only 7 days away. 12/11/15 11:01PM
New track is quite good. I'm thinking Brooke is going back a bit to her symphonic/classical influenced compositions somewhat for this album, which is definitely a good thing.
1. Fink
2. Widow Maker
3. Egg Shells
4. Pennies and Youth
5. Proof
6. Sweven
7. Two of a Kind
8. Ovenbird
9. Adults
10. Fellow
11. Cherry-Pick
12. The Splitting of Yourself in Two
brookewaggoner_What do splinters, mochaccinos, harvest moons, undertakers, and silver scopes have in common?
They all make an appearance as text & story in my new album, SWEVEN.
I'm beyond ecstatic to finally share news about the full-length project I've been culling & crafting this past year!
Link to teaser in my profile.
FIRST SINGLE RELEASES 10/23. Stay tuned!
As the little clip shows there, Sweven is to be released on January 15, 2016 via Swoon Music.
Her last record, 2013's Originator I did enjoy a lot of, although it was pretty different in from the previous record I fell in love with, in 2009's Go Easy Little Doves and it's chamber/classical style of songwriting.
The little clip makes me wonder if this is going to be more of the classical/chamber/baroque instrumentation.
But as I posted over there: I'll pretend I never saw the list above, and just give my list: 2000: Kevin Gilbert - Imagemaker 2001: Transatlantic - Stranger in Your Soul 2002: Pain of Salvation - Beyond the Pale 2003: John Arch - Cheyenne 2004: Marillion - The Invisible Man 2006: Pure Reason Revolution - Twycyn / Trembling Willows 2007: Between the Buried and Me - White Walls 2008: Apes and Andoids - Riverside 2009: dredg - Gathering Pebbles 2010: Emanuel and the Fear - Jimme's Song 2011: Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Bad Canterbury 2012: Anathema - Untouchable Part 1 2013: The Reign of Kindo - I Hate Music 2014: Fjokra - Infinite Loops 2015: Small Leaks Sink Ships - Building Blocks
And these are certainly among if not my favorite tracks from each year since 2000. But of course I could choose 100 or more songs probably from each year that could be on MY list, and certainly I and probably a ton of other people would likely prefer to this All Songs Considered sheep-ish track list. Hipster, boring, uninspiring, un-interesting, non-engaging, and really in no way progressive.
So here's the debut episode of this new series done by Freqs TV (or Frequency TV?), which is a feature on Opeth. It's only a 5+ minute piece, which may be standard length for these, I dunno. Pluses and minuses to that, in that to get the YouTube and Social Media audience, as I have come to learn and struggle with still, the shorter length videos work.
I also don't know if all of these will feature interviews as it seems this one does. Time, resources, etc with said artists. I could see interviews being done per Google Hangout or just on Skype, but then again, those are rarely short.
Anyway, great to see the 1st one up; although it probably is worth adding how Freqs TV's YouTube channel has a lot of docs and footage of many musicians, including people like Steven Wilson and God is an Astronaut, so perhaps this is just a new style of video for them, but just focusing on modern progressive rock exclusively.
Edit: also cool to look forward to Between the Buried and Me next week!
Well here's 20 more minutes of me babbling on, but still relatively as briefly as I could about my history and the history of Dream Theater. From Train of Thought-Present.
I'm starting to get my footing with these, and I do think if I end up making more about artists with shorter history/catalogs, the length and content may be more to my liking and/or detailed. I dunno.
I was thinking though, with Dream Theater and Fates Warning, they have large catalogs, and so at the point if I were to feature an artist like Rush or many other classic bands I love, they likely could end up in multiple parts like Dream Theater.
Things are slowly but surely getting done. Namely the 2015-2016 preview, as I spent a good chunk of time New Years weekend on it, but, of course there's still some blurbs to do. I may do the lazy route soon and just throw it up and rename it as Part 1, lol And then possibly later edit-in more details and releases..
And the 2nd part of the Dream Theater video hopefully can be made soon.
Ovetime at work has kind of usurped my extra time of late, otherwise that video and some other things might be done.
I'm seeing the Charlie Kaufman animated film Anomalisa tonight finally, and waiting, I didn't have to pay the Twin Cities Film Festival price of $20 thankfully.
the calendar: wtf, I'll just throw it up here
January 3rd Galavant returns
January 7th Into the Machine Prog Doc on YouTube premieres
January 7th Angel from Hell premiere date
January 10th Golden Globes
January 14th World Dog Awards on the CW
January 14th Academy Award nominees announced.
January 19th All Things Must Pass ON-DEMAND (redbox?)
January 26th Meet the Patels DVD and ON-DEMAND (redbox?)
February 7th Superbowl Sunday/Puppy Bowl
February 11th Godspeed You Black Emperor
February 15th Grammys
February 16th Better Call Saul S2 premiere
February Vektor/Voivod
February 27th Spirit Awards
February 28th Academy Awards
February 28th Ne Obliviscaris
April 3rd Mutemath
May 2nd Dream Theater
othewise, I told the Fiancee I need to get back to some of those projects, namely the Retro Favorites. And Lists Watchmojo won't make, etc/
Plus I may be due for both an update on YouTube and Podcast subscriptions soon. Hopefully sooner than later...
1/2/16 12:06PM
New track "The Beginning"..sounds darker and more piano driven, although I like the guitar solo towards the end. I do feel still, given the variety of vocalists and I imagine style of songs to a point, this could come out a bit like Neverending White Lights, which certainly could be a good thing. I say that, just per the different singers especially. I mean the style of music may not end up sounding like NWL, but just the approach to the whole album with contrasting styles of voices. A little like Nordic Giants too I suppose.
Happy New Year from The Woods Brothers! Enjoy our new and final single before our full release! "Terra Firma" was the end of the story, and now we present "The Beginning" with vocals written and performed by our former Brother in Arms Toby Forrest from Cityzen, our first band we played in together back in the day. Complete with Lead Guitar by the uber talented Alex Potts who rocked with Chris in The Memorials for a couple years, and backing vox by Morgan Jones and Ciara Budds. You will also hear some nice acoustic guitar and rhythm guitar by our Producer Casey Crescenzo from The Dear Hunter. We hope you like it, and once again, Happy New Year!!! https://soundcloud.com/thewoodsbrothers/thebeginning
12/16/15 2:20PM
I somehow forgot I posted about The Woods Brothers back in July when they released their debut single "Terra Firma" (see below), but now I am reminded of that.
But the short little documentary tells a bit more of their story and their working with Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter and the frontman from The Fall of Troy on this debut album of theirs.
And they announced a couple of months ago how it will be Self-Titled and coming out in 2016.
Anyway, I'll of course add more details when they are available, but for now I still really love "Terra Firma" and have great hopes for this record that Casey also produced I guess.
I saw this list on progressiveears.com here
yesterday. And while there are countless amounts of lists on many sites and magazines, for whatever reason, readers, including people into progressive rock, gravitate towards them. I'll confess, I do enjoy looking at them and then criticizing them.
Given my lunch break is about up, I don't have the time right now to write-out a detailed commentary and give what I would include instead, or makeup my own, lol.
Maybe/probably later time permitting..
1-Yes
2-Genesis
3-Pink Floyd
4-King Crimson
5-Rush
6-Marillion
7-Jethro Tull
8-Steven Wilson
9-ELP
10-Gentle Giant
11-Dream Theater
12-Camel
13-Vander Graaf Generator
14-Cardiacs
15-Porcupine Tree
16-Opeth
17-Peter Gabriel
18-Frank Zappa
19-Transatlantic
20-Kansas
21-Kate Bush
22-Anathema
23-Tool
24-Big Big Train
25-Hawkwind
26-Gong
27-Renaissance
28-Steve Hackett
29-Spocks Beard
30-Moody Blues
31-Soft Machine
32-Riverside
33-Flower Kings
34-Caravan
35-Focus
36-IQ
37-Neal Morse
38-Thinking Plague
39-Magma
40-Gryphon
41-Haken
42-The Enid
43-Henry Cow
44-Mike Oldfield
45-Pain Of Salvation
46-Supertramp
47-UK
48-Brian Eno
49-Pendragon
50-PFM
51-Robert Fripp
52-Alan Parsons Project
53-Peter Hammill
54-Rick Wakeman
55-Arjen Lucassen
56-Mahavishnu Orchestra
57-Mastadon
58-Nektar
59-Roger Waters
60-Fish
61-Muse
62-Tangerine Dream
63-The Nice
64-Anglagard
65-Arena
66-Eloy
67-Enchant
68-Oceansize
69-Saga
70-Strawbs
71-The Mars Volta
72-Anekdoten
73-Ayreon
74-Devin Townsend
75-Knifeworld
76-Steve Hogarth
77-The Plastic People Of The Universe
78-Mostly Autumn
79-Sigur Ros
80-The Beatles
81-Asia
82-Grpbschnitt
83-Haze
84-Magenta
85-Ne Obliviscaris
86-Public Service Broadcasting
87-Robert Wyatt
88-Sanguine Hum
89-William D Drake
90-Can
91-Dave Stewart
92-Frost*
93-Galleon
94-Grateful Dead
95-It Bites
96-Ian Anderson
97-Pallas
98-Queensryche
99-And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
100-Amon Duul II
So after a failed 1st attempt at this, I made the 1st part of the Dream Theater video. It came out okay, save for a couple of issues, maybe 1st being my right arm is cutoff at times, along with some of the records I was showing.
It's not the 1st time this has happened to me, but after having made another video like this, and not having the time/energy and desire to make another video talking about the same things again, I don't have enough issues with how this came out, to go ahead and to try to make it again, at this point.
Also per the notes on YouTube:
-The song I meant to say off "The Dark Side of the Moon" is "The Great Gig in the Sky" I believe.
-The movie I couldn't think of with Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder is "Girl Interrupted"
Kevin Gilbert, my favorite musician of all time. The odds WatchMojo ever even mentioning his name on any list are about as good of a chance I end up playing some of his music on 89.3 The Current.
They may some day do a Jeff Buckley Top 10 songs, although that kind of seems silly since Jeff only had 1 official album in Grace, but he has a ton of other unreleased songs, live tracks, and of course the double LP of demos on Sketches (For My Sweetheart the Drunk).
But Kevin and his many projects, that spanned about 11 years while he was alive, and approaching 20 years since he died, that a ton of which has been released posthumously (I count 5 releases that are studio, including the 2015 Thud Deluxe/Anniversary), has a plethora of music that was just in those official releases; per a Top 10 and Honorable Mentions for him wouldn't be all that difficult to do. And that's not even including some of the covers, namely the Genesis ones from ProgFest 1994 which was officially released as well.
And there's of course a lot of stuff that still has not been released, although with the Nuts, Bolts and Deluxe Thud, a lot of that stuff now has come out, but given how prolific he was recording, every year, month, week, day, I still suspect there's more that could come.
But other than 1 selection on this list, I chose just to focus on the studio releases from his different work. And of course this is like splitting hairs in ranking, as I could easily stick more than half of the Honorable Mentions below in the Top 10 (or 11 as I took a liberty). In other words, take every track I chose, and even throw in another 10-20 others, and throw them in a hat and pick any of those 10 and I would have no problem with those being included and ranked in whatever order for the most part.
But I will say, #1 really is the song that made me become a huge fan. I knew his name, some of his story and even some of his music before 2004, but it was that Summer or early Fall where I fell head over heals and found his music to call to me. And it has ever since.
Blurbs? not now, or maybe not ever really. I dunno. I may at some point, or maybe do a YouTube video for them. I think the songs speak enough for themselves, so much, I doubt anything specific right now I could write, would add more to them initially.
But maybe down the road I can try and find the time to..I may do the previously mentioned Jeff Buckley though with a slightly different Entry title, lol.
10. Because of You from The Power of Suggestion, 1987
9b. Goodness Gracious from Thud, 1994
9b. Water Under the Bridge from The Shaming of the True, 2000
8. Air Dance from A View From Here, 1988
7. Finally Over You from Nuts, 2009
6. Things She Said from Toy Matinee, 1990
5. Best Laid Plans from The Shaming of the True, 2000
4. Imagemaker from The Shaming of the True, 2000
3. Tired Old Man (Puppet Suite) unreleased, 1984-85?
Honorable Mentions:
The Ballad of Jenny Ledge (Toy Matinee, 1990)
Turn it On Salvador (Toy Matinee, 1990)
There Was a Little Boy (Toy Matinee, 1990)
Queen of Misery (Toy Matinee, 1990)
City of the Sun (The Shaming of the True, 2000)
Long Day's Life (The Shaming of the True, 2000)
Staring Into Nothing (The Shaming of the True, 2000)
Suit Fugue (Dance of the A and R Men) (The Shaming of the True, 2000)
Shrug (Because of Me and You) (Thud, 1994)
Joytown (Thud, 1994)
Shadow Self (Thud, 1994)
Waiting (Thud, 1994)
Welcome to Suburbia (No Reasons Given, 1985)
When Strangers Part (No Reasons Given, 1985)
From Here to There (The Shaming of the True, 2000)
The Sultan of Brunei (The Kaviar Sessions, 2002)
Indian Burn (The Kaviar Sessions, 2002)
This Warm Night (The Power of Suggestion, 1987)
The World Just Gets Smaller (The Power of Suggestion, 1987)
Kashmir (Led Zeppelin, Kashmir EP 1995)
Childhood's End (Nuts, 2009)
The Best of Everything (Bolts, 2009)
Big Heart (Thud Remaster/Anniversary Edition, 2015)
Until I Get Her Back (Demo) (Thud Remaster/Anniversary Edition, 2015)
So obviously time permitting, I am trying to do something new with my YouTube channel. I sort of did it with Subterranean Masquerade earlier this year when I made a video for them and featured their new album The Great Bazaar.
And even some of the collection videos like my Marillion Collection video I made, which covered a lot of ground, but still wasn't covering all the history/my history, etc.
So this new video I just made covers for the most part My History and THE history of Fates Warning, vaguely.
Of course a band like Fates Warning, who have 11 studio albums, to cover every album in detail, and also include John Arch's stuff, would take a lot more than even the 16 minutes this video was made in.
So, what I may at some point do is do individual videos or Reduxes that are more in-depth. But for now, this is how I'm going to try and make these.
They may be artists with small catalogs, or artists, with 1 album (Apes and Androids or The Stilletto Formal?) or artists with large discographies.
Or I may just go random into just 1 album in-depth, or the whole Retro Favorites historical calendar year thing. I dunno, but the random-ness part of it makes it kind of fun.
I mentioned dredg, Oceansize and The Dear Hunter, but I may not get to them next as Downfall already commented with a request for Dream Theater, who actually someone else asked me to do the same thing a couple of months ago, so I may just do it.
As for the actual video, it came out well, except for some stuff like getting the drummer's name wrong and not having all of my collection to show exactly. That and some notes that were a little out of order. But as I know, the more you do this stuff, the more you learn and try and improve them.
Hearing the RandR HOF inductees for 2016 are Chicago, @cheaptrick , Deep Purple, NWA, Steve Miller. Officially announced tonight/tomorrow
this is not official of course, but Future Rock Legends just included http://www.futurerocklegends.com/2016_Inductees.php
Additional Inductees still to come...
but that more than likely is referring to stuff like "Early Influence" and "Musical Excellence" instead of the "Performer" category which the 5 listed are included for (and voted on).
Yes did not make it, as I actually predicted back in back in October
although I did not guess the Chicago interest, especially ahead of Yes.
I am quite happy to see Deep Purple finally get in, as I am a fan, and I've seen them live twice. And they have been LONG OVERDUE, but that speaks as much about the Rock Hall process, as much as whether they would merit being inducted (Metallica even mentioned them not being in, in their induction speech in 2009).
See 55 seconds-in
Now who theyinduct from Deep Purple (and Chicago as well), is a whole other can of worms and could turn into a huge drama-fest. Steve Morse is unlikely, so might be Joe Lynn Turner, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes and Tommy Bolin possibly as well.
This new interview with drummer Ian Paice kind of dramatizes it up somewhat, but may at least still raise some valid concerns. The Kiss thing from a couple of years ago might seem tame. DP may not agree, like Kiss, to actually perform, which would suck, but we'll see in April.
But at least Deep Purple now are finally in thank freaking gawd. But Yes? I'd be lying if them getting in wouldn't mean a ton more to me, than even Deep Purple. And as evidenced below, they finished 2nd in the Fans vote (narrowly ahead of 3rd-5th) , which while the top vote-getter since the Fans Vote began has I guess always got in, usually most of the top 5 get in, but both Yes and The Cars didn't get in. Deep Purple and Steve Miller did though,
Chris Squire's death, like Jon Lord's for Purple a few years back, didn't mean enough to the voters I guess to vote for Yes ahead of some like Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, Chicago, and N.W.A.
And N.W.A. of course finished way down on that poll, but must have done considerably better with the 800+ other individual voters. Which I think their induction seems almost entirely based on that Biopic that just came out earlier this year.
And I'll confess, N.W.A. I did like back in the day when I was a youth. But they have no business getting in ahead of many of the names on the ballot this year, including Yes.
But whatevah..I'll be curious to see what some of the press releases say tomorrow and I suppose those "Musical Excellence" and "Early Influence" inductees happen to be.
But as I said in that entry I wrote back in October, their whole voting and nomination process and system really needs to change. 30 nominees, 15 inductees + a veterans committee; and the fans get 1/3 of the vote and 1/3 or more of a say on who gets nominated.
Otherwise the likes of Yes, Jethro Tull, The Moody Blues, ELP, Kansas, and King Crimson will never end up getting in (among many other 70's bands alone...I'd add Iron Maiden and Judas Priest as well), for what it actually is worth (which it shouldn't be much, but the ranting itself I suppose is worth something I suppose, lol).
Chicago 23.41%
Yes 16.20%
The Cars 16.14%
Deep Purple 15.87%
Steve Miller 15.85%
Janet Jackson 5.88%
Cheap Trick 1.45%
The Spinners 1.28%
Chaka Khan 1.16%
Chic 0.84%
The J.B.'s 0.59%
N.W.A. 0.42%
Nine Inch Nails 0.35%
The Smiths 0.30%
Los Lobos 0.25%
