What CD's Are you Playing Right Now? Top 5

[yorksrvc]

OK, OK...........the exitement is flowing through me like....uh?.......Hot Chocolate syrup over vanilla ice cream..........wait, I'll be back..........OK, I'm really not sure of the dates, they're ALL new to me. Wojtek, from what I see of your likes, we have much to agree over. I've been getting reco's from many, so I'll post my other top 5T.
Neal Morse: ?
Neal Morse: One
Flower King's: Unfold the Future
Transatlantic:....?.....Can't remember titles....2 similar covers....one with Portnoy on drums.
Porcupine Tree: A Whole bunch of them
I have to say, that I have a rotation of these and the other CD's that I play in my truck and at my desk...........ALL DAY!!! Very Inspiring
OOPS!! I just ordered 2 CD's by Andromeda and from what I heard of them..............again..........MORE # 1's
I really must stop these purchases and I will. I got all this new music and now I've got to get tired of it...........won't likely happen

[Methem]

Not exactly top albums or anything, but right now (today/tonight), I'm
listening to the following stuff:

- Kingston Wall: III Tri - Logy
The last album KW ever made. More electronic than the other two albums. Usually considered a little bit odd.

- Massive Attack: Mezzanine
Definitely not prog. rock and pretty commercial after all; but MA has actually released some interesting stuff, especially on their recent 100th Window album.

They even have one piece on the playlist here.

- Santana: Santana III
Santana was probably one of the very first bands I've ever liked. My father had Abraxas, III, and the Carlos & Buddy Miles live album as LPs, so I got to hear them pretty often as a kid. All three are pretty nice. The very first album by the band, on the other hand, is weaker.

- Tabula Rasa: Tabula Rasa
A prog. rock classic, in Finland.

- Weather Report: Black Market
Nothing much to say about this right now. I've heard more interesting albums (such as Heavy Weather), but perhaps I'll learn to appreciate this more in the future...

- Plus one typical goatrance/psytrance (electronic dance music) collection I bought 3-4 years ago...


-Methem

[Michael Rawdon]

Originally Posted by yorksrvc

Neal Morse: ?
Neal Morse: One

I've been reluctant to buy Morse's post-Spock's Beard stuff due to what I understand is substantial Christian content. (A girlfriend once described me as "the least spiritual person she knew".) How are they?

[teermin8r]

Just purchased from Kinesis this week:

Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
Indukti - S.U.S.A.R.
Ten Jinn - As On a Darkling Plain
Farpoint - From Dreaming to dreaming
Farpoint - First Light

I will post a review after I have listened to all of them, but the Indukti is very good. If you like Riverside you might want to check them out.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by Michael Rawdon

I've been reluctant to buy Morse's post-Spock's Beard stuff due to what I understand is substantial Christian content. (A girlfriend once described me as "the least spiritual person she knew".) How are they?

I'm not the most qualified person to comment on Christianity (my wife is deeply into it but I am not), however, I enjoy bands whatever the message. I consider Salem Hill one of the best bands around but some disdain them because of the perceived religious overtones.

They're just words, man.

I couldn't care less what the content is, unless it's stupidly violent.

I've heard the Neal Morse's One and ? are fantastic. I have the Testimony DVD but still haven't seen it! But I'll let others chime in who have heard it...

I'll have to get some soon.

[moses]

Originally Posted by Michael Rawdon

I've been reluctant to buy Morse's post-Spock's Beard stuff due to what I understand is substantial Christian content. (A girlfriend once described me as "the least spiritual person she knew".) How are they?

It's odd how "substantial Christian content" is more objectionable to some people than "substantial Satanic content" in rock music. Anyhow, I do have Neal's post-Beard output and I think it's very powerful stuff. Yes, the lyrics are quite Christian-oriented, but that doesn't bother me at all (being a Christian and youth pastor myself).

Musically speaking...

Testimony is a double-disc concept album with multiple musical themes weaving in and out through the different songs, which are divided into five parts making one BIG sound. In addition to the "traditional rock band" lineup (mostly played by Neal) there is an orchestra in a number of places and a choir in a few. If you like your prog to be heavy and technical, this one is not for you. It's a bit lighter in sound and feel than the Spock's Beard albums.

One is a single disc follow-up that has more of a Transatlantic-feel than Testimony. Neal lets go of the reigns a bit and collaborates with Randy George and Mike Portnoy (and some guest musicians) and the compositions are more varied as a result. Musically, I like it better than Testimony. It's meatier and the epics are not as forced.

? is amazing. It's really one long song divided into 12 parts. More guest musicians are on this one and the core group (Morse, Portnoy & George) put out a full, energetic performance that is at times sweet and melodic and other full out rocking. Very tasty indeed!

Lead Me Lord is what it is... basically a "live in the studio" worship session. It might have been great in the moment, but the translation to CD is a bit dull. Not prog at all.

God Won't Give Up sounds like a prog band playing praise and worship tunes. The music is energetic and inventive, but it's not really prog. I like it a lot though.

I hope that answers your question... IMHO of course.

[Rick and Roll]

It answers MY questions! Thanks, moses a very good review.....

[sharcnorris]

I'm playing ONE often, tuning up to open "?" this Christmas (hmmm, another christian overtone). This a Wonderfull CD full of Harmony and Power. I do find myself singing with it and I'm suprised that these phrases are coming out of my mouth. I have a spiritual side but not so Jesuscentric. Yes it is Christian Lyricly but the music is all beard all the time, And After many months still find Morse ,Portnoy and Co. a Must

[yorksrvc]

Lyrics??? What lyrics?!?!? I still can't get past the FANTASTIC musicianship.....
Seriously though, I am blown away by the music. Actually, I find the lyrics pretty spirit lifting, in this otherwise dismal world. I am listening to ? and One at least once a day. Definetely a good investment and addition to my music collection. or

[Wojtek]

In case of Morse albums' Christian content I don't understand reactions of some reviewers that must mention in their each review how the lyrics disturb them and how it decreases overall value. They aren't treating religion theme like one of any possible concepts, there are plenty of albums inspired by Eastern religions and there is no problem then. In case of Christian albums in their opinion there is. This frustrates me. Especially in case of Neal Morse, whose lyrics aren't preaching. They are intriguing, philosophical stories, not basing on Praise The Lord sung hundreds of times.

Whole story of "modern" Neal Morse starts from Spock's Beard - Snow. This is pure masterpiece, album far better than very good albums Morse recorded later. I like all of them very much (maybe apart from Testimony which is worse version of Snow and has some blank poppy tunes), but guys Snow is a MUST! 21st Century Lamb..

[Michael Rawdon]

Originally Posted by moses

It's odd how "substantial Christian content" is more objectionable to some people than "substantial Satanic content" in rock music.

I don't object to it, but music with lyrics coming from a substantially different worldview from mine can obstruct my enjoyment of the whole package.

I do own some Christian music. I enjoy Iona, for instance, and heck, I even own an Amy Grant album! (Lead Me On, if you're curious. It fits right in with Clannad's Sirius, Bruce Hornsby's early stuff, Don Henley's solo work, and other late-80s semi-folky AOR, which I have a bizarre weakness for.)

Morse's compositions had put the lyrics in a much more central position on his last two Spock's Beard albums, so if he continued that trend but went lyrically in a direction I couldn't relate to, I'm not sure I'd enjoy them. But I'll probably give them a try sometime.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by Michael Rawdon

I don't object to it, but music with lyrics coming from a substantially different worldview from mine can obstruct my enjoyment of the whole package.

I do own some Christian music. I enjoy Iona, for instance, and heck, I even own an Amy Grant album! (Lead Me On, if you're curious. It fits right in with Clannad's Sirius, Bruce Hornsby's early stuff, Don Henley's solo work, and other late-80s semi-folky AOR, which I have a bizarre weakness for.)

Morse's compositions had put the lyrics in a much more central position on his last two Spock's Beard albums, so if he continued that trend but went lyrically in a direction I couldn't relate to, I'm not sure I'd enjoy them. But I'll probably give them a try sometime.

I just don't get it, maybe I'm just heartless. When Ozzy sings "Would you like to see the pope at the end of a rope, do you think he's a fool" in Sabbath's "After Forever", he's not advocating anything. He's stating one view. If anything, it's a pro-religion song. I didn't realize this until much later, but it had zero effect on my enjoyment of the song.

When I saw Salem Hill in October and they did "The Future Me", I almost was lifted off the floor. It didn't matter what the words were, they could have said "seven virgins lick my toenails" and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference. I get most lyrics wrong on the first listen anyway.

Sonus Umbra has a 180 degree view on religion than Neal Morse. In fact, "Snakes and Ladders" on Spiritual Vertigo is "dedicated" to him. I like both artists. Personally, I don't care for either view, but I respect it. Mostly I ignore it.

A lot of times I will play a CD like the first Rage Against The Machine or the Smithereens 11. Lyrically, they coulndn't be more polarized. Musically, they both hit me just right.

Although Hornsby played with the Dead (sorry that didn't sound right ) and did a cut with Don Henley, his music is a thousand times more interesting.

I didn't know Iona was Christian music. I thought it was music that had some Christian lyrics in it. Moses played me a cut by the guitarist from Iona when I visited him, I said "this sounds like "Iona" because it was musically similar.

Orphan Project, a local band, is very much into Christianity. But everytime I get a chance I'll see them. They don't expect me at the next service, and I don't expect them to be something they're not. In fact, I think young people like them should be applauded, not pigeon holed.

The reason I personally don't like Snow is because I thought Neal ran out of music ideas within Spock's Beard. There's some Nick stuff that just bores me, and the repetitive musical themes didn't excite me. I mean, what does Ryo's solo have to do with "Wind At My Back"? However, I'm very happy someone like sharc loves it. I do own Snow. Maybe I'll listen to it again.

Oh well I do this when I'm tired. Goodnight.....

[yorksrvc]

Mossy, Right now I'm playing "Variations". I listened to it on the way home last night and was moved. I played it again on the way here this morning and as said, it's playing this second. I was "chilled", hammered with "smiles" and otherwise.................uh?.................simp ly..."overcome" with their sound. This is an (what's the word??, ok) AWESOME addition to my listening pleasures. I have now ordered their 1st: Unicorn and while visiting the Cyclops site, I listened to other samplers and ordered Odyssice: Impression. THANKS!!! For the FANTASTIC recommendation. I then went to the ROSFestival Site. WOW!! It's in PA., not too far from me. I'm going to have to convince the wife to go or let me go. It's been A LONG time since I've seen a live music event as that. RickandRoll, this may be the one we can do together.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by yorksrvc

It's been A LONG time since I've seen a live music event as that. RickandRoll, this may be the one we can do together.

Well I do have seventh row, and Terminator will be there and vaxman of course ...and..and.

Going to see Might Could in College Park tonight...and Orphan Project plays a coffeehouse in Abingdon in January...you may like that...and...well you get the picture

[Michael]

Well i just picked up the new Phish-New years eve 1995(Amazing IMHO)
others
Spock's beard-Octane
Steve Walsh-Glossolalia
King Crimson-Discipline
TSO(since its the holiday's)-The Christmas Attic