| 1. Go Now |
| 2. That Ain't Me |
| 3. Inside Out |
| 4. You'll Know Why |
| 5. Another Guy |
| 6. Love Has No Time |
| 7. I'll Walk Away |
| 8. 5:35 |
| 9. Tears |
| 10. Already Gone |
| 11. Hey Little Bird |
| 12. Mystery Girl |
| 13. One Step Closer to You |
Inside Out,Miracle Workers,Voxx (Rock),American Underground,Garage Rock Revival,Hard Rock,Heavy Metal,Pop,Rock
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Paradise Lost
Symphony X Manufacturer: inside out ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000I8ON6Q Release Date: 2007-06-26 |
Tracks:
- Oculus Ex Inferni
- Set The World On Fire (The Lie Of Lies)
- Domination
- The Serpentís Kiss
- Paradise Lost
- Eve Of Seduction
- The Walls Of Babylon
- Seven
- The Sacrifice
- Revelation (Divus Pennae Ex Tragoedia)
Album Description
The masters of Symphonic Power Metal are back!Symphony X are recognized by-and-large as one the most important acts in the worldwide metal scene. After the release of their hugely successful CD, The Odyssey - and after nearly five years - Michael Romeo and his band have returned with what is already being praised as their best work to date. Paradise Lost has all the trademarks that have come to be associated with Symphony X: Incredibly intricate and powerful, yet-melodic compositions that showcase every member's unrivaled technical skill as instrumentalists. However, once again it must be said that the spotlight is squarely on the ferocious vocal force of singer Russell Allen and the almost inhuman pyrotechnics of guitarist Michael Romeo.
The North American version of Paradise Lost features a fantastic foldout and diecut digipack that was designed by Warren Flanagan, who has done art-direction for major motion picture blockbusters such as I Robot, X-Men and Blade.
This is thee guitar release of the summer!
Customer Reviews:
Symphony XS is back! .......2007-08-06
Wow.......2007-08-05
Outstanding! 5+ Stars.......2007-08-05
This is without a doubt an outstanding group of songs by one of rock music's greatest musicians. From the opening moments of Oculus to the perfect Revelation, Paradise Lost should be considered a strong 2007 Grammy contender. Michael Romeo, Russell Allen, Jason Rullo, Michael Pinnella and Michael Lepond have created their most powerful release to date. Not a moment of fluff or filler here.
Trust me folks, there will never be another Symphony X. Enjoy them while you can. Newcomers to the band should enjoy everything from The Damnation Game forward.
WOW! Symphony X Has Their Masterpiece.......2007-07-29
For more Powerful Great Progressive Metal check these guys out too, the rule! I saw them at the Bay Area Rockfest in San Francisco and they ripped!World Full of Grey
Symphony X Does It Again!.......2007-07-29
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Inside Wants Out
John Mayer Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006JIC6 Release Date: 2002-09-17 |
Tracks:
- Back To You
- No Such Thing
- My Stupid Mouth
- Neon
- Victoria
- Love Soon
- Comfortable
- Quiet
Customer Reviews:
Buy this ASAP!.......2007-03-30
This First Release Shines.......2007-03-16
Inside Wants Out - John Mayer.......2007-03-09
Raw Talent At Its Best.......2007-02-17
My respect for Mayer really hit its peak with Continuum, but I've since ordered Inside Wants Out, Any Given Thursday and the Try! John Mayer Trio concert CDs, due to a new insatiable appetite for more.
This early release showcases his formidable skills in all its raw glory. Acoustic albums are always the most challenging, with little backup to camouflage flaws, exposing the artiste's vocal and instrumental gifts ( or lack thereof ) to their fullest.
While his studio recordings are pretty slick -- with Mayer sounding a little kiddish, if you ask me -- this totally-stripped-bare version is a huge improvement. The voice is more mellow and adult, the deliveries significantly more emotionally nuanced, the guitar solos absolutely divine.
Songs not included in his more commercial offerings -- Victoria, Love Soon, Quiet -- are introspective and haunting, while acoustic renditions of My Stupid Mouth and Neon got me hitting the repeat button time and time again.
A definite must have whether you're a Mayer fan or not.
Good to see where he came from.......2007-01-17
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Inside In/Inside Out
Kooks Manufacturer: Astralwerks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000H7JDHM Release Date: 2006-10-03 |
Tracks:
- Seaside
- See The World
- Sofa Song
- Eddie's Gun
- Ooh La
- You Don't Love Me
- She Moves In Her Own Way
- Matchbox
- Naive
- I Want You
- If Only
- Jackie Big Tits
- Time Awaits
- Got No Love
- Do You Love Me Still?
Customer Reviews:
Pretty good cd, not my favorite, but liked it........2007-06-14
Better than the Arctic Monkeys.......2007-06-09
Best New Brit Album - The Past Decade.......2007-03-10
After getting my order from Amazon, I quickly told him he was crazy. When you buy just a few songs you don't get the cover with the lyrics and info about the band. Sorry. I have an MP3 player but will still buy great music on CD, especially if it's a band like the Kooks. Good stuff. And this was their debut album - can't wait to see what they do for an encore.
the Kooks are awesome.......2007-03-08
power popfest.......2007-03-06
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Quantum
Planet X Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000P46QIG Release Date: 2007-05-22 |
Tracks:
- Alien Hip Hop
- Desert Girl
- Matrix Gate
- The Thinking Stone
- Space Foam
- Poland
- Snuff
- Kingdom Of Dreams
- Quantum Factor
Album Description
Self-founded band of Derek Sherinian (Billy Idol, former Dream Theater) from 1999, describe themselves as "the sickest instrumental band in the world, ...a band that played so fiercely, it would strike fear in the hearts of other musicians when they heard us". Their latest piece of work is such a didactic play. It uniquely demonstrates what happens when a number of exceptional musicians team up. An incredibly fast-pacing roller coaster ride. The perfect fusion of rock and metal. Featuring guest appearances by Allan Holdsworth (Soft Machine, UK, Gong), Brett Garsed (John Farnham) and Rufus Philpot (Al Di Meola).Customer Reviews:
Shaken not stirred..........2007-08-02
Yes, there is mind-blowing technical prowess on display throughout this album and I laugh at the the sheer audacity of what these musicians present with finesse. I am sure Vinnie and Simon Phillips are grateful they were not invited to play drums on the opening track - for drummers out there - listen with caution - as Virgil kicks serious poly-rhythmic butt! Complexity that most rock drummers wouldn't comprehend, and if this isn't enough wait for the double-pedal speed kick in the final track's extended drum extravaganza!
This progressive drumming master class never abates and as much I believed it was Virgil who keeps the excitement going through their live album I hesitantly suggest that there are just too many time changes on every single track and that his compositional style weakens this album. I would have thought that Derek Sherinian, as the awesome keyboardist he is, would have surely been able to at least share 50% of the compositional credits. I would have preferred a variety of compositional styles as the repeated minor motifs that appear in nearly all the tracks make this almost repetitious towards the second half of the album.
Perhaps I need to let this music grow on me; or more specifically the compositions. I am blown away, if not shaken, yet I am not stirred or should I say emotionally engaged with this album.
The second track is the highlight for me and the very different piano approach in the opening bars with the unmistakable touch of Holdsworth's shimmering chords is wonderful. His solo is like most if not all Allan's work - unmistakable tone, breath taking speed and beauty. It is indeed a loss that instead of playing on the whole album, Holdsworth contributes only here and on track 4 with another master solo over an impeccable Donati groove (I loved the openness and space here).
What I did note was how similar Derek's keyboard solos sound to Holdsworth; indeed even Garsed's guitaring had tone and approach that approximated the 'noodling' of Holdsworth. One can't help but think what might have been. That's not to say that Brett Garsed's playing is lacking; on the contrary I believe that with not much notice he came to the rescue and pulled out some amazing playing. One does sense though that overall this album is more keyboard dominant and that rhythm guitaring in particular was lacking or so close to the keybooard mix that it's not noticeable.
The track 'Poland' has grown on me with each listen and ends with Sherinian's keyboard providing an alien soundscape including dolphin-like cries over which is there is a great Jimmy Johnson bass solo. This stands out as a beacon of melodic light from the dark sheets of keyboard and at times muddy bottom end that permeate through the album.
The production and musical standards are high - even the packaging and great cover art make you hold this CD with anticipation and appreciation. Yet often it seemed too much like a great orchestrated jam session.
This all instrumental album - a hybrid between Dream Theater meets Return to forever on steriods, establishes the unique Planet X style. In spite of some criticism, if you like intense frenetic rock fusion, then you'll enjoy the ride.
Planet X raises the bar.......2007-07-05
How Could This Band Get Any Better!.......2007-07-02
My kind of Planet, thank you Virgil !.......2007-06-18
Their Best Yet.......2007-06-13
Worth the wait since the last release, Derek Sherinian, Virgil Donati and guests do an unbelievable job.
Alan Holdsworth, Rufus Philpot and Brett Garsed do outstanding work on guitar, while keyboardist Sherinian and drummer Donati give their usual great performances.
This is one of the year's best in progressive rock so far.
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Everything Is Illuminated
Manufacturer: Tvt ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000AYEIMW Release Date: 2005-09-06 |
Tracks:
- Paul Cantelon--Odessa Medley
- Leningrad--Zvezda Rok-N-Rolla
- Csokolom--Amari Szi Amari
- Leningrad--Dikiy Muzhchina
- Paul Cantelon--Prologue/Babushka
- Paul Cantelon--Little Jonathan/The Wall
- Gogol Bordello--Bublitschki
- The Con Artists feat. Peter Miser Ya-takoy
- Leningrad--Malen'kiy Mal'chik
- Tin Hat Trio--Fear of the South
- Paul Cantelon--River Of Collections
- Paul Cantelon--Tank Graveyard/Valse de Suzana/Dee-yed
- Paul Cantelon--Sunflowers
- Paul Cantelon--War Is Love/eta-Ya
- Paul Cantelon--Trachimbrod/Ressurection/Requiem
- Paul Cantelon--Inside-Out
- Gogol Bordello Start Wearing Purple
Album Description
"Everything Is Illuminated" is the directorial debut of actor Liev Schrieber and an adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's best-selling novel. A blend of high comedy and great tragedy, the film tells the story of a young American man, played by Elijah Wood (The Lord of The Rings trilogy), who journeys to the Ukraine to find the woman whom he believes saved his grandfather from the Nazis all those years ago.The soundtrack features two new songs from high energy New York City based gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, including one track not on their current cd. (Note: Gogol Bordello's lead singer plays a role in "Everything Is Illuminated"). Also included are gypsy folk songs from Russia and the Ukraine by Leningrad, Arkadie Severmie, Csokolom and Tin Hat Trio. And finally, Paul Cantelon's ethnic score ties together this nicely cohesive soundtrack.
Customer Reviews:
A wacky classic.......2007-07-18
Marvelous.......2007-06-13
1. Odessa Medley: 9/10 - Enjoyable, with fun instruments. It builds up into an intricate array of instruments and melodies, and really picks up at the end, tempting you to let it sweep you along into the movie's crazy world. A great overture to the movie.
2. Leningrad, Zvezda Rok-N-Rolla: 8/10 - Oh, the drama! Leningrad is a Russian band. All of their songs on this album are crazy and fun and fit the craziness of the movie to a T. The horns are wonderful.
3. Csokolom, Amari Szi Amari: 10/10 - Superbly catchy, with that quirky, old feel dominant in the film, this song is a laidback sort of fun. It's the only song on the album not in Ukrainian, Russian, or English: it's Hungarian. This doesn't matter, however, because it fits so perfectly with the feel of the movie.
4. Leningrad, Dikiy Muzhchina: 10/10 - I LOVE this song. It's one my favorites here. The title means "Wild Man" in Russian, and it is definitely a very wild and (dare I say it again?) fun song. The lyrics really are just plain fun to sing along to, even if you don't speak Russian. You can practically feel the energy. In fact, I just now started to sing to it again...
5. Prologue/Babushka: 9.5/10 - This is where a darker mood begins to edge in. It sinks into a waltz that is more bittersweet than tragic, and then slows down to make way for a sweeping, haunting tune. Lovely.
6. Little Jonathan/The Wall: 9/10 - Playful, but once more in a bittersweet sort of way. After awhile it switches gears, swooshing up with energy, befores changing back to that haunting feeling of "Babushka" that I like to think of as simply The Past.
7. Gogol Bordello, Bublitschki: 8/10 - Time for some fun again. This instrumental piece by an immensely talented band (actually, Eugene Hutz, who plays Alex, is the lead singer of Gogol Bordello) mixes an irresistible beat with a traditional Slavic sound.
8. The Con Artists, Peter Miser, Ya-takoy: 9/10 - This definitely brings one back to the silliness of Alex in the beginning of the film. With snippets of his unbelievably hilarious dialogue and an urban beat going in the background, you'll be sucked right in.
9. Leningrad, Malen'kiy Mal'chik: 9/10 - Great fun! Leningrad never fails to entertain with this lazy collection of horns and vocals.
10. Tin Hat Trio, Fear of the South: 8/10 - Here's a piece to relax to. It's lighthearted and fresh.
11.Paul Cantelon, River of Collections: 9/10 - With breathy strings, "River of Collections" urges you quietly but with instistence along the river of The Past.
12. Paul Cantelon, Tank Graveyard/Valse de Suzana/Dee-yed: 9.5/10 - Here is the tragedy I've been referring to. It's sad. Almost unbearably so. It sweeps you up in the conflict of the characters, teasing you with peaks at the truth before fading back into the darkness.
13. Paul Cantelon, Sunflowers: 10/10 - Ukrainian, I believe. Haunting, with strong vocals that cast a spell.
14. Paul Cantelon, War Is Love/eta-Ya: 9.5/10 - It begins with lazy simplicity, but toward the end bursts into a powerful and urgent message.
15. Paul Cantelon, Trachimbrod/Ressurection/Requiem: 10/10 - Simply beautiful. About halfway through, the urgency of the previous tracks finally builds up for the climax, whooshing over you bitterly, sadly, and with almost a sense of determination. Again, it's tragic. You don't hear the lightheartedness of previous tracks, but the slight nudging of a past that doesn't want to haunt: it just wants to resolve itself. To exist.
16. Paul Cantelon, Inside-Out: 10/10 - And it does resolve itself. Here is another bittersweet piece. But this time, it carries a touch of enlightenment (illumination?) with it.
17. Gogol Bordello, Start Wearing Purple: 10/10 - This was the absolutely most perfect song the movie could have ended with. It switches the film seamlessly back into that feel of silly hilarity, single-handedly managing to leave the audience uplifted - a sore necessity for such a partly bleak film!
Overall, one of my favorite soundtracks out there. Whether you've seen the (remarkable) movie or not, get this! It is gorgeous, beautiful, fantastic, powerful, uplifting, and itching to tell you something you've known all your life but just can't quite grasp. In short, a brilliant piece of work.
music.......2007-06-02
Interesting.......2007-03-18
funny, amusing and often very moving. It's got a shocking thread to it,
but not without humor. I also liked the surprise ending. The music was great!
Should have won an Academy Award!!!.......2007-03-15
Anita in Albuquerque Nm ....also a collector
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The Origins of Ruin
Redemption Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000NDDUU6 Release Date: 2007-04-03 |
Tracks:
- The Suffocating Silence
- Bleed Me Dry
- The Death Of Faith & Reason
- Memory
- The Origins Of Ruin
- Man Of Glass
- Blind My Eyes
- Used To Be
- Fall On You
Album Description
Redemption was founded in Los Angeles in 2000 by guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter Nicolas van Dyk. Ray Alder of Fates Warning joined them and they released two metal albums of melodic complexity. Both albums received amazing reviews throughout the media and fans all over the world had fallen in love with their fresh and energetic style. The Origins of Ruin emphasises once again their unique musical skills. Complex songwriting combined with melodic heaviness, Redemption play Melodic Progressive Metal the way it should be!Customer Reviews:
Please Ignore the Idiot reviews.......2007-07-29
Ok sorry, now for the review....lol. This CD is incredible!! Ray Alder should "Leave the Past Behind" with Fate's and stick with this project fulltime. Redemption's lyrics and song composistions IMO is better than current D.T.M. albums.
If you want to hear something that can make your soul rise and soar within the melodies and riffs of some fabulous music, order this C.D. with the quickness! Peace and love to all, C.D. out !..!
This is good music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-26
I recomend anyony who is into prog metal to pick this cd up,it's a great album with alot of different aspects of the prog genre intertwined!Plus Ray Adler of Fates Warning is singing!I wish Fates sounded this good!
Pleasant (and intense) surprise........2007-06-29
Far better than anything Redemption has done to date and superior to anything Fates Warning has released since the incomparable aPSoG.
excellent prog metal.......2007-06-01
Again a super album from a talented band called Redemption.......2007-05-12
Fans of progressive Heavy Metal eat your heart out, if you like the voice of Fates Warning, Ray Alder is singing his lungs out on this album, super Super SUPER!!!
The great song writing of Nicolas van Dyk will bring you in a marvelous journey of heavy riffs, great solo's of Agent Steel's guitar player 'Bernie Versailes', pounding bass and great drums.
But don't forget the master himself on keys and guitar, Nicolas.
So, if you will do yourself a pleasure, buy this album and stay HEAVY!!!
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Odyssey
Symphony X Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006L83N Release Date: 2002-11-05 |
Tracks:
- Inferno (Unleash The Fire)
- Wicked
- Incantations Of The Apprentice
- Accolade II
- King Of Terrors
- The Turning
- Awakenings
- The Odyssey
- Masquerade (Bonus Track)
Album Description
Import exclusive limited edition of the progressive metal act's 2002 album, includes the bonus track 'Masquerade.' Slipcase. InsideOut Music.Customer Reviews:
It's OK.......2007-05-13
Best Symphony X Ever!.......2007-04-02
even if you think you wouldn't like this stuff.......2007-03-05
It turned out to be one of those rare finds, the kind that stay in your mp3 player weeks on end.
Many of the other reviewers have covered this as well as I could. I just wish this band had better recognition in the States, they really deserve it on many levels - the musicianship, the music, the vocals, each and every member is a star and stands out.
For those that would dismiss this as another million-notes-a-minute act, there is really much, much more to these guys. The only thing I criticize them on is their limited catalog, and lack of a good DVD - bring more of it on guys, your break is coming!
But careful of this as your first SX album, it's great, and others are really good, but this is a tough act to follow.
Different bonus track for Japan.......2007-01-10
Anyway, just wanted to let you guys know there is a Japanese issue of this CD which has a 10th song, titled "Frontiers". It is very hard to find, but the song is nothing to write home about.
A must have CD.......2007-01-03
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Milliontown
The Frost Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000G04UYG Release Date: 2006-07-18 |
Tracks:
- Hyperventilate
- No Me No You
- Snowman
- The Other Me
- Black Light Machine
- Milliontown
Album Description
Frost first came to see the light of day when Jem Godfrey - musician, songwriter and producer - founded the band in September 2004. The Brit already made a name for himself in the world of pop music on his collaboration with Ronan Keating and Atomic Kitten as songwriter and producer. That is what Jem Godfrey says about Frost and their debut album Milliontown: "I've always been into progressive rock music and so I decided to do exactly that, writing an album to my kind of taste". At the recording sessions, he was supported by John Mitchell (KINO, Arena, The Urbane) and two members of the band IQ, John Jowitt and Andy Edwards, as well as studio musician John Boyes. Out came a varied piece of work with all sorts of facets: gripping song structures, refined vocal arrangements and virtuoso instrumental passages. Milliontown blends shorter catchy tracks with brilliant long ones, of which the longest provides a listening pleasure of almost 30 minutes. It becomes obvious that Jem Godfrey knows his stuff from what he learned in the field of pop music. His tracks are always to the point and they never get lost in endless repetitions and gaudiness.Customer Reviews:
Fantastic... Just amazing. A MUST for any thinking music lover.......2007-07-21
The soundscapes are much broader than most bands I've been listening too, no shredding (thankfully), and terrific vocals. The high attack percussion-keyboard passages just get me sweaty, and the spacious vocals make it easy to keep listening over and over again.
These guys got too busy to make another record, but then they came to their senses, Jem got back to writing, and we should have another Frost* album sometime this year I hope.
They may be the freshest breath into modern complex music that I've heard in a while. Has the same wondrous and fresh feel as early Ambrosia, and some of the more traditional Pendragon, as well as hints of Arena and Threshold.
Just terrific...go for it
You Gotta Here It.......2007-07-21
Fresh and pleasing to the ear........2007-07-06
Is this the quintessential Neo-prog album?............2007-05-23
REALLY good ProgRock that is worth the $$!!.......2007-04-24
Apparently some of you are so hard up for progressive music that you will fall for any old stuff that comes along, as long as it even remotely falls under the prog-rock banner!!! And some of this stuff......how could ANYONE compare it to masters like Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Marillion, Rush, etc, etc!!
Well...I am very happy to say that this is a GREAT album and IS worthy of being on such lists!!! Unlike a few of the other CDs I recently purchased, I WILL be listening to this one and quite often. In fact, #1- "Hyperventilate" and #4 - "The Other Me" are already on my MP3 player!!
I heartily recommend this to anyone who is a fan of good progressive rock music!!! Now...if they'd only come out with a new release and go on the road opening for Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree or Rush, I would be a happy man!!! : )
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The Road Back Home
The Flower Kings Manufacturer: Inside Out Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000QEILLK Release Date: 2007-06-26 |
Tracks:
- Cosmic Lover
- A Kings Prayer
- Stupid Girl
- Cosmic Circus
- Babylon
- Paradox Hotel
- World Without A Heart
- Church Of Your Heart
- Vox Humana
- What If God Is Alone
- Starlight Man
- Grand Old World
- The Road Back Home
- Cinema Show
Tracks:
- Ghost Of The Red Cloud
- Painter
- I Am The Sun (part 2)
- Different People
- Little Deceiver
- Chickenfarmer Song
- The Rhythm Of The Sea
- Touch My Heaven
- Life Will Kill You
- Monkey Business
- Compassion
- The Flower King
- Stardust We Are
Album Description
The Road Back Home is the first `Best Of' compilation by the now legendary Swedish progressive rockers. The Road Back Home features 27 classic Flower Kings tracks which have been personally hand-picked and re-mastered by the band's founder and driving force, Roine Stolt, giving the listener a unique and comprehensive front-row look into band's evolution and creative process. The compilation also features a previously unreleased cover version of the classic Genesis song, Cinema Show.Customer Reviews:
Don't ignore this "best of" just because it appears to be superfluous..........2007-07-27
I mentally listed all the reasons that I did not need this latest Flower Kings compilation:
1.) I have practically everything they've put out over the past ten years.
2.) I actually enjoy their longer prog epics more than these shorter songs that they assembled.
3.) Shouldn't we just leave the original versions alone, shortcomings and all?
But thanks to convincing reviews like the one from my esteemed colleague from Istanbul, I cast all fears aside and immersed myself into 153 more minutes of re-mixed and re-mastered FK music - thankfully! This is just such an enjoyable collection; long-time fans get to hear these shorter gems in a slightly different way (one great song after another), and newcomers to the band get a fabulous introduction to the melodic style and virtuosity of the band. Roine Stolt's liner notes help both the fans and the newbies to understand the message or style that the band was trying to convey on each track, as well as what changes were made for this recording. Many pictures of the various band members populate the liner notes as well, along with the usual colorful artwork that graces all of the FK cd's.
Oh, and don't overlook their cover of Genesis' "The Cinema Show" - you want proof of just how good these musicians are? (I know, it's tempting, tempting.......Add...to...cart?...)
This was a very ingenious way for the band to get some of its more accessible works out to the inquisitive public, but also to reward the avid fan with yet another affirmation of this band's wealth of ideas and talent (before their next album comes out later this year!).
Buy with confidence and delight.
I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 9/10; Performance = 9.3/10; Production = 9.5/10; CD length = 10/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 9.2 ("4-1/2 stars")
The Kings even better.......2007-07-23
Messin' with Success.......2007-07-03
OK, let me get this off my chest first - why, oh why would you play with the perfection that is the original "Church of Your Heart"? When I saw this on the CD's pre-release playlist on the TFK website, I was counting the days until it arrived just to hear a remastering of this song. (I think all TFK fans can agree that while "Stardust We Are" is one of the best albums of all time, it is also one compressed sonic mess). But instead of a nice clean remastering, we get a complete remix, and, gasp - an entire section of the song - a critical section in my eyes - is totally gone! Disappointed hardly covers it.
And therein lies the problem, for me. Most of these songs weren't just remastered, they were remixed as well. Instruments are added or taken away, changing the complexion of the songs in someways good but mostly not. For the most part, the new productions just don't stand up to the old. Several tunes, like "World Without a Heart" sound lifeless, are missing key instrumental parts (where is the lovely piano part in WWAH?) or have had the sometimes rough edges dulled down until they don't have the same impact the originals did.
Roine evidently has disdained the use of reverb for the new mixes, and for me, this new "dry" sound doesn't serve this type of music well.
Overall, it WAS a somewhat fun first listen, and of course the songs are pretty much wonderful anyway, but while there are great moments, I can't imagine listening to this one again anytime soon.
Having said that, thanks Roine for the effort - the liner notes are indeed exceptional, and maybe there is hope that you'll find time to go back and remaster (but NOT remix) the classic TFK albums like Stardust We Are, Flower Power and Rainmaker. Wouldja, please????
Nothing Exciting.......2007-07-02
The remixing doesn't seems to improve the songs much and actually seems to make them 'softer.' I word I could use is 'pillowy'....almost giving some of the slower parts of songs a new-age feel to them (not a good thing in my opinion). The punch of the original songs is missing, replaced by a broadening effect to fully take up the sonic range. Another point of dissapontment......should you really mess with "Church of Your Heart?" The classic Flower Kings song has been truncated and the dramatic key change at the last part of the original version is gone. That was the part of the song that got me hooked on the song in the the first place. Also "I am the Sun part II" seems to be truncated as well, and again, the best part of the song, in my opinion, is missing.
Songs picked from newer releases (Adam + Eve and Paradox Hotel) are less affected by the mixing and come off much like the originals.
All-in-all, this is a good collection of Flower King songs, but the remixing doesn't seem that great of an improvement of the originals.
I agree with Murat.......2007-06-28
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Second Life Syndrome
Riverside Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BCHJRE Release Date: 2005-11-08 |
Tracks:
- After
- Volte-Face
- Conceiving You
- Second Life Syndrome
- Artificial Smile
- I Turned You Down
- Reality Dream III
- Dance With The Shadow
- Before
Album Description
It is with no small amount of pride that Inside Out Music has the unique opportunity to announce its very first signing from a former communist country: Poland's Riverside. Behind the Iron Curtain, over the past years, and especially in Poland, progressive music has very quietly (but surely) been growing in popularity and establishing itself as a real scene. As a result, some very interesting and promising bands have begun to see the proverbial light-of-day. Enter Riverside, with their hyper-creative compositional and instrumental skills, they create very intense compact soundscapes that could remind one of Pink Floyd from the days-of-old. Their debut CD received rave reviews from the progressive rock community with many calling it "the album of the year." We expect no less from Second Life Syndrome.Customer Reviews:
Not so much ..........2007-06-03
Riverside : "Second Life Syndrome".......2007-05-13
I can't recommend "Second Life Syndrome" highly enough. Simply stated, Riverside is awesome, and "SLS" is a masterpiece that should not be overlooked. Buy it with confidence.....
poland, way to go!.......2007-05-12
a classic..,.......2007-04-12
Monumental progressive/metal/emo.......2007-03-03
Rock Music:
- Into Another
- Let There Be Rock [Original recording remastered]
- Live & Archives [Live] [Import]
- Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium [Explicit Lyrics] [Live]
- Live Extreme, Vol. 1 [Live]
- Live & Rare [Live] [Import]
- Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
- Love & Napalm
- Love & Napalm
- Machine
Recommended Music:
Best of African Songs [Import]