by Mark Monforti | Nov 16, 2017 | Reviews
So the randomizer selected this album today and I was quite excited because it was an album I have not heard in a while. That's where the excitement stopped however. I just remembered why I didn't listen to this album, it's not for a prog fan. The problem for me, that even as a heavy metal album there is a shocking lack of drama in this album and because its not meant to be a prog album there are no interesting passages for me. This is a straight pass for me. Listen to any other Evergrey album but this one.
[usrlist "PREVIOUS BAND RATING:3.5" "ACCESSIBILITY:1.5" "HEAVINESS:4.5" "MELODIC:1" "DRAMA:1" "OVERALL RATING:1.5"]
Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album
Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING
PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.
ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture
HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park
MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House
OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live
See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page
https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists
by Mark Monforti | Nov 14, 2017 | Reviews
This debut from Milky Way Gas Station has garnered much attention from our listeners at MusicInWidescreen.com They were nice enough to send us a copy and I am glad they did. Unlike many debut submissions this album is quite good. Some nice moments in Neutral, Whyand Moon Phases. Also Joakim Svalberg (Opeth) guests on this album on tracks Neutral and Telescope Sight the album is certainly worth a spin. Why not request a song on the station and see for yourself.
[usrlist “PREVIOUS BAND RATING:0” “ACCESSIBILITY:3” “HEAVINESS:2” “MELODIC:4” “DRAMA:3” “OVERALL RATING:3”]
Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album
Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING
PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.
ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture
HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park
MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House
OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live
See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page
https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists
by Mark Monforti | Nov 13, 2017 | Reviews
Well my random music review playlist came up with this classic. This is the double album that many bands writing double albums aspire to be. This, the inspiration to Kevin Gilbert’s Shaming of the True and many others, is full of wonderful music. Brian Eno contributes to one of the many highlights The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging. The lyrics completely written by Peter this album are sometime less cohesive than I would like but the wonderful songwriting make it a classic. They toured the entire double album in America prior to the release to a perplexed genesis fan base. Fans left the tour bewildered but the love for this album grew and grew for all these years. Selling England by the Pound is my favorite but this double album is great. Some people think the album would have been better as a single album but I’ll take it all except for the final song It
[usrlist “PREVIOUS BAND RATING:5” “ACCESSIBILITY:3” “HEAVINESS:2” “MELODIC:3” “ARTWORK & PACKAGING:4” “DRAMA:4” “OVERALL RATING:4.5”]
Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album
Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING
PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.
ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture
HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park
MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House
OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live
See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page
https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists
by Mark Monforti | Nov 12, 2017 | Reviews
This is one of my favorite bands as you can see from the ratings. I have actually offered them an all expense paid trip to Chicago for a private concert that they have so far ignored. This album is just chalk full of 4 star songs with some five star moments. So in short buy the album and enjoy it this embodies everything that makes progressive rock great. I almost gave this a 4.5 star rating but after a fourth listen I decided to go full five stars which I don't do lightly.
[usrlist "PREVIOUS BAND RATING:5" "ACCESSIBILITY:4" "HEAVINESS:3" "MELODIC:3" "ARTWORK & PACKAGING:4" "DRAMA:4" "OVERALL RATING:5"]
Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album
Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING
PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.
ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture
HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park
MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House
OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live
See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page
https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists
by Mark Monforti | Nov 11, 2017 | Reviews
If you love the flute this is your album there are count 'em, three flutist in this band. Not that they are all playing them all the time this is a six piece band of multi-instrumentalist. As I was looking up this band I did notice some very positive reviews for the band. But I am sorry that I can't quite jump on that band wagon. The album never stirred any emotion from me. This is better than 90% of whats on terrestrial radio, but in this amazing era of progressive rock, this is below average.
I look forward to their next album in hopes I like it better.
[usrlist "PREVIOUS BAND RATING:0" "ACCESSIBILITY:2" "HEAVINESS:1" "MELODIC:3.5" "ARTWORK & PACKAGING:4" "DRAMA:1" "OVERALL RATING:2.5"]
Click Album Image to purchase at Amazon US and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album
Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING
PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.
ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture
HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park
MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House
OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live
See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page
https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists
by progrock.com | Nov 7, 2017 | Reviews
Dream Theater Concert Review
November 4, 2017
Peoria Civic Center Theater, Peoria, Illinois
Images and Words by Jon Fiala
1992 was a good year for prog. It was in the middle of a rebirth after the peak 1970’s Yes, Genesis and King Crimson and then once again in the ’80s. Arguably the primary reason in the US for this new interest was Dream Theater’s album Images and Words. I was lucky enough to catch them on the tour supporting that album’s release tour in February, 1993 at Mississippi Nights in St Louis, which was the premier stop of upcoming bands in that era during the 80s and 90s. Many days were spent cranking that CD in my roommate’s car with the subwoofer blasting out the double bass like machine guns.
Dream Theater is at the end of their second continuous year of touring; this time in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough album, Images and Words, playing it in its entirety. On Saturday, November 4, the prog metal icons played in Peoria, Illinois for the first time, bringing their very tight, polished 3-hour show to the Peoria Civic Center Theater. The near capacity crowd stood loud and proud the entire night. All band members performed to their highest peak. Vocalist James LaBrie, who is often unfairly tasked with the burden of making or breaking a Dream Theater show, was definitely on. All four instrumentalists, guitarist John Petrucci, keyboardist Jordan Rudess, bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Mangini have long been known for their virtuosity, and this evening, they lived up to those very high expectations.
The first set consisted of songs from their catalog, most of which were digging deep. “Dark Eternal Night” (Systematic Chaos), “Hell’s Kitchen” (Falling Into Infinity), and “As I Am” (Train of Thought). The only two Mangini-era showings were “The Bigger Picture” (Dream Theater) and “Breaking All Illusions” (A Dramatic Turn of Events).
In celebration of Images and Words, they included two songs in the first set that were from that era which didn’t ever make it on any official release. Instead, they were both on an official fan club release, Cleaning out the Closet. The songs were “Don’t Look Past Me,” and, a personal favorite, “To Live Forever.” The version of that song on their first video release from Tokyo in 1993 had a sweet Petrucci solo outro that still sticks in my mind every time I hear it.
The second set was what most people had been anticipating, the entire Images and Words played in order. The intro was a series of songs clips from all genres of music that were popular in 1992 played as if changing radio stations. It concluded with their local Long Island radio station DJ introducing “Pull Me Under.” Thus began the long awaited run through the monumental album.
“A Change of Seasons” was the lone encore tune, but a 23-minute song is longer than most encores, so it was more than satisfying. It was a great way to end the time traveling evening with a track was originally supposed to be on “Images and Words,” but had to be released a few years later as an EP.
The musicians all had their own spotlighted solos, starting with bassist John Myung’s tribute to one of his bass heroes, Jaco Pastorius, doing his solo, “Portrait of Tracy.” John Petrucci extended his solo on “Take the Time” to showcase his virtuosity. Mike Mangini’s solos are always breathtaking as he showcases his once held record of fastest drummer skills in the middle of “Metropolis.” Jordan Rudess, celebrating his 61st birthday, had a beautiful piano spot that led into the melodic “Wait for Sleep.”
James LaBrie reminisced with the audience on his memories of touring in 1992 in support of “Images and Words.” One that sticks out for him was on that relentless touring schedule, then-keyboardist Kevin Moore got pulled over for driving 110 mph in Montana. Their touring luxuries have significantly increased, and so has their stage show. However, after seeing last year’s “Astonishing” tour with the video screens covering the stage, this setup was much more stripped down, allowing us to concentrate on the music and the amazing talent of some of the top musicians in their field.
It was an evening of pure celebration of a classic album. It was hard to do it justice with these “Images and Words” indeed. If you get a chance to see this show, take the time.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dream-theater/2017/peoria-civic-center-theatre-peoria-il-4be35b6a.html
Get the new book Essential Modern Progressive Rock Albums: Images and Words Behind Prog’s Most Celebrated Albums: 1990-2016 which includes Images and Words and other albums by Dream Theater.
