I place my vote on miRthkon

I'm already dedicated to a different album club not on MB so I doubt I'll participate much, but I'll subscribe to the thread and keep an eye on it. :)

My vote goes to Images and Words by Dream Theater.

I really like Klaatu, but to ensure the problem of a tie doesn't present itself, let me also go with Images and Words.

Ok to update the voting and since I can't vote for my own choice Dream Theater I'll go with Queensryche:

Massacre - 1
Dream Theater - 3
miRthkon - 2
Queensryche - 1
Gazpach - 0
Klaatu - 1

My vote goes to Dream Theater. :pimp:

oh shit, Dream Theater is in the lead

you want me to listen to that bullcrap again?

Well maybe you should vote for miRthkon to make sure that you won't have to listen to Dream Theatre again...

i already voted for Klaatu

Well after reading the official Prog primer and listening to a cross section, right now I think I'd vote for Gong if I could. That 'Angel's Egg' is quite something. For some reason, it reminds me of recent Psychic TV, now that Gen is sporting that old fogey voice of his...Gong is definitely going on the Want list. Thanks.

Looks like it's between Dream Theater and MiRthkon at the moment. Let's leave it through the weekend and whoever's in front by Monday we'll go with, sound fair?

That seems completely fair to me.

I could always suggest another candidate if you guys are interested.

Sure, Ant: throw it into the mix, why not?

Its probably another Dream Theater album, everybody knows they're the biz.

Nah, this is much more interesting than the majority of Dream Theater's output. They're a fairly new band too! :thumb:

http://www.israbox.com/uploads/posts...3329_front.jpg
District 97 - Hybrid Child

OOH! OOH! I've heard of them! Have the album but haven't listened to it yet.
I change my vote to this one.
:tramp:

The whole Radio Gnome trilogy is fantastic.

Transatlantic - Whirlwind. Now that's a prog album

All right, I think to give the albums we have a fair chance and not end up with new suggestions for the next few days, the cut-off point for any new nominations is midnight tonight (Irish time: it's just coming up to midday here now, for anyone who wants to make the conversion to their own time).

Either way, I'll post a STOP NOMINATING message once it hits midnight, and then only albums already in under the deadline can be considered for voting. Sound ok to everyone?

Minus the bits that send you to sleep.

OK, I'm a little late but it's been a hard day (again).

PUT DOWN YOUR PENCILS! HANDS OFF THOSE KEYBOARDS AND MICE! NOMINATIONS ARE OVER!

:)

Now, let's vote. We ideally need a decision by Monday if possible.

To paraphrase my hero, Mister Burns, or rather Smithers in this instance: "You've got to vote or nothing happens"... ;)

Well, coming from the ProgArchives forum, I seem to be in the right place to suggest some prog albums.

So, how about some FM (the canadian band, not the AOR one) with their amazing album 'Black Noise', featuring the virtuoso violinist "Nash The Slash" and somewhat similar to UK (the supergroup that featured half-King Crimson, Eddie Jobson and Allan Holdsworth). Similarities can be drawn with Jean-Luc Ponty as well with that electric violin.

http://my.opera.com/walknthabass/hom...g/blknoise.jpg

Stop pussy-footing around and just call an album, your the boss here, we'll go with any album you suggest, otherwise this democratic voting process will drag on.

What do you know about my feet? :)

Anyway, okay as you say, time to step up, so let's go with this one

http://www.israbox.com/uploads/posts...3329_front.jpg

Anteater is one of the premier authorities on prog rock, after all, so I'll trust him. Plus it's an album I have!

Anyone who needs it let me or he know and watch your inbox.

Marge, I've never put my foot down about anything, but I think it's coming down now! It is! There it goes! The foot has spoken! :D

So the drill here, is we listen to the album over the next few days and do an in depth discussion on it?

Would seem to be the case yes. I've never done one of these before, but I can't really see how else we can run it.

Unless anyone wants to do a debate type thing, someone take loves it and someone takes hates it and debate it out? Not sure that would work though.

can PM me a link, Mr Burns?

much appreciated

Let me just say two things about this album:

1. Listen to it more than once. I HATED it first time round, but then I heard...

2. Mindscan!

It's not ever going to be one of my favourite albums, but I get more into it each time I listen now. Good choice Ant, and one I would probably have passed on in other circumcisions. :)

Anyone else listened to it yet?

Glad it grew on you some my good sir! It's certainly a bit different from your typical modern prog. record.

A couple of interesting tidbits to keep in mind.

1. District 97 were an instrumental progressive metal outfit until they recruited their lead vocalist, similar to Liquid Tension Experiment...but with a violin.

2. Their lead vocalist, Leslie Hunt, was an American Idol finalist back in 2007.

3. Their next record is coming out within a month or so! :D

i've heard it - great stuff

it's an interesting idea to meld modern pop with prog

will give you my thoughts once i've fully digested it

Okay, if no-one has any objections to this, I'd like to formalise the reactions to the album by way of a sort of questionnaire. Of course, you're free to write how you like/hate/have no interest in the album any way you want, and to expound on its merits or lack of till your face turns blue and your PC screams "I need to sleep!", but if everyone could make an attempt at filling this out we can kind of get a general reaction.

Hey! Twenty questions! How about that? :)
Here then, within that format, are my own thoughts.

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

Absolutely hated it. Was quite ready to turn it off, but knew I couldn't as it was for the club so persevered.

2. What did you think of the opening track?

See above. I didn't like the music (very 70s prog I felt, overblown and bombastic) and hated the way the only lyric up to about five minutes in was Leslie singing the title. Thought it was very lazy and reptitive. But it got better.


3. What did you think of the next track?

Didn't do much to change my mind really. It was okay, nothing special. Still not that impressed by it.


4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate her? Any impressions?

She's a competent vocalist, and I do like the way she decided not to go out and forge her own solo career as so many AI finalists/winners do, but to join a band. I think she made the right choice. She has a voice that's well suited to progressive rock, and there aren't all that many female vocalists in that genre at the moment, so well done to her for choosing that path.


5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

Not really, not at the start. Found it a little confused, over-powerful and bombastic (yeah, I know I used that word already).


6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

MUCH better, once "Mindscan" began. Up to then, particularly after "Termites", I was fighting to keep playing it.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

Again, the lyrics in "Mindscan" are very good, though there aren't that many of them. The rest I found kind of meh, but I grew to tolerate them. Nothing stood out terribly though.


8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

Yes, especially the laid back parts in "Mindscan", and "The man who knows your name" was quite good too. I can see why this band began life as an instrumental one before hooking up with Leslie.


9. What did you think of the production?

Hard to say, as my copy had a lot of artifacts and pops, which were jarring. Seemed quite okay though.



10. Did the fact that the singer was involved in "American Idol" colour your perception/preconceptions, and if so, how?

Absolutely. I was eager to hear how an American Idol contestant would survive outside of the "solo singer" arena.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Not really sure. Not that well up on sub-genres. I don't think it's heavy enough to be progressive metal (though "Termites" edges into that sphere) so maybe just progressive rock for me. Someone who's better able to redefine these things might have a more informed opinion.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

Much more. It grew to be less of a chore the second time around, and soon I was even starting to not hate "Termites" as much. I think at this point I've listened to the album about five times.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

"Mindscan" obviously, but since that's split into ten parts I'll go for the lovely piano melody in part II, "Entrance".

14. And the one you liked least?

Duh? "Termites". WAY too heavy, and doesn't sit well with the rest of the album, for me.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

No real leeway.

16. Are you now looking forward to their next album?

Yes


17. What did you get, thematically, as the idea behind "Mindscan"?

The idea of alien abduction, with the intention of creating a hybrid species (X-Files ahoy!) which would bring peace to either Earth, the galaxy or both.


18. Did the album end well?

Yes, very satisfyingly.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Leave off "Termites", have the opener be less repetitive. Perhaps have "Mindscan" at the front, not end of the album, as I probably in normal circumstances might not have got that far, and so missed the best part of the album, consigning it to the pile I play once and then never again.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

Generally hung together well, though the other tracks didn't seem to tie in with "Mindscan", so I'd see this as a sort of "2112", where there's an epic concept piece on the "second side" and the other side is unrelated tracks.

Gentle prod guys: anyone else got views on this album? No posts now for five days. If anyone is ready to give their opinion let me know.

I'd give my view on it, but as I was the one who brought it up originally, I dunno if I'm allowed or not. :afro:

I think it was a good listen. I have to listen to it again and then I will comment further.

No reason why you shouldn't. You probably know it better than most of us anyway....

Right guys, seems to be no interest in this anymore. Last post was TEN DAYS ago, and that was me!

So unless someone IS interested, and wants to post about the album, I'll just consider this club disbanded. Not worth the effort if no-one else is going to attend.

Thx anyway
TH

I'm actually surprised the rest of the club didn't bother to review the album. Maybe it wasn't to their tastes. :P