The Prog Rock Album Club

Carpe Mortem · 06-07-2014, 03:01 PM

The Nice
Thoughts of Emerlist DavJack
1967

Flower King of Flies
Feel good music, nice tone and effects. Pretty sweet song, actually. 9/10
Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack
That twinkly effect they have in the beginning hurts my ears, aside from that it was an alright song. Wouldn't bitch if it was on, but wouldn't get it for myself. 5/10
Bonnie K
This is straight up rockin blues, just a good ****in song and I think most people could appreciate it. 10/10
Rondo
Fun, totally has a rollercoaster/ carnival ride vibe goin on. Marching keys being played and disorienting production to emphasize it. 7/10
Tantalising Maggie
Strange, very cool song. Lots of unusual spacing and effects here. 8/10
Dawn
Really eerie intro I loved it. Vocals are a whisper and it works great, reminds me of The Central Scrutinizer. Good song, overall very campy-eerie in a good way. 9/10
The Cry of Eugene
Very chill, good for a long and even-paced drive on a sunny day. 7/10

Brings that album to a technical total of 7.8/10, but if I were gonna factor in general flow and cohesiveness, I'd bump it up to a 8.5/10. Really great stuff! Will look into more Nice.

Moss · 06-07-2014, 03:36 PM

Wow Carpe, You continue to surprise me. In all good ways.

Unknown Soldier · 06-07-2014, 03:46 PM

Normally this system of review for the three albums put forth, each person chooses just one to review. But if anybody wants to review all three they can, but for this the albums should run another week to give everybody time to review all three.

Moss · 06-07-2014, 04:02 PM

Cool! I like that.

Unknown Soldier · 06-07-2014, 04:05 PM

In that case the deadline should be extended to say Sunday 15.

Moss · 06-07-2014, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rostasi

Well, if you think so.
I'm not saying that we should do more than 1,
I'm just saying that inside of 7 to 10 days,
if anyone wants to do more than one, then
they can. When it comes my turn, I'll
probably only offer one title, but I'll attach
a link to a download just in case it's obscure.

Ooh, even better. My search for albums I dont have is usually:

1. Newsgroups
2. Spotify (I have a spotify recorder so I can rip and put on a flash)
3. Youtube
So far one of these always works.

Xurtio · 06-07-2014, 04:40 PM

Album Title: Thoughts of Emerlist DavJack
Year: 1967

Flower King of Flies - I first found the live version and the high-end was very muddy in it between the guitar and crashes, the vocals were ok. But once I found the studio version, I was more impressed. The vocals were much better, The lead guitar was fun. In the live version, the leads reminded me a lot of early Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour (very much like his leads in Obscured by Clouds), but didn’t really tell a story. In the studio version, I didn’t even notice a lead.

The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack - Major mode, bright chords, “ba-ba-ba-ing”, twinkle keys. Very classic psychedelic pop, not particularly appealing to me (I always preferred Waters to Barrett).

Bonnie K - I immediately loved the upbeat introduction. Very classic rock feel, the vocals make me feel like I’m unloading from a chopper in Vietnam in the movie Platoon. I think it’s because the vocals have some similarities with Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Rondo - Probably unnecissarily long. There’s a couple of neat keyboard riffs and the galloping beat feels like you’re getting somewhere, but also a lot of meandering that made me kind of impatient. The keyboard gets pretty awesome with some blues organ aroun 3:45 leading to a cute little break into the first couple measures of Bach’s Fugue in D minor and then more organ rock. But the galloping… it never stops.

War n Peace - Nice little groovy breakdown. The keys are unremarkable in the first movement, the guitar picks up the pace a bit, it gets a bit sloppy in parts with wobbly chromatic hammeron bends flying everywhere before tying back into a more remarkable keyboard lead and the back into the groove and ending shortly after a nice organ breakdown at the climax.

Tantalising Maggie - Vocals are deliberately belligerent in tone and I find it kind of grating. Mission accomplished, boys. Also, they didn’t cut the pops from the p sounds which makes it even worse. Didn’t get through this one.

Dawn - Interesting enough; I like the way the avante-garde break goes into a little groove with the twinkle keys. The whispering and heavy breathing is kind of overdone and the twinkle keys get annoying, but I liked the groove.

The Cry of Eugene - Back into some classic psychedelia. Nice lingering dissonant notes and good vocal melody on some marching band drums (cue the horns), then some rock guitar. At this point, I realized they were British. I had actually thought they were American for some reason looking at the CD cover.

Overall, good music, I haven’t listened to much Emerson, Lake & Palmer, I might have to now.
6/10

Carpe Mortem · 06-07-2014, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moss

Wow Carpe, You continue to surprise me. In all good ways.

Haha thanks. Did you think I wouldn't like this album?

Moss · 06-07-2014, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carpe Mortem

Haha thanks. Did you think I wouldn't like this album?

Yes, and I dont know why. My judgementalism shames me.

Anteater · 06-08-2014, 08:45 PM

I've owned this album a long time, and in all honesty I don't think it's influence on prog bands of the 70's can be understated. Vocalist Roger Chapman in particular is considered to be a huge influence on Peter Gabriel, Van Der Graaf Generator and also the band Gentle Giant. He may sound like an electrified billy goat, but he stands out so strongly that you can't help but hear strains of him in everything that would come afterwards. Hell, this album beats out In The Court Of The Crimson King by nearly twelve months, yet you can hear so many little touches that characterize the genre in these fifteen songs, especially on strange, Mellotron drenched cuts like 'Mellowing Grey' or the bizarre instrumental experimentation of 'Voyage'. Riveting stuff!

While this isn't an album I revisit all too often due to only being able to handle so much Roger Chapman at one time (lol!), this is definitely essential listening for any aspiring proghead, if for nothing else the fact you'll get some perspective on where the genre began to coalesce into something recognizably its own.

10/10

06-07-2014, 03:01 PM	#881 (permalink)
Carpe Mortem Crusher of tiny Nords Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ugly Bag of Mostly Water Posts: 1,363	The Nice Thoughts of Emerlist DavJack 1967 Flower King of Flies Feel good music, nice tone and effects. Pretty sweet song, actually. 9/10 Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack That twinkly effect they have in the beginning hurts my ears, aside from that it was an alright song. Wouldn't bitch if it was on, but wouldn't get it for myself. 5/10 *Bonnie K* This is straight up rockin blues, just a good **in song and I think most people could appreciate it. 10/10 Rondo Fun, totally has a rollercoaster/ carnival ride vibe goin on. Marching keys being played and disorienting production to emphasize it. 7/10 Tantalising Maggie Strange, very cool song. Lots of unusual spacing and effects here. 8/10 Dawn Really eerie intro I loved it. Vocals are a whisper and it works great, reminds me of The Central Scrutinizer. Good song, overall very campy-eerie in a good way. 9/10 The Cry of Eugene Very chill, good for a long and even-paced drive on a sunny day. 7/10 Brings that album to a technical total of 7.8/10, but if I were gonna factor in general flow and cohesiveness, I'd bump it up to a 8.5/10. Really great stuff! Will look into more Nice. __________________ [SIG][/SIG] Mirth is King** Be Loving & Open With My Emotions Last edited by Carpe Mortem; 06-07-2014 at 06:31 PM.

06-07-2014, 04:40 PM	#887 (permalink)
Xurtio Brain Licker Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 1,083	Album Title: Thoughts of Emerlist DavJack Year: 1967 Flower King of Flies - I first found the live version and the high-end was very muddy in it between the guitar and crashes, the vocals were ok. But once I found the studio version, I was more impressed. The vocals were much better, The lead guitar was fun. In the live version, the leads reminded me a lot of early Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour (very much like his leads in Obscured by Clouds), but didn’t really tell a story. In the studio version, I didn’t even notice a lead. The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack - Major mode, bright chords, “ba-ba-ba-ing”, twinkle keys. Very classic psychedelic pop, not particularly appealing to me (I always preferred Waters to Barrett). Bonnie K - I immediately loved the upbeat introduction. Very classic rock feel, the vocals make me feel like I’m unloading from a chopper in Vietnam in the movie Platoon. I think it’s because the vocals have some similarities with Creedence Clearwater Revival. Rondo - Probably unnecissarily long. There’s a couple of neat keyboard riffs and the galloping beat feels like you’re getting somewhere, but also a lot of meandering that made me kind of impatient. The keyboard gets pretty awesome with some blues organ aroun 3:45 leading to a cute little break into the first couple measures of Bach’s Fugue in D minor and then more organ rock. But the galloping… it never stops. War n Peace - Nice little groovy breakdown. The keys are unremarkable in the first movement, the guitar picks up the pace a bit, it gets a bit sloppy in parts with wobbly chromatic hammeron bends flying everywhere before tying back into a more remarkable keyboard lead and the back into the groove and ending shortly after a nice organ breakdown at the climax. Tantalising Maggie - Vocals are deliberately belligerent in tone and I find it kind of grating. Mission accomplished, boys. Also, they didn’t cut the pops from the p sounds which makes it even worse. Didn’t get through this one. Dawn - Interesting enough; I like the way the avante-garde break goes into a little groove with the twinkle keys. The whispering and heavy breathing is kind of overdone and the twinkle keys get annoying, but I liked the groove. The Cry of Eugene - Back into some classic psychedelia. Nice lingering dissonant notes and good vocal melody on some marching band drums (cue the horns), then some rock guitar. At this point, I realized they were British. I had actually thought they were American for some reason looking at the CD cover. Overall, good music, I haven’t listened to much Emerson, Lake & Palmer, I might have to now. 6/10 __________________ H̓̇̅̉yͤ͏mͬ͂ͧn͑̽̽̌ͪ̑͐͟o̴͊̈́͑̇m͛͌̓ͦ̑aͫ̽ͤ̇n̅̎͐̒ͫ͐c̆ͯͫ̋ ̔̃́eͯ͒rͬͬ̄҉

06-07-2014, 03:36 PM	#882 (permalink)
Moss Scuttle Buttin' Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Boulder Colorado Posts: 972	Wow Carpe, You continue to surprise me. In all good ways.

06-07-2014, 04:02 PM	#884 (permalink)
Moss Scuttle Buttin' Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Boulder Colorado Posts: 972	Cool! I like that.