Reviews Archives - Page 33 of 41

Mark’s Quick Reviews: The Tangents – The Slow Rust Of Forgotten Machinery

by Mark Monforti | Aug 13, 2017 | News, Reviews

The Tangent seem to just get better and better. Andy is one of the best prog poets of our era and I consider him a friend. His RosFest, Summers End and Terra Incognita shows were all wonderful to see.

I must say that the early Tangent was not really in my niche. It has some jazzier moments that are not really my thing, but either my tastes have been growing or the songs are more on the rock side and less on the jazzy side of prog.

This album is very political without taking a side. The music is epic is size four songs over 12 minutes long. Each with some very amazing portions. Not really a clunker on the album.

Sometimes the vocals are a bit more like talking and not really singing. I think that some people wish that they had a different singer but these songs are so obviously personal I can’t imagine anyone else singing them.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Doctor Livingstone, Slow Rust

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(4.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.5 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(5.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.5 / 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

Mark’s Quick Review: Amaran’s Plight – Voice of the Light

by Mark Monforti | Aug 10, 2017 | News, Reviews

Well I love Shadow Gallery and DC Cooper so I figured that I would love Amaran’s Plight. Unfortunately that’s quite how it worked out. I this albums is mostly average quality except for Incident at Haldeman’s Lake which is one of the strongest songs I have heard come from the wonderfully talented Gary Wehrkamp.

I just don’t think this album received the same love that the Shadow Gallery albums get. Maybe I don’t like the song writing of John W Crawford as much as the composers of Shadow Gallery.

Other fans of GW seem to like this album more than I so if I were you I would give this a spin and see of you are one of the people who like it better than I.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Incident at Haldemans’s Lake, Coming of Age

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(3.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(2.5 / 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

Mark’s Quick Review’s: Public Service Broadcasting’s – The Race for Space

by Mark Monforti | Aug 9, 2017 | News, Reviews

This album is a little bit techno a little bit prog and a whole lot of fun. All tracks include mission control or other such samples that surround the space programs of the soviet Union and the US.

I think ever since I heard Porcupine Tree’s Last Chance to Evacuate the Planet Before it is Recycled it has reignited my love for including samples of historic events. Something I only really seem to got in the past from Pink Floyd.

Now maybe you hear it too much but I always liked it any way. Especially on this album where the music is intertwined so well with the audio samples.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(1.5 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(3.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.0 / 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

Mark’s Quick Review’s: Project Creations’s – Floating World

by Mark Monforti | Aug 8, 2017 | News, Reviews

So quite honestly I found out about this album due to a little blurb on Classic Rock presents prog where it got a 3 star review.

I bought it because I like SciFi concept albums which this is. I was hoping for a Portuguese Ayreon and that is exactly what I got.

The imagery is great from the first notes of the opening track I can picture the engines going on line for the floating world right to the end of the album where like Scenes from a Memory ends with two amazing back to back climatic songs.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: The Floating World, Cheops, Returning Home.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(4.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.5 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(5.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(5.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(5.0 / 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

Mark’s Quick Review: Bent Knee – Land Animal

by Mark Monforti | Aug 7, 2017 | News, Reviews

So we had the pleasure of seeing this band at RoSfest and two months ago at Schuba’s in chicago. To see them live with the college crowed at a small venue is really the best way to see them.

The albums could never capture the magic of their live show. Their lead singer Courtney is just flat out amazing full of timber and range. Their performances and albums are sewn together with the love of all six members.

I understand that maybe some people may not like a distinct voice as her’s but this album is really worth a few listens. Definitely a grower.

If at all possible check out this band live then buy this album.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(4.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.0 / 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

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Von Hertzen Brothers – Approach

by Mark Monforti | Aug 6, 2017 | News, Reviews

So I first heard most of this album at RoSfest. That was in 2010 and I really loved their songs and their performances.

Their are some great harmonies, harmonies that seem to only be possible by siblings. Their sonic vocals combined with harder hitting rock are something I commonly look for in Progressive Rock.

I think this album has a few “misses” but on the whole this is an album that showed their potential

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Disciple of the Sun, Endlessly

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.5 / 5)
MELODIC:	(2.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(3.0 / 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

Mark’s Quick Reviews: The Tangents – The Slow Rust Of Forgotten Machinery

Mark’s Quick Review: Amaran’s Plight – Voice of the Light

Mark’s Quick Review’s: Public Service Broadcasting’s – The Race for Space

Mark’s Quick Review’s: Project Creations’s – Floating World

Mark’s Quick Review: Bent Knee – Land Animal

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Von Hertzen Brothers – Approach

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