March Contest: Gossip

[Echo Voodoo]

Patrick9 - Just Jammin' -> The odd drum pattern at the start kicks things off with a jarring feel until the pace picks up. I like the percussion changeup at 1:00. Varied and interesting.

core - the snow goose -> Gentle and relaxing, feels like a long car ride at the end of a full day, heading home from the beach or some such. Nice to chill out with.

[kara]

Tribute to Zelda - Kara:
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Not sure if I'd call this prog rock but a very nice instrumental piece of music. The flute feels a bit too dominant in the mix. I like the intricate arrangement, sounds like there's a lot of work in that. Very nice!

Thanks for the comments.
Perhaps the flute has been recorded a tiny bit to close.
As I stated before I don't rely know prog rock, I even tought that in the 70's there wasn't any prog rock here in france, which was wrong as some people here pointed out to me.

kara - Tribute to Zelda -> Catchy theme. Love the instrumentation. Well-played. Busy, but still soothing.

Glad you like it

The Karas: This song has something highly addictive. I like the combination of instruments and sounds, also the melody is beautiful. Very good and far from prog and 70's!
Prog-factor: 2; 70's: 3; Song: 5

Far from prog, I do agree, but it is definitifly 70's here

[core]

Cool, I'll have a listen when I get home

Core, we've both covered the same album for the KvR contest!

I don't remember when it was, but I have the original file here in case you didn't take part that month. That was the month where we were supposed to try to sound like someone else and post anonymously. I can't remember what name Markleford gave me..

Anyway, I had the same thoughts as you: if only I could play guitar like Andy Latimer...

I like your version.

[duncanparsons]

Well as for me the seventies was a wasteland musically. I was mostly listening to Classical Music in that decade. As far as other music went, except for Zappa, Steely Dan and some of the younger Jazzers there is nothing that interests me from that period. I cannot emulate Zappa or SD, so I think it's best I bow out this month.

See ya,
Gordon

Oh, come on Gordon - what about Weather Report?? They have enuff proggy moments in their modern-jazz-rock-electronica.. Black Market Woman for goodness sake!

DSP

[duncanparsons]

Yippee, I'm in!

DSP

[Beardedone]

Beardedone wrote:
Well as for me the seventies was a wasteland musically. I was mostly listening to Classical Music in that decade. As far as other music went, except for Zappa, Steely Dan and some of the younger Jazzers there is nothing that interests me from that period. I cannot emulate Zappa or SD, so I think it's best I bow out this month.

See ya,
Gordon


Oh, come on Gordon - what about Weather Report?? They have enuff proggy moments in their modern-jazz-rock-electronica.. Black Market Woman for goodness sake!

DSP

Yes Weather Report was great but I never thought of it as Progressive Rock - like Geneisi or Yes. Yes is listenable but Genesis I cannot stand to hear to for more that 30 seconds at a time.

I could try some WP but I have done that already. Maybe some Burton/Corea or Zappa. I am just worried that I won't do them justice esp in 2:00.

[mellotronaut]

Gordon, please listen to 'Los Endos' from 'Trick of the Tail'. Great prog-fusion stuff with mighty arp-sounds from Tony Banks and wonderfully dynamic drums from Phil Collins. Try it!

p.s. Duncan did the prog: 5/5/5! Great!

[Shane Sanders]

but Genesis I cannot stand to hear to for more that 30 seconds at a time.

Wow. I've always thought they had some great pieces. If you haven't heard it, try the tune "Man of Our Times" off of the album, Duke. Cool chord progression on that one and a beautiful chorus, imo. And what about "Carpet Crawlers"? Lots of folks really like that one, too.

[Shane Sanders]

Gordon, please listen to 'Los Endos' from 'Trick of the Tail'. Great prog-fusion stuff with mighty arp-sounds from Tony Banks and wonderfully dynamic drums from Phil Collins. Try it!

+1 When the bass and drums kick in, you know it's gonna be a ride.

[Beardedone]

I know. I know. I have heard Genesis over and over since it was hard to avoid them. I had some friends who love the band. Understand I do see that Genesis' is valid from a musical standpoint and some of the tracks are extremely well done. But I never enjoyed listening to Genesis at all. I don't like the recordings sonically and there is something about the vocal phrasing that irks me no end. I still don't know why. I find Phil Collins much worse than Peter Gabriel in that respect. This has not improved with age for me like some other music I used to love to get away from. I did like some of BrandX and I very much liked King Krimson and Gentle Giant.

[Marc JX8P]

Reviews, batch #2!

In One Sixtieth - Groovesys feat. Legion Hush:
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Great track, definetely prog and some top notch guitar soloing. Feels a bit like Genesis but with a character of its own. A pity it's only one minute, but there's already a lot going on in that minute. The sound feels more 80s than 70s and the filename is not according to the competition format, but that's just a side note. Great stuff!

Just Jammin' - Patrick9:
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Cool! The start reminds me a bit of Pink Floyds 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' but then you get all these great jams. The drums sound really nice, is that a real kit? The soling is very nice and I love that synth sound. Top notch!

The snow goose - Core:
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Not my idea of prog rock, but man this is a beautiful track. The instruments all sound wonderful and the melodies and harmonies are great. I love how sound of the drums contrast the rest of the music. Pity about the ending which feels like it's missing a final chord. Wonderful stuff.

Retropolis - Duncan Progsongs:
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Nice track, though the vinyl sounds do get a bit annoying. Great choice of sounds and the changes in meter and tempo are very cool. The violin is the only part that sounds a bit off to me. The part from 0o:45 onwards are pure prog magic, absolutely magnificent! I'd really love to hear the full 20 minute version of this one (minus the vinyl sounds). Top notch!

[duncanparsons]

thx Marc and Mello for the reviews

Marc, as it goes, I do have a limited edition, bootleg premaster of this that was found outside a damp studio in Camden Town near Dingwalls.. I might post it up...

As for 20minute version, well, there's a lot of food for thought in that track - maybe the live version would have more jamming .

I like the cello part.. You see, rather than having a concept album, this is a procept track :hihi: Retropolis is a city-scape where each section describes the feelings of busy but empty streets.. The cello is the lonely man who has lost out on love and life has left him behind... The 9/8 epiano is the confusion and claustrophobia of a crowd.. The organ solo is a chase for justice - a thief on the run, a battle in the courts, the widow fighting for her rights.. The moog solo shows off the movers and shakers letting off steam.. The 4/4 clavinet boogie is the lure of the nightclub, and the promise of love which only delivers empty lust, and leads into the reflective epiano as an epilogue of the event to consider it's futility..

..or something like that..

DSP

[offthewall]

Sadly, my contribution is in!


Being one of the ancients, I was actually around for the 'Prog-rock 70's', but I really wasn't part of it.
Musically, I was brought up to 60's pop which sent me screaming into the mid 60's Blues revival. As a front runner in trying to bring that genre into an unaccepting club scene I found that, when acceptance came and the style was over-commercialised, I went running again into the open arms of traditional folk music. Hence, when prog-rock was happening in one corner, I was doing folk festivals with the likes of Planxty and Boys of the Lough, etc. in another corner.
To be honest I was never impressed by the gymnastic dexterity of musicianship within the genre. It always seemed to come across as 'cleverness without soul'.

Anyway, I plugged away at this project…..submitted…..then listened to the previous contributors and thought…..F***.!

So the moral to my story is…..it's good to take part and attempt alternative musical styles.
We don't really think about trying to win!

[leahzero]

kara,isn't that Zelda track a remake of one of those ocarina melodies from "Zelda64 - Ocarina Of Time"?

Yes; the song is called "Song of Storms" or "Windmill Hut" - you can find it here:
http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/ni ... ex-gr.html

Search for Windmill Hut.

@Kara: nice interpretation of that theme. It's a very popular tune amongst people at OCRemix; if you ever expand on it you should post it there!

[duncanparsons]

OffTheWall.. I haven't listened yet, but I've always been a big fan of the FolkRock scene, and count Fairpost Convention, Strawbs, Pentangle, bits of Steeleye Span, and even certain elements of Lindisfarne to have prog leanings..

Not so Peter Paul and Mary, sadly!

DSP