New Music Corner #86 (Saga, The Prog Collective)

[Scott]

FINALLY!!! New Music this week and its all Prog all the time! Two great prog masters showcase diverse approaches to this genre. Each with a mastery that must be heard to appreciate fully!

So without delay, here you go...

PLAYLIST:http://snack.to/azkioayl

SAGA - 20/20 August 2012 1. Anywhere You Wanna Go 2. Spin It Again 3. One Of These Days 4. Till The Well Runs Dry So much to like about this album. Michael Sadler has rejoined the band after a one album absence and this one's got special written all over it! (In my opinion anyway). The production of the album is really nice. The sounds the bands get on each track is special, I will be spinning this one for a long time to come. And they even give a nod to the Chapters! Yup, remember those? That's Albert Einstein on the cover behind that eye testing thingy. And for the one or two of you that caught this, we did a post of all the original 8 chapters in sequence a month or two back. So your getting that as a bonus (a bonus only found on CRB by the way!) But wait, that's not it! Act now and you we'll give the one off Sadler-less album, AKA The Human Condition, as a free bonus just for listening and commenting ... and you don't have to worry about processing and handling either! Beat that on some other site! I dare ya....

THE PROG COLLECTIVE - S/T August 2012 5. The Laws of Nature 6. Over Again 7. The Technical Divide 8. Buried Beneath Prog Masters from the 70's UNITE!! I know RJ likely won't care much for this, but prog fans will. This is the superstars of the 70's prog genre coming together on one album that is so full of hidden surprises and great jams that this is a must-buy for any prog fan! Look at this line-up... Rick Wakeman, John Wetton, Tony Kaye, Tony Levin, Colin Moulding, John Wesley, Richard Page, Chris Squire, Alan Parsons, with appearance by, Geoff Downes and Steve Morse. All brought together by ex-Yes member Billy Sherwood. Hope you like the result!

[Jon]

That writeup on the Sage album is really funny considering that I forgot to listen to the original 8 chapters in sequence and the one off Sadler-less album, AKA The Human Condition, so I'm wondering if this is a hint?

[Scott]

kinda-sort of-maybe.  No not really, no hints...  Just thought it was great content to include in the post...

[Scott]

oh..  and don't forget RJ's post of Worlds Apart and the several other one off posts in older SHT lists...  Some real solid Saga representation on this site if you ask me!

[Niels (Mod)]

Ah, this is easy for me to write about. I have heard these two albums already, so here it goes:

SAGA - 3 out of 6

The good things first: "Till The Well Runs Dry" is a classic and very good Saga-track, at least in the sence of how I know Saga. My absolute favorite Saga-album is "The Beginners Guide Of Throwing Shapes" or whatever it's called. The rest of this album. 20/20 I'm not so "fond" about. It's not an album, that I need to hear more than once or twice, except for that last track. The production is nice, as you say, Scott, and I like the "album-cover" as well.

 

THE PROG COLLECTIVE - 2 out of 6

It's not just RJ who won't like this (but maybe he'll like it better than I do?). I'm dissapointed in this album. It's not this kind of Prog, that I like (or maybe I'm getting fed up with Prog, I don't know?). These old dudes like Chris Squire (is he on it?), Rick Wakeman and so on, should retire ASAP. There's NOTHING at all interesting in this release for me. That 80's sound or whatever you can call it, is sooooo outdated. Give me some fresh Progbands like Porcupine Tree, Opeth, North Atlantic Oscilliation and Anathema instead of these old geezers anytime. I'm SO glad, I didn't bought this album without hearing it.

But as always, a pleassure to have another round of NMC     

[Scott]

I think Porcupine Tree is represented on here as well.  Don;t know much about them but it sounds like you recommending them?  I should check them out for sure...

I love these two, for me its a renaissance of sorts, the louder these play the better and maybe thats the deal here, listen to them with low volume doesnt give the same impact, not saying thats what you did, just a thought i had.

Thanks for the quick write up!

[Niels (Mod)]

Well, yes yuo're right. I DID listen to both of these albums on a rather low volume. Maybe I should give Them both another try?! Of the bands I mentioned, I can't really RECOMEND PPorcupine Tree. I've only got one album, and it's okay, but MUCH better than this one. I Think Jon knows PT better than me. MAN, it's hard to write this on your Iphone while travelling by train.

[RJhog (Admin)]

You're not drivin' the train, are you?

 

By the way, I'm lining this up for after lunch.  And Jon, are we gettin' 2 NMC's this weekend?  Hope so.

[Jon]

Yep, a massive TWO! Scott's got the prog and I've got the metal.

[Jon]

Start with  In Absentia and Fear Of A Blank Planet for Porcupine Tree. 

[RJhog (Admin)]

Saga (Thumbs Sideways)

This isn't bad, just not great.  But if I'm gonna listen to prog, this be it.  I like the first track a good bit.  The hook and the very, very nice guitar work.  The second and third tracks are somewhat average, while the fourth track is just ever so slightly below track 1.  Again, I do like the guitar work here.

 

The Prog Co.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

llective (Thumbs the opposite of up)

Sorry, I dozed off.  How friggin' long did it take to listen to these 4 songs?  I can't remember 'cause I fell asleep.  The only thing I like is the dreamy sound of the production.  It's kind of foggy, which makes it sound like a dream for me.  A bad dream at that.  My big hold up with prog is song lenght.  I don't absolutely hate long songs (as you'll find out with my next NMC), but it still needs a hook. 

[Scott]

Whats it gonna take to get RJ into prog!!!???  hmm....

[RJhog (Admin)]

I did sort of like the Saga album...