For you Devin Townsend people (and Keenan)

[Hetzer]

Yesterday's gig was excellent, loads of songs from Infinity and other older records. Jokes were funny as always, man is entertainer if I ever knew one. On other hand, night started with Fear Factory and what a load of bollocks that was. Weakest link seems to be vocalist, monotone shouting and weak clean vocals just won't cut it in my book so thumbs down.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Anyone want to explain to me HOW THE FUCK Devy is able to get away with this shit?

 

[Keenan]

I dunno, but those two women are damn hot.

 

[D.Ingram]

People just pass it off as Devy, really. That's how he is.

 

[Chipmonkcheeks]

New background.

 

[ThatOneDude]

People just pass it off as Devy, really. That's how he is.

I figure, but this is almost as bad (OR hilarious) as the Jay Leno telephone gag...

 

[Keenan]

Seeing Devy and Gojira on the 4th. I'm extremely excited.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Enjoy hearing Lucky Animals live.

On a serious note, tell me how it goes. I don't have the money to see Devy this time, plus the line up isn't very attractive to me.

 

[Keenan]

Oh god. I hope he doesn't play that crap. Setlists from the internet seem to be more Epicloud oriented though. Which means odds are good.

 

[Keenan]

So, that show was amazing. He played :

Truth
Supercrush!
More!
Planet of the Apes
Lucky Animals
Juular
Grace


Some highlights, the Ziltoid videos before he started playing, him waving at my sister, the random guy that gave him a fez, and just how all around funny he is. Lucky Animals was changed to Lucky Jazz Hands. Every chorus, he had us doing jazz hands. It was hilarious. I didn't really like the venue, but the show was well worth the $20 admission.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Some highlights, the Ziltoid videos before he started playing, him waving at my sister, the random guy that gave him a fez, and just how all around funny he is. Lucky Animals was changed to Lucky Jazz Hands. Every chorus, he had us doing jazz hands. It was hilarious.

And THAT'S how you're supposed to enjoy a Devy show. Seriously though, glad you managed to enjoy seeing him live - that man is a riot when you see him. Although you guys got lucky - you get Ziltoid videos, we get Ziltoid Radio.

 

[Keenan]

Almost the entire show is on Youtube. I'll have to post the links when I get home. I think More! is the only song that wasn't on there.

 

[Keenan]

Wow, this thread is old.

ANYWAY! ALL HAIL ZILTOID. I think Z2 might rate as one of my favorite Devy albums. Sky Blue is awesome too. Sky Blue is like some strange lovechild of Infinity and Epicloud, while Z2 is just flat out awesome. Before release, Devy kept saying how Z2 had one of the heaviest parts he had ever written. Anyone have any idea what he's talking about? I don't really find anything on that album to fit that description...

Personal favorites :

Sky Blue :
Fallout
Universal Flame
Rain City
Sky Blue
Before We Die

Z2 :
Z2
From Sleep Awake
Deathray
Earth
Dimension Z

 

[Snyde]

My shitty opinion (as posted on the Love Hate thread):

Having heard it (Sky Blue) again with a bit more attention, I realize that I don't actually like it that much. There's nothing new here. Just Devin re-re-treading material from Addicted/Epicloud and even some of Ki. I guess fans will eat it up and Ms. van Giersbergen's voice is excellently bubbly and dreamy but I much prefer Devin when he's faffing about with country music or ambient than his "comfort zone" stuff.

I haven't heard Z2 yet but I enjoy his (regular) albums less and less nowadays.

 

[Hetzer]

For me new stuff is dissapointing, couple of decent songs here and there but rest is bit meh. So, I thought maybe there's something wrong with my hearing so decided to give Synchestra a spin, and mainly trio Gaia-Pixillate-Judgment. Yup, nothing wrong with my ears, some serious shit that older stuff while new is just mostly shit. But then again, if new stuff is what sells records then whatta hell, Dev has earned every cent.

 

[Snyde]

Devin will never release a better album than Ki.

That is all.

 

[Keenan]

I actually don't like Ki all that much. Synchestra either for that matter.... I think if I had to pick a favorite, it'd either be Addicted! or Accelerated Evolution. Or Ziltoid. Or Ocean Machine. Gah. I can't pick.

 

[Snyde]

Accelerated Evolution is my favorite from the ones you listed. But Ki... Ki is one of my favorite albums of all time! Every time I listen to it, it's like a purge of the soul. Not in a violent, destructive kind of way but in a sort of transcendental sort of "chill out and let the world go for one hour" way. AE has got some of that quality with songs like Deadhead and Away but, in all, it's a somewhat more visceral experience. On Ki, even the more "intense" songs (Disruptr/Gato/Heaven Send) still have their degree of calm and smoothness that permeates the remainder of the album.

Or you could disregard all of the above and just listen to the damn things for what they are and yeah, technically, AE is most likely superior in musicianship and composition. It all boils down to opinions and subjectivity and all that good shit.

 

[D.Ingram]

I didn't dig Terria or Synchestra really. Or Epicloud.

Finally heard Z2 over the weekend (I was at a friend's place in Bristol and he played the whole thing while we got rather high) and it's much better than Deathray implied. Some of the 'commentary' had me in stitches.

 

[ThatOneDude]

I still haven't given Z2 or Skyblue a good listen, but I did like Deathray and March of the Poozers better than Rejoice.

Didn't like Terria as much, same with Infinity.

But Ki... Ki is one of my favorite albums of all time! Every time I listen to it, it's like a purge of the soul. Not in a violent, destructive kind of way but in a sort of transcendental sort of "chill out and let the world go for one hour" way. AE has got some of that quality with songs like Deadhead and Away but, in all, it's a somewhat more visceral experience. On Ki, even the more "intense" songs (Disruptr/Gato/Heaven Send) still have their degree of calm and smoothness that permeates the remainder of the album.

This is probably the best description of why Ki is one of my favourite albums. My only problem was the used disc I got keeps on skipping halfway through Demon League, which fucks with the flow so bad...