My PoS journey began when everyone was raving about OHBTCL on Perpetual Motion so I went and got it. I kinda dug it but it was not at all what I was expecting. It was very kewl and progressive and fresh but did not do it for me like it was for everyone else. Same with Entropia. Then I got Perfect Element. Still, not blowing me away... but when I went to PPUSA I and saw them live, I don't think I have ever had such a powerful "OH I GET IT!" feeling ever... the way the band played together... Daniel's voice... man, the layered lyrics .. it all came into view at that show. They have since been hands down my favorite band, though I admit I have not given the Road Salt albums their fair shake... I do own them. I own all PoS.
it was like... the guitar sound didn't really matter.. these guys were gonna breathe life into anything they put their hands on. For me, TPE was the one which really got me and I took it into music stores to test Studio Monitors because it was my gold standard for audio production, in sounding like a very good classic record... like the same feeling you would get in the vinyl days cranking up your favorite Priest or Rush or whatever.
Remedy Lane is a masterpiece. It was a little spotty for me at first but all of it... very powerful. This Heart (of Mine) encapsulates something.. expresses something.... we mens only wish we could convey to our women's...No contending, no arguing with the depth of emotion and rawness and great melodies and brilliance... and just growing everlasting appreciation to be found on that record. They play on your emotions, woo and pluck your heartstrings, scarificate your soul and rake you through traces of blood.. all the while being blindingly brilliant and intellectual.
Back to One Hour by the Concrete Lake, I appreciate it's depth and spirit and it is certainly good. Has flashes of absolute brilliance like Entropia... I mean, they are so bold and creative, it takes courage just to be so brazen and do entirely your own thing. Yes, you can hear odd influences like Faith No More, even maybe Eminem.. but they've made their own sound.
BE is very awesome.. I mean, some might say it is the most pretentious album ever made... and it does have some very simple melodies and droning... but again.. the brilliance and growing appreciation for this is amazing. Every time I experience it, it becomes more embedded in my heart, mind and soul. It is just a disc that must be acknowledged as not only an odd homage to Andrew Lloyd Weber.. but its its own thing and corny and cool and so 70's hippie dip-artsy fartsy it is unreal. But excellent. Powerful. Uncanny. Who else makes a record/DVD like this? NO ONE.
Sadly after Kristoffer and Johan departed their was a loss in chemistry which I felt Daniel tried to close the gap on. Scarsick was the result, and it is the American way to differ with an opinion but defend the other's right to express it so why they caught hell for Daniel calling it how he sees it on the America song is just silly. Look, it is quite a great album. Cribcaged especially is a killer statement. Always a little goofy and abrasive for us sugar coating Americans but I love Scarsick. The live album is fun to throw on once in a while.
So, hold your tongue, Haters! PoS deserves respect, dammit! Even if they are doing stuff like on Road Salt or whatever that I might not like... I can always acknowledge my very deep respect, admiration and take my hat of to the brilliant band, especially Daniel... whatever his politics or views or music is like... to me, he is THE MAN, and kind of a renaissance Da Vinci, educated liberal arts creative uncompromising left brain GOD.
