- Aug 29, 2005
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I know there's a few PT fans on here, so... what's your response to the new album?
After a few listens, I'm sort of ambivalent. I place a little more stock in lyrical content when we're not dealing with metal- I listen to metal for the guitars and drums; vocals and lyrics are a bonus at best- and there's nothing here that grabs me in the same way some of Deadwing or (especially) In Absentia did. Despite that, I have to give Steven Wilson credit for writing a concept album that's not pretentious sillyness.
The compositions are cool, though, and I could listen to this all day long for Gavin Harrison's drumming alone. The drumming is incredible on this; there's real dynamics, complexity, groove, and the drum sounds are great. I think they've improved considerably even over Deadwing. I know he records his tracks in his home studio- is this the result of some cool new gear, or just more experience behind the board?
The rest of the production, I find myself ambivalent again. The bass is bigger and fuller, but the guitars and keyboards seem to be more washy, less clearly defined, and I'm not digging the guitar tones as much, especially the higher gain stuff. Did Steven Wilson go all Pod XT for the guitars this time? IMHO, he sounded best through the Bad Cat Hot Cat on In Absentia. I have an XT, I own and have owned some nice amps, and I wouldn't trade them for the Pod for gain stuff.
Definitely the heaviest riffage yet from these guys. I think it's awesome that a guy whose music bears a pretty strong resemblance to Pink Floyd and The Cure on a regular occasion discovered he really likes Morbid Angel, Meshuggah and all that and has been incorporating those elements into his music ever since. (Check out the "death metal" section in the middle of Anesthetize at about 11:00 in...) They pull off the odd-time chugging that's become a staple of heavier modern prog acts thanks to Tool and Meshuggah convincingly. And their guest appearances are starting to read like a who's who of prog rock guitar- Adrian Belew and Mikael Akerfeldt on the last one, Alex Lifeson and Robert Fripp this time around. (And string arrangements by Dave Stewart- as in the guy from The Eurythmics?)
Your thoughts?
After a few listens, I'm sort of ambivalent. I place a little more stock in lyrical content when we're not dealing with metal- I listen to metal for the guitars and drums; vocals and lyrics are a bonus at best- and there's nothing here that grabs me in the same way some of Deadwing or (especially) In Absentia did. Despite that, I have to give Steven Wilson credit for writing a concept album that's not pretentious sillyness.
The compositions are cool, though, and I could listen to this all day long for Gavin Harrison's drumming alone. The drumming is incredible on this; there's real dynamics, complexity, groove, and the drum sounds are great. I think they've improved considerably even over Deadwing. I know he records his tracks in his home studio- is this the result of some cool new gear, or just more experience behind the board?
The rest of the production, I find myself ambivalent again. The bass is bigger and fuller, but the guitars and keyboards seem to be more washy, less clearly defined, and I'm not digging the guitar tones as much, especially the higher gain stuff. Did Steven Wilson go all Pod XT for the guitars this time? IMHO, he sounded best through the Bad Cat Hot Cat on In Absentia. I have an XT, I own and have owned some nice amps, and I wouldn't trade them for the Pod for gain stuff.
Definitely the heaviest riffage yet from these guys. I think it's awesome that a guy whose music bears a pretty strong resemblance to Pink Floyd and The Cure on a regular occasion discovered he really likes Morbid Angel, Meshuggah and all that and has been incorporating those elements into his music ever since. (Check out the "death metal" section in the middle of Anesthetize at about 11:00 in...) They pull off the odd-time chugging that's become a staple of heavier modern prog acts thanks to Tool and Meshuggah convincingly. And their guest appearances are starting to read like a who's who of prog rock guitar- Adrian Belew and Mikael Akerfeldt on the last one, Alex Lifeson and Robert Fripp this time around. (And string arrangements by Dave Stewart- as in the guy from The Eurythmics?)
Your thoughts?
oh and "watching TV"
