"So close to the sky itself", a prog rock album

Vel · Tue 11/11/2008 13:29:14

Well, here it is, after eighteen months' effort. It is a dark, claustrophobic, progressive and multi-layered work, and is likely to appeal to any aficionado of Marillion, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project or King Crimson. Read more about it and download here.[/url]

Tuomas plays guitars on one track, and that amazing cover art is by GarageGothic.
Feedback greatly appreciated.

SSH · Tue 11/11/2008 14:08:26

http://nebosvod.awardspace.com/index.php?p=4 is broken: gives me a SQL error or 4...

and some of the grammar in the lyrics and titles seems a bit odd (shouldn't it be "So close to THE sky itself"?)

but when the album finishes downloading, we'll see about the important thing: the music!

Vel · Tue 11/11/2008 14:22:53

That link works for me, SSH. As for the article, I thought it sounded gratuitous, altough it might not really be. The lyrics are translated literally, mostly line by line, hence the weird word order at times. Do let me know what you think.

SSH · Tue 11/11/2008 14:56:22

Quote from: Vel on Tue 11/11/2008 14:22:53
That link works for me, SSH. As for the article, I thought it sounded gratuitous, altough it might not really be. The lyrics are translated literally, mostly line by line, hence the weird word order at times. Do let me know what you think.

I'd say that the "itself" was gratuitous rather than "the"...

Well, I'm not much of a prog rock fan, but I really like the first track. The others are OK.

Tuomas · Tue 11/11/2008 15:02:43

Hehe. I can't say I was suprised to hear how good this album actually was. I got what I expected, acutally even a bit more. I can recommend it to anyone. Not really in the mood of writing a long review here, but I do suggest everyone to listen to it through at least once.

Vel · Tue 11/11/2008 15:03:48

It might be a bit hard to swallow at first - it's not that accessible a work. But for those who give it a few spins, it will be rewarding.

Phemar · Tue 11/11/2008 17:00:02

I enjoyed your last album, busy downloading now. I'll edit once I've given the album a listen.

Nacho · Tue 11/11/2008 17:09:47

I am not able to open the two last songs... I will download it again, though, seems it is a problem with my pc, since now I can' t open songs I heard before either.

Anyway, the two first are tunes that would maybe need "too many opportunities" for me to LOVE them... I like the melodies when the singer enters, but those parts are lost in a very plain and long tune that does not make me feel anything. It's a pitty. Is it you the singer, Vel? Nice work, then...

I really like the third one. Nice guitar, congrats Tuomas, I guess it' s your performance. Again, nice voice. I think I am going to hear it again, something I didn' t with the first two ones.

This album is probably one of the bests we can find at this "level". Congrats!

Tuomas · Tue 11/11/2008 17:29:38

Mine would be the last one, not the 3rd one there...

Vel · Tue 11/11/2008 17:45:23

Yeah, the only real guitars are on the last track.

Nacho · Tue 11/11/2008 20:22:59

Heheeee... Imagine how valid is my opinion as a musical critic if I can't distinguish a synth guitarr from a real one ^_^

Vel · Fri 14/11/2008 21:25:13

For all of you for whom incorrect grammar was the reason for not downloading and listening to the album, you may now sigh in relief, for the title is changed to - gasp - "So close to the sky itself'.

Nacho&SSH, I don't want to sound offensive or anything, but you don't listen to prog like that(track 1 sucks, track 4 is good, track 5 rocks), you should take the album in its entirety and give it a few spins before passing a judgement.

Also, feedback and comments are greatly appreciated, and you may also post them on the website for all the visitors to see.

Nacho · Fri 14/11/2008 21:32:29

As I said two posts before, my ear is not trained for listening and appreciate different music to the one I am used for... It' s a pitty, I know.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sat 15/11/2008 08:56:00

QuoteI don't want to sound offensive or anything, but you don't listen to prog like that(track 1 sucks, track 4 is good, track 5 rocks), you should take the album in its entirety and give it a few spins before passing a judgement.

I don't really agree with this at all. It's like saying you have to view all of Picasso's paintings before you have a right to decide if you like any one of them or not. A song is a song, period, and people are free to judge whether they like it or not on its own merits.

As for the album itself:

1. The first track didn't strike me as very progressive; in fact, it sounds more like an old Tangerine Dream song (which isn't a bad thing by any means) and aside from some of the synth guitar segments (mainly at the start) I quite liked it. I'm not sure about the crowd voice sample in the background, either. It doesn't really 'hurt' anything, but I'm not sure it adds anything, either. I particularly liked the drum marching beat that starts to build when the song reaches a lull, though I was disappointed that there was no payoff. I don't understand the vocals but they didn't bother me.

2. This tune also reminds me of Tangerine Dream. The instruments are very 80's electronica, particularly the lead synth. Again, I don't understand the vocals but they seem to fit the mood, which seems to vary from sleepy into an almost carnival tune starting at around 1:40.

3. Again, the same electronica vibe here with the old synths. This one particularly sounds like music you would hear during the credits for some 70's space film (minus the vocals). I'd actually prefer this one without the vocals since it has a nice ambient flow to it. One of my favorites so far.

4. This song actually sounds like 80's synth-pop in places. The vocals here seem really out of place and almost interrupt the song initially. I would have liked to see this song build into something with stronger beats and a faster tempo towards 3:40 instead of basically starting over.

5. The vocals here make the track sound almost like a ballad, though that changes around 1:20 with echoing voice samples that didn't really do anything for me. This is probably the least electronica-sounding one of the group.

Overall, I think it would work quite well as an ambient cd with the vocals removed. One thing I noticed is that with the exception of track 5, most of the songs seemed to lack a clear direction or identity. Parts would be melancholy, others upbeat, sometimes there would be marching, and often within a short time from each. I personally like coherent tunes that build towards something, so maybe this isn't for me.
I do like the overall retro ambient sound of it very much, though.

Phemar · Sat 15/11/2008 12:15:24

Quote from: ProgZmax on Sat 15/11/2008 08:56:00
I don't really agree with this at all. It's like saying you have to view all of Picasso's paintings before you have a right to decide if you like any one of them or not. A song is a song, period, and people are free to judge whether they like it or not on its own merits.

Not with progressive rock. A song on a progressive rock album is like a chapter in a book - You don't just read the chapters individually, but rather the book as a whole.

As for the album, I like it so far. Haven't listened to it too much yet though.

Tuomas · Sat 15/11/2008 14:03:02

Personally I think it's a bit daft saying how something should be listened to, as an album or as separate songs. Damnit, if they wholet hing was supposed to be played in whole, why separate it into tracks? Progressive music doesn't mean the whole album should be listened to before making a conclusion. ProgZ is right there. If you think people won't like the music because they don't know how to listen to it, well then it just doesn't work very well. I like to judge intros, solos, bridges and choruses as their own sometimes, but I really don't think that means I'm doing it wrong somehow.

Vel · Sat 15/11/2008 21:36:16

I beg to differ here. Take "Eclipse" from "Dark side of the moon" for example. On it's own, it's a nice minute-long piece with a good atmosphere. Taken in the context of the album, though, it's a brilliant moment of epiphany where the whole concept unravels and in which the album culminates.
There's music that's meant to be enjoyed in portions of four minute verse-chorus songs. However, there's something more large-scale than that, bigger, more ambitious compositions, elaboration and sophistication. Sure, you may enjoy a solo, or a part of the composition more than the others, but it's the whole impression that counts and lasts. Just my two cents.

PS Note, here I state my general views on music, it is not for me to decide whether my album qualifies in the second category.

PPS You can't really enjoy choruses on my album, since there are none. That's a statement in itself, I believe.