The ever-popular "Currently Listening" thread

unforgettable fire is probably my fave, though joshua tree is a great album though with a few overplayed songs. boy and zooropa are also pretty spiffy.
 
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Been listening to Leaves' Eyes, album "Vinland Saga." The album is a story of the Viking excursion to Newfoundland. The concept sounded pretty cheesy to me at first, but the more I listen to the music the more layers I discover. It's actually quite a talented piece of work.
It's Lord of the Rings soundtrack meets heavy metal, as sung by Sarah Brightman... (not really but sounds just like her).

http://sebsf.vodpod.com/video/164861-leavesapos-eyes-elegy
 
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REALLY finished my Star Wars soundtrack binge now (you knew I'd go back for KotOR, but then I also did Republic Commando and Dark Forces)

Now listening to Industrial Zen by John Mclaughlin - sort of a reinvention of the 80's Mahavishnu unit, not too bad.
 
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After Forever - Monolith of Doubt

Just got AF's "Decipher" cd, and so far so good. I love it when a cd works out right from the get-go.


I'm finding that we have some pretty similar musical inclinations, Jabberwocky. The only Leaves Eyes I have is Lovelorn. I was like "huh?" on the comparison to Sarah Brightman at first, but youre right. At least when it comes to non-classical singing anyway ='.'=
 
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Been listening to Leaves' Eyes, album "Vinland Saga." The album is a story of the Viking excursion to Newfoundland. The concept sounded pretty cheesy to me at first, but the more I listen to the music the more layers I discover. It's actually quite a talented piece of work.
It's Lord of the Rings soundtrack meets heavy metal, as sung by Sarah Brightman... (not really but sounds just like her).

http://sebsf.vodpod.com/video/164861-leavesapos-eyes-elegy

Re: Vinland Saga concept; I don't know how into reading you are but if you find the saga itself interesting, this book, The Greenlanders, is a very vivid account of what might have transpired in the doomed colony of Greenland, and also talks a bit about Iceland and Newfoundland. It's an excellent read. :)
 
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@ Sammy: Yes exactly, I meant that she sounds a lot like Sarah Brightman when SB is singing pop songs, not opera. I've been wanting to try After Forever, but I can't find any of their albums in music stores around here. Been meaning to check on eBay...

@Magrette: I'm not an avid reader, but not because I don't like to, I just don't have time. I read a historical fiction a while back called "The Shield Ring." It was about a colony of Scandinavians living in the highlands of Great Britain trying to preserve their territory, identity and culture despite their conflict with the Normans. It was a really good book, but old as the hills and I think it is out of print.
 
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@Magrette: I'm not an avid reader, but not because I don't like to, I just don't have time. I read a historical fiction a while back called "The Shield Ring." It was about a colony of Scandinavians living in the highlands of Great Britain trying to preserve their territory, identity and culture despite their conflict with the Normans. It was a really good book, but old as the hills and I think it is out of print.

I love that stuff!! This is the wrong thread for books tho so I'll desist. :)
 
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Decipher was hard to find, as a matter of fact, I had to hit ebay to get a copy reasonably priced. This one is very light on the growls, while Prison of Desire has far more. So far, I like Prison of Desire more, but Ive only had this one for two days Mark Jansen, one of the founders of the band, left and formed Epica, his sister Floor still sings for AF.

Epica seems like a slightly heavier version of After Forever, in my opinion, a lot more symphonic and focusing on more classical elements.
 
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There's also "Here Be Dragons" - a book about the lives of Welsh Prince Llewellyn Ap Ioworth (I think that's the spelling), his rival, Prince John of England, and their respective significant others... It was an entertaining read but since it was written by a woman it's heavy on the sex and light on the fighting. (I would prefer the other way around, but that's just me).

And my most profound apologies to everyone.... I will no longer de-rail the topic! Ahem, here... uh.... I'm currently listening to Madina Lake, the album "From them to us through you." http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/window/media/page/video/0,,3819736,00.html?aff=ysv They are a new emo group and the only emo group whose CD I own and listen to with pleasure. Their compositions are way better than most of those screaming silly persons afflicted with bed-head and confused fashion sense. ;)
 
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Hey Sammy, what is AF's newest album? When I'm discovering new bands I usually try to get their latest album first, that way I can see what their current focus is. If I like it, then I go backwards and see 'where they came from.'

Probably sounds silly but that's just me.
 
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I do that sometimes. Good policy with bands that have extensive catalogs and/or have undergone serious lineup changes. No time like the present to drop in on them. Just be careful and read a few trusted review sources first, the latest and greatest tend to be the most expensive as well!

Some bands, if i dont particularly latch on to their newer stuff, I throw on the brakes and get the very first thing they put out. Like Opeth's "Orchid", having some fun with that one right now, it's pretty good actually.

It looks like their newest AF one being pushed is titled simply After Forever. I cant vouch for it purrsonally tho, only heard samples, but what Ive heard actually sounds pretty cool to me. Sounds like theyve got the synths and sopranos going, and I hear some pretty nice non-death distorted vocals goin on too!

All I can say with definite warning beware of the mid-career EP "Exordium", it's pretty bad. The version of Maiden's "evil that men do" is atrocious! No wonder I got it for like 5 bucks!
 
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More stuff from my 'ripped from vinyl collection' ...

Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy - Avant Pop

No better way to describe it - pop tunes played by a pioneer of avant-garde jazz leading a post-modern New Orleans-style brass band ... and yet somehow it all works!
 
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"Still life" is as far as I go back with Opeth. That's still 5 albums, and enough for me right now. The way you felt about Exordium is kind of the way I felt about The Gathering: Mandylion. Gathering's album "Home" is one of my all time favorites, so mellow and filled with melody. Mandylion however, imho, showed that they are a much better mellow goth- rock band and need to stay away from heavy.

Mike: Is Lester Bowie's related to David? ;)
 
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Mike: Is Lester Bowie's related to David? ;)

Separated at birth, I say ...
bowie_narrowweb__300x510,2.jpg
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Still spinning Delays. "Nearer Than Heaven" just might be the perfect pop song.
 
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"Still life" is as far as I go back with Opeth. That's still 5 albums, and enough for me right now. The way you felt about Exordium is kind of the way I felt about The Gathering: Mandylion. Gathering's album "Home" is one of my all time favorites, so mellow and filled with melody. Mandylion however, imho, showed that they are a much better mellow goth- rock band and need to stay away from heavy.

Mike: Is Lester Bowie's related to David? ;)

I'm sorta mixed on Mandylion, but I love "always", it's back when they had a male vocalist. Never heard "home"
 
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Oh there's definitely some good moments on Mandylion, but every song has pretty much the same rythym and a lot of the riffs are carried too far, you know, like they should end the song now..... ok, how about now.... NOW!!

Their singer has a great voice, and nearly every song on "Home" http://sample.music.yahoo.com/radio...zed=1&bridgeInit=1&bridgeMode=1&sids=31681437 to me is perfect, the kind of stuff that grows on you. The styles are so completely different from Mandylion to Home, you wouldn't know it was the same band unless you.... well... knew.

Right now listening to Breaking Benjamin: We Are Not Alone. I like their latest album better, but "So Cold" is a great song.

Hey Mike, those two Bowies do look an awful lot alike!
 
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bob marley live tapes and old, disintegrating recordings of leon redbone
 
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Right now listening to Breaking Benjamin: We Are Not Alone. I like their latest album better, but "So Cold" is a great song.
Yes it is. Powerful without losing a sense of melody.

Nothing for me so far today. I've been a bit distracted.
 
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