Friday13th: Prog On Discovery M2

Friday13th 05.21.19	Voting ends next Tuesday.
SharkTooth 05.21.19	Pulsar 3:00 Apaisement 7:30 Puzzle/Omen 8:00 Le Cheval De Syllogie 7:00 Pollen 13:05 The Strands Of The Future 22:08 Flight 2:37 Windows 8:47 Fool's Failure 10:17 Halloween Song 1:20 Tired Answers 9:30 Colours Of Childhood 6:00 Sorrow In My Dreams 3:40 Lone Fantasy 4:50 Dawn Over Darkness 6:10 Misty Garden Of Passion 2:15 Fear Of Frost 3:35 Time 1:50 wtf is this track listing on 1's youtube description?
TheNotrap 05.21.19	Let's check these prog gems ;)
e210013 05.21.19	Shark: "Pulsar" and "The Strands Of The Future" are the first two albums of Pulsar. So, for this journey they don't count. As you can see on the tracklist on Sputnik, what count are the other tracks. The album is divided into part 1 and part 2. So we have: - Halloween Part I (20:30): 1. Halloween Song (1:20) 2. Tired Answers (9:30) 3. Colours Of Childhood (6:00) 4. Sorrow In My Dreams (3:40) - Halloween Part II (18:40) : 5. Lone Fantasy (4:50) 6. Dawn Over Darkness (6:10) 7. Misty Garden Of Passion (2:15) 8. Fear Of Frost (3:35) 9. Time (1:50)
Friday13th 05.21.19	@e21 correct me if I'm wrong, but the exact time stamp where Halloween begins on the linked video is 1:23:06
e210013 05.21.19	Yes. It begins with the child song, the "Halloween Song".
e210013 05.21.19	I had heard of Fireballet before but I never paid much attention to it. I didn't even know that I was an American band. So, it's now time to check it. I'm very curious about it. About my knight, if you want, you can check my review of 2016 about it. Maybe it can be helpfull to you. Nice journey in this brotherhood of prog.
bgillesp 05.21.19	Fire on the Mountain?
e210013 05.21.19	Maybe.
bgillesp 05.21.19	We need more deadheads on the site
Jethro42 05.21.19	I'll try Fireballett given that i'm familiar with Pulsar.
TwigTW 05.21.19	The Fireballet is streaming on Spotify too, if that's interesting.
e210013 05.21.19	Yeah. Unfortunately it isn't the case of Pulsar.
Friday13th 05.21.19	I forgot how awesome the beginning of Halloween is.
e210013 05.21.19	Yeah awesome, and stunningly sadly scary.
Jethro42 05.21.19	awesome [3]
wham49 05.21.19	BgillFreudian slip my man, Bald Mountain obviously, been listening to so much GD lately it snuck in there Been trying to work GD into this tourney for some time, too diverse of records to give it a fair shake, side 2 of Wake of the Flood would kill in this, but side one is folk rock, so people would poopoo it
wham49 05.21.19	Maybe the whole of Blues for Allah would be the best fit
wham49 05.21.19	also sorry that the songs are broken up, could not find the whole album together I would suggest streaming as mentioned about for a better experience
Friday13th 05.21.19	I've never been a big Grateful Dead fan.
wham49 05.21.19	we finally found your weakness, well check my suggestions, they are so diverse you can always find something to dig from them, as a prog guy you would like side 2 of Wake, Terripin Station, Blues for Allah, and for psych check Live Dead
Zig 05.21.19	Hum, symphonic prog is not exactly among my likings, will be an interesting listen.
SharkTooth 05.21.19	I'm really digging the grimy synths in tired answers
Friday13th 05.21.19	@wham49 I've heard Terrapin and Live Dead, and I thought those were okay. The Live Europe 1972 had a few good songs from what I remember but way too long. I really disliked the folk/country rock albums lol
Divaman 05.21.19	Q: What does a Grateful Dead fan say when the drugs run out? A: This band sucks! Jk. I like the Dead. Always thought that joke was funny, though. OK, psyched for some new prog.
Friday13th 05.21.19	lol sometimes you wonder ;)
wham49 05.21.19	one of the best reasons to like the Dead, there is a version for everybody, and anybody who listens to a complete show from 69 -74, 76-78, 80, 84, 90-91, knows that they are a great band, anyway back to prog
Divaman 05.21.19	I've always had a copy (in every format) of "American Beauty", "Workingman's Dead", "Europe '72" and "In the Dark". That was enough for my Dead fix.
bgillesp 05.21.19	Their most Prog songs for me are New Potato Caboose, Born Cross Eyed, Unbroken Chain, Weather Report, Blues for Allah, Terrapin Station, and Lost Sailor (but this one has to be live in 80 or the later 80s to sound good)
wham49 05.21.19	well those are the best LS, in 80 that is, hgot a clutch of fall 80 shows and it is on half of them Weather report suite is probably their best prog, along with TS, a lot of Bobby's mid 70's comps are of the prog leaning quality Diva, never been a huge Euro 72 fan, not sure why but other shows from that period ar very good
Divaman 05.21.19	Lot of songs on Europe '72 that I hadn't been previously familiar with, like Jack Straw, Brown-Eyed Women, Ramble On Rose and Tennessee Jed. That's what did it for me.
Jethro42 05.21.19	Night On Bald Mountain reminds me of Nektar, and it's a good thing. it's above all and at some point derivative from Yezda Urfa, Uriah Heep, Frank Zappa, Yes and Genesis, for instance the latter at 9 minutes of ''Les Cathedrales'', it's pretty much the same as the ending of ''Seven Stones'', and ''Atmospheres'' got the same vibes as ''Stagnation'', but I can live with it, even if they show a certain lack of inspiration and originality.
SharkTooth 05.22.19	1 is an interesting album, but a slow burner it took quite a bit of time for me to get into it, plus it feels more like a grower over more listens than usual as such I don't really have a rating for it atm will check 2
SharkTooth 05.22.19	currently listening to 2 and it's definitely more accessible gonna be a tough round tho
rockandmetaljunkie 05.22.19	Armageddon definitely deserves a spot in this journey/competition
SharkTooth 05.22.19	Enter it next time then I'll shoutbox you to do it if need be
SharkTooth 05.22.19	2 is an absolute joy to listen to, def. hear the Yes and Crimson in it but yeah I'm feeling somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4 on it I really need to relisten to Pulsar
Friday13th 05.22.19	Fireballet is a pleasant surprise. Good choice, wham!
Divaman 05.22.19	After first listen, I have a clear preference. But still have two listens of each to go, so maybe it will turn around.
Sabrutin 05.22.19	Oh nice I remember e21's interest for Pulsar, I also remember checking it out and digging the album. edit: Fireballet's album is on Spotify (remastered) with a couple of bonus tracks (one of which looks like a live King Crimson medley)
e210013 05.22.19	After two listenings of "Night On Bald Mountain" I must confess that I'm pleasantly surprised by it. It's true that it doesn't bring to us anything particularly new. But it's very well performed and it's always a pleasure to revisit the good old classic sound of such amazing British classic prog bands that we can feel on the album. Thanks to bring it to us, wham.
Friday13th 05.22.19	I agree with other comments regarding Fireballet. I hear Yes, Genesis, Nektar, and King Crimson in that order (oh and ELP since the final track has Mussorgsky). It's mainly the guitarist who clearly loves him some Steve Howe. The surprise is that the band is not simply a Yes clone like Starcastle or Druid. Some very memorable lines in there and good flow.
wham49 05.22.19	well I am pleasantly surprised guys, I see this as more of a love letter to the greats not a rip off, glad you see it the same way
Divaman 05.23.19	After two listens, pretty sure of my vote. But I'll give them each another listen tomorrow before I finalize it.
Scheumke 05.23.19	I'm not THAT well versed in the classics that I see Fireballet as a clone. I was very pleasantly surprised by it. Have yet to listen to Pulsar, hope I will be as enjoyed by it as by Fireballet.
Scheumke 05.23.19	I love the fact that they actually used the 'Night on Bald Mountain' classical song in a progrock setting. Good throwback vibes to the Disney movie Fantasia, where that song was the epic climax of the movie.
TwigTW 05.23.19	Just checking that I'm in the right place... The Pulsar we are listening to starts where the little boy is singing the melody from "Danny Boy," right?
TwigTW 05.23.19	Nevermind, the answer was right there in front of me... "Yes. It begins with the child song, the "Halloween Song"."
Sabrutin 05.23.19	2 is very solid, probably my favorite of the three I heard so far in this tourney. Now it's finally time to revisit 1, which according to my last post in its review I haven't heard since 2016
Jethro42 05.23.19	2 is better than I thought at first, good musicianship, good execution, but the blatant similarities with other bands of the 70s increase with each listens. It seems they were really in admiration for their idols.
Jethro42 05.24.19	Halloween part 1 is so haunting, so emotional and intense. I'm never tired of it. Halloween part 2 sure has its moments such as the final keyboard solo a la Jan Hammer, but it doesn't really reach the level of part 1 imo. Part 1 is perfect though.
Jethro42 05.24.19	Oops...Double post
MrSirLordGentleman 05.24.19	I remember not being a huge fan of Halloween (at least not as much as other people). It was pretty well executed but I felt it was kinda bland and didn't have anything truly distinctive in its sound for me. That being said, it's been some time since I last listened to it so I will do it again
Divaman 05.24.19	I'm ready to vote. I liked the Pulsar a great deal. It's subtle and atmospheric. I enjoyed some of the tasteful flute work, and the mellotron and piano. The vocals were nice -- used sparingly, but effective. I definitely heard the similarities to Genesis, as well as bits that made me think of King Crimson, The Moody Blues and even Tangerine Dream. I also find the album to be a grower -- I like it better each time. This is actually one of my favorite albums I've heard in any of the prog contests so far. The Fireballet certainly has a lot of other elements I liked. Along with the familiar classical riffs by people like Mussorgsky and Debussy, two composers I particularly enjoy, I certainly heard the ELP and Yes influences. Unfortunately, most of the parts of the album I liked best weren't the original parts, but the parts that were lifted wholesale from the classical composers. (And the vocalist in the first song reminded me uncomfortably of Monty Python's Michael Palin.) The Fireballet was good, but the Pulsar was better than good. My vote is for Pulsar.
SharkTooth 05.24.19	on an objective measure I feel 1 is the better album however I enjoyed 2 a lot more this is hard
e210013 05.24.19	It seems this will be a very a very tough prog journey. Besides both albums belong to the symphonic side of prog, both are very different and great in its own way. One has a more original and unique mood and the other has a more traditional classic mood.
e210013 05.24.19	After 4 auditions of "Night On Bald Mountain" and one more of Halloween", here is my verdict: Pulsar - Halloween: This is an album with no secrets to me. I know this album since it was released and I have a vinyl copy bought at the time, besides a CD copy, and I also saw the world presentation live of the album in my coutry. So, this is an album with no secrets to me. "Halloween" is a continuous original concept piece with a dark romantic mood a kind of a soundtrack of a misterious creepy film, but it's extremely beautiful too. It has some influences of Genesis and Tangerine Dream, but above all of Pink Floyd the band that most influenced Pulsar in the beggining of their career. But, it also comes to my mind the classical music, the romanticism of Gustav Mahler’s music, and the atmospheric ambiguous and indolent of the Luchino Visconti’s film “Death In Venice”, as I mentioned on my review. This is an album that always stired very deeply with me. I always felt that this work was very close to be a great masterpiece of prog. It stayed very close to achiving this status, I think. It was a pity that failed for so little. Fireballet - Night On Bald Mountain: "Night On Bald Mountain" is an album with a more traditional classic mood with the traditional several tracks. It seems the band intend to pay homage to the big classic British prog bands that they revere like Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, VDGG and ELP. However, we can't say that the music of Fireballet is simply a clone of the music of those bands. It has nothing of original, but is very well done, really. Sometimes it reminds me of Nektar, too. And in some tracks it seems to me that I'm listening some lost Genesis' tracks from the era of "Trespass". But I've no problem with that. I can live perfectly well with all those influencies. It's always a pleasure to revisit the good classic old days of prog made in an intelligent way. So, the final result is a great album without weak points, really. It's a pity that one of them has to stay on the way. Besides "Holloween", "Night On Bald Mountain" is the best thing that appeared in this tourney till now. Great surprise, indeed. So, I've rated before "Halloween" with 4.5 and I decided to rate "Night On Bald Mountain" with 4.0. So, my vote goes to "Halloween".
Friday13th 05.24.19	2-0 @e21 yeah there's definitely some VDGG in the vocals of 2 now that you mention it.
e210013 05.24.19	You can see it on the 2 tracks "Night-Tale"
SharkTooth 05.24.19	I find both on equal footing so I'm gonna have to vote on personal preference, which goes to 2
Friday13th 05.24.19	2-1 I thought it was gonna be a much easier choice too. I'm jamming both again.
Friday13th 05.24.19	I'm going to have to vote for Halloween. It may be a bit slow, but I really like the mood. The singing even makes it sound like a gothic rock album, like Sisters of Mercy or my personal favorite Saviour Machine. Emotional and fairly ahead of its time prog. 3-1
Jethro42 05.24.19	@Friday, in additional to be math prog, is your nominee gothic rock at some point?
wham49 05.24.19	Is 1 original? I guess, is any music original at this point. It is good don't get me wrong, too much of an investment to get into it tough. Slower music is harder for me to get into, 2 is much more accessible IMHO. plus it is much more fun
SharkTooth 05.24.19	>is any music original I'd imagine the more experimental/out-there stuff out there like Trout Mask Replica/Metal Machine Music/Bar Sachiko/Philosophy of The World might be considered "original"
wham49 05.24.19	ok, just got done listening to 1 for the second time, I do like the spooky elements or ambient tones as it may be and the guitar work, still seems a little to sparse for me, I love the last 5 minutes though. I will go with my selection, wanted to give it an honest chance though. I guess it comes down to , what can I realistically think I would go out of my way to listen to again, and 1 doesnt make that cut also Trout mask, can go under the avante guard jazz thing, yes there is original music made, but can almost always find a predecessor that is very close to the model used. I think the best bands are ones that tie a couple different genres together to make something that feels new with some ode's to the past
Divaman 05.24.19	So that's an official vote for 2, right Wham?
Jethro42 05.24.19	I gave another try to Night On Bald Mountain. Sorry to repeat myself. It's a good jam when they don't imitate other bands. It contains too many copycats, and it's what I retain the most about the album. They are too evident, and additionally, they tend to repeat the same pattern inside a song, which increases the flaw. Halloween is an album I know for a decade, and the keys, the vocals and the atmosphere get me everytime. It's dark but it has something optimistic at the same time. As for the tempo, I have nothing against it. i like the mellow vibes such as Tangerine Dream, Harmonium, Celeste and....Pulsar and such. I vote Pulsar.
Friday13th 05.25.19	4-1 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sharktooth
Friday13th 05.25.19	@Jethro The Mercury Tree? No, I don't hear any gothic rock. It's too weird and technical for that.
wham49 05.25.19	yes
Friday13th 05.25.19	4-2 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sharktooth wham
TwigTW 05.25.19	I'm enjoying the Fireballet and all its classic influences, but the simplicity of the Pulsar is really nice too. I can't say which direction I'm going in yet, but I'm enjoying figuring it out.
TheNotrap 05.25.19	It’s time to get progged and jam these albums
TheNotrap 05.25.19	I'm listening to Pulsar now, the vocals don’t impress me, but the spacey vibe is nice
TwigTW 05.26.19	Was absent-mindedly listening to the Fireballet, and for a moment I honestly thought I was listening to a Yes album.
bgillesp 05.26.19	Gonna finalize my opinions on 2 today and 1 maybe tomorrow I think
Papa Universe 05.26.19	both albums are pretty much on the same level for me, but Fireballet was just a little more energetic and memorable, so by this much I vote for 2
Friday13th 05.26.19	4-3 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sharktooth wham Papa
TheNotrap 05.26.19	Pulsar As I mentioned earlier I didn't like the vocals very much, but I always have a soft spot for Floyd-esque spacey music. Solid. Rating: 3.2/5 Fireballet I found the album interesting, the music is vibrant, the singer has a wide range with nice dynamics that reminded me of Peter Gabriel and the production is also good. Rating: 3.6/5 My vote goes to Fireballet
Friday13th 05.26.19	4-4 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sharktooth wham Papa Notrap
wham49 05.26.19	Getting interesting
MrSirLordGentleman 05.26.19	I'll go with Fireballet I enjoy Halloween more now, but I still can't find the "haunting sound" people say it has Fireballet on the other hand is fantastic instrumentally speaking (but I really don't like how Yes they can sound sometimes)
Friday13th 05.26.19	4-5 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sharktooth wham Papa Notrap Gentleman
SharkTooth 05.26.19	The tides have turned
Divaman 05.26.19	Finished listening to the entries in Friday's first prog contest from 2013. Lots of good entries there. Some of the ones I liked best never made it past the first round, like Brooklyn's own Sweet Smoke. Also, Druid finally got their first vote (from me) 5 years after the fact.
bgillesp 05.27.19	For me, fireballet starts out okay but finishes very strong. Overall a weak 4. Also the bonus tracks on spotify I’m not counting because they were really terrible in my opinion, haha
e210013 05.27.19	"The tides have turned" Yeah, so does it seems my friend. But I'm still thinking the same as you. 1 is better than 2, but 2 can be more appelative for some.
Scheumke 05.27.19	Could be a coin flip for me atm. I'll listen once more before I vote. Both are great picks though
Sabrutin 05.27.19	Honestly don't know what to pick. 2 is very solid throughout but 1 is more peculiar, though its thoughtful and restrained nature makes it feel like it offers less meat than 2
e210013 05.27.19	"1 is more peculiar, though its thoughtful and restrained nature makes it feel like it offers less meat than 2" That is true, Sab. But don't forget that it's a concept album. And in the nature of a concept album, its music is naturally more restrained because usually it flows as a continuous piece of music. So, is less varied.
Jethro42 05.27.19	The winner would have to be Halloween, it's so clear to me. So much more replay value!
Jethro42 05.27.19	I'm sorry wham...it's a matter of personal taste.
zakalwe 05.27.19	‘A night on bald mountain’ titters like an 8yr old schoolboy
wham49 05.27.19	no worried Jethro, glad it is this close but I think the verdict is still out on the winner.
Sabrutin 05.27.19	@e210013: I don't dislike Halloween's slowness, repetition can be important to build music. These albums are very different so I don't know what to favor in the competition
Scheumke 05.27.19	Oki so after another listen I'm ready to give my vote. I really enjoyed both albums. Pulsar's moodyness and vibe really appealed to me and had a great intro-track which immediately set the tone for the record for me. Fireballet had the quirkyness and more of a classic symphonic-prog feel to it which I really liked. I also enjoyed the adaptation of the classical song 'A Night On Bald Mountain' which is a great piece of music. In the end I slightly favor Fireballet because it is a record that I see myself spinning every now and than going foreward. I don't really have that same feeling with Pulsar. So my vote goes to Fireballet.
Sabrutin 05.27.19	I'm voting for Halloween, as with time I imagine it's the one that can grow the most, whereas Fireballet's album will likely be more of an istant album rather than a grower. But really, I dig them both and I don't really have a preference. (should I maybe refrain from voting at this point?)
Friday13th 05.27.19	5-6 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sabrutin Sharktooth wham Papa Notrap Gentleman Scheumke
tmthycnnlly 05.27.19	First off let me say major props to both these albums for breaking a bit of a prog drought for me where nothing was really clicking. My vote goes to halloween for being a more unique listening experience for me but Fireballet is a real fun listen too.
tmthycnnlly 05.27.19	Also hello everyone it's nice to be back as a hopefully regularly voting spectator to the tourney
Zig 05.27.19	I have been very busy this week but finally I got a chance to listen to both albums. Let’s to this: 2 is good, some great jams with jazz qualities, but I felt it kinda underwhelmed; now, 1 is epic, greatly influenced by classical, for me it’s a very solid record, with a lot replay value. That said, 1 is my vote!
Friday13th 05.27.19	@tmthy nice to have you back! 7-6 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sabrutin tmthy Zig Sharktooth wham Papa Notrap Gentleman Scheumke
TheNotrap 05.27.19	Both albums were nice picks
Jethro42 05.27.19	So tight, thanks God for I've voted early. At this point, the more it goes, the more it's hard to make a definite decision.
SharkTooth 05.28.19	I know what you mean, I voted for 2 but as time passes I'm feeling 1 more
TwigTW 05.28.19	This is another great match. Both albums are really good in different ways. It's a little hard to compare them directly because they're aiming for different sounds (and they both do it well). The Fireballet has fun showing off its influences, but it's more than just an homage to 70s prog icons. It's well paced, with some very enjoyable prog noodling. I think it's a great listen from beginning to end... The Pulsar is quieter and atmospheric. I like its simplicity and spaciness. Plus it's a little moody too, which I enjoy. It didn't jump right out and grab me like the Fireballet did, but it has slowly pulled me in. I will be playing both albums in the future. But because I'm enjoying the Pulsar a little more, my vote goes to Halloween.
hansoloshotfirst 05.28.19	tough round. I enjoyed both albums a lot. But there can only be one...and in this round it is 1. it has more staying power and I also find it overall more intriguing than 2 . Therefore my vote goes to Pulsar.
e210013 05.28.19	Tough round indeed, but finally I think we have a winner, since that only miss two votes and they can't change the final result. I'm very glad with the victory of "Halloween", but not necessarilly because it was my knight. I really think it's a better album, but, above all, it's more original. I even dare to say that it's one of the most original albums I've ever heard. The mix between the beauty and its dark mood is absolutelly amazing. This is why I always loved it. But, I must confess that the second album surpriseed me deeply. I don't expected an album with such quality with so varied influences, perhaps too many. But I absolutelly agree that its music isn't a simple a clone of the mix of all those bands. Maybe the problem with this bad was that they weren't able to discover their own path. I think that was the reason why, after the failure of their second album, why they broke up. And it was really a pity. I think they had all the main carachteristics to be a very sucessful prog band. So, thanks again wham. You brought to us a very interesting album. By the way. It's my intention to bring to Sputnik the complete trilogy of Pulsar in terms of reviews. I mean the three first albums of them. So, after Friday's tournament, I intend to complte my path trough the world of Yes with more 6 albums. But, after that, I'll bring to you the first and second albums of Pulsar, to complte that trilogy. I know that it will please to Jethro. We both love their second album "The Strands Of The Future". It has, in our opinion, the best track ever made by them, the title track suite. The first one is a much simple album, very influenced by Pink Floyd style, which were their heroes and the reason why they were called the French Pink Floyd. I hope that you read and check those albums too. I think Pulsar deserves that.
Friday13th 05.28.19	9-6 Divaman e21 Friday Jethro Sabrutin tmthy Zig Twig hansolo Sharktooth wham Papa Notrap Gentleman Scheumke
Friday13th 05.28.19	Still waiting on bgill, Casavir and hopefully Snowdog. It does look like Pulsar has it in the bag.
e210013 05.28.19	Oops! I didn't know that there were still more 3 participants missing. Sorry. I didn't know about Snowdog. My apologies.
Friday13th 05.29.19	Alright, TIME'S UP and Halloween still has over 8 votes and wins!
bgillesp 05.29.19	So sorry, I meant to finish this up last night. I will today though
wham49 05.29.19	well I guess you got blocked bgill, not that it would have mattered
wham49 05.29.19	must say I am a little salty, not that it matters, but was hoping to finally break through to the second round for the first time, good luck e
bgillesp 05.30.19	My vote would be for Pulsar btw
Friday13th 05.31.19	@wham it was a def a good album! Lots of good albums get cut on the first round :/ I liked your story that you just picked this up at the store after seeing Ian McDonald in the credits. Those are the kind of chance finds that I love to hear about.