Friday13th: Summer of Prog Discovery M5

Friday13th 06.26.18	Voting ends next Monday.
Jethro42 06.26.18	That's the opponent I expected to have. Might be tight once again. To find 2 on spotify, you only type Detta.
Papa Universe 06.26.18	Well, this has jazz in it, I better enjoy it.
TwigTW 06.26.18	yeah, the covers give it away, we're not in the 70s anymore.
Sabrutin 06.26.18	"modern prog with some decidedly modern album art" Please don't be a hour long Please don't be a hour long Please don't be a hour long
Divaman 06.26.18	53 mins, Sab.
Divaman 06.26.18	Hmm. After first listen, this won't be an easy choice. Both albums have their charms.
Jethro42 06.27.18	Even if Diagonal is more energetic, more compact and Gosta more laid back, more ethereal, they both share similar ideas and compatible patterns. Diagonal is more in your face, and Gosta takes all its time to get tamed.
e210013 06.27.18	Ok, let's start to check both.
Divaman 06.28.18	Think I have a winner after two listens, but I'll give them each one listen more. This is a tough one.
gagnonov 06.28.18	i'm going with Gosta Berlings Saga. i think Diagonal started off slow, didn't like it much, but it got better with every song. solid album, though i find Gosta to be way more consistent from front to back.
e210013 06.29.18	This is a tough one, indeed.
Jethro42 06.29.18	Gosta makes warm, sometimes dark music. They can be challenging, but they usually layer simple and repetitive structures that build the way post-rock does, except that here we prog hard and we find climaxes into most of the songs. And repetitiveness is all fine when it's beautiful. Gosta has a raw sounding and is centered around a dissonant, jerky guitar and a melodious keyboardist. No vocals required, the music speaks from itself. They adopt an unique style and I think we can call it avant-garde. Album has plenty of standout tracks, and I'm never tired to listen to them. Diagonal his kinda adventurous heavy prog full of energy delivered in both cold and warm touches, with some hypnotic patterns. While album has its highlights, I think that all the songs drag on a bit too long and the instrumentation, the arrangements or the jams don't always fit in. Variety is beautiful when it flows at a minimum. So yeah, they're too much adventurous for nothing in places, and it doesn't suit well the standout moments found in each songs. ''Cannon Misfire'' is arguably my favorite one with that hypnotic, powerful bass and guitar duo. I love the vocal melody in ''Child''. Also its ''morse code'' kind of playing the piano and snare. ''Pact and that mellotron burst... But at the end of the day, I found couple of filler moments into each and every songs. The best moments are probably from Diagonal, but Gosta has more replay value for me, so yeah, Gosta that is.
Friday13th 06.29.18	0:2 gagnonov: 2 Jethro: 2
bgillesp 06.29.18	Bump cuz I forgot about this week and others may have too. Jamming now though
bgillesp 06.29.18	Pretty clear vote for 2 for me. I'll keep jamming them but I'm confident in my preference. It's nice to hear a modern prog album that both sounds modern and good. Normally I don't like modern prog unless it sounds like a throwback.
SCREAM! 06.29.18	been slackin on this one, will hopefully get my vote in this weekend
Divaman 06.29.18	I liked both albums this time, but I also give the nod to 2. Diagonal is a strong album, although there are times when they go deliberately sour that I could have done without. Gosta Berlings Saga is beautiful at times and abrasive at times. I don't usually like instrumental albums this much - I'm a vocals kind of guy -- but there's a lot to like here.
zakalwe 06.29.18	Dei Balocchi is still me fave of the competition so far. For this round I’m going to stick with Diagonal.
bgillesp 06.29.18	It's my 3rd fav zak. My 1st and 3rd favorites are out in round 1 ):
Papa Universe 06.29.18	I shall go with Diagonal. Gosta was intriguing, but Diagonal just has that hard-psych beatdown vibe I cannot resist.
Friday13th 06.30.18	2:4 gagnonov: 2 Jethro: 2 bgill: 2 Divaman: 2 zakalwe: 1 Universe: 1
Divaman 07.01.18	Just found out that Renaissance is playing near me towards the end of the year. I've never seen them before. Don't know what they've got left in the tank (at one point, I had heard that Annie Haslam blew her voice out a while back). I'm damned sure going to find out, though.
Friday13th 07.01.18	@Divaman should be worth it! Renaissance is very good.
Jethro42 07.01.18	Renaissance have changed all the line up except for Annie. John Tout and Michael Dunford have passed away during this decade. I would not be surprised that Annie's vocals are not the same anymore. 46 years have passed since Prologue. What a career! Musicians will probably have to adjust the instruments to a lower key for her.
Friday13th 07.02.18	1 has one heck of a knee-slapper songtitle for the first track.
Friday13th 07.02.18	Love the Crimsonesque heavy jazz grooves on 1.
Friday13th 07.02.18	Wow, was not expecting the ambient/post rock track at the end.
Friday13th 07.02.18	Oh man, there are some absolutely nasty, modern harmonies in 2. This is gonna be a tough choice.
hansoloshotfirst 07.02.18	oh well it is definitely a close one. I vote for 2. It's basically a tie for me but there can only be one and 2 has a bit more replay value.
TwigTW 07.02.18	This week we have two instrumental prog bands. I think they're both very good. it's really just going to be decided by which style I prefer more. Now, if only I could decide which style I prefer more. :-/
e210013 07.02.18	For the first time, on this tourney, I have some doubts and I'm a bit divided. Both albums are great and very similar in terms of quality. There's a lot to like here. So, this was a tough choice, really. Diagonal - Diagonal: "Diagonal" is based on a rich instrumentation and a sophisticated songwriting and is especilly indicated to those who have the preference on 70's prog music. This is a very dynamic album full of great instrumental tracks with many nice instrumental passages. At a first listen we are thinking that we are hearing a 70's truly classic prog album, because the band sit very comfortably in this genre. Many classic prog bands can appear in our minds, mainly Camel and King Crimson. This is an amazing debut album. For a debut it all sounds performed with ease, amazingly varied, flexible and even experimental in parts. It's a great experience for a true prog head. So, my rating is 4.0. Gosta Berlings Saga - Detta Har Hant: "Detta Har Hant" is a modern prog rock album with varied influences that goes from dark symphonic to jazz, from RIO fragments to space rock harmonies. It also comes to my mind the traditional Scandinavian music that reminds me a bit of Anglagard. Perhaps it wasn't a coincidence the appearence on the album of Mattias Olsson of Anglagard. This is a very well ballanced album with some intricate sound and very adventurous. So, as a final result we have here a very good album of interesting, creative, and subtlely complex songs. This is an excellent release that deserves a lot of attention, especially from those who enjoy adventurous instrumental music. So, my rating is 4.0. As I must to chose one of them, my vote goes to Gosta Berlings Saga because I think it's an album a bit more balanced, creative and adventurous.
SCREAM! 07.02.18	If it was shorter I would definitely go with 2 as I found the highs on that one to be higher than what was found on 1 but it unfortunately wears out it's welcome in a couple of the longer songs and also by the end of the album as a whole (still enjoyable overall though). So I have to give it to 1 for being a little more digestible for me
SCREAM! 07.02.18	@twig 1 isn't instrumental?
TwigTW 07.02.18	Really? Maybe I grabbed the wrong album, lol. I'll have to go check that.
SCREAM! 07.02.18	THere's a Diagonal - Diagonal on spotify but it's a different band/album than the one in the YT link. :P
TwigTW 07.02.18	Ok, I have the right album (thank goodness)... Yeah, you're right Scream, it isn't an instrumental album. I guess because I was focusing on the instruments so much I started thinking of it that way. The vocals almost seem like bookends to me, or just a frame for the (instrumental) songs to happen within--but that doesn't make them instrumentals. I should pay more attention to the vocals :-)
Jethro42 07.02.18	''Wow, was not expecting the ambient/post rock track at the end.'' Yes Friday, that portion is a big surprise. I could easily see the post rock section being included into Detta Har Hant. Same for the soft piano lines of ''Child''. i really love that song, ''Cannon Misfire'' and ''Pact''. I learned to love them just like they are. @e21, I see that both albums were a tie for you. I'm glad you came to appreciate Detta Har Hant. They released three other albums if you're interested. They use the same formula; Instrumental with a huge sense of melody thanks to the complicity of keyboards and guitars with addition of wind instruments, cello and violin here and there. I think I've taken a risk to choose an instrumental album, because it can be harder to appreciate them. But I thought it was kinda unique and well crafted, and I'm glad people seem to dig it.
Sabrutin 07.02.18	I'm voting for 2
Papa Universe 07.02.18	to everyone both voting for 2 and not, let's be honest, the drum solo at the end of the first track on Diagonal is sweet as maple syrup. aye?
bgillesp 07.02.18	ye, it was a close one for me this round
e210013 07.02.18	@ Jethro This was really a tie for me. Thanks for the tips, friend. Surely I'm interested and very curious about their other releases. I hope to check them since I've time. For now, they're in my list of albums to check, as many others.
TheIntruder 07.02.18	It was a tie one decision for me too. I love both albums almost at the same level. But my decision goes to Diagonal. I love their retro prog sound. It reminds me the great classic times of prog.
TwigTW 07.03.18	I'm gonna go with 1
Papa Universe 07.03.18	attaboy
Jethro42 07.03.18	Boooooo
Papa Universe 07.03.18	Boooooo yourself
TwigTW 07.03.18	lol
Papa Universe 07.03.18	Jethro 42/100
Jethro42 07.03.18	not yet
Friday13th 07.03.18	5:7 gagnonov: 2 Jethro: 2 bgill: 2 Divaman: 2 zakalwe: 1 Universe: 1 hansolo: 2 e21: 2 SCREAM: 1 Sabrutin: 2 Intruder: 1 Twig: 1
Friday13th 07.03.18	This is tough. I'm gonna use the next two hours to jam them again!
Frippertronics 07.03.18	slap me on for 2
Friday13th 07.03.18	While it was a tough call, I think 2 wins out as a more cohesive album as well as the more modern prog album to my ears. 1 was more varied and melodic, but parts of 2 impressed me the most. It was like a band metitated on King Crimson's "Fracture" and tried to copy its abstract yet driving sound. Really spellbinding. 5:9 gagnonov: 2 Jethro: 2 bgill: 2 Divaman: 2 zakalwe: 1 Universe: 1 hansolo: 2 e21: 2 SCREAM: 1 Sabrutin: 2 Intruder: 1 Twig: 1 Fripper: 2 Friday:2
wham49 07.03.18	sorry gentleman, was camping and forgot to post my choice which is 2 by the way. It looks like my vote wasnt that big of a deal so that is good, should be good for the rest boys, bring it on; my matchup should be coming soon and I have a good feeling that I know my opponent.
Friday13th 07.03.18	5:10 gagnonov: 2 Jethro: 2 bgill: 2 Divaman: 2 zakalwe: 1 Universe: 1 hansolo: 2 e21: 2 SCREAM: 1 Sabrutin: 2 Intruder: 1 Twig: 1 Fripper: 2 Friday:2 wham: 2 Alright, 2 is the winner. Get ready for match 6!
Jethro42 07.06.18	''It was like a band metitated on King Crimson's "Fracture" and tried to copy its abstract yet driving sound'' Friday, since my English has its limits, i'm not sure about what you meant there. ''Fracture'' is so corrosive I cannot see any similarities with Detta Har Hant.
Friday13th 07.07.18	@Jethro I was saying Detta sounds like Fracture. A big compliment from me, given it's one of my favorites, but that's fine if you don't hear it. I'm throwing it into that category of prog instrumental instead of something more symphonic like Snow Goose or too avant like Univers Zero.
Jethro42 07.07.18	Gotcha. ''Fracture'' is easily in my top 5 KC songs. When I've first read you, all I had stuck in my head was the heaviest parts of ''Fracture'' and so I didn't understand that reference. Good observation, Friday. I can detect similarities in a good portion of the song now, not in the sound of course, but in the intention. You really have a good ear to detect musical compatibility ;)