User
Reviews 5 Approval 93%
Soundoffs 52 Album Ratings 2598 Objectivity 62%
Last Active 08-13-22 10:54 pm Joined 08-15-08
Review Comments 17,989
| Prog epic Rd 3
Here’s a slice of enthusiastic toe-tapping, dense popish prog filled with clever flutes and rich key patterns in opposition to a dense, enthusiastic, concept album formula, or at least dosed with recurrent themes and filled with melodic, orchestral horns, strings and repetitive, but rich patterns. | 1 |  | Kostas Tournas Eternal Fields [Απέραντα Χωράφια]
In some ways I regard "Endless Fields" to be a "prog rock archetype": an early '70s album, written in its entirety by a boygenius (Tournas was 23 at the time), regarding the struggles and pointlessness of existing in the harsh modern world (it was during the military Junta), with recurring themes and reprises, varying between rock, jazz, and classical music (recorded with the Greek National Opera Orchestra). The lyrics [found in the description] are in Greek, but I suppose you can google-translate them, and see the longing for an idyllic past, the angst of wasted youth, and the journey of the hero unfolding. Musically, it's diverse, daring, rich, and dark, but also nostalgic in many parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCMGuFEkDeY
- Mythodea | 2 |  | Yesterdays Colours Caffè
Prog can be a tiring genre. It's easy to find a lot of very concept heavy, wild albums that ask a lot of close attention. Yesterdays go the opposite route. They are able to write catchy prog that comes off as an easy listen, but don't miss the mark in terms of complexity and interesting arrangements. This band is hungarian and based in Hungary and Romania.
Summer is coming, and this album fits right into the season.
https://open.spotify.com/album/6xEZCUlibbPw9EpU4QFurC?si=apXYI4h9T3ONHf4JlU93MA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A6xEZCUlibbPw9EpU4QFurC
- kalkwiese | |
Jethro42
05.24.23 | Voting ends May, the 31st. A good one everyone, and vote for your favorite. Be sure of it. For my description, it's the other way around. | Koris
05.25.23 | As usual, I'll check these out over the weekend. Got a long weekend too, so I'll have more time to digest them :] | Donchivo
05.25.23 | Here we go again! Both blurbs sound promising and another two bands (artists) I never had heard before. I hope I will dig these as much as your contestants from last year! | e210013
05.25.23 | I like both albums. I already listened "Colours Caffè" by 4 times. So, I'm very sure about the album. About "Endless Fields" I only check it once. So, I need to check it some more times and then take my decision. I think this time I'll vote sooner. | Jethro42
05.25.23 | I observed that I have to do my matchups early in the tourney, to be sure I don't miss one and starting juggling. | TheIntruder
05.25.23 | Let us see what we can expect from these 2 in this round. | kalkwiese
05.25.23 | Getting into my opponent atm
It's gonna be a good week | Jethro42
05.25.23 | Thanks to manosg or whoever from the staff, for the feature! | Zig
05.25.23 | must say, Endless Fields is cool, but it's a shame that underproduction.
gonna jump to yesterdays | bgillesp
05.25.23 | That I goodness I was able to check 2 out before we started. I definitely liked it, though the Hungarian language was very unusual to my ears. Looking forward to hearing 1 | Jethro42
05.25.23 | None English language on this round. I forgot to mention it on the description. | porcupinetheater
05.26.23 | No English last round either hot damn | porcupinetheater
05.26.23 | Tbf regardless of language most prog lyrics are probably best left unexamined | kalkwiese
05.26.23 | Yea, true, sadly
Also non english languages give me eurovision vibes :D | manosg
05.26.23 | Always a pleasure Jethro and glad to see Eternal Fields on here; a hugely important achievement considering the circumstances in Greece when it was recorded. Really interested in seeing how it fares. | Jethro42
05.26.23 | Welcome to the prog bandwagon, manosg from the Greek sput community. :)
It's true, no English for the last round either. It's gonna be a minoritary language in no time!
| porcupinetheater
05.26.23 | Damn Myth this Kostas Tournas album is excellent, gonna disagree hard with ZIG about the production, lo-fi for sure but wish there was more lo-fi prog, and the separation on the instruments ugh it’s amazing. Bass sounds fucking delicious
Really does feels like it’s made by a young dude with how many whiplash transitions there are, but there’s enough panache to actually sell them | zakalwe
05.26.23 | Blimey Kostas Tournas eínai katapliktikó | Jethro42
05.26.23 | Kostas Tournas is quite a bit repetitive, but I guess it's a concept album formula with recurring themes. | Mythodea
05.26.23 | We have the "Manosg Stamp of Approval", that's a good start! Glad to see you guys enjoying it so far. It is lo-fi, but as porc commented, the instrument separation is delicious, and it's also a good thing considering how many instruments there are, and how scarce the means were
It is a concept album, so much of the repetitiveness has to do with that. But at 30 minutes of duration, it's also acceptable, as I don't think it overstays its welcome | Jethro42
05.26.23 | I don't know how to deal with a thing. We have a guy whos album is not prog. I said it to him, and he replied that it was prog. I said to him ''it's up to you.'' Now damage is done. I matched it to another one already. But it's unfair. I already know which one is gonna win out of both. Oh well... There are times I would give up. | Jethro42
05.26.23 | Decidedly, we are in presence of opposite albums in style. It's a question of taste, really. Nostalgic Symphonics or popish a la A.C.T meets Spock's Beard. | SlothcoreSam
05.26.23 | Kostas for me. | Jethro42
05.26.23 | 1:0
Sloth | Jethro42
05.26.23 | @kalk, you have a good candidat. I just didn't match it with the good one. It would fit more with Aisles - The Yearning. | zakalwe
05.28.23 | Despite dropping off a bit in the second half Eternal Fields is still the best I’ve listened to so far this tourney and I do prefer it to caffe
Stick us down for Kostas please | Jethro42
05.28.23 | Yes, I think it's gonna be a one way, that round. I kinda overrated Yesterdays. It's great though. Good songs album.
2:0
Sloth
zak
| Koris
05.29.23 | Kostas for me as well, due to its musical/lyrical diversity and ambition. I like how it combines jazz and classical/orchestral elements, as well as the dark-yet-relatable lyrics. This is an easy pick for me tbh | Jethro42
05.29.23 | 3:0
Sloth
zak
Koris
| Jethro42
05.29.23 | Kostas makes seem Yesterdays bad. | Zig
05.29.23 | must go with Kostas Tournas. although, I've criticized its production, it grew on me, and it's a great and rich 30-minute suite. really enjoyed those symphonic sections, the guitar work, and its overall structure.
for Yesterdays, I like the instrumental bits, but when the vocals kicks in it may get radio friendly. Némafilm szvit II mid section is the best music on that record. |
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