Mr Peabody
07-06-2005, 10:29 AM
I received my new ProgRock purchases yesterday and gave each a spin. Cross's Playground is very good. They have a more classic Prog sound. People who enjoy Pink Floyd would probably like them as well. They are a new signing with ProgRock and I would consider them a feather in PR's cap as to me they seem to be a cut above most of the other stuff I have bought from PR. Cross is a tight band with excellent musicianship and arrangements. The sound quality and production is good, not reference but good. The only criticism I have is the vocals is going to take me some time to warm up to. They didn't put me off as much as the singer for Tangent but I still didn't instantly warm up to them either. Just as a side note I eventually did deal with the singer for Tangent, I don't know if I just tolerate it because the music is so good or what.
OK, Frameshift's Absence of Empathy, I was very anxious to get my hands on this album. I liked Skid Row and was excited to hear Sebastian Bach was back in action. Frankly, I was disappointed. It is a stretch to call this album Progressive in my opinion, it is more of a straight Rock album featuring keyboards and some sound effects. A few songs use those rhythym machines instead of real drums, a big turn off for me. The album was produced to where there isn't much air between the instruments, like everything is kind of squeezed together and no real impact from the instruments. You know what I mean, you hear the drum but no matter how loud you turn it up you just can't get the physical feel from it. There are some strong tracks on the album but if I had heard the whole thing first I don't think I would have bought it. Bach does a pretty good job overall. He gets some of his trademark screams in but I don't think he really got to that emotional level he was at on some of the Skid Row songs.
I have not been real happy with the sound quality of a lot of the albums from ProgRock, they aren't terrible but seem a little thin sounding. The Cross album is an exception but I think they were actually recorded and produced in Sweden. Anyone else notice this or is it just the particular albums I've bought?
OK, Frameshift's Absence of Empathy, I was very anxious to get my hands on this album. I liked Skid Row and was excited to hear Sebastian Bach was back in action. Frankly, I was disappointed. It is a stretch to call this album Progressive in my opinion, it is more of a straight Rock album featuring keyboards and some sound effects. A few songs use those rhythym machines instead of real drums, a big turn off for me. The album was produced to where there isn't much air between the instruments, like everything is kind of squeezed together and no real impact from the instruments. You know what I mean, you hear the drum but no matter how loud you turn it up you just can't get the physical feel from it. There are some strong tracks on the album but if I had heard the whole thing first I don't think I would have bought it. Bach does a pretty good job overall. He gets some of his trademark screams in but I don't think he really got to that emotional level he was at on some of the Skid Row songs.
I have not been real happy with the sound quality of a lot of the albums from ProgRock, they aren't terrible but seem a little thin sounding. The Cross album is an exception but I think they were actually recorded and produced in Sweden. Anyone else notice this or is it just the particular albums I've bought?