Recomendar
Song Of The Day - 26th August 2008: The Sixth Extinction
Ago 26 2008, 19h16
Ayreon / "The Sixth Extinction" / 01011001 (Disc 2, Track 7) / Jan 2008
Artist: Ayreon
Original Album: 01011001
Track: The Sixth Extinction
I've been holding off on picking an Ayreon track despite nattering on about the project for a while. The reason being that there are too many Ayreon tracks that are worthy of a mention, and so many of them have their own unique reason for their choice, but in the end it has to be this one for the jaw-dropping ad-libs at the end. The first ten or so times I listened to it I was close to shedding tears of joy at the end it was that good. I think it was either the second or third time I heard it I actually did notice a small tear descending a little way. I can't think of any other time music has had that effect on me. Sadly I can't quite parallel the same level of excitement any more having listened to it an average of once a day for the last several weeks. Instead it's become more of a sing along kind of affair unless I'm on the train, then it's more of a challenge to keep my mouth shut. ...Urk.
So there's been this proverbial cloud over my head for a while. When am I going to drop an Ayreon track into Song of the Day, and which one? I think it had to be this one all along, even despite flirting with the idea of picking another. But not having it set in stone was becoming too much to bear, so I've relented, and am hoping this will get Arjen out of my system for a couple of days.
Artist: Ayreon
Original Album: 01011001
Track: The Sixth Extinction
I've been holding off on picking an Ayreon track despite nattering on about the project for a while. The reason being that there are too many Ayreon tracks that are worthy of a mention, and so many of them have their own unique reason for their choice, but in the end it has to be this one for the jaw-dropping ad-libs at the end. The first ten or so times I listened to it I was close to shedding tears of joy at the end it was that good. I think it was either the second or third time I heard it I actually did notice a small tear descending a little way. I can't think of any other time music has had that effect on me. Sadly I can't quite parallel the same level of excitement any more having listened to it an average of once a day for the last several weeks. Instead it's become more of a sing along kind of affair unless I'm on the train, then it's more of a challenge to keep my mouth shut. ...Urk.
So there's been this proverbial cloud over my head for a while. When am I going to drop an Ayreon track into Song of the Day, and which one? I think it had to be this one all along, even despite flirting with the idea of picking another. But not having it set in stone was becoming too much to bear, so I've relented, and am hoping this will get Arjen out of my system for a couple of days.
Comentários
-
MercurialMusica escreveu:
Grant... very nicely done! This is definitely one of my most-played CDs-- actually, 2 of them-- of 2008. I hardly ever even buy CDs anymore, but I had to have this... mainly because I got tired of looking up the lyrics online to see who sang what part, and because I wanted to be able to blast it while driving and my in-car iPod player just wasn't cutting it. It is also one of the few CDs that I listen to these days where I can actually play it with my kids as passengers. The whole "spreading our seeds" concept is over their heads as they've not advanced to that level of biology just yet.
You probably know by now how I feel about Jorn Lande, and one of my favorite parts of The Sixth Extinction is his spoken/sung part that ends with: "Stop the machines, prepare to DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" My kids just love it when I yell that bit, followed by some maniacal air keyboarding (quite difficult to execute while navigating through the suburbs; luckily, I've perfected the art of steering with one knee over the years ;) ).
Annnnnyway... you are absolutely correct in that the ad-libs are a STUNNING climax to a magnificent album. Daniel Gildenlow continues his vocal excellence present elsewhere on 01011001... but another blazing star of this track is Steve Lee. Every time I listen to this album, I slap my forehead and wonder why it is that I have not added any Gotthard to my collection. Even though what I've sampled of that band's material is in more of a "radio-friendly" pop rock vein than I usually prefer, I just love Steve's raspy voice. And btw, I have a feeling that Arjen's stuff is not going to be leaving my playlist for quite some time ;) -
GrantRS escreveu:
You don't buy CDs anymore? *Gasp* I hope you're paying for legal downloads then because otherwise it's stealing. The sleeve notes are essential for this one, and all Ayreon releases really. Actually, make that all concept albums.
I don't think there's anything filthy about the 'spread our seeds' part in Newborn Race and Ride the Comet, the Forever clearly aren't supposed to be human, and there's no real details given about the seeds that merit any claim that it's filthy. For all we know, the 'seeds' could be readymade mini-clones that will mature on their own or in Egyptian style pyramids or actually like plant seeds as in a horror movie or something. Really nothing filthy about that.
Over the course of my first listen I went from not knowing Jorn's name to having to move him into a very high slot on my mental hierarchy of top singers. In fact, on first listen the only vocalist on the album I already had in my collection was Tom from Evergrey. Of course, I knew of a lot of the others. I'd heard Bob, Steve, Daniel, Hansi, Ty and Floor before, but none of them were in my collection. Oh, and I had heard Jorn, but only once or twice and didn't realise that I had until later making the connections to the bands I had heard before.
Anyway, I was really really impressed by all participants, with the possible exception of Ty who practically had a spoken part. Particularly though, I was impressed with Jorn like I just mentioned, and surprised by Hansi as I had previously decided I didn't like his vocals, but he has redeemed himself.
Oh, and working on the assumption that the ad libs were written by the performers and not Arjen, the one thing I've found to criticise is how cliche Steve's ad lib is: "I know we'll make it in the end!" Real original! ...but it just sounds awesome, I can't deny that!
I know what you mean about Gotthard being 'radio-friendly', what I've heard has mostly been on youtube, but I have to keep in mind that anything on youtube is likely to have been selected as a single and to have a vmusic video because it is the most 'radio-friendly' song on the album. However, I don't hold out a lot of hope for the album tracks to really counter-balance the accessibility. Still, it's tempting to see the list of Ayreon collaborators as a checklist of bands to own "at least 1" cd by. -
MercurialMusica escreveu:
You don't buy CDs anymore? *Gasp* I hope you're paying for legal downloads then because otherwise it's stealing.
LOL... I said *hardly ever* :) These days I mainly get CDs when sound quality is the most important; for example, I want to hear every ting and spray of Mike Portnoy's cymbals and every gasp that comes from Matt Bellamy's precious throat! I also buy some imports when I can't find the tunes to DL. Oh, and I buy used CDs quite a bit too. In fact, not too long ago I upgraded to some Rush remasters that I found really cheap.
I have several pay sites that I download from... my husband tried to explain that filesharing stuff to me one time and it was waaaay too much techie mumbo-jumbo for me. That said, I'm not opposed to snapping up some free .mp3s if they're posted on a blog or something. I look at it as "try before u buy". You can't beat the instant gratification of downloads though. I got the new albums by Dokken and Whitesnake as soon as I remembered they were out :)
And then also, when we lived overseas several years ago, my husband was gifted with a very large library of music, which might be of dubious origin, I have no idea. All I know is that I have so much Bob Marley that I could listen to a different track every day for more than two years and not hear the same version twice! Not that I would ever do that. That library might be where a bunch of my classic rock came from-- a lot of my Deep Purple, KISS, Aerosmith, etc. But wouldn't it be funny if I'd actually been listening to Japanese karaoke versions of these tunes for all this time?? LOL... ;D
I don't think there's anything filthy about the 'spread our seeds' part in Newborn Race and Ride the Comet
Well, I was kinda joking... but really, whenever I hear the "find your way home, little extremophiles... donors of life..." part I always envision male reproductive cells. I know they're supposed to be migrating through outer space or something, but I can't help it. I'm weird.
Over the course of my first listen I went from not knowing Jorn's name to having to move him into a very high slot on my mental hierarchy of top singers.
I know exactly what you mean!! But mine is not just mental; I keep a list of favorite male vocalists in a little notebook. You know, so if anyone ever asked me, I could just rattle them off and not slight anybody. Not that anyone has ever asked me. It is not something I'd ever post online because I'm very fickle and just cannot commit to a permanent ranking of best vocalists ever. Plus it seems I fall in love with new ones every week at least.
and surprised by Hansi as I had previously decided I didn't like his vocals,
Hmm, does that mean you'll be giving Blind Guardian another try then? I really like 'em. I find a little power metal goes a long way so I'm pretty particular about the music I acquire in that genre. I've been burned before-- only like one or two songs by Stratovarius... find HammerFall to be sorta boring, etc.
the one thing I've found to criticise is how cliche Steve's ad lib is: "I know we'll make it in the end!" Real original! ...but it just sounds awesome, I can't deny that!
Ha ha... I agree totally :) It reminds me of some television theme song... but yes, the man can certainly belt it out with style.
Still, it's tempting to see the list of Ayreon collaborators as a checklist of bands to own "at least 1" cd by.
This is basically how I see it :) Tracking all the various artists down has been keeping me very entertained over the past several months. Looks like we definitely share that interest :) -
GrantRS escreveu:
But wouldn't it be funny if I'd actually been listening to Japanese karaoke versions of these tunes for all this time?? LOL... ;D
LOL. Yes, that would be pretty funny. I would've thought you'd be able to tell the difference though. They're probably just your ordinary pirate copies.
Hmm, does that mean you'll be giving Blind Guardian another try then? I really like 'em. I find a little power metal goes a long way so I'm pretty particular about the music I acquire in that genre. I've been burned before-- only like one or two songs by Stratovarius... find HammerFall to be sorta boring, etc.
Again, lol. I honestly can't remember where my huge HammerFall playcount came from. I have a couple of their cds, but I haven't been listening to them at all for months, must be coming up for a year now. I think it was just because they were one of the first power metal bands I heard that I liked, so I just kind of dove in headfirst listening over and over again.
I will be periodically listening to Blind Guardian on sites like youtube and similar, but I'm finding a lot of their material on that site is much slower than I remember it being. Plus, a whole concept album about Lord of the Rings? I'm sorry, but I shudder at that thought. I like concept albums, but I'm not a fan of Lord of the Rings. You would have thought that I would be, but I'm not.
I think the problem is though that anything that can be easily categorised like HammerFall and Stratovarius is not going to maintain interest for too long. That's the appeal of prog, and perhaps more so bands that have elements of prog but can't easily be chucked into that category with much certainty.
These days I mainly get CDs when sound quality is the most important; for example, I want to hear every ting and spray of Mike Portnoy's cymbals and every gasp that comes from Matt Bellamy's precious throat!
For me that is just about everything. I'd struggle to name any one of my top 50 where I wouldn't want to have the cd to hear everything crystal clear...well, maybe HammerFall since I really don't listen to them at all anymore. Besides that though, I do generally find that I won't listen to music I haven't paid for more than four or five times even if I have downloaded, and there's a whole new appreciation for having the tracks in order, being able to hold the packaging in your hands and think "Yes, I own a cd by [whoever]", psychologically it really adds to my enjoyment of the music. I've never used paid downloads though because, basically, I don't trust myself or my computer not to accidentally wipe them. That, and I don't think it actually saves any money anyway.
