Found a rare photo of Lars indicating how many different time signatures he can play… 
(It’s a joke - a JOKE… don’t reprimand me for having some sort of “ism”… 
)
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I’ve been meaning to give you a shout out for your reply to [FAT Rat } on Pauls post last week. I was always taught if you can’t say something nice about someone, keep your mouth shut. We don’t know these people on these forums. We don’t know what their lives are like ,or what they have to endure every day. None of us are perfect, but we have one thing in common. We all love music. within the big picture of life, we’re only going to be here for a short while. Is it really that hard to be nice to each other !. This is the first audio forum I’ve ever been on after 70 + years of life. I am so happy to share my thoughts and kinship with like minded people.
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Ya, Rat & I are friends in a small email group but when he doesn’t like something or someone he can be a bit cold & relentless. It hit a nerve as I was in a long term relationship with a gal in a wheelchair who worked at a disability center so I got to see my share of disabled & blind folk. I mean, I don’t know the guy - whether he is good or evil but if he is living with blindness, his life is arduous enough without people pointing out faulty spelling in typing or a speech to text program like children in a school yard.
Yup common ground, it’s even nicer to have fellow progheads… Because the complexity of prog is clearly for us smart guys… right? 
I need to be challenged by the music.
I found myself working yesterday again re-spinning the new Fixx album on a shameful loop…
Check it out…. Not prog but hits something right with me…
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Guy’s good! Fun vid too.
And then there’s Blundell…
Holy.
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I just listened to the new FIXX album on tidal. I’m ready for another go round. The last album before was from 2014. This one is from last year. Are they still together , or was it just something thats been in the can for a while ?
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Well here ya go - a review from a prog site. I thought there were prog sounds in it - but then you start to believe you are inserting a prog angle on every new album you like…
Marathon (Netherlands) Had 3 albums (2 studio, 1 Live) - very Saga sounding upon first listens.
Worth a periodic spin.
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Well I read a review on Prog Mind about Single Celled Organism and I am currently listening to Percipio Ergo Sum and its very nice!
Give it a listen and share your thoughts.
very Saga like
Thanks - Did the 2 albums today - the newer one (Percipio) is OK, the earlier 2017 Splinter in the Eye was more enjoyable for me. I’ve heard some tracks from that one on Morow. Great guitar, good song writing, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the female lead vocal tracks - I’m not a big fan of most female vocals - especially in prog. There are some exceptions like Ambeon and Landmarq & a few others. But overall good stuff. We are so fortunate there are almost endless prog bands out there - it’s just too bad there aren’t so many great prog recording engineers…
Speaking of - what gear do you run?
Marathon: I’ve read that Saga was always far more popular in Europe than even in their (my) one country - so perhaps influences…? Most folk would be surprised that Saga has released 22 studio albums and 9 live albums. Full Circle (1999) is my favorite.
Today after the Single Celled Organism samplings, my work day fell into a Tidal search I had in my notes for Lullaby for Grown Ups by Professor Tip Top - not sure where I heard it and liked it enough to make note - so I spun that album several times today. Great stuff! Categorized as Psychadelic Space Rock/Prog from Norway. Very melodic, superb guitar (really makes the album) kinda psychedelic but without sounding too 60’s. Some track are quite repetitive, which is delightful when done well. Quite a few tracks started out not impressing my ear but by the end they were quite spectacular. Again, the guitar work is outstanding. It reminds me of someone - I can’t quite pinpoint who yet - it’ll come to me. Best part is there are six more albums to listen too. The 2nd track here - Life Is No Matter is almost hypnotic. It is a great day when you discover new stuff.
Cheers! Just trying to give some back. Your recommendations have opened up a lot of great listening adventures for me!
I agree on the older vs Percipio. He just released another album this month which I still have to listen to. Similar opinion on the female voices in prog.
Saga is still super popular in my native Puerto Rico. Those concerts with the lights, etc were the stuff of dreams for us. One I like since it puts it all together is The Chapters, not the best recording but it has the story…
I had never heard of Professor TIPTOP I just fired it up on the desk system. Starting with the oldest album I found (Exobiology). Comments to follow. So far very trippy guitar
There are so many great prog albums out there that just don’t sound right… annoying.
My gear:
Current stream setup: Wiim Pro digital to Topping D90SE
Digital: Sony ES transport Modwright Truth mod; Sony SACD Modwright; Theta Data universal to Theta Gen V Pro DAC
Volume control; Lexicon MC-1 (Audio Research kaputz beyond repair. Looking at options see below)
Infinity IRS Beta
Threshold Stasis 12e for low frequency
Manley Snappers for mid/highs
Amps and Servo controller connected to a Decware Zen Line Conditioner
Lexicon and transport connected through Van Alstine humdingers
lots of AQ interconnects, Blue Jeans interconnects, AQ speaker cables
Seven Audio acoustical treatments
Search for a preamp. Considering:
- PS BHK
- Manley NeoClassic
- AVA Fet Valve CFR or Transcendence RB
- Primaluna Evo 400
- Decware Zen Triode Pre
- used Audio Research SP of Ref series
- Freya +
I appreciate suggestions.
Well the 2014 Professor Tip Top is certainly more hippy dippy trippy 60. Kinda reminds me of a proggier version of Kula Shaker.
On to the 2019 album…
Gotta love Tidal.
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Well I’ve been streaming Professor Tip Tip for a week straight now and went to find a place to see if I could purchase their albums and find out that Sam Fossbakk / guitar, keyboards, synth, vocals - the heart of the band died last July of liver cancer. Sad news. Diagnosed in 2020 - still put out two albums. I find the newer the release - the better I like their stuff. Seems they went a bit proggier and less trippy as albums progressed. Although Life Is No Matter (2017) might be my fav.
I know I don’t say much , but I read everything and always check out the music. I don’t know how you find these new bands, but i’m happy you do. I just listened to the [ Life is no Matter album]. Very nice. That track [ Lullaby for grownups ] has that guitar work that makes you replay it a few times. Just beautiful ! Now I have to check out their other albums.
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I’ve got their Basine and Moonshine albums but haven’t hear this one yet - just spun the last track - wow - now THAT’S a solo. Rothery is like a UK version of Lukather - he can just play anything. Lukather and Rothery - two of my favorites. I’ll do the rest tomorrow. I’ll say it again, the amount of great prog that hail from Poland is remarkable.
I wonder how incredible the live music scene is over there…?
Abraxas (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Albion (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Art Of Illusion (Poland) (Prog Metal)
Believe (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Collage (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Disperse (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Indukti (Poland) (Experimental - Post Metal)
Joseph Magazine (Poland) (Prog Rock)
Love De Vice (Poland) (Crossover Prog)
Lunatic Soul (Poland) (Crossover Prog)
Millenium (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Moonrise (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Ordinary Brainwash (Poland) (Crossover Prog)
Osada Vida (Poland) (Heavy Prog)
Quidam (Poland) (Neo Prog)
Retrospective (Poland) (Prog Metal)
Riverside (Poland) (Prog Metal)
Satellite (Poland) (Neo Prog)
State Urge (Poland) (Crossover Prog)
Tune (Poland) (Crossover Prog)
Votum (Poland) (Prog Metal)
Walfad (Poland) (Crossover Prog)
Yesternight (Poland) (Neo Prog)
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(no video I could find)
The last minute & a half of this is sheer prog chord change delight. It reminds me of a Hammond S6 organ my grandparents had that I used to play the crep out of on my summer holidays in Kelowna - this track replicating what I’d play mostly just using the left hand chord buttons. I guess I was a prog kid at 8 and just didn’t know it yet. I could play keys but I couldn’t solo very well yet…
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Max Webster (Kim Mitchell) one of our Canadian most underrated gems. Another delightful complex time signature. A long time fave for me. I’d love to know what blue river liquor shine refers to…?
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Some of the best harmonies you’ll hear.
I could do with one less “Rock On” tho…
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