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nicholtl

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Everything posted by nicholtl

  1. LOL, fair enough. Thanks for trying our my suggestions though!
  2. Sure Ron, I'll do my best to summarize it cleanly and succinctly... Muse, my favorite band of all time, are a Brit 3-piece that sight influences from Radiohead to Rachmaninoff. The vocals by Matt Bellamy (who was recently #29 in Total Guitar magazine's top 100 guitar players in the world - above The Edge (U2), Pete Townshend and Chuck Berry and his riff in "Plug in Baby" came 13th in in Total Guitar's poll of the top 20 riffs.) switch from melodic crooning to hardrock screams, from high-pitched falcettos to awe-inspiring vibratos. Their music is frequently called "rock operas" and "epically apocalyptic in scale," as they frequently make use of violins, opera singers, and piano - which Bellamy is quite talented with as well. Their songs often ring in between 5-6 minutes, most often because of the mesmerizing, blistering, and utterly masterful guitar solos in many of their songs. Muse also makes excellent use of distortion pedals as well. If you are to sample one of Muse's albums, their latest, titled "Absolution" is definitely the one to pick up. The Doves are also a group hailing from the U.K., whose style is best described as dreamy, hazy, epic, and atmospheric. Critics liken their style to classic Manchester bands as The Stone Roses, New Order, and The Smiths. Their songs are almost all ballads, but the unique way in which they utilize their effects-pedals and keyboards makes their sound unlike anything you've ever heard before. Their musicianship incredible, and truly addicting, almost like crack cocaine smothered in nicotine and dipped in dark-chocolate. Doves' latest album, "Some Cities," is in my opinion their strongest work thus far. Sigur Ros is a group from Iceland, and is said to be the best thing out of there since Bjork. Some say even more so. Their sound is grand, sweeping, with soaring vocals that float atop the majestic tapesty of textured and layered riff and chords, much like a gentle fog floats across a vast and tranquil lake. The lyrics alternate between Icelandic and Hopelandic, a made-up language by the group, although most listeners would never know the difference. Radiohead has cited heavy influence from this band. Fans will argue which of Sigur Ros' 4 albums best reflect the group's "sound," but I would suggest you either check out their latest, "Takk," or the one titled "( )." Yeah, parenthesis. Radiohead is one of the 90's most popular, influential, and powerful rock bands. A true supergroup in every sense of the word. Their musical style, however, is easily one of the love-them-or-hate-them types. There is no in-between with Radiohead. With their earlier works more accessible and "commercial" sounding pop-rock melodies (I promise you you've heard "Creep" before), with each album their sound grew, progressed, and became increasingly experimental, until their latest album, "Hail To The Thief," (a highly political stab at President Bush), making a step back to their more accessible roots. If you must try and album, try "Ok Computer," generally regarded among fans as their best work to date. And forget I ever mentioned "Severed Heads." They're an avant-garde electronica band. Not prog-rock at all.
  3. I'd have to say some of my favorite progressive rock bands are: Muse Sigur Ros Porcupine Tree Dream Theater The Doves The Mars Volta Severed Heads ...And of course, Radiohead, whatever category it is they fall into.
  4. Wow, things got heated quick round here. CTP is a good guy, a cool cat, and I'm sure knows more than most of us did at 15. Let's all chill out and be amicable, we're all friends here. Cause hell, this ain't www.monstertruckforums.com or anything.
  5. Sup Sputnik... Yeah, Sigur Ros is amazing. Beyond words, literally and figuratively, since the floating vocals are sung in both Icelandic and Hopelandic (a made-up language, though few listeners would ever know the difference!). I only mentioned "( )," but both their albums "Agaetis Byrjun" and "Takk" are astounding as well. I haven't yet listened to "Von," but from what I've heard and read, it's significantly different (and worse) than the aforementioned?
  6. The Clientele "Strange Geometry" - Dreamy, haze-rock. Described as having a lush, soaring sound of Coldplay meeting Simon & Garfunkel. Diecast "Tearing Down Your Blue Skies" - Heavymetal that changes from brutal double-bassdrum and screams to melodic crooning. If you're a fan of Shadows Fall or Killswitch Engage, this album is definitely for you. Sigur Ros "( )" - almost indescribable in their music (as the English language has no words that would do this band justice), the closest thing to categorize this heavenly, epic, and utterly majestic sound of this Icelandic group is to take Thom Yorke's (of Radiohead) vocals, and layer them over the fuzzy tapestry of My Bloody Valentine's shoegazer rock style. Sigur Ros is truly a band of the ages.
  7. That's a great looking home you've got there, westcott. Very nicely done!
  8. Awesome, have fun! Like I was telling you onine, I'll be at the Porcupine Tree concert at The House of Blues on Sunset Blvd.!! Was at a Gustav Mahler concert at the Walt Disney a few days ago, a Doves concert a few days before that, and will be going to The Clientele's show in San Diego in a couple weeks. Talk about variety!
  9. Indy, do you have a link to pics of your finished HT? I'd love to see it, since I remember it when it was but a mere conception and blueprint...
  10. That is one mighty impressive record collection!
  11. James, you and your gf on your bed, with music blasting... ...I don't even NEED to ask...!!
  12. TKD, if you're still looking for new rock releases on high-rez formats, here are some in SACD, DVD-A, and DualDisc... Eric Clapton "Going Home" Snow Patrol "Final Straw" Chevelle "This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)" Mudvayne "Lost & Found" and "End of All Things" Keane "Hopes and Fears" Oasis "Don't Believe The Truth" Howie Day "Stop All The World" Judas Priest "Angel of Retribution" Three Days Grace "Three Days Grace" 3 Doors Down "Away From The Sun"
  13. Ahh, that's a real shame. CompUSA sucks. Btw, Jim, my hookup to Parasound Halo products was never through GG (Parasound pulled their distributing license from GG a while back too), but through a dealer in Fort Worth, Texas. The prices were incredible, because he's one of the nation's largest Halo dealers.
  14. I've had the new Seether album for quite some time now. It's good, nothing mind-blowing, just your standard fare of commercially catchy hardrock. There was less melodic singing than I expected, though.
  15. Are you serious? Saturated? But as far as I know, here in California (or LA at least), there are no other "mass market" stores that offer the more expensive, higher-end products that GG did. Best Buy certainly doesn't. Of course there are the likes of Ken Cranes and Sound Factor, but that's one step away from getting into boutique realm...
  16. I'm just curious... We all recommend new albums each week. But are these albums you guys and gals are all buying weekly, and then suggesting after-the-fact? Or is everyone just listing music that have long been in their collection? Personally, I'm always suggesting albums I bought only days before posting.
  17. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Lynn. Stay strong and know that you have the support of everyone here.
  18. But I thought they were just recently bought-out by CompUSA?
  19. Thebes, I still haven't won a T-shirt and I want one (size M) more than crack cocaine smothered in nicotine and dipped in chocolate!!! Killswitch Engage "Alive or Just Breathing" - Heavymetal CD Shadows Fall "The War Within" - Heavymetal CD Jim Yoshii Pile-Up "Picks Us Apart" - Indierock CD Wolf Parade "Apologies to the Queen Mary" - Indierock CD Romeo & Juliet Soundtrack (the one directed by Baz Luhrman, yes yes, I realize this is a VERY old flick...) - various genres The Notwist "Neon Golden" - Indierock/Electronica LP
  20. I love your prose, Thebes. Ever consider becoming a short-story novelist?
  21. Here's an idea: check out Pioneer Elite, Denon, Sony ES, Yamaha, Integra, Rotel, and Harmon Kardon. They all make receivers that are in every way, "high-end," with a price-tag to match. The new Denon 5805, for example, has anything but an "anemic" power-supply.
  22. Single malt scotches. My favorites (that I own too) being Macallan 18, Lagavulin 16, Caol Ila 12, Oban 14, Clynelish 14, Balvenie 15, Talkisker 12, Springbank 10, I could go on...
  23. You might also want to consider throwing a carpet of some sort down on the linoleum floor. That, and the bare wooden walls, can wreak havoc on your room's acoustic properties...
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