Forum Member Hears The Album Today

Post by **MayorOfLongview** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 12:11 pm

Okay, its Yeshead's luck day - maybe. At least he and possibly one more forum member is about to hear the album from beginning to end. Fun

Post by **Bnielsen** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:53 pm

-sigh- must... move... closer... to... Longview

yeshead 777 · Post by **yeshead 777** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:03 pm

Sorry its so late for me to get some kind of reply on the forum. I told Steve I'd be out of commission for about a week, but here it is, better late than never. First, let me say this publicly-its quite an honor to be summoned to the palatial Sound Resources-for such an event as this. This was my second pre-hear of a new GH CD-the first was "COA" with Elric over two years ago. Its beyond cool to sit right in front of the board and speakers and be the first "FAN" to probably hear this! But whats even cooler is the fact that these guys are my friends!!!! I'd do anything for them cause their hearts are in the right place. They are the real thing., and I consider them my good friends. Now, with that said-the new album. Not surprisingly, it is far DIFFERENT than any other GH has done before-this is a GH CD you can actually sing along with and tap your feet to!!!!This is also the most ACCESSIBLE and NON-PROG CD of theirs. Are these bad things??? Absolutely not! It is also probably the most fresh and exciting first listen of any of their CD's for me-including COA!I'm not gonna say much more except this:Will the true blue GH fans like it? Absolutely!!! Will the true blue PROGGERS like it? I think most will. Will it expose GH to a larger fan base? Possibly, and hopefully, but it reality probably not. Its great music by great musicians-and unfortunately that is not what is POPULAR in today's culture--but here's hoping!

Post by **Sam Gamgee** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:40 pm

It's ok. When things become popular, they sell out and get watered down and lame - if not by the artist, by the fans. So I hope GH never gets popular.

I'm looking forward to the album! Whee!

(I still don't think anything could beat lex rex and coa though.)

Post by **Bnielsen** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:21 pm

Hmm... accessible and non-prog?

I'm sure my co-workers will still tease me for listening to 'that train-wreck music'

yeshead 777 · Post by **yeshead 777** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:15 am

I guess the term "non-prog" is totally subjective! In the context of other contemporary music, it is VERY progressive, but compared to previous GH efforts, it is not progressive at all-according to the rules of complex structures,long instrumental breaks, epic songs,chord changes,"concept"album theme, etc. The ultimate test is: is it fresh, exciting, challenging, interesting, and entertaining? In the case of "TCFTBH" the answer is:YES,YES,YES,YES,YES. But it sounds nothing like-YES!!!

Post by **Bnielsen** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:22 pm

Sounds nothing like Yes?

Oh, no! What will the poor haters on progressiveears say?!

yeshead 777 · Post by **yeshead 777** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:20 am

Bnielsen wrote:Sounds nothing like Yes?

Oh, no! What will the poor haters on progressiveears say?!

They will have a field day I guess! You won't find a "glory" , or any trolls,maidens,knights,wizards,swords,or battles either!

Post by **MayorOfLongview** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:04 am

yeshead 777 wrote:
Bnielsen wrote:Sounds nothing like Yes?

Oh, no! What will the poor haters on progressiveears say?!
They will have a field day I guess! You won't find a "glory" , or any trolls,maidens,knights,wizards,swords,or battles either!

And I was just dying to write a Viking Saga concept album! <g>
Notes...
Lyrically inspired (on the songs I wrote lyrics for) by Victorian poets with a little Lovecraft thrown in for good measure.

Musically - I think we set out to make a Glass Hammer album - not a prog album.

Those influences (at least in my writing and based on things Fred has mentioned to me about his) are as diverse as Rush, King's X, Blackfield, Bowie, The Beatles, Hooverphonic, Portishead and The Bird and The Bee. Accessible (in the sense that you can remember the melodies the first time you hear them), yet still obscure enough to insure we haven't sold out! lol

I suppose if Blackfield, Rush and PT are prog - this album is prog. If not - then it isn't. Its not 'retro'.

And Yeshead's got it right - not one drop of Yes-influence that I can detect. Not intentional of course. In fact - there was no musical agenda when we set out to do Three Cheers - except that we wanted to do shorter songs this time.

Hoping you'll all enjoy them!
Steve

Post by **Sam Gamgee** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:03 am

Meh, they'll be ok, I think. You know. Glass Hammer tends to be decent enough as a general rule.

NelStone · Post by **NelStone** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:11 pm

When a band keeps doing prog just for prog's sake, they just stop, well, progressing, if you get what I mean.

So you guys just do what you want musically. If the music's good, the music's good. If not, then... well, at least my copy's autographed.

Just kidding! I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

shanocles · Post by **shanocles** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 1:20 am

NelStone wrote:When a band keeps doing prog just for prog's sake, they just stop, well, progressing, if you get what I mean.

So you guys just do what you want musically. If the music's good, the music's good. If not, then... well, at least my copy's autographed. Just kidding! I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

yeah exactly. prog is water-holder-backer fine stuff but if its done just for the sake of keeping it retro or whatever - its hardly an adventure.

from reading yesheads review i'm looking forward to something new and different. cool!

yeshead 777 · Post by **yeshead 777** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:05 pm

So the above-mentioned forum member who pre-heard the disc a month ago, didn't get his copy til yesterday. I procrastinated. It's interesting how my middle-aged memory faded alot since that first listen, but the things I loved about it the first time were even more obvious on the second and third listens. This IS the best-mixed GH album-hands down! The vocals are not only the strongest-they are finally mixed properly so it feels more like a vocal album, where in reality its the best mix of vocals and instumentation not only on a GH CD, but any-in a long while.Fred does a phenomenal job juggling guitars,keys,and vocals. Plus, this is the hookiest,most melodic,group of songs He's ever written. And's Steve lyrics are the most poignant and personal, and those harmonies....just wonderful!My favs so far:Mid-Life Weird and Hyperbole.

Post by **FredProgGH** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:35 pm

Well, Steve wrote most of the hooky melodies, I wrote the rockin' riffs but thanks!

(Hey, I had a poignant lyric too )