Flower Kings Official Thread

[kirksnosehair]

Wallstreet Voodoo has been queued up for me for a while, never listened to it, but have had a digital copy of it for years. I don't know why I've never gotten around to it. Maybe this weekend.

I never even made it through album.  It just didn't do anything for me.

[KevShmev]

I must be in the minority of those who actually likes Desolation Rose. Lots of great tracks there - Tower One, White Tuxedos, Silent Masses, Last Carnivore, and Runaway Train (from the bonus CD).

I don't dislike it at all.  It's a solid record, with some great moments. It just feels like some of the melodies and songs didn't quite stick to landing.  The Resurrected Judas is classic TFK structure and writing, but the melodies don't quite connect, IMO.  I love the middle 5-6 minutes of Tower One, but the beginning and ending both leave me hollow.

[Fritzinger]

I must be in the minority of those who actually likes Desolation Rose. Lots of great tracks there - Tower One, White Tuxedos, Silent Masses, Last Carnivore, and Runaway Train (from the bonus CD).

I don't dislike it at all.  It's a solid record, with some great moments. It just feels like some of the melodies and songs didn't quite stick to landing.  The Resurrected Judas is classic TFK structure and writing, but the melodies don't quite connect, IMO.  I love the middle 5-6 minutes of Tower One, but the beginning and ending both leave me hollow.

I can only repeat myself, I think Tower ONE is one of the band's best songs ever.

[The Letter M]

I must be in the minority of those who actually likes Desolation Rose. Lots of great tracks there - Tower One, White Tuxedos, Silent Masses, Last Carnivore, and Runaway Train (from the bonus CD).

You're not alone - I quite enjoy DR a lot myself, maybe even more than BOE. After DR was released, I was excited to hear a third album from that line-up after having been on a five year hiatus (after the release of The Sum Of No Evil in 2007), but they went on hiatus again for another five+ years. Of the two newest outings, I think I definitely like Islands more (and the Roger Dean cover kind of helps too, especially since blue is my favorite color - it adds to the overall feel of the album), though I haven't listened to either Islands or Waiting For Miracles for a couple of months now (as i've been in Transatlantic mode for awhile). I'll definitely have to revisit those albums sometime soon, especially since TFK is my Spring/Summer band to go to when those warmer months roll around (and today's high is 70 degrees!!).

I'm just excited to know that Roine and the band are already working on a third album with the current line-up, so now we won't see them fall into another five year hiatus and wait til 2025 to release their 15th studio album. Weird to think that TFK will be 30 years old by 2025 though. I wonder if they'll last that long...

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

I can only repeat myself, I think Tower ONE is one of the band's best songs ever.

To each their own.

When it comes to Desolation Rose, I am much more likely to revisit the bonus disc, as it has some really good instrumentals that I dig.

[darkshade]

I must be in the minority of those who actually likes Desolation Rose. Lots of great tracks there - Tower One, White Tuxedos, Silent Masses, Last Carnivore, and Runaway Train (from the bonus CD).

You're not alone - I quite enjoy DR a lot myself, maybe even more than BOE. After DR was released, I was excited to hear a third album from that line-up after having been on a five year hiatus (after the release of The Sum Of No Evil in 2007), but they went on hiatus again for another five+ years. Of the two newest outings, I think I definitely like Islands more (and the Roger Dean cover kind of helps too, especially since blue is my favorite color - it adds to the overall feel of the album), though I haven't listened to either Islands or Waiting For Miracles for a couple of months now (as i've been in Transatlantic mode for awhile). I'll definitely have to revisit those albums sometime soon, especially since TFK is my Spring/Summer band to go to when those warmer months roll around (and today's high is 70 degrees!!).

I'm just excited to know that Roine and the band are already working on a third album with the current line-up, so now we won't see them fall into another five year hiatus and wait til 2025 to release their 15th studio album. Weird to think that TFK will be 30 years old by 2025 though. I wonder if they'll last that long...

-Marc.

Considering the lineup changes, I have to wonder if both hiatuses were due to Bodin and perhaps him not getting along with Roine and/or the rest of the band.

[KevShmev]

I cannot remember where I read it, but Roine did an interview somewhat recently where he basically said that it felt like all of the members weren't "all in" when they reunited early last decade, and you know he isn't talking about Froberg or Reingold, so it was pretty easy to read between the lines there.  As noted before, I was kinda bummed when the band reunited for Waiting for Miracles and Bodin was not brought back, but I get why now, and his replacement Zach Kamins has done a tremendous job thus far, so it is what it is at this point.

[darkshade]

I think that was his recent interview with Pete Pardo's Sea of Tranquility show on youtube.

That guy has interviewed Roine, Neal and Portnoy recently.

[KevShmev]

That sounds about right. My memory about such things isn't as great as it used to be. 

[darkshade]

I can only repeat myself, I think Tower ONE is one of the band's best songs ever.

To each their own.

When it comes to Desolation Rose, I am much more likely to revisit the bonus disc, as it has some really good instrumentals that I dig.

I need to revisit that bonus disc, I don't know the tunes very much at all. I need to find that track list The Letter M made of of DR (and BoE) combining the main discs with the 2nd disc bonus tracks.

[The Letter M]

I can only repeat myself, I think Tower ONE is one of the band's best songs ever.

To each their own.

When it comes to Desolation Rose, I am much more likely to revisit the bonus disc, as it has some really good instrumentals that I dig.

I need to revisit that bonus disc, I don't know the tunes very much at all. I need to find that track list The Letter M made of of DR (and BoE) combining the main discs with the 2nd disc bonus tracks.

Letter M, I would like to try these modded TFK albums, do you have a list somewhere I can reference? I would like to see if I like BoE and DR more that way.

I may have posted them here in this thread but to save you the trouble of searching the thread, here are my "modded TFK albums" for BOE, DR, and as a bonus the track list for TSONE:

Banks Of Eden:
Numbers
Illuminati
For The Love Of Gold
LoLines
Pandemonium
Fireghosts
For Those About To Drown
Going Up
Rising The Imperial

Desolation Rose: (Songs marked with a -> are crossfaded/segued into the following track, edited in Audacity)
Disc 1
Tower ONE ->
Burning Spears
Lazy Monkey
The Wailing Wall

Dark Fascist Skies ->
Psalm 2013 ->
Sleeping Bones
Desolation Road
White Tuxedos

Disc 2
The Resurrected Judas
Silent Masses
Last Carnivore
Badbeats

Runaway Train
Interstellar Visitation
Blood Of Eden
Silent Graveyards ->
The Final ERA

(I may have missed a couple of segues, as I don't have a chance to listen to my mix of the album right not to check, but those are the few that I think are correct. Either way, most of the DR tracks from the main album that had segues remain in place, but I crossfaded the bonus tracks in some cases, particularly at the beginning and the end).

BONUS TRACKLIST!
The Sum Of No Evil
Disc 1
Love Is The Only Answer
Trading My Soul
Regal Divers
Turn The Stone
The River

Disc 2
One More Time
The Sum Of No Reason
Flight 999 Brimstone Air
Life In Motion

Hope you enjoy checking this alternate tracklists out! When I do these sorts of things, I tend to spend WAY too much time sorting the tracks out based on flow, relative pitch between songs, and how they might fit on a side of vinyl.

-Marc.

There ya go!

-Marc.

[darkshade]

Many thanks!

[HOF]

Kind of quick and dirty abridged Stardust We Are:

1. In The Eyes of the World
2. Just This Once
3. Church of Your Heart
4. The Man Who Walked With Kings
5. The Merrygoround
6. Different People
7. Kingdom of Lies
8. Stardust We Are

Just under one disc length at 78 minutes. I wish I could have for If 28 on there though.

Just listened to this abridged Stardust We Are tonight, and wow, is that an amazing string of 8 songs. Just This Once through Kingdom of Lies in particular are such fun listens. I don't have anything against the full two-disc version of SWA (which I've really come to love), but I think this track list would be up there for their strongest overall album.

[KevShmev]

I can't get on board with any abridged version of SWA at this point that doesn't have both The End of Innocence and Ghost of the Red Cloud.  And not keeping Poor Mr.Rain's Ordinary Guitar as the lead-in to The Man Who Walked with Kings is downright criminal.

[HOF]

I can't get on board with any abridged version of SWA at this point that doesn't have both The End of Innocence and Ghost of the Red Cloud.  And not keeping Poor Mr.Rain's Ordinary Guitar as the lead-in to The Man Who Walked with Kings is downright criminal.

I’ve only got two minutes to spare here!

[KevShmev]

I can't get on board with any abridged version of SWA at this point that doesn't have both The End of Innocence and Ghost of the Red Cloud.  And not keeping Poor Mr.Rain's Ordinary Guitar as the lead-in to The Man Who Walked with Kings is downright criminal.

I’ve only got two minutes to spare here!

Church of Your Heart and Kingdom of Lies are probably my two least favorite full length songs from SWA (leaving off the short interlude tracks), so neither of those would have a prayer of making a single disc abridged version for me.  I would have to have Compassion as well (the normal part of the song, meaning lop off the latter half with all of those weird effects).

[HOF]

I can't get on board with any abridged version of SWA at this point that doesn't have both The End of Innocence and Ghost of the Red Cloud.  And not keeping Poor Mr.Rain's Ordinary Guitar as the lead-in to The Man Who Walked with Kings is downright criminal.

I’ve only got two minutes to spare here!

I could probably let Church of Your Heart go, but Kingdom of Lies is definitely a favorite of mine.
Church of Your Heart and Kingdom of Lies are probably my two least favorite full length songs from SWA (leaving off the short interlude tracks), so neither of those would have a prayer of making a single disc abridged version for me.  I would have to have Compassion as well (the normal part of the song, meaning lop off the latter half with all of those weird effects).

[KevShmev]

I could probably let Church of Your Heart go, but Kingdom of Lies is definitely a favorite of mine.
 

Kingdom of Lies is a fun little rocker and I could understand keeping it for the sake of variety (it's the one true rocker on the album), but my knee jerk reaction most of the time to any thoughts of doing an abridged TFK album is, "Ditch the songs that Hasse sings first." 

[HOF]

I could probably let Church of Your Heart go, but Kingdom of Lies is definitely a favorite of mine.
 

Kingdom of Lies is a fun little rocker and I could understand keeping it for the sake of variety (it's the one true rocker on the album), but my knee jerk reaction most of the time to any thoughts of doing an abridged TFK album is, "Ditch the songs that Hasse sings first." 

I like Haas, but I can see not liking him. Maybe a bit too “rock ‘n’ roll” compared to Stolt? His voice isn’t what it was anymore these days. I do like him better than Gildenlow at least.

[darkshade]

I feel like Gildenlow's vocals would fit so well in The Neal Morse Band, if only he were American. With TFK, he has great moments for sure, but he was underutilized there IMO.

As for Hasse, I'm not sure but I think I would not appreciate an entire TFK album with only doing all lead vocals. I do think he helps add color to the band's already colorful music. One reason I love the UtF-A&E era is that there are 3 lead vocalists on those albums, that adds variety.

That reminds me, I need to revisit Pain of Salvation, I never really gave them a chance way back when.

[KevShmev]

I like Haas, but I can see not liking him. Maybe a bit too “rock ‘n’ roll” compared to Stolt? His voice isn’t what it was anymore these days. I do like him better than Gildenlow at least.

I don't dislike Froberg; I just prefer him in small doses, especially since his vocal are kind of hit and miss for me.  And, to be fair, he does sing quite a bit of lead on Paradox Hotel, which is one of my two favorite TFK records (and probably my favorite more days than not), so there is that.

I feel like Gildenlow's vocals would fit so well in The Neal Morse Band, if only he were American. With TFK, he has great moments for sure, but he was underutilized there IMO.

As for Hasse, I'm not sure but I think I would not appreciate an entire TFK album with only doing all lead vocals. I do think he helps add color to the band's already colorful music. One reason I love the UtF-A&E era is that there are 3 lead vocalists on those albums, that adds variety.

I thought Gildenlow's usage in TFK was just about right.  He is not a guy I want to hear sing all the time (his style is a bit too melodramatic to deal with on every song), but I enjoyed all of his vocal contributions on Unfold the Future and Adam & Eve.  I definitely liked the variety of three different lead singers on those two albums, and really liked how all three were featured on Driver's Seat.

[darkshade]

New album in the works

Boys are at work -  some randomly but others more frequently - relentlessly mining the  new TFK goldalbum ....to be.   'Mindset' for moi is - How did 'Stardust' come about ... ?  what was my mindset - the formula - how many risks did I take - True.. Equipment was very very simple - before the days of fancy mic pre's etc. -  SWA is indeed somewhat of an  innocent album - in that it  came from a pure stream of creating 'good music' for ME - prog or not  - but of course carrying a legacy -  Not only that of  King Crimson, Yes  and Genesis - but others  perhaps less  mentioned - such as Vanilla Fudge, Cream, The Mothers, Vangelis, Marvin Gaye, The Hollies, CSN&Y, Hansson & Karlsson, Collosseum,The Allman Bros. Band, Rolling Stones,  Weather Report -  So here I am now  trying to remember - after  a good 25 years of TFKing 'round this globe - and possible close to 100 albums and amazing collaborations with people from  Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Van Der Graf Generator, Dream Theater, Marillion etc -  So now - what is the gateway to a playful and fun 'Prog' album - within or without the boundaries ...?  - Who's advice should I take - and who to ignore ? -  What to revisit and where to move on -   I will find out. ( I already do  - and I enjoy in quite a bit  )  - A salute to  our great drummer Mirko  who jump heads and tails into helping me  making the demos  sound decent and  for me to understand the music better....

https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543/permalink/3963718113684442/

[Zydar]

Awesome! It's nice that he's referencing Stardust We Are.

[KevShmev]

Nice!  It's great to see the band not only active, but working at a pace similar to their early days when an album almost every year was the norm.  I am sure the pandemic is a big reason why, but I will take it however we can get it.

[darkshade]

Not to mention the AMOUNT of music on those albums, especially the doubles.

Islands, TFK's most recent album, a double album, fits on 2 CDs, and would fit on 2 LPs.

Unfold the Future, TFK's longest album, fits on 2 CDs, but needs 4, maybe 5 LPs, to fit it all.

An annoying trend over recent years is the tendency for bands and artists to put out a "double" album that is only mere minutes above the 80 minute threshold of CD capacity.

[darkshade]

I'd like to see at least one big epic on the new album. Their epics are generally some of their best music.

[KevShmev]

I am always down for a well done epic, so if is stacks up, bring it on. 

I don't have a problem with the length of their double albums.  I know they can be daunting for a possible new fan, but once you get into them, they are so rewarding. And I feel that they usually do a great job of having a lot of variety on them.  Take Unfold the Future.  The two discs are very different from one another (it feels like they are even mixed a bit differently, when talking about the original release), and each has a long epic, which are very different from one another. 

[The Letter M]

Someone asked Roine on FB about TFK vinyls and here's his response from a few hours ago:

There is a complete line of albums to be released next year starting with   'Back In The World' & 'Retropolis'. SWA   - Then  the other early albums - Flower Power - Space Revolver, Rainmaker  etc. - I'm remixing and remastering material right now this week .  - So others as vinyl are already up at   www.roinestolt.com

Looks like the TFK Vinyl series will begin in 2022, so you vinyl fans out there should start saving up! Those double CD albums won't be cheap I'm sure.


Also, I hope he doesn't remix them TOO much, like cutting out large portions of epics...

-Marc.

[HOF]

Someone asked Roine on FB about TFK vinyls and here's his response from a few hours ago:

There is a complete line of albums to be released next year starting with   'Back In The World' & 'Retropolis'. SWA   - Then  the other early albums - Flower Power - Space Revolver, Rainmaker  etc. - I'm remixing and remastering material right now this week .  - So others as vinyl are already up at   www.roinestolt.com

Looks like the TFK Vinyl series will begin in 2022, so you vinyl fans out there should start saving up! Those double CD albums won't be cheap I'm sure.


Also, I hope he doesn't remix them TOO much, like cutting out large portions of epics...

-Marc.

I would hope these are getting reissued on CD as well if he’s remixing them.

[kirksnosehair]

I'm fine with a double album, but I hope they avoid doing stuff like, for example, these tracks on Stardust We Are:


A Room With a View
Poor Mr. Rain's Ordinary Guitar
Crying Clown
Pipes of Peace
A Day at the Mall
Hotel Nirvana


I mean, it's not that big of a deal in the age of digital music because it's easy enough to just hit the delete button to get rid of this bloat.  But I'd really rather see that 7 minutes put into another actual good song instead of some guitar or keyboard noodling a mini drum solo or some ambient background noise from a shopping mall. 

[KevShmev]

Someone asked Roine on FB about TFK vinyls and here's his response from a few hours ago:

There is a complete line of albums to be released next year starting with   'Back In The World' & 'Retropolis'. SWA   - Then  the other early albums - Flower Power - Space Revolver, Rainmaker  etc. - I'm remixing and remastering material right now this week .  - So others as vinyl are already up at   www.roinestolt.com

Looks like the TFK Vinyl series will begin in 2022, so you vinyl fans out there should start saving up! Those double CD albums won't be cheap I'm sure.


Also, I hope he doesn't remix them TOO much, like cutting out large portions of epics...

-Marc.

I'd love to get Flower Power on vinyl, as it is one of my two favorite TFK albums and one of my all-time favorite covers, but if he starts chopping parts out of songs again, that might make me hesitate. 

[Fritzinger]

Someone asked Roine on FB about TFK vinyls and here's his response from a few hours ago:

There is a complete line of albums to be released next year starting with   'Back In The World' & 'Retropolis'. SWA   - Then  the other early albums - Flower Power - Space Revolver, Rainmaker  etc. - I'm remixing and remastering material right now this week .  - So others as vinyl are already up at   www.roinestolt.com

Looks like the TFK Vinyl series will begin in 2022, so you vinyl fans out there should start saving up! Those double CD albums won't be cheap I'm sure.


Also, I hope he doesn't remix them TOO much, like cutting out large portions of epics...

-Marc.

I'd love to get Flower Power on vinyl, as it is one of my two favorite TFK albums and one of my all-time favorite covers, but if he starts chopping parts out of songs again, that might make me hesitate.

I agree. Someone should warn him and tell him that there's a good bunch of fans that are pissed off at the Unfold The Future reissue (I'm still so pissed, I count as a small bunch already).

[Zydar]

I looked it up, and the 2017 reissue of UTF has reduced the running time of Devil's Playground from 25:26 to 19:20. I didn't know that.

[KevShmev]

I would say I was disappointed, not pissed, especially since he took out the evil guitar part from the original Devil's Playground, which is one of my favorite sections of the entire Unfold the Future record. But hey, I get it, it's Roine's music, his art, he can do what he wants with it, but as the consumer, that doesn't mean I have to plunk down my hard-earned cash for his revisionist history. 

[DTA]

I would say I was disappointed, not pissed, especially since he took out the evil guitar part from the original Devil's Playground, which is one of my favorite sections of the entire Unfold the Future record. But hey, I get it, it's Roine's music, his art, he can do what he wants with it, but as the consumer, that doesn't mean I have to plunk down my hard-earned cash for his revisionist history.

Did he explain why he did this in liner notes or anything?