Wow. On all three counts. Western Skies Motel is enchanting... I hear the wide open skies, the gently waving wheat and corn in the wind... the purple mountains in the background. It's amazing! Animals As Leaders scratches a prog itch I've had my whole life, but I am really hung up on the mastering of the tracks. They are so heavily compressed that everything seems to happen in this super narrow audio band just above flat. There's no dynamic range, and it keeps distracting me from their masterful playing! So I can appreciate what they do, but I need to hear more tracks, mastered differently. (And, as a bass player myself, I gotta say I am riveted by that drummer! So tight!) And Nonkeen? Amazing. Great story, too. But that's the kind of music I could listen to while writing... slowly developing patterns morphing over time with interested textural details... REALLY eye-opening post. THANK YOU!
Thanks goobster, I'm thrilled that you found something to enjoy in all three of these selections. That strong and refined prog element of Animals As Leaders is what really got me hooked. Prog is one of my main loves so you cam expect to see some more of it in future editions of this post. Though at the same time I find it quite a challenge to discover new out-and-out prog that is actually good; it's all too easy for it sound cheesy. I might have a surprise for you next week though... In regards to the compression on the AAL tracks, I can't say I've found too much of an issue with album versions. Though I was hesitant to post that live video as the mixdown on it is slightly terrible. Now that you mention it, I do agree there is a lack dynamic variation, but whether that's due to the production or a fault of the song writing I'm not certain. Thanks for the reply!
For more interesting prog stuff, check out Hungarian band "Masfél" on YouTube. Watch the video for Crow. Then listen to the album "Angel's Egg". I think you might dig them mightily.