Category: Prog Rock Music

#49 The Flower Kings – Desolation Rose, 2013

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Desolation Rose

Desolation Rose by The Flower Kings is number 49 on the list of Prog Report Top 50 Prog Albums, 1990-2015.

All eighteen tracks can be found on Apple Music for streaming/purchase, and on Amazon Music Store for purchase.  By the time I listened to this album three times, I developed some definite favorites.  I particularly enjoyed listening to it with headphones, which is when I could appreciate the vocal harmonies and the sound of the band.

The harmonies are present throughout the album, and soon enough I started to hear influences like Yes, King Crimson, and even Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra.  If you like any of these, you are sure to like this album.  If you are a Jon Anderson fan, you are sure to love Roine Stolt, with his raspy and, at time, dramatic voice.

If, like myself, you haven’t heard Desolation Rose before, listen a couple of times.  This music really grew on me and I enjoyed it more on the second and third listen, and again… don’t forget your headphones.

Some of my favorite tracks:

***Sleeping Bones – very cool sounding song, fun groove, great dark guitar

***Desolation Road – dramatic intro, melodic, great tension in the instrumental section, a variety of sounds

***White Tuxedos – just a fun song to listen to

***The Resurrected Judas – beautiful ballad, I like the instrumental build up

***Silent Masses – I just like it

***The Wailing Wall – instrumental, deeply beautiful and filled with longing

I took the time to find them on Facebook.  If you like their music, just click Like.  I did.

https://www.facebook.com/TheFlowerKings

On to number 48 on the list!

#50 Enchant – Wounded, 1996

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Album number 50 on the list of  “Top 50 Prog Albums for 1990-2015” is Wounded by Enchant, which was released in 1996.  As it was new to me, I listened to it for three consecutive times.  In general, I enjoyed listening to this album, as the songs are melodic and the vocals are amazing.

While listening to it, I felt that there was some simplicity to the music, and I was starting to want more heaviness, and more harmonic complexity.  I would have liked it to be a little darker, since I felt that too much brightness was coming through the songs.  I couldn’t really relate to that aspect of the album, that seemed consistent throughout.

Things I really liked about some of the songs:

Fade to Grey – a great instrumental section.

Pure – beautiful acoustic guitar intro, and the song is mellow.

Hostile World – I loved the cool bass riff, and fusion feel.  The song has great energy.

Distractions – I thought the melody line was interesting, and it was a lot of fun to follow along with the lyrics.

Missing – is cool and heavier in nature.

I found the album on Amazon Music, as it is available to stream for free to Prime members, with the exception of the songs Armour and Man of Our Times (Bonus Tracks).  Check it out on Amazon Music and let me know what you think:

http://www.amazon.com/Wounded-Enchant/dp/B000003ZBJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1452024806&sr=1-1&keywords=enchant+wounded

*Looking forward to sharing my experience listening to album number 49!