Steve Roach - Sigh of Ages

[jim02]

well well, a 'full' preview of Roach & Seelig upcoming NIGHTBLOOM.
sounds like Roach get more aggressive with beats & percussion.. quite a surprise..
http://peoplesmusicstore.com/catalogue_items/675347

[SunDummy]

I think I'm in the minority here, but this just isn't working for me.  It doesn't have any depth, to my ears, and it doesn't develop in an interesting way.  Maybe I've been listening to too much of his stuff and the sounds are just starting to blur together, but this sounds like a rehearsal or some cast-off tracks from earlier releases.

I find that his collaborations seem to have more substance to them than his recent solo works.  Maybe he's running out of ideas?

You can now begin pelting me with rotten tomatoes...   

[drone on]

No, you're not alone in your summation.  It's been really hard for me to get into this.  The sound is so different from the classic Roach we all know, and expect--maybe this is the "problem."  This album is not drowned in reverb and the music is more "up front," if that makes sense.  If ECM went purely "electronic", maybe this would be the result?  I had a good listen at work today and started to appreciate what he did here.  This is one you might need to put on the shelf for awhile and come back to with new ears.       

[SunDummy]

Shelving it won't be a problem...   

I'll give it a try next year.   

[Blackinfinity]

I think it was a disappointment too. Did expect something more different.

[jim02]

..it has been while since i was looking forward to a Roach disc that much like this one;
http://projekt.com/projekt/product.asp?dept_id=&sku=PRO00253

as i'm longing back for Roach more darker, organic, grittier atmospheric tribal sounds, this might be a cool one that may fit these words..

i think Brian Parnham's recent CD re-issue The Broken Silence is an excellent disc, and deserves attention for the ones that like above's superlatives..

[richardgurtler]

Totally agree, the re-issue of "The Broken Silence" by Brian Parnham is one of the highlights of 2010, together with "Nightbloom" by Steve Roach & Mark Seelig. So I can't wait for Steve's and Brian's co-work too.

All the best to all of you.

Richard

[Numina]

I really like this album. I liked it the first time I heard it but like it more as time goes on. I think one thing that throws people off is the artwork. It's completely different from anything Steve has done before and I'm not sure the music fits the artwork vibe (just my opinion, I love the artwork too). The artwork would go a lot better with something far more dark. Incidentally, I was about to use a very similar album cover for one of my Numinamusic releases but Roach beat me to it again! (I was also at one point about to release an album titled "Darkest Before Dawn").

[drone on]

Yeah sure, next you'll say you were gonna call Sanctuary of Dreams "The Magnificent Void"!! (j/k) ;-)

[jim02]

some short excerpts from the upcoming THE DES(S)ERT INBETWEEN :-)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Desert-Inbetween/dp/B004FCDXW6/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292164781&sr=301-1
or for longer excerpts;
http://www.floatingpointrecords.com/TheDesertInbetween.html

[Robert Logan]

some short excerpts from the upcoming THE DES(S)ERT INBETWEEN :-)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Desert-Inbetween/dp/B004FCDXW6/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292164781&sr=301-1
or for longer excerpts;
http://www.floatingpointrecords.com/TheDesertInbetween.html

Thanks, this is sounding really fresh. Those longer excerpts especially - they're both on top form! Can't wait to get it.

Out of all his more recent releases, I've enjoyed Roach's collaboration albums more than his solo releases. Mystic Chords was his last solo release to have really blown me away and surprised me, but since then there's been a steady stream of excellent collaborative releases (and the solo stuff hasn't been bad by any means - just not quite as essential to my ears.)

[jim02]

yes, i do agree. i've been playing these MP3s quite a few times last night from Brian's site and i think it's really outstanding what they do here.. the grooves are very cool, with occasionally more raw sounds and excellent deep desert atmospheres.. i should wait for its final product but i think this might be something special..