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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Wow! what superb album this is. My album of the year so far
I too bought it on the strength of the Classic Rock mag free CD track 'The river under'. For all fans of King Crimson with the wonderful retro mellotron. On the monstrous title track they recreate the braqssy mellotron sound from Cirkus by King Crimson's Lizard album. This track has a stupendous guitar solo that I can't get enough of.
The other big track is 'Ouroboros' A 17:23 instrumental with another massive soarsing guitar solo and tons of psychedlic atmsophere.
So good to haer new bands doing such big impressive stuff.
The afformentioned 'The River Under' reminds me of early Barclay Jmaes Harvest as do some other sections of tracks, Throughout their are early Pink Floyd influences too. But with their own twist. They are certainly no copyist band.
It is real prog heaven and I have played it all the way through at least 20 times now. Great cover too, well worth looking out for the vinyl version of this as it will be more impressive.
Just buy it!!
I too bought it on the strength of the Classic Rock mag free CD track 'The river under'. For all fans of King Crimson with the wonderful retro mellotron. On the monstrous title track they recreate the braqssy mellotron sound from Cirkus by King Crimson's Lizard album. This track has a stupendous guitar solo that I can't get enough of.
The other big track is 'Ouroboros' A 17:23 instrumental with another massive soarsing guitar solo and tons of psychedlic atmsophere.
So good to haer new bands doing such big impressive stuff.
The afformentioned 'The River Under' reminds me of early Barclay Jmaes Harvest as do some other sections of tracks, Throughout their are early Pink Floyd influences too. But with their own twist. They are certainly no copyist band.
It is real prog heaven and I have played it all the way through at least 20 times now. Great cover too, well worth looking out for the vinyl version of this as it will be more impressive.
Just buy it!!
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This new band from San Diego have received so much hype about this, their debut album. Supposedly at the forefront of a "New Wave of Psychedelic Prog", whatever that is! They have been featured extensively in the first two issues of the new publication, "Classic Rock Presents Prog" and even had a track featured on the sampler for issue 2. But does the music stand up to the hype. Well it does and I am not sure why. This is such a retro prog album and is so steeped in the 70's that a blind listening test would leave you thinking you have unearthed a long lost classic album from days gone by.
The band use Mellotrons, Moog and ARP Odyssey synthesisers. Even the production sounds dated (whether that was intended or not). But there is no denying the enthusiasm and love for this type of music the band has and the material is very strong indeed.
Standout track "The River Under" is a beautiful piece with its waves of mellotron strings and fantastic synthesiser motif and soloing. Other highlights are the epic title track (3 tracks here clock in at well over 10 minutes) which has echoes of early King Crimson, especially in its use of mellotron brass. The band do love to stretch out giving them a psychedelic space rock edge, especially on the lengthy instrumental "Ouroboros" which has lashings of stratospheric guitar soloing.
Yes this is a very retro album, even down to the Roger Dean styled sleeve design. Note that exploding world in the inside of the CD insert. Very "Fragile"! But it does work for me. It should sound horribly derivative, but it doesn't. That I think is down to the excellent musicianship on show, the solid inspirational material and the overall way they have embraced how music from the 70's could be so limitless!!
The band use Mellotrons, Moog and ARP Odyssey synthesisers. Even the production sounds dated (whether that was intended or not). But there is no denying the enthusiasm and love for this type of music the band has and the material is very strong indeed.
Standout track "The River Under" is a beautiful piece with its waves of mellotron strings and fantastic synthesiser motif and soloing. Other highlights are the epic title track (3 tracks here clock in at well over 10 minutes) which has echoes of early King Crimson, especially in its use of mellotron brass. The band do love to stretch out giving them a psychedelic space rock edge, especially on the lengthy instrumental "Ouroboros" which has lashings of stratospheric guitar soloing.
Yes this is a very retro album, even down to the Roger Dean styled sleeve design. Note that exploding world in the inside of the CD insert. Very "Fragile"! But it does work for me. It should sound horribly derivative, but it doesn't. That I think is down to the excellent musicianship on show, the solid inspirational material and the overall way they have embraced how music from the 70's could be so limitless!!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
.... a `Classic Prog' tribute band! Not only do they make retro music with long progressive instrumental passages, gorgeous melodies and often obtuse lyrics, but everything about this album is rooted in the early 70s: warm `analogue' sounding production; Roger Dean style album cover; great armfuls of Mellotron throughout with ARP Odyssey and Moog, even the good old Echoplex; and a drumkit that sounds like it was miked up in the old way. Obvious references are Genesis and Pink Floyd with lashings of Steve Hackett, King Crimson, Hawkwind, VDGG, Spring, Uriah Heep, spacerock, psych and even krautrock in the mix.
Astra have all the hooks and moves, and certainly make all the right noises. Originality is clearly not on the agenda but somehow it all seems to work. Part of me has been waiting for `The Weirding' for 30 years and more, but another part wonders at its relevance in the 21st century - that was then, this is now, and the world has moved on! Despite such reservations it is a terrific album: though rather on the long side it never loses interest or momentum.
Astra have all the hooks and moves, and certainly make all the right noises. Originality is clearly not on the agenda but somehow it all seems to work. Part of me has been waiting for `The Weirding' for 30 years and more, but another part wonders at its relevance in the 21st century - that was then, this is now, and the world has moved on! Despite such reservations it is a terrific album: though rather on the long side it never loses interest or momentum.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beware - two groups of the same name !
Would potential purchasers please note that there are two completely different groups with the same name. "The Wierding" is 70's retro prog rock from an American band. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Roger-hedgehog
Murky sounding prog masterpiece
I took a chance on this item, having not heard the band before, only read a review of this album. Very pleased I did. Read more
Published 24 months ago by C. Turner
Astra's debut album a big surprise!
Astra's debut album from the San Diego based band is certainly one of the best albums from 2009.
In 78 minutes, they manage to create an outstanding, quintessentially English... Read more
In 78 minutes, they manage to create an outstanding, quintessentially English... Read more
Published on 11 April 2010 by D. Boyles
Kaftans and Loonpants!!!
With 'The Weirding', Astra have done for prog what Wolfmother are doing for hard rock. That is introducing younger audiences to the delights of 1970s style music, unashamedley... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Stotty
If you like Prog ...then (eventually) you'll like this
This album was recommeded by a friend and whilst he wasn't totally wrong, he forgot to mention that the album needed the attention of a decent producer (it was produced by the band... Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2009 by Rick Cakeman
Psychedelic Prog brilliance
Having heard their tracks on the cover CDs of Classic Rock and their sister Prog rock magazine, I instantly knew I had to buy this album and I have been blown away! Read more
Published on 31 July 2009 by Music Man
The Weirdingw
Got this vinyl and it is really excellent, a mixture of Yes, Pink floyd, if you are into prog rock this is a must.
Published on 15 July 2009 by Gary K. Mitchell
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