4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ominous Brilliance - essential headphone listening!, Oct 26 2007
By F. Dangiolillo "slowdive20" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: A Time Of Day (Audio CD)
I too have been following Anekdoten since 1994's Vemod and, honestly, they get better with every release. If you have never heard Anekdoten and are looking for a description of their music, imagine that their earlier recordings (Vemod and Nucleus) sound like Lark's Tongues-era King Crimson. After that, their material moves into Red Territory. Both Time of Day and the absolutely essential Gravity sound like King Crimson, ala Fallen Angel - brooding Mellotron, catchy hooks, pounding drums, double tracked vocals, synth, etc. Amazing. Up there with Amon Duul 2's Wolf City. The kind of music that brings the clouds and summer rain storms. Dark but gorgeous. Other name checks? In For A Ride starts off like the twin brother of Be All Right by Caravan and has the groovy early 70's moves, but like every Anekdoten track, they top those they borrow from every time. The Great Unknown, the opening track, sounds like every great Anekdoten track - and that's a good thing. Surging Mellotron, the build ups- oh my GOD the build ups - that give you goose bumps. 30 Pieces surprises with a flute solo over the accustomed Lark's Tongues in Aspic Wetton bass lines. You get the picture. And speaking of pictures, their best album cover since their first album.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Getting better with each new release!!, Sep 7 2007
By Ramas - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: A Time Of Day (Audio CD)
I've been listening to Anekdoten since they released VEMOD in 1994 and this band never ceases to surprise me every time they release a new album. TIME OF DAY, their newest, has a more upbeat tempo than its predecessors but preserves the distinct sinister and haunting atmosphere that makes Anekdoten such an excellent band.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
They Still Have What it Takes, Jan 15 2009
By IcemanJ - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Time of Day (Audio CD)
Anekdoten returns after 4 years with perhaps one of their most memorable albums yet. Their sound continues to evolve, but not to the point where it sounds like a different band. You still know it is the same good ol' Anekdoten. The songs are more crisp and fresh than the older albums, more memorable, and have better production, while still retaining that mysterious, gorgeous, lush atmosphere.
The majority of this album is pretty calm, (not like Anekdoten have ever been super-hard rockers... maybe on parts of Nucleus) but it just feels more relaxed overall than previous albums. But that's totally fine and it's certainly not to the point where it gets boring. There aren't really any super-hard rockin' moments. "In for a Ride" may be a slight exception, but even that tapers off toward the middle of the song.
Anekdoten's production quality has certainly improved, starting with the last album, Gravity. The three albums in the 1990's had a very raw sound which is now gone. I think it's generally a good thing; we still have the older albums to listen to, and the raw sound was part of them, but now, the band has evolved.
"A Sky About to Rain" is perhaps my favorite song on here. It's so warm, calm, and inviting. It's melancholic, but in a very peaceful way.
"30 Pieces" has a killer flute solo - a good flute solo always makes an album brilliant.
I love the vocal melodies in "Prince of the Ocean" about halfway though. It's another memorable point of this album. Their vocals remain the same - very prominent, thick accent, almost mechanical and choppy sounding - might be annoying to some listeners, but I'm so used to it now I didn't think twice about it. This song finishes the album off with a wonderful blend of instruments forming a peaceful serenity.
If you are just getting into Anekdoten, I probably wouldn't recommend this album first - I'd probably suggest "Gravity" or "Vemod" as they are more well-rounded, and most consider "Vemod" to be their strongest album, and a classic in the modern progressive rock world. But this album proves that they still have what it takes.