We need to talk about that title track!

[pjt]

At each listen I nod, it's great, it's great, a very solid Yes tune, finally something put together with real thought and care.
And then comes the "What the shadow minds behind the third eye" part and I go whoa! This brings the goosebumps, and then the guitar theme that is used as the intro. And then the guitar picking and the build up.

Subway Walls was good, but mostly predictable. Leave Well Alone was a very good quality Howe demo that should have got the Yes treatment, but they couldn't give it.

But with MttS they finally managed to make a song that brings something new they haven't done since... Since a lot. At least Homeworld. ItPO was good but musically straightforward. Just like FFH, musically it's not an innovation. Compositionally it's very fine, especially the Return Trip, but except for Madman, it's quite predictable.

[Gilly Goodness]

At each listen I nod, it's great, it's great, a very solid Yes tune, finally something put together with real thought and care.
And then comes the "What the shadow minds behind the third eye" part and I go whoa! This brings the goosebumps, and then the guitar theme that is used as the intro. And then the guitar picking and the build up.

Yeah "the third eye vocals" made me stop. And. Check the screen. Was I suddenly listenin' to Matt Bellamy and MUSE???

Paranoia. Bad State actors. Oppression?????

Nope. Nice change of pace and tone. Which is the modus operandi of this track. Need more of this Juano. Not all rainbows and lighthouses. Some darkness
and anxiety flowin' into glory. On next album.


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THE OVAL BLOTS OF SCARLET FOAM

[Grey Wolf]

This song has really grown on me, really enjoying listening to it. I've made a 22 minute "EP" playlist of MttS and Unknown Place that I like a lot.

[JMKUSA]

I appreciate that the track is 14 minutes without feeling forced in any way to be a longer track. It’s very cinematic, doesn’t have too many lyrics stuffed into it, and the orchestra is an excellent touch that takes it up a notch and makes it more unique.

You’ve got a lot of different guitar textures and sounds used throughout. Steve really took his time developing this one. Certainly you have parts that remind me of Drama, parts that remind me of his playing around ABWH/Union/Grand Scheme, and you’ve got lots of great acoustic guitar as well.

[Gilly Goodness]

talk about James Bond, and that little blonde, sensitive, twit guy, who would have a hard time popping a ballon let alone surviving any fight or accident, has ruined the Bond series for me

Timothy Dalton had no trouble poppin' a balloon!
Amirite?


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THE OVAL BLOTS OF SCARLET FOAM

[Gilly Goodness]

With a balloon. Dalton was merciless.




(From The Living Daylights )



Back on topic. MttS. What I marvel at is that the islands are obviously so good. What Juano called the various instrumental sections he and Steve had. That all the linkages are so dynamic and bristlin' with energy, as they link all the sections thus...

first section: the bluesy,dark Dire Straightsy openin' and mad bass+drums+organ

second section: the dreams of sky verses

third section: the guitar and ascendin' massed cellos and violins

fourth section: Geoff's synth miasma

fifth section: the orchestra alone

sixth section: final blast from full band


There are loads of diverse music and ideas between all these sections. It just rolls out beautifully. Each linkage in the chain, superb.

Also like they decided against namin' sections in all the songs. TQ had a few 7 minute songs divided into 3 sections. Really? No wonder people think Prog is pretentious. 😘



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THE OVAL BLOTS OF SCARLET FOAM

[Davy]

That fourth section, is that Geoff or Steve, playing those low notes?

[YESOLA]

You mean to tell me you don’t hear the “Bring Me to the Power” riff within the first 90 seconds of the song or the end of “Mind Drive” descending scale at around the 2:34 mark? And you don’t hear a variation on a theme of the guitar riff that precedes the “Leaves of Green” portion of “The Ancient”? It starts with the vocal line, “so the flowering creativity of life, wove its web face to face with the shallow“.

Yes I brought that up on FB as well. Bass Riff from "Bring me to the Power" 1:19- 1:42 , I also hear a Keys nod of some sort in Luminosity.

[Gilly Goodness]

That fourth section, is that Geoff or Steve, playing those low notes?

Know what you're sayin'. Begins synthy but then I do hear some low, bendy guitar notes. Mixed in.

Much more listens are required. 😊

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THE OVAL BLOTS OF SCARLET FOAM

[soundchaser09]

I know that Billy had no writing credit for this song, but there are moments that remind me of Emotional Wasteland from the debut World Trade record.

The section that contains "Voices stir from future Earth" with the oh-ohs in the background, anyone else? Its a great passage of the song possibly my favourite part. I think the whole piece stirs emotion very well- but I love when it builds to "After all we are star fall"