(Symphonic Prog) Salmon - Decade Reference - 2001, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Salmon are a new Dutch progressive rock band. It's quite hard for prog bands to get a record deal, and that's why they opted for releasing their debut CD independantly.

Musically, the band is not going along with the prog metal stream. In fact, they took the name Salmon to state they were rather swimming against the stream. This is not the same as stating everything you do is new and has never been done before. The band are aware of their influences and history. On the website they say their music is prog in the 1970s vein, combined with baroque and classical music from the 18th and 19th century.

I could mention some big names from the 1970s like Genesis as an influence. But that's easy. I hear some 1970s Italian prog influences too. But the best reference, I think, is British band Landmarq. The love for melodies, the mix of catchy lines with clever use of melodic composition, very good bass playing and some epic songs they have in common. Also the instrumental structure of the songs compare to some degree. Melody is way more important than building a wall of sound. The rather intimate and warm atmosphere created with the music is very pleasant. Another reference might be our fellow countrymen Kayak. Although they share the love for clever and catchy melodies, I think Salmon's music is warmer and let free now and then to explore instead of Kayak's shorter songs.

Don't think Salmon is a copy of Landmarq. The way of composing songs and vocal melodies is different, which leads to completely different music. It's the way their songs sound, the atmosphere, that reminds me of Landmarq.

A recorder is not an instrument you hear a lot these days. Conservatory graduate Jan Jaap Langereis uses the recorder a couple of times, and I actually like the sound. The song structures are usually not overly complex. Still, a lot of things are going on in even the shorter songs, but at least it's not a patchwork of different time signatures.
Langereis has a very pleasant and almost sweet voice. Sometimes a bit thin (although he does show power in his voice at times), but it's not hard rock he has to sing to; the type of music is right for his warm singing. And like the music, it sounds like it's coming from the heart rather than the mind. Emotional soloing in most of the songs, but also the almost agressive but still very melodic guitar lines during the verses in Trespassing.

I can listen to the album and not know which song is playing. The album is very consistent. Although there are very different parts in every song, they still are part of the same big picture, which is a very good thing. It shows they are really going the way they want to go: their own way. Drummer Robbert Schuster was the last one to join the band, but the others have been playing together for quite a while now and know each other musically. Also the fact that the band is not a bunch of kids thinking they can do something no one has ever done before, but musicians who have been playing for many years, makes this band experienced from the start, and it shows.

The lyrics are mainly written by guitarist Gerrit Hoogebeen, but also Jan Jaap Langereis and Sven de Haan write lyrics. Especially Hoogebeen has a poetical way of writing. His English is very good, and most important is that he has no need to use pretentious words. No bombastic vocabulary, but very lyrical. It fits the music very well. Subjects range from dreamy observations in Houses On The Voorde Banks to a social issue like sexual harassment in Trespassing, or thoughts about the relation between body and soul in the longest track on the album. It's been a while since I enjoyed reading lyrics!

I think Salmon would be a great band for Landmarq to do a tour with. Fans of the one band should definitely check out the other. Actually, everybody who listens to more than prog metal and has a love for melody, should check this out. I think Salmon deserves a following like Landmarq because they're equally musically important.

The CD is available from the official Salmon website. There's also a list of a few shops in Holland and one in France.

Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008

Отчёт EAC об извлечении, выполненном 17. августа 2001, 20:07

Salmon / Decade Reference

Дисковод: HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GSA-E60L Adapter: 4 ID: 0

Режим чтения : Достоверность
Использование точного потока : Да
Отключение кэша аудио : Да
Использование указателей C2 : Нет

Коррекция смещения при чтении : 102
Способность читать области Lead-in и Lead-out : Нет
Заполнение пропущенных сэмплов тишиной : Да
Удаление блоков с тишиной в начале и конце : Нет
При вычислениях CRC использовались нулевые сэмплы : Нет
Интерфейс : Встроенный Win32-интерфейс для Win NT/2000

Выходной формат : Пользовательский кодировщик
Выбранный битрейт : 768 kBit/s
Качество : Высокий
Добавление ID3-тэга : Нет
Утилита сжатия : C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\FLAC\FLAC.EXE
Дополнительные параметры : -6 -V -T "ARTIST=%a" -T "TITLE=%t" -T "ALBUM=%g" -T "DATE=%y" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%n" -T "GENRE=%m" -T "COMMENT=%e" %s -o %d

TOC извлечённого CD

Трек | Старт | Длительность | Начальный сектор | Конечный сектор
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1 | 0:00.00 | 2:02.24 | 0 | 9173
2 | 2:02.24 | 9:53.44 | 9174 | 53692
3 | 11:55.68 | 4:38.65 | 53693 | 74607
4 | 16:34.58 | 4:56.10 | 74608 | 96817
5 | 21:30.68 | 1:05.45 | 96818 | 101737
6 | 22:36.38 | 21:43.15 | 101738 | 199477
7 | 44:19.53 | 6:42.32 | 199478 | 229659
8 | 51:02.10 | 6:05.24 | 229660 | 257058
9 | 57:07.34 | 11:41.06 | 257059 | 309639

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Выбранный диапазон

Имя файла E:\TORRENT\Salmon - Decade Reference.wav

Пиковый уровень 99.4 %
Качество диапазона 99.9 %
CRC теста C72CD654
CRC копии C72CD654
Копирование... OK

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