Flower Kings Official Thread

[goo-goo]

So the boxset doesn't include ALL of the studio albums?

[darkshade]

I own all TFK studio albums, so there isn't much reason for me to get this, and I'm not a collector/completist beyond owning the studio albums.

However, I see there is a remixed version of Unfold the Future. This frustrates me because this is at least the third mix of the album that has been released that I know of. I know of one from back in the day when I had a "free" copy. When I bought the album, it included an extra track at the end of disc 2, Too Late For Tomatoes, and the mix sounded different, and many of the tracks segued into each other. I recall hearing The Truth Will Set You Free and immediately noticing that the music starts right away, as opposed to what I was used to which was a fade-in; I also recall a part during the song was played by a different instrument that what I had heard previously. I haven't been able to find a copy of UtF that has what I assume is the original mix, they all have the TLFT "bonus" track. I wonder if this new mix is like the one I described.

[ProfessorPeart]

So the boxset doesn't include ALL of the studio albums?

Only the first 7 under The Flower Kings name. There was actually an album before that in 1994 that was a Roine solo album that was titled The Flower King. That album led to the formation of the band.

They have 5 more albums after the contents of the box. Maybe they plan another box? Not really sure. Either way, it's a good deal and I'm jumping on it.

[ProfessorPeart]

For whatever reason, Amazon seems to have dropped the ball with this. I pre-ordered weeks ago and they can't even tell me when they'll have it stocked and release day is Friday.

Just checked Laser CD and they have it in stock with a price of $40. Shipping is no more than $5 depending on what you choose. So, yeah, canceled Amazon and got the hookup from Laser. This will end up cheaper than Amazon in the end. Can't say that too often.

[Fritzinger]

For whatever reason, Amazon seems to have dropped the ball with this. I pre-ordered weeks ago and they can't even tell me when they'll have it stocked and release day is Friday.

Just checked Laser CD and they have it in stock with a price of $40. Shipping is no more than $5 depending on what you choose. So, yeah, canceled Amazon and got the hookup from Laser. This will end up cheaper than Amazon in the end. Can't say that too often.

I think insideout is selling the box for more or less the same price! Dont know how much shipping to the states will cost though, since I believe all their stuff comes from Germany.

[RoeDent]

The press release for this boxset referred to this as being "the first part of a career-spanning [anthology]", so there is more than likely another boxset coming in the future that will cover the later albums.

[ProfessorPeart]

For whatever reason, Amazon seems to have dropped the ball with this. I pre-ordered weeks ago and they can't even tell me when they'll have it stocked and release day is Friday.

Just checked Laser CD and they have it in stock with a price of $40. Shipping is no more than $5 depending on what you choose. So, yeah, canceled Amazon and got the hookup from Laser. This will end up cheaper than Amazon in the end. Can't say that too often.

I think insideout is selling the box for more or less the same price! Dont know how much shipping to the states will cost though, since I believe all their stuff comes from Germany.

Laser CD is actually the US storefront for Inside Out now. Not sure when that happened. Much like Burning Shed has become the storefront for England.

Burning Shed had this up from the get-go but shipping was high. Laser CD didn't post it until just yesterday. They didn't do a pre-order option.

Either way, glad I'm getting it and at an awesome price. Looking forward to Part II now that it has been mentioned.

[ProfessorPeart]

My box showed up today. Very nice set. The discs are housed in either single cardboard sleeves or gatefold sleeves with front and back artwork. There is a large bound booklet that is all of the album booklets joined together.

Also, there are only 3000 of these sets total. Mine is number 242.

[Orbert]

Sounds really nice! 

[RoeDent]

There is a large bound booklet that is all of the album booklets joined together.

That's really cool. You don't miss out because you're getting the box rather than the individual albums. That was what clinched it for me getting the Beardfish 5-disc box that IO brought out last year.

[Mindflux]

I don't see it on lasercd.com ?

Amazon is still in limbo

[ProfessorPeart]

I don't see it on lasercd.com ?

Amazon is still in limbo

They mentioned in the description that they expected it to sell out quick on their site. I think it disappeared like 2 days after they posted it. Must have blown through their stock quickly. This thing seems to be in a bit of high demand.

Burning Shed and Insideoutshop.de both still have it. Bit more pricey plus shipping will be worse. There's always eBay as well but it looks like those are inflated already in price.

[RoeDent]

I bought the Kingdom of Colours box set today (566/3000). Six of the albums are new to me (the only duplicate is Stardust We Are), so there's an awful lot of shiny new music for me to enjoy over the coming weeks and months.

Something noticeable is that about 6 minutes has been shaved off the 2017 remaster of Devil's Playground, the closing track on Unfold the Future. The box itself has it at 25:26, the CD wallet indicates 24:30, but the actual playing time is around 19:20.

[ProfessorPeart]

I bought the Kingdom of Colours box set today (566/3000). Six of the albums are new to me (the only duplicate is Stardust We Are), so there's an awful lot of shiny new music for me to enjoy over the coming weeks and months.

Something noticeable is that about 6 minutes has been shaved off the 2017 remaster of Devil's Playground, the closing track on Unfold the Future. The box itself has it at 25:26, the CD wallet indicates 24:30, but the actual playing time is around 19:20.

Yeah, Roine seemed to really change a few things with the remix/remaster. I noticed a couple of songs with some times that were a bit off. I have the original and after comparing them, decided to keep the original on my iPod.

[RoeDent]

I'm not familiar with Devil's Playground, so I wouldn't really know which bits were omitted.

[The Letter M]

Heads up - Roine mentioned on facebook that a second boxset is on the way for their remaining albums, which seems to me that this really does mean the end of TFK as we know it, and that's okay. They had a good long run with a TON of music, so if they never record again, I won't be too upset.

As someone who already owns every album, and some of them twice (different editions), is the box set worth getting? Being limited to 3000 kind of makes it something I want to own given it's "rarity", but I'm sure I could save the money for something new, like The Sea Within.

-Marc.

[RoeDent]

I have to say, I'm really enjoying Garden of Dreams. The instrumental passage starting with that brilliant solo in All You Can Save is spectacular!

[KevShmev]

The Garden of Dreams suite remains Roine's biggest triumph as a writer of music, IMO.   

[RoeDent]

Listening to The Rainmaker now. How come no one's pointed out that Sword of God begins with the same Agnus Dei choir sample that Jordan Rudess went on to use in Bridges in the Sky? Also, I'm wondering if the throat singer TFK begins the album with is from the same sample bank that JR used for his "Shaman".

[Fritzinger]

Listening to The Rainmaker now. How come no one's pointed out that Sword of God begins with the same Agnus Dei choir sample that Jordan Rudess went on to use in Bridges in the Sky? Also, I'm wondering if the throat singer TFK begins the album with is from the same sample bank that JR used for his "Shaman".

Damn, you're right.

Plus, I always thought that that sample sounds like "agnus deshi" 

[Fritzinger]

I just listened to The Devil's Playground on vinyl, and I found out why it is shorter! Roine cut out a couple of minutes of weird jazzy instrumental stuff for the remix, WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME VERY MUCH. Why would he do that? It's like 4 or 5 minutes he cut out!

[RoeDent]

Maybe it's not that important. It's like comparing Marillion's 2013 remix of Radiation with the original. They cut out certain interlude passages and while it seemed weird at the time, but then like everything else (and like Marillion sang on Living With the Big Lie) you get used to it.

[Fritzinger]

Imagine, Genesis cut out the whole Willow Farm out of Supper's Ready or Dream Theater suddenly skip The Reckoning in In The Presence Of Enemies. This is not something you get used to, nor is it something someone should get used to. It's also not 20-30 seconds or so, it is a full 4-5 minute long part. Plus, the wacky, weird jazz stuff in that album is why I love the album in the first place. Roine specifically talks about that stuff in the liner notes. Why would he cut so much of it out?

[RoeDent]

From my perpective, I've only listened to DP once, so it's not yet ingrained in my psyche. I shall get used to this new version. There's plenty of weird jazziness elsewhere on the album.

[ProfessorPeart]

I just listened to The Devil's Playground on vinyl, and I found out why it is shorter! Roine cut out a couple of minutes of weird jazzy instrumental stuff for the remix, WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME VERY MUCH. Why would he do that? It's like 4 or 5 minutes he cut out!

This is why I made the call to stick with original CD release. He seemed to make some little and some very big cuts here and there.

What I found a bit more odd, is that my original version also has Too Late For Tomatoes which they left off of the remixed version.

[Orbert]

I get that it's the artist's call as far as re-editing, re-mixing, or whatever else they choose to do with their material.  But I would always prefer to have the original versions, the ones I grew up with or otherwise got used to.  They can include alternate versions as bonus tracks if they want.

[Fritzinger]

I just listened to The Devil's Playground on vinyl, and I found out why it is shorter! Roine cut out a couple of minutes of weird jazzy instrumental stuff for the remix, WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME VERY MUCH. Why would he do that? It's like 4 or 5 minutes he cut out!

This is why I made the call to stick with original CD release. He seemed to make some little and some very big cuts here and there.

What I found a bit more odd, is that my original version also has Too Late For Tomatoes which they left off of the remixed version.

If I remember correctly, Too Late For Tomatoes was a bonus track on the original album.

[KevShmev]

I just listened to The Devil's Playground on vinyl, and I found out why it is shorter! Roine cut out a couple of minutes of weird jazzy instrumental stuff for the remix, WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME VERY MUCH. Why would he do that? It's like 4 or 5 minutes he cut out!

If he cut out the part from 19:00 or so to a 21:00-ish, that will make me chuckle, because I always thought that section seemed just totally thrown in there and the song would have been just fine without it.

Listening to The Rainmaker now. How come no one's pointed out that Sword of God begins with the same Agnus Dei choir sample that Jordan Rudess went on to use in Bridges in the Sky? Also, I'm wondering if the throat singer TFK begins the album with is from the same sample bank that JR used for his "Shaman".

Probably because Sword of God sucks major swamp water, and it is best to not talk about that atrocity.

[seasonsinthesky]

I just listened to The Devil's Playground on vinyl, and I found out why it is shorter! Roine cut out a couple of minutes of weird jazzy instrumental stuff for the remix, WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME VERY MUCH. Why would he do that? It's like 4 or 5 minutes he cut out!

This is why I made the call to stick with original CD release. He seemed to make some little and some very big cuts here and there.

What I found a bit more odd, is that my original version also has Too Late For Tomatoes which they left off of the remixed version.

If I remember correctly, Too Late For Tomatoes was a bonus track on the original album.

Is the Discogs entry wrong, then? It says TLFT is the last song on side E of the new vinyl and remains the last track on the new 2xCD.

[ProfessorPeart]

I just listened to The Devil's Playground on vinyl, and I found out why it is shorter! Roine cut out a couple of minutes of weird jazzy instrumental stuff for the remix, WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME VERY MUCH. Why would he do that? It's like 4 or 5 minutes he cut out!

This is why I made the call to stick with original CD release. He seemed to make some little and some very big cuts here and there.

What I found a bit more odd, is that my original version also has Too Late For Tomatoes which they left off of the remixed version.

If I remember correctly, Too Late For Tomatoes was a bonus track on the original album.

Is the Discogs entry wrong, then? It says TLFT is the last song on side E of the new vinyl and remains the last track on the new 2xCD.

They included it on the new vinyl but they left it off the new CD in the boxset. That's what I was talking about. Didn't make any sense since the original CD has it.

I just double checked my box and it isn't listed in the track list nor did it show up when I ripped it.

[goo-goo]

Are the bonus tracks included in the boxset for the ret of the albums?

Maybe the next boxset will include all the extra tracks as a separate cd.

[The Letter M]

Are the bonus tracks included in the boxset for the ret of the albums?

Maybe the next boxset will include all the extra tracks as a separate cd.

Roine mentioned on Facebook that 3 albums in the 2nd boxset will have their bonus discs. He didn't specify which, but it's safe to say they're most likely TSONE, BOE, and DR.

-Marc.

[RoeDent]

Probably because Sword of God sucks major swamp water, and it is best to not talk about that atrocity.

In your opinion. I have yet to form an opinion, and would like to do so based on the music itself, not tarnished by others.

[KevShmev]

Good luck.

[RoeDent]

I'm curious as to what people's favourite songs are on these albums (namely BITWOA, Retropolis, Stardust, Flowerpower, Space Revolver, Rainmaker and Unfold the Future). Let's enthuse about what we do enjoy.

I listened to Space Revolver last night, and while there are several amazing moments, I have to point out the solo at the end of A King's Prayer. Incredible!