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Sora Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Sep. 21 2006, 06:01 Oh, I think this is one of my favourite songs by Mike... In my opinion the composing of this track is very similar to Amarok and also atmosphere is the same. We have to think that Heaven's Open is just after Amarok, so I guess that something of previous work is quietly present even in this song. Anyway, I don't think this track is only 'noisy' but deeply sperimental; the way to play guitar, and, in general, the most of passages is really new, very different from other suites like Crises or Tubular Bells itself... But this is only my opinion (written in a terrible english   sorry, it's not my fault!!!   ) Back to top

Piltdownboy on horseback 22 Group: Members Posts: 1545 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 21 2006, 07:29 Quote (Sora @ Sep. 21 2006, 06:01) But this is only my opinion (written in a terrible english   sorry, it's not my fault!!!   ) Just blame the English for this       -------------- "And now we're going to play Platinum!" Back to top

Sora Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Sep. 23 2006, 04:14 Quote (Piltdownboy on horseback 22 @ Sep. 21 2006, 07:29) Quote (Sora @ Sep. 21 2006, 06:01) But this is only my opinion (written in a terrible english   sorry, it's not my fault!!!   ) Just blame the English for this       mh, good idea   Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: Sep. 24 2006, 09:59 Welcome to tubular.net, Sora! Your English is just fine. I have similar feelings about the relationship between MFTB and Amarok; in fact, I came into both about the same time, and not being one to read liner notes until several years later (ha ha....maybe not quite that bad, but still....) I thought MFTB came first....and that he was  experimenting with various twiddly bits that led to Amarok. I was dancing to MFTB the other day (I had choregraphed it years ago and have modified it) and it's just so much fun. Ironically, the one MO work that talks about dancing ("I really think I could dance!") just doesn't work for me that way, so I've never seriously attempted. Not that any of my attempts with anything are particularly serious.... -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: Sep. 24 2006, 10:01 p.s. Re: Rileman--according to his profile he logged in 22-9, so you could probably PM him if you are worried that he hasn't seen this forum/topic. -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

Sonilink Group: Members Posts: 393 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Sep. 30 2006, 13:30 Music From the balcony bad? hahahaha good one! It's one of his side-long best -------------- Take the Time Back to top

Piltdownboy on horseback 22 Group: Members Posts: 1545 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Nov. 20 2006, 09:56 I heard the song 2 times yesterday, and I'm even a bigger fan of it now than before... It's Amarok, but with more electronics... It's so very COOL!!! The part with the animals starting at 3.23 is one of the best bits... and the opening riff... some great drum parts in there too... Why would he do the chaos loud bits??? I always didn't like them... But I am starting to like them now!!   -------------- "And now we're going to play Platinum!" Back to top

Matt Group: Admins Posts: 1186 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: Nov. 20 2006, 11:29 I've also been listening to MFTB again recently but it still doesn't do anything for me (except make me want to switch the CD player off!. I adore Amarok, best piece I have ever heard by anybody. While I find Amarok an imaginative and immensely powerful mixture of cacophony, surprises and soaring beauty. The only word of that description I can use for MTFB is "cacophony"... Maybe one day it'll click but somehow I doubt it. -------------- "I say I say I say I say, what's got three bottles and five eyes and no legs and two wheels" Back to top

Piltdownboy on horseback 22 Group: Members Posts: 1545 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Nov. 20 2006, 11:32 I can imagine why people not like it ... It's not easy to like this piece... Apparently I do have the click with it... I am happy you like Amarok though   -------------- "And now we're going to play Platinum!" Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: Aug. 16 2007, 14:46 I haven't yet gotten into this piece, but I'm not giving up. Oh, and whenever I come across "MFTB" in someone's post, in that first split-second, I think they're cussing someone out - until I remember that it stands for "Music From The Balcony". -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Aug. 16 2007, 14:57 "More Fu*king Tubular Bells" -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

Velodynamic Group: Members Posts: 119 Joined: June 2006 Posted: Aug. 17 2007, 20:34 The synth sound effects must be the cheapest Mike have ever been using. It sounds like a Yamaha DX-7. Now and then it's all a mess to listen to. What are they saying at 14:20 into the track? -------------- "...I've never seen a connection between music and politics. It's like trying to connect football with croquet." -M.O. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Aug. 21 2007, 03:54 Quote (Velodynamic @ Aug. 17 2007, 20:34) The synth sound effects must be the cheapest Mike have ever been using. It sounds like a Yamaha DX-7. Now and then it's all a mess to listen to. What are they saying at 14:20 into the track? I actually always thought MFTB contains some of Mike's more interesting sounds. Like the piece itself they're very different to the usual sort of thing he goes for which to my mind makes them immediately interesting for that reason alone. If you're wanting cheap unoriginal sound effects I would say look no further than Mike's recent stuff. By his own admission he no longer researches his sounds much and just uses rather dull presets. On top of that you've actually got him doing a cover version of a factory demo that comes with said presets. With MFTB you've got a superbly original piece of music which if you really listen is one of the finest played and for me marks the end of Mike's more rock based period - Cafe Del Mar and Enigma here we come. MFTB was also the last album release that had that band feel about it, everyone else's contributions were amazing. Tom Newman's production is really good as ever (listen to it on vinyl the warmth of sound is superb) and the bass and drum parts are incredible if you pay attention to them. Seriously MFTB is probably my favorite piece he's done this side of Amarok.   When people talk about Mike being original, explorational and inventive this to me is what Mike sounds like when he is truly being those things, certainly not Light and Shade or TB2. I love the power and aggression in it. So much of what Mike's done since is just so musically 'pleasant' , i think thats why I'm generally not keen on it. I just love the slightly musically surreal world MFTB creates. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Aug. 21 2007, 07:31 It's unique, it's bizzare, it's a little bit surreal, it's a little bit unmusical, but it's never anything less than interesting. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

Ratty Group: Members Posts: 386 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Aug. 30 2007, 14:53 just recently listened to this cd again and still cannot decide if i like MFTB. Im not sure that the jazz influences / pieces work and one instrument i tend not to associate with mike is the saxaphone. It seems too disjointed in places and i am not sure what mike is trying to achieve. The overall feel is that of music students messing about to see what they can come up with! (and this was the result). -------------- Far away across the field The tolling of the iron bell Calls the faithful to their knees To hear the softly spoken magic spells Back to top

Bassman Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: Feb. 2008 Posted: Mar. 15 2008, 19:11 The chunk from 8:56 to 11:17 would have made a great B-side.  It works really well as a stand-alone track.  I often stick it in on mix CD's for my friends and then act like I don't know where the hell it came from or how it got there. Slap some vocals on it and I'll give you $20,000.   Back to top

nightspore Group: Members Posts: 4761 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: April 11 2008, 21:18 When I first heard "Music from the Balcony", I thought it was terrible. On a second listen, though, I've found that parts of it are very good indeed, with some very memorable melodies, stamped with that mood of Celtic yearning that characterizes so much of Mike's music. I suspect what puts people off is that that in places there are a lot of abstract sounds (noises) that induce you to switch off at that point. Back to top

trcanberra Group: Members Posts: 349 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: April 12 2008, 01:12 It certainly is an odd piece.  Just listened to it for the first time today.  If forced to characterize it seems like a lengthy out-take from Amarok, which directly preceded it, but with character of its own. For mine, a worthy addition to Mike's music. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: April 12 2008, 03:43 Wow, you liked it on first listen. The first time I heard it all I could say was "?!?". It's only quite recently that I've truely come to like Music from the Balcony. It really is unprecedented in Mike's music; not even Amarok reaches this level of crazyness. I think Mike must have been in an odd mood. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

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