278 replies to this topic

[Djinnocide]

I know there's a couple of other prog threads on the forum, but they seemed kind of focused on one thing or another (Italian prog and I think the other one was someone trying to put together a play list), so I thought of getting together something more official and in line with the Metal thread.

I guess I'll start with something old...

Camel - Never Let Go (from their debut album. I like this one because it's one of the few songs that featured Peter Bardens on vocals and the lyrics are fairly straight forward and the song has a positive message)


and something new(er)...

Änglagård - Jordrock (Just discovered these guys today and they blew my mind. I love how sinister the beginning of this song is and how it's the perfect mix of the old and new styles.)


I thought it might also be nice if we could compile a required listening list for anyone reading this who might not be too deeply familiar with the genre (or its subgenres). If you have any suggestions for a must hear album let us know and I'll keep this initial post updated.

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO PROGRESSIVE ROCK
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Camel - Moonmadness

[Shoe]

I thought it might also be nice if we could compile a required listening list for anyone reading this who might not be too deeply familiar with the genre (or its subgenres). If you have any suggestions for a must hear album let us know and I'll keep this initial post updated.

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and MOTHERFUCKING EVER.

A good beer, a nice spring/summer day with the windows open and this blasting out of my record player is pretty much my favorite thing ever. That's really all I got.

OH! And I have been listening to a lot of Frost* lately. They tickle my boner bone.

And Porcupine Tree, if you're feeling emo.

[Josiah Tobin]

My housemate listens to a ton of prog, lots of crazy obscure stuff, some of it's way too atonal/chaotic for me, but some of it I can get into it. He says he doesn't "believe" in prog as a genre though, which I can kind of understand cause it's so broad, but not much worse than any other big genres I guess. Anyway, one of the bands he's into that I also kinda like is Moon Safari, their album Blomljud is pretty choice:



I also got some Camel from him, I like their music a lot (but prefer the instrumental stuff).

~Josiah

EDIT: I love porcupine tree as well, though for some reason in my head they're kind of separate from "prog," not sure why. Dunno where the emo comment came from though; I mean, they're just less happy/silly/joyful as a lot of old prog seems to be. Oh, and god damn, The Incident has an amazing mix.

[Shoe]

EDIT: I love porcupine tree as well, though for some reason in my head they're kind of separate from "prog," not sure why. Dunno where the emo comment came from though; I mean, they're just less happy/silly/joyful as a lot of old prog seems to be. Oh, and god damn, The Incident has an amazing mix.

I kinda lump em in due to the "One long song broken into parts" albums, crazy time signatures, etc. The emo comment is just me being factitious, haha. They are definitely melancholy though; not exactly something you put on to rock out Anamanaguchi-style to

[Josiah Tobin]

Oh yeah, for sure. Re: PT being prog though, I just meant in my own head for some reason they fall outside that label; logically I still acknowledge them as prog (or at least having a lot of prog elements). I think it's to do with the fact that I found out about them before my friend started listening to a whole bunch of 70s/80s prog rock -- when I think 'prog' my mind just kind of jumps to that era, even though there's a ton of styles out there

~Josiah

[Djinnocide]

Amazing early 80's release from Brazil's Bacamarte.

[Demonstray]

These guys added me out of the blue on YouTube.



Here's the demo recording of the same song.



Just thought some people would be interested.

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

I searched 'progressive rock' and came up pretty short as far as bands concerned. I must change that!

Bubblemath - Be Together



This band certainly isn't well known and as far as I know, they only have one album out and are pretty inactive.

Spock's Beard - Goodbye to Yesterday



The other bands I have in my iTunes listed as 'progressive rock' are Camel, Coheed and Cambria, Grateful Dead, Journey (highly contentious I'm sure, however Wikipedia lists that as one of their sub-genres and I like to keep my genres as clean as possible), King Crimson, Liquid Tension Experiment, Mars Volta, NRG, Phish, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Rush, Scale the Summit, Spock's Beard, Tool, Uriah Heep, Yes.

[Djinnocide]

Nick put me onto these guys today and I am TOTALLY impressed. It's great to hear contemporary bands that still appreciate the old ways.

[Moldilox]

Oh wow, really digging this Moon Safari I'm on right now.

[universal_justin]

this guy will be in town march third... gonna do load in/load out for the show.

[LuketheXjesse]

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

[Moldilox]

btw, prog is some of the best stuff to work to. It's easy to get lost in the songs and as a result get lost in whatever it is you're doing.

[arise_shine]

I approve of this thread. Probably not any surprise to many folks here.

Here are some of the records I'd consider essential:

70's heyday:
King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King ... really the record that started it all. And it still rocks, even after like 400 years. Also, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Red
ELP: (not sure what record, but they're one of the "big four")
Yes: Fragile, Close to the Edge
Genesis: Selling England by the Pound, anything else with "Supper's Ready"
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here
Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick, Aqualung
Camel: Mirage, Snow Goose, Moonmadness

80's revival:
King Crimson: Discipline
Marillion: Misplaced Childhood, Clutching at Straws
IQ: Scenes from the Lush Attic, The Wake

90's revival:
Anglagard: Hybris, Epilog (my single favorite record of all time)
Echolyn: As the World
Spock's Beard: Anything up to and including "Snow" .. but "Beware of Darkness" was always my personal favorite .. others like "The Light" a lot
Flower Kings: not my favorite band, but lots of folks like them quite a bit .. maybe Retropolis? Stardust We Are?

Um .. Yeah, that's just scratching the surface. That's not even getting into all the lesser known, but still excellent stuff. Especially foreign stuff like the Italians, Magma, etc., and the amazing wealth of avant-prog (some of which is also known as "Rock In Opposition"). It's really dizzying.

EDIT:

btw, prog is some of the best stuff to work to. It's easy to get lost in the songs and as a result get lost in whatever it is you're doing.

I find the opposite to be true: I get lost in the songs, and I lose interest in work. But I'm a software engineer, so it's pretty concentration-intensive. If I was doing something more mindless, it would be better suited.

[Moldilox]

EDIT:

btw, prog is some of the best stuff to work to. It's easy to get lost in the songs and as a result get lost in whatever it is you're doing.

I find the opposite to be true: I get lost in the songs, and I lose interest in work. But I'm a software engineer, so it's pretty concentration-intensive. If I was doing something more mindless, it would be better suited.

Yeah I can see that. I'm a writer and for some reason it helps me stay focused.