Light prog fan

[feldman]

Hi everyone, my first post here. I grew up on prog rock, which served as a gateway drug to jazz-rock, then fusion, then jazz, and on to the world music and beyond.

I am a guitar player and a passionate audiophile, so music is one of my obsessions. Couple of years ago I decided to go back to listening to vinyl, which unexpectedly opened the doors to my early youth infatuation with prog rock. So I started revisiting many LPs from the late '60s, early-to-mid '70s. Which was just great!

Now I'm interested in learning how did prog rock morph and evolve during the past 40+ years, which is why I've joined this forum. I'm looking at you, the resident experts, to kindly guide me toward discovering good prog music that is at the same time contemporary. Being nostalgic is great, and we can all, I'm sure, keep listening to the classic prog rock till the cows come home, but in all fairness I think younger musicians deserve their share of our attention.

I don't necessarily like just any kind of prog. I'm mostly interested in imaginative, exploratory side of prog. For example, my favourite prog rock old school recordings are (in no particular order):

• Genesis "Selling England by the Pound"
• ELP "Tarkus"
• Jethro Tull "Thick as a Brick"
• Yes "Tales from Topographic Oceans"
• King Krimson "In the Court..."

You get the picture -- all classics.

At the same time, I tend to be quite picky. For example, I cannot find much of interest in any other Genesis LP. ELP is hit-and-miss for me, mostly like parts of their first album and some tracks on "Trilogy". The rest is ho-hum for me. Yes is the same -- only Tales do it for me (weird, eh?)

Which is why I call myself a 'light' prog fan. I also like some recordings from that era which are more jazzy, but I'm not sure if those could be placed in the prog category. For example, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea (Return to Forever and most of his solo stuff), Weather Report, electric Miles Davis, Larry Coryell, Oregon, Eberhard Weber, Keith Jarrett, Dave Leibman, lots of the '70s ECM stuff, etc.

Thanks for stopping by and reading, I hope you'll have some time to toss some juicy suggestions and recommendations my way

[mozo-pg]

Welcome. You could receive hundreds and hundreds of recommendations based on your interests. I'll make it simple by suggesting Anekdoten from Sweden, and specifically Vemod and Nucleus. They willl satisfy a Crimson itch.

[Burley Wright]

Welcome feldman, I'm sure you will get lots of excellent suggestions here, I'll toss out a few you may or may not have heard.

[progmatist]

Motoi Saduraba's Gikyokuonsou album is a perfect blend of prog rock and jazz.

[feldman]

Motoi Saduraba's Gikyokuonsou album is a perfect blend of prog rock and jazz.

Thanks. Sounds like soft Chick Corea -- gorgeous!

[Steve F.]

I’ll just list a bunch of things you can dismiss with a casual wave of the hand......

[feldman]

I’ll just list a bunch of things you can dismiss with a casual wave of the hand......

Anyone who looks like Howlin' Wolf cannot offer wrong recommendations!

[DocProgger]

I don't necessarily like just any kind of prog. I'm mostly interested in imaginative, exploratory side of prog. For example, my favourite prog rock old school recordings are (in no particular order):

• Genesis "Selling England by the Pound"
• ELP "Tarkus"
• Jethro Tull "Thick as a Brick"
• Yes "Tales from Topographic Oceans"
• King Krimson "In the Court..."

You get the picture -- all classics.

I'm more of a heavy prog fan, those darn bbq ribs.....

Anyway, I was going to recommend:
Genesis-Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
ELP--Love Beach
Jethro Tull--Songs from the Wood
Yes--Relayer
King Crimson--Lizard

but then I read this....
"At the same time, I tend to be quite picky. For example, I cannot find much of interest in any other Genesis LP. ELP is hit-and-miss for me, mostly like parts of their first album and some tracks on "Trilogy". The rest is ho-hum for me. Yes is the same -- only Tales do it for me (weird, eh?)"

...and that is pretty bizarro, so I don't know if those would be in your wheelhouse

[TCC]

Hola Feldman,
Based on your comments ( ) and trying to go a little bit further, these are recurrent over here:

- Cabezas de Cera (México):
Live in USA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA4RNh1aslA

- Media Banda (Chile):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEYwfRywMgw

- Projeto B (Brasil):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-B8tGo8V30

- Amoeba Split (Spain):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P258zXie_y8

- Phlox (Estonia):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_-xA031I1g

- Yugen (Italy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaRUv4_JThg

- Accordo Dei Contrari. (Italy):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCRk...a41oB9&index=6

- Happy Family (Japan):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCX530TNX3I

- KBB (Japan):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vj1j5TZ2yU

- Troyka (England):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idxK3Wm7I-s

- Slivovitz (Italy).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaPPRofgy98

[Steve F.]

Anyone who looks like Howlin' Wolf cannot offer wrong recommendations!

Best response EVER! respect!!

[TCC]

Anyone who looks like Howlin' Wolf cannot offer wrong recommendations!

Best response EVER! respect!!

yep … have to agree!

[JKL2000]

In addition to what you posted, it might be helpful to know some more of the prog rock records you already like. I have to say, it IS a bit odd that SEBTP is the only Genesis album you like, if you've given the rest a real listen. Most if not all people here who like that album REALLY like several other Genesis albums. I like SEBTP a lot but it's not my favorite. Well, it's not my only favorite!

RE: King Crimson, do you like the 80s albums?

[mogrooves]

I started revisiting many LPs from the late '60s, early-to-mid '70s. Which was just great!

This was me 20 years ago. (I'd quit listening c. '76).

[feldman]

In addition to what you posted, it might be helpful to know some more of the prog rock records you already like. I have to say, it IS a bit odd that SEBTP is the only Genesis album you like, if you've given the rest a real listen. Most if not all people here who like that album REALLY like several other Genesis albums. I like SEBTP a lot but it's not my favorite. Well, it's not my only favorite!

RE: King Crimson, do you like the 80s albums?

Yes, I know, it is odd. That's why I was careful to qualify my post with 'light' prog fan. I tend to be annoying with how picky I am. It's just a personal taste, really.

I did like some of the Genesis "Lamb Lies...", but for the life of me could not warm up to ANY of their other records. Foxtrot? Yawn. Trespass? Unlistenable drivel (sorry, I sometimes tend to be blunt).

Not a huge Crimson fan after Lake left them. I know I'm missing a lot, but so far could not connect...

Oh yeah, I also like some of Floyd as well as Amon Düül II "Tanz der Lemminge"). The ONLY Mike Oldfield record I like is "Hergest Ridge"! I know, I'm weird.

[feldman]

I'm more of a heavy prog fan, those darn bbq ribs.....

Anyway, I was going to recommend:
Genesis-Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
ELP--Love Beach
Jethro Tull--Songs from the Wood
Yes--Relayer
King Crimson--Lizard

but then I read this....
"At the same time, I tend to be quite picky. For example, I cannot find much of interest in any other Genesis LP. ELP is hit-and-miss for me, mostly like parts of their first album and some tracks on "Trilogy". The rest is ho-hum for me. Yes is the same -- only Tales do it for me (weird, eh?)"

...and that is pretty bizarro, so I don't know if those would be in your wheelhouse

I enjoy parts of "Lamb Lies...: but not all of it.

I like "Relayer", probably their best after "Tales", but it falls short of "Tales" grandiosity and sheer stupendous... something.

Songs from the Woods? Gave it a spin, had to take it off after side one. Did not sit well with me. To me, Tull stopped after "A Passion Play" (which is absolutely brilliant, although Thick as a Brick outshines it).

Love Beach -- really? Maybe I should buy that LP after all?

Lizard -- I'll get back to you on that...

Thanks!

[feldman]

My point (probably misguided and very wrong): when prog music is good, there is nothing like it. But people (and I hope I won't get tarred and feathered for saying this), the batting average of many prog bands is not all that great. Especially when compared to the batting average of jazz artists.

That's why I'm looking for your guidance here. Life is too short to waste it on mediocre records. Please hit me with pure gold!

[StarThrower]

Helmet Of Gnats s/t 2006 release. Audiophile recording, memorable compositions, great guitar playing, vintage organ sounds and overall musicianship. Perfect if you love prog and fusion.

Mike Keneally-Scambot 1, for starters.

[Paulrus]

That Anekdoten rec seems way off IMO. Too harsh, I'm guessing. But Happy the Man should be a winner, although it's not really "contemporary." Other older bands that might scratch the same itch are Focus, Sebastian Hardie, Renaissance and early Camel.

But when it comes to more modern bands who have tackled grand scaled and melodic work on the scale of something like Topographic I'm drawing a blank. Cairo? I know Andy Tillison claims to have aimed for that with some of the Tangent albums but I don't think they quite measure up. But you might like them. There's also bands like Moth Velum, Magenta, and Iona. I know there are tons more out there.

[Progbear]

Maybe Rubidium by Maschine. Prog with some metal and jazzy flourishes, male and female vocals:

[flowerking]

I echo the recommendations for Camel and Renaissance. From Camel, you can't go wrong with any of Mirage, Moonmadness and Snow Goose. Renaissance: Turn of the Cards and Scheherezade and Other Stories. Also recommended is Nektar Remember the Future and Tab in the Ocean.

For more recent prog, I'd suggest:
Big Big Train: English Electric 1 & 2
Phideaux: Doomsday Afternoon, Number Seven
Magenta: Home, Seven, Twenty-Seven Club
Schooltree: Heterotopia

[arabicadabra]

Focusing on the young (or at least younger), I'd recommend checking out:

IZZ - I Move or My River Flows
3rDegree - Ones & Zeroes Pt I
A.C.T - Last Epic
District 97 - The Trouble With Machines or Hybrid Child

And regarding young prog bands, it might help to know how you feel about Dream Theater....

[Rarebird]

One would expect me to mention:
Hoelderlin



and
Pekka Pohjola

[Sputnik]

My point (probably misguided and very wrong): when prog music is good, there is nothing like it. But people (and I hope I won't get tarred and feathered for saying this), the batting average of many prog bands is not all that great. Especially when compared to the batting average of jazz artists.

That's why I'm looking for your guidance here. Life is too short to waste it on mediocre records. Please hit me with pure gold!

I'm finicky about my Prog Rock, but not as finicky as you. I'd say the batting average of Prog bands in their classic periods is very high. So for example I'd put everything by Yes from TYA through GftO on a pretty high level. Sure I have favorites in there and ones I don't like so much (in my case TfTO), but I wouldn't single one of these out as "pure gold" and not rate the others as ones a fan should check out. So it makes it extremely difficult to give you recommendations.

That said, here are some bands that I think represent the cream of the crop of what Prog Rock has produced since around 1990:

Anglagard: Hybris or Epilog
DFA: Lavori in Corso or Duty Free Area
Deus Ex Machina: De Republica or anything after that one
Thinking Plague: In This Life or In Extremis
Miriodor: Mekano or anything after
Helmet of Gnats: Any
Media Banda: Any
Nerve Institute: Architects of Flesh-Density
Deluge Grander: August in the Urals or Ocenarium
Kotebel: Ouroboros, Concerto for Piano and Electric Ensemble or Cosmology
Masal: Either

There are obviously many others, but this should get you started.

Also, if you haven't explored the 70s Italian scene, you might want to check out Area, PFM, and Banco. If you like those, there's tons of Prog from other nationalities to explore that often rival the big name 70s Prog stuff. But those are a good starting point.

Bill

[JKL2000]

Feldman, you’re not part of Glass Hammer’s new album campaign, are you?

Actually, you might like Glass Hammer...

[miamiscot]

This guy says he likes Yes, Genesis, ELP, etc. and people are recommending Thinking Plague, Yugen, Deus Ex Machine, Pekka Pohjola and Miriodor.

Am I the only one who thinks that's funny?