And the Prog Album of The Year Is.....?

[Mind Drive]

Every year around this time you start to hear about the Year End Polls and in Prog it's no different. I actually enjoy these lists(I know not everyone does and you are free to skip this thread) and typically get an idea or two of some music to buy. Anyway I am making my vote in a year where I believe there are only a few that have a chance to get this recognition. Remember that popularity does matter (just like it did in the 70's with Yes, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull and all the other bands that defined this genre). There is a reason artists like Steven Wilson, Opeth, Anathema and Riverside have such large followings. With that in mind I have picked "Love, Fear and the Time Machine" by Riverside. This album blows me away and like most great Prog, gets better with each listen. I know Steven Wilson has created another jem, but for me, Riverside hit the Home Run.

If you get one vote, what do you pick.

[NogbadTheBad]

My top whatever in no particular order

Guapo - Obscure Knowledge
Reve General - Howl
Schnellertollermeier - X
Unit Wail - Beyond Space Edges
Jaga Jazzist - Starfire
William Drake - Revere Beach
Ghost Rhythms - Madeleine
Sonar - Black Light
Upsilon Acrux - Sun Square Dialect
Altais / Apsara - Archives
Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss
ni - les insurges de romilly
Karda Estra - Strange Relations
Stepmother - Calvary Greetings

[LeFrog]

Echolyn - I Heard You Listening


No question.

[Gerardo]

Muse - Drones

I rank what I have bought this year as follows:

1. Muse - Drones
2. Steven Wilson - Hand.Cannot.Erase
3. Between the Buried and Me - Coma Ecliptic
4. Steve Hackett - Wolflight
5. Goblin Rebirth - s/t
6. Spock's Beard - The Oblivion Particle
7. Neal Morse - The Grand Experiment

Compilations/Reissues:

1. Porcupine Tree - Anesthetize
2. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
3. Steve Howe - Anthology
4. Yes - Progeny
5. Yes - Like It Is:Live at Mesa
6. Asia - Axis XXX:Live in San Francisco

Classic rock/hard rock/other:

1. Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls
2. Sammy Hagar & The Circle - At Your Service
3. Toto - Toto XIV
4. UFO - A Conspiracy of Stars
5. Hollywood Vampires - s/t
6. Thunder - Wonder Days
7. Rico Monaco Band - We Rock, You Rust
8. Mumford and Sons - Wilder Mind

[boilk]

Hard for me not to give it to Steven Wilson. A great release, for sure.

neil

[gpeccary]

Steven Wilson without question in my collection.

[Mstove]

Steven Wilson without question in my collection.

Same here. That is a heck of an album.

[Haruspex Carnage]

Echolyn - I Heard You Listening


No question.

One more vote. Gazpacho and Steven Wilson's are great too.

[2steves]

Steven Wilson without question in my collection.

Same here---but enjoyed Hackett's too.

[act]

neal morse band-the grand experiment.

[Jon]

3RDegree: Ones & Zeroes, volume 1

[Guess Who]

For me personally...

it may be Grand Tour's "Heavy on the Beach".


Although, I haven't heard a couple of upcoming (in November/December) albums yet.

[flowerking]

1 vote? I'd probably pick Wolflight but a few others come to mind: Karnataka, Glass Hammer.

[LeFrog]

Hard for me not to give it to Steven Wilson. A great release, for sure.

neil

Although I can't deny the great quality of Wilson's output, I can't help feeling uncomfortable about the fact that he has topped the major end-of-year Prog polls in the last 10 years whenever he has released an album. It's just become too predictable. Even if I enjoy his albums, I now tend to vote for someone else, just so he doesn't win again (I know he will eventually, but not with my vote!)

[3RDegree_Robert]

3RDegree: Ones & Zeroes, volume 1

You're too kind Jon! Let's hope you're not alone!

[jazz2896]

I'm going to have to go with..
Magma- Slag Tanz
Steven Wilson- H.C.E.
Zappa- Dance Me This
VdGG- Merlin Atmos

[miamiscot]

What a great year for Prog!!! Fantastic releases from The Tangent, Riverside, Guapo, Neal Morse, Glass Hammer, echolyn, IZZ, Grand Tour, Pandora Snail, Native Construct, Advent, Spock's Beard, Steve Hackett, Nad Sylvan, Hasse Froberg and on and on and on!!!

My vote goes to...

THE TANGENT

[Facelift]

I've heard nothing (in the prog world) yet that was released this year that I thought was excellent (something that I would rate a 12 or higher on a 15-point scale), though plenty that I like well enough. My favorites were probably Slag Tanz, the new Guapo album and the Ghost Rhythms album. 2 months to go, though.

Of non-prog, I think that the new Kendrick Lamar album is a great one and far and away the album of the year.

[Sordel]

Although I can't deny the great quality of Wilson's output, I can't help feeling uncomfortable about the fact that he has topped the major end-of-year Prog polls in the last 10 years whenever he has released an album. It's just become too predictable. Even if I enjoy his albums, I now tend to vote for someone else, just so he doesn't win again (I know he will eventually, but not with my vote!)

I can't understand that logic at all. Best is best: it's not about taking turns. Moreover, SW is a strong candidate not because he's 'Steven Wilson' but because Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a persuasive & mature work.

[bob_32_116]

I can't understand that logic at all. Best is best: it's not about taking turns. Moreover, SW is a strong candidate not because he's 'Steven Wilson' but because Hand. Cannot. Erase. is a persuasive & mature work.

I agree. I think some people are guilty of a certain amount of snobbery, along the lines of "Everyone likes this, so it can't be that good".

It's a shame that we feel the need to choose the "best", because apart from H.C.E. some of my favourite purchases from 2015 are hardly progressive at all, and so different from Wilson's album that it's like comparing apples and bicycles.

[Trane]

Year's not finished yet, but it's kind of shaping to be one of the better ones since the 10's opened

Obviously this list is hardly complete or definitive, but here are the most likely contenders (though in small print, less so)

Kamasi Washington - The Epic
Algiers - Algiers
Tigran Hamasyan - Mockroot
Henry Threadgill Zooid - In for a Penny, In for a Pound
Alco Frisbass - s/t
Guapo - Onbscure Knowledge-
Gong - I see You
Unit Wail - Beyond Space Edges
Scherzoo - 03
Anekdoten - Ghosts
Reve General - Howl
Jaga Jazzist - Starfire
Ryley Walker - Primrose Green
VdGG- Atmos Green

[Staun]

Nothing really earth shaking. Same things from the same bands. Just feel it's time for some new bands and new ideas. Things seem rather flat. I really like what I've heard from the Nad Sylvan album though.

[zravkapt]

Not sure about a #1 but one of these would be it:

Guapo - Obscure Knowledge
Jaga Jazzist - Starfire
Battles - La Di Da Di

[Relayer56]

Echolyn - I Heard You Listening

No question.

One more vote. No question indeed.

[JAMOOL]

Kamasi Washington - The Epic

Surprised there isn't a dedictated discussion thread on this album yet!