Your Prog Suggestions - Help a Brother Out. BORED w/my Current Tunes!

[SoulFreq]

Hi Progressive Ears members: Lurker here requesting assistance. I enjoy progressive rock, but grow weary of my limited playlist. My favorites: Yes, Spock's Beard, Neal Morse, Transatlantic, Porcupine Tree/Wilson, some Roine-related stuff, Glass Hammer, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Early-mid period Rush, ELP, accessible King Crimson & Pink Floyd, Tull, Kansas, Toy Matinee, etc. I like melody, stuff with hooks. Non-prog I'm into power pop, classic rock, Beatles, etc. But I'm BORED with most of what I listen to these days.

Not big into "inaccessible" prog or metal-prog. Too artsy & noisy and I turn it off. What bands would you recommend along the lines of my current palette? Old school/recent, what would you suggest?

Thanks for your help!

SoulFreq

Answered a few moderator questions:

1) Are you bored with the styles or just the specific artists? So if we recommend you something that "sounds like" PTree or Kansas, are you into that or want something different?

Not tired of the styles - I've just listened to this stuff A LOT. So similar bands are important. And I like stuff that is well-produced. Some of the "second tier" prog stuff sounds underproduced or demo-ish to me. Make sense?

2) Are you more interested in exploring newer music or the classics?

I do find myself listening to the newer stuff on my list more (i.e. Spock's/TA/Morse/PT/Wilson)

3) How deep does your listening experience go? For example, I could mention Camel as an obvious classic melodic symph band, but you may already know them.

Probably not overly deep in prog. I have a few Camel albums. Not bad. Not a knockout for me either.

4) How are you with foreign language vocals? Like Bill suggested some of the classic Italian bands to which there are many great ones. However some people can't get beyond the vocals.

I can handle limited foreign stuff. I have PFM Pictures of Ghosts in English and enjoy it.

[SongForAmerica]

Big Big Train: English Electric

[Dave (in MA)]

UK
Bruford

[joeymakesmusic]

Not going to recommend albums since that won't really help you get a taste.

Try these tracks:

Psychopomp by Thank You Scientists

Sojourner by Archaeologist (probably more melodic and to your tastes)

Simple ast That by The Pineapple Thief (much more mainstream)

[Buddhabreath]

Keep reading the forum, so many great melodic works discussed. In the mean time

How bout


or



or this relatively obscure melodic wonder

[Sputnik]

I'd suggest you explore some of the Italian bands. I'd start with the "big names," PFM, Banco, and Le Orme. Go on Prog Archives or Gnosis and pick their best rated albums and start there. I think these bands combine the melodicism of the groups your listen to with a different "twist" that might be a bridge into other stuff. It feels like you need more exposure to some lesser known 70s stuff, and these bands are a perfect bridge to that. If you like them, there's tons more from Italy and other countries you'd enjoy.

I think the UK, both albums, would be a slam dunk for you. Bruford maybe, but those might be growers for you. Not sure how you feel about fusion, there's not a lot of fusion type stuff on your list.

But definitely check out the Italians, lots of great stuff there.

Happy hunting,

Bill

[Poisoned Youth]

There is so much music out there that even your references make it difficult to make accurate recommendations. But I do have a few questions...

1) Are you bored with the styles or just the specific artists? So if we recommend you something that "sounds like" PTree or Kansas, are you into that or want something different?

2) Are you more interested in exploring newer music or the classics?

3) How deep does your listening experience go? For example, I could mention Camel as an obvious classic melodic symph band, but you may already know them.

4) How are you with foreign language vocals? Like Bill suggested some of the classic Italian bands to which there are many great ones. However some people can't get beyond the vocals.

[JKL2000]

If you like Toy Matinee, I somehow want to suggest the Thomas Dolby albums "This Flat Earth," "Aliens Ate My Buick," and "Astronauts and Heretics." Those all somehow skirt on prog territory for me even though they're basically pop. Check out Marillion's most recent one, FEAR, while you're at it. Possibly their best, IMO.

[rcarlberg]

I don't see anything Canterbury in your list. Try Caravan, Hatfield & The North, Hugh Hopper, Matching Mole, Robert Wyatt.

[Poisoned Youth]

Of course that won't stop me from posting some links...

Anathema's last several albums might fit the bill.


Anglagard - Hybris: Considered by many to be one of the finest albums of the last 25+ years (melodic, dark, dynamic, folky)


Aranis - Beautifully crafted "chamber prog" from Belgium, melodic and folky.

[SoulFreq]

There is so much music out there that even your references make it difficult to make accurate recommendations. But I do have a few questions...

Thanks - I've answered below.

1) Are you bored with the styles or just the specific artists? So if we recommend you something that "sounds like" PTree or Kansas, are you into that or want something different?

Not tired of the styles - I've just listened to this stuff A LOT. So similar bands are important. And I like stuff that is well-produced. Some of the "second tier" prog stuff sounds underproduced or demo-ish to me. Make sense?

2) Are you more interested in exploring newer music or the classics?

I do find myself listening to the newer stuff on my list more (i.e. Spock's/TA/Morse/PT/Wilson)

3) How deep does your listening experience go? For example, I could mention Camel as an obvious classic melodic symph band, but you may already know them.

Probably not overly deep in prog. I have a few Camel albums. Not bad. Not a knockout for me either.

4) How are you with foreign language vocals? Like Bill suggested some of the classic Italian bands to which there are many great ones. However some people can't get beyond the vocals.

I can handle limited foreign stuff. I have PFM Pictures of Ghosts in English and enjoy it.

[Poisoned Youth]

Archive - Again (from their Floydy/PTree phase)


Camel - Lady Fantasy (one of their many classic tracks)


England - Garden Shed (like a "long lost" but not forgotten culmination of British symph)


#svetoniomode

[Poisoned Youth]

Thanks - I've answered below.

Thanks, that's definitely helpful. Hopefully we are able to turn you on to a few things.

[Fracktured]

Eccentric Orbit would scratch that itch very well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[miamiscot]

Wobbler

[Farpoint Kevin]

May I have permission to self-promote a bit? Maybe just 2 songs from 2 of my bands? Your influences are right in line with many of mine, so it may be worthwhile...

[Rarebird]

How about some Eloy?

If you want to broaden your palette, Try Pekka Pohjola.

Not prog, but have you ever tried Joe Jackson?

[Top Cat]

May I suggest our very own Squids who comments here often, The Dave Kerzner Band and his New World album, it's fantastic!

His follow up album Static,is also fantastic.



Another very talented member here, battema and his band Ephemeral Sun. I'm a new member so I've started discovering member's music by clicking on the link at the bottom of their posts. I'm finding there is a lot of talent here, and I'm looking forward to discovering more as time goes by and I find the time to listen to their music.
No need to look around when there is a plethora of talent and great prog music within these walls.
If you find something, most of the time it's available for purchase as well.
http://www.ephemeralsun.com/

This live set is fantastic.

[Top Cat]

Another great new prog band is Dave Kerzner's other band,Sound of Contact, co-partnered with Simon Collins(yes, that Collins).
5 years after it's release, I still find it fresh and never tire of listening to it.

[Zappathustra]

Wobbler

Your opinion doesn't count - you are biased since you discovered your Viking ancestry

[act]

Also mostly into melodic prog .
Try these from todays scene .
Mystery
Comedy of errors
Magic pie
Galahad
Iq
Aurora project
Knight area
A.C.T
Arena
Barock project
Different light


A few to start with

Cheers

[Liquid Tension]

Ozric Tentacles
Anglagard
Forgas Band Phenomena

[regenerativemusic]

Seems like you like well-played technically challenging stuff or stuff with classical influence. Try Novalis, Kultivator, Eskaton, Wigwam, Pekka Pohjola.

[Nicky Cupcakes]

Your favorites echo lots of mine, but I don't see mention of Moon Safari, and I highly recommend them:

[bill g]

Sounds like you're a melodic symph guy, and like rock. So, how about...

Sebastian Hardie - Blueprint
Mario Millo - Oceans of the Mind

(Mario is the frontman for Sebastian Hardie, originally a 70s artist, but I personally think these are better than anything S.H. did in the 70s.)

Sanhedrin - Ever After - another recent instrumental based album I'd highly recommend!

And one of my all time favorites:

Mr. Sirius

Although hard to find. But there are clips on YouTube. 'Nile For A While' is brilliant, as is 'All The Fallen People'.