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Thread: Best Releases Of 2020 - So Far

  1. #1
    Moderator Duncan Glenday's Avatar
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    Best Releases Of 2020 - So Far

    I don't recall seeing a thread like this yet ... let me know if there is one. If not -

    That 2020 releases are already available that we should be buying?
    Regards,

    Duncan

  2. #2
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quel Che Disse Il Tuono - Il Velo Dei Riflessi - former Unreal City guitarist's new band. Great Italian prog with all the usual bells and whistles. Very enjoyable.

    Marko Hietala - Pyre Of The Black Heart - English version of last year's debut solo album from the Finnish legend, mostly known for being in Nightwish, but also the awesome and underrated Tarot. I prefer the Finnish vocals, but for people who don't like non-English lyrics, this would be the one to get, and it's well worth hearing. Heavy prog stuff that has very little in common with his more well known day job.

    Zopp - Zopp - Nice, solid Canterbury-ish stuff that includes Andy Tillison and Theo Travis. I expect this will be on a lot of end-of-year lists.

    Glass Hammer - Dreaming City - Great little concept album sure to please GH fans, and with the added bonus of some heavier (and highly Rush-influenced) sounds.

    Pattern-Seeking Animals - Prehensile Tales - Quick followup album to last year's self-titled debut from this "Spocks Beard in an alternate reality" band. Really enjoy this one, the best thing to come from a couple of those guys in a while, IMO.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

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    ^^^^^

    Thanks, Progatron. That's a pretty solid short list for this early in the year. I am definitely going to investigate all of these.

  4. #4
    Old man of prog
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    I'd say Pure Reason Revolution comback album is the only release so far guaranteed a spot in my year-end Top 10 but the new Katatonia and I Am the Manic Whale are also contenders.

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    Pure Reason Revolution
    Elder
    Soften the Glare

    neil

  6. #6
    I've ordered Dai Kaht - II. Should be good based on the track I heard on Youtube.

  7. #7
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    JG Thirlwell & Simon Steensland - Oscillospira - classic heavy dark avant
    Emme Phyzema - Chronic Bronchitis - Acid Folk
    Chromb - Les livre des Merveilles - avant post jazz
    Zopp - s/t - canterbury
    Dai Kaht - II - happy zeuhl
    Igorrr - Spirituality & Distortion - avant metal experimental noise
    Kavus Torabi - Hip To The Jag - edge prog pop
    Dr Nerve - Loud - avant metal
    Horse Lords - The Common Task - microtonal experimental avant rock
    Last edited by NogbadTheBad; 04-26-2020 at 08:08 PM.
    Ian

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    Member AncientChord's Avatar
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    Not many yet for me as these old prog ears are getting very picky.

    Ars De Er - Symbole
    Red Sand - Crush The Seed
    Fren - Where Do You Want Ghosts To Reside
    Tangerine Dream - Recurring Dreams
    Cryptic Ruse - Unfertile
    Zopp
    Bad Dreams - Frozen Heart
    Katatonia - City Burials
    Elder - Omens
    Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (Deluxe Edition)
    Day dawns dark...it now numbers infinity.

  9. #9
    Member thedunno's Avatar
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    By far my favorite so far:
    JG Thirlwell & Simon Steensland - Oscillospira

    other good ones:
    Emme Phyzema - Chronic Bronchitis
    Zopp - s/t Annie barbazza - Vive
    Shabaka & the Ancestors - We are send here by history
    Angel Ontalva and Vespero - Saada
    Angel Ontalva and Ark Fedotov - Shaman Rock

    Still have not heared but expect to like a lot
    Kavus Torabi - Hip to the Jag

  10. #10
    Member Kcrimso's Avatar
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    My favourites so far:

    1. JG Thirwell & Simon Steensland : Oscillospira
    2. Raoul Björkenheim: Solar Winds
    3. Markus Reuter featuring Fabio Trentini and Asaf Sirkis : Truce
    4. Deep Energy Orchestra : The Return
    5. Pauli Lyytinen Magnetia Orkesteri : Hypnosis
    My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/

  11. #11
    Pendragon of course!

  12. #12
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AncientChord View Post
    Not many yet for me as these old prog ears are getting very picky.

    Ars De Er - Symbole
    Red Sand - Crush The Seed
    Fren - Where Do You Want Ghosts To Reside
    Tangerine Dream - Recurring Dreams
    Cryptic Ruse - Unfertile
    Zopp
    Bad Dreams - Frozen Heart
    Katatonia - City Burials
    Elder - Omens
    Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (Deluxe Edition)
    The Red Sand and Bad Dreams are both that good? In that case I'll give them both a try. Did you recieve the deluxe In Absentia from Burning Shed?

  13. #13
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tonissive View Post
    Pendragon of course!
    Yes, Pendragon's Love Over Fear is the only album I'm certain of right now. I'd probably include all three versions (as one?) they included in the hardback edition, since all three versions could stand alone as a separate album (regular, acoustic, and instrumental).

  14. #14
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    my favourite 2020 releases so far are:

    The Ancestry Program - Tomorrow Prog Rock Band from Munich/Germany. They remind me of a mixture of IQ, Big Big Train, Haken, a bit Transatlantic, early Spock's Beard.... really worth a full album listen.
    Dai Kaht - II no doubt about that.
    Camel - Live at the Royal Albert Hall
    PRR - Eupnea

  15. #15
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thedunno View Post
    Shabaka & the Ancestors - We are send here by history
    I should have listed this one.
    Ian

    Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on progrock.com
    https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-a...re-happy-hour/

    Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
    I blame Wynton, what was the question?
    There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.

  16. #16
    SEC - L'aventure Complète de George Gallamus

    Haven't heard anyone discuss this--new concept album from a Chromb/PoiL-like three-piece on Dur et Doux. Very weird and very strong. It has a companion album with songs by other Dur et Doux acts, though I haven't heard that yet. I'd be really interested to hear others' thoughts on these.

  17. #17
    Member AncientChord's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    The Red Sand and Bad Dreams are both that good? In that case I'll give them both a try. Did you recieve the deluxe In Absentia from Burning Shed?
    I tend to like singers that sound like Peter Gabriel, hence the Red Sand and Bad Dreams choices. And yes, musically I also give both a . The P Tree from Wayside Music.
    Day dawns dark...it now numbers infinity.

  18. #18
    Songs of Yearning
    by Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus

    https://revolutionaryarmyoftheinfant...gs-of-yearning
    "Confusion Will Be My Epitaph"

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by PCMusic View Post
    Songs of Yearning
    by Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus

    https://revolutionaryarmyoftheinfant...gs-of-yearning

    Forgot to add, there is an accompanying album to the Songs of Yearning - Nocturnes. I think "Nocturnes" is only available with the purchase of Songs of Yearning. Have not listened to it yet but it should be a great addition.
    "Confusion Will Be My Epitaph"

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by eyerolls View Post
    SEC - L'aventure Complète de George Gallamus

    Haven't heard anyone discuss this--new concept album from a Chromb/PoiL-like three-piece on Dur et Doux. Very weird and very strong. It has a companion album with songs by other Dur et Doux acts, though I haven't heard that yet. I'd be really interested to hear others' thoughts on these.
    Thanks for the heads up. I understand this is just a bass, drums, percussion and some sound fx project. It reminds me of Ruins, in its rawness and craziness. First impression is very positive - but I am a sucker for anything that comes from this particular corner of the world.

  21. #21
    Member mnprogger's Avatar
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    between the working-at-home/other changes in schedule and lifestyle from Corona Virus and Diabetes (along with having to take care of a dog and even a cat now, lol), my consumption of new music has taken a dramatic backseat.

    but here's what I have off the top of my head


    Ours - Spectacular Sight III
    Pure Reason Revolution - Eupnea
    Pat Metheny - From This Place
    Psychotic Waltz - The God-Shaped Void
    The Dear Hunter - The Fox and the Hunt

    in my cue

    Bruce Peninsula - No Earthly Sound
    Other Lives - For Their Love

  22. #22
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    My top 3 at the moment is probably:
    Archive - 25 Live (this was a limited download only release, but a really great set)
    Pure Reason Revolution - Eupnea (another nice entry in their catalog, very happy to seem them back at it)
    Tame Impala - The Slow Rush (an improvement over Currents imo, lots of campy 70s/80s elements mixed with their pop/psych/indie vibe)

    Edit: Adding Aka Moon - Opus 111 to this tier.


    Other impressive albums:

    Elder - Omens (Could end up being addictive, but the vocals bring it back down to Earth. Still, it's maybe their best)
    Kanaan - Odense Sessions (instrumental psych, post-rock, hard rocks stuff from the El Paraiso label)
    King Buffalo - Dead Star (psych, space, rock, synth, fun)
    Pat Metheny - From This Place (another fantastic work from Pat who has really hit his stride)
    Moura - s/t (From Spain, they sort of remind me of Big Elf, sort of a bombastic, organ/guitar hard prog with a whiff of Spinal Tap)
    Mythic Sunship - Changing Shapes (Also from El Paraiso, heavy psych rock with sax and a free-rock/jazz element)
    Siena Root - The Secret of Our Time (Good old fashioned 70s retro-rawk. This one really stands out from their last few)
    Joel Harrison + 18 - America at War (Really well composed big band jazz in a modern style, with compositions often very different from each other)

    Jury is out:
    Jonas Munk - Minimum Resistance (More "ambient" than electronic. I prefer the latter)
    Dai Kaht - II (Not really doing it for me. Big Zeuhl fan, but found this difficult to enjoy)
    Zopp - s/t (I enjoyed it, but don't remember anything. I think it has the best chance of these 3 to be the grower)
    Last edited by Poisoned Youth; 05-01-2020 at 09:25 AM.
    WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.

  23. #23
    Gun to the head right this moment:

    Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi (amazeballs!!!)
    Lesa Listvy - Unheard Of
    Roll the Dice - Assimilarity
    Steve Moore - VFW [OST]
    Daniel Avery / Allessandro Cortini - Illusion of Time
    Makeup and Vanity Set - Roy
    almost forgot!! Carpenter Brut - Blood Machines [OST] (!!!!!!)

    Quite a few singles as well, but I tried to stick to albums for now.
    Last edited by battema; 04-29-2020 at 05:57 PM.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    Joel Harrison + 18 - America at War (Really well composed big band jazz in a modern style, with compositions often very different from each other)
    I just listened to this on your recommendation and I'm floored. Really good stuff.
    Mongrel dog soils actor's feet

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    [U]
    Elder - Omens (Could end up being addictive, but the vocals bring it back down to Earth. Still, it's maybe their best)
    I quite like the vocals, myself. I will say that they follow a seeming recent trend, though, of it being very hard to discern the lyrics upon the first couple of listens. On Bent Knee's excellent 2019 release You Know What They Mean, the words that Courtney Swain is singing, are practically un-intelligible, but still that was my album of the year!

    This is definitely in my mix, for my 2020 album of the year.

    neil

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