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Thread: 2012/2013 a new Golden era for Prog?

  1. #1

    2012/2013 a new Golden era for Prog?

    The suggestion is that:

    It’s not just the quantity of new Prog releases, but the quality of them that distinguishes the last 18 months or so as potentially a new golden era in Prog.
    Bands have upped the bar in terms of quality, be it in the areas of composition, chops, sounds, recording quality, etc, whatever floats your boat.
    We’ve seen fewer derivative releases, and see bands creating their own sounds, unique combinations of influences, their own ‘take’ on Prog music.
    Whatever your particular tastes are in Prog music, there’s been a number of releases that ‘do it’ for you from 2012/2013.

    So, focusing less on which bands we’re thinking of as we’ll all have our own take on it, generally, do we think this suggestion is true?

    Phil.

  2. #2
    There has for some time been a shift back towards substantial composition. I'd say it is continuing in that direction, and will stabilize somewhere. Even the mainstream has been effected by it, though it can only go so far there.

    Anyway, I dunno if any new bands will reach the level of Steven Wilson / Neal Morse / Roine Stolt for me, but there certainly seem to be more and more groups.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by squ1ggle View Post
    So, focusing less on which bands we’re thinking of as we’ll all have our own take on it, generally, do we think this suggestion is true?
    Based on all I've previosly heard and what I know for the future.

    2012. Rather good.
    2013. Great.
    2014. Great.

  4. #4
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by squ1ggle View Post
    generally, do we think this suggestion is true?Phil.
    I personally do not feel this to be true. I don't see the quality of releases in the past 18 months to be any better along any of the dimensions you list than the releases of the past 10 or so years. Looking at my collection, 2008 - 2010 were banner years in my post 1990 collection, and 2006 was another good year. 2011 - 2012 were decent, but not at the purchasing level of 2008 - 2010 where, imo, there were lots of great releases.

    2013 is shaping up pretty well, and I've gotten some good discs this year, but I wouldn't say any of them jump out to me as having raised the bar in composition, chops, recording quality, etc. This isn't to say that some are not extremely good, but they just don't sound substantially better to me than albums being produced over the past 10 - 12 years. That also holds true for the countless albums I sample but don't buy.

    Bill

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    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    No offense, but I find this idea very funny.

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    Member Yodelgoat's Avatar
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    If the golden era is measured by profitability, the answer is absolutely not. If you are measuring it through the eye of quality, I would have to agree. Amazing stuff coming out all the time. I still think its quality is more the result of death throes than a vibrant future. Hmmm - Kinda makes it cool to think of it in that way. Very "metal"(as Dethklok would say).

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    Open post....insert foot. mpoll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by squ1ggle View Post
    The suggestion is that:

    It’s not just the quantity of new Prog releases, but the quality of them that distinguishes the last 18 months or so as potentially a new golden era in Prog.

    So, focusing less on which bands we’re thinking of as we’ll all have our own take on it, generally, do we think this suggestion is true?

    Phil.
    While it's a really great time for Prog (IMO), I'm not qualified to debate whether we're in a 'golden age' or not; I'm just extremely pleased that Prog is continuing at all. The question in my mind is whether or not the present state of Prog is sustainable once the 'classic' groups age to the point where they're no longer touring/producing new music. Another aspect is what happens when all us old farts no longer can/want to go to concerts/buy music?

    Are there enough new Prog groups to carry on? And will there even be enough fans left to support these bands? I certainly hope so....
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    Estimated Prophet notallwhowander's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mpoll View Post
    Are there enough new Prog groups to carry on? And will there even be enough fans left to support these bands? I certainly hope so....
    As long as there is rock, there will be prog. There may or may not be an identifiable prog scene. There may or may not be bands who claim some kind of exclusive prog mantle. But take rock music, some artistic ambition, and/or some psychedelic drugs, and you have enough for some young rockers to make forrays into prog. It is an established flavor of rock, in any case. I think it's more likely that rock bands will see it as one possible arrow in their quiver, the like the Grateful Dead and Terrapin Station, though some, undoubtedly will fall deeper under the spell.

    The larger and more important question is what is the future of rock? In studying up on Wolf People, each band member has a full-time day job. Fain, an album which has thoroughly absorbed my attention like few newer albums have, hasn't made enough for these lads to go at it full time. They're really good too, and they aren't the only really good rock band out there. It just so happens that making a living as a rock band isn't really so available to this generation.

    But to reiterate my point, as long as there is rock, prog will be there in some degree. There's some great stuff out now, so enjoy the sun while it shines.
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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    No offense, but I find this idea very funny.
    Yeah!!!

    If 2012 was an OK year (much better than some other recent years, but hardly a fantastic one either), I fond nothing really outstanding for 2013 yet... (outside Stena's second album)


    Most likely, I'll come to discover a few more '13 albums, though...
    It's like 2010: had to wait the final two months or so to find something worthy... I had only liked UZ's Clivages beforehand.... and that one's still one of their albums I'm less fond of...


    But nope.... not a "golden age" AFAIAC... prog is going about its "business as usual" (if you'll forgive the expression with the business parallel) in the last few years... Not like we'rte living anything particularly strong, or anything of the sort.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  10. #10
    No.

    However, 2013 has continued along with the prog reboot, which I guess most people agree started in the mid-'90s or so, and which I'd guess later generations will probably define as ending when most of the still-active original bands are gone (probably not too long from now).

    As far as "golden eras," etc. I think that there has to be more to such a thing than a year or two where one thinks that there have been more good albums than average (and this doesn't seem to be the general consensus anyway). It is my opinion that for any "golden era" to be proclaimed, there has to be a corresponding large uptick in interest from the public - and I don't think it would be disputed that no such thing has happened over the last couple of years. For example, I think it's hard to proclaim that the era in which NEARfest became not viable represented a golden age for prog.

  11. #11
    I think there were other factors with regard to Nearfest including a huge hike in airline prices making booking overseas artists difficult (I used to be able to get to New York for around £300 return) right up to about 4 years ago--now that is more like £550 return anytime of year! Also , a limit to the better known , punter drawing mature artists still out on the circuit and within the budget that havent already played. I certainly think the genre is "holding its own" but that a lot of the "bigger interest" in terms of sales and live work is concentrated on quite a small number of artists.

  12. #12
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Facelift View Post
    It is my opinion that for any "golden era" to be proclaimed, there has to be a corresponding large uptick in interest from the public - and I don't think it would be disputed that no such thing has happened over the last couple of years. For example, I think it's hard to proclaim that the era in which NEARfest became not viable represented a golden age for prog.
    A lot of this depends on perspective. Yes, from the larger societal perspective, the “Prog revival” is a speck of lint on the penis of an alien buried in gelatin. But for fans of the style, the last 20+ years have been pretty good times. The demise of NEARFest does show the extent to which the festivals are dependent on “big names from the past” to draw much above 3-500. It definitely sucks that so few of the newer bands have garnered enough critical mass to draw as festival headliners. But that doesn’t really impact the amount of new music being produced, or the quality of that music.

    So it really depends on what elements you value. Not saying it will, but if in five or so years the quality and quantity of output drops and all the other festival opportunities dry up, we’ll probably all think of the period from 1990 through 2018 as something of a “golden age.” Perhaps not as golden as 1969 – 1977, but golden in its own little way. And that period would include losses like ProgFest and NEARFest.

    Bill

  13. #13
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    I, for one, very much agree, both in quality and quantity. The bar has been raised over the past year and a half I think, and albums I was excited about a few years ago, I'm less excited about now simply because there has been so much music lately that I like more. Songs like 'In Orbit' by Wobbler, just as an example, take my breath away. Five years ago I heard less music that moved me that much than I do now, and maybe that is just a personal thing, but I hear more focus on composition.

  14. #14
    Well, thanks for all of your responses. Some really good perspectives I thought.
    So, a spectrum of opinions on this, unsurprisingly.

    This is an opinion I've heard stated a number of times over the past 6 months or so as we've done the rounds of interviews etc following the release of our latest back in January. The French Prog press were even writing editorials about a British invasion (Big Big Train, Lifesigns, Steve Wilson, Sanguine Hum, as well as TK).
    My own opinion? well, I don't really feel qualified to judge to be honest, as I've bought relatively few of the major releases talked about on here. I have seen some really positive signs ... Big Big Train have gone from "who?" to being able to sustain a series of high production value, high class releases of XTC tinged songwriting with a Prog sound. I've liked Sanguine Hum since they were gigging as the Antique Seeking Nuns, and they are far more in the limelight these days. There's even a high street major publication for Prog these days
    I've also seen some more negative signs: the passing of Nearfest, the cancellation of the Tin Spirits/ Sanguine Hum/ Matt Stevens gig in Manchester UK due to low ticket sales ... poor attendance for the Spock's Beard gigs in Europe, etc.
    As I say, my view is limited, and it was really good to see everyone else's perspective.
    One final thing I've noticed ... I no longer get derision from fellow, non-prog playing, musos. .... one data point in an infinity of world experience, but that makes me happy
    Phil.

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    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by squ1ggle View Post
    Well, thanks for all of your responses. Some really good perspectives I thought.
    So, a spectrum of opinions on this, unsurprisingly.
    I think the idea that 2012/2013 represents a golden age of sorts is a bit biased by the uncanny number of already previously recognized and established groups that came out with new releases all around the same time (Echolyn, Anglagard, Magma, Flower Kings, Marillion, etc.).

    I'd say in order to establish a "golden age", you'd have to have some sort of game changer or revelation that sets apart 2000 from say 2005 or 2010. The only reason the present day stands a chance is that music in general is alive and well. Since there are more artists out there willing to draw from the present for musical inspiration and style, the music has remained fresh. Genre blending is practically ubiquitous at this point.

    So 2013 finds us in a place where there's lots of music for a person with broader tastes to choose from. But I think I'd have a hard time saying the quality of the music is notably better.
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    Member Staun's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    I think the idea that 2012/2013 represents a golden age of sorts is a bit biased by the uncanny number of already previously recognized and established groups that came out with new releases all around the same time (Echolyn, Anglagard, Magma, Flower Kings, Marillion, etc.).

    I'd say in order to establish a "golden age", you'd have to have some sort of game changer or revelation that sets apart 2000 from say 2005 or 2010. The only reason the present day stands a chance is that music in general is alive and well. Since there are more artists out there willing to draw from the present for musical inspiration and style, the music has remained fresh. Genre blending is practically ubiquitous at this point.

    So 2013 finds us in a place where there's lots of music for a person with broader tastes to choose from. But I think I'd have a hard time saying the quality of the music is notably better.
    The narative of a "Golden Age", is rather hard for me to hold. I have friends who are mainly interested in the immediate. That's fine but I find myself compelled by things that were released 10,15,20 years ago. Does this "Golden Age", oscillate or is it static? There are older albums that are just as pertinent today, on whatever level you seek, as they were at first issue.
    The older I get, the better I was.

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    2032 will be great too !

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