It's that time of year and I really like lists, so:
What are the best prog albums of European prog bands this year.
Here's my top 10:
1) Big Big Train - Full Power
2) Moon Safari - Himlabaken Vol.1
3) Leap Day - From The Days Of Deucalion, Chapter 1
4) The Tangent - Le Sacre Du Travail
5) Nemo - Le Ver Dans Le Fruit
6) Lifesigns - Lifesigns
7) The Flower Kings - Desolation Rose
8) Magenta - The Twenty Seven Club
9) Clive Nolan - Alchemy
10) Haken - The Mountain
Not a band but more of a project: InSonar L'Enfant et le Ménure
A sample:
Info and more samples:
http://soundcloud.com/insonar
The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off
Top 10 - Excellent
1. Guapo - History Of The Visitation
2. Unit Wail - Retort
3. Pixel - We Are All Small Pixels
4. Rhun - Fanfare du Chaos
5. Archestra - Arches
6. Five Storey Ensemble - Not That City
7. Chrome Hoof - Chrome Black Gold
8. Setna - Guérison
9. Henry Fool - Men Singing
10. October Equus - Permafrost
11 to 20 (No Order) - Very Good
Empty Days - Empty Days
Steve Wilson - Raven That Refused to Sing
Wyatt, Robert - '68
Caillou - Caillou
Eckert, Alain - Alain Eckert Quartet
Mike Oldfield - Crises 5CD Box Set
Mike Oldfield - 5 Miles Out 2CD
Sanguine Hum - The Weight Of The World
Jaga Jazzist - Live With Britten Sinfonia
Tatvamasi - Parts Of The Entirety
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.
I'll add the ones (European, not UK) that have not been mentioned as yet:
Leprous-Coal
Beardfish-The Void
Jeremias-Foreshadow...
Lizard-Master & M
Sky Architect-Billion Years
Flower Kings
I'll say that anyway, of course Nemo, Haken and Guapo...
- Il Tempio delle Clessidre: AlieNatura
- Sky Architect: A Billion Years of Solitude
- Ingranaggi delle Valle: In hoc signo
- Grand General: Grand General
- Camelias Garden: You Have a Chance
- Setna: Guérison
- Not a Good Sign: Not a Good Sign
- Karfagen: Aleatorica
- Violent Silence: A Broken Truce
- Homunculus Res: Limiti all’eguaglianza della parte con il tutto
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
In no particular order:
Top 10 prog
Homunculus Res - Limiti all’eguaglianza della parte con il tutto
Rhun - Fanfare du Chaos
Crystal Thoughts -The Pagan
Henry Fool - Men Singing
La Maschera di Cera - Le Porte de Domani
Walrus - Walrus
Worm Ouroboros - Of Things That Never Were
Il Tempio delle Clessidre - AlieNatura
Ingranaggi della Valle - In Hoc Signo
Setna - Guerison
Others (must listens)
Wilson, Steven - The Raven That Refused to Sing and Other Stories
Chris - Days of Summer Gone
Big Big Train - English Electric, Part Two
La Coscienza Di Zeno - Sensitivita
Submarine Silence - There's Something Very Strange in Her Little Room
Pandora - Alibi Filosofico
Purson - The Circle and the Blue Door
Unreal City - La Crudelta' di Aprile
Vespero - Droga
Willowglass - The Dream Harbour
October Equus - Permafrost
Kama Loka - Kama Loka
Carpet - Elysian Plea
Arabs in Aspic - Pictures in a Dream
Il Cerchio d'Oro - Dedalo e Icaro
Not a Good Sign - Not a Good Sign
Progenesi - Ulisse: L'Alfiere Nero
Oxhuitza - Oxhuitza
Magenta - The Twenty Seven Club
Last edited by spacefreak; 12-31-2013 at 04:52 AM.
Here is the DPRP top 15:
http://www.dprp.net/wp/radio/?p=735
Sanguine Hum- The Weight Of The World
Steve Hackett- GRII
The Tangent- Le Sacre Du Travail
Haken- The Mountain
Lifesigns-ST
The Custodian- Necessary Wasted Time
Not A Good Sign- ST
The Flower Kings- Desolation Rose
Riverside- Shrine Of Generation Slaves
The Fierce And The Dead- Spooky Action
Kind of in the order listed
No particular order:
Ingranaggi della Valle - In Hoc Signo
Rhun - Fanfare du Chaos
Pixel - We Are All Small Pixels
Sanguine Hum - Weight of the World
Homunculus Res - Limiti...
Walrus - Walrus
Grand General - Grand General
These New Puritans - Field of Reeds
Not a Good Sign - Not a Good Sign
Henry Fool - Men Singing
Hedvig Mollestad Trio - All of Them Witches
The Wrong Object - After the Exhibition
Jean Louis - Uranus
Chrome Hoof - Chrome Black Gold
Setna - Guerison
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Just realised that my entire Top 10 of 2013 (compiled it today) is completely European, no trace of US prog to be found:
10. Chris - Days Of Summer Gone
9. Silje Leirvik - Endless Serenade
8. The Opium Cartel - Ardor
7. Gordon Giltrap & Oliver Wakeman - Ravens & Lullabies
6. Cosmograf - The Man Left In Space
5. Lucy Ward - Single Flame
4. Roy Harper - Man & Myth
3. Lifesigns - Lifesigns
2. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)
1. Big Big Train - English Electric : Full Power
I don't visit PE very often any more, as I've somewhat lost my interest in prog and rock music in general. (I did enjoy a few albums this year, though: David Bowie, Roy Harper, The Flaming Lips, Steven Wilson, Yo La Tengo and Riverside.)
The fact that Big Big Train gets such praise confounds me and turns me off modern prog. They are just SO derivative. They're the antithesis of the "progressive" in Prog. Could the singer be ripping off Peter Gabriel more thoroughly?
For fans of this band, what in the world is the appeal? The comfortable sound (which I understand but I guess I don't see the merit). By the way, I've heard two latter-day albums. I gave the band a try once I heard Dave Gregory was with them.
For that which is not,
there is no coming into being
and for that which is,
there is no ceasing to be;
yea of both of these the lookers into truth have seen an end.
Bhagavad Gita
^^ Steven Wilson's album is as derivative as BBT's so why single them out? You basically starting the whole discussion about progressive rock vs. Progressive Rock (i.e. attitude vs. style).
If it had ever been merely a "style", then when and because of what did that come about? It's a genre - a concept of virtues - not a "style" or "sound" (i.e. the "big six"); if the latter was ever the case, then we'd have to rule out 80% of the names and titles being discussed throughout the 45 years of progressive rock as genre.Originally Posted by ChrisXymphonia
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
The funny thing is that BBT would most likely admit that they are derivative. That said, the music they produce is of substantial quality in my opinion. There are many bands out there who are derivative of earlier bands. Some of them don't do much for me either. Not because they are derivative of other bands, but because, to me, their songwriting and/or performances aren't particularly strong. BBT on the other hand, I find to be as good, if not better than some of the bands who came before them.
There is nothing wrong with emulating a certain style and doing good things with it. How many bands are still reflective to some extent of The Beatles all of these years later? Many. Some of them are good, some are not. Your theory about "progressing" is great, but being truly different in the world of rock music in 2014 is easier said than done. Most music out there sounds to some extent like stuff that has come before. With all due respect, I would argue that the new albums by the artists that you listed above are all derivative of other music. I have heard a few of them and would agree that they are good, but not particularly original. I definitely don't think that they are representative of "progression" to any great means, but that is absolutely fine. They are good albums regardless.
My point above, isn't just the case in rock music, but in most other musical styles as well. That said, Music doesn't have to reinvent the wheel to be good. It will always be about good songwriting, excellent musicianship and strong performances. Personally, I think BBT covers all three of those areas and IMO, they deserve the accolades that they have received.
Last edited by Patelena396; 01-02-2014 at 03:31 AM.
And in retrospect, latest Riverside (Porcupine Tree hinting at Purple) is an example of "progressive" in prog? Unless if fusing elements of Pink Floyd and heavy metal, is considered prog rock for the new millenium. Which is, by the way, for many fans of modern prog...
Personally, I am taking "English Electric #2" for what it is; a pleasant stylistic excercise into in the quiter edge of the spectrum of the Big-5 sound, which isn't neo and has all the right moves to result in a beautiful Anthony Phillips soundalike album. Very enjoyable in it's own right, though I can perfectly understand the objections as being a lesser effort than Part I. But it makes much more sense as a whole, if you listen to both parts I and II running together...
If my ears are in need of modern progressive, I would rather look in The Necks, Fire! Orchestra, Chrome Hoof, Rhun or Homunculus Res f.e.
Maybe he is, but I for one agree with him
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