Thinking Plague

[Zeuhlmate]

"In Extremis" and "In This Life" are their best IMO, but I have spent many ours in good company with "Moonsongs" and "Decline and Fall" too.

[zombywoof]

Would be nice. Start a petition or something!

Well, like everyone else, I've already submitted my personal lineup choices for ProgDay + alternates in case they can't be reached (and / or can't be convinced to reform). Still no response from the committee.

[battema]

TP would be a fantastic choice for PD 2014. Are all the members here in the States, or would there be some Visa stuff to contend with?

I'll mention it to the folks that I know from the committee...

[Wounded Land]

I dunno; although I belong to that very crowd myself, I sometimes get the impression that this album remains their allegedly "best" quite simply due to the circumstances of its release back in '98 - seeing how there was little other stuff like this around (apart from their "sister act" the 5UUs). In a sense, it was to then-current day RIO stylings (well aware that Mike J. doesn't necessarily agree on that tag being bestowed on his music) what someone like Änglagård had been with their debut.

That's an interesting insight. I'll have to think about that.

My favorite is In Extremis also, by a long shot.

[zombywoof]

#TP4PD!

[Paulrus]

TP are definitely not for the "major-key-sympho" crowd, but there's such an overwhelming sense of purpose and unfettered creativity in almost everything they do that it's hard for any prog fan to not at least respect them. The closest comparison for me is Miriador, though I think TP is actually more "accessible".

At times they sound to me like a band that took the first part of side 3 of Tales From Topographic Oceans and built an entire musical identity around it, though I admit that's way too narrow a description. But that's how I'd sell them to folks who might be afraid of the more avant side of prog.

[Steve F.]

TP would be a fantastic choice for PD 2014. Are all the members here in the States, or would there be some Visa stuff to contend with?

I'll mention it to the folks that I know from the committee...

Not only are they all in the states, but they are all in the same STATE - Colorado - something not true for the last 20 years, until the last year or so.

[Steve F.]

Well, like everyone else, I've already submitted my personal lineup choices for ProgDay + alternates in case they can't be reached.

I haven't submitted anything to anyone at PD, so it isn't everyone else....

[undergroundrailroad]

At times they sound to me like a band that took the first part of side 3 of Tales From Topographic Oceans and built an entire musical identity around it, though I admit that's way too narrow a description. But that's how I'd sell them to folks who might be afraid of the more avant side of prog.

There maybe more to that than you think.

[zombywoof]

Funny, I never thought of it that way, but I've always thought the beginning of Side 3 of Tales was pretty darn awesome.

[zombywoof]

I haven't submitted anything to anyone at PD, so it isn't everyone else....

Well, I'm not really the "you should hire all the bands I want to see" type, but I don't think it hurts to throw out a well-thought out suggestion once in awhile from the ticket buyers. In the end, I'm sure ProgDay will have yet another incredible lineup regardless. But, it doesn't hurt once in awhile to voice an opinion as to who I'd like to see, so long as it's not too left field or impossible.

[Steve F.]

so long as it's not too left field or impossible.

I knew there was a reason that I didn't participate!

[JKL2000]

I know, I know, I'm late to the party, so be it. I've been spinning "In Extremis" for a few days and it finally clicked just how brilliant this band is. Love the flat, emotionless vocals, the weird rhythms, and that chordal pallette - WOW! Some absolutely brilliant, from the gut stuff here with loads of attitude.

Anyway, seeing as that record is about 15 years old, I figured it was time to update my Thinking Plague library, so I bought their newest one, "Decline and Fall". I'm about halfway through and I'm stunned at how great it is! "Sleeper Cell Anthem" is such a great little multipart piece, such brilliant writing and even the lyrics are pretty good! Any fans of Thinking Plague's unique environmentally-concious take on avant prog?

Do you have u Totem's "Strange Attractors." Great RIO album.

[zombywoof]

Do you have u Totem's "Strange Attractors." Great RIO album.

Nope.

[NogbadTheBad]

If you like this stuff you should get U Totem, 5UU's, Motor Totemist Guild and anything with U or Totem in it.

[zombywoof]

I've got two 5uu's (or is that 10uuuu's?). Anyway, I love it, great stuff!

[bill g]

Yep, TP is fantastic. VERY impressive live too. At their Olympia show last year I several times laughed out loud at just how good they were. Amazing on many levels. Don't think I can pick a favorite album, but Decline and Fall would be a clear contender, as would In Extremis. Great night music to just crank up super loud and soak in every note.

[Scrotum Scissor]

If you like this stuff you should get U Totem, 5UU's, Motor Totemist Guild and anything with U or Totem in it.

Yup, pretty much.

U Totem, obviously, was the merger of two initially very different projects - MTG (contemporary electroacoustic chamber ensemble) and the 5UU's (tricky avant-prog *ROCK*-with-a-big-R sorta band), while the latter ended up holding TP's Bob Drake and then lending Dave Kerman back to TP. Together they amounted to a strange family of sorts, but I really think U Totem's debut, 5UU's Hunger's Teeth and TP's In Extremis combined make for some of the most interesting stew in newer "progressive" kinda rock from the US. Little next to nothing beats this in compositional depth, intensity and complexity until the emerging "Brutal Prog" thing several years later, and that was a completely other approach altogether, I think.

The Science Group (again with Drake) and Israeli band Ahvak (again with Kerman) explored some vaguely similar waters, but they were all quite distinct units.

[Scrotum Scissor]

TP and Underground Railroad make the kind of music that I'd hoped prog would've evolved into 40+ years after it's inception.

You'd might want to read Jarle Storløkken's master's thesis on these groups as harbingers of "actual" progressive rock music in and for the modern day and age. Jarle is the guitarist for Panzerpappa and a string of other bands here in Norway (including the country's most renowned "prog covers" act, Dead Dino Storage, who've done some of the most amazing shows of such music you could ever imagine), and he makes a damn fine argument.

It's an immense paper, but well worth the read - and it's openly available here https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/27165

[zombywoof]

The Science Group are great, too. I bought "Spoors" off of last year's ReR summer sale. I love the way they take a simple little pop idea and complete turn it backward and on its head by the end of the piece.

[NogbadTheBad]

Yup, pretty much.

U Totem, obviously, was the merger of two initially very different projects - MTG (contemporary electroacoustic chamber ensemble) and the 5UU's (tricky avant-prog *ROCK*-with-a-big-R sorta band), while the latter ended up holding TP's Bob Drake and then lending Dave Kerman back to TP. Together they amounted to a strange family of sorts, but I really think U Totem's debut, 5UU's Hunger's Teeth and TP's In Extremis combined make for some of the most interesting stew in newer "progressive" kinda rock from the US. Little next to nothing beats this in compositional depth, intensity and complexity until the emerging "Brutal Prog" thing several years later, and that was a completely other approach altogether, I think.

The Science Group (again with Drake) and Israeli band Ahvak (again with Kerman) explored some vaguely similar waters, but they were all quite distinct units.

Listen to this man, he speaks wisely.

Love all of those.

[100423]

As for another semi-related group, if you haven't checked out Combat Astronomy you should. Elaine sings on some of their material too.

[NogbadTheBad]

As for another semi-related group, if you haven't checked out Combat Astronomy you should. Elaine sings on some of their material too.

Indeed, Elaine is wonderful on

Combat Astronomy - Dreams No Longer Hesitate
Yugen - Iridule (also featuring Mike Johnson, Dave Kerman, & Dave Willey)
Dave Willey - Immeasurable Currents (featuring lots of TP alums)
Hughscore - Delta Flora
3 Mice - Send Me A Postcard (also features Dave Willey of TP)
Empty Days - s/t (Yugen spin off)

[100423]

Indeed, Elaine is wonderful on

Combat Astronomy - Dreams No Longer Hesitate
Yugen - Iridule (also featuring Mike Johnson, Dave Kerman, & Dave Willey)
Dave Willey - Immeasurable Currents (featuring lots of TP alums)
Hughscore - Delta Flora
3 Mice - Send Me A Postcard (also features Dave Willey of TP)
Empty Days - s/t (Yugen spin off)

[chalkpie]

A few years back I posted a blurb about this small 11 second section in "Dead Silence" that was one of my favorite little moments in music ever, but don't think anybody responded. Bloody bastards.

Anyway, its at the 2:13 mark until 2:24. Go ahead and I find me better 11 seconds

PS - where's Mike? Calling all Johnsons.....



Also, gun to my head, this might still be my "Stairway to Heaven" of Thinking Plague. I just read that Thinking Plague ripped off Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band with "Organism (version II), and that Bob's attorneys mean *business* this time.



Go Bob, Go.

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