Obscure 70's American Prog Albums

[WytchCrypt]

I did a writeup/list on RYM regarding progressive rock within the Midwest region of America (and Ontario, Canada). It's limited to the geography, so it's not all of America by any means, but I think there's still a few albums in there that haven't been mentioned yet (be sure to check the last entry where I have dozens of outliers) - and there's some descriptions too:

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/ashra...0s_early_80s_/

Fantastic article

[spacefreak]

Need to see this one reissued asap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brian Griffin]

Great thread, and as it was last time we had one of these, found some new ones to explore

Good stuff

BG

[Digital_Man]

I want to know why it has to be just the seventies. There are lots of obscure US bands from the 80's and 90's also.

[Brian Griffin]

I want to know why it has to be just the seventies.

Because it's all anyone cares about

BG

[WytchCrypt]

I want to know why it has to be just the seventies. There are lots of obscure US bands from the 80's and 90's also.

I specifically called out for 70's bands because that's the prog decade I find the most enjoyable and have the most fun hunting down obscure albums from. Be my guest and start a thread about obscure US prog bands from the 80's...unfortunately, other than Terraced Garden I'll have nothing to add to that thread

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

I specifically called out for 70's bands because that's the prog decade I find the most enjoyable and have the most fun hunting down obscure albums from. Be my guest and start a thread about obscure US prog bands from the 80's...unfortunately, other than Terraced Garden I'll have nothing to add to that thread

And they're from Canada...

[Steve F.]

Steve, what is this? I saw the band play several times before they lost their prog roots and always enjoyed them. I also have a song recorded off WGTB, but am unaware of other early recordings.

Tom

Tom, the album - as The Facedancers - came out on Paramount in 1972. It's pretty obscure, but it is them, before they became Facedancer.

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/alb...e_facedancers/

The Facedancers-The Facedancers
Back in the day in Washington, DC, there were a large number of progressive rock bands. I suppose there were in many metropolitan areas, but DC is what I know. There was Happy The Man, The Muffins, However, Grits of course, but there were others. One of the ones who seemed to get the most work was a band called Facedancer. They used to play out constantly and in addition to their originals, they would do popular covers like Tubular Bells and Thick as a Brick and Watcher of the Skies. I saw them once and was not so impressed, to be honest, but lots of people were. As the times changed, so did they and in the late 70s they signed with EMI and made a couple of new wave albums, but they never made an album of their 'progressive material'...or so I thought until about a year ago, when someone made me a CDR copy of an early version of the band when they had a slightly different name. This album was released on Paramount in 1972 and features a definitely progressive rock flair mixed with songs of medium length. Tales From Topographic Oceans it isn't, but there's some good instrumental bits and progressive ideas. It's pretty good in a second-tier kinda early 70s way.

[Esoteric]

Were 'happy the man' not American, I had it in my head that they were. The Touch album someone mentioned and we have on our label is a great album . We also have United States of America due this month and I'm presuming they are American! Or doesn't it count as Prog? Sounded pretty far out when Mark was it!!!

[Digital_Man]

Yes, Happy the Man were from the US but I suppose they weren't mentioned earlier because most members on here don't consider them obscure enough. There are US bands more obscure than them for sure but compared to someone like Kansas I'd say they could be considered obscure.

[Reginod]

Over the last two-ish years I've stumbled across vinyl of some pretty cool obscure American fusion bands:

3PM Better Late Than Never
Auracle Glider
Cathexis s/t
Dry Jack Magical Elements

All excellent rekkids IYAM.

[WytchCrypt]

And they're from Canada...

Well played...how about "The Continent of North America 70's prog bands"

[ashratom]

Tom, the album - as The Facedancers - came out on Paramount in 1972. It's pretty obscure, but it is them, before they became Facedancer.

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/alb...e_facedancers/

The Facedancers-The Facedancers
Back in the day in Washington, DC, there were a large number of progressive rock bands. I suppose there were in many metropolitan areas, but DC is what I know. There was Happy The Man, The Muffins, However, Grits of course, but there were others. One of the ones who seemed to get the most work was a band called Facedancer. They used to play out constantly and in addition to their originals, they would do popular covers like Tubular Bells and Thick as a Brick and Watcher of the Skies. I saw them once and was not so impressed, to be honest, but lots of people were. As the times changed, so did they and in the late 70s they signed with EMI and made a couple of new wave albums, but they never made an album of their 'progressive material'...or so I thought until about a year ago, when someone made me a CDR copy of an early version of the band when they had a slightly different name. This album was released on Paramount in 1972 and features a definitely progressive rock flair mixed with songs of medium length. Tales From Topographic Oceans it isn't, but there's some good instrumental bits and progressive ideas. It's pretty good in a second-tier kinda early 70s way.

Ah... so that's where they're from! One of those reviews that you linked to from RYM was mine where I stated no one seemed to know where they were from (the album was recorded in New York). And I've had this one in the CDRWL for years (I've owned the Paramount LP for over 20 years), and nobody has stepped forward. Thanks for the info Steve!

[ashratom]

Need to see this one reissued asap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Probe 10] Coming soon, my friend. Vincent at Lion told me to expect Spring of 2014, but as that's just about over, I'll be happy with anything in 2014

[Digital_Man]

Well played...how about "The Continent of North America 70's prog bands"

Canada is part of North America so technically you aren't wrong.

[WytchCrypt]

Canada is part of North America so technically you aren't wrong.

Who knew that asking about US prog would turn into a geography lesson

[Digital_Man]

Who knew that asking about US prog would turn into a geography lesson

Well you never know what you are going to get on this board.

Anyway, if you are interested in obscure 70's prog(US or otherwise and not necessarily super obscure but some of that as well)you should check out Doug Larson's imports. He's a prog vendor who specializes in older vintage prog.

[Shadow]

At high school teen center 72-73 there was a band called ZED who I remember did different cover songs than the usual bands. Sometime in the 90's or 2000's I found a used album the band put out in the 70's. It was actually decent progressive rock, but I don't know if they did anything else. They had a female lead singer.

[WytchCrypt]

Well you never know what you are going to get on this board.

Anyway, if you are interested in obscure 70's prog(US or otherwise and not necessarily super obscure but some of that as well)you should check out Doug Larson's imports. He's a prog vendor who specializes in older vintage prog.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out

[Shadow]

At high school teen center 72-73 there was a band called ZED who I remember did different cover songs than the usual bands. Sometime in the 90's or 2000's I found a used album the band put out in the 70's. It was actually decent progressive rock, but I don't know if they did anything else. They had a female lead singer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZED-Rare-PRI...-/271386315121

[interbellum]

TONS of others!

Chakra - Chakra (1979)

Do you know if the re-release in a LP-cover (limited to 777 copies) is a legal one?

https://www.discogs.com/Chakra-Chakra/release/4752452 could suggest this CD is an Italian version of the legal LP-re-issue.

[Zeuhlmate]

Who knew that asking about US prog would turn into a geography lesson

“God created war so that Americans would learn geography.”
― Mark Twain

Just listening to Zazu now - not bad at all.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Do you know if the re-release in a LP-cover (limited to 777 copies) is a legal one?

https://www.discogs.com/Chakra-Chakra/release/4752452 could suggest this CD is an Italian version of the legal LP-re-issue.

I don't think so, no. I've got that vinyl reissue, which appears legit enough.

[Scrotum Scissor]

It's A Beautiful Day is pure psycho..
Besides , there are no such pure prog bands like Hands, Pentwater..

It's a Beautiful Day's debut album isn't the least more 'pure psycho' than early Procol Harum albums were at the time of their release, or the directly influenced Curved Air or first Renaissance for that matter. The band were 100% untypical of everything else happening in the Bay Area at the time, donning classical harmonies and dynamics (due to David La Flamme's background as violinist in philharmonic orchestras).

As for the rest of the list, there are several 'pure prog' (whatever that's supposed to imply) bands in line with Hands and Pentwater.

[Rarebird]

It's a Beautiful Day - It's a Beautiful Day (1969)
Angel - Angel (1975)

Those are hardly obscure.