Is any Argent prog?

[Trane]

I feel like answering in a ProgArchival way by calling them prog-related (even if PA classifies them as Crossover prog)

My take on the band is that the classic (or core-period) Argent lasted only 4 albums:All Together now, In Deep, Nexus & Encore. It's inside those abums that you'll find the proggier stuff they composed - mostly the stuff written by Rod, as opposed to Ballard's single/pop approach. Except for a couple of tracks (Candles on the river and Keeper of the flame), the Live/Encore album is really all I need from the band's core era.

Before that core era:

Ring of Hands is a classic, for sure.

And he's even better with Blunstone...The magic started with The Zombies, in particular Odessey And Oracle.

TBH, I find Argent's first two albums still too Zombies-like to fit the classic Argent mould.
Not saying I don't like The Zombies, but they don't strike a major chord with me.
Ring of Hands has two tracks that hint at the "prog" to come.

After that core era:

Nexus and some of Circus. In spite of recommendations here, avoid Counterpoints; there’s a little fusion-esque stuff on there but most of it’s drivel.

Circus and Counterpoints are two of my absolute favorites, with Circus being what i consider a perfect album. And what he did with vocal harmonies was never equaled, imho.

And the last two albums (cited above) to be something else than Argent. Russ Ballard's departure (an average guitarist) was replaced by two of them, and the band's focus changed dramatically.
There are some sizzling JR/F tracks on both albums (combined, they would make an awesome album), but also some very weird stuff that I WTF heavily upon.


=====================

As for Russ Ballard's solo career, I find Barnett Dogs and Into The Fire to be excellent and inventive rock albums and they were a reral band (with Rob Henritt on drums and Wintour on bass).

Never cared for his first three solo albums (when he wrote his "hits" - covered by others) and his later mid-80's albums leave me totally cold.