Viva Prog Rock

[Shawn]

Don't know if these guys have been discussed before, but I'm really liking their most recent album. I would say they're very much in the same style as P. Tree and Opeth.

 

 

Yes, I've been pimping them for a couple years now.  Great band with an above average vocalist. They have a new album coming out later this year called Love, Fear and the Time Machine.  

[BFrank]

Don't know if these guys have been discussed before, but I'm really liking their most recent album. I would say they're very much in the same style as P. Tree and Opeth.

Yes, I've been pimping them for a couple years now.  Great band with an above average vocalist. They have a new album coming out later this year called Love, Fear and the Time Machine.  
 

Thanks, Shawn. Will keep an eye out for it.

How do their other albums match up with this?

[Shawn]

Each album kind of has its own flavor.  The album prior to Shrine was Anno Domini High Definition and it had a little more of a Porcupine Tree vibe, a little more modern sounding than Shrine which is primarily vintage instrumentation.  My favorite of their earlier records is Rapid Eye Movement, it's a little heavier overall but has a great balance of sounds.  You can hear the influences on these guys, but I believe they achieved their own unique identity.  

[BFrank]

Each album kind of has its own flavor.  The album prior to Shrine was Anno Domini High Definition and it had a little more of a Porcupine Tree vibe, a little more modern sounding than Shrine which is primarily vintage instrumentation.  My favorite of their earlier records is Rapid Eye Movement, it's a little heavier overall but has a great balance of sounds.  You can hear the influences on these guys, but I believe they achieved their own unique identity.  

The more I listen to this album, the more I hear Deep Purple, especially with the B3.

Good live video:

Edited July 13, 2015 by BFrank

[Shawn]

Thanks for sharing the video, I'm getting ready to watch it. 

[A Lark Ascending]

Progressive music gets an official chart '45 years too late'

Somewhat ironic given that 'charts' were one of the things we sneered at back in those days. It was all about the music, man. 

[HutchFan]

Progressive music gets an official chart '45 years too late'

Somewhat ironic given that 'charts' were one of the things we sneered at back in those days. It was all about the music, man. 

But it does make sense that Prog would have its own charts today -- given the way that the musical world has splintered into sub-genres of sub-genres of sub-genres.

 

Also: Nice to read that Tony Banks is gettin' some love. The 2015 "Prog God" award. Yeah!

 

Edited September 3, 2015 by HutchFan

[Shawn]

New Riverside out tomorrow:  Love, Fear and the Time Machine.  I've heard a couple songs so far and I think it's going to be a lovely record.  

 

Edited September 3, 2015 by Shawn

[A Lark Ascending]

Very good, well-balanced rehabilitation of The Moody Blues here:

The Moody Blues – psychedelia’s forgotten heroes

At the age of 14, my first 'favourite band'. Fell down the pecking order as I became more aware of their frequent twee-ness and cod-spirituality but their records always remind me of a time and place.

I like this article - for its ability to pin point what appealed to me as a teenager whilst admitting to the more embarrassing elements of the band. And nicely scathing on hip rock journalism (which, admittedly, can't hold a candle to hip jazz or classical journalism).

I have the author's new book on the shelf ready to enjoy when I finally finish Keith Richards auto-bio:

  

Though it will be read with nothing stronger than a bottle of Doom Bar. 

 

Edited September 19, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[Jazzjet]

Very good, well-balanced rehabilitation of The Moody Blues here:

The Moody Blues – psychedelia’s forgotten heroes

At the age of 14, my first 'favourite band'. Fell down the pecking order as I became more aware of their frequent twee-ness and cod-spirituality but their records always remind me of a time and place.

I like this article - for its ability to pin point what appealed to me as a teenager whilst admitting to the more embarrassing elements of the band. And nicely scathing on hip rock journalism (which, admittedly, can't hold a candle to hip jazz or classical journalism).

I have the author's new book on the shelf ready to enjoy when I finally finish Keith Richards auto-bio:

  

Though it will be read with nothing stronger than a bottle of Doom Bar. 

 

How about going for good old Betty Stog's to replicate the psychedelic effect?

[A Lark Ascending]

Not sold in Sainsbury's in the heathen north, I'm afraid. Doom Bar or Tribute.

I believe the Doom Bar is made in Burton-on-Trent. The EU need to investigate. What's good for pasties...

[A Lark Ascending]

A trip down memory lane for those who came of age in the rock music of the early 70s...

The weird worlds of Roger Dean, prog rock's artist in residence – in pictures

But is it 'art'? [dons tin helmet and heads for hills]

[Shawn]

Damn straight it's art!  Roger Dean album covers and those produced by the Hipgnosis studios are many of my favorite album covers.  

Edited October 22, 2015 by Shawn

[Shawn]

Okay, I'm going to just keep posting in this thread whether anybody else looks at it or not.  

Wanna see a really beautiful performance of mature modern progressive rock?  Hope so.  

This is Big Big Train performing the song Victorian Brickwork a few months ago in London.  The guitarist who plays the extended (and excellent) solo near the end of the song is Rikard Sjöblom from the band Beardfish, he currently plays with both groups.  

 

Edited November 1, 2015 by Shawn

[A Lark Ascending]

I'm reading! 

If I'd been aware I could have been at one of those concerts - I was in London for the Proms and they fell on an empty day and an afternoon when I was free (they did three - two on the Friday and then an extra one on the Sunday). Sadly, they sold out very quickly.

After Porcupine Tree, Big Big Train are the band in this area who I've enjoyed most. They write songs about hedgerows, castle builders and painters. I'm pretty sure that's illegal.   

[Shawn]

I have a feeling Big Big Train probably connects with locals on a bit of a deeper personal level than those of us across the pond, but I still enjoy the imagery. 

You have to admire the sincerity in what they do, everything is so beautifully arranged and layered.  While occasionally I wish they would let their hair down a little bit it does create a very specific ambiance that makes them a unique experience in 2015.  They do occasionally let loose a little, the title track of The Underfall Yard, the song Lovers from English Electric Full Power and most of the material on the Far Skies Deep Time EP.  Now that Rikard from Beardfish has become a full-time member I'm thinking their next album might have a slightly more extroverted flavor. 

______

Since I know you liked the more pop-oriented excursions of Porcupine Tree I think you might enjoy a young American band I ran across recently called "Abigail's Ghost" from New Orleans.   I wrote a review of their latest album for Progradar.  I don't usually gravitate toward overt pop material but these guys captured my attention. 

http://www.progradar.org/index.php/2015/10/29/review-abigails-ghost-black-plastic-sun-by-shawn-dudley/

 

 

[A Lark Ascending]

Thanks, Shawn. I'll give it a listen a bit later. 

[BFrank]

The newest album by Swedish band Dungen is pretty good. I would say about 1/2 of it sounds very Soft Machine-like.

[Shawn]

I'll check out that Dungen when I get a chance. 

There is a cornucopia of cool music from Sweden, they've been pumping out great acts in a steady stream for the past decade or longer.  

One of my favorites from this year is the latest album by Anekdoten.  They kind of took the King Crimson instrumental sounds from '69 to '74 and used that as a foundation to build upon.  They have been around since 1993 but are returning after an extended hiatus, Until The Ghosts Are Gone is their first in 8 years and I think quite possibly their best overall.  They also sound like they've been paying some attention to what Opeth has been up to for the past 5 years or so.  

 

Edited November 2, 2015 by Shawn

[BFrank]

Professional production complete Opeth concert. 

 

 

 

On 11/1/2015, 6:03:17, Shawn said:

I'll check out that Dungen when I get a chance. 

There is a cornucopia of cool music from Sweden, they've been pumping out great acts in a steady stream for the past decade or longer.  

One of my favorites from this year is the latest album by Anekdoten.  They kind of took the King Crimson instrumental sounds from '69 to '74 and used that as a foundation to build upon.  They have been around since 1993 but are returning after an extended hiatus, Until The Ghosts Are Gone is their first in 8 years and I think quite possibly their best overall.  They also sound like they've been paying some attention to what Opeth has been up to for the past 5 years or so.  

 

Sounds like they got themselves a Melotron.

[Shawn]

And they aren't afraid to use it. 

 

[Uncle Skid]

2 hours ago, Shawn said:

And they aren't afraid to use it. 

 

Liking this on first listen.  Thanks, Shawn.

[Uncle Skid]

Not exactly "prog" rock as I understand it, but any band that plays in 7 and makes it work is always interesting to me:

Band of Skulls - "Wanderluster":

https://youtu.be/N2Rx_Npi4l0?t=5m32s

 

 

[Shawn]

I just discovered this group and have been playing their latest album for days.  It is quickly becoming one of my favorites of the year. 

Perfect Beings, from Los Angeles. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORqYgFNirdg

[BFrank]

35 minutes ago, Shawn said:

I just discovered this group and have been playing their latest album for days.  It is quickly becoming one of my favorites of the year. 

Perfect Beings, from Los Angeles. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORqYgFNirdg

Sounds interesting. Will check them out.