The Quest for Good Modern Prog

[Jeff Matthews]

Oldie and I started discussing modern prog, and the topic deserves its own thread.

 

I like Yes, ELP, Genesis, Kansas, Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick, and prog like that.  Modern prog seems too metallic and causes listening fatigue.

 

So far, an hour of sampling has led me to Stick Men, which is completely instrumental, but at least not too metal-laden.

 

Name some good stuff.

 

[BigStewMan]

Hey Jeff ... Huge Prog fan here.  I’ll admit, i’m slow to learn of new bands. I’m checking out a band called Mostly Autumn.  i know NOTHING of them; but, have heard a few tracks that I’ve liked. 

You can’t call these guys new (formed in early 90s); but, have you listened to Spock’s Beard?  I like them quite a bit. Check out their track, Slow Crash Landing Man.

steve

[SWL]

Dream Theatre has a couple tracks I dig.

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk

[Travis In Austin]

Hugh Prog Rock fan.  

 

Just read a great book on history of Prog Rock, covered the golden age (1970s)  I am up for any suggestions and recommendations.   I havent really been enamored with anything that is more recent. 

 

Saw Tame Impala in Austin and they were quite good,  give them a listen., 

[Travis In Austin]

Best Progressive Rock albums of 2015.

 

These look like some serious Prog Rock fans, any one listened to what they have listed here:

 

http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?syears=2015#list

Edited August 16, 2016 by dwilawyer
Wrong word for progressive

[Jeff Matthews]

9 hours ago, dwilawyer said:

Best Programming Rock albums of 2015.

 

These look like some serious Progress Rock fans, any one listened to what they have listed here:

 

http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?syears=2015#list

Thanks for the link, Travis.  I've been going down the list in order.  So far, there have been a few with some cool-sounding stuff, but the problem is that they tend to be too dark too much, and it is difficult to discern one song from the next.

 

But.... it looks like there is some good news.

 

Right now, I am on the 10th in the list:  Barock Project, "Skyline."  I am on the 5th track.  This album, so far, is pretty good.  Decent enough vocals without being dark, but more importantly, the music is varied.  If I had to describe their overall sound by comparison to bands we know and love, I'd put them as a cross between Kansas and Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" (yes, they have some nice flute in there, too).  I recommend just putting it on and giving it a complete once-over.

 

The band describes itself as trying to re-vamp the 1970's prog music.  The keyboardist says he was heavily influenced by Keith Emerson.
 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Following-up on the previous post, I finished listening to all the tracks (well, I'm in the middle of the final track).  The entire album is good.  Later tracks show more ELP influence.  I have to admit to being surprised by this one.

[Travis In Austin]

Not new, but just listened to a couple of Anthony Phillips LPs I hadn't pulled out in years, from late 70s.  Amazing stuff if you hadn't heard it.

 

I only found out about these lps because a small record store owner who specialized in imports in the late 70s had a 2 hour prog rock show on late sunday nights on the major rock station.

[Travis In Austin]

I started with the top artist, Steven Wilson, I didn't have acess to his latest LP, but had a free download on Prime of his 2011 LP, Grace for Drowning, quite good, I agree with 4 Star rating 

[Jeff Matthews]

2 minutes ago, dwilawyer said:

I started with the top artist, Steven Wilson, I didn't have acess to his latest LP, but had a free download on Prime of his 2011 LP, Grace for Drowning, quite good, I agree with 4 Star rating 

 

Our tastes might be slightly different.  It was good, but once you get to about the 4th song, you feel like you've heard it all.

 

Did you try the Barock Project?  I'd be curious to hear your take on it.

[Travis In Austin]

2 minutes ago, Jeff Matthews said:

 

Our tastes might be slightly different.  It was good, but once you get to about the 4th song, you feel like you've heard it all.

 

Did you try the Barock Project?  I'd be curious to hear your take on it.

I didn't have access to the LP they had listed on the top from 2015, it was the lp from 2011.

 

I am going to listen to Barock Project next.

 

Travis

[Jeff Matthews]

Just now, dwilawyer said:

I didn't have access to the LP they had listed on the top from 2015, it was the lp from 2011.

 

I am going to listen to Barock Project next.

 

Travis

You can find most of the albums on youtube.

[Jeff Matthews]

20 minutes into this Greek prog album, and "eclectic" describes it fairly well.  It doesn't seem to contain any "super-jams" so far, but if you want a lot of musicality with a dose of rock, it's not bad at all.  Lots of nice flute, xylophone and acoustic guitar.

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

So, here's another cool one.  Kaipa.  A Swedish Band.  It's actually 1978, so it's only new to me.  Just put it on and let it play through.  There are some slow moments, but there are some good jams in it.  The jam at the end is cool, too.  

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Just got to the end of this.  Really great musicians; great drummer (I play drums a little).  Then, I wiki'd it.  Mike Portnoy; no wonder!

 

Cool stuff in here!

 

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

More from Transatlantic.  This one start's out wicked sick!  I'm only in the first 5 minutes.

 

 

[codewritinfool]

A couple of suggestions:

 

Steven Wilson

Porcupine Tree (Steven Wilson fronts this group too)

 

If you're into "Psychedelic Space Rock", the band I most enjoy is Ozric Tentacles.

 

 

[wvu80]

On 8/16/2016 at 0:43 PM, Jeff Matthews said:

Did you try the Barock Project?  I'd be curious to hear your take on it.

Any fans of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, and Renaissance, would love this, I know I do.  These guys are true musicians and are very musical.  The drummer is tremendous, very interesting to listen to.

 

Thanks, best piece of new music I have heard in a looong time.

[Jeff Matthews]

5 hours ago, wvu80 said:

Any fans of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, and Renaissance, would love this, I know I do.  These guys are true musicians and are very musical.  The drummer is tremendous, very interesting to listen to.

 

Thanks, best piece of new music I have heard in a looong time.

Yeah.  I've listened to The Barock Project and Transatlantic several times.  I like them both a lot, but I give the edge to The Barock Project because the vocals are better and the songs sound a little more "songy" instead of grooves and transitions to grooves.  Both are very, very cool, though.

[wvu80]

7 hours ago, Jeff Matthews said:

Yeah.  I've listened to The Barock Project and Transatlantic several times.  I like them both a lot, but I give the edge to The Barock Project because the vocals are better and the songs sound a little more "songy" instead of grooves and transitions to grooves.  Both are very, very cool, though.

 

If you are in the garage Jeff and trying to dance to "Skyline" ^^^ the reason you can't is because the time signature is not in the traditional 4/4 that rock music uses, it's in 5/4.  Think Dave Brubeck's "Take Five"  which does a single phrase of 5 beats to the measure 1-2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4-5, etc).  It starts in the opener just after the A Capella section.  Just count to 5 with the music and the measure will start over.  Try it, it's fun. 

 

If you are conducting at home the easiest way to conduct 5/4 is to do a measure counting 3/4 followed by 2/4 (1-2-3-1-2, 1-2-3-1-2, etc).

 

Again, very musical and very interesting stuff.  Not your average rock band. 

 

Well Jeff, maybe you can dance to 5/4 but I can't.