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Prog Rock - Recommendations

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  • Stephen Wilson.
  • edited March 2018
    This is an exhaustive list of prog albums I would consider 10/10 on an arbitrary scale

    I should preface this by saying that my favourite band, Cardiacs, are often considered prog, but they themselves kind of deny it and I'll leave them off to be fairer to everyone else

    Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts (and Still Life)
    The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
    Cheer-Accident - Introducing Lemon
    Dodheimsgard - A Umbra Omega
    Mansun - Six (Britpop? Prog? Both?)
    Renaissance - Scheherazade And Other Stories
    Soft Machine - Third
    Cleric - Retrocausal
    Deep Turtle - There's A Vomitsprinkler In My Liverriver

    Eagle eyes will note the presence of Cleric and Dodheimsgard in both this and my metal list. It's possible to be both. But...Porcupine Tree they are not. This is prog metal from Hades

    If I could recommend one prog track for the more classical prog fans to hear, it would be Inaugural Bash by Deluge Grander. Absolutely incredible stuff - 27 minutes of symphonic brilliance with one hell of an ending
  • edited March 2018

    Been listening to Foxtrot, Nusery Crymes and Selling England by the Pound recently.

    How's that well know Bognor restaurant owner "Harold the Barrel", is he still serving them up for tea?
    Hasn't got a leg to stand on, he can't go far.
  • Gentle Giant worth a mention, plus another vote for Camel, I have a live Camel album which is pretty good but can't remember what it's called ..... or when I last played it !!
  • red10 said:

    Gentle Giant worth a mention, plus another vote for Camel, I have a live Camel album which is pretty good but can't remember what it's called ..... or when I last played it !!

    Nod as good as a wink is superb by camel also.
  • Blimey, just literally finished listening to "Misplaced Childhood" by Marillion. Up there with one of the greatest ever albums, not a bad track on it.

    If I was spiteful I'd flag this. They're awful.
  • Leuth said:

    This is an exhaustive list of prog albums I would consider 10/10 on an arbitrary scale

    I should preface this by saying that my favourite band, Cardiacs, are often considered prog, but they themselves kind of deny it and I'll leave them off to be fairer to everyone else

    Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts (and Still Life)
    The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
    Cheer-Accident - Introducing Lemon
    Dodheimsgard - A Umbra Omega
    Mansun - Six (Britpop? Prog? Both?)
    Renaissance - Scheherazade And Other Stories
    Soft Machine - Third
    Cleric - Retrocausal
    Deep Turtle - There's A Vomitsprinkler In My Liverriver

    Eagle eyes will note the presence of Cleric and Dodheimsgard in both this and my metal list. It's possible to be both. But...Porcupine Tree they are not. This is prog metal from Hades

    If I could recommend one prog track for the more classical prog fans to hear, it would be Inaugural Bash by Deluge Grander. Absolutely incredible stuff - 27 minutes of symphonic brilliance with one hell of an ending

    Soft Machine aren't really prog. More jazz rock. With not that much rock really.
    Outbloodyrageous they are.
  • Been listening to Foxtrot, Nusery Crymes and Selling England by the Pound recently.

    Last summer we heard "I know what I like...." on the radio as we were driving to the beach. From then on whenever it gets to 1 o'clock they all know whats next.
  • edited March 2018
    Just this week I've been watching the Genesis interviews on each of their albums on Youtube. I was a huge fan back in the early seventies and it was interesting to hear what they themselves think about the albums. Following this my car playlist for the week has been the earlier albums without Gabriel, which I hadn't played for a long time, unlike those with him, which get regular airings.

    One band not mentioned so far is another 70s group, PFM. I saw them as support to Tangerine Dream at the Albert Hall. PFM were excellent but I didn't quite get the likes of Tangerine Dream, hence left about 20 minutes of their set - I'd only got the ticket to see PFM anyway. If you haven't heard their stuff give it a play.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esHEPt41Sjc
  • I would like to proffer one track from the 'olden days.' Iron Butterfly's, Butterfly Bleu.

    The top prog rock pub in the early 70s was the Kings Head, Blackfriars. The music was loud, very, very loud, the clientele colourful and a certain chemical smell lingered to add to sense of occasion. This track (at least for a time) served as an absolute anthem.

    ... er tbh it does get a bit weird in the middle - you can fade it there - although that would have been a sacrilege in the day!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1JvnSGAVFo
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  • Just this week I've been watching the Genesis interviews on each of their albums on Youtube. I was a huge fan back in the early seventies and it was interesting to hear what they themselves think about the albums. Following this my car playlist for the week has been the earlier albums without Gabriel, which I hadn't played for a long time, unlike those with him, which get regular airings.

    One band not mentioned so far is another 70s group, PFM. I saw them as support to Tangerine Dream at the Albert Hall. PFM were excellent but I didn't quite get the likes of Tangerine Dream, hence left about 20 minutes of their set - I'd only got the ticket to see PFM anyway. If you haven't heard their stuff give it a play.

    Goodness me. I’d forgotten about PFM - Premiatia Forneria Marconi, if I remember rightly. They were excellent live. Might have to find them on Spotify today.
  • Alan Reed (ex Pallas). Not a massive fan of his music but I went to school with him and he’s a lovely bloke. His solo stuff is well regarded.
  • I must say that until I discovered Tim Charles programme on Radio Caroline I had no idea that prog. rock is such a thriving modern genre, and I am not sure how we are supposed to classify it and distinguish it from mainstream rock. I suspect extensive use of keyboards may play a role.

    I'm still wondering which of @RodneyCharltonTrotta and @Leuth list of favourites is the wind-up, too.
  • I must say that until I discovered Tim Charles programme on Radio Caroline I had no idea that prog. rock is such a thriving modern genre, and I am not sure how we are supposed to classify it and distinguish it from mainstream rock. I suspect extensive use of keyboards may play a role.

    I'm still wondering which of @RodneyCharltonTrotta and @Leuth list of favourites is the wind-up, too.

    Both.
    Proper prog rockers would be 60ish now. I know for a fact Leuth is a mere slip of a lad and RCTs i'd never heard of.
  • Spock's Beard are okay. One of my mate's favourites are Pendragon, I don't rate them at all, derivative and predictable, prog rock by numbers at best.
  • I must say that until I discovered Tim Charles programme on Radio Caroline I had no idea that prog. rock is such a thriving modern genre, and I am not sure how we are supposed to classify it and distinguish it from mainstream rock. I suspect extensive use of keyboards may play a role.

    I'm still wondering which of @RodneyCharltonTrotta and @Leuth list of favourites is the wind-up, too.

    I went to the first Rambling Man Festival at Maidstone two or three years ago and they had a prog stage (Camel were headlining but I'd decided to watch the Scorpions on the main stage instead). One act (I can't remember the name) summed it up when he said "This is our last song, but we're a prog band, so we could still be on stage a very long time!"
  • My prog rock recommendation? Steer well clear.
  • Spock's Beard are okay. One of my mate's favourites are Pendragon, I don't rate them at all, derivative and predictable, prog rock by numbers at best.

    I've a few Pendragon albums but they never get listened to now - Nick Barrett's voice grates on me.

    I'll listen to pretty most anything but always steer back to my favourite genre of music. If you don't like it, well tough, a lot of us do.

    @Sillybilly I saw Pallas back in the day, I'm rediscovering their early stuff, The Wedge is a great album.
  • I must say that until I discovered Tim Charles programme on Radio Caroline I had no idea that prog. rock is such a thriving modern genre, and I am not sure how we are supposed to classify it and distinguish it from mainstream rock. I suspect extensive use of keyboards may play a role.

    I'm still wondering which of @RodneyCharltonTrotta and @Leuth list of favourites is the wind-up, too.

    That deluxe deranged what ever they were called. Rather listen to the osmonds.
  • I'm 31! And I'm a huge prog fan. My post was 100% sincere
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  • Asked Deezer (which I get with my Sonos box) for prog rock playlists. Not got a great selection. Mainly the same old British 70s big names plus Rush. Maybe Deezer being French, doesn't get it. Right now listening to a band called Airbag. They are alright. Asked Deezer about Deep Turtle and it answered "vous voulez rire?"
  • edited March 2018

    Asked Deezer (which I get with my Sonos box) for prog rock playlists. Not got a great selection. Mainly the same old British 70s big names plus Rush. Maybe Deezer being French, doesn't get it. Right now listening to a band called Airbag. They are alright. Asked Deezer about Deep Turtle and it answered "vous voulez rire?"

    There’s nothing wrong with the same old British 70s big names plus Rush!

  • I must say that until I discovered Tim Charles programme on Radio Caroline I had no idea that prog. rock is such a thriving modern genre, and I am not sure how we are supposed to classify it and distinguish it from mainstream rock. I suspect extensive use of keyboards may play a role.

    I'm still wondering which of @RodneyCharltonTrotta and @Leuth list of favourites is the wind-up, too.

    I went to the first Rambling Man Festival at Maidstone two or three years ago and they had a prog stage (Camel were headlining but I'd decided to watch the Scorpions on the main stage instead). One act (I can't remember the name) summed it up when he said "This is our last song, but we're a prog band, so we could still be on stage a very long time!"
    Saw Focus at Ramblin Man festival last year. One of their numbers which I didn't know (which is admittedly most of them) was going on a bit so the Mrs went off to the loo. She came back and as it was quite sunny decided I should go and get my hat. I went back to the camper van field to get said hat, came back, same song still going...... Eventually the song finished.

    "Thanks, and now we're going to play one of our extended pieces......"
  • TELTEL
    edited March 2018
    I’d like to add some later PROG rock bands. Robert Reeds Magenta, and his other band Kompendium and the album Beneath the waves. Both exhibiting his love of Yes and Genesis. The latter album is actually reminiscent of a rock opera. The Norwegian Magenta are excellent also but not PROG Rock.

    Also Aussie band Gypsies of Pangea. I stumbled across them quite by accident and would recommend a listen to Limiten Sum.

    I would also recommend Robert Reeds Sanctuary which is very Mike Oldfield-esque, reminiscent of his early stuff like Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn.
  • Mountain Nantucket Sleighride Get on it big fella
  • Caravan, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Henry Cow, Steve Hillage, or indeed anything remotely related to the Canterbury sound.

  • PeteF said:

    Mountain Nantucket Sleighride Get on it big fella

    That's a truly wonderful album and I play the haunting title track regularly, but does it count as prog rock? I mean maybe it does, I am just pleasantly baffled by how we define it.

    @hungaroaddick What is the Canterbury sound?

  • Peter Hammill - A Black Box
    Hatfield & The North - Rotter's Club
    Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Turbulence
    Jethro Tull - The Minstrel in the Gallery
    Soft Machine Third
    Magma - 1001 degrees centigrade
  • PFM are playing the O2 Islington in May. Recommended.
    Early Genesis.
    Japan.
  • PFM are playing the O2 Islington in May. Recommended.
    Early Genesis.
    Japan.

    JAPAN?

    David Sylvian’s Japan?
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