I've found my listening habits of late have moved away from pop-oriented rock/metal to more progressive rock/metal again: in particular, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Rush, tool, and (the youngest of the bunch) Dream Theater. I know that it takes a special type of soul to appreciate(/tolerate) progressive rock/metal, so I was wondering if anyone else out there is a fan of the genre (if it can be forced into that box).
Here are my thoughts on favourite progressive rock/metal albums and songs:
[spoiler]
Pink Floyd:
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - The debut studio album contains mind-blowing extended jams "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive." If you know the album, 'nuff said.
A Saucerful of Secrets - With a slightly altered line-up (Barrett was on his way out during the recording/release of this record, IIRC), ASOS contains the stellar (with emphasis on "star") tracks "Let There Be More Light," "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun," and "A Saucerful of Secrets" :wub: :wub: I used to listen to the latter track over and over again at university and dubbed it my "gospel tune" (if you are familiar with the end of said track, you will know what I mean) to the irritation of my Christian roommate. ;)
Atom Heart Mother - The title track is excellent, IMHO, and demonstrates the post-Barrett group's willingness to experiment with different influences.
Meddle - This album represents the starting point for many Floyd fans, given that it contains (justified) fan favourites "One of These Days," "Fearless," and (perhaps less popular) "Echoes." My love goes to the latter, which is longer than the two former tracks combined. :D
Relics - The compilation album released the same year as Meddle (1971), this record contains the superb extended jam "Careful with That Axe, Eugene."
Obscured by Clouds - Another one of the band's soundtrack albums (for the French film La Vallée), this record contains at least two tracks that strike my fancy: "Wot's ... Uh the Deal" and "Absolutely Curtains." The latter track features a chant by the obscure (ho-ho) Magupa tribe. :thumbup:
The Dark Side of the Moon - Perhaps the band's best known album (alongside The Wall), this record contains my favourites "Time," "Money," and "Us and Them." 'Nuff said.
Wish You Were Here - In so many ways, this is my favourite mellow mood Pink Floyd record. I won't bother listing the tracks since every one of them is tops in my book. :wub: :wub: :wub:
Animals - This is my favourite non-mellow mood Pink Floyd album. The extended jams "Dogs," "Pigs (Three Different Ones)," and "Sheep" represent, to me, the pinnacle of this band's progressive era. :wub: :wub: :wub: The rest of their discography, including post-Waters records A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell, seems rather Water-ed down (ho-ho) to more pop-rock standards.
Jethro Tull:
Stand Up - Even if this record does not qualify as progressive rock, I need to mention it for its superlative numbers "A New Day Yesterday" (blues with a kick ;)), "Bourée" (how often does a kick-arse band cover/arrange one of my celebrated ancestor's pieces? :wub:), and "For A Thousand Mothers."
Aqualung - Again, I don't advocate this album for its progressive qualities, but the tracks "My God" and "Locomotive Breath" deserve mention here for their virtuosity.
Thick as A Brick - Clearly progressive territory, J-T strut their stuff on this nearly 46-minute song. One must love it or leave it: I love it. :wub: :wub: :wub:
A Passion Play - I actually like the live bootleg of this album that I own better than the studio recording. Most often I've found that folks love it or hate it. I, on the other hand, adore parts of it and wish that other, more melodramatic parts had been omitted. *shrug*
War Child - Originally meant to be the soundtrack to a film, this album contains some surprisingly good tracks, such as "Queen and Country," "Back-Door Angels," "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day," "The Third Hoorah," and "Two Fingers."
Minstrel in the Gallery - J-T recorded some solid numbers on this album, including the title track, "Cold Wind to Valhalla," "Black Satin Dancer," "One White Duck / 010 = Nothing At All," and "Baker St. Muse" (which represents most of the album, BTW).
Songs from the Wood - So good that we can pretend that the prior record, Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll, didn't happen, this album contains the excellent title track, "Cup of Wonder," "Hunting Girl," "Velvet Green," and "Pibroch (Cap in Hand)."
Heavy Horses - Sue me, but I love the title track to this album. :P
Storm Watch - Less of a favourite of mine, notable numbers include "Dark Ages," "Warm Sporran" (because, you know, I've worn one on various occasions. :P), "Old Ghosts," and "Flying Dutchman." This album marks the end of what I would consider J-T's classic progressive era.
Broadsword and The Beast - I'll mention this album for a single track, "Broadsword," whose philosophy intrigues me. :)
King Crimson:
In the Court of the Crimson King - The only album by this artist that I truly admire, the tracks "21st Century Schizoid Man," "Epitaph," and "The Court of the Crimson King" strike my fancy.
Rush:
Rush - I mention this pre-Peart album only for the tracks "Here Again" and "Working Man." The lack of Peart on the rest of the album seems apparent to me.
Fly by Night - The first Neil Peart album boasts "Beneath, Between & Behind" (for alliteration's sake ;)) and the epic "By-Tor & The Snow Dog."
Caress of Steel - Not my favourite album, but I will give praise to "The Necromancer" and "The Fountain of Lamneth" for their efforts.
2112 - One of my favourite Rush albums, this record includes the excellent tracks "2112," "A Passage to Bangkok," and "The Twilight Zone." If you enjoy having your ethics challenged, listen to the title track over and over, as I have. ^_^
A Farewell to Kings - I'll mention this album for "Cinderella Man" and "Cygnus X-1." "Xandau" can rot in hell.
Hemispheres - Again, short mention (largely because I am becoming tired) for "Cygnus X-1: Book II - Hemispheres" and "The Trees."
More when I have the time to post---[/spoiler]
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
Songs from the Wood, Heavy Horses, and Stormwatch are particular favorites of mine, and I pull them out and play them when the weather is appropriate. You guess when.
Rush - Caress of Steel (The fountian of lamenth for sure) and Moving Pictures captured a period of music at its finest.
Yes - Yessongs was an absolute classic.
Some of the later bands, like Marillion had a few mentionables , but those you listed are pretty much the giants of the genre.
Yes: "Fragile" and "Closer to the Edge". Those two albums are pretty much a greatest hits of Yes.
Rush: "Moving Pictures" and "Grace Under Pressure" for early 80s stuff.
Genesis: "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" is brillliant.
A pretty big RUSH fan here too, and of course I love Pink Floyd as well, must've watched The Wall a dozen times with my folks growing up.
If you want to listen to some current progressive rock, I'd highly recommend Coheed and Cambria. They put on a great live show and their music can best be described as a pop-punk teenage-romanced progressive space rock opera. Every album they've produced is part of a large overarching space opera, and they've even put out quite a few comics detailing the story.
EDIT: I just remembered a few new bands that might be nearly parodying the genre that ZD pointed out... !!! (pronounced chik chik chik) and The F%^^$ing Champs - yes those are their names.
I was raised on a steady diet of Yes, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer as a kid, but I haven't really re-visited the definitive records of the genre in a while (my dad had me listening to Pictures at an Exhibition when I visited him for drinks recently, though). I'd say Floyd's Wish You Were Here is my favourite prog album of that early era, particularly because it feels more improvisational and less deliberate than the contemporary prog releases of the time.
As for the modern crop of prog rock/prog metal, the only ones I've really paid any attention to are Queensrÿche (although they haven't really been too prog since Operation: Mindcrime), Dream Theater (mostly just for Petrucci's guitar playing), and Tool (although I only really listened to their first two albums). It's been my experience that most modern prog albums I've heard are a tad too ponderous (almost to the point of parodying the genre) for my current tastes.
I'm just enjoying that people are talking about Rush and no one is getting mocked for it....
These music discussions in my experience usually go something like this:
- Pink Floyd - "Yeah they're cool"
- Jethro Tull - "Classic"
- Yes - "I like that Roundabout song, and his vocals dont bother me as much as Geddy Lee's"
- King Crimson - "I heard of them, but I've never listened to them"
- Rush - "(Snicker)...(Rolls Eyes)...Comment about Geddy Lees Voice... and some kind of D&D basement joke"
See, rock is something I should know more about than I actually do. What exactly defines "progressive" rock?
Quote from: Gremlin on April 09, 2008, 10:28:58 PM
See, rock is something I should know more about than I actually do. What exactly defines "progressive" rock?
Quote from: WikipediaProgressive rock (often shortened to "prog rock" or "prog", also called "art rock") is a form of rock music that evolved in the late-1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility."
Progressive rock bands pushed "rock's technical and compositional boundaries" by going beyond the standard rock or popular verse-chorus based song structures. Additionally, the arrangements often incorporate elements drawn from classical, jazz, and avant-garde music. Instrumental songs are more common, and songs with lyrics are sometimes conceptual, abstract, or based in fantasy. Progressive rock bands sometimes used "concept albums that made unified statements, usually telling an epic story or tackling a grand overarching theme".
Progressive rock developed from late-1960s psychedelic rock, as part of a wide-ranging tendency in rock music of this era to draw inspiration from ever more diverse influences. The term was applied to the music of bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and came into most widespread use around the mid-1970s. While progressive rock reached the peak of its popularity in the 1970s and early 1980s, neo-progressive bands have continued playing for faithful audiences in the subsequent decades.
link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_rock)
That being said, I'd like to dispute an inclusion or two of ots's, specifically with Pink Floyd. By my point of view, anything from the Barrett era still falls into Psychedelic Rock. Meddle, Wish You Were Here, and Animals are all excellent albums, and unfortunately overshadowed by Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall for the limelight they deserve. How often do you find a single track that takes up the entire second side of an album (Echoes)?
An addition for King Crimson: I felt that Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair were all excellent albums, and their mention should be included here. Thrak was also a good album, but with a much different feel, I think.
The Yes Album and Fragile contain more Yes staples than any other two albums combined. Both are chock full of progressive Yes goodness. And it's nice to find another fan of Close to the Edge. It seems to be a much less well known album, probably because of the lack of radio-friendly tracks, but it's much stronger than so many others. Every time I play it, it's always over too soon. ^_^
*hugs B A D for mentioning Marillion* I've been a huge fan of Fish & the boys ever since Fugazi, and have picked up everything I can since then. The devastation I felt when I heard the news he was leaving the band was almost as much as when I heard the news that Freddie Mercury had passed only a few short years later. While continuing to pick up Fish's solo stuff (and enjoying it immensely), I tried to follow the rest of Marillion, but by Brave (three albums later), they had lost me. Fish, on the other hand, still produces good work, carrying the prog flag as high as he can hold it. I found it humorous that his first concert back in San Francisco since the Clutching at Straws tour (
10 years later with Sunsets on Empire....an excellent album), Marillion was playing a concert the very next night that weekend in SF.
A hair-splitting question on Genesis: is their stuff still considered Progressive once Gabriel left? Just curious.
I see Dream Theater with Opeth in Calgary in a few weeks now. I also miss out on Coheed because we paid for Rush tickets.
But to bring something to the table from the metal side, I can't say enough about Opeth. I mean sure, all but one of their cd's has the death growls mixed in with the clean vocals, but look past that and their just an amazing band. I'm essentially a Prog Rock newbie, but Opeth was the band that opened the doors for my indulgence into the genre.
my knowledge is rusty, but wasn't Marillion the first band to self-publish an album through the internet, and internet pre-sales?
also i had no idea they were connected to fugazi in any way... i love fugazi, but i never really found out much about their background - their albums were super rare to find, i could only burn copies of the albums in the radio station i worked at.
Quote from: GogglesPizanno on April 09, 2008, 03:41:30 PM
I'm just enjoying that people are talking about Rush and no one is getting mocked for it....
These music discussions in my experience usually go something like this:
- Pink Floyd - "Yeah they're cool"
- Jethro Tull - "Classic"
- Yes - "I like that Roundabout song, and his vocals dont bother me as much as Geddy Lee's"
- King Crimson - "I heard of them, but I've never listened to them"
- Rush - "(Snicker)...(Rolls Eyes)...Comment about Geddy Lees Voice... and some kind of D&D basement joke"
Um, thats because most of us PLAYED D&D in the basement at one point. This is the music we grew up with, and not Fiddy Cent or whatever the hell else . Rush inspired a lot of later groups with their tunage, and groups like Metallica , Pantera, and others have credited them on numerous occasions.
Plus, There are a lot of Canadian Army Commandoes on this board who's sole purpose is to track down IP numbers of posters who mock Rush and punish them. So, good luck with the breathing there.
QuoteThere are a lot of Canadian Army Commandoes on this board who's sole purpose is to track down IP numbers of posters who mock Rush and punish them. So, good luck with the breathing there.
Don't misunderstand me... Im a HUGE Rush fan (even the synth-pop 80's stuff).
But all I get from my friends is grief and mockery for it.
I hated Hold Your Fire. Power Window's wasn't bad, and I haven't listened to anything since Counter parts, which I thought was good.
Well who doesn't love the classics as we can now call these formly "progressive" rock bands. And BAD really hit the nail on the head by mentioning that you can't truly appreciate what more modern and more hardcore rock/metal bands are doing now adays without knowing their roots.
I never really got into Dreamtheater myself, but my teacher (who is a musical monster of his own realm) really loves them. His words are that you will be hard pressed to find a longer running, more technically sound, theory based band in the hard rock/metal world. Having heard little bits, i have to say that D.T. has had a long career of overlooked gems, although i think the overlooked portion is mostly by the band's choice.
Quote from: Panther_Gunn on April 09, 2008, 11:22:20 PM
A hair-splitting question on Genesis: is their stuff still considered Progressive once Gabriel left? Just curious.
I think that's the common assessment, but personally, I draw the prog/non-prog distinction at the departure of guitarist Steve Hackett after the
Seconds Out live album, around early 1978 or so. The stuff Genesis cranked out after that probably doesn't qualify as prog rock for most fans of the genre (or at least prog rock as it sounded back then).
Quote from: Panther_Gunn on April 09, 2008, 11:22:20 PM
That being said, I'd like to dispute an inclusion or two of ots's, specifically with Pink Floyd. By my point of view, anything from the Barrett era still falls into Psychedelic Rock. Meddle, Wish You Were Here, and Animals are all excellent albums, and unfortunately overshadowed by Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall for the limelight they deserve. How often do you find a single track that takes up the entire second side of an album (Echoes)?
Absolutely valid point taken, P_G. The note I
should have affixed to the mentions of early Floyd albums was that I can trace certain elements of the progressive rock genre--such as recurring and nested motifs/riffs, key modulations and time changes, non-traditional instrumentation--to these albums, which, as you point out, more appropriately fall within the psychedelic rock genre.
I have much that I would like to share about Dream Theater, as this excellent band has sparked a measure of enthusiastic discussion here, but I will need to do so in a later post. Verfall, I am thoroughly jealous that you got tickets to see this act. :)
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
P.S. What's the problem with Geddy Lee's voice? I wish I had that much control over my upper register, being but a largely untutored baritone myself. :huh:
Geddy himself once quipped that his singing voice frightened small animals.
QuoteGeddy himself once quipped that his singing voice frightened small animals.
I was at a BBQ playing Rock band yesterday and my friends voice had the exact same effect on the dogs....
Ah...
... great love affair 'tween one and I a long time ago. She gave me Early Genesis and I gave her Alan Parsons. Way cool moments when we went to see Yes and Alan Parsons was opening for them. I have a short toleration of Yes at times though and hearing extended versions of long rock songs to begin with wasn't much fun. :P Even cooler was when we saw Alan Parsons a year later by himself and had a picture taken with him and he signed my Time Machine CD. :) Best moment yet though was when I found Spot The Pigeon for her and had it sent to her for her birthday gift.
Good music all around with Progressive Rock.
RTT
Anyone heard "The bee made honey in the lion's skull" by Earth? Cool new album.
Quote from: zuludelta on April 10, 2008, 11:54:50 AM
Quote from: Panther_Gunn on April 09, 2008, 11:22:20 PM
A hair-splitting question on Genesis: is their stuff still considered Progressive once Gabriel left? Just curious.
I think that's the common assessment, but personally, I draw the prog/non-prog distinction at the departure of guitarist Steve Hackett after the Seconds Out live album, around early 1978 or so. The stuff Genesis cranked out after that probably doesn't qualify as prog rock for most fans of the genre (or at least prog rock as it sounded back then).
Agreed. Post-Gabriel, they still had "A Trick of the Tail" and "Wind and Wuthering"...two decent prog-albums.
"...And then there were three" was a big change - a little more sappy, less complicated. It was followed by "Duke" and "Abacab" which both had heavy doses of Collins' sappiness, but are fairly listenable today, and still have remnants of their 'prog-rock' days (although they're much more synth-driven).
However, 1983's self-titled "Genesis" (with hits such as Illegal Alien and Mama) was the most dramatic change. It's both goofy and dark, but it's the beginning of the band's downward spiral (even though 1986's Invisible Touch was perhaps their most commercially successful albums).
I think a fair sub-section of my music collection would qualify. I do like a lot of the stuff mentioned here, particularly the great Pink Floyd - but an honourable mention must also be given to Jethro Tull. I must confess that I don't listen to any of this type of stuff nowadays as much as I used to, but I still enjoy digging out the old records once in a while.
I am (not terribly) surprised to see that Uriah Heep ("the poor man's Deep Purple") haven't featured yet. They were fond of producing the odd long-winded orchestral arrangement, including "Salisbury" and "The Magician's Birthday". These songs might only be a relatively tight 10mins+ each, but they are fine examples of the genre. "The Magician's Birthday" in particular is one of those songs that just pops into my head every once in a while and can't but raise a smile for me.
Quote from: The Phantom Eyebrow on April 15, 2008, 11:23:50 AM
I am (not terribly) surprised to see that Uriah Heep ("the poor man's Deep Purple") haven't featured yet.
Eyebrow, I knew 'twas but a matter of time before you mentioned Uriah Heep in this thread (and I am glad you did :)). I am not really certain how much U.S./Canadian exposure
the most famous band that Charles Dickens never formed has received since circa 1970, so I cannot speak to the band's reputation amongst the members of this online community. With that said, I can report that I have admired the two tracks you have mentioned and like to think I have a soft spot for the band in general. ^_^
I'm not sure whether or not I should thank detourne_me for mentioning Coheed and Cambria in this thread. :P I visited the iTunes Store to sample some of their musical wares only to find that they seem much more pop-progressive than I had anticipated (even though I was warned). The problem is that, despite Claudio Sanchez's clearly very narcissistic (and needlessly messianic) lyrical tendencies, I am liking the band's sound (in particular, the tightness of the rhythms and Sanchez's vocal virtuosity) and beginning to feel the pull away from, say, Dream Theater's
Scenes from a Memory (which achieves a nice balance, IMHO, between series of dark, non-pop runs and extended solo rotations AND more upbeat, pop-inflected motifs) or tool's intensely anti-pop (IMHO)
10,000 Days toward C&C's
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vols. 1 and 2--even though, I must say, I am finding certain non-pop tracks (including the title track) on
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3 much more to my liking. Whether or not my initial listening trend, which was moving away from pop-rock/metal, will be derailed by C&C remains to be seen...(not that that is necessarily a problem ;))
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
Quote from: ow_tiobe_sb on April 15, 2008, 01:53:45 PM
Quote from: The Phantom Eyebrow on April 15, 2008, 11:23:50 AM
I am (not terribly) surprised to see that Uriah Heep ("the poor man's Deep Purple") haven't featured yet.
Eyebrow, I knew 'twas but a matter of time before you mentioned Uriah Heep in this thread (and I am glad you did :)). I am not really certain how much U.S./Canadian exposure the most famous band that Charles Dickens never formed has received since circa 1970, so I cannot speak to the band's reputation amongst the members of this online community. With that said, I can report that I have admired the two tracks you have mentioned and like to think I have a soft spot for the band in general. ^_^
I think Uriah Heep (and Ken Hensley for that matter) is relatively popular as far as prog-ish bands go... I think they definitely have had more international exposure than, say, King Crimson (then again, I grew up in a mountain resort town that was stuck in some sort of late 1960/early 1970s time-warp all through-out the 1990s, so I can't really say if my experiences are representative of most other people's).
Not sure if they qualify as all-out prog, though... they were all about the bombast, for sure, but thematically, I think they hewed a bit closer to the Deep Purple/Led Zeppelin end of the spectrum.
I Won't Mind off of the 1974
Wonderworld album has some of the crunchiest riffs of any album released in the 1970s though, awesome stuff.
You bring up an important point that I hope will be discussed in this thread, zulu: namely, What constitutes progressive rock/metal (with an eye focused on historical milieu and several steps away from the abstract) in this community's humble (or not so humble) opinion? I don't think we should necessarily accept Wikipedia's definition without exception (and this is no slight to Panther_Gunn, for I agree with much of what it outlines), so I think it would be productive to share what we think are the characteristics of this multivariate musical genre. I will reserve my own thoughts until others have chimed in (with the exception of Panther_Gunn, for he has already called me on my accidental blending of psychedelic and progressive rock :P).
:)
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
My definition of prog-rock is pretty much in-line with the Wikipedia one, although I think it is a bit too broad. Saying that it is defined by the incorporation of elements "drawn from classical, jazz, and avant-garde music" and the occasional eschewing of popular music song structure (verse-chorus-verse) leaves the door open for a diverse array of artists such as Duane Allman, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, and even "noise" acts such as the Boredoms to fall cleanly within the definition, when I think most of us would probably agree that these artists are perhaps better classified under different terms.
I'm sure there's a more academic definition floating out there, but I think there exists a "common sense" notion that is just as legitimate as one that breaks the music down into its components... I've always felt that a distinct feature of prog-rock is its very measured and deliberate nature (despite the genre's reliance of certain jazz conventions). I've always felt that prog-rock's greatest strength (and its greatest weakness) is that it replaces the sensual sensibility of jazz, pop, and rock music with a more cerebral approach.
Recently, my listening habits have been expanding from metal towards more progressive stuff. I've been easing into Camel and Renaissance. I've always liked Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues as well as the other 'staple' prog bands with the exception of Rush (Geddy's voice annoys me).
While we're questioning what qualifies as Prog Rock, is there a case to be made for The Beatles' White Album or Sgt Pepper or for Smile by the Beach Boys?
I take the point about the Heepsters being more metal than the other bands listed here ZD, and I must confess I don't have Wonderworld, so I might have to have to get a copy of that.
Quote from: The Phantom Eyebrow on April 22, 2008, 02:54:16 PM
While we're questioning what qualifies as Prog Rock, is there a case to be made for The Beatles' White Album or Sgt Pepper or for Smile by the Beach Boys?
I take the point about the Heepsters being more metal than the other bands listed here ZD, and I must confess I don't have Wonderworld, so I might have to have to get a copy of that.
Hmmm. Good question.
I think it could be said they're more concept albums - than progressive.
I didn't think anybody else would have Brian Wilson's Smile other than me. Heh.
RTT
Quote from: The Phantom Eyebrow on April 22, 2008, 02:54:16 PM
While we're questioning what qualifies as Prog Rock, is there a case to be made for The Beatles' White Album or Sgt Pepper or for Smile by the Beach Boys?
I heard a story that Brian Wilson was driving down the road when he heard the infinitely awesome Strawberry Fields Forever on the radio. It was the sound he was trying to get with SMiLE, so he was like they got it first, and that's why they didn't release the album.
Greetings again, gentlemen. I fully intend to share more thoughts about Rush, Dream Theater, and tool, but I thought I would make brief mention of a relatively young progressive metal band that I recently discovered: Andromeda (http://www.andromedaonline.com/nhtml/home.htm), a Swedish band with quite the impressive guitarist/songwriter, Johan Reinholdz. I cannot vouch for the band's more recent albums (II=I (2003) and Chimera (2006)), but the debut album, 2001's Extension of the Wish, written by Reinholdz, really blew me away with its technical mastery. I'll avoid the compulsive comparison to those who set the bar so high within this musical genre (*cough* DT *cough*) and note, instead, that the dueling keyboards and guitar are mesmerising, and the rhythmic variations, from virtuoso speed to raucous thrash (especially on the rather heavy, agressive "In the Deepest of Waters") to more bluesy, melodic metal, should offer a li'l something appealing to every prog metal fan. I would highly recommend that you check Amazon.com for samples of the band's music. Enjoy!
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
Rush (cont.)
Permanent Waves - An overall solid album with some catchy hooks as well. Personal favourites include pop-inflected "The Spirit of Radio," "Freewill," "Jacob's Ladder," and "Natural Science."
Moving Pictures - In my view, this album proceeds in the same transitional vein as the previous LP, showing the band's gradual move toward shorter tracks with greater pop appeal and more synthesizer but continuing to demonstrate Rush's trademark instrumental proficiency. To this day, I am still not a fan of the immensely popular "Tom Sawyer"; however, other tracks--namely, "Red Barchetta," the incredible Peart slugfest "YYZ," the infectiously catchy "Limelight," and "The Camera Eye"--more than compensate for the annoyance that ol' Tom has caused me over the years.
Signals - This album marks a move, IMHO, toward an era that I have less love for; nevertheless, I find myself returning to "Subdivisions," "The Analog Kid," "Digital Man," and "The Weapon" on a fairly regular basis.
Grace Under Pressure - Many of these tracks struck me as songs that failed to allow themselves enough time/space to expand, breathe, and ultimately impress me. However, I have a degree of respect for "Afterimage," "The Enemy Within," "The Body Electric" (if not for the music, for the Whitman allusion), and "Between the Wheels."
Power Windows - I've met a number of lifelong Rush fans who have professed that this album grew on them over time. I have yet to enjoy that experience.
Hold Your Fire - I hate to say it, but this album should have been entitled Hold Your Tongue and never released. When I'm in the mood for it, I can listen to "Time Stand Still" (which is not a great representative of progressive rock at all) but everything else on this album leaves me cold.
This marks the point when I stopped listening to new Rush albums. *somewhere, an owl sheds a tear*
Dream Theater
Personally, I cannot say enough about this spectacular group, but I will try to be as concise as possible.
When Dream and Day Unite - I actually think that Charlie Dominici was a great fit for DT vocally, and I am glad to know that his post-DT career has been a fruitful one. Nevertheless, I am extremely thankful that James LaBrie would join DT for their sophomore outing and subsequent studio albums. The already germinating seeds of greatness populate this debut album, "Ytse Jam," the musical suite "The Killing Hand," and "Light Fuse and Get Away" representing my personal favourites.
Images and Words - I actually had higher hopes for this album when I learned of its title before its release, but many of the tracks seem relatively uninspired to me (perhaps in the midst of attempting to be too inspiring lyrically). With that said, "Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and The Sleeper" (whose revisitation would later produce one of DT's best concept albums of all time, IMHO) and "Under a Glass Moon" still receive heavy rotation.
Awake - This album represents to me the band's continued attempts to negotiate between more mainstream-palatable, pop-inflected numbers and the more intensely progressive style that I love about this band. Notable tracks include "The Mirror" and "Lie."
A Change of Seasons - This EP represents, to me, the (soon to be interrupted) beginning of DT's picking up momentum by adopting the compositional and stylistic habits that would inform several of their greatest LPs later. In addition to the extended title track, the record also includes a number of delightful covers of classic songs, such as "The Rover/Achilles' Last Stand/The Song Remains the Same" by Led Zeppelin and "The Big Medley," which includes "In the Flesh?" by Pink Floyd, "Carry on Wayward Son" by Kansas, "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (With the advent of James LaBrie's band membership, who didn't see this cover coming? ;)), "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" by Journey, "Cruise Control" by Dixie Dregs, and "Turn It On Again" by Genesis. :wub:
Falling Into Infinity - Falling, as this album does, between two great records, one would have liked to see a steady path toward increasingly impressive work. Unfortunately, Falling Into Infinity strikes me as a rather hapless victim of record label/studio producer interference (The story goes that DT was under extreme pressure from EastWest records to put out an album with more consistent mainstream appeal. Subsequent albums would be self-produced by the band to avoid these misguided interventions in the future.) I still harbour a great deal of respect for "New Millennium," "Lines in the Sand," "Just Let Me Breathe," and "Trial of Tears."
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory - Emerging from the (mercifully) brief national nightmare of Falling Into Infinity, DT hit the ground running with the first album, IMHO, to hit all the right notes. Introspection, mysticism, multiple speakers/perspectives, pulse-pounding extended jams--this record has it all. Simply put, you must purchase this album and listen to it repeatedly. ;)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - Building upon the wide-ranging foundations of Scenes from a Memory, SDOIT roams in even wider stylistic arcs to display the versatility of this pitch-perfect band. "The Glass Prison," one of my favourite DT songs, showcases some of the most insane, pummeling drum work Mike Portnoy ever composed. "The Great Debate" provides a very clever approach to current themes with its examination of the pros and cons of stem cell research. The title suite represents the most mature, nuanced attempt by a metal band to address various psychological ailments that I have ever encountered. Again, you must purchase this album and listen to it repeatedly. ;) I should also note that, as far as DT albums go, this record represents the high-water mark, IMHO.
Train of Thought - I was underwhelmed by this louder, more angst-driven album. Nevertheless, Portnoy comes through with at least two great tracks, "This Dying Soul" and "Honor Thy Father."
Octavarium - Portnoy's "The Root of All Evil" and the twenty-four minute title track offer me a great deal of satisfaction in this otherwise uneven album.
Systematic Chaos - There are some brilliant lights on this dark album, including technically dazzling "In the Presence of Enemies" (parts 1 and 2), "Constant Motion," and "The Ministry of Lost Souls."
I would also like to mention, perhaps controversially, the "official bootleg" live recording of Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast that DT performed while on tour in 2002. IMHO, this influential (and terrific, in its original Iron Maiden recording) metal album never sounded better than when DT decided to cover it in toto. ^_^
My notes on the sometime shock-proggers tool will follow in a subsequent post. In the meantime, I invite others to share their thoughts about DT's discography, since it appears that there exists some love for the band in this online community. :)
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
I think 2112 and A Farewell to Kings were Rush's strongest albums... never really was fond of their later work.
As for Dream Theater... I went crazy over John Petrucci like so many young impressionable guitarists in the 1990s, but my taste in music shifted in a radically different direction soon after the release of Falling Into Infinity (I'd discovered funk, electronica, R&B, and hip-hop), so I didn't really pay attention to them after that. I can't speak for their later, post-1998 albums (none of which I've listened to in-depth), but I never really considered them an outright prog rock band (their earlier albums still straddled the divide between "popular" rock and metal and "proper" prog much like bands like Queensrÿche)... to me, they were closer, in terms of their musical predilections, to guys like the classical and baroque-influenced hard rock outfit Rainbow (the mid-1970s version with Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio, particularly on the 1976 album Rising) than say, prog-rockers King Crimson or Pink Floyd.
Quote from: zuludelta on May 07, 2008, 12:00:26 PM
I never really considered them an outright prog rock band (their earlier albums still straddled the divide between "popular" rock and metal and "proper" prog much like bands like Queensrÿche)... to me, they were closer, in terms of their musical predilections, to guys like the classical and baroque-influenced hard rock outfit Rainbow (the mid-1970s version with Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio, particularly on the 1976 album Rising) than say, prog-rockers King Crimson or Pink Floyd.
It might be fair to say that progressive rock/metal has been, historically, very much a phase or a persistent habit in a band's career rather than an inherent aspect of each of its songs. Of all the bands I have mentioned, however, Dream Theater (as well as early King Crimson and post-Barrett/post-psychedelic Pink Floyd) clearly deserves to be labeled progressive. DT seems to be the natural successor to the progressive experiments of predecessors Iron Maiden, (early) Metallica, et al (and I would hesitate to call these bands progressive in any sense of the word). When a band like DT opens its debut album with a track that, before a single lyric spills forth (at 1 minute, 21 seconds), undergoes three tempo changes and two time signature changes (which will also recur later in the track), I call that progressive. This is a trend that DT has never lost, but I will agree that their albums frequently indulge other song styles that fall short of being progressive. This persistent, progressive characteristic of DT is something that I cannot attribute to Rush, Jethro Tull, or tool, for each of these bands began as hard rock, jazz folk/blues, or grunge-like metal bands, respectively, and would frequently revert to these genres at will.
Yes, I would definitely hesitate to call Queensrÿche progressive. Rather, I would say that certain songs from their catalogue demonstrate an indebtedness to previous progressive rock. "Roads to Madness" from
The Warning and "Suite Sister Mary" from
Operation: Mindcrime might qualify as progressive tracks, but isolated tracks (or occasional concept albums) do not necessarily a progressive band make.
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
Hold Your Fire - I hate to say it, but this album should have been entitled Hold Your Tongue and never released. When I'm in the mood for it, I can listen to "Time Stand Still" (which is not a great representative of progressive rock at all) but everything else on this album leaves me cold.
That Pretty much sums it . Altough "Turn the Page" really grew on me so much that its on my Itunes.
The only other Rush CD ive bought since this one is Counterparts, and I really reccomend it. Its a nice mix of the old/new sounds , and has at least 5 good tracks on it. I wanted to name a COX toon "coldfire" after the song, but you know another geek already stole it and every concievable variation of said name.
That being said, now that its not "cool" anymore, Moving Pictures is by far their best work, and The Camera Eye is perhaps my favorite Rush song.
I believe I am prepared to make brief mention (and recommendation) of a French progressive metal band, Spheric Universe Experience (http://en.sphericuniversexp.com/). Their second album, Anima, definitely suggests an homage to Dream Theater (and 'tis not a black mark against 'em for it ;)), but their first album, Mental Torments, convinces me that this is a progressive metal band with a mind of its own worth watching in the future. Has anyone else given them a listen?
I will post thoughts on tool if my poor suffering son will stop getting teething fevers in the foreseeable future. :(
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
*dusts off thread*
I wanted to include a few brief mentions I've made elsewhere and then add a few new notes about other excellent prog bands.
Communic - Waves of Visual Decay (2006): This sophomore album by the Norwegian progressive thrash metal trio Communic (http://www.myspace.com/communic) reminds one of the condition of certain special, serious musical acts: they make music not as a devotion to the beauty of sound but rather as if they were trying to cure themselves of an acute malady. Waves of Visual Decay blends raw, raucous thrash and progressive metal methods with superior production and vocalist/guitarist Oddleif Stensland's sometimes sweet, sometimes rough, sometimes stratospheric, but always haunting voice on an album that will leave the listener thrilled, (perhaps) a bit frightened, and happily exhausted by record's end. Highlights include the riff-heavy antiwar opening track, "Under a Luminous Sky," the powerfully crunchy "Frozen Asleep in the Park" (a diatribe against the unnecessary condition of homelessness, society's open dirty secret), the down-tempo "Watching It All Disappear," the darkly sinister "My Bleeding Victim," and, IMHO, one of the band's best, most representative songs, "Fooled by the Serpent," which demonstrates Communic's ability to couple driving and slow tempos with alternating passages of fury and tranquility.
Pagan's Mind - Infinity Divine (2001; rerecorded in 2004): Not just another power-prog metal act with a mystical space travel fixation, Norway's Pagan's Mind (http://www.myspace.com/pagansmind) features the dual guitar force of Jørn Viggo Lofstad and Thorstein Aaby, the flying fingers of keyboardist Ronny Tegner, and the unique, almost extraterrestrial vocals of Nils K. Rue on the band's stellar (ho-ho!) debut album. Infinity Divine not only introduces the listener to the themes that would dominate Pagan's Mind's next three albums (Celestial Entrance (2003), Enigmatic: Calling (2005), and God's Equation (2007)) but it also does so in a fashion more faithful to progressive metal methods than the later records, which tend toward more traditional, melodic power metal characteristics. Highlights include the lyrical ουροβóρος "Infinity Divine" ("You are what you mean you can be..."); the gritty, riff-heavy "Embracing Fear"; the eerie, atmospheric "Astral Projection"; and the soaring, festinate "Angels' Serenity."
Myrath - Hope (2007) - The international debut album by Tunisian progressive metal artists Myrath (http://www.myspace.com/myrathband) proves not only satisfying in its true-to-prog complex rhythms, eclectic instrumentation, genre-bending, etc., but also for its subtle use of traditional Middle Eastern musical motifs (whereas most Western prog bands make rather ostentatious use of these motifs). Myrath tends to add layer upon layer of musical lines--which may be jazz-inflected, heavy metallic, baroque or classical, etc.--until, gradually, the listener recognises the familiar oriental (to use the historically reductive, controversial term) textures. I find this style refreshing because, instead of providing another example of a European or American prog band mining the (Middle) East for non-standard rock rhythms and riffs, Myrath's music provides an example of the (Middle) Eastern bricoleur using Western musical styles to create a distinctive (Middle) Eastern form of progressive metal (however, the Dream Theater influences should be clear to fans of that artist). Lead vocalist Zaher Zagati's versatility covers the gamut from clear, sweet, tenor vibrato to raw shrieks to the occasional baritone growls (which, normally, I would detest, but, somehow, Zagati makes it work with Myrath's frequently aggressive sound). The tracks available on the band's Myspace page (including "Confession") are definitely worth a listen (or three).
To-Mera - Delusions (2008) - Fronted by the (fallen) angelic Julie Kiss (nice surname!), the British progressive metal act To-Mera (http://www.myspace.com/tomeraband) crafts its heavy prog sound by taking cues from various musical genres too numerous to mention. In their sophomore outing (following 2006's Transcendental), To-Mera sustains its commitment to performing polymorphic, polyrhythmic, extended metal jams graced by Kiss's exquisite vocals. The musicians truly know their instruments well and demonstrate a very high level of proficiency without sacrificing riffs and recurrent melodies. Representative and recommended tracks include "The Lie," "Mirage," "The Glory of a New Day," "Inside the Hourglass," and "A Sorrow to Kill."
Pyramaze - Legend of the Bone Carver (2006) - The Danish progressive power metal outfit Pyramaze (http://profile.myspace.com/pyramaze) impressed me with their 2004 debut album, Melancholy Beast, but they absolutely floored me with Legend of the Bone Carver, a concept album about (IIRC) a magical child who becomes a woodland recluse and, ultimately, the savior of his troubled land (aye, the concept will only appeal to fantasy buffs, to be sure). Fast-paced, grinding guitars and pounding bass drum meet folk music influences and Lance King's amazing, crystal-clear vocals on this sophomore effort. If you can bracket the occasional spoken narrative that tends to introduce or bridge various tracks to sustain the album's dark tale, you are likely to bang your head in time with "What Lies Beyond," "Ancient Words Within," "Souls in Pain," and "The Bone Carver."
More to come shortly. :)
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Fop o' th' Morning
I'm mildly surprised to see no mention of Porcupine Tree here (yet). They straddle the line between prog rock and prog metal quite nicely. I am not at all surprised to see no mention of Liquid Tension Experiment. If you like Dream Theater, you'll probably enjoy the former. The latter is more obscure. Fans of progressive death metal would do well to try and find some Textures, although they're kinda math metaly. Oh and Devin Townsend's work (either with Strapping Young Lad or on his own) is impressive and a personal favourite too.