This is the PROG ROCK Listening Club - New albums every Friday

Cause rock is like politics and the best kind is progressive!!
Listen to these awesome albums, you will not regret it!

http://www.metalsucks.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yesclosetotheedge.jpg

Yes - Close to the Edge

http://bluestormmusic.com/store/images/softmachine_third.jpg

Soft Machine - Third

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_THCX_XP9NE4/Slkim8Y2DhI/AAAAAAAAAXk/upLJ8QnBDBo/s320/camel-moonmadness.jpg

Camel - Moonmadness

oh look, a listening club I can get behind!

'Moon In June' on Third is pretty much the greatest piece of music ever made. You won't regret it!

I approve of the Soft Machine and Camel!

I bagsy a week at some point.

I'll have a week after LJ then

we'll both end up rabidly promoting VdGG tbh

well you and i have diff faves so its no worry there

Spotify links
Yes - Close To The Edge
Soft Machine - Third
Camel - Moonmadness

maybe a mod could integrate them below the album pics?

I turned into dew, sorry.

So who wants Week 2? Cause I only know three prog albums total!

LJ is week 2 and I'm week 3

though you stole my camel pick lol

I want a week sometime Mr. the Viceroy.

well you and i have diff faves so its no worry there

Your favourite is rapidly drawing alongside mine in my estimation but yeah I'll choose one of the other two

Week 4 for Abbott! I'd better start a spreadsheet...

im sure the club can handle a vdgg two weeks in a row

Can I have week 5?

Too many listening clubs! Maybe I'll join you guys later on...

after the game?

Just let me skip Soft Machine, and this looks like a nice club. Camel are generally very underrated.

I blame Bedouin

I was gonna do a different camel on my week actually but i guess I will save that for another time.
I didn't think you would like Soft Machine , Geir, but It really is great and it will appeal to some ilxors who may have not heard it.

Actually, Camel may belong to my 70s prog trinity (at least if a pop band like 10cc don't count as prog) together with Yes and Genesis. They were also probably the one famous prog band of the 70s who were closest to the melodic symphonic rock style of Yes and Genesis.

The greatness of 'Moon in June' can't be overstated. The record as whole isn't a favorite, although I liked it well enough that I look forward to giving it another listen. Overall, I'm not much of prog enthusiast, but I find just about everything Wyatt has ever recorded at least interesting.
I like 'Close to the Edge' okay. It's agreeably weird in places, but my dislike of Anderson's vocals has always prevented me from spending much time with the album.
I don't think I've ever listened to anything by Camel.

Camel probably made the best all-instrumental prog album ever with "The Snow Goose".

Yeah that's my fave. I hope someone picks it in their week.

NV you having a week?

I say pencil him in anyway

Ooh, this sounds like a listening club for me! Close To The Edge I know like the back of my hand anyway but I'll re-listen to the Soft Machine and Camel. I tend to play the first 2 SM records if I play anything by them, but 3rd is everyone's favourite isn't it? Camel were better when they didn't sing iirc.

First two are my favorite. I wish the world made more songs like "Why Am I So Short?"

"I find it easy to express myself!"

You doing a week Geir???

I will do week 3 if no-one else wants it

The Soft Machine and Yes albums are equally great imo. I've never heard Camel, so I'll have to give them a spin.

Can I do one week?

Oh Hey! Sweet! Could I have a week sometime?

this is a great idea

Viceroy is gonna be stoked 4 the interest.

When is abbott week?

Digging out my shitty cut-out Camel CD.

This sounds like a great idea. Definitely sticking around for this.

I hope louis isnt gonna pick beta band or something

Somehow I forgot that I had a copy of Third. I like it: Soft Machine - Third: Classic or Dud?

And yes, "Out-Bloody-Rageous" does get into "Poppy Nogood" territory.

It's hard for me to say anything more about Close to the Edge, esp since I'm hoping to publish an analysis of it at some point.

Camel was the only one of these I hadn't heard before. It's nice symphonic prog that reminds me of Genesis sometimes. Not on par with the other two but little is. I'll keep it in rotation though.

There's something really right about listening to prog while studying Fourier analysis and reviewing complex numbers.

Am going to fulfil my end of the bargain and hear Camel at some point; obviously the other two are burned onto my mind

i feel sorry for people who can't get into "siberian khatru"

"Siberian Khatru" is the best track on the album, imo – It's "ANd You And I" that always feels a bit draggy to me.

The title track is the album as far as I'm concerned. If that was the only thing they ever did it would be rightly lauded. The opening section is some of the most full-tilt bonkers music I think i've heard, and the musicianship is out of this world. Just absolutely love the song--at 18 min. it doesn't feel overlong. I find "And you And I" less than memorable...Siberian Katru is a cool jam that I've always picked up a Hendrix feel from...it's a nice way to end the record, but neither track holds a candle to the opener.

All three songs are mindblowing. And different from each other. Khatru is a fucking jam.

I've always had And You And I as my favourite :/

but yeah, they're all super

fyi lala links for those behind the spotify curtain:

Yes - Close To The Edge
Soft Machine - Third
Camel - Moonmadness

Finally getting around to playing this Tim Blake album right now. It is super good! It kind of gives me hope about the world, in spite/because of the lyrics. This French titled instrumental track has kind of a Heldon/Zorch thing going on that I dig.

it's not really blake's best (that'd be crystal machine) but it's definitely the most aligned to prog.

Wetton on that cover always puts me in mind of this...
http://www.residents.com/historical/page0/page10/files/dsmute500.jpg

:-)

i suppose this thread is officially dead

when I have a bit of stability in my life I'm doing a full retrospective

i'll do something on Monday.

ok

Sorry, I'm responsible for this thread and it has wasted away like so many romantic poets...
Can't wait for you picks AKM...

Lets start a new round of scheduling, eh? We can switch the day to Monday or just have another three picks this friday. Anyone have an opnion on this?

or 1 album per week?

I can get behind that

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51N5xokVKiL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Porcupine Tree: In Absentia

Porcupine Tree are a band that I'd heard about, listened to, and greatly disliked when I first encountered them. I came to Steven Wilson's work via No Man (which I came to via Richard Barbieri, because I was a big fan of Japan) and I wasn't overwhelmed, it seemed too fey, not very well developed, somewhat dated. Porcupine Tree sounded like it might be more up my alley but that was a wash too; Up the Downstair sounded formless and drifting, Signify just annoyed me when I first heard it, the Sky Moved Sideways sounded too much like endless iterations of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". All of this to say: you bring your expectations to the music, and that can color the experience. For some reason though I kept attempting to get into this band and kept hitting walls, maybe because I just heard too many influences overshadowing the actual music; also, there always seemed to be one or two songs per album that were just kind of, well, dumb (Stupid Dream had a song called 'a smart kid' the title of which reeked of smugness).

All of that stopped with this record; not sure why. This album seems to me to be the epitome of neo-prog, the vast majority of which I really dislike. In theory or rumor, a concept album about a serial killer, it keeps the concept abstract enough that it doesn't weigh down the tracks with ponderous story-line; more like a jumbled box of photos, snapshots of the life that resulted in a personality compelled to bury others under his floorboards (maybe). If there is one immediate influence that comes to mind for this record, it might actually be the Moody Blues or Kansas, shock and horror; the harmonies on "Trains" and the use of acoustic guitar are certainly reminiscent. There are moments of real musical beauty here, the slow build of "Collapse the Light Into Earth" that closes the album for instance. The crunch in the guitars was a little startling on this record, prefiguring a short-lived dip into Tool territory, and the odd time signatures, where they show up, are tasteful and effective. Gavin Harrison is now (apparently) King Crimson's second drummer and it's obvious why from this album.

Now I'm an ardent fan and think most things PT related are worthy, but this sits at the top of the heap, I don't think Wilson has bettered it except for his solo album Insurgentes which came out last year. But that seemed so marginally 'prog' I didn't choose it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?59l1o6fzus4lv

ill do two more tonight.

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Unless someone claims it within that time!

Also anyone want to volunteer for spots?

Let's see:

9/03/10 -- Free
9/10/10 -- Free
9/17/10 -- Free
9/24/10 -- Free

anybody want to take one of these slots?

Nobody wants to do this anymore? Really? All of prog has been explored and no one wants to contribute any favorite albums?

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(( EARLY FRIDAY MORNING PROG BOMB ))

Rick Wakeman - The Myths and Legends of King Aurthur (1975)

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/4739/14a37f626ba0294893d2d23.jpg

Spotify Album Link

I will volunteer to try to get people to like Motorpsycho since I failed the first time around

the album I posted the first time around, timothy's monster, had a special edition come out this year

here is their 13 minute epic from that double album - the golden core

Viceroy, I can post some albums next week if the slot is still free.

9/03/10 -- Blau
9/10/10 -- Free
9/17/10 -- Free
9/24/10 -- Free

Caravan: In the Land of Grey and Pink (1970)

Unlike Soft Machine, Gong and maybe one or two other Canterbury bands, Caravan have never been rehabilitated and deemed acceptable. Soft Machine have credibility with the "avantgarde" crowd and Gong appeal to the cosmic-reveller types, but Caravan are stuck with their jazz-lite chops and psych-lite pastoralisms, making music that commits the double crime of being both noodly and twee. On In the Land of Grey and Pink they give the game away from the very opening bars of the first song, a trombone riff that sounds like something you might hear at a fairground, then Richard Sinclair starts to sing in his soft voice about drinking tea with a golf girl, whatever that is, and the album continues in that vein. This is beginning to sound like a takedown, so I should add that I actually like Caravan, they just need to be shown some tough love every now and then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RexRohnp-zE

Shub-Niggurath: Les morts vont vite (1986)

The anti-thesis to Caravan. Shub-Niggurath are a Zeuhl band, I suppose, by virtue of being French and playing dark jazz-influenced prog, but the lyrics are in French and favour Lovecraftian themes over the typical Zeuhl story. The music too is a variation (and in my opinion an improvent) on the Magma formula: all the groove is sucked out and replaced with slow, crushing riffs underlying frantic keyboards, "operatic" female vocals and the occasional dischordant saxophone. The result sounds rather like God at times (the Kevin Martin project, not the Allah/Jehovah/Trinity thing) and is more than heavy enough to deserve an honorary spot in the metal canon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onzy5CEHpSI

Second Hand: Death May Be Your Santa Claus (1971)

More psych than prog, perhaps. I include this because I never see anyone talking about Second Hand, and while Death May Be Your Santa Claus is no forgotten masterpiece, it still deserves some attention. As the title suggests, the mood here is one of sinister surrealism. The bass and drums maintain a solid groove and the organ-driven melodies are nice, but the highlight is the vocals, which are all over the place: mock-crooning, distorted warbling, Plant-like wailing, Beefheart-ish rambling and the occasional psychotic rattle a la the guy from Comus. In case anyone happens to hate the vocals, they still ought to give the second half of the record a listen, as it consists almost entirely of horror-tinged instrumentals loaded with effects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttKnk0JPGYUg

the caravan album is classic

Definitely, though I think the second half is inferior to the first. The best track by quite a margin is "Winter Wine", followed by either "Golf Girl" or "Love to Love You". I also forgot to mention that all the keyboard solos are great and that the production is really good. Maybe if I went over my posts more thoroughly, I could proofread them too...

the shub niggurath album is a classic!

yeah, caravan are ok but i like the other bands that the main members were in far better. still and all, golf girl is just dandy.

in honor of the earthquake down there, here's a song from split enz's very genesissy debut album, mental notes, produced by phil manzanera of roxy music, i think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T4bHxbR0vk&playnext=1&list=PL68B8A6B6B7EAEB33

Those 70s Split Enz albums were kind of interesting, but I don't see them as particularly Genesis-like. I would say they had more in common with somewhat "weirder" bands such as Roxy Music, Sparks, Cockney Rebel or Be Bop Deluxe.

geir are you taking a week to choose albums?
your top 3 prog albums! do it!

I might have a go. Probably would go for something a bit less obvious than "Selling England By The Pound", "Foxtrot" and "Close To The Edge" though, as those are my favourite three prog albums, and probably also the favourite albums of many other symphonic rock fans. :)

Geir you should post some albums tho! Get this thing started again! Let's get progressive!

that would be great

the first one is genesissy, geir, clumsily so, since they're not virtuosi by any stretch, but they travel similar whimsical and spectral grooves nevertheless. the others, as you say, are more art-pop. squeeze is another fair touch point. great band, regardless

really enjoying this new thing for me and I got another 15 minutes of the song left
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxcMu_GDXjI

Geir's Norwegian music poll inspired me to browse RYM top Norwegian albums

Oh, snap, anyone heard Plank! Little bit of Goblin, little bit of Neu!, little bit of punk (read a couple of odd Fugazi comparisons). Pretty cool. From Manchester, I think. Album is called "Animalism."

anyone up for kicking this around again?

HELL YES

Would love to - not sure what all has been covered, but I've been digging these a lot lately: Arzachel s/t, Khan 'Space Shanty', Ultimate Spinach 'Behold and See' (I guess more psych), Arcadium 'Breath Awhile' (listened to this last night and it is still pretty stunning), Annexus Quam 'Osmose', Steel Mill 'Green Eyed God', and all the Area records

that arcadium album is a monster. the six minute slow burn that starts off the first song could keep building for an hour and i'd be fine

yeah i was thinking of redoing the krautrock one but we might have covered everything. But since krautrock is prog anyway why not combine it for those who want to?

I'm up for this!! Can we include "neo-prog" stuff?

lol its your club! you choose!

and yeah we should combine kraut and like heavy psychedelic maybe?

lol I forgot I started this.

its friday here now! I think you should start a new thread with prog/krautrock/heavy psych in the title.

Funk club is mondays so it wont clash

and it IS Friday....

I'll take next friday!

take it here:

New/Improved PROG/KRAUT/SPACE/PSYCH ROCK Listening Club