If we ignore the technical brilliance?

I've never been one to sit and count the number of beats in a bar while I'm listening to music, or even worry about the chord sequences being played or whether the guitarist is soloing in a pentantonic or some bizarre eastern scale. Music is music, it is supposed to be felt, not analised (yeah, I know, it's okay, I know it's spelt analysed, I'm punning). To me simplicity has more technical brilliance than overly complex music anyday, and Floyd are the perfect example of that - Gilmour demonstrates that clean restrained soloing has far more impact than flashy widdling.

The Court of the Crimson King doesn't have the same immense technicality as the later albums. It's still got its cool parts, but there's no 13/8 bass ostinatos, or 7/4 vocals over 4/4 guitar and drums or anything fancy like that. And despite that, it's still one of the best albums on this site, which goes to show it's about the emotion and the song structure than the technicality.

^ good point about VdGG

^ According to the idea of this thread, Pink Floyd is logically THE band: the one which can got popularity, awards, even a label in the prog scene and, always, making simple music. I don't like them as much as other prog bands, but still I reckon their merit. Yet, I wouldn't chose one if their albums as the "most beloved simple prog release of mine"....

For me, Tull Clive Bunker's era wasn't more complex than Cream, Deep Purple or whatever..... and it doesn't mean complexity certainly.... My vote could go to This Was, but I'm not sure how simple do you mean by dropping some dosis of technical brilliance........


Edited by sircosick - September 04 2007 at 22:38

Not KC

I'm going with Schizoid and saying early PT, but not Nursery Cryme (I just dont get genesis for some reason) but early PT and floyd do a great job. 

Also Explosions in the Sky get my vote, very easy to listen to and really pleasant. 


Edited by asimplemistake - September 04 2007 at 23:55

Pendragon's The Jewel and Multi-Story's East/West come to mind.

How about Porcupine Tree? The music isn't complicated at all, but that takes nothing away from the brilliance in the music!

meinmatrix wrote: If we drop all of this, i mean all of this nonsense, what band and their album would you love to hear?

I don't think any of the things you listed are "non-sense". By the way, I find "Animals" to be technically brilliant.

Anyway, I don't really understand the question.
Do you ask which prog bands that do not display technical brilliance in their music we like? I can't recall many. Maybe if I compared them to each other... OK: one band which I love despite not being as technically brilliant as the greats is Nektar. They have great melodies and an excellent feeling of "space" and they did a great job putting them into music, considering their technical prowess.
Or, do you ask what prog music is great even if ignoring it's technical side? Then I would say YES. Even those not acquainted to prog can appreciate their classic materials because of the great basic melodies.


Edited by andu - September 05 2007 at 02:23

I agree with Andu that there's nothing nonsensical about these things on their own. However, if you're talking about emotionally direct prog without too much instrumental trickery, Kevin Ayers' early solo albums and Robert Wyatt's deeply moving CUCKOOLAND are hard to beat!