It's Prog Jim But Not As We Know It |
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Artpop
Forum Newbie Joined: April 04 2015 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
Topic: It's Prog Jim But Not As We Know It Posted: April 18 2015 at 11:00 |
Since I lean towards the fringes of Prog (i.e Progressive pop/ Art rock/ Art pop) I really enjoy PROG magazine's feature 'Its Prog Jim But Not As We Know It'. Does anyone of have a suggestion (s) of a borderline or unknown CD or album that would fit in this category?
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20497 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 11:18 |
Chavez Ravine by American Blues guitarist Ry Cooder, is a concept album about how American citizens of Mexican decent were forced from their homes, dispersed and poorly compensated in the California town once known as Chavez Ravine, which was then leveled in order for the city of LA to build Dodger's Stadium. A true story, btw.The album is mostly sung in Spanish by the album's main character's, made up by Cooder, in the concept's songs (there are Spanish/English language translations in the liner notes) and one of the songs even deals with a the legend of an eerie encounter with a alien being who landed his UFO to warn the town villagers of their impending troubles. The legend is real, the alien and UFO are not. Cooder's account of the villager's troubles are heartfelt and the music, which is a hybrid of Mexican influences, electronic, rock, jazz, big band, folk and electric blues is unique and incredibly impressive as is the concept of the album itself.
Edited by SteveG - April 19 2015 at 12:52 |
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The Dark Elf
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: February 01 2011 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 12681 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 11:59 |
^ Love Chavez Ravine, Steve.
Fleet Foxes: Amusingly, I was first drawn to this band by the album cover of their self-titled debut. Hey, anyone who uses Pieter Brueghel the Elder as artwork is okay in my book. The catch-phrase thrown around for Fleet Foxes is "indie-folk" or "baroque-pop" because the media has violent allergic reactions when using that-word-which-shall-not-be-named (i.e., prog), but one gets the sense that the references and influences that color the music are not in keeping with those generally favored in pop music. Consider Fleet Foxes not as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but Crosby, Stills, Van Morrison & Roy Harper, particularly on their second album Helplessness Blues, where Stormcock and Astral Weeks blend with CSN vocals for a harmonious, nay, mellifluous, brand of folk under whichever genre-hyphenated title (indie, baroque, prog) you care to choose, and the instrumental sections are superb. The very fact that the pompous windbag critic Robert Christgau can't stand Fleet Foxes is reason enough for me to gravitate towards them (generally, albums that Christgau can't stand are good to great on an inversely proportional level). Remarkably, Fleet Foxes also has the uncanny and very un-prog-like ability to garner awards and sell albums, which sets them on the boundaries of prog, I suppose. |
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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
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jude111
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 20 2009 Location: Not Here Status: Offline Points: 1729 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 12:00 |
The Daniel Amos Band was a 70s/80s Christian art rock band. Don't let that scare you, though. Their 2nd album Shotgun Angel, from 1977, contains a side-long suite on side 2 about the Book of Revelations. It's a bit cartoon-ish (intensionally so; this band wasn't on the preachy side, they were actually quite humorous). Best of all? They wrote great songs. They often remind me of Steely Dan/ELO (e.g. see here, probably my favorite DA track). Their first album was a country album, their second had prog elements, their third (Horrendous Disc) was a bit harder rocking and arguably their best; after that, they went full-blown new wave (which a lot of people love). Here is that side 2 suite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM01fMltZbA Then there's the 1972 album Barnstorm, a Joe Walsh-created band. Side one is a suite of songs that flow into one another. A really good album, and these tracks never got airplay or anything... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL02D17A451BE7753E
Edited by jude111 - April 18 2015 at 12:58 |
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20497 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 13:58 |
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Artpop
Forum Newbie Joined: April 04 2015 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 14:20 |
I saw Daniel Amos live in 1980 as they started their new wave phase. Oddly enough they were using a lot of Ambrosia's gear and cases all marked with the type face from the first album. ??
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Polymorphia
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 06 2012 Location: here Status: Offline Points: 8856 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 14:29 |
^^Both albums are quite good.
I'd probably give Grizzly Bear a mention. I don't consider them prog, per se, but they probably fit into what you're looking for: I'd also mention Viet Cong, a post-punk group who channels This Heat, Sonic Youth, Bauhaus with intricate band interactions. I thought about suggesting them for crossover, but decided against it. Their debut is most definitely the guitar album of the year. The closing track is 11-minutes long and pretty adventurous, cycling through hocketing, drones, and odd meters. Won't post that one though (no spoilers!). I'll post the second proggiest: Edited by Polymorphia - April 18 2015 at 14:31 |
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cstack3
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: July 20 2009 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Status: Offline Points: 6746 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 17:00 |
This song by the oddly-named Butthole Surfers reminds me of Gong & Amon Duul II in parts....
RIP Daevid Allen!
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jude111
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 20 2009 Location: Not Here Status: Offline Points: 1729 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 17:14 |
Wow, cool. I didn't discover their music till the 90s; wish I had seen them live.
Edited by jude111 - April 18 2015 at 17:15 |
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Friday13th
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 30 2013 Status: Offline Points: 284 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 17:24 |
Dude, I love Daniel Amos! Those are good, but actually my favorites are some of the later stuff. Darn Floor, Big Bite sounds kind of like the Talking Heads with some sweet angular guitar like Robert Fripp at times. Then Motorcycle is neo-psychedelia at its finest.
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jude111
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 20 2009 Location: Not Here Status: Offline Points: 1729 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 17:33 |
I'll have to check those out. I might start digging out some of my other favorite Christian stuff, like Ten Songs by Adam Again and Larry Norman, haha. Been ages since I've heard them...
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Friday13th
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 30 2013 Status: Offline Points: 284 |
Posted: April 18 2015 at 22:19 |
Haven't heard much Adam Again, but Larry Norman is my man. "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" is so good it's nuts.
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Artpop
Forum Newbie Joined: April 04 2015 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
Posted: April 19 2015 at 08:51 |
Randy Stonehill opened for Daniel Amos at the gig I saw. Caught all the bands/ guys from that era- Keith Green, Sweet Comfort Band, Barry McGuire, Imperials etc...
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
Posted: April 19 2015 at 09:27 |
At a time when Prog was considered very uncool Magazine came out with this. plenty of neo prog elements in there to my ears, well before the 80's prog revival too...
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Horizons
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 20 2011 Location: Somewhere Else Status: Offline Points: 16952 |
Posted: April 19 2015 at 09:29 |
Animal Collective might interest you.
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Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
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Artpop
Forum Newbie Joined: April 04 2015 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
Posted: April 19 2015 at 10:25 |
Great band, have all their stuff. I thought the recent reunion disc was cool too.
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20497 |
Posted: April 19 2015 at 12:50 |
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Green Shield Stamp
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 17 2009 Location: Telford, UK Status: Offline Points: 933 |
Posted: April 19 2015 at 15:29 |
Fantastic slice of Prog from a non-Prog Archives artist. This is the first part of an album length suite, Six Days in Berlin. Great use of the orchestra and as proggy as you can get. Unfortunately, Batt's Wombles connection has prevented him from inclusion on this website.
Edited by Green Shield Stamp - April 21 2015 at 12:12 |
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Haiku
Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
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Artpop
Forum Newbie Joined: April 04 2015 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
Posted: April 20 2015 at 17:30 |
Thanks! I have a couple Batt albums, but not Six Days. So, his Wombles ties cuts him out of this site. Sorry but that's nuts. There are plenty of prog artists with backgrounds that are less than stellar and are on these lists. Example- Jordan Rudess was in the AOR band Speedway BLVD in 1980 but he's on here and from what I'm reading on several posts -AOR is a dirty word to many. Trent Reznor was in the AOR/ pop band The Innocent in the early 80's and put out one album. NIN is on here. I was publicist for Starcastle for 7 years, I saw a lot of the same dogma when working with them and the vitriol coming from the Prog community. Very sad and Batt should be on here.
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