Progressive pop/art-pop

Probably should've been in Prog-Related, but whatever...

Ok, gimme some good Progressive Pop/Art-Pop. Not poppy Prog, please - no Saga, ELO, 80s Yes or 80s Genesis etc. I look for Pop Music with hooks and great melodies, but with an experimental edge to it (tricky signatures, challenging arrangements, non-standard song structures, etc.), but not the mainstream experimental stuff like Bjork, Death Grips or Animal Collective.

Good examples:

Joanna Newsom "Ys"
Ought "Sun Coming Down"
Grizzly Bear "Shields"
Owen Pallett "In Conflict"
Julia Holter "Have You In My Wilderness"
Jim O'Rourke "Simple Songs"
FKА twigs "LP1"
Jonathan Wilson "Fanfare"
Kiev "Falling Bough Wisdom Teeth"
The Reign of Kindo "Play with Fire"
Wolf People "Fain"
Everything Everything
The Blue Nile
Japan
Talk Talk (of course!)
Cardiacs (but a bit TOO weird)
Radiohead (even though I can't stand'em)

Bad examples:

all 70s Prog bands that gone Pop in the 80s;
technical stuff that's not Prog but screams complexity (djent, mathrock, etc);
all those whiny Alt-Rock bands Кscope marketing as "New Prog";
Muse

John Foxx era Ultravox. Even the later stuff definitely qualifies to a point. Also check out 10cc.

I don't know if I'd classify some of those as art pop. Maybe because there are genres/traditions that seem a bit more obvious labels. I'll go artist by artist (for the ones I know) and recommend some you might like. Probably going to recommend some "mainstream experimental stuff," just in case you've missed some.

Edited by Polymorphia - December 25 2015 at 14:20

70's ELO? I think it fits the description. Some stuff of Supertramp or Alan Parsons maybe, or early Bee Gees.

Would the last couple riverside albums, united program fraternity's fall in love with the world, and The Windmill continued, continuation albums qualify? They all seem prpg poppy to me, but I struggle with classifications.

I wonder if arena"s Unquiet Sky would be ok as well, but read the short story Casting the Runes first.

I'm thinking sound of contact as well but that might be pushing it, as it is genesisy.

These are albums I've discovered the last full year myself.

Smashing Pumpkiks, Wilco, At the Drive in

Silversun Pickups might be a good fit.

micky, Raff - streaming those now, thanks!

Tom Ozric wrote: I can suggest Kajagoogoo

Never heard about them, thank you! And The Cure is among my Top-10 bands ever, but that's a good reference point - brooding post-punky stuff with long tracks is something I might also categorize as Art Pop)

Icarium wrote: Sparks, Nik Kershaw, Tears for Fears, Jukebox the Hero, Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco

Gotta check these, thank you!

infocat wrote: Silversun Pickups might be a good fit.

dunno them, thanks!

You guys are the best!

My appreciation for Kajagoogoo has only been enhanced by the fact that their braided-haired bassist is a bona-fide Prog-head well even before he formed this 80's band.   He is now Steven Wilson and Steve Hackett's touring/recording bassist. As well as umpteen 80's acts preferred choice of basssist. But part of me always dug Kaja, and even though they are mostly laughable, I love their work, and find some Proggy ideas in what they've done.   Nothing wrong with mainstream/new-wave acts, as long as their musicianship takes the (at the time, current) trend a little bit further. I get it, Kajagoogoo name-dropped on a Prog forum is preposterous - though, I love their songs, love what they do, and I am prepared to wear it for ever.......... I just hope some other folks can hear what I hear in their offering of music............

^ Flick - DAVID - You dig the Enz .....?   I've loved them since my pre-teen years. Their early albums are 110% Prog.   True development between Prog artistry and Pop-song writing with creative and colourful arrangements. These guys are dear to my heart..........