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moshkito View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Bent Knee - Progressive?
    Posted: August 12 2016 at 06:16
Hi,

Just got "Say So" by this band, and after listening to the whole album ... the only thing I can say is ... INSANE.

It's hard to define it, in any terms, as it comes off as Bertold Brecht on some serious acid mixed with some metal riffs, but in the end, the vocals are amazing and insane at the same time. I can not make up my mind if this is Kate Bush on a bad day, or a new West End production done by Peter Brook with shock values that rip right through your ideas of what something or other might be. 

I can imagine that this material will be extremely difficult to do live, and will not sound as good, but this album is down right insane, and amazing at the same time.

As a "progressive" effort, it would fit, but it would create a new area? It would be called ... "no description" because no one can agree on anything about it! I'll stick with Bertold Brecht on good acid! It makes Burroughs come off like cheap writing!


Edited by moshkito - August 12 2016 at 06:17
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2016 at 06:47
Love this band, I've seen them 6 times live and they can certainly pull it off live, this is mainly due the Vince who manipulates their sound live of stage as a full band member (and plays some back up keys). I tend to think of them as wonky edgy avant pop mining the same sorts of areas as MoeTar, Cardiacs, Knifeworld , Thumpermonkey and the like. It's extremely difficult to categorize this kind of stuff. If you don't have Shiny Eyed Babies yet get it immediately. It's up there with Say So.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2016 at 07:34
Say So is very very good, but I prefer Shiny Eyed Babies which is kind of a masterpiece.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2016 at 09:17
Guess I need to get Shiny Eyed Babies ASAP then.

To me, they sound like modern progressive rock.  I'd guess they could fit in avante/RIO or electic.  Really don't understand the "crossover" tag, but then I don't listen to any modern pop music.....but I'm just not seeing the "pop" connection at all.

Anyway, great band and I can't wait to hear more.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2016 at 09:19
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:


As a "progressive" effort, it would fit, but it would create a new area? It would be called ... "no description" because no one can agree on anything about it! I'll stick with Bertold Brecht on good acid! It makes Burroughs come off like cheap writing!

Well, we have put it in crossover here because that's the best we could do. But it's very diverse and does defy easy description indeed (a good sign, if you ask me).  Whilst Say So was good, it was a touch disappointing after Shiny Eyed Babies so I would highly recommend that album too.  As for the live output, I will wait to pass judgment until the band has truly arrived (they are still very young and raw) but from what I heard (a) the sheer dynamics of the recordings seemed to take a beating live which is understandable and (b) Courtney Swain rather has her hands full trying to both play complex material on the keyboard AND sing very demanding vocal lines at one and the same time.  I expect things will improve on both fronts with experience. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2016 at 22:19
Amazing band, amazing vocals, just started listening to it earlier today. It has avant indie alt. rock and avant pop characteristics, so I get the categorisation. In the old days it would have been one for the Art Rock sub. Nomenclature is the bane of the archivist.... It's rather more "Prog" in a way than I tend to listen to, but awesome. Stunning in fact.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 13 2016 at 01:24
Originally posted by Logan Logan wrote:

Amazing band, amazing vocals, just started listening to it earlier today. It has avant indie alt. rock and avant pop characteristics, so I get the categorisation. In the old days it would have been one for the Art Rock sub. Nomenclature is the bane of the archivist.... It's rather more "Prog" in a way than I tend to listen to, but awesome. Stunning in fact.

Stunning is what I thought when I first heard it, but I liked more, the fact that it was not "predictable" and the material was out there, and plain open ... which to me, is the mark of a very good piece of work. It invokes a reaction, and to me, that is a very good thing.

While listening, I did hope that this translates well to the stage. The vocal style, is all over the place, and not just "plain singing", and this is the part I would not want to miss on a live show ... it is very well used and mixed with the music to a very well defined extent. It is extremely theatrical in its application, which gives the music an outstanding quality.


Edited by moshkito - August 13 2016 at 01:26
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2017 at 17:12
New album coming in June


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https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2017 at 18:10
I don't consider Bent Knee to be prog. To me they are more like art rock. Same thing with Gentle Giant.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2017 at 18:15
Originally posted by Logan Logan wrote:

Amazing band, amazing vocals, just started listening to it earlier today. It has avant indie alt. rock and avant pop characteristics, so I get the categorisation. In the old days it would have been one for the Art Rock sub. Nomenclature is the bane of the archivist.... It's rather more "Prog" in a way than I tend to listen to, but awesome. Stunning in fact.

I agree. They are one of those progressive bands who aren't really typical prog(not retro prog so in a way they represent more of a literal kind of progressive). I agree with the term art rock being used here. Moetar are kind of like that too if anyone knows who they are. The emphasis seems to be on songs but the instrumentation and maybe arrangements aren't typical. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2017 at 18:32
Yes, they're a new breed of avant prog rock
Classical music isn't dead, it's more alive than it's ever been. It's just not on MTV.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2017 at 19:11
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Originally posted by Logan Logan wrote:

Amazing band, amazing vocals, just started listening to it earlier today. It has avant indie alt. rock and avant pop characteristics, so I get the categorisation. In the old days it would have been one for the Art Rock sub. Nomenclature is the bane of the archivist.... It's rather more "Prog" in a way than I tend to listen to, but awesome. Stunning in fact.

I agree. They are one of those progressive bands who aren't really typical prog(not retro prog so in a way they represent more of a literal kind of progressive). I agree with the term art rock being used here. Moetar are kind of like that too if anyone knows who they are. The emphasis seems to be on songs but the instrumentation and maybe arrangements aren't typical. 

Moetar are the band they remind me most of, strong female vocalist, pop style songs but with an edgy quirkiness and some avant leanings.
Ian

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https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 21 2017 at 08:51
They're definitely Prog - or at least more Prog than most of those metal bands that are considered as such.

And they're really good. What else do you need?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 21 2017 at 09:15
Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

New album coming in June



omg already? I am excited for this.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 24 2017 at 12:29
Seeing these lovely folks on Thursday night, really looking forward to it.  A nice, fresh voice in adventurous music
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 24 2017 at 14:49
Every group in Secret Dog Brigade rules, though Bent Knee is my favorite of them.

Edited by Smurph - April 24 2017 at 14:49
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 24 2017 at 17:15
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:


I can imagine that this material will be extremely difficult to do live, and will not sound as good, but this album is down right insane, and amazing at the same time.




Saw 'em twice on this tour.

They are even better live.




Listen to older shows here: mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 24 2017 at 17:30
Agreed, seen them 10 times, seeing them again on Thursday.

Edited by Nogbad_The_Bad - April 24 2017 at 17:31
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 25 2017 at 05:49
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Kate Bush on a bad day
 
There is no such thing.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 25 2017 at 12:34
Their first album was crossover prog, then their master piece (Shiny eyed babies) and Say so are more "prog related". Great band anyway, with Courtney Swain south mediterranean voice Thumbs Up
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