Question for PA Collaborators & Genre Team Members
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=96183
Printed Date: April 25 2024 at 01:07
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Topic: Question for PA Collaborators & Genre Team Members
Posted By: schizoidman
Subject: Question for PA Collaborators & Genre Team Members
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 16:55
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I'm wondering if some of the PA Collaborators and Sub Genre Team Members, those of you who review the albums, singles, box sets, DVD's, etcetera, would care to write about some of the better discoveries you found. Kind of looking for the younger folks who happened upon, say, "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" or "Close to the Edge" for the first time say, about a year or two or three ago. Was your mind blown away by the music or did it put you to sleep????
 ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Replies:
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 17:53
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Well i think one of the best discoveries coming through me was the band Perhaps. I was initially messaged by one of the members about their inclusion and from there it eventually became a well-reviewed album.
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7520" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7520 Volume One is the album i'd recommend for anyone curious enough to hear some really progressive stuff. Is that what your asking? ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 18:05
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In most cases I'd say neither, for me I tend to be able to identify on
first listen whether an album is going to be "good" or "bad" but the
full impact of the album takes time to sink in (at least with the good
ones since I keep listening to them, the bad ones not so much). Of
course there's always exceptions, of the classics I'd say these blew me
away straight off. Art Zoyd- Musique Pour L'Odyssee Banco del Mutuo Succorso- Darwin! Billy Cobham- Spectrum Bubu- Anabelas Pink Floyd- Animals Van der Graaf Generator- Still Life Comus- First Utterance King Crimson- Red Quella Vecchia Locanda- Il Tempo Della Gioia Le Orme- Felona e Sorona Jethro Tull- Thick as a Brick Marillion- Script for a Jesters Tear Surprisingly this has happened to me a lot more with bands and albums from the last decade or so, to the point where I could give you a list that was well into double figures and probably half way to triple figures. There are several things to remember here though, like that in the last 10 years of buying albums, give or take a couple of years, I've listened to the best part of 1000 albums and that in that time my taste in and knowledge of Prog music has grown considerably, so that albums that I would have given 5 stars without hesitation 6 years ago would only get a 3 from me today and that includes several albums that really grabbed me at first but have failed to keep a hold on my attention.It's also easier to get blown away by something new when you've only got 20 albums in your collection. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005  |
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 18:12
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^ We're very similar in this case. Neither of those blew me away, with the exception of CttE's organ part.
Of classic albums though i'd say Pawn hearts and Foxtrot - though my memory of these experiences is a bit misty. Seeing i don't listen to these much. And again, i'm more of a modern music lover so albums that much more recent blow me away immediately. Choirs of the Eye Amputechture Sound Awake etc ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 18:18
^My antipathy for Yes is well known. It actually took quite a while for Foxtrot to sink whilst Plague has never really been a top favorite, whilst Godbluff also took time to grow (I now holed it pretty much equal with still life). I should also have pointed out that having heard so many albums I don't always remember the first listen I gave some of them. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 |
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 18:30
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I'm not sure really what puts me off on Yes - i mean i don't hate them but i listen to them very little, even early on my prog listening. Foxtrot immediately hooked me from the rhythmic point of view, whether it was the build up from after Watcher's intro or Friday's basslines, etc. ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 18:54
Yes. The music that you discovered that has been very enjoyable for you. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Horizons wrote:Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 19:25
I have found that cherry picking, although taking a lot of time, yields the best results. By cherry picking I mean that I usually do not like every song by a specific band, so, I give each song on any given album a fair listen and pick the ones I find enjoyable. I agree with the bands you listed that I am familiar with. Almost impossible not to like "Animals" or "Thick as a Brick" upon initial listening. Thanks for your input!  ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: December 04 2013 at 23:36
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Recently Iamthemorning and Sophya Baccini. Thanks to Progarchives I've discovered After Crying, Ayreon and Phideaux, just to mention some. ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 05 2013 at 12:56
I really like iamthemorning. Most impressive debut album.
Phideaux I listened to a few years ago and did not go back.
Sophya Baccini, After Crying and Ayreon I've yet to hear. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: December 05 2013 at 13:17
I like everything of After Crying: dark symphonic prog. Regarding Ayreon there are only two albums that I think are masterpieces: The Human Equation and Actual Fantasy. For Phideaux the one I like most is Doomsday Afternoon ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: December 05 2013 at 13:51
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I was never a prolific reviewer and it's quite a long time I do not submit reviews (for personal reasons which are not relevant here). If you check my reviews list you will notice that I very rarely reviewed well-known albums. Those have already lots of sensible reviews and given my limited dedication to reviewing I try to put my energy into reviews which can add some more value to PA than a 500th review for the latest Steven Wilson album, I concentrate with priority on albums I have and which have few or no reviews at all. Most of the classics I know them for too long to think about how did they feel on first listens. I am not buying much lately, but among more modern albums I have been very positively impressed by Moon Safari's Blomljud, Glass Hammer's work with Davison (mostly IF), Steven Wilson's Grace for Drowing and Raven, Big Big Train Underfall Yard (more than the British Electrics), Anglagard's Viljans, Motorpsycho's Unicorn, or Beardfish Sleeping In Traffic (both) to name a few which come to mind. On the other hand I have been a bit disappointed by several albums which have got great appreciation here, Haken, David Minasian, Phideaux Snowtorch, Birds and Buildings, Discipline's To Shatter All Accord or Comedy of Errors' Fanfare. Good albums sure but not deserving the huge praise they get IMHO.
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Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 06 2013 at 09:27
 ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 06 2013 at 09:42
I, too, as a regular poster on PA, am trying to review artists I enjoy that can benefit from discussion. I've been on a crusade of sorts for Carla Bley.
To pick a few artists you listed....PA is the site where I first heard about Big Big Train and they've been a great, great find.
Steven Wilson's last two albums, "Grace for Drowning" and "The Raven....".....I have a connect with them but not a major one. Time will tell, I'm sure. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: December 06 2013 at 09:49
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Hmmm I guess I could say a vast part of my RPI collection, but then again I purchased that before I started posting on here. I bought someone's entire collection (some 70 RPI releases) over the net, but then again it was first after reading various PA reviews that I really developed a taste for the music. Jim (Finnforest) is probably one of the biggest reasons for me appreciating this brand of prog rock, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart.
------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 06 2013 at 13:11
RPI is a sub genre that I have yet to explore in a serious way. I've heard bits and pieces of PFM but have never returned to them. Just not feeling it yet, I guess. And the funny thing is....both my Mom and Dad are Italian!  ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: zravkapt
Date Posted: December 06 2013 at 14:27
I too started with PFM and was turned off that sub for awhile. Then I heard Banco n Orme and I liked them a little more. Later I discovered the likes of Area, Il Balleto di Bronzo, Franco Battiato, Goblin & others and they just blew me away! ------------- Magma America Great Make Again |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 17:04
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Anathema - Weather Systems is the only album that has blown me away in recent years. This kind of mix of heavy prog and post rock was something I didn't even know existed. Throw in a bit of New Age with the heavy artillery and I'm 'there'. Best recommendation I've had for an album released not that recently is Pallas - Dreams Of Men. A modern neo prog masterpeice if ever there was. A newish band that should get way more attention is The Three Monks. Pipe organ + ELP/Ars Nova style heaven for me.
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Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 17:15
Great topic. Funny I get quite jealous when I read some youngster has just discovered Camel, Caravan or Genesis for the first time......and they have the novelty of experiencing their entire catalogue for the first time. Really sucks
 ------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 18:44
I just stumbled onto this by chance....thank you David for the kind words. I had the most fun recommending stuff to you because you had similar taste for the weirdo underground stuff that I did....we were often comparing notes on the the wild and trippy sh*t. I'm happy you liked some of that stuff too.And for the record I love your reviews too, always heartfelt and high res  ------------- |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 21:56
After I've finished immersing myself in RIO/Avant and Canterbury Scene I'll try to start on RPI. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 22:00
------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: December 09 2013 at 22:03
I've been lucky enough to be able to do that last year with the Weather Report catalogue and Carla Bley, Caravan and Big Big Train this year. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |