Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

PROG FOLK

A Progressive Rock Sub-genre


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Prog Folk definition

In the wake of the 1960s, a Folk revival started on both sides of the Atlantic, and got quickly linked with a protest movement, not always, but often linked to more left-wing tendencies, which did not sit well with the authorities. BOB DYLAN, JOAN BAEZ, WOODY GUTHRIE, JOHN DENVER, BUFFY STE-MARIE, but also the FARINA couple Richard and Mimi for the US and SHIRLEY COLLINS and EWAN McCOLL (mentor of BERT JANSCH, JOHN RENBOURN ) for the UK and HUGUES AUFRAY in France. In Quebec, there was the "Chansonniers" phenomenon among which CLAUDE LEVEILLE and FELIX LECLERC were the most popular, waking up the sleepy "Belle Province" and stand up for itself from the English rule. The English part of Canada also brought up JONI MITCHELL, LEONARD COHEN (although he was from Montreal) and NEIL YOUNG.

As DYLAN turned electric with his Highway 61 Revisited album, much to the dislike of purists who yelled for treason, Folk Rock was born, opening the floodgates for younger artists to turn on the electricity. As DYLAN soon abandoned to style to create Country Rock with his next album, his British equivalent Scotsman DONOVAN stayed true to Folk Rock. In the US, THE BYRDS were the main promoters of the style by now, culminating with the superb "Eight Miles High" track with a lengthy (for the times) guitar solo of almost one minute. But countless other bands on the west coast, such as LOVE, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE (and later its spin-off HOT TUNA), GRATEFUL DEAD, QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, and TIM BUCKLEY all started in the folk rock realm. Even San Fran's SANTANA with its Latino traditional music and, on the east coast, NY's THE LOVING SPOONFUL had folk roots. Notwithstanding the immense popularity of SIMON & GARFUNKEL and their delicious harmonies, Folk Rock was appealing only to the rock public as the older generations turned their backs in folkies.

In the UK, following on their countrymen DONOVAN, many Scotsmen were very influent in exploring new grounds for folk rock: INCREDIBLE STRING BAND (led by Scots Palmer and Williamson) with their two highly influential albums "5000 Layers Or The Spirit Of The Onion" & "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" and THE PENTANGLE (led by other Scots Renbourn, Jansch and McShee and their superb bassist Danny Thompson) and its incredible fusion of folk, blues and jazz style were very instrumental in developing the style to the same extent as FAIRPORT CONVENTION and STRAWBS who by that time were still more conventional US "west-coast folk rock". The single artistes in folk rock became known as Folk Troubadours were also numerous and often presented a more progressive side of folk: AL STEWART, NICK DRAKE, ROY HARPER, TYRANOSAURUS REX (actually a duo of Steven Took and Marc Bolan) , JOHN MARTYN etc.

However, the real angular album that will lead to further change of Folk Rock is FAIRPORT CONVENTION's "Liege & Lief" album, that proved to be highly influential for another generation of groups: this album concentrated into electrifying seminal English traditional folk and retained that quaint Englishness taste. It is interesting to see that both leaders of FAIRPORT quit the band after this success to go their respective way: Sandy Denny to a solo folk songwriting career and Ashley Hutchings to a very traditional folk rock. By this time, most connoisseur were talking of Acid Folk, Psych Folk, and Progressive Folk, all having limited differences and no particularly drawn-out limits or boundaries, but all relying on experimental or groundbreaking adventures and good musicianship but not necessarily of an acoustic nature.

Groups like THE THIRD EAR BAND and QUINTESSENCE relied on eastern Indian music influences and, sometimes, medieval tones. Other groups like the weird COMUS, TREES, SPIROGYRA, FOREST, the superb JAN DUKES DE GREY but also TRADER HORNE, TUDOR LODGE, FOTHERINGAY, MAGNA CARTA, and TIR NA NOG were out to break new ground but with less commercial success as their predecessor. By 1972, all of the glorious precursors bands were selling fewer records and had problems renewing themselves and a newer generation of groups was relying in a more Celtic jigs or really traditional sounds. Such as HORSLIPS, DANDO SHAFT, STEELEYE SPAN, AMAZING BLONDEL, ALBION DANCE BAND and SPRIGUNS OF TOLGUS. Although JETHRO TULL had some definitive folk roots right from the start, their only albums that can be regarded as Prog Folk are 1977's Songs From The Woods and 1978's Heavy Horses. Ian Anderson (another Scots) was very keen in acoustical traditional songs. Some Folk Troubadours such as TIM BUCKLEY and JOHN MARTYN started turning records more and more axed towards fusing jazz and folk (a bit in what THE PENTANGLE were doing) , others became more and more electric and they started to be referred to as Singer Songwriters especially those with country rock influences.

In Germany, HOELDERLIN (and their fantastic debut album), EMTIDI, OUGENWEIDE, CAROL OF HARVEST, WITTHUSER & WESTRUPP were exploring German folk while KALACAKRA , SILOAH and EMBRYO were indulging with Indian music. In South America, most notably in Chile, LOS JAIVAS (very bent upon Andean Indian music) and CONGRESO (more Spanish-Latino folklore) were using folk in their rock, so much that some press talked about them referring it with the hateful term Inca Rock. In Quebec, the progressive movement exploded with the cultural identity and the Chansonniers tradition and this was carried out with LES SEGUIN and HARMONIUM and so many more. In France, many groups were out for folk rock such as CATHERINE RIBEIRO AND ALPES, TANGERINE, and ASGARD. In Spain, Flamenco playing a dominant role as well as Basque folk, TRIANA, ITOIZ and HAIZEA were the head of the movement once the Franco regime fell apart after his death.


There is also a very important medieval music influences dimension in some groups as the term Medieval Folk was also mentioned for a while but apparently dropped by musicologists. Among the UK groups are obviously GRYPHON, GENTLE GIANT and THIRD EAR BAND, in France: MALICORNE and RIPAILLE and in Scandinavia: ALGARNAS TRADGARD and FOLQUE.


Hugues Chantraine
with hyperlinks and updates by Ken Levine December 2017

Current Team as of December 2022

Ken Levine aka Kenethlevine
Sean Trane
Andrew aka Gordy

Prog Folk Top Albums


Showing only studios | Based on members ratings & PA algorithm* | Show Top 100 Prog Folk | More Top Prog lists and filters

4.64 | 3713 ratings
THICK AS A BRICK
Jethro Tull
4.37 | 2935 ratings
AQUALUNG
Jethro Tull
4.35 | 1451 ratings
SI ON AVAIT BESOIN D'UNE CINQUIČME SAISON
Harmonium
4.22 | 1638 ratings
SONGS FROM THE WOOD
Jethro Tull
4.24 | 368 ratings
ALTURAS DE MACHU PICCHU
Jaivas, Los
4.22 | 245 ratings
ST. RADIGUNDS
Spirogyra
4.16 | 646 ratings
FIRST UTTERANCE
Comus
4.15 | 730 ratings
RED QUEEN TO GRYPHON THREE
Gryphon
4.32 | 103 ratings
ERWARTUNG
Eden
4.21 | 246 ratings
MICE AND RATS IN THE LOFT
Jan Dukes De Grey
4.44 | 63 ratings
LUCAS
Araújo, Marco Antônio
4.15 | 410 ratings
HERO AND HEROINE
Strawbs
4.15 | 396 ratings
GRAVE NEW WORLD
Strawbs
4.66 | 32 ratings
CHRISTIAN LUCIFER
Leopold, Perry
4.53 | 40 ratings
DÚLAMÁN
Clannad
4.11 | 384 ratings
L'HEPTADE
Harmonium
4.18 | 163 ratings
BELLS, BOOTS AND SHAMBLES
Spirogyra
4.05 | 1665 ratings
A PASSION PLAY
Jethro Tull
4.05 | 1452 ratings
STAND UP
Jethro Tull
4.15 | 153 ratings
BASKET OF LIGHT
Pentangle, The

Prog Folk overlooked and obscure gems albums new


Random 4 (reload page for new list) | As selected by the Prog Folk experts team

HAUL AR YR EIRA
Pererin
THROUGH THE GATES OF DEEPER SLUMBER
Smell Of Incense
THE WATERS OF SWEET SORROW
Midwinter
ODGIPIG
Sindelfingen

Latest Prog Folk Music Reviews


 Tarinoita Voimasta by KOSMOS album cover Studio Album, 2005
4.04 | 7 ratings

BUY
Tarinoita Voimasta
Kosmos Prog Folk

Review by kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

4 stars Three of these band members were involved in a contemporaneous prog folk group named VIIMA whose debut came a year after this one, which translates to "Stories about Power". Vocalist Paivi Kylmanen only lasted one album there but has been a mainstay in KOSMOS, so perhaps she favors their more pastoral vibe, though I am only familiar with VIIMA's debut which was more of a TULL meets CAMEL while taking Finnish language lessons in Turku affair.

Apart from one track, "Tarinoita Voimasta" is uniformly mellow, which is one of many compliments I can pay it and perhaps the only criticism I can level against it. When they do break out in "Salaisuis" it's a bit overdone but I admit I don't hate the riff. For the rest, the sweet "Luuttomat" was reprised on VIIMA's first in a similar format and, while I think I prefer the KOSMOS arrangement, I do miss the sax in the breaks. "Oisin" is a bit less bright than most here, with a melody similar to "Decades" by JOY DIVISION, you were expecting what? The quasi instrumental "Seerini" is another highlight, with only Paivi's vocalese offering an indication of any humans across a wide tract of Nordic landscape. Really, all the tunes between the prelude and postlude have much to recommend them in the way of TENHI but more happy with its lot and a whole lot steadier. I do get the feeling their subject matter is not intraworlds apart.

After a reviewing diversion to Brittany, I am happy to be back in Finland, especially its longer days replete with joy and, as always, reflection.

 Aqualung by JETHRO TULL album cover Studio Album, 1971
4.37 | 2935 ratings

BUY
Aqualung
Jethro Tull Prog Folk

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

5 stars One of the best known and top selling classic rock albums of all time, JETHRO TULL's fourth album AQUALUNG has also served as the perfect gateway drug to the world of progressive rock for several generations. Familiar to anybody even remotely interested in rock music, the opening title track's instantly recognizable guitar riff and matching opening lyrics "Sitting on the park bench, Eyeing little girls with bad intent. Snot is running down his nose, Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes" has left an indelible mark on classic rock lovers' psyche for the rest of their lives. The album was a huge transition between the band's folk rock origins and the full blown progressive rock albums that followed but most of all, AQUALUNG is JETHRO TULL's most popular release and best seller easily outselling any other release in their lengthy canon to the very modern day.

And what's not to love about AQUALUNG? It really is the perfect rock album to grace the early 1970s. After building a steady and incrementally improving momentum since the rather disorganized debut album "This Was," JETHRO TULL evolved leaps and bounds with AQUALUNG providing one of the greatest advances forward propelling the band to a mere opening act to one of the world's most popular arena rock headliners. The album saw quite a few changes but none more impactful than the addition of keyboardist John Evan to the band which added an entirely missing dimension to an already rich and developed band style. Likewise the album also welcomed Jeffrey Hammond as the new bassist replacing Glenn Connick who served the band well for three excellent albums. AQUALUNG also marked the time when the acoustic guitar was used exclusively in both segments of the songs themselves as well as serving as the sole instrument for the shorter bridge songs that were preludes to the ones that followed.

Thematically AQUALUNG was basically the thinking man's rock album and has been considered a concept album by many with an extreme emphasis on the fallibilities of religious thinking and how it leads to distortions in society and humanity in general. Sure such themes in rock dated back to The Electric Prunes "Mass In D Minor" but all in all a pretty impressive feat for such a massively popular album that has been heard by so many millions. Band leader Ian Anderson's disdain towards organized religion permeates the majority of the album's subject matter and delivered in some of the most clever roundabout poetic ways that kept it a few steps away from any sort of direct accusations or uncontrolled rage. The album was thematically divided into two themes with the original vinyl A-side thematically called AQUALUNG, centered around the character AQUALUNG and his infatuation "Cross-Eyed Mary" with other tracks referring to various other misfits in society. "Mother Goose" for example highlights how the non-conformists in society often get cast into the role of circus freak show status. The second half utilized the them "My God."

Musically AQUALUNG was a powerhouse of musical motifs stitched together in a pastiche that mixed folk, blues, psychedelia, hard rock, progressive rock and even Elizabethan madrigals, the latter of which suited Anderson's quirky acoustic numbers to a T. Ironically the opening title track is one of the very few songs where Anderson plays no flute at all whereas the remainder of the album implements it as a key ingredient which has always been one of JETHRO TULL's signature features that set them apart early on from other progressive artists. The greatest triumph of AQUALUNG is how the band crafted absolutely perfect melodies seemingly beamed down from the heavens above and dressed them up in the perfect mix of changing musical motifs that included varying sections that alternated between electrified rock, unplugged acoustic guitar folk and more progressive moments that allowed unorthodox ideas to shine through without disrupting the classic rock flow of the album's momentum.

In short the album was divinely inspired with every track rising to true classic status and while its true the short acoustic bridge numbers aren't quite up to par with the rest of the album, they weren't designed to be anything more than little intros to the songs that followed. Almost every major song has been a staple on classic rock radio for over half a century now with perhaps the exception of "My God" which is the most progressive track on the album with its 7-minute plus playing time and most overtly critical of religion in general. The track features the perfect acoustic folk intro and followed by hard rock riffing and excellent flute delivery including the best solo on the album which culminates in a phenomenally brilliant flute segment with a religious choir chanting behind it thus establishing Ian Anderson's true musical genius to a much larger audience. I mean, wow! "Aqualung," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Mother Goose," "Up To Me," "My God," "Hymn 43," "Locomotive Breath" and "Wind-Up" are all musical perfection under one roof! Even the shorter acoustic tracks are excellent and don't detract in any way. What can i say? AQUALUNG truly is one of the greatest rock masterpieces of the entire genre's existence.

 Glen RIver by GWENDAL album cover Studio Album, 1989
2.00 | 1 ratings

BUY
Glen RIver
Gwendal Prog Folk

Review by kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

— First review of this album —
2 stars With this 1989 release, GWENDAL, shrunken to a quartet, eschewed most of their jazzy leanings in favor of a slick expose of their Celtic roots. While quality had often been at issue in the early years, it was reigned in by the limitations of running time, which was relaxed by the CD era. When you become so familiar and facile with an activity, you might say that you can perform it in your sleep, and that seems like what GWENDAL is doing here. Unfortunately, I am listening to it while awake.

Luckily the playing is spirited for the spread of tracks 3 to 6. Though the "Uilean Mandinga" pair sounds like it could have been lifted from one of those 1990s MIKE OLDFIELD albums like "Tr3s Lunas", I'll gladly take a mediocre Oldfield at this juncture. "Colombaneon" is probably the high point, with an adept and enthusiastic blend of flute and percussion. After this it's all pretty much the stuff that any pan Celtic rock group could do but many fewer should, with the exception of the closer which sounds like a B track from the superior predecessor "Danse la Musique".

Well, at least the cover is pastoral. From this point, GWENDAL's output dwindled to a trickle before fizzling. Clearly out of ideas and probably in the midst of raising children, they gave way to the oncoming onslaught of morbid Celtic extravaganzas that had every tattooed punk professing to having been fans of the style all along.

 Danse la musique by GWENDAL album cover Studio Album, 1985
3.00 | 1 ratings

BUY
Danse la musique
Gwendal Prog Folk

Review by kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

— First review of this album —
3 stars I probably shouldn't say this right now, but don't believe everything you read, especially if it's exactly what you want to believe; there is probably another side. From the album title, the cover (well, at least the pecs and abs are worth displaying) , the year of release, the awareness that it was followed by the meh "Glen River", and a few terse reviews I have read, I was expecting some sort of disco or new romantic extraction by the Celtic roots. It's true this is a less "pure" take on the rarefied Breton experience but it's more via a bass-driven new age sheen, with the usual jazzy overtones on call. As such, "Danse La Musique", apart from a few throwaway trad-ish numbers, is yet another easily embraced surprise.

Sometimes the rocked up elements are a bit overstated and a lot over produced, such as in "Celtic Break", and the woodwind excursions do draw comparisons to the likes of TIM WEISBERG (with and without DAN FOGELBERG) as well as MONTREUX, SHADOWFAX and a few other Wyndham Hill acts, but mostly that's in a good way. It's hard to harshly judge the distinction of the MOTIS-like title track, with suave vocals, the first on any of their major releases, by guitarist Bertrand Binet, and the delicacy of the longest cut, "Aurore Boreale".

I imagine that Gwendal's considerable peak popularity might have largely diffused by this time, and perhaps they would have been better served to bow out right after, rather than dance their way through a few more barely and poorly received projects.

 Locomo by GWENDAL album cover Studio Album, 1983
3.91 | 3 ratings

BUY
Locomo
Gwendal Prog Folk

Review by kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

4 stars When the worst thing a grumbly critic can say about a prog folk album from 1983 is that it sounds dated, well, then said critic should go back to cynic school. On this 5th offering, instrumental Celtic rockers GWENDAL seem to have eschewed any early 1980s trappings and doubled down on many of the more progressive and less excessive aspects of the prior decade, as if they the very concept of new wave music was unfathomable. Influences such as JETHRO TULL, JEAN LUC PONTY, ALAN STIVELL, even the MAHIVISHNU ORCHESTRA are all whipped up into a low froth solution, with nary a jig or overdone motif in earshot. Whereas a couple of the prior releases were well played and sufficient in their way, this is the first with tracks that are quite astonishing by any evaluation, in particular the two "epics". I would have loved to have seen them live around this time, but unfortunately that locomotive has left la gare.
 First Utterance by COMUS album cover Studio Album, 1971
4.16 | 646 ratings

BUY
First Utterance
Comus Prog Folk

Review by Nickmannion

4 stars Sometimes the best music is meant to scare us a little. That and clear a room too. From the threatening cover to the pagan prog/folk of the album, this one delivers. I discovered it in the mid 80's when I inherited a copy (battered cover but album near mint) and thought I might have to file it under 'weird sh*t' but there was enough to intrigue me to persevere especially when someone said to me 'that sounds a bit Kate Bush you know' ...it doesn't really but I wouldn't be surprised if the young Kate had got a copy, if that makes sense? Now understanding a bit more of what else was about at the time, it really does make this album stand out with a unique slant on folk. You could almost imagine it as the soundtrack to a Wicker Man type film. Anything pastoral is twisted out of shape and you could never picture say Sandy Denny fronting this crew. The best I can reach for is by suggesting the late 60's/early 70's Jethro Tull (as in their angular take on the blues/rock/prog) discovering folk/rock round about 1971 rather than 1977 and sang by Roger Chapman (of Family). A violin weaves menacingly in and out and there is an edge rather than a polished perfection about much of this. Like Trout Mask Replica, it is an album that polarises opinion. That by itself is 'a good thing' regardless of which end of the spectrum you inhabit. It was never meant to be Fairport C or Fotheringay nor even Amazing Blondel, Spyrogyra or Trees but something altogether more out there....among the smoldering remains of the wicker effigy. Embrace it for what it is. Don't blame it for not being something else. Or hide behind the sofa. You decide. 4.5++
 Les mouettes s'battent by GWENDAL album cover Studio Album, 1979
3.05 | 3 ratings

BUY
Les mouettes s'battent
Gwendal Prog Folk

Review by kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

3 stars Perhaps the GWENDAL equivalent of MALICORNE's "Almanach" in terms of venerability, "Les Mouettes s'Battent" sees the group fully embrace the inclinations that would make them singularly irritating, specifically the overuse of ostinatos in an effort to extract significance, and wrapping a 4 to 7 minute track around them. What saves, justifies, and even elevates this particular release is the nature of the arrangements that lasso those obstinate figures, effortlessly whipping jazz, reggae, and hard rock into the trad Celtic mix, even if I've never understood the point of live drum solos longer than 15 seconds. While I think GWENDAL would have been far more effective if the group had any personnel who could or would sing, I can't rebuff the mesmerizing escalation of the title cut, the audacity of "Le Reggae gai de Gueret", the pastoral grace of "My Love is a Band Boy", and the occasionally overdone sprawl of "Je pars a Noyac" which leaves little doubt of Youenn Le Berre's leadership through this phase. You can almost see and hear the seagulls fighting over the delectable scraps strewn about here with near joyous abandon.
 Notes on a Picnic by FRED album cover Studio Album, 2003
4.04 | 17 ratings

BUY
Notes on a Picnic
Fred Prog Folk

Review by Nickmannion

4 stars I haven't heard the first album, which I guess is why the band are in the Prog/folk section, but let me assure you, this second album has got rid of that and is closer to a jazz/fusion sound with hints of Canterbury.

I believe this stuff was recorded in '73/'74 but never released back in the day. I think it may have been if the band were from and it was recorded in the UK or even Europe, but I can see why it would have sunk without trace in the US. The sound on this album suggests a touch of Comus but with a Curved Air and even PFM vibe...which I know doesn't sound very fusion. That comes mainly from the keys man who seems to be pulling the band in that direction. The aforementioned influences/comparisons are due to the prominent violin which is never JL Ponty flash but more of an enhancer of the sound and perhaps the melody too You can hear a bit of National Health and Hatfield and the North too even though it preceded them. It's not quite 'all over the map' but makes good use of its travel pass and was a speculative purchase in a sale as it looked very my kinda 70's ...and is a just under but will give it a 4 star rating and for those looking for an off the beaten track thing...those travel passes eh...I really would suggest giving it a try if any of the above 'influences and similarities' are in your wheelhouse.

 Ŕ vos désirs by GWENDAL album cover Studio Album, 1977
2.09 | 3 ratings

BUY
Ŕ vos désirs
Gwendal Prog Folk

Review by kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

2 stars It was past the halfway point of the decade of the mandatory side long suite and still nothing of the sort from GWENDAL. This must have precipitated quite the discussion amongst the band members, who clearly didn't have anything in the can to support an "epic or bust" doctrine. But hey, with most of these samey jigs and reels, and with maybe a bit less on the jazz front, no listener would be able to tell if we started off with something a bit more creative and then interlaced an odd half dozen rejects from the first 2 albums, giving it an overarching grandiose name like "Mon Joly Scooter", which segues flawlessly into my other point: virtually none of the shorter tracks, whether within or without this unambiguously unambitious concoction, even raises its shackles let alone snips them. Thankfully a few re-interpretations of standards like "Cam Ye all Frae France" and "Butterfly" are welcome even if they would have been little more than reinforced padding on the group's previous album, from which "A vos desirs" represents a couple of missed steps down the evolutionary ladder.
 Aconcagua by JAIVAS, LOS album cover Studio Album, 1982
3.27 | 55 ratings

BUY
Aconcagua
Los Jaivas Prog Folk

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

4 stars ACONAGUA is not only the highest mountain in the Andes mountain range in South America but a 6,960 m / 22,837 ft above sea level, it is also the highest peak in all of the Americas. In fact it also has the distinction of being the highest mountain outside of Asia and the highest in both the Western hemisphere as well as the Southern hemisphere, so it's no doubt this mighty mountain is the subject matter of legends and mythology spanning millennia back through countless South American empires and Indigenous culture significance. Therefore it's little wonder that LOS JAIVAS chose it as the title of an album.

The next album to follow the massively successful "Alturas de Machu Pacchu," the content on the material was actually created prior to that album and primarily brought together from a number of songs that were written during the band's European tour (the band was based out of Paris since 1977's coup in Chile). This was actually supposed to be the album that followed 1979's "Los Sueńos de América" but due to the insistence of Daniel Camino who convinced the band to put all its other projects aside and work on a concept album about Peru's most famous archeological site. The result was that a loose number of floating songs accumulated but deemed of high enough quality that the band still wanted to use them.

In essence of compilation of flotsam of jetsam from the late 70s and early 80s, ACONAGUA throws it all together as an album's worth of LOS JAVIAS material but that doesn't mean it's not some mighty good catchy music on it. On the contrary, while not as focused on the progressive rock aspects as its predecessor, if taken as the album that musically precedes "Alturas," ACONAGUA is an excellent slice of Rock andino, Indigenous Andean music, Taquirari ( a highly syncopated traditional music of Bolivia), rock and folk music and while the prog aspects aren't nearly as pronounced as "Alturas," they're not completely absent either. ACONAGUA features the same lineup as on "Alturas" and the tracks are all either archival ones and re-recordings of old songs with a few new songs thrown in at the last minute.

One of the last tracks to be recorded was the opening title track which was inspired by the many sightings of flying in and out of Santiago, Chile. The mountain is located only a short distance away from the Chilean capital. The festive melting pot of Latin American musical sounds and styles pretty much summarizes the album's mission which is sort of a like a musical ambassador for all things Latin American brought together under one roof. While prog purist's may sneer at the mere lack of keyboard solos and moments of European influences, the album is a treasure trove of melding Latin American traditional music sounds in a feat of contemporaneous glory all the while adding elements of rock and Western folk throughout the album's rather short playing time of just under 34 minutes in the form of seven tracks.

Noteworthy is the beautiful "Debajo de las Higueras" features wild classical piano runs in cahoots with the thundering bravado of a Mexican trumpet section as well as delivering the main melody on an electric guitar. "Takirari Del Puerto" takes on a Caribbean vibe only mixed with Andean folk music and instrumentation. The highlight is perhaps the lengthy closing "COrre Que Te Pillo" which at almost 10 minutes in length was actually recorded as a B-side as far back in 1973 and resurrected and re-recorded into an extended powerhouse Indigenous folk meets rock extravaganza. The track is basically a lengthy jam session with moments of repetitive cyclical looping for a few improvisational ideas to float around. The use of classical piano allows a nice fusion sound. Despite complexities involved the track sounds as festive and inviting as the rest of the album with a lively fiesta of the soul sort of exuberance to it.

For being a mere collection of loose track floating around for years with a few newbies recorded to top it off, ACONCAGUA is actually an infectiously beautiful album and an ethnomusicologist's dream come true with references to many styles of ethnic folk music of the Southern Hemisphere as well as adding Western aspects of rock guitar and classical piano. The band was a well-oiled machine and clearly made these tracks more lively through the re-recording process than they ever could've possibly been before. When taken into context as to this being a compilation of previously unreleased material and not the proper followup to "Alturas de Machu PIcchu" then this will make a lot more sense in its relationship to the albums that bookend it. As for my ears i find this to be a brilliantly uplifting album. The album has been released two distinct album covers. My favorite is the one with the band all gathered in the High Andes with all their instruments giving a peak performance!

Data cached

Prog Folk bands/artists list

Bands/Artists Country
0.720 ALEACION Mexico
3 DAFT MONKEYS United Kingdom
AALTO Finland
RABIH ABOU-KHALIL Lebanon
ACCOLADE United Kingdom
ACCOLADE United States
ADARO Germany
AFFORESTED United Kingdom
AFION Croatia
AGAPE Canada
AGINCOURT United Kingdom
AIGUES VIVES Germany
AKTUALA Italy
NICU ALIFANTIS Romania
ALMÔNDEGAS Brazil
ALVA Multi-National
AMANITA Italy
AMAROK Spain
AMAZING BLONDEL United Kingdom
AMBER United Kingdom
AN DRO Germany
ANACRUSA Argentina
IAN ANDERSON United Kingdom
THE ANGELS OF LIGHT United States
ANNAMY Sweden
APARECIDOS Multi-National
AQUAPLAN Finland
AQUARIUM Russia
MARCO ANTÔNIO ARAÚJO Brazil
DAN ARBORISE United Kingdom
THE ARBORISTS Canada
ARCH GARRISON United Kingdom
ARIA PALEA Italy
ARMY OF BRIARS United Kingdom
ARROWWOOD United States
ARTSRUNI Armenia
ASGARD France
ASHADA Japan
ASHTAR Brazil
ASI SOMOS Puerto Rico
ASTORG Spain
ATMAN Poland
AUCAN Argentina
AUTO DA FE United States
AUTUMNAL BLOSSOM Germany
AVALANCHE Netherlands
AVARIC France
AVE SANGRIA Brazil
AZAHAR Spain
BABADAG Poland
BABY WHALE Multi-National
(THE) BAMBIR Armenia
BANDA DO CASACO Portugal
A BARCA DO SOL Brazil
BARR Sweden
TOMAS BATISTA Argentina
BAYON Germany
BEAT CIRCUS United States
BEAUTIFY JUNKYARDS Portugal
BEDEDEUM Italy
BERNARD BENOIT France
BIG LOST RAINBOW United States
BLACKMORE'S NIGHT United Kingdom
BLOPS Chile
BLUEHORSES United Kingdom
DIDIER BONIN (DIDBO) France
BOULE DE SON Canada
BRAIA Brazil
BRAN (BRÂN) United Kingdom
DAN AR BRAZ France
BREAD LOVE AND DREAMS United Kingdom
BRECHE Canada
PAUL BRETT United Kingdom
BRÖSELMASCHINE Germany
BUCIUM Romania
TIM BUCKLEY United States
VASHTI BUNYAN United Kingdom
C.O.B. United Kingdom
CAEDMON United Kingdom
CALIBAN United States
CÁLIX Brazil
CAMELIAS GARDEN Italy
CAN AM DES PUIG Multi-National
CANDIDATE United Kingdom
CANO Canada
LA CANTINA DI ERMETE Italy
CANZONIERE DEL LAZIO Italy
MARCELLO CAPRA Italy
CARMEN United Kingdom
CARNASCIALIA Italy
CAROL OF HARVEST Germany
GIAN CASTELLO Italy
NICK CASTRO United States
PHILIPPE CAUVIN France
CHARLIE CAWOOD United Kingdom
CHAC MOOL Mexico
CHALIBAUDE France
CHERCHE-LUNE France
CHIMERA Netherlands
CHRYSALIDE France
CIRCULUS United Kingdom
CLANNAD Ireland
CLOGS Multi-National
COMUS United Kingdom
CONGREGACION Chile
CONGRESO Chile
CONNIVENCE Canada
CONSTANTINE United States
CONTRALUZ Argentina
CONVENTUM Canada
CORDE OBLIQUE Italy
DAVE COUSINS United Kingdom
CREMATORIUM Russia
CRUEL WONDERS Israel
CRYSTAL PHOENIX Italy
CRYSTAL THOUGHTS Greece
CURRENT 93 United Kingdom
DAEMONIA NYMPHE Greece
DANCER United Kingdom
DARNAKES Greece
DAWNWIND United Kingdom
RICHARD DAWSON United Kingdom
DEAD CAN DANCE Australia
DEAD SPACE CHAMBER MUSIC United Kingdom
DECAMERON United Kingdom
THE DECEMBERISTS United States
DEMI-HEURE Canada
DETEKTIVBYRĹN Sweden
DIEGO DE MORON Spain
DODSON AND FOGG United Kingdom
DR. STRANGELY STRANGE Ireland
DULCIMER United Kingdom
DUN AENGHUS Multi-National
DUNWICH Italy
DUST MOUNTAIN Finland
JUDY DYBLE United Kingdom
EDEN Germany
ELANE Germany
ELDS MARK Norway
ELECTRIC DESERT Israel
ELFONÍA Mexico
NANCY ELIZABETH United Kingdom
ÉMERAUDE France
EMTIDI Germany
ENBOR Spain
ENGEL (MIGUEL ANGEL DE LA LLAVE JIMENEZ) Spain
L' ENGOULEVENT Canada
RÓBERT ERDÉSZ Hungary
ERGO SUM Chile
ERROBI Spain
ESPERS United States
ETERNIDAD Argentina
EX REVERIE United States
LA FAMIGLIA DEGLI ORTEGA Italy
FARAWAY FOLK United Kingdom
FARPOINT United States
FAUN Germany
FAUN FABLES United States
FAVERAVOLA Italy
FAVNI / EX FAUNS Germany
FEATHERS United States
THE FELLOWSHIP Italy
FERN KNIGHT United States
FIABA Italy
FIELDS BURNING United States
SERGE FIORI Canada
FIORI-SÉGUIN Canada
FIVE ACRE FIELD Australia
FLAIRCK Netherlands
FLIBBERTIGIBBET South Africa
FLOR DE LOTO Peru
FOLKLORE Australia
I FOLLI DI DIO Italy
FOLQUE Norway
FORENINGEN TIL LIVETS BESKYTTELSE Denmark
FOREST United Kingdom
FORSETI Germany
CRAIG FORTNAM United Kingdom
FRACTAL (CHILE) Chile
FRAGUA Spain
FRED United States
FRESH MAGGOTS United Kingdom
FUCHSIA United Kingdom
FUREKĹBEN Denmark
GAIA CONSORT United States
GALADRIEL Australia
GALAHAD Germany
GALLERY United Kingdom
GALLEY BEGGAR United Kingdom
GARMARNA Sweden
GAROLOU Canada
GENESIS DE COLOMBIA Colombia
THE GENTLE SOUL United States
THE GHOST United Kingdom
GJALLARHORN Finland
GLAZ France
GOLDOOLINS Israel
GORGO Ukraine
GRAAL France
THE GREEN CHILDREN Italy
GREEN DIESEL United Kingdom
LARKIN GRIMM United States
GROVJOBB Sweden
GROWING DREAM Canada
GRUMBLEWOOD New Zealand
GRYPHON United Kingdom
GUALBERTO Spain
EMILIO DEL GUERCIO Argentina
THE GUILDMASTER Multi-National
GURNEMANZ Germany
GWENDAL France
GWERZ France
HAIZEA Spain
HARMONIUM Canada
ROY HARPER United Kingdom
HAUTVILLE Italy
HAWK South Africa
HAZARI Yugoslavia
HEAVEN & EARTH United States
L' HERBA D'HAMELÍ Spain
CARY HEUCHERT Canada
HEXVESSEL Finland
HOELDERLIN Germany
KAY HOFFMAN Switzerland
HORIZONTE Argentina
HORSLIPS Ireland
IBIO Spain
ILIENSES Italy
ILL WICKER Sweden
ILOUS & DECUYPER France
BRIAN IMIG United States
IN GOWAN RING United States
IN THE LABYRINTH Sweden
THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND United Kingdom
INDACO Italy
IONA United Kingdom
IRAKLIS Greece
ISOLATION United Kingdom
ITERUM NATA Finland
ITHACA United Kingdom
ITOIZ Spain
ITZIAR Spain
IZUKAITZ Spain
JACK O' THE CLOCK United States
JAHRTAL Austria
LOS JAIVAS Chile
JAN DUKES DE GREY United Kingdom
JED United States
JESTER United Kingdom
THE JESTERDAYS Greece
JETHRO TULL United Kingdom
NIGEL MAZLYN JONES United Kingdom
JOX France
JUSTINE United Kingdom
KAAMOS Finland
KADWALADYR France
KARNATAKA United Kingdom
CHRIS KARRER Germany
KATALENA Slovenia
KEBNEKAJSE Sweden
KERRS PINK Norway
KING FISH CROW United States
KLADIVO KONJ IN VODA Slovenia
KOLIBRI Germany
KOLINDA Hungary
ATTILA KOLLÁR Hungary
KONTRABURGER Poland
KORMORÁN Hungary
KOSMOS Finland
JUHA KUJANPAA Finland
BRUCE LAMONT United States
JÉROME LANGLOIS Canada
LAURELIE Belgium
LEAFBLADE United Kingdom
PERRY LEOPOLD United States
BENITO LERTXUNDI Spain
LI TROUBAIRES DE COUMBOSCURO Italy
LILY & MARIA United States
LISA O PIU Sweden
LISKER Spain
LONG LIVE DEATH United States
LOT LORIEN Bulgaria
LOUDEST WHISPER Ireland
CLARE LOUISE France
LSA Poland
LUCCI MARSOLA TATINI AND BURANI Brazil
LUMSK Norway
MADDEN AND HARRIS Australia
MAGDALENA Spain
MAGICFOLK United Kingdom
MAGMA Argentina
MAJA DE RADO & PORODICNA MANUFAKTURA CRNOG HLEBA Yugoslavia
MALICORNE France
BRIAN MALONE United States
MANGEUR DE RĘVES Canada
MARLBORO MAN Hungary
JUAN MARTÍN Spain
JOHN MARTYN United Kingdom
MARY JANE United Kingdom
MASHMAKHAN Canada
LE MATCH Canada
TAPIO MATTLAR Finland
MELANIE MAU AND MARTIN SCHNELLA Germany
SHELAGH MCDONALD United Kingdom
ME AND MY KITES Sweden
MELIMELUM Argentina
MELLOW CANDLE Ireland
THE MERLIN BIRD Australia
MESSENGER United Kingdom
MIDLAKE United States
MIDNIGHT CIRCUS Germany
MIDWINTER United Kingdom
MIRANDA SEX GARDEN United Kingdom
DRAGO MLINAREC Yugoslavia
MOĞOLLAR Turkey
COLIN MOLD United Kingdom
MONSEIGNEUR Switzerland
MONTREAL Canada
THE MOON AND THE NIGHTSPIRIT Hungary
MOONSTONE Canada
MORMOS United States
THE MORRIGAN United Kingdom
MOSTLY AUTUMN United Kingdom
MOTIS France
MOULETTES United Kingdom
MOURNING CLOAK United States
MOURNING PHASE United Kingdom
MOVING HEARTS Ireland
MR. BROWN Sweden
MR. TOAD Israel
MUNDI DOMINI Canada
MUSHROOM Ireland
MUSICA DISPERSA Spain
MUSK OX Canada
NIRGAL VALLIS Mexico
THE NOCTURNES United States
NOMADS OF HOPE Sweden
MICHEL NORMANDEAU Canada
NORTH SEA RADIO ORCHESTRA United Kingdom
THE NOVA PROJECT United States
NUEVO MEXICO Mexico
NUIT CALINE A LA VILLA MON REVE Belgium
NYA LJUDBOLAGET Sweden
GAVIN O'LOGHLEN & COTTERS BEQUEST Australia
OBERON United Kingdom
OCTOBER PROJECT United States
OF WONDROUS LEGENDS (O.W.L.) United States
OFFA REX Various
OLOFERNE Italy
OMNI Spain
OPEN EYE BAND Finland
ORFANADO Italy
ORPHEUS GHOSTSONG United Kingdom
ORYZHEIN Canada
OUGENWEIDE Germany
P. G. SIX United States
RAFAEL PACHA Spain
PAGAN HARVEST United Kingdom
PAN-RA Germany
PARADOX Poland
EMMANUELLE PARRENIN France
PARZIVAL Germany
PASTORAL Argentina
PATANGA Germany
JEAN LUC PAYSSAN France
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE United States
THE PENTANGLE United Kingdom
PERERIN United Kingdom
LINDA PERHACS United States
PESNIARY (PESNYARY) Belarus
PHOENIX Romania
PIERROT LUNAIRE Italy
PIIRPAUKE Finland
PLANKTON WAT United States
POSITIVE WAVE Finland
A PRESENÇA DAS FORMIGAS Portugal
PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE United Kingdom
PROVIDENCE United States
PRUDENCE Norway
PTARMIGAN Canada
THE PUDDLE JUMPERS United States
QUICKSAND United Kingdom
QUINTAL DE CLOROFILA Brazil
QUINTETO ARMORIAL Brazil
RABASKA Canada
RABBIT RABBIT (CARLA KIHLSTEDT & MATTHIAS BOSSI) United States
RAD ORCHESTRA United Kingdom
RADA & TERNOVNIK (RADA & BLACKTHORN) Russia
RAGNARÖK Sweden
RAMASES United Kingdom
RASPUTINA United States
REBEKKA Germany
RED JASPER United Kingdom
REFLECTION CLUB Germany
REIFROCK Germany
REVERIE Italy
REVOLUTIONARY ARMY OF THE INFANT JESUS United Kingdom
RIPAILLE France
RISE (TALITHA RISE) United Kingdom
RITMIA Italy
ROGER RODIER Canada
BERNARDO RUBAJA Argentina
KARI RUESLATTEN Norway
RUJA Estonia
S VREMENA NA VREME Yugoslavia
ILPO SAASTAMOINEN Finland
SAD MINSTREL Italy
SAGA DE RAGNAR LODBROCK France
SAINT JUST Italy
SAKRE Spain
THE SALLYANGIE United Kingdom
SANGRE DE MUERDAGO Spain
SCAPA FLOW Finland
SCARLET THREAD Finland
NATE SCOBLE United States
SECOS & MOLHADOS Brazil
SECRET GREEN United Kingdom
SEDMINA Yugoslavia
SERPENTYNE United Kingdom
GILLES SERVAT France
SHANNON France
SHAVE THE MONKEY United Kingdom
SHIDE & ACORN United Kingdom
SHINE DIÓN Norway
SILMARIL United States
SILVER SUMMIT United States
SINDELFINGEN United Kingdom
SINTESIS Cuba
JIMI SLEVIN Ireland
SMELL OF INCENSE Norway
SMOKESTACK FAERIE Finland
SOFT HEARTED SCIENTISTS United Kingdom
SOL INVICTUS United Kingdom
SOLANACEAE Denmark
SOLARFERENCE United Kingdom
SORNE United States
SPARIFANKAL Germany
SPIRES THAT IN THE SUNSET RISE United States
SPIROGYRA United Kingdom
SPRIGGAN MIST United Kingdom
SPRIGUNS (OF TOLGUS) United Kingdom
STACKRIDGE United Kingdom
VLATKO STEFANOVSKI Macedonia
ALAN STIVELL France
STONE ANGEL United Kingdom
STONE BREATH United States
STÓRSVEIT NIX NOLTES Iceland
STORYTELLER United Kingdom
STRANGE DAYS United Kingdom
STRAWBS United Kingdom
PEKKA STRENG Finland
STRING CHEESE United States
STRING DRIVEN THING United Kingdom
STUMARI Georgia
SUBURBANO Spain
SUBWAY Multi-National
SÜNDENFALL II Germany
SUPAY Peru
SUR PACIFICO Chile
SUSSITA Israel
SYNANTHESIA United Kingdom
SZELA Poland
TOBIAS TAG Finland
TALAMASCA United States
TALITHA QUMI Romania
TAMALONE Netherlands
TAMARUGO Chile
TANGERINE France
TARENTULE France
TARUJEN SAARI Finland
LOU MAXWELL TAYLOR United States
TEA AND SYMPHONY United Kingdom
TEMPEST United States
TENHI Finland
TERRA MYSTICA Slovenia
BOB THEIL United Kingdom
THESE TRAILS United States
THE THIRD ESTATE United States
THISTLETOWN United Kingdom
THOBY LOTH Finland
THORK France
THURSAFLOKKURINN Iceland
TIR NA NOG Ireland
TIRILL Norway
TORNAOD France
TRADER HORNE United Kingdom
TRAPPIST AFTERLAND Australia
TRAVELING BELL United States
TREES United Kingdom
THE TREES COMMUNITY United States
TREMBLING BELLS United Kingdom
TRI YANN France
TRIO DAG Yugoslavia
TROCARN Switzerland
TROISIČME RIVE France
TROISSOEUR Belgium
TROVANTE Portugal
TUATHA DE DANANN Brazil
ALEXANDER TUCKER United Kingdom
TUDOR LODGE United Kingdom
TUIMA Finland
TUNEFISH Germany
TURQUOISE Poland
TUSMŘRKE Norway
TYRANNOSAURUS REX (NOT T. REX) United Kingdom
U I BLUE United States
UDRAYA France
UNCLE DIRTYTOES United States
UNGAVA Canada
UNITED BIBLE STUDIES Ireland
STEVE UNRUH United States
UQBAR Argentina
US AND THEM Sweden
VEGA Spain
VERMICELLI ORCHESTRA Russia
VIIMA Finland
VIMMA Finland
VOICE OF THE SEVEN WOODS United Kingdom
RYLEY WALKER United States
JUNE WALLACK Canada
WARA Bolivia
WARDRUNA Norway
WATER INTO WINE BAND United Kingdom
WATERTOUCH Sweden
THE WAY WE LIVE United Kingdom
LEAH WAYBRIGHT United States
WERWOLF (WEREWOLF ART ROCK) Germany
WITTHUSER AND WESTRUPP Germany
WOVEN HAND United States
WURTEMBERG France
WYRDGENES United Kingdom
GABRIEL YACOUB France
YAVANNA Germany
YGGDRASIL Germany
YOKE SHIRE United States
YOU AND I Hungary
ZAGUAN Spain
ZARTONG Armenia
ZAUBER Italy
ZEIT Italy
ZLYE KUKLY Israel
ZRNI Czech Republic
ZYWIOLAK Poland

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.