Top 10 Retro-Prog Albums

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Mr ProgFreak wrote: "Retro" ... the word does not seem harsh to me at all. Instead of Death I associate Nostalgia and Reminiscence of old times. There aren't many bands around that I would call Retro anyway, but there are many who at least from time to time add Retro elements. For example, any prog band which today uses classic Mellotron sounds is Retro ... at least to some extent.   Mike, the words Retro and Nostalgia implies a feeling of revival of something that existed before and no longer does. Symphonic Prog is a genre born in 1967 with Thoughts of the Emerlist Davjack, that was officially recognized with In the Court of the Crimson king, developed with bands as Genesis and Yes, continued existing with Hybris or Gothic Impressions and still today is alive with bands as Blank Manuskript, Karda Estra or Shadow Circus, Alex Carpani Band and Anton Roolaart. Iván

I disagree. Symphonic Prog was the most important movement of the classic prog era in the 70s (beginning in the late 60s). But in the late 70s the movement stopped. That doesn't mean that there weren't still a few bands on the planet that made this type of music ... it means that most music fans did not know them, they were "Underground".

Later bands appeared which based their music on those bands, but also brought in new influences ... the biggest example being Neo Prog. Clearly early Marillion is influenced by classic Genesis, yet it's a different style.

In the 90s even more bands began to make music that was inspired by classic (Symphonic) prog, but again they brought in new influences, Spock's Beard for example (American AOR)

But some bands in the 90s were making music that sounded exactly like classic 70s symphonic prog Anglagard and (later) Wobbler being good examples. Wobbler even used only instruments that were made in the 70s. And *those* I call Retro. There's nothing wrong with it. 

Mr ProgFreak wrote: "Retro" ... the word does not seem harsh to me at all. Instead of Death I associate Nostalgia and Reminiscence of old times. There aren't many bands around that I would call Retro anyway, but there are many who at least from time to time add Retro elements. For example, any prog band which today uses classic Mellotron sounds is Retro ... at least to some extent.

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - April 28 2009 at 17:03

Roj M30 wrote: Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: I refuse to call anything Retro Prog, because this name implies:   That we are talking about a dead genre, and Prog never died, it's the same genre from 4 decades ago, only that bigger.   Why has a gernre to be limited to 10 or 15 years? Why can't Symphonic today be the same Symphonic than 20 years ago=   Most of this bands have some references to past icons, but they also have some new aspects.   I believe it's a harsh term,   Just my 2 cents.   Iván   Well said .   What Ivan has said pretty much sums up exactly how I feel on the subject.  Diaby had touched on this earlier too.  I hate the "retro" tag.   I guess people like Roine Stolt may admit they're "retro", but I just find it an insult to be honest.  The bands termed "neo" were given a whole new genre when they're clearly influenced by the very same bands.  Yet TFK, Tangent and Beardfish are dubbed "retro".  In any event I see a lot of new ideas in these so-called retro bands.  TFK's material for instance is extremely diverse.  And can anybody say that Transatlantic are a replica of the 70s giants?  I don't see it at all, and I was around in the 70s listening to those prog rock giants.  Remember too that Roine was actually in a 70s prog band!

I refuse to call anything Retro Prog, because this name implies:

cacho wrote: Ok, Retro-Prog fans! Here you have it, share your favorite albums of this awesome "scene"! #1 Space Revolver #2 Adam & Eve #3 SMPTe #4 Who's The Boss in the Factory? #5 The Flower King #6 The World That We Drive Through #7 Not as Good as the Book #8 Unfold the Future #9 Bridge Across Forever #10 Dark Matter/Paradox Hotel

Mr ProgFreak wrote: ^ I'd say that TFK are retro in that they are closer in style to the original prog bands than most Neo Prog bands ever were. But of course there are bands that are even more retro - like Wobble for example. I'd say that "Retro" simply refers to bands who are trying to re-create a certain style that peaked more than a decade ago, without modern influences.

Diaby wrote: Retro-prog is not a great label to use. It just means nothing in my eyes. Why is TFK more "retro" than the neo-prog bands?

I like the label, and I think it's a better way to describe the music of such bands, rather than saying most of them are Symphonic...

I can barely think of a 'true' Neo Prog band which is Retro, this means, 80's Neo Prog bands. Yes, Neo Prog bands are developing a more Retro sound lately, IQ and others....

^ I'd say that TFK are retro in that they are closer in style to the original prog bands than most Neo Prog bands ever were. But of course there are bands that are even more retro - like Wobble for example.

I'd say that "Retro" simply refers to bands who are trying to re-create a certain style that peaked more than a decade ago, without modern influences.

Smpte by Transatlantic
Hybris by Anglagard
Sound Of The Apocalypse by Black Bonzo
Starduste We Are by The Flower Kings
A Place In The Queue by The Tangent
The Light by Spock's Beard (I don't know if it's retro prog)
Hinterland by Wobbler

^ of course you're very welcome to tag those albums, but since I also have a really large collection (1500+ album) I know that it's a tedious task. Instead, I simply tag albums as I'm listening to them, so that little by little the tag database grows. And as a really nice side effects, the tags help me to refresh my memory.

Edited by Mr ProgFreak - March 14 2009 at 16:34