6 "A" bands first 3 albums (five in PA, one not)

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Jared wrote: ^^^ very interesting reads fellas...  fwiw, I really don't think neo-prog is a useful term to use these days as its quite out-dated. Neo-Prog is a term best describing the 80's movement, spearheaded by Marillion (although in truth, only their first 4 albums can be put into this category; everything from the Hogarth era has moved away from this style). During the dearth of the 90's, bands imitating this style could be described as neo-neo-prog, but by the early 2000's this had dissipated into other styles, mainly Symph & Crossover.  I would suggest that most of the bands during the 90's who tried to maintain this movement, released albums which are better left behind, although a number of releases from that decade pertaining to be Neo did stand out; here's a half dozen: Collage: Moonshine Clepsydra: Fears Iluvatar: Children Jadis: Across The Water PTS: Campaign Janison Edge: The Services Of Mary Goode Personally, when you click on the Neo-Prog tag now, the albums you get recommended are either by bands who frankly never were Neo, such as Frost*, Magenta or Sylvan or bands whose style moved away from what we considered Neo years ago, such as Knight Area, IQ or Pendragon... rendering the term fairly redundant. But that's just my take....

^^^ very interesting reads fellas... 

^ Thanks, FL, for such a thoughtful post. While I prefer classic symphonic Prog generally (a lot of the modern symph is quite repugnant to my ears) to Neo-Prog, I would not call myself a fan of Neo-Prog or Symphonic Prog.

I've been reading very negative comments about Neo-Prog for at least twenty years (I did not know of it before the 2000s) and some of that has come from me. Especially in my early years here I was very harsh with it. For me it was because it had a kind of slick AORish pop-rock sound often with a terrible to my ears keyboard sound, seemed kind of emo, too in the melodic rock vein, and went too much in for solos for my tastes and with later albums it flirted too much with metal and heavy rock for me. And again, I'm not that big on Symph which was a big influence. Had, say, Univers Zero or Henry Cow been a bigger influence than Genesis, it likely would have hit the mark much more for me. Neo-RIO for that win and I way prefer Neo-Psych to Neo-Prog. Pink Floyd was an influence, but I don't like post The Wall stuff and I might have rather that influence come more from PF's 60s experimental and psych side. I much prefer PF's influence on Krautrock, and I much prefer the big influence of Krautrock on 90s-up music than the influence of Symph and earlier Neo-Prog bands like Marillion on modern bands.

I have come to like much more heavy music, by the way and have found music included in every category at PA. Duster is my favourite band included in Neo-Prog here in the hallowed halls of PA, but I have not heard the Neo-Prog in Duster (I have the self-titled album and bands can be quite diverse, but that is Neo-Psych).

I found that what I heard of Neo-Prog lacked the experimental, adventurous, jazzy, and psychedelia qualities, as well as the kinds of atmosphere and ambience that appealed to me. I quickly found that music like RIO/Avant, Acid Folk, Krautrock, Zeuhl, Progressive Electronic, Canterbury Scene and some kinds of JRF and different forms of art rock/ art pop was much more likely to appeal to me than Neo-Prog (the other most difficult for on the whole has been progressive Metal). And in the post-classic era stuff, I love lots of Post-Rock, things here in Crossover like Radiohead (now that gets emotional), Kate Bush, Susanne Sundfor, Anna von Hausswolff and Bjork. Thinking, I like so much female led projects, if someone has an all female Neo-Prog band I'd like to try it (maybe one from Japan).

Neo-Prog has been very popular at PA, but also divisive. I have known quite few people at this site who were all over the brilliance of, say, IQ while being extremely disparaging of more experimental works. Fine to have an opinion, good to e express that opinion with semblance of diplomacy imo but putting down others tastes (if saying something like your taste in music sucks) entrenches people more in a position and is unnecessarily divisive. Then more people jump on the hate wagons as it becomes an us vs. them scenario (with some in both camps it's true). Of course some seem too far too easily get upset at others not liking what they like which can result in being vindictive. Music, what we like, can be a very big part of our identity so having others say negative things about that which we like can feel like a personal attack when it is not.

Not having really gotten it myself, I get why many are not too found of Neo-Prog just as I am that many of those most into the more mainstream forms of melodic prog (like Symph) might not appreciate a lot of music I like. Neo-Prog is more likely to appeal to people here are very into Symphonic Prog (such as Genesis, which I am not that into despite liking the Lamb and various other music) and, AORish music Rush etc.)

I do like Ararchnoid by the way, in Symph, but I have had a thing for French Prog. Still, I don't love that album like I did twenty years ago.

Edited by Logan - January 14 2025 at 14:32

Six favourite Space Rock "A" bands and their first three albums.

Aphrodite's Child - 666 was reissued last year with a nice CD/DVD box set as well as a vinyl reissue. I now have 2 versions of this on vinyl. 

Arena gets the nod.

Seven favourite Symphonic Prog "A" bands and their first three albums.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - January 13 2025 at 11:58

Arena, because I saw them live in support of Pride, and I like those early Arena albums quite a bit. After those albums, Arena just isn't the same.

Logan wrote: Anekdoten would have been well-received and it is one that I thought others might mention quickly. And maybe Anyone's Daughter amongst others (again, don't know the third there) It's not one I went with because I really like Anekdoten's first two albums, but have not heard the third. Unlike five of these where I know all three albums well and one (Arena) where none of the albums are in my bag.