No kidding. I'm almost tempted to post something else controversial so he'll add more to the thread.
Double No kidding. You two should seriously tag team the rest of rock history. Mecca can make cameos. It'd be the best thread on here by a country mile. Loving all these recs!!! Screaming Target and Blackboard Jungle are now in my frequent listening bin & loving both. Thanks!
Double No kidding. You two should seriously tag team the rest of rock history. Mecca can make cameos.
Anybody who is willing to devote time to writing the initial summaries is more than welcome to do so. For example, I would love to see how Jim would summarize 1974 in Jamaican music (or some other year in the '70s) when we get there.
Actually... that's not a bad idea. Maybe we could get some of the resident experts sign up to do summaries on their favorite genre/year combos. I can still do whatever areas that nobody takes and people can still comment as much as they like, but having more "formal" guest contributions would provide some welcome variety.
Regardless, anyone who doesn't like my summary should do exactly what Jim did and write about their own perspective. That goes especially for genres that I tend to dislike (like prog, coming soon).
Always happy to help. Oddly enough I'm pretty well versed in constructing long diatribes about music, having had to write a university thesis on punk and reggae whilst suffering a raging abscess in the Summer of '00. Highlight being an e-mail conversation I had with Jon Savage, who really does not like Noel Edmonds (ask the Brits here who I'm talking about).
Nowt special about 1974 reggae-wise (apart from Natty Dread, ironically enough, and Keith Hudson's Pick A Dub). I'll wait on the subs bench until you get to '75. In fact 1974's a pretty naff year all round, if you ask me. I think you should skip it! _________________ 'Reggae' & t'ing Folk 'n Stuff SHAMELESS RECORD DEALER PLUG
Double No kidding. You two should seriously tag team the rest of rock history. Mecca can make cameos. It'd be the best thread on here by a country mile. Loving all these recs!!! Screaming Target and Blackboard Jungle are now in my frequent listening bin & loving both. Thanks!
If we could bring back Lethal and Norman for this as well, it'd be overwhelming. It's really hard to even keep up with all of the amazing recs that come out of this thread. I've been totally focused on writing my synopses of my favorite albums of the 90s and 00s, so that's basically all I've been listening to. _________________ http://jonnyleather.com
1973: Progressive Rock and Rock Opera
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The shortcomings of progressive rock are given right in its name. The genre attracted musicians who held the conceit that rock music was in need of progression -- that it was a low art begging for recognition by the academic establishment. Although its proponents varied widely in how this should be achieved, the majority drew from Western classical music tradition, creating a subgenre known as symphonic prog. For the most part, these folks thought it would be a good idea to take the blues out of rock and make it as sickeningly white as possible. Not that there's anything wrong with European classical traditions, mind you, but when you take the blues out of rock and roll, you take away most of what makes it special.
The genre was not without its virtues, the most notable of which were its encouraging of experimentation and its willingness to stray from traditional song structures. What’s more, some progressive rock musicians drew heavily from jazz tradition, thus retaining its blues foundation, only in a different form.
King Crimson, much like their other progressive rock peers, had lofty ambitions. Unlike most of their peers, however, they may have actually been up to the task. If you were wondering why their work gets a pass from critics who are otherwise dismissive of prog, albums like this should help you understand. The highs are absolutely transcendent, though the transitions between songs struck me as awkward at times. Even so, jazz fusion has seldom been done better from the rock side.
Dark Side of the Moon is possibly the most polarizing album on BEA. While vaguely symphonic in structure, it is seldom considered to be an example of symphonic prog. Floyd does make heavy use of synthesizers, but it is not with the intention of mimicking orchestral instruments; rather, I would say the resulting soundscape more closely echoes their psychedelic rock origins than a classical composition. Regardless, it’s generally considered to be one of the cornerstones of progressive rock and was certainly influential.
I find myself straddling the boundary of the debate over this album. It has both wowed me and bored me at times. I do think it’s their most cohesive work, but unfortunately it also shows hints of their more… theatrical offerings to come.
While the rock opera form is not restricted to the progressive rock movement, it has been subject to many of the same criticisms. On the surface, rock operas appear to be an attempt to elevate rock music by fusing it with an artistic form that is respected by the establishment. Early examples, like The Who’s Tommy, were certainly… ostentatious.
As usual, however, Lou Reed was the exception. His 1973 rock opera, Berlin, was so overwhelmingly dismal that I have to wonder if it was intended to be a parody of the form. Never grand or showy, this tragic tale of drugs and suicide unfolds like a long funeral march. It’s very good, but you might still regret listening to it.
Others I listened to:
Quadrophenia by The Who - I can’t believe I sat through this twice. This album seems to have its share of fans on the forum, so somebody please make their case for why this isn’t a massive wankfest.
A Wizard, A True Star by Todd Rundgren - Prog can work quite well when it actually acknowledges how silly it can be. Also worth hearing for the lovely soul medley.
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield - Downright quixotic. This album barely even tries to be anything other than mass-marketed classical music.
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