Best Ever Albums

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Anonymous — Tue, 3 Oct 2017 14:29:30 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 10/03/2017 18:29

Yes's Close to the Edge still stands out for me! 😄

Or: Peter Hammill's In Camera
Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

SleepDealer — Sun, 1 Oct 2017 08:51:33 GMT

Author: SleepDealer

Posted: 10/01/2017 12:51

A couple of picks I don't think have been mentioned:

Mirage by Camel

IMO better than Moonmadness, but not Snowgoose.

Argus by Wishbone Ash

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Graeme2 — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 16:51:13 GMT

Author: Graeme2

Posted: 09/30/2017 20:51

Anyways blah blah, plenty good points made. But if you still doubt the prog and you don't like the floyd and you think paranoid android is shite, ok mate, just roll one and smoke it. Put on Starless by King Crimson. End of.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

bobbyb5 — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 08:44:35 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 09/29/2017 12:44

TheHutts wrote:

I've tried his first four, but Squeezing Out Sparks is easily my favourite - that song about abortion is quite startling.

Yeah. Squeezing out Sparks is one of the ones I have. And I also have Heat Treatment.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Daydreamer — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:37:27 GMT

Author: Daydreamer

Posted: 09/26/2017 21:37

Ok those recs look really intriguing. Gonna listen to them and then report here. Thanks

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Jimmy Dread — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:26:23 GMT

Author: Jimmy Dread

Posted: 09/26/2017 21:26

Interesting how this thread has splintered off into a conversation about pub rock, which at least in the UK was partly a reaction to the pompousity of the kind of prog rock the likes of Yes and ELP were coming up with. Kind of a 'two-fingers-up' at the classically trained, public school snobbery that looked down on working class oiks as not having the necessary talent to make records (the 'old boys network' undoubtedly contributed too). Pub Rock went back to basics, the Rhythm and Blues of 15-20 years prior and attempted to take popular music back to the working class, blue-collar bars and clubs of East London and thereby giving the London music scene the huge kick up the arse it needed. Not that anyone noticed at the time - Pub Rock was never a great seller - but without it, there'd have been no UK inner city gig scene (Roxy, 100 Club, et al) and therefore nowhere to put these bands on to inspire others to follow suit. Ergo no pub rock, no UK punk scene.

Pub Rock bands - the good ones, at least - were tight as a nun's chuff. Tilly, you mention Dr. Feelgood. They were the kind of band who (at least when they started out) looked like a street gang, the kind you wouldn't want to bump into down a dark alleyway less they'd mug you for your winkelpickers. They had attitude, obviously did speed like it was going out of fashion, played fast, smash-and-grab R&B and looked like they hadn't ever changed, let alone washed their on-stage attire - the antithesis of prog, and the harbinger of punk. Witness:

Link

Personally I can't stand the epic keyboard solos, faux mysticism and overblown panto-esque stage self-importance of the mid-70s proggers. Early progressive rock, however, is a different story, and there's a couple of absolute beauts from the genre I adore, especially:

It'll All Work Out In Boomland by T2

Which I would recommend without reservation to anyone who likes In The Court Of The Crimson King

Then you cross into hybrid genres, and folk-prog in particular. Think Procol Harum's Whiter Shade Of Pale, expect performed in a caravan with lutes. Such as:

Swaddling Songs by Mellow Candle

Or the scary-as-shit:

First Utterance by Comus

And especially:

Paix by Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes

Which is where folk, prog and psych all meet in one cosmic Gallic melting pot. It's utterly fantastic, and thanks to Borve (not a user many of you newer members will be aware of) one of the best 3 albums I've ever discovered in all my years with BEA.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Repo — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:48:10 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 09/26/2017 20:48

lol. I forgot the best pub rock band of all time...

High Voltage by AC/DC

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Repo — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:20:02 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 09/26/2017 03:20

TheHutts wrote:

I've tried his first four, but Squeezing Out Sparks is easily my favourite - that song about abortion is quite startling.

Yeah. I think that's widely considered his best. I'll throw it in my queue now for one last try.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

TheHutts — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:17:23 GMT

Author: TheHutts

Posted: 09/26/2017 03:17

I've tried his first four, but Squeezing Out Sparks is easily my favourite - that song about abortion is quite startling.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Repo — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:11:22 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 09/26/2017 03:11

bobbyb5 wrote:

I got two of his albums but I can't get into him either. But I figured he must have been kind of popular because he always had a ton records in the used vinyl bin, so I figured he must have sold a lot of records at one time. And I bought them out of curiosity but couldn't get in to him

lol. it's probably just that everyone sells them back super quick because nobody can get into him.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

bobbyb5 — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:09:33 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 09/26/2017 03:09

Tilly wrote:

One of my best friends toured with Graham Parker for a couple of years back in the late 90s/ early naughts. I really need to check him out. I've never been able to get really into any this records for some reason even though I LOVE Costello.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

Repo — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:03:56 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 09/26/2017 03:03

bobbyb5 wrote:

I also have a couple albums by Graham Parker & the Rumour, who seem like they were the most successful of all the pub rock bands. I mean in the United States.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

bobbyb5 — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 23:00:29 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 09/26/2017 03:00

TheHutts wrote:

Elvis Costello is pretty similar to Parker - even though he expanded his range, his debut is pretty much pub rock, and he has that background.

Yup.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

TheHutts — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 22:54:48 GMT

Author: TheHutts

Posted: 09/26/2017 02:54

bobbyb5 wrote:

I also have a couple albums by Graham Parker & the Rumour, who seem like they were the most successful of all the pub rock bands. I mean in the United States.

Elvis Costello is pretty similar to Parker - even though he expanded his range, his debut is pretty much pub rock, and he has that background.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

RoundTheBend — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 22:25:41 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 09/26/2017 02:25

CryingGameDahlin wrote:

Maybe. So What?

Maybe what? So what? What?

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

RoundTheBend — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 22:24:44 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 09/26/2017 02:24

RockyRaccoon wrote:

Fischman wrote:

RockyRaccoon wrote:

I've always likened the progressive rock movement to the baroque movement - a focus on technically-impressive music rather than something that happens to be catchy.

And yet a great baroque movement can be full of all that wonderful complexity and virtuosity...and still have some really catchy stuff as well. Think Bach's double concerto--catchy as hell and just as intricate. Prog may focus on complexity and virtuosity, but that's certainly not mutually exclusive with hummable tunes.

Certainly not, and I think the same is true with prog. There are plenty of prog tunes that are easy to listen to, I was more specifying what the main focus was, the two are definitely not mutually exclusive

I mean if the argument is Pink Floyd is Prog, and Money, being in 7/8, is a prog song... well that is catchy as hell.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

bobbyb5 — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 22:21:25 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 09/26/2017 02:21

I also have a couple albums by Graham Parker & the Rumour, who seem like they were the most successful of all the pub rock bands. I mean in the United States.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

bobbyb5 — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 21:57:29 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 09/26/2017 01:57

Tilly wrote:

bobbyb5 wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

Graeme2 wrote:

seth madsen wrote:

I don't really know any of that music you listed intimately, but I'm pretty sure the definition of progressive rock is overblown rock.

So Tha1ChiefRocka's reply is absolutely appropriate. That's the answer to bloated progressive rock: punk rock.

This thing about punk being an answer to prog is something always mentioned when talking about the origins of British punk. Prog had long since had its prime and was fading in popularity by 1976. There may be something to it but I'm not sure it's as big a factor as has been insinuated. Uk punk was more inspired by the pub rock scene in London than being a movement against prog.

Oh - interesting.

Yeah, I've heard the claim I made from lots of musicians and musicologists, but good point. Like anything in history, there's like a a whole web of influence instead of a singular, linear line of clearly defined causation.

Thanks!

Any examples of these pub rock bands?

Heres a few names of Pub rock bands that I'm aware of, but I don't really know that much about it . But I do know these names;
Brinsley Schwarz
Dr. Feelgood
Ducks Deluxe
Eddie and the hot rods
Nick Lowe

For someone looking to get into pub rock, I can totally vouch for ...

Teenage Depression by Eddie & The Hot Rods

and

Life On The Line by Eddie & The Hot Rods

They were constants in my car for a while. Nick Lowe is awesome too, but I don't really consider him classic pub rock. I NEED to check out some Dr. Feelgood 'cause I hear they're awesome.

As for the question, good prog rock rules! That Caravan album that Graeme pointed out was one of my favorite listens a couple of years ago. But, I worship King Crimson. Love Yes. Need to check out Foxtrot since that's getting a lot of love on this thread. Plus, whatever I've heard from that Camel band has been awesome! I need to check them out more. My absolute favorite prog rock album is probably Red, but anything from King Crimson rules. Plus, I love.love love 70s Rush! I don't think Moving Pictures has aged that well tbh. But, all their 70s stuff is pretty awesome.

I mentioned Nick Lowe because I know that he was in a couple of them like Brinsley Schwarz. And when Stiff Records began signing all these Pub rock bands, he made his earliest records with various members of some of the Bands. Although I agree his later music probably wasn't Pub Rock at all. Not that I'm all that sure what qualifies as pub Rock. I haven't heard all that much to be honest.
And Dr. Feelgood are pretty fun. Besides Eddie and the hot rods, Dr. Feelgood is the only one I've ever owned albums by or even heard.

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

cestuneblague — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 18:12:51 GMT

Author: cestuneblague

Posted: 09/25/2017 22:12

Maybe. So What?

Re: Is 70s progressive rock too overblown?

AAL2014 — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 15:25:34 GMT

Author: AAL2014

Posted: 09/25/2017 19:25

Fischman wrote:

But that's the thing--it takes great talent to do something complex that sounds good. It's one thing to throw a bunch of complex layers together, but it's something else to do it wit skill and make it worth listening to. If you're thinking it doesn't "sound good" you're still not getting it.

Great prog is the musical equivalent of Les Miserables or A Tale of Two Cities--layers of musical meaning expertly woven together; great musical themes dovetailed with mastery of art; broad contexts interwoven to maximum musical effect for anyone with the ear to hear it.

When I hear the way Geddy Lee takes a seemingly impossible bass line and combines it with one of Neil Peart's equally impossible drum runs all spliced in with the six string wizardry of Alex Lifeson, I get a reaction every bit as joyful, every bit as emotional, and every bit as visceral as anything anyone else hears in their favorite form of music--plus it sounds good...plus it is just wicked cool ... plus it's something nobody else can so, so it's top level special in a way no other music can be.

This 100%

Things that sound good are in the ear of the beholder. No such thing as music that sounds good and music that doesn't. Rush is probably my favorite band so I'm agreeing blindly and then some about the Rush portion of your post, but there is so much beauty in their specific complexity because it's theirs. It's their ideas and chemistry meshing together to create something no one else could do the same way. Just like the same could be said about how the Ramones or Sex Pistols crafted songs and their intensity behind each one.

Genre stereotypes are way overrated. It's about who's making the music.