This is kind of ironic right, cause like 800 minute guitar solos followed by 800 minute drum solos followed by 800 minute synth solos... but no focus on bass cause we have no soul. I'm pretty sure the full name is Prog "Overbloated" Rock.
Oh and the note choice... if there aren't 800 notes per song, 800 key changes, and 800 tempo changes, it's not good enough.
Kidding aside, there's like 2 prog rock albums that are barely prog that I like, except for Animals as Leaders, cause I think the guitar play is truly trying to push himself/the instrument to new places/unique forms, etc. like a good jazz player instead of self worship like most prog... what's funny is I feel prog often tries to emulate something great and nearly always falls bloatedly short.
This is kind of ironic right, cause like 800 minute guitar solos followed by 800 minute drum solos followed by 800 minute synth solos... but no focus on bass cause we have no soul. I'm pretty sure the full name is Prog "Overbloated" Rock.
Oh and the note choice... if there aren't 800 notes per song, 800 key changes, and 800 tempo changes, it's not good enough.
Kidding aside, there's like 2 prog rock albums that are barely prog that I like, except for Animals as Leaders, cause I think the guitar play is truly trying to push himself/the instrument to new places/unique forms, etc. like a good jazz player instead of self worship like most prog... what's funny is I feel prog often tries to emulate something great and nearly always falls bloatedly short.
8 NECK GUITARS
800 minute solos one after the other? Sounds a lot like jazz (which I also love)
The key is that those solos actually go somewhere. There's self indulgent wankery to be found in a number of genres, but what sets prog apart is that the virtuosity is displayed in the midst of tremendous compositional chops. Unlilke, say, live Allman Brothers (who I also love), rather than 800 minute solos over a non-evolving pentatonic scale, the prog solo morphs and builds, and that variation actually supports the longer compositions. Note choice isn't just how many notes, but also which notes. I love that prog allows choices outside the standard scales. Any metal guitar player worth his salt can shred 32nd notes. But a great prog guitarist can do that with interesting note selection, in an odd time signature, and then blend it with slower licks where he can really bend a string and show some expressiveness, and do it all in a way that it makes perfect musical sense. N
Interesting you mention Animals as Leaders (whom I also love). That's a classic case of a group most folks would say is self indulgent or even incomprehensible guitar wankery. How cool you dig it despite not being a prog guy!
As for bass, I play bass. Bass is what brought me to prog in the first place. The first time I heard Roundabout, I knew I was hearing something special for the instrument, as well as how the instrument can really contribute to the greater scope of the overall music. Then Geddy Lee. Then others. Lots of great bass in prog. To me, where bass is missing is when it's relegated to nothing more than steady quarters or maybe eights in simple I-III-V patterns as is the case in most music.
This is kind of ironic right, cause like 800 minute guitar solos followed by 800 minute drum solos followed by 800 minute synth solos... but no focus on bass cause we have no soul. I'm pretty sure the full name is Prog "Overbloated" Rock.
Oh and the note choice... if there aren't 800 notes per song, 800 key changes, and 800 tempo changes, it's not good enough.
Kidding aside, there's like 2 prog rock albums that are barely prog that I like, except for Animals as Leaders, cause I think the guitar play is truly trying to push himself/the instrument to new places/unique forms, etc. like a good jazz player instead of self worship like most prog... what's funny is I feel prog often tries to emulate something great and nearly always falls bloatedly short.
8 NECK GUITARS
800 minute solos one after the other? Sounds a lot like jazz (which I also love)
The key is that those solos actually go somewhere. There's self indulgent wankery to be found in a number of genres, but what sets prog apart is that the virtuosity is displayed in the midst of tremendous compositional chops. Unlilke, say, live Allman Brothers (who I also love), rather than 800 minute solos over a non-evolving pentatonic scale, the prog solo morphs and builds, and that variation actually supports the longer compositions. Note choice isn't just how many notes, but also which notes. I love that prog allows choices outside the standard scales. Any metal guitar player worth his salt can shred 32nd notes. But a great prog guitarist can do that with interesting note selection, in an odd time signature, and then blend it with slower licks where he can really bend a string and show some expressiveness, and do it all in a way that it makes perfect musical sense. N
Interesting you mention Animals as Leaders (whom I also love). That's a classic case of a group most folks would say is self indulgent or even incomprehensible guitar wankery. How cool you dig it despite not being a prog guy!
As for bass, I play bass. Bass is what brought me to prog in the first place. The first time I heard Roundabout, I knew I was hearing something special for the instrument, as well as how the instrument can really contribute to the greater scope of the overall music. Then Geddy Lee. Then others. Lots of great bass in prog. To me, where bass is missing is when it's relegated to nothing more than steady quarters or maybe eights in simple I-III-V patterns as is the case in most music.
Yeah mine was kind of in jest as well. But I really do think there's a lot of bloated prog. Somehow prog is the only genre (imo) that feels this way. Idk why - in all seriousness.
And yes there good bassists in prog. There's also a decent amount of prog bassist that play the eight notes in simple patterns.
Tosin Abasi just does really cool stuff that other prog guitarists haven't. Slapping instead of just tapping, etc. I feel he really pushes stuff in a creative way instead of a bloated way.
Do you have an example of an acclaimed progressive rock album that you consider bloated? I'm just trying to figure out what people mean when they criticize the key changes, tempo changes, drawn-out solos, etc.. I feel like when they're done smoothly and effortlessly it sounds really cool. But I don't listen to much prog rock.
Do you have an example of an acclaimed progressive rock album that you consider bloated? I'm just trying to figure out what people mean when they criticize the key changes, tempo changes, drawn-out solos, etc.. I feel like when they're done smoothly and effortlessly it sounds really cool. But I don't listen to much prog rock.
Among the really big name orig bands, Yes takes a lot of heat for this. Close to the Edge is oft cited as the ultimate prog slbum, and its often called bloated or overindulgence. Although slightly less acclaimed, the ultimate example is Tales from Topographic Oceans, almost universally named as the most "bloated" album of all times.
Sawyer Brown is without a doubt the best band to still be together.
God bless you and every member always!!!
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P.S. This of course is only their beginning 36 years ago. The next clip to watch after this one is their video for the song named "Step That Step" which was the first of their three #1 songs. The lead guy in my opinion couldn't be anymore firecracker fun!!!
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Do you have an example of an acclaimed progressive rock album that you consider bloated? I'm just trying to figure out what people mean when they criticize the key changes, tempo changes, drawn-out solos, etc.. I feel like when they're done smoothly and effortlessly it sounds really cool. But I don't listen to much prog rock.
Me personally, basically everything dream theater.
But yes, you are right, it's no the musical elements themselves. I personally think it's the end to which the musical element was put there... was it for an emotional or artistic reason or was it put there cause I'm a badass guitarist and want to show off. Or it might be more like this... the priority of things. Good key changes, tempo changes/complex tempos, etc. have a strong emotional/artistic or possibly clever reason for doing so. Thrice is such a band that does so and I like it. MuteMath... uh the Rite of Spring by Stravinksy... but when prog bands do it, it is more because it is badass, and then a very weak emotional/artistic reason to do so.
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