Enrico Macaroni is only marginally interesting.

[Righ]

But I had lots to say about contemporary rock music that isn't an anachronism.

[voodoolily]

Righ, you always crack my shit the other way.

[voodoolily]

I just found out about and Googled these guys. Click the 'sounds' part of song in 'albums'.

Edit: it's an Italian prog band from the 70s called Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. I like how the initials are very close to BDSM.

Hey! I found this link that lets you listen to all SORTS of mp3s for free! In their entirety! My favorite song from Lizard (King Crimson) is on there! YAY. Scroll down to the bottom.

[stray]

Never was a big fan of Prog rock. Not that I dislike it. I just tend to like rock that's short, hard, and catchy (and *gasp* worthy to dance to). Don't care if it's Elvis, the Stones, or punk.

As for Morricone, I practically worship the guy. I'm not sure what he has to do with prog though (I think I missed that part of the other thread). He's kind of the antithesis of that. He takes simple, catchy themes and pounds them into your head. He's a romantic. He's rock 'n' roll. No multipart epics, no 10 minute long Mexican trumpet solos.

Also, schild is still being a wiseass when saying he's not important in the big musical scheme of things. He's important for opening the doors to more kinds of instruments being played in classical compositions (especially folk and popular instruments, like electric guitars). Which, in turn, leads to bridging the gap between classical and pop.

Either way, I think schild really likes him. If I can recall, his favorite movie has a Morricone score.


Anyways...

Man with a Harmonica

Song I mentioned to Voodoo earlier. Couldn't find a clip then, but I'll just post it here.

[edit] Seriously, that shit is dope. Even cooler playing in the background before Henry Fonda guns down that little kid. You've got a harmonica, a tiny Banjo part, a clarinet, a string section, a vocal chorus choir, and a fuzzed out Univox in front of a Fender guitar. And as far as 'variations on a single theme' goes, only Beethoven does it better. And Kylie Minogue.

[Righ]

I just found out about and Googled these guys. Click the 'sounds' part of song in 'albums'.

They are one of the huge 70s progressive bands from Italy who "made it" in UK and USA to some extent. As a result, they re-recorded some of their albums with English vocals. Other 70s prog bands that gained significant audiences beyond Italy were Premiata Forneira Marconi and Le Orme. Typically, the versions with Italian vocals are better. The one exception is Le Orme's "Felona e Sorona" for which they drafted in Peter Hammill to sing the English version. Darwin and Io Sono Nato Libero are my favorite Banco albums.

If you like them, you'll probably also like contemprary Italian band La Maschera Di Cera. They're excellent and their most recent album LuxAde is an absolutely stunning symphonic piece, produced by PFM's drummer Franz di Cioccio.

Hey! I found this link that lets you listen to all SORTS of mp3s for free! In their entirety! My favorite song from Lizard (King Crimson) is on there! YAY. Scroll down to the bottom.

Yes, it's handy. The forums are filled with all sorts of stupid - kind of like a prog rock take on VNboards. But the review part of the site is decent, and its a useful place for keeping abreast of new releases and tours.

Current bands that appear on ProgArchives, but which are doing something different from the norm:

Porcupine Tree, Pure Reason Revolution, Dredg, Guapo and Oceansize. Also Radiohead, Muse, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mars Volta, Sigur Ros and Tool, but these are better known.

Porcupine Tree are playing a handful of dates to debut their DVD in October. Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew of Crimson fame are appearing with PT on their three east coast dates. Tony Levin is appearing with them on their two west coast dates.

[voodoolily]

Muse was what started this whole conversation. I previously mentioned the implicit similarity of Muse's vocals to those of Thom Yorke (of Radiohead). I like Sigur Ros okay, but have never felt the "omg this is neo-prog!" that I got from the new Muse album.

I can't wait to check out the other stuff you mentioned, Righ - thanks!

[Righ]

If you ever read ProgArchives' forums, you'll discover that the people there are militant about labels. You wouldn't get away with calling Muse "neo-prog" because that label is reserved for the British 1980s progressive "revival" spearheaded by Marillion, but including among others, IQ, Pallas, Twelfth Night and Pendragon. All good bands, but much more "traditional" in their style. You could even dance to some of it. :)

Most of the bands mentioned are prog (and also neo-prog) if you want them to be, not if you don't. Labels are like that. Muse and Radiohead do share similarities of vocal style, and also similar simple harmonic themes and an over-abundance of melancholia. Throw Pineapple Thief into the same bag.

[stray]

So some people consider Sigur Ros and Godspeed to be prog now? I never knew. I just bunched them in with all of the other ambient rock guys (i.e. Mogwai). There's a pretty good band from up there in Oregon that you might want to check out, Lily. Their name is Yume Bitsu. Another good one from down here in Texas called Explosions in the Sky.

Actually....There are a lot from bands like this from both places.

[stray]

This is REAL Prog dudes. Prog at it's most excessive, glorious, and most comedic moment. 

Amon Duul II Live

[EDIT] Scratch that. This is prog's most glorious moment.

Carmen Live

Hah, youtube has everything. Though I couldn't find a good video of Can or Gong. Kickass bands, but everything there is unbelievably bad.

[Engels]

[EDIT] Scratch that. This is prog's most glorious moment.

Carmen Live

Dude, that is so eternally bad, God had Dante resurrected and sent back in time to write another canto, just for them.

[Righ]

This is REAL Prog dudes. Prog at it's most excessive, glorious, and most comedic moment. 

Amon Duul II Live

I love Amon Duul. I have a bunch of their albums on vinyl, and a couple of CDs.

One degree of freedom from Amon Duul:

Hawkwind

Or:

Inner City Unit

Great YouTube Krautrock:

Can, greatest rock band in the world
Too short a clip of the great Manuel Gottsching
Guru Guru
and
Can's pop song, with Michael (RIP) on vocals

[stray]

Dude, that is so eternally bad, God had Dante resurrected and sent back in time to write another canto, just for them.

They have, like, the hottest 70's synth player ever (unless Eno is your kind of thing). Who flamencos on stage to boot.

...

To be serious though, it's a group of really great musicians with a fucked up (and unique) idea. And bad songwriting skills. Not unlike many prog bands.

[edit] Wow Righ, I couldn't find those particular Can vids earlier. Cool stuff.

[Sky]

A music thread I can't participate in, wow. Well, I guess TM just posted another.

postcount ++

[Righ]

Stumbled on a new song from Blackfield on YouTube. Blackfield are a band formed by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Israeli pop star Aviv Geffen. Its certainly Wilson's more commercial and immediately accessible side, but entertaining nonetheless. Video has 3:27 of (largely Hebrew) interview before the song kicks in.

[Ironwood]

Patrick is Dancing to HM2, isn't he ?


http://www.frankklepacki.com/

[Righ]

Very likely. He's a bit of a game music nerd.

[Righ]

I've listened the new Muse and Mars Volta albums well enough now, and I reiterate - the motherfuckers in the mastering studios are destroying music. Both of these records are hot as hell - pull a sample of them into Amplitude or similar and you'll see one big fat peak, and clipping all over the place. The vocals are sibilant, the bass washed out, the guitars and drums flattened against the sound wall. No dynamic range or sound stage. Cocksuckers.

Looks like Warner have sent the goons round to remove a bunch of videos from YouTube. Never mind, lets ignore their artists.

Here's a really good contemporary band from Poland called Riverside.

And here's another fine contemporary band, this time from Sweden, they're called Anekdoten.

[Righ]

I just found out about and Googled these guys. Click the 'sounds' part of song in 'albums'.

Edit: it's an Italian prog band from the 70s called Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. I like how the initials are very close to BDSM.

Surprisingly enough, I'll be going to see them at NEARfest in June.

Anyhow, Opeth, the death metal masters from Sweden have more or less completely turned into a prog rock band on this epic number, which is a freebie download:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/free/opeth/

Starts off with a bit of cookie monster vocals and typical metal riffery, but quickly evolves into something quite wonderful. About half way though it descends into pure 70s inspired prog. You can just imagine all the faux-satanic teens' crushed faces at the live shows. Excellent.

[Selby]

You can just imagine all the faux-satanic teens' crushed faces at the live shows.

Bah.  Any true Opeth fan knew this was the direction they were going back in 2001 when Blackwater Park came out.  They did an entire "acoustic" album as well.  They have always been about bucking the trends in death metal and combining it with the better aspects of progressive rock.

[Hoax]

They play SF this weekend, does this mean I should care?

[Chenghiz]

They play SF this weekend, does this mean I should care?

Probably! I am a great fan of their proggy mix of death metal and blues rock. I haven't listened to the new Opeth yet but now I am basically going to have to pick up a copy.

[Selby]

They play SF this weekend, does this mean I should care?

Well, before 2001 when I saw them they had never toured the US before so it was one of those "better go before I miss it" moments.  They have done well and continue to tour, so if you can't make this tour they probably will be back.

Unless you don't like the band of course, then obviously don't go.

[Righ]

Bah.  Any true Opeth fan knew this was the direction they were going back in 2001 when Blackwater Park came out.

Yep. This is when Mikael Akerfeldt got Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree to produce them. It also resulted in Wilson taking back some more aggressive guitar playing to Porcupine Tree. With luck Akerfeldt and Wilson will share enough "time off" this year to make a start on the project they've been planning together for a while. Mike Portnoy was supposed to be involved as well.