TOP 10 PROG ALBUMS OF 2006 - POLL RESULT!

avestin wrote: Coming out of my "exile" to tell you Tony that you did a very good work on presenting this list. On aonther note, I am sorry to see that Deluge Grander, Zaar, Nemo and NeBeLNeST are not higher (they are in the list, only after the first 10), but then again, it's just a list (but I'll keep my criticism for another time, to not ruin people's time).

Those albums came around a little later, and were not heard by very many people. I think Deluge Grander did finish 12th overall. We got them added, and hopefully more members will check out this fantastic album.
    

mmm...yeah, I guess it´s a good list I dont know, I havent listen to the Kayo Dot album except for the one track in this site, but I did listen to their previews work...ok, if you think it should be number one, thats ok. But the rest of the choices let me a bit down, I thought The Mars Volta would made it in the top 5 again, and 10,000 days, although a good album, is no masterpiece and I couln´t disagree more when Tony sayd this album let nobody down, I remember reading how 10,000 days let so many down. The Tangent in number 10...yes, why not, I didnt think they would make it, but I guess number 10 is the best position. Yet, Im pretty disapointed Beyond Twlight´s album wasnt there, for me the work of the year. Frost doesn´t deliver anything new, so why are they so high in the top 10, or even in the top 10 anyways?

It´s a shame, I really liked last years list...

Oh my god, what a results ... ? And this "super" winner...    

^^ I voted for it as 3rd or 4th in my list.


Kayo Dot was my number 1 pick, in case anyone couldn't tell.

el böthy wrote: and 10,000 days, although a good album, is no masterpiece and I couln´t disagree more when Tony sayd this album let nobody down..

Matias, I actually wrote: "This follows on some five years after the triumph that was “Lateralus” and judging by the vote they didn’t let anyone down"

With the album coming in at #5 on our poll and being #1 on the Billboard Album Chart, I suggest that more than enough were happy with it.

Tony R wrote: el böthy wrote: and 10,000 days, although a good album, is no masterpiece and I couln´t disagree more when Tony sayd this album let nobody down.. Matias, I actually wrote: "This follows on some five years after the triumph that was “Lateralus” and judging by the vote they didn’t let anyone down" With the album coming in at #5 on our poll and being #1 on the Billboard Album Chart, I suggest that more than enough were happy with it.

I find it boring and tiresome and one of the worst releases of the year.

1. Wolverine - Still (and I think I'm the only one who voted for it at all!!!)
2. Beyond Twilight - For the Love of Art and the Making
3. Egyptian Kings - Almagest
4. Frost* - Milliontown
5. Strangefish - Fortune Telling

Neo got the shaft by the collabs!!!

fuxi wrote: Prog Metal is not for me, I'm afraid.

fuxi and memowakeman, Kayo Dot isn't really prog metal. You should listen to the samples. I think they should be in avant-prog, but what do I know?

I'm very happy to see Kayo Dot as number one. With all the reviews, I was afraid TMV would come in first (I'm sorry, I just really don't like what I've heard from it even though I like most of FTM). I can't say much about the other ones, but Kayo Dot deserves it.
    

Edited by Ghandi 2 - January 16 2007 at 21:35

OpethGuitarist wrote: I find it boring and tiresome and one of the worst releases of the year.

exactly my thoughts ... about Amputechture!!!
     

Ghandi 2 wrote: fuxi wrote: Prog Metal is not for me, I'm afraid. fuxi and memowakeman, Kayo Dot isn't really prog metal. You should listen to the samples. I think they should be in avant-prog, but what do I know? I'm very happy to see Kayo Dot as number one. With all the reviews, I was afraid TMV would come in first (I'm sorry, I just really don't like what I've heard from it even though I like most of FTM). I can't say much about the other ones, but Kayo Dot deserves it.

I've wondered, as well, whether Kayo Dot should be listed under RIO/ Avant Prog.  They are a metal oriented Avant Prog band.  I like them a lot, and I am not usually attracted to metal bands -- it's the avant Prog boy in me, and my jazzy leanings, that likes them.  Estradasphere is another metal/ avant Prog band I like (listed at this site under Rio/ Avant Prog).  Of course there are a number who mix up metal with jazz etc. Ideally, this site would have multiple tags for bands to describe the music better (Kayo Dot, for instance, could be listed under more than one Prog subgenre -- several in fact.).

Much as I like symph prog, I tend to prefer metal influenced bands that are more in the Avant Prog Metal vein than those more in the Symhonic Prog Metal vein (or those bands which prominently mix Neo-Prog aesthetics with metal).

Anyway... I'm pleased to see Kayo Dot in the top ten (though I prefer their debut -- this one is more daring and more avant garde, I suppose.   It's too free-sounding for me -- isn't as tight as I would like).  However, from what I've heard, I like Zaar's album the most.  For a time my favourite was Kotebel's Omphalos, but it palled a bit as I feel the compositional structure seems a bit forced (I know the tricks and there's not quite enough variation for me -- especially considering the earlier albums).  And I'd like more of a spontaneous feel to it.  Nemo's is good too, but much of the vocals don't appeal much to me.

The PFM album is very good, but I still much prefer Storia, Per un Amico, and L'isola (loved the vocals in those too).  It's a "safe" album -- not groundbreaking in the progressive picture, I feel.  It's  a very good effort from a classic band (which happens to be one of my favourite classic Prog bands), but wouldn't make my top five list because for me it's still not the band's best work (my opinion might change over time).

I didn't care for Amputechture, or what I heard of the Frost* album, but I respect that they're highly regarded albums by many.  As for the pure Reason Revolution album... pretty good from what I've heard (even though it sounded more Prog-Related to me), but I don't know the band well enough.

I'd say it's a shame that Zaar didn't get more votes, but it's just a popularity poll amongst a select group of PA members of which most of us don't belong.  It's largely a matter of taste, but I know that I haven't heard enough 2006 alums to have an informed opinion.  I believe my would-be favourites are albums I haven't heard at all.

I do think the "contest" would work better if there was an initial shortlist, and then everyone who is eligible had to hear all of those before making a case for their votes (stream the albums for them if one could get permission from the bands, or labels, to do so).   It would be interesting if the thread where this was discussed could be copied/ pasted into here (publicly) since I'm more interested to hear why someone voted for an album over another (sure it's taste, but criteria are at play too) than to know just what was voted for).  But then that will get discussed here too, so whatever.  No need.  Were there official criteria that collabs/ reviewers were expected to follow when making their choices (beyond it must be Prog that they like)?  If this has been mentioned already, I apologise.

I expect there was some fiece battling between PA staff trying to convince others that their choices were better/ more adventurous/ more progressive/ showed more technical and compositional skill....




Edited by Logan - January 17 2007 at 14:44