iTunes Essentials - Modern Prog

On December 2, 2008, iTunes released one of their prepackaged sets of Essential songs.  This time, the topic was Modern Prog.  I thought it might be interesting to get your takes on their selection.  I also added their notes for the three levels.

Assuming that you don't already own some of these songs, the entire set will put you back $43.56, plus the cost of the iPod.

The Basics

Hey, what goes around comes around.  Supposedly hung, drawn, and quartered by punk, progressive rock -- once seen as dinosaur -- refused to call it quits, and was given an injection of fresh blood by the likes of Tennessee's Glass Hammer and the U.K.'s innovative Porcupine Tree throughout the 90's.  Behold: modern prog.

The Widow - The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
Deadwing - Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
6:00 - Dream Theater - Awake
Longer - Glass Hammer - Shadowlands
Eye to Eye - Fates Warning - Chasing Time
Hello - Blackfield - Blackfield
We All Die Young - Model A - Transmission: Lost
Windowpane - Opeth - Damnation
A Perfect Light - Salem Hill - Be
Everywhere - Hobbit - All for the One
All This Time - Frogg Cafe - Creatures
Lazarus - Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Celebrity Circus - Bruce Main - LAYERS
The Waiting/Watching the Sky - Glass Hammer - Chronometree

Next Steps

Prog rock's bold push into the 21st century is being spearheaded by the Mars Volta, the collective tag for Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (supported by various friends), who have given us the classic and superbly titled modern-prog tracks "Eunuch Provocateur" and "Inertiatic ESP."  Their work is a furnace of rock creativity.

Mad March - Mike Portnoy - Prime Cuts
Autumn Sky - Farpoint - From Dreaming to Dreaming
Sing for Absolution - Muse - Absolution
Inertiatic ESP - The Mars Volta - Deloused In The Comatorium
Revelation - Chronometry - Glass Hammer - Chronometree
These Walls - Dream Theater - Octavarium
Shallow - Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
The Road Goes On Forever - Fates Warning - Parallels
Hope Leaves - Opeth - Damnation
Glow - Blackfield - Blackfield
Le Berceau Du Bonheur - Model A - Transmission: Lost
Eunuch Provocateur - The Mars Volta - Tremulant - EP
The Root of All Evil - Dream Theater - Octavarium
Lady of the Light - Black Bonzo - Lady of the Light
Hung Under - Sbb Trio - Live: Tournee 2001

Deep Cuts

You simply can't deny the poetic ambition of modern prog.  What radio DJ in the world could ever deny him- or herself the opportunity of introducing "Lycanthrope" by Thinking Plague or "Aquaplane" by Overseer?  These bands will take your appreciation of rock to another level -- maybe another dimention.  Check out the electronica of Pyrolator.

Fate Speaks (Alternate Mix) - John Petrucci with Explorers Club - Magna Carta Guitar Greats, Vol. 1
Lycanthrope - Thinking Plague - In This Life
Hunted by a Freak - Mogwai - Happy Songs for Happy People
Snake Eyes - Steve Roach, Roger King - Dust to Dust
Toccata - Pat Mastelotto - Drum Nation, Vol. 2
Before the Storm (part 1) - Discipline - Unfolded Like Staircase
Minimal Tap 1/2.3 - Pyrolator - Inland
Niobe - Dargaard - Rise and Fall
Effort of Time - Pneuma - !F! Hue!: Various Artists!
Surface Serene - Little Atlas - Surface Serene
Pepper Spray - Kineto - Transform
Pirate Song - The Seventh Season - Fall Within
Aquaplane - Overseer - Wreckage
Revelations - Vox Tempus - In the Eye of Time
Hulahoop Wounds - At the Drive-In - In Casino Out