PAs Top 30 Albums of the 21st Century
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Top 10s and lists
Forum Description: List all your favourites here
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=123083
Printed Date: April 05 2025 at 02:15
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Topic: PAs Top 30 Albums of the 21st Century
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Subject: PAs Top 30 Albums of the 21st Century
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 13:10
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As of today, 26 May 2020, PA's top progressive rock albums of the 21st Century are as follows: 1. Wobbler – From Silence to Somewhere 2. All Traps on Earth – A Drop of Light 3. Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase. 4. Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) 5. Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet 6. Änglagård – Viljans Öga 7. Opeth – Ghost Reveries 8. Porcupine Tree – In Absentia 9. Opeth – Blackwater Park 10. Riverside – Second Life Syndrome 11. Magma - K.A. 12. IQ – The Road of Bones 13. Pain of Salvation – Remedy Lane 14. Pain of Salvation – The Perfect Element – Part 1 15. Nil – Nil Novo Sub Sole 16. Hiromi Uehara – Hiromi’s Sonicbloom: Time Control 17. Tool - Lateralus 18. Phideaux – Doomsday Afternoon 19. DAAL – Decalogue of Darkness 20. Birds and Buildings – Bantam to Behemoth 21. Riverside – Anno Domini High Definition 22. Kayo Dot – Choirs of The Eye 23. Maudlin of The Well - Part The Second 24. Riverside – Out of Myself 25. Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning 26. Discipline – To Shatter All Accord 27. Sigh – Imaginary Sonicscape 28. Ayreon – The Human Equation 29. Phideaux - Snowtorch 30. The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium What do you think of this list? Are you familiar with all of the albums? Are these 30 at all comparable to those of the "Classic Era"? What would your Top 30 from the 21st Century look like? ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 13:35
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Of the 30 albums listed, these are the only ones that I think deserving of such high status: All Traps on Earth
– A Drop of Light Magma - K.A Hiromi Uehara – Hiromi’s Sonicbloom: Time Control Riverside – Second Life Syndrome Maudlin of The Well - Part The Second The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium Kayo Dot – Choirs of The Eye
Nil – Nil Novo Sub Sole Wobbler – From Silence to Somewhere Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase. Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet Änglagård – Viljans Öga Tool - Lateralus ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 13:45
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Not familiair with all of them, maybe half, of those I pretty comfortable with the following:- Wobbler, Anglagard, Steve Wilson, Porcupine Tree, Anglagard, Magma, Tool, Kayo Dot, Discipline, Mars Volta My biggest complaint is its lack of diversity, its a pretty boring list. My personal list would be:- Vezhlivy Otkaz - Gusi Lebedi Pikapika Teart - Moonberry Guapo - 5 Suns Cheer-Accident - Fear Draws Misfortune Miriodor - Avanti! The Future Kings Of England - Who Is This Who Is Coming? Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Of Natural History Nik Bartsch Ronin - Live Knifeworld- The Unravelling Univers Zero - Clivages Electric Masada - At The Mountains Of Madness North Sea Radio Orchestra - I A Moon Radiohead - In Rainbows Thinking Plague - Decline & Fall Aranis - Songs From Mirage The Comet Is Coming - Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery Alec K Redfearn & The Eyesores - Sister Death Far Corner - Risk Cellar and Point - Ambit Guillaume Perret & The Electric Epic - Open Me Koenji Hyakkei - Angherr Shisspa Gogo Penguin - Man Made Object Blue Cranes - Swim PoiL - Brossaklitt Chrome Hoof - Chrome Black Gold In Love With - Coitus Interruptus Radio Massacre International - Emissaries Magma - KA Present - Barbaro Yugen - Iridule Jack O The Clock - All My Friends Moulettes - Preternatural ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 14:32
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List is meh. Familiar with most. Definitely as good, or better, than "classic era". Need time to chose 30!! Very difficult. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 14:43
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I am familiar with most of them, and own quite a few out of that list. However, only three of them would count as personal favourites of mine: The Mars Volta, Discipline and Phideaux's Snowtorch. Ian's list, on the other hand, features some of my top albums from the past 20 years. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:01
In Bold, those I own in normal but small font, those I used to own. I may not have heard all of those exact albums, but I've heard something from every artiste in that list. In other words, not impressed with this PA listy, but have I ever been impressed with any of them PA lists?? My list would resemble Ian/NogBad's much more. must you put everything in bold or stuff like that?   |
BrufordFreak wrote:Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:09
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I've just finished listening to Ayreon. The Human Equation is my album. Strangely, even if I'm not a fan of progressive metal, I would put Fear, Love and the Time Machine by Riverside in the list. I also love Doomsday Afternoon. I don't know if they are comparable to the golden age. Times are different and music is also an expression of time. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:13
I've put my ratings in brackets and added my comments next to the questions
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:18
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1, 10, 12 and 24 are shoe ins; they're all quite brilliant. I'd have to also include The Last Bright Light by MA, A Nod and a Wink by Camel, Folklore by BBT, Not of this world by Pendragon and The Mountain by Haken. All of these would be in my top 50 albums of all time, never mind the top 30 of the 2000s. The other 21 may need some serious thought. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:27
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My list of 30 albums from the 21st Century (in no particular order) Big Big Train - Folklore , English Electric Part One, The Second Brightest Star Anathema - We're Here Because Were Here, Weather Systems Dream The Electric Sleep - Heretics All Traps On Earth - A Drop Of Light IQ - Resistance Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence Porcupine Tree - Deadwing, In Absentia Glass Hammer -The Inconsolable Secret Tangerine Dream - Purgatorio Pallas - Dreams Of Men Haken - Affinity Waste of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis Steve Hackett - To Watch The Storms Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning, The Raven That Refused To Sing Magenta - Seven, We Are Legend Keith Emerson - Three Fates Project Kansas - Somewhere To Elsewhere King Crimson - The Power To Believe Rush - Vapor Trails Far Corner - Risk The Mars Volta - Ampuctecture, Frances The Mute Tool - Lateralus Riverside – Anno Domini High Definition
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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:42
AMAZING LIST, Ian! So, what do we have to do to raise consciousness--to get listeners to try these "less boring" albums (as well as to write reviews)? ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:46
I mustn't, but it pleases me to do so.  ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:48
So YOU'RE the Majority here, Tony! Good to know! I wondered where they were! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:49
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Probably not telling people their list are boring might be a start. We did have one overlap so I now declare that Far Corner - Risk is the best album of this century  I think for a lot of us folks with boring tastes we do need a bit of time. I am now listening to Univers Zero for instance but I'm not suddenly going to develop a love for the music instantly.
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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:51
Thanks, Richard! I like your approach--and your circumspection. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: SuperVoc7
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:52
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What do you think of this list: Surprisingly good! Are you familiar with all of the albums: Familiar with 22/30, actually like 16/30. Are these top 30 at all comparable to those of the classic era: Honestly, it’s a better list in a lot of ways; rock music has... progressed. What would your top 30 from the 21st century look like: I’ll have to think about that. Confident there’ll be no Magma on my list though.
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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 15:53
Another AWESOME list! I have to admit that there are a few here that I've never listened to! Thanks!
------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 16:17
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For me a general "top 30" and my personal one are quite different things. I'm fine with Tool, Opeth, Mars Volta, Steven Wilson being there even though they are nowhere near my personal favourites. All Traps is a fine album and I see why Wobbler and Discipline get appreciation even though I'm not a fan. My clear number one from that list is In Absentia (I find Deadwing so much better than Blank Planet, I really don't get why the latter is rated higher). As I wrote in the poll, I haven't heard quite a number of them. How does this compare with the 70s? I think that list is clearly not up with the 70s, but the best stuff from the 2000s is! Here's my list, based on years indicated in my digital system that are not always reliable and sometimes missing, so I may have missed some. Top category (in no particular order within categories): David Bowie - Blackstar Radiohead - Kid A Art Zoyd - Metropolis Jaga Jazzist - What We Must Jannick Top - Infernal Machina North Sea Radio Orchestra - I A Moon Swans - The Seer Swans - To Be Kind Second Category: iamthemorning - Lighthouse Aphex Twin - Drukqs Karda Estra - Eve Holger Czukay - Linear City Porcupine Tree - Recordings Porcupine Tree - In Absentia Porcupine Tree - Deadwing Radiohead - Hail to the Thief Tortoise - It's All Around You Battles - Mirrored William D. Drake - Revere Reach William D. Drake - The Rising of the Lights Univers Zero - Clivages David Sylvian - There's a Light That Enters Houses With No Other Houses in Sight Art Zoyd - Eyecatcher Art Zoyd - Phase V Third Category (selection of six, there are more; all bands listed before excluded here): From Monument to Masses - The Impossible Leap in 100 Simple Steps Steve Hackett - To Watch the StormsZoviet France & Fossil Aerosol Mining Project - Patina Pooling Sigur Ros - () http://192.168.1.99:9000/clixmlbrowser/clicmd=browselibrary+items&mode=albums&linktitle=Artist%20%28Set%20Fire%20to%20Flames%29&artist_id=13564&player=00:04:20:e1:32:b0/" rel="nofollow - Set Fire to Flames - http://192.168.1.99:9000/clixmlbrowser/clicmd=browselibrary+items&mode=albums&linktitle=Album%20%28Telegraphs%20in%20Negative%20%2F%20Mouths%20Trapped%20in%20Static%29&album_id=12920&player=00:04:20:e1:32:b0/index.html?index=0" rel="nofollow - Telegraphs in Negative / Mouths Trapped in Static Chenille (öOoOoOoOoO) - Samen Just didn't make it: Soft Machine - Hidden Details Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will
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Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 16:45
I genuinely really like all of these that i've heard and agree that many are as good or better than some of our "classics." Favorites are Wobbler, All Traps On Earth, Ghost Reveries, Hand. Cannot. Erase., and Road of Bones (pretty standard opinions, but for good reason  ). I see the new Pendragon is in the mix but not listed here, def a super solid album, but not quite top 100 worthy imo.
King Gizzard has some of my favorite albums of the last two decades as well. My favorite is Flying Microtonal Banana. Not many ratings over here though. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 19:40
I do lobby for what I like and try to spread the good word, probably too much for some as the pan-heads have been accused of a takeover. I should probably write more reviews. I also post about music fairly heavily on PE & FB.
I just meant from the breadth of styles in the list rather than the individual albums, there's a lot to like there.
------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 21:55
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What do you think of this list? Exposure has a huge impact on any of the weighted lists. Most of the acts on the list are the record deal 1%'ers of the prog world. Are you familiar with all of the albums? Heard all but 2 of the bands and 4 of the albums. Are these 30 at all comparable to those of the "Classic Era"? These albums? No way. Other music from the same time frame? Yes for quality of music but certainly not for period impact. What would your Top 30 from the 21st Century look like? There were a ton that could have made the list. And honestly, the rankings become kind of interchangeable after 10 or so. 2. Squintaloo - Uber Bord 3. Nebelnest - Nova Express 4. Magma - Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré 5. Pain of Salvation - Be (original stage production) 6. Piniol - Bran Coucou 7. Ogo Dys - Ayzinder! 8. Poil - Brossaklit 9. Voivod - The Wake 10. Bondage Fruit - VI 11. Opeth - Watershed 12. Haken - Mountain 13. Virus - Carheart 14. All Traps on Earth - A Drop of Light 15. Helium Horsefly - Hollowed 16. Mimedyr - Minym 17. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Of Natural History 18. Keor - Petriochor 19. Bent Knee - Shiny Eyed Babies 20. Pryapisme - Hyperblast Supercollider 21. Martyr - Feeding the Abscess 22. Pochakaite Malko - Laya 23. Lye Bye Mistake - Fea Jur 24. Spastic Ink - Ink Compatible 25. Motorpsycho - The Death Defying Unicorn 26. Antidepressive Delivery - Chain of Foods 27. Panzerballett - Hart Genossen 28. Canvas Solaris - Penumbra Diffuse 29. Don Cabellero - American Don 30. Mirthkon - Vehicle ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: May 26 2020 at 23:58
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Interesting top 30 albums of the 21st Century absolute mind blowing element of choices this will take some amount of deep depth of thinking about which albums i`d put in a top 30 some of the PA`s albums i`d struggle to put in a top 100 lol i shall return ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 00:31
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1, 11, 23 and 26 are well placed in such a list. At least the first three keep level with the greatest 70s albums. However, the lack of any Big Big Train or Anekdoten album invalidates this list. And then I get the impression that SW's albums are vastly overrated. Admitted, The Raven is a good one, but H.C.E. would not even be in my top 100. ------------- 
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 00:34
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What's interesting to me is the reviewers love of HCE vs GFD, to me shows a change in the acceptance of more accessible music. This list to me is heavy crossover not much prog (which is fine) but is music that I enjoy a lot. -------------   
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Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 01:28
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I like about half of the list but I wouldn't consider those albums being the best, maybe just 1 or 2. My list with no particular order Tatran - Shvat Dreadnaught - Musica En Flagrante Taal - Skymind Cabezas De Cera - Metalmusica Finnegans Wake - 4th Halloween - Le Festin Indukti - S.U.S.A.R Riverside - Second Life Syndrome The Mars Volta - Amputechture Universal Totem Orchestra - The Magus Antique Seeking Nuns Aquaserge - A l'Amitié Ayreon - The Final Experiment Bent Knee - Shiny Eyed Babies Chrome Hoof - Chrome Black Gold Devin Townsend - Synchestra Estradasphere - Palace Of Mirrors Gevende - Sen Balik Degilsin Ki Isildurs Bane - Mind Vol 1 Jaga Jazzist - One-Armed Bandit Orphand Land - Sahara Pendragon - Pure Sky Architect - Excavation of the Mind Sould Enema - Of Clans and Clones and Clowns Spoke Of Shadows - I Tempano - The Agony And The Ecstasy The Worm Ouroboros - Of Things That Never Were Thork - Weila Tool - Lateralus Ut Gret - Ancestors' Tale |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 05:56
I know 8 albums from that list. 
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 05:57
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From PA's list I would keep... 1. Wobbler – From Silence to Somewhere 2. Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) 3. Porcupine Tree – In Absentia 4. Riverside – Anno Domini High Definition More great 21st Century albums. There are so many, this was difficult, and could change. In no order 5. Nova Collective - The Further Side 6. Thank You Scientist - Maps of Non-Existent Places 7. The Psychedelic Ensemble - The Tale of the Golden King 8. The Aristocrats - Culture Clash 9. Haken - Visions 10. Mike Keneally Band - Dog 11. Sanguine Hum - Now We Have Light 12. Hiromi - Spark 13. Alex Machacek - 24 Tales 14. Bubblemath - Edit Peptide 15. Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence 16. Echolyn - Mei 17. Marco Minnemann - My Sister 18. Sieges Even - Paramount 19. Thieves' Kitchen - The Clockwork Universe 20. Izz - Don't Panic 21. Dewa Budjana - Zentuary 22. Sylvan - Posthumous Silence 23. Big Big Train - English Electric Part I 24. Freak Kitchen - Cooking With Pagans 25. Antoine Fafard - Proto Mundi 26. Frost* - Milliontown 27. The Bears - Car Caught Fire 28. French TV #12 - Operation Mockingbird 29. Neal Morse - ? 30. It Bites - The Tall Ships |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 09:09
Wrong era...but he's done some great albums since 2000! |
Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 10:07
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What do you think of this list? It is what it is. Like everyone else, not all of these would make my top 30. Are you familiar with all of the albums? No, but I have heard a lot of them, 24 out of the 30. Are these 30 at all comparable to those of the "Classic Era"? No, I'd have more "classic era" albums rated in an overall top 30 than those 30. What would your Top 30 from the 21st Century look like? I'd have to get back to this. Have not thought about which 30 albums would make my top 30, but around a third of the ones in the PA list would be there.
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Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 11:38
Damn it you're right. And it's not my only mistake... Isildurs Bane - Mind Vol 1 Orphaned Land Sahara I guess I just considered them to be modern...nevermind.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 14:13
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How come Pendragon's "love over fear" isn't listed? Did it get lost in the alogorithms or something?
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 14:44
| ^It's too mellow. Should be disqualified. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 15:20
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^Too new. I think it's getting a bit too much credit as well, but I really enjoy it. It's got those big collaborator 5 star ratings, it's a neo prog band so you already know it's gonna have its loyal fans behind it and generally new releases tend to get hailed as masterpieces right off the bat. Time and sample size will tell as currently, it's rated the same score as pawn hearts and.... yeeeaaaah... idk about that. The bigger picture question is: Do the first people to rate and review something determine the general opinion and consensus on an album? To elaborate, if something is released and is celebrated with 5 star reviews across the board, will the expectations of a new listener who has seen these scores either consciously or subconsciously determine what they end up thinking of the album or how they listen to it? Perhaps a listener sees something being praised as a masterpiece and in their head they already start picturing what it's like and comparing it to other albums they consider masterpieces. When they finally listen, perhaps the music ends up falling short or disappointing. Or perhaps the preconceived notion that this album is a masterpiece will already have a conclusion drawn in their head before and while listening that they are about to hear some of the best music of its kind. I don't know if i'm making any sense right now but it's an interesting discussion.
------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 15:41
| ^Making sense. Let's discuss this idea in another post. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 16:09
Well, maybe not everyone needs to be clobbered over the head with music all the time.
 Sometimes you just want to relax(well, some of us sometimes anyway). |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 16:52
A new thread has been created! In lounge. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: May 27 2020 at 23:57
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I was VERY disappointed with LOF, no bombast, sounds like they are trying to copy Steven Wilson and failing miserably... ------------- Play me my song.....Here it comes again....... |
Posted By: emisan
Date Posted: May 29 2020 at 01:40
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What do you think of this list? Its a pretty good list but does not reflect the last 20 years prog's trends. Are you familiar with all of the albums? 19/30 Are these 30 at all comparable to those of the "Classic Era"? Some of them are definitely at the same level. What would your Top 30 from the 21st Century look like? From TOP 30 I love these: Wobbler – From Silence to Somewhere Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase. Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) Opeth – Ghost Reveries Opeth – Blackwater Park Phideaux – Doomsday Afternoon Im ok with these: Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet Phideaux - Snowtorch Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning Riverside – Second Life Syndrome DAAL – Decalogue of Darkness All Traps on Earth – A Drop of Light Out of TOP 30, I love these: The Tangent - A Place In The Queue The Tangent - Le Sacre Du Travail The Tangent - The Slow Rust Of Forgotten Machinery Transatlantic - SMPTe Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever Spocks Beard - V Spocks Beard - Snow Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura Neal Morse - ? Big Big Train - English Electric Part I Big Big Train - The Underfall Yard Anekdoten - Until All The Ghosts Are Gone Nexus - Metanoia The Flower Kings - Banks Of Eden The Dear Hunter - Act IV: Rebirth In Reprise |