Neo Prog do I like it?

Well I just bought Flower Kings The Sum of no Evil (I know it's symphonic) and the musicianship I think is great, the voice well.. I must get used to it.. But is there any album from Flower Kings to recomend with non metal songs. Cause this album has 2 very metalish songs that I rather dislike although the rest I rather like it and think is great...

There's a couple of those "metal-like" tunes on just about every Flower Kings Album. It seems to be part of Roine's idea about making records; to try to have a broader over-all appeal. He's a guitarist after all and it might also just be fun for him to just Riff-out once in a while.

On a side note (non Neo related) you might really like Roine Stolt's Solo album Wall Street Voodoo. It has more of a "Classic Rock" feel to it, but with enough twists and turns to stay interesting.

My own recent list (Neo or not) would include

Satellite- Into the Night
Little Atlas - Hollow
Izz - My River Flows
Moon Safari - Doorway into Summer
Magenta - Seven
Ritual - Think Like A Mountain
Cryptic Vision - In A Word
K2 - Book of the Dead
The Watch - Primitive
RPWL - Live

Edited by Trademark - February 21 2008 at 12:04

I've never listened to a neo-prog album in its entirety, but from many of the samples I've heard the vocals are very dramatic, sometimes bordering on overblown. Now, I like this, but it's not everybody's cup of tea. Just as a word of warning.

OK, here's a genre where I have major difficulty.  I've heard several "classic" Marillion albums and Spock's Beard, & I think some Magenta too.  So far, I can't get into any of it.  To me, it seems real formulaic, and also, so polished and precise that it seems sterile.  As if they use the same checklist for each song.  Perhapse there's almost no balance or room for minimalism.  Lack of warmth maybe? or lack of dry human elements?  No attempt to incorporate contemporary styes perhapse?  No jazz or psychadellic elements?  No roughness around the edges?

Moongarden have recently started to incorporate post-rock into their music... apparently there'll be a track on the upcoming album which is basically shoegaze. =) but there is clearly an experimentation deficit in the base neo sound.

About as subtle as Rosie O'Donnell in a roomful of Twinkies, John. 

E


Edited by E-Dub - February 21 2008 at 14:10

Well its my own personal belief that there is no such thing as Neo Prog though many of the bands I like are listed there.  For example take the case of Little Atlas and Izz.  If you can tell me why one is listed as Neo and the other as Symphonic I'd count myself as enlightened.  Or for that matter why Spock's Beard is symphonic and IQ (and Magenta for crying out loud) are Neo? 

I simply recommended music which I thought fit Cacho's own description of music he personally liked and I  very carefully prefaced by stating say "Neo or Not".  I made no pretense of including any band (Cryptic Vision is under Heavy Prog and Moon Safari is under Symphonic) in any other sub-genre.  Its "all for one and one for all" to me.  As a matter of fact, just to muddy the water further I should add Beardfish, Shadow Circus and Phideaux to the list of recommendations.  I think Cacho would like them both.

I had no intention of hijacking this thread into a sub-genre argument (they never end well) so any further discussion of my views on this subject should be addressed in a PM.


Edited by Trademark - February 21 2008 at 15:46

E-Dub wrote: About as subtle as Rosie O'Donnell in a roomful of Twinkies, John.  E

You just made me spit coffee out of my nose laughing!

jplanet wrote: E-Dub wrote: About as subtle as Rosie O'Donnell in a roomful of Twinkies, John.  E You just made me spit coffee out of my nose laughing!

John, I hope I didn't inflict any harm that could delay a follow-up to the Freakroom.

I also recommend it highly. I thought it was symphonic. I've been known to be wrong a time or two, though.

E

Some albums to try before you determine neo is not for you are: