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Posted: February 02 2011 at 22:23
Slartibartfast wrote:
Who Else? has to be a favorite of mine from the first three comebacks. But man, Tal really meshed with Jeff on E & C.
Zep I didn't get much into when I was in high school as I wasn't in much with the "freak" crowd, which I recall had a big bunch of Zep fans. Pretty much a loner as far as "peers" went. My brother was about three years older and I ended up becoming great friends with some of his friends due to prog and other things.
I'm thinking of a starter Nice to recommend... Probably Ars. They lost one member but I think it's a more fun album.
Yeah ya can get Ars, or Five Bridges, or Elegy (probably the best of the lot), relatively cheaply, $12-13 a pop. I need to get those, but it will have to wait until I am employed again, which actually may be a lot sooner than I'd hoped
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Posted: February 06 2011 at 06:46
The Nice isn't for everyone, but I became a big ELP fan when I first got into prog so it was a natural place to go for more music in a similar vein.
Loading up another set:
Amos, Tori Tales of a Librarian - mostly a sort of best of album but it comes with a decent set of not released before and one alternate mix of a song.
Beatles, The Let It Be - a bit of a mixed bag of songs. The good stuff is really good, like Across The Universe, The Long And Winding Road. Then there's some that I just don't care for like I Me Mine, One After 909.
Belew, Adrian Young Lions - teams up with Bowie for a couple songs. Good basic Belew.
Coryell, Larry Restful Mind, The - Coryell meets Oregon. A nice set of mellow acoustic music.
Davis, Miles E.S.P. - I've built up a huge Miles collection over the years. This one isn't a particular stand out as I like the fusion stuff better. I'm going to attempt an ESP joke here. It stands for extra skin pigment. Hope it isn't offensive.
Davis, Miles Sorceror - another one of those albums that is good jazz for sure but it's still really hard to surpass Kind Of Blue.
Djam Karet Burning The Hard City - a great intro for the metally inclined who haven't tried this band out. Not one of my favorites though precisely because it is more of a metal drenched album, which isn't to say I don't like it.
Focus Hamburger Concerto - a highly regarded Focus album on this site. Deservedly so.
Gabriel, Peter I - Peter can get out of Genesis, but he hadn't totally got the Genesis out of Peter Gabriel. He'd taken the band off in a different direction with The Lamb and he just kept on going.
Glass, Phillip Glassworks - Glass ain't for everyone but I think a lot of prog fans here might actually like this one if they don't know it and give it a try.
Hackett, Steve & The Underworld Orchestra Metamorpheus - modern classical.
no-man wild opera - one of many I got when I went on a no-man binge. It's all good stuff, but if I go on an artist binge stuff usually just don't stand out.
Porcupine Tree Signify - my second PT album. Got the double disc version in my collection. After getting In Absentia and this one I was hooked.
Tangerine Dream Electronic Meditation - another one of those I keep not because I particularly like it but just because of it's historical significance: only one with Klause and TD's first. I kind of cringe whenever it comes up in rotation. Maybe this time it will be different when I listen to it but I wouldn't count on it. I know it has some devoted fans here though.
Spock's Beard Gluttons For Punishment - my only SB album to date. I thought it might be a good intro point to the band. It's not bad, but neither has it moved me enough to explore the band further. Maybe some other day...
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Posted: February 08 2011 at 07:31
A shorter load:
Brand X Do They Hurt? - the Brand gets really heavy.
Brand X Livestock - a nice live album, but I'd start with their first few.
Davis, Miles Porgy and Bess - concept album of sorts. It gets high acclaim deservedly.
Glass, Philip North Star - one of his more accessible ones.
Hackett, Steve Momentum - another classical offering. Good, but I'm thankful that Steve got back in to making prog albums.
Porcupine Tree Warszawa - if all of PTs earlier albums had been available when I got this one, I might have skipped it. Not bad, but since the catalog is rather large now...
U.K. Danger Money - the essential UK is the first one. Has some great moments, but Bruford and Holdsworth are sorely missed.
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Posted: February 09 2011 at 06:50
New ones this morning: Amos, Tori American Doll Posse - keep wondering when this lady will run out of new tunes. Has yet to put out an album I didn't like. I was a little bit worried when she kind of repeated the Strange Little Girls cover art concept.
Anderson, Laurie Mister Heartbreak - my first. Odd stuff and not for everyone. Gabriel, Belew, and Laswell are on this one. That in and of itself makes this a worthy album. Plus with all the sucky stuff happening in the '80's musically...
Davis, Miles + 19 Miles Ahead - there's a few Miles albums that are essential in my collection. This one isn't bad, but it isn't one of them. If I'd been alive and a music nut at the time I'd like to think that I would be big into Miles.
Di Meola, Al/John McLaughlin/Paco de Lucia Friday Night In San Francisco - three guys playing acoustic guitar as speed freaks.
Glass, Philip Einstein on the Beach - four CD discs worth of material. Wholly cow!
Hansson, Bo Attic Thoughts - I don't know what to think of this one and I can't access the attic here. Good album, but if you could only have one Hansson I'd have to recommend The Magician's Hat.
Jethro Tull Stand Up (Remaster) - the original LP actually had a pop up of the guys when you opened the gatefold cover. Moving away from the blues and into the prog territory.
Metheny, Pat Group Way Up, The - gets a lot of praise around here but after his earlier stuff I find the stuff he's doing these days merely OK.
Morse, Steve Band StressFest - Steve's another one of those artists who seems less inspired than he used to be.
Wyatt, Robert dondestan (revisitied) - Robert's one of those artists who sounds better in the studio than live. Excellent studio album. Plus bonus interview video on the disc.
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Posted: February 12 2011 at 21:08
That JT Stand Up remaster is nice, if for no other reason than the bonus tracks (particularly Living In the Past and Sweet Dream). I still have the old Living In the Past LP (previous only source for the bonus songs), import version. That sucker is built like a tank, cardboard-wise.
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Posted: February 12 2011 at 22:08
I already had the bonus stuff as part of a CD box set. Tull went out of their way in their earlier days to make interesting album packages and the stand up in Stand Up was really cool.
Next batch: Amos, Tori Boys for Pele - was a bit of a different direction for Tori what with the harpsichord and all that. Same voice, same quirky lyrics.
Amos, Tori God (Alternate Mixes) - this was the song that would have kept me from ever checking out Tori due to it being played too much on the radio. I did warm up to the artist and this song though. Remixes rarely live up to the original. Nothing outstanding on this one but nice radical re-makings all the same.
Bears, The Car Caught Fire - Belew's Bears had that '80's kind of sound in the '80's without being crap. Adrian moved on for a while but they came back in 2001. Another quality album from the guys. There's a recent DVD out as well.
Eno, Brian Ambient 1 Music For Airports - as much as Plateaux clicked with me I never added this one to my collection. Then the first one I did was a Bang The Gong version. I figured it was about time to get a copy of the original in 2008.
Eno, Brian Another Green World - this one and Before And After Science were the ones that cemented me as a fan. Some of his earlier stuff could be a bit hard to digest. Hell some of this stuff and his later stuff as well. But when it is at it's best it's top notch.
Genesis Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, The - oddly enough there is actual Enossification on a little of this album whatever the hell that means. I think it was a synth contribution to Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats. I still find it odd that this album hasn't clicked with fans of Gabriel era Genesis the way it did with me. It almost is in the same vein as The Wall except predating it and I just like it better.
Joachim Kuhn Band Sunshower - there are two jazz/rock fusion albums Kuhn did that earns him a spot on the archives. A fantastic keyboardist and it has Jan Akkerman and the music is greak JRF that won't give you FRA. I've brought him up before a while back and was told that he was too much of a jazz man to be here. That should be rectified.
Jobson, Eddie/Zinc The Green Album, The - and he actually had Gary Green on one track. Well, I guess it wouldn't be a proper green album without him, eh? Probably has a bit too much of that '80's sound to it and not quite UK enough if you know what I mean. A great companion album to this one is Theme Of Secrets. Similar themes going on.
McLachlan, Sarah Wintersong - I passed on this one as I do with most proggy Christmas albums. I have but a few but I save them as a Christmas music antedote.
Nice, The Elegy - kind of Nice scraps. Hang On To A Dream was really good for the most part. The version ELP did for the Return To Manticore box set is better.
Phideaux the great leap - kind of weird. Doomsday Afternoon was supposed to be the second part in a trilogy but I think Mr. Deaux has pretty much abandoned the trilogy at this point. The promised third album has not been, uh, forthcoming. Still if you're at the station and you hop on the Afternoon train I think you will enjoy this one, too.
Roxy Music For Your Pleasure - lots of fans of this one. I like the post Eno stuff better despite being an Eno fan.
Tibbetts, Steve Yr - I first discovered Steve thanks to college radio. Georgia Tech's, I think. This was his second and was the only of the first two to get re-released on the ECM label. The cover art wasn't nearly as good though, And Steve would veer off from the direction of his first two into something more ECM compatible. Probably his most proggy.
Triumvirat Spartacus (Remaster) - yeah yeah yeah, ELP clones/imitators. Still good music if that doesn't bother you.
Edited by Slartibartfast - February 16 2011 at 20:01
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Posted: February 16 2011 at 19:36
Bruford Feels Good To Me - felt good to me. Annette Peacock's vocal style may not sit well with everyone. In fact my wife came out when I was watching the Rock Goes To College DVD and glared at me to turn it down. Personally I think her style is OK and the music here is good. One Of A Kind remains my favorite though.
Doors, The Waiting for the Sun - not sure what to say about this one. I like it. Spanish Caravan is the most proggy. A good set of tunes with some fairly innovative ones that achieved commercial success.
Eno, Brian Music for Films - a nice set of short pieces that very well could have been used in films.
Hammer, Jan First Seven Days, The - for the prog synth lover this has to be his best. Almost none of it sounds "dated". Any for the bits that may, they still sound good to me.
Hammer, Jan Group Oh, Yeah? (Remastered) - I was so happy to see this one come out on CD. Had the LP for many years. Might be a bit too funky in parts for some but not for me.
Jackson, Joe Big World - I got on the Joe bandwagon when a friend brought over Night And Day. On this one Shanghai Sky (very beautiful) and Man In The Street are my favorites.
Mitchell, Joni Court and Spark - I've collected a few of her albums over the years and this is one my favorites.
Monade A Few Steps More - this band is an offshoot of Stereolab. Laetitia, teams up with an excellent female bassist/vocalist and is the only Sterolabber on this project of hers.
Pure Reason Revolution Dark Third, The - showed up in a tops list and I decided to give a listen to the streaming. ordered it right away.
Shakti with John McLaughlin Natural Elements - my favorite Shakti. I haven't heard everything but I highly recommend it.
Synergy Audion - nothing really stand out for me. Really good synth music though.
Tomita, Isao / Debussy Snowflakes Are Dancing - another synth album came up. Mr. T. will never make it to the archives as his stuff is mostly classical covers. Excellent interpretations of Mr. D.'s music.
XTC Go 2 - I had to go forward with XTC from English Settlement on before I could go backward from there. It's a fun album though.
Zappa, Frank Joe's Garage Acts I, II & III - speaking of fun albums, this was released as I and a double LP of II & III. It's a concept album, perhaps it goes on a bit too long, It's perverted and it has good music and album cover artwork.
Zappa, Frank & The Mothers of Invention Weasles Ripped My Flesh - rzzzzzzzzzzzz, say no more.
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Posted: February 16 2011 at 22:56
Let's see... I have/enjoy the second album, always a good choice to go with the Doors. After that, I have to skip all the way down to Shakti for albums in my collection, then skip again down to the Zappas. Weasels is my favorite of the albums I have here, and I agree that Joe's Garage goes on a bit long. I've been meaning to check out Bruford's solo stuff and more JOni Mitchell (I have 3 of her albums already, Hejira, Mingus and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter).
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Posted: February 17 2011 at 05:28
Kinda hard for the Doors to top their debut. Joe's goes on a bit too long but then again there is nothing I would pick to cut. Joni was doing some of her best stuff around that era. Others I'd recommend are Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Shadows And Light on DVD. The CD is good too, but seeing her with Jaco and Pat Metheny was what really got me into her stuff.
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Posted: February 19 2011 at 16:01
Waiting For the Sun is a great album. The songs are remarkably varied. Agreed, the first Doors is sort of hard to top. The Cars had the same problem, their first being so good that the others kind of unfortunately get lost in the shuffle.
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
Joined: October 10 2006
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Posted: February 19 2011 at 20:41
Slartibartfast wrote:
Kinda hard for the Doors to top their debut. Joe's goes on a bit too long but then again there is nothing I would pick to cut. Joni was doing some of her best stuff around that era. Others I'd recommend are Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Shadows And Light on DVD. The CD is good too, but seeing her with Jaco and Pat Metheny was what really got me into her stuff.
I dunno, I like Strange Days and Morrison Hotel. Admittedly they did start running short of material due to them putting out albums every 6 months or so. I think that L.A. Woman is a perfect way for Jimbo to bow out on. No telling if they could have topped that album had he lived. I do like the music that the remaining guys(Ray,Robbie and John) came up for An American Prayer.
I still have a soft spot for them. They got me into music.
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Posted: February 20 2011 at 05:58
Anderson, Jon Song of Seven - should have been a lot better than it was. It has its good moments and its cheesy ones. It's got some freaking Brand X ers for crying out loud. Could have been a lot better but Jon was striving for commercial appeal
Brand X Xcommunication - this one came up. Once again much better stuff earlier. I like the song title Xanax Taxi.
Clarke, Stanley Children Of forever - a bit of a disappointment. I must admit not listening to it often and it is new to me.
Explosions In The Sky All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone - really was big into these guys when it came out. I got the deluxe version with a disc of remixes. Led me to check some of the remix artists. I find the remixes disc a bit more interesting.
Harrison, Jerry Red and the Black, The - oh how I long to see this one put out on CD proper. My LP copy was a used promotional. If you like Remain In Light era Talking Heads and aren't familiar with this one you'll want to seek it out.
Marillion Happiness Is The Road - The Hard Shoulder - a hard shoulder indeed. Will likely be the last Marillion I add. I can't knock it musically, but I don't think I'll ever get enthused about it musically.
Pieces I need 5 minutes alone - well, what can I say I was on a Buckethead binge at the time. He teams up with Brain/Brian.
Ponty, Jean-Luc Imaginary Voyage - part of Ponty in his prime. The opener kind of spoils this one from being a prog masterpiece.
Porcupine Tree Futile - In Absentia had made such a big impression on me that this is only one of the pay downloads that I have. I made a hard copy on CD and a booklet.
Shadowfax Shadowdance - this band got off to such a great start with Watercourse Way. They hooked up with the Windham Hill label and then proceeded to water down the music. One of those nice background muisc albums though.
Tangerine Dream Canyon Dreams - if you are considering the CD or DVD or even the LP version of this one, do the DVD.
Tibbetts, Steve Fall of Us All, The - Steve is one of those artists that seemed to alter his music style to fit the label he was on. The first two albums he did on his own are really interesting, the ECM works, less so.
U.K. Night After Night - I saw them with Tull. The first album casts a long shadow. Still all good stuff for their short run. Eightiesitus would soon completely take over the prog artists that it didn't kill. Dreary...
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Posted: February 22 2011 at 20:34
Since I've put on a moratorium on new acquisitions sometimes I feel a little jealous about those keeping up with the new releases. Somtimes I don't.
Afro Celt Sound System Volume 5: Anatomic - not bad but I'm thinking I didn't need to go beyond the first three.
Burton, Gary Good Vibes - early Burton and good vibes indeed.
Doors, The Soft Parade, The - these guys seem to have some cheesy songs and some grate ones on all the albums I have.
Europa String Choir Marching Ants - I think these guys are a gateway drug for me to Univers Zero
Focus Moving Waves - I still have a hard time believing that Hocus Pocus made it to the commercial radio. This was before I became a serious prog fan.
Gentle Giant Free Hand - not my favorite, but damn close.
Gong Other Side of the Sky 'A Collection' - hadn't picked up a lot of Allen era stuff. I like this collection.
Jethro Tull A + Slipstream - yeah, some people don't consider this a true Tull album because it was a bit of a radical departure from Stormwatch. I am not one of them and you are not one of us not one of us no you're not one of us. OK so PG did better stuff when he moved away from the older stuff.
Jethro Tull Crest of a Knave - never made a good impression on me nor do I hate it. I think things came to a conclusion for me with A in a way.
Mahavishnu Orchestra Birds of Fire (Remaster) - their swan song studio album of sorts? The live one that came after wasn't too bad though and now you can get the studio album that might have been.
Pastorius, Jaco Jaco Patorius (Remaster) - spectacular solo album. As time wore on JP would have a hard time keeping things together.
Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup - I'll keep singing the praises for this band and they will continue to not be added.
Weather Report Sweetnighter - the Jaco period will continue to be my favorite, but Miroslav is no slacker.
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Posted: February 27 2011 at 14:23
^^ I always loved Sweetnighter, it being the first Weather Report album I ever heard. I still would say it is their best album. Jaco vs. Miroslav I won't get into that. Both were the right choice at the given time.
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Posted: February 27 2011 at 14:42
The random load will be off for a couple of weeks as all my cd's are boxed up. I could do it virtually, but that just wouldn't be the same. Changed my mind and picked one out for immediate listening:
Joined: April 29 2006
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 18:54
I swear there is at least one prog fan writing for Jeopardy. The answer to a clue was Tangerine Dream. It's been a while but now it's time to bet back to the random load.
Beck, Jeff Truth - to tell the truth there will be much better Beck to come. Jeff is the real Beck. Accept no substitues. Doors, The Doors, The - The Doors, say no mores. Eno, Roger Between Tides - Roger decided to stick to a more mellow course than his more famous brother. This is one of those Guthrie, Robin/Harold Budd Before the Day Breaks - one of a pair of ambient albums. I came to know The Cocteau Twins through their association with Harold and I must confess I haven't explored too far. Mitchell, Joni Dog Eat Dog - Joni goes all '80's on your ass. Does it with class though. Muffins, The Bandwidth - I had one and couldn't stop. They had to stop to make a living for a while, but I really like their comeback. Nektar Sunday Night at the London Roundhouse 2 - a much more impressive set of tunes than the first version. It did have a couple of cool, studio tracks that didn't make it to this release. Nirvana Nevermind - I think it's well established that Kurt had some heavier Fripp stuff influencing him. I didn't take much of an interest them until a few years after they were toast. Phillips, Anthony Private Parts & Pieces III - The Geese And The Ghost was, I believe, was AP's first official solo album release. It remains my favorite but this collaboration was very influential when I was just starting to play guitar, Ponty, Jean-Luc Fables what I remember most from this album was that I went to see the show by myself for what must have been the first time I didn't hook up with friends. I snuck in a small portable cassette recorder to make my own boot leg. The seat I had was at the end of the row and broken. Porcupine Tree Deadwing - another bad concert experience. A standing room show, which I didn't know it was going to be and to this date my last concert. I like the album though except for the fact that I put in an advance order for a deluxe version which didn't arrive on the same day as the album was available in a local chain store so I broke down and had to go for instant gratification. Rypdal, Terje & The Chasers Blue - as big of a fan as I am of The "Singles" Collection, I've had this one for a much shorter duration so I haven't become familiar enough with it, but I think I will always like the other one better/ Shadowfax Dreams of Children, the band had mellowed out a bit to be a better fit with Windham Hill I think. For me this marked a turn back to their debut album. Zappa, Frank You Are What You Is - I think I just might. A friend introduced me to this one. By that time I had been totally hooked by Sheik Yerbouti and Joe's Garage. OK, all the songs are run together. I think that makes it a concept album.
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Posted: March 25 2011 at 23:15
^^ Slarti, I don't mind admitting I am an oblivious idiot. I live in Seattle, and when I heard of Nirvana I had no idea who/what they were. But when I heard Nevermind I knew it was special, i.e., Beatles quality melodies. I've sort of wised up since I suppose.
JB"s Truth is marginal, somewhat redeemed by I Ain't Superstitious.
YAWYI. Any album that has Harder Than Your Husband not to mention Doreen and that Goblin Girl is about as good as it gets. I'm stupid and oblivious. I rarely get beyond those first few songs, they are so damned good, and totally worth the price of admission.
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Posted: March 25 2011 at 23:41
^^ Adding
Anyone interested in just how good Zappa was just listen to Doreen and Goblin Girl. This is an almost impossible blending of two songs. Start out with a nice imitation of Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" on some acid/doo-wop jag and end up with "I hope you're good and tight." -- and the music absolutely supports the lyrics, through two songs no less! It just all blends together. Doreen don't make me wait 'til tomorrow. Let me gobble tonight, and it'll be alright. Must've been cause it was Halloween. Really, they don't make 'em like this anymore.
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Posted: March 27 2011 at 14:13
You know my first encounter with Nirvana was an SNL appearance, that and Beavis and Butthead. I know there was a lot of buzz going on and they were getting a lot of radio play. Were they the best thing to hit the grunge scene? Don't know and don't care. I do like the albums I have and that's enough.
By the way, thanks for participating in the blog. More fun if you get some feedback.
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Slartibartfast wrote:
