Stepan Project - Progressive Folk (?)

Thanks for the update: Amatala, thanks for bringing it up again.

JR/F? I wouldn't have expected that. How about Crossover if it doesn't seem to fit neatly into any other category? Personally I would have thought Folk would be the closest match

Any news about this? Thanks!

Yes, and it's rarely 100% one thing or the other... anyway, that would be boring :-)

Hi David. Reading through the posts again it looks like Bob and Ken are both in favour of Eclectic as the first port of call. We can take a little time for the PF chaps to ''move'' to Eclectic, although I can do it if they are busy. Either way, things are looking promising for the artist to be added.  

We're undecided in prog folk at the moment but agree this belongs here somewhere. I see both Eclectic and Crossover suggested and am thinking we should defer at least to Eclectic for now. If Crossover wants to have a deeper listen so much the better. If both decide to pass than I think PF could find a home for him.

The Prog Folk Team aren't quite finished with their evaluation yet. Thanks for your patience.

You can download 2 free mp3 tracks from the new album Lumina here:

http://atelier.liternet.ro/articol/12483/Stepan-Project/Lumina-Ei-cei-care-Buy-Flowers-Not-Arms.html

These are radio edits, so a few minutes shorter than the actual album versions, but still, they're worth checking out.

I hear enough in those TV shows to make me think this guy is certainly worth evaluating in Crossover. I don't know what the Eclectic boys think, but maybe they should be given 'first refusal'?

ClemofNazareth wrote: I listened to 'Undeva in Europa' and part of 'Sensul vietii' over the weekend.  I'm not sure the YouTube samples above present the best picture of Stepan Project, or at least they don't demonstrate the same level of progressive arrangments and folk infusion as some of the earlier albums.   In particular I felt these tracks were strong and encapsulated the prog folk leanings of the band, although admittedly there are jazz, symphonic, rock and just plain folk-rock sounds throughout the first two albums as well:   "... De Toamna" "Piatra Scrisa" "Chira Chiralina" "Sus in Deal la Viflaiem"   The second album is a bit less progressive than the first, but in many ways is more folk-leaning so there's sort of a balance between the two.  I'm going to finish listening to 'Sensul vietii' and see what I can find online of the latest CD/DVD package (won't be buying it since the only copy I could find is almost $50 USD).    Anyway, I respect Andy's opinions but in this case I think Stepan Project is worth exploring a little further and will be taking them to the PF team to get additional comments.   Thanks!

I agree - the YouTube clips are not the most interesting or representative - as you often find on YouTube the most "accessible" samples are posted, and you definitely need to listen to the whole album to get a sense of what it's about. Naturally some are more progressive than others, as is the case with most progressive bands.

Thanks to Amatala for providing the extra links and information, they certainly give a more accurate picture of Stepan's work

I listened to 'Undeva in Europa' and part of 'Sensul vietii' over the weekend.  I'm not sure the YouTube samples above present the best picture of Stepan Project, or at least they don't demonstrate the same level of progressive arrangments and folk infusion as some of the earlier albums.