Best Neo Prog Bands?

^ I like both of those albums.  For some reason, "Ego" has been on my "to review" list for many months but I can't seem to sit down and write about it.  I guess part of it is that Millenium is just a very easy band to listen to, which can make it hard to analyze in any sort of depth.  That can perhaps be said about a lot of neo for a lot of people, but I actually don't find IQ or Marillion easy to listen to at all.  

Edited by kenethlevine - September 21 2017 at 11:13

I can't understand why Millenium is always overlooked - even by myself, in spite of loving these two albums :

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=20370

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=41106

BTW they will be releasing a new album soon, planning to check it out

Almost forgot about Twelfth Night. A great band that actually infused a bit of balls into what was already starting to look like a pink unicorn world for bearded men.

Neither Flower Kings or Big Big Train are considered neo so that may just be why you dig them.

Fish era Marillion still reigns supreme for me. I also dig early IQ albums but must admit that Peter Nichols vocals have started to irritate me a little (especially from Ever and on).

While neoprog harks back to the 80s, it was only Marillion and IQ which I took up at the time - basically because it was tough to get information and hear other bands in those days. It has been since the late 90s that I revisited many of those earlier bands and found some great gems.

Still getting to grips with Hogarth-era Marillion and I don't think they fit in that genre these days, or for quite a while - but recent albums show their progressive nature.

I do struggle with finding the line where a band has neo-prog leanings end, and where they go beyond it. In the end I look at bands which take the legacy of early Genesis, Yes and ELP, with complexity, keyboards, melody, repeated themes and variations and not tied down to song structures or particular track lengths.

IQ remain up there, ever since I first heard The Wake. Jadis have been a pleasant find in recent years - with a more traditional, guitar-led approach - although some might call them less adventurous. Pendragon have their moments, as do Pallas and Arena. Really enjoying Threshold at present, with the latest album tempering the metal style for some old school prog-leanings.

The female-led UK acts such as Magenta, Karnataka, Mostly Autumn, IO Earth etc. have given me many great listening moments. Magenta's new album is great and much of that is down to Rob Reed (whose Oldfield-homages such as Sanctuary 1 and 2 are real chill out albums (although by no means close to neo-prog)). Panic Room are more mainstream, but have their moments too.

Big Big Train are wonderful - especially the recent handful of albums - and represent a real pastoral prog style reminiscent of Genesis and Lifesigns are similar in style. Looking forward to the new album this week.

Spock's Beard, Neal Morse and Transatlantic might not fit the neo-prog label either - but their influences are often clear to hear.

Nad Sylvan is mining that Genesis/Hackett style well and a real bonus was picking up his re-issued Unifaun album which might be too eclectic for the genre, but is well worth checking out.

Anything John Mitchell touches these days is real class - Frost* and Arena - although it was the two It Bites reboot albums which really impressed. Pop-prog for many, but the link to the 70s and 80s is clear. Love the 'Lonely Robot' project too. Old school prog with a modern production edge.

Elsewhere, Airbag have built up a great back catalogue and expanded on their Pink Floyd leanings. Unitopia and its offshoots are well worth a look - especially Southern Empire. DeeExpus came up to strong albums and are much missed. Mystery, Credo and Leap Day tick most boxes, as to Wobbler.

The lost band for me were Darwin's Radio - who brought out one cracking album, before the curse of piracy and streaming saw them give up that particular project.

Apologies for significantly shifting away from the pure neo-prog genre in the above stream of consciousness - but I think many of these will fit your search well - and our continental proggers have added names I haven't got to yet either.

So much to explore...so little time! Good luck! 😀

P.S. I quite like Riverside too - although moving more into the Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree/Anathema side of prog (still great - but not for this thread, perhaps).


Edited by Squonk19 - September 20 2017 at 14:26

None

^^ Carptree, a good band !



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