best neo-prog

Forgotten Son wrote: ivan_2068 wrote: In the 70's, with 4 - 5 songs (sometimes less) per 45 minutes LP, no popular radio was very pleased to play prog' songs, in the 80's (The golden age of Neo Prog), this was very frequent. Erm....... IQs Dark Matter has only six tracks only one of them lasting 24 minutes and there is another 20 minute song on their double album Subterranea !!! Script has only 6 tracks and the same goes for Fugazi and the majority of Pendragon's material is made of 10+ pieces. To me this doesn't sound like a band obsessed with selling their records and obtaining radio airplay, but rather bands making the music that they want.

Please Forgotten Son, I will say again: I talk about general rules, there always will be exceptions, but as a general rule Neo Prog' uses a shorter time format, listen most of Marillion, Arena, 3 men Genesis (ATTW3  and Duke are Neo Prog) even some people consider ATOTT Neo Prog and it's full of shorter songs, add ASIA (Now considered Art Rock but born as Neo Prog), Pendragon (Which I like very much), Big Generator and 90125, etc.

There's a good example, Magenta released a double Symphonic debut with Revolutions, 4 epics (20+ minutes) and three shorter tracks (One of them 7 minutes long), but then released a Neo Prog album as SEVEN a single with 7 shorter songs.

I don't say it's bad, it's their choice, the fact I don't like most Neo is only circumstantial, it's my taste.

When somebody talks about a genre he must use general rules but if he talks about a determined  band or an album it's necessary to cover all aspects and exceptions.

Iván 

Neo progressive...

MARILLION: Misplaced childhood, Script, Seasons end

PENDRAGON: The masquerade overture, The window of live

IQ: The wake, Tales from the lush attic, Dark matter, Subterranea

CLEPSYDRA: More grains of sand, Hologram

COLLAGE: Moonshine

SATELLITE (They come from collage): A street between sunrise and sunset, Evening games

GREY LADY DOWN: The crime

JADIS: Across the water, More than meets the eye, Fanatic

FORGOTTEN SUNS: Snooze

ARENA: The cry, The visitor, Contagion, Immortal?

CAST: Four aces, Endless signs

I hope it can help you. I think it´s a good selection, (for me it is!) but all the people answer you says similar groups or albums. It must say something

Hologram wrote: CLEPSYDRA: More grains of sand, Hologram

At last someone who likes CLEPSYDRA. But you should have cited their other albums too, as they are all great. I still think this is the best neo-prog band since the fall of the jester in the late 80's. Their vocalist is simply amazing.

gdub411 wrote: What can I say...i'm addicted to these guys!!

have you listened the first two albums yet, great also/

These guys are addictive, been listening to other genres lately, haven't listened enough Arena, I will catch-up soon, cos just looking at the covers make me drool

I like just a few neo-prog bands but I have to say that I don't think they're heading for some comercial success. They have a wider audience just because the music as simplified symphonic rock (epic songs doesn't necesarrily mean complex structure in the manner of symphonic rock) is more accessible. There is some degree of derivativeness and sameness but it's a subgenre of it's own. It's impossible to rate every genre of music with completely the same scale of aesthetic merits. It's better to compare neo-prog albums with eachother rather than too much comparing with something else. I think some cheezy or simple stuff can also be a prog masterpiece if it's done well, though it's more rarely appearing because a lot of neo-prog bands pretentiously try too hard to be what they are not (epic symphonic prog) rather than excell in making relatively short cathchy songs with prog elements.

gdub411 wrote: tuxon wrote: gdub411 wrote: What can I say...i'm addicted to these guys!! have you listened the first two albums yet, great also/ I have Songs from The Lion's CAge and while I like it , I do not love it.

Then you will like Pride, If you'll love it remains to be seen.

Personally my order of greatness is.

The Visitot, Pride, Contagion, Immortal, Songs From The Lions Cage, Pepper's ghost. But I understand a lot of fan's rate Songs Higher than Pride, so my order is probably not the order of all. Make sure you check Pride out anyway if alone because of the beautifull Siren's.

 

Richardh should have a punch in the ol petite nose 

Edited by Velvetclown