OK, Proggers, help me if you can...

TheProgtologist wrote: A couple of bands that incorporate all the elements you have listed are The Flower Kings and Glass Hammer.

Oops,I saw you already have TFK's listed.Sorry bout that.

Try The Tangent also.

Cygnus X-2 wrote: Discipline (the group, not the album) would be a good choice. And I'll beat Trouserpress by suggesting Gentle Giant (although they never had a studio song that exceeded 10 minutes). Have you tried out Neo-Prog?

I agree with Cygnus on the Discipline suggestion.Try their album Unfolded Like Staircase.

ProgMandolin wrote: Here are the elements I like to have in a prog band/song: - Strong presence of Moog/mellotron/heavy organ - Strong vocal harmonies (no one can touch Anderson-Squire in my book!) - Memorable melodies/songwriting - Epic songs, shifting time signatures - Bombastic, huge orchestral endings

Those qualities are an almost perfect definition of Italian prog, so I strongly recommend you some key albums:

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso: BDMS, Darwin!, Io sono nato libero

Premiata Forneria Marconi: Storia di un minuto, Per un amico, L'isola di niente

Le Orme: Uomo di pezza, Felona e Sorona

These are the most famous. Also, you can try:

Il Balletto di Bronzo: Ys

Museo Rosenbach: Zarathustra

Il Rovescio della Medaglia: Contaminazione (pure classicism)

Metamorfosi: Inferno

Il Volo: Essere o non essere?

Alusa Fallax: Intorno alla mia cattiva educazione

Alphataurus: Alphataurus

I suggest you to start with BDMS, PFM or LO.

Refugee's eponymous album from 1973 should be right up your street- it had 2 members of The Nice in Lee Jackson and Brian Davidson, plus Yes keyboard player Patrick Moraz.

Styx- 'Equinox' and 'The Grand Illusion'- some members scoff at this being prog, but I find these albums to be up there with anything by the greats- they have lots of great moog, organ and guitar solos with stunning hooks and songwriting.

Uriah Heep's 'Look At Yourself' and 'Demons And Wizards' also have solos and hooks aplenty.

Nektar remind me of a heavier Yes at times, and I believe that 'Remember The Future', 'A Tab In The Ocean' and 'Down To Earth' easily equal anything made by Yes.

If you like ELP, Rare Bird should appeal to you- they were a late 60s/ early 70s UK band, of which 'Rare Bird' and 'As Your Mind Flies By' are the best before they submerged into AOR. They have a brilliant singer and had 2 organists. Enough said!

From the more obscure end of the spectrum, I'd recommend 'Czar' by Czar, a 1970 obscurity from the UK, drenched in mellotron and with catchy, psychedelic derived songs. In a similar vein is 'Spring' by Spring, which is often revered by prog fans as one of the best obscurities out there.

Jonesy's album 'Keeping Up...' has one of the best songs I've ever heard in 'Masquerade', which has every conceivable mellotron sound, plus there are other melodic beauties on that album.

Camel's albums are all very melodic and full of solos- 'Mirage', 'The Snow Goose', 'Moonmadness' and 'Nude' are amongst my favourite albums ever.

To ease your way into Italian prog, I'd recommend PFM's English language albums, 'The World Became The World' and 'Photos Of Ghosts'. These give an idea of what Italian prog is like, but are more accessible than some of the  Italian albums are to a new listener...

Although you don't like Genesis, I'd say Steve Hackett's solo career is some of the most beautiful music out there- 'Voyage Of The Acolyte' is a wonderfully crafted album with beautiful playing from everyone.

That should do it!

ProgMandolin wrote: Folks: Thanks for all your great replies! I will try and check out some of your suggestions, and get back to you on any that seem to match my personal "target" style of favorite prog... Progtologist -- Thanks for your multiple posts.  I have been very busy the past 2 days at work, church meetings, family issues, etc.  Did not have time til now to post a thank-you.  Forgive a brother, OK? -Brian

No problem dude,I know how it is.Some people start threads like these and never return,and it just gets my nerves.My apologies to ya,though.

ProgMandolin wrote: Guys: OK, I've listened to some of the sample MP3's from the groups you suggested, and here are my thoughts: Anglagard - Jordrok is great stuff!  Do they have vocals on Hybris, or is it all instrumental? Flower Kings - Love them, probably my favorite band of the 90's on... Why?  Good songwriting, memorable melodies, Wetton-esque vocals, great musical depth/variety/expression. Glass Hammer - Like it a lot, sounds like ELP, but vocals are hit or miss IMO.  Run Lisette is a masterpiece, though! Discipline - Good sound, but I am personally not into the Kobain/grunge vocal style...  But very impressive musically! Italian prog - Absolutely love most of it I have heard -- big, bombastic, majestic, classical sounding stuff...great variety.  If I could find some ItalProg with the vocal harmonies a la Yes, I'd be delighted! Earth and Fire - I like the one E&F download song a lot...moody soudning, almost like Crimson.  I'll have to hunt around for more of this. BJH - Mockingbird is a good song...you were right, all the elements except crazy time signatures, but a solid sound from them. After Crying - Sorry, I just can't get past the bad english accent...it really ruined it for me, plus I did not think the melody was all that. More later...  Brian

ProgMandolin.....definitely check out The Tangent,their first album The Music That Died Alone is brilliant and includes members of The Flower Kings(Roine Stolt,Zoltan Czorsz,Jonas Reingold)Parallel or 90 Degrees(Andy Tillison,Guy Manning,Sam Baine)and Van der Graaf Generator(David Jackson).

Also Kaipa.....a band Roine Stolt was in before TFK's.Roine came back and rejoined them for their last 3 albums Notes from the Past,Keyholder and Mindrevolutions.