Regressive archives???

From the reviews of certain albums in the last few weeks you'd think these were the Regressive Rock Archives!!
The way alot of people think; the only good progressive rock is stuff that sounds like it was recorded in 1973 or with neo-prog 1983! I mean poor Phil Collins, Trevor Rabin, Billy Sherwood, Steve Hogarth or anyone else who dares to make prog more listenable, melodic or accessible! To Begin with Genesis only became a great musical band after Peter Gabriel left; the same with Marillion after Fish left. Both groups started putting out more consistent, more powerful and Yes more diverse albums after their (FAR Too) fabled leaders left.

As for Yes, both Trevor Rabin and Billy Sherwood were shots in the arm for a tired, unmotivated group stuck in the seventies! Both Big Generator and Open your eyes are very strong albums with lots of melody, great guitar work and much stronger vocal harmonies and Yes heaven forbid some more accessible poppy songs.

Must be nice for all the prog musical wannabes to sit back and pick apart great musicians for trying to stay alive and relevant in the music industry. Some of you must start bands and see how long you last.

Progressive rock must change with the times and diversify to stay alive; especially when the music industry is in horrific shape right now. Sorry if I offended anyone but some people are just stuck in the past and not open to change.

N.B Marillion's Afraid of Sunlight is their Masterpiece! I played it for a friend who hates prog and he loves it. He said said it was transcendant and so far above most music he has heard! Also, I understand Marillion themselves think it's their best album, sorry Fish and his Script(though I love that album also). Afraid of Sunlight proves that sometimes subtlety IS a good thing, you have to listen to the nuances of that alum to fully appreciate it.

Edited by Wanorak - July 29 2007 at 05:41

Its when progbands tries to become more accessible they become unlistenable to me. Then I'd much rather choose listening to real popgroups like ABBA or The Carpenters.

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I think you'll find a good balance of reviews here. Yes, some people do have the views you describe, and it is only right that they should be able to express their opinions.

Wanorak wrote: N.B Marillion's Afraid of Sunlight is their Masterpiece! I played it for a friend who hates prog and he loves it. He said said it was transcendant and so far above most music he has heard! Also, I understand Marillion themselves think it's their best album, sorry Fish and his Script(though I love that album also). Afraid of Sunlight proves that sometimes subtlety IS a good thing, you have to listen to the nuances of that alum to fully appreciate it.

I couldn't care less about what you, you're proghating friend or Marillion thinks. I like a lot of new and old, real progressive music way beyond anything Marillion ever released.

I am a huge fan of the Seventies Classic Prog, for me it's the best, the most adventurous and most elaborate music ever made (especially 70-77 Genesis) but I don't have the idea that most progheads on this site hail The Seventies and nail post-Seventies, almost every day I notice many progheads who write positive about bands like Tool, The Mars Volta, Dream Theater, Blind Guardian, Ayreon, and Porcupine Tree, all post Nineties prog bands. Perhaps it's 60/40?

Wanorak wrote: The way alot of people think; the only good progressive rock is stuff that sounds like it was recorded in 1973 or with neo-prog 1983!

Good music is good music no matter what name it has or when it was recorded!!

Wanorak wrote: From the reviews of certain albums in the last few weeks you'd think these were the Regressive Rock Archives!!

You exaggerate. Most people here are in favour of change, but in a progressive direction (stylistically speaking), not in a pop direction.

Personally speaking, I really admire post-1980 King Crimson. They've done some pop things, but mostly weird noisy things. But they've kept changing: truly audacious! As regular loungers may know, I'm also a great Bill Bruford fan. The things Bill has done in the past ten years sound rather different from what he did before that, although there are similarities with his earlier fusion albums. He has really kept developing his music.

By the way, most people prefer 1970s albums by the likes of Yes and Genesis simply because they sound more adventurous and more ambitious than later albums by the same bands.

I agree that Genesis were playing better than ever when PG left. But most reviewers have nothing but praise for TRICK OF THE TAIL or WIND AND WUTHERING...

This is somehow quite difficult for a kid back then in 1972 growing up liking CLOSE TO THE EDGE and TFTO to get enamored 25 years later with OPEN YOUR EYES. Especially this album,it is definitely a bad choice.

Edited by febus - July 29 2007 at 10:11

Wanorak wrote: From the reviews of certain albums in the last few weeks you'd think these were the Regressive Rock Archives!! The way alot of people think; the only good progressive rock is stuff that sounds like it was recorded in 1973 or with neo-prog 1983! I mean poor Phil Collins, Trevor Rabin, Billy Sherwood, Steve Hogarth or anyone else who dares to make prog more listenable, melodic or accessible! To Begin with Genesis only became a great musical band after Peter Gabriel left; the same with Marillion after Fish left. Both groups started putting out more consistent, more powerful and Yes more diverse albums after their (FAR Too) fabled leaders left. As for Yes, both Trevor Rabin and Billy Sherwood were shots in the arm for a tired, unmotivated group stuck in the seventies! Both Big Generator and Open your eyes are very strong albums with lots of melody, great guitar work and much stronger vocal harmonies and Yes heaven forbid some more accessible poppy songs. Must be nice for all the prog musical wannabes to sit back and pick apart great musicians for trying to stay alive and relevant in the music industry. Some of you must start bands and see how long you last. Progressive rock must change with the times and diversify to stay alive; especially when the music industry is in horrific shape right now. Sorry if I offended anyone but some people are just stuck in the past and not open to change. N.B Marillion's Afraid of Sunlight is their Masterpiece! I played it for a friend who hates prog and he loves it. He said said it was transcendant and so far above most music he has heard! Also, I understand Marillion themselves think it's their best album, sorry Fish and his Script(though I love that album also). Afraid of Sunlight proves that sometimes subtlety IS a good thing, you have to listen to the nuances of that alum to fully appreciate it.

Is it regressive thinking Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound generally are far superior to all the other Genesis albums?