Top 10 Prog Folk Albums

Edited by someone_else - March 14 2020 at 16:51

Snicolette wrote: So hard to put these in order.....and I restricted myself to one per band or solo artist, and have faves of some of these who have phenomenal solo recordings of band members.  The numbering might differ depending on mood, but that's how it feels on a snainy day in Oregon. 1.  The Pentangle ~ Cruel Sister 2.  Pearls Before Swine ~ The Use of Ashes 3.  Strawbs ~ Witchwood 4.  Alan Stivell ~ Renaissance of the Celtic Harp 5.  Jethro Tull ~ Thick As A Brick 6.  The October Project ~ S/T 7.  Dead Can Dance ~ Aion 8.  Tim Buckley ~ Goodbye and Hello 9.  Simon & Garfunkel ~ The Sounds of Silence 10.Offa Rex ~ The Queen of Hearts That being said, the also-rans for me would include music from Faun, Malicorne, The Incredible String Band, Charlie Cawood and, if they'd been available under the category, Fairport Convention and the US Kaleidoscope.

Psychedelic Paul wrote: I'd love to have included the votes for Harmonium in my Prog Folk poll, but they're in the Symphonic Prog section of PA.

I really don't like not having album genre tagging (and multi tagging per albums). I'd say the first Harmonium album is Prog Folk, the second still is, but is more Symphonoic Prog, and the third is more Symphonic Prog still. If a Symph fan was looking for Prog folk recommendations, then Harmonium would be one to mention. And if a prog folk fan was looking for symph works too.

I'm not saying you're silly for doing it this way, maybe that's the most economical way to check and create limitations, but it feels weird having primarily non-Prog Folk albums (say Thick as a Brick) and disallow primarily Prog Folk albums because of our limiting and flawed classification by act system (and even with that, acts sometimes get moved around). They do say that nomenclature is the bane of the archivist, but/and maybe boxing really is best left to the pugilists. "A nozh scrap anytime you say" (Alex DeLarge).

I would place Jethro Tull in Eclectic if it were up to me, and I expect that many who said that he was the quintessential Prog folk artist aren't very into Prog Folk or know a wide variety of music from the category. That said, he does have a folk rock element in plenty of albums, including Thick as a Brick, and some of his albums do fit well (so I'm hardly saying it's senseless to include JT in Prog Folk). Again, I prefer labeling, and multi-labeling, by the album rather than by the artist.

Edited by Logan - March 14 2020 at 17:26

kenethlevine wrote: great choices!  Noticing Pearls Before Swine appearing on several lists, I would like to say that the main reason they don't quite make it for me is that one song about the Children that I not only dislike but feel it doesn't fit in with the album at all.  Usually I turn a blind eye (deaf ear!) to glaring missteps but can't in this case.  Question  which Tom Rapp album should I hear next? Love that Mr Stivell's album is getting a lotof kudos as well

Nogbad_The_Bad wrote: 1. Roy Harper - Stormcock ...

Snicolette wrote: kenethlevine wrote: great choices!  Noticing Pearls Before Swine appearing on several lists, I would like to say that the main reason they don't quite make it for me is that one song about the Children that I not only dislike but feel it doesn't fit in with the album at all.  Usually I turn a blind eye (deaf ear!) to glaring missteps but can't in this case.  Question  which Tom Rapp album should I hear next? Love that Mr Stivell's album is getting a lotof kudos as well I agree with you on that song as well, Ken.  I think you mean "Tell Me Why."   Although for me, there are a song or two from most that I could live without, most of his music and songwriting just speak to me.  Least favourites for me are One Nation Underground, City of Gold and Familiar Songs [which I think was done without his knowledge at the time]) although there are individual songs even within One Nation and City of Gold that appeal to me.  One part of my LP collection that has never left my hands, no matter how poor I got.

^ I admit that's a great quote 

1) Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood

Edited by The Dark Elf - March 14 2020 at 21:41

kenethlevine wrote: ^ I admit that's a great quote

Glad you think so, too.  I have found it to be true.

Snicolette wrote: kenethlevine wrote: Snicolette wrote: kenethlevine wrote: great choices!  Noticing Pearls Before Swine appearing on several lists, I would like to say that the main reason they don't quite make it for me is that one song about the Children that I not only dislike but feel it doesn't fit in with the album at all.  Usually I turn a blind eye (deaf ear!) to glaring missteps but can't in this case.  Question  which Tom Rapp album should I hear next? Love that Mr Stivell's album is getting a lotof kudos as well I agree with you on that song as well, Ken.  I think you mean "Tell Me Why."   Although for me, there are a song or two from most that I could live without, most of his music and songwriting just speak to me.  Least favourites for me are One Nation Underground, City of Gold and Familiar Songs [which I think was done without his knowledge at the time]) although there are individual songs even within One Nation and City of Gold that appeal to me.  One part of my LP collection that has never left my hands, no matter how poor I got.   actually I like "Tell me Why" quite well.  The one I'm thinking of is called "God Save the Child".  It sounds like the record company asked him to do it.  Probably my fave is "Rocket Man".  So so sad    Oh, I see....my endquote is from "God Save the Child," but I love the idea of it..  Rocket Man is wonderful, I so agree.  Once when I was living in LA, Ray Bradbury was on public radio and I called in, he'd never heard it.  I sent him an LP of it and got a lovely response from him.  I love the title track, too, The Use of Ashes.  Sublime.

"God Save the Child" is a favourite of mine, and I rather felt it fit well with various others on the list, else I wouldn't have included it in my recent "25 folk songs" poll. To each his or her own tastes. The Use of Ashes is a solid five star album for me.   The whole album s magnificent. I might have gone for another, but including a representative from that album was a no-brainer for me.

As for the discussion on the Pentangle, that is quintessential Prog Folk, and was an early one I got into from that category (starting with Basket of Light).   I think I've played Cruel Sister the most of that band over the last couple of years. I love it.

EDIT: By the way, I had rather expected Neutral Milk Hotel to be in PA. Looking back on an early discussion, it was at one time. Good stuff in or out of PA per my tastes. And of course Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left is one of my very favourite albums. It warms the cockles of my folkie heart to see this topic doing well, and such a lot of discussion. No music touches me in quite the same way that folk music can (progressive, folk-rock, or not).

Edited by Logan - March 14 2020 at 22:37