Songs that make you believe modern prog is better

Dellinger wrote: I just got that Weather Systems album, and I'm really enjoying it. The first I got from them was Distant Satellites, and I loved it... the whole albums was beautiful... that raw emotion thing indeed. Then I heard The Optimist in You Tube, but I was not sure I would love it as much, so I just downloaded a few songs from ITunes. And now I got Weather Systems, and it does sound better than the latest one... though I'm not yet ready to decide if I like it better than DS (yeah, I know that the correct answer would be that WS is the better one, but I guess having heard the other one first gives it an edge). Still, I expect their formula may become stale if I listen to too many albums... however, I guess I will have to get at least We are Here becaus We are Here. And then perhaps the live Untouchable.

condor wrote:  Songs that make you believe modern prog is better

mlkpad14 wrote: Dellinger wrote: I just got that Weather Systems album, and I'm really enjoying it. The first I got from them was Distant Satellites, and I loved it... the whole albums was beautiful... that raw emotion thing indeed. Then I heard The Optimist in You Tube, but I was not sure I would love it as much, so I just downloaded a few songs from ITunes. And now I got Weather Systems, and it does sound better than the latest one... though I'm not yet ready to decide if I like it better than DS (yeah, I know that the correct answer would be that WS is the better one, but I guess having heard the other one first gives it an edge). Still, I expect their formula may become stale if I listen to too many albums... however, I guess I will have to get at least We are Here becaus We are Here. And then perhaps the live Untouchable. My favorite by them is The Silent Enigma, from back when they were in doom genre. If you like harder hitting stuff, then I recommend that one most of all. Otherwise, yeah, Weather Systems.

I have read about their beginnings as a doom band or somthing like that, but I'm still very new to the band, and wondering how much I want to get into them. However, to know how much I might be interested in that era, were they using lots of growls? Were they very noisy or rather melodic?

Dellinger wrote: mlkpad14 wrote: Dellinger wrote: I just got that Weather Systems album, and I'm really enjoying it. The first I got from them was Distant Satellites, and I loved it... the whole albums was beautiful... that raw emotion thing indeed. Then I heard The Optimist in You Tube, but I was not sure I would love it as much, so I just downloaded a few songs from ITunes. And now I got Weather Systems, and it does sound better than the latest one... though I'm not yet ready to decide if I like it better than DS (yeah, I know that the correct answer would be that WS is the better one, but I guess having heard the other one first gives it an edge). Still, I expect their formula may become stale if I listen to too many albums... however, I guess I will have to get at least We are Here becaus We are Here. And then perhaps the live Untouchable. My favorite by them is The Silent Enigma, from back when they were in doom genre. If you like harder hitting stuff, then I recommend that one most of all. Otherwise, yeah, Weather Systems. I have read about their beginnings as a doom band or somthing like that, but I'm still very new to the band, and wondering how much I want to get into them. However, to know how much I might be interested in that era, were they using lots of growls? Were they very noisy or rather melodic?

Dellinger wrote:  Actually, from my top 5, they are the only one that didn't start in the 70's. There are too many songs that I love from them, though I don't really think they did any full masterpiece albums, because they always include songs that don't really do it for me. The album "The Final Breath before November" by Edison's Children is just sublime. So, if we want to give songs, it would be "Silhouette", which takes just about the whole album with all of it's segments. Transatlantic with the album "The Whirwind". Once again, the whole album is supposed to be a single track, so it might just as well fit the criteria. Perhaps Cast's song "El Puente". Opeth's "The Drapery Falls". And that's what I can think of at the moment

Edited by The Shrubbery - April 08 2018 at 13:02

I like many post-2000 prog bands (e.g. The Psychedelic Ensemble, Vespero, Wobbler, etc) that share a lot of the characteristics of the good old prog bands of the late 60's thru mid 70's. 

A lot of the new bands who call themselves prog, are not prog at all.  They're just "Prog Wannabe's".  Sure, maybe they have good song writing and are pleasant to listen to, but that doesn't make them prog.  For me, "prog" is a very exclusive club that very few artists demonstrate the right to belong to.  I prefer not to dilute the quality of the club by adding every Tom, Dick, and Harry band just because they used an odd time signature once.

The original prog bands were explorers.  They veered off the well-trod course of formulaic rock 'n roll to explore new musical paths, creating sounds and compositions that were completely new.  They went in many different directions (symphonic, folk, electronic, eclectic, etc), but they were all forging new territory.  So, in my mind, you either have to follow in their footsteps and produce music reminiscent of their original explorations (without being copy-cat) or you have to lead a new musical exploration, forging new territories, creating compositions, sounds and styles that are hitherto unheard of.  Most of the new so-called prog bands fail to do either.  Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

There is so much great music out there, and I don't think it is right to say the 70s stuff as a whole is "better" than post-70s, even if it was that 70s music that most of us heard first, are thus most loyal to (for good reason). 

The Shrubbery wrote: Dellinger wrote:  Actually, from my top 5, they are the only one that didn't start in the 70's. There are too many songs that I love from them, though I don't really think they did any full masterpiece albums, because they always include songs that don't really do it for me. The album "The Final Breath before November" by Edison's Children is just sublime. So, if we want to give songs, it would be "Silhouette", which takes just about the whole album with all of it's segments. Transatlantic with the album "The Whirwind". Once again, the whole album is supposed to be a single track, so it might just as well fit the criteria. Perhaps Cast's song "El Puente". Opeth's "The Drapery Falls". And that's what I can think of at the moment Can't agree with you more Dellinger. Edison's Children's Final Breath Before November is the most hauntingly beautiful album ive ever listened to. It puts you in that haunting space that the beginning of Supper's Ready or Entangled does but leaves you there for nearly 80 minutes (except the single which is okay). The new Transatlantic album turned me off a bit. Too preachy. But Whirlwind was stunning. Both albums have something in common. Pete Trewavas wrote half of the Final Breath Before November and half the Whirlwind. Maybe Pete T is becoming one of the better songwriters/prog producers of this era. And with Marillion he arranges long songs like The Leavers and The Invisible Man and never gets credit for it. It is time he did

I was disapointed with the new Transatlantic too. Really, for me their best one is The Whirlwind, and then some songs from their other albums, but nothing really reaches the heights of that album for me.

Walkscore wrote: There is so much great music out there, and I don't think it is right to say the 70s stuff as a whole is "better" than post-70s, even if it was that 70s music that most of us heard first, are thus most loyal to (for good reason).  Also, I disagree that post-70s (or post-80s) music, should be disparaged as less original. For instance, I consider Godspeed You Black Emperor''s album 'Lift Yer Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven' to be one of the top 50 of all time, very original, up there with the classics. The whole post-rock genre, and math rock, have been pushing the boundaries of musical innovation. So much great jazz fusion being made today too, and I like some of the contemporary Zuehl even more than Magma.

I have tried to listen Math Rock, but found it very mechanic, cold & boring. Also found most of post rock very cold, only Jambinai is great to me (I think the main reason is their Korean acoustic instruments, but also found really beauty from their some songs). And I haven´t found any as great Zeuhl band as Magma.

^Because the other is better. Only the best do for me.