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Progressive rock

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Altazor said:
I might or might not get killed (?) by this but The Incident is, by far, my least-favorite "modern" (as in starting from Signify) Porcupine Tree album - and I'm a fucking PT fanboy. It sounds like a tired formula streched out over two discs with few high points, among them: the title track, I Drive the Hearse and *especially* Remember Me Lover.
Actually, RML is what I thought the band would sound like after In Absentia: a bit heavier but not losing the floydian touch. What we actually got was a different beast, one I still like (but not as much as the one between Stupid Dream and In Absentia).
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Manu said:
Oh I agree. When The Incident came out I got a lot of shit for saying I thought it was an unfocused, incoherent mess. I always felt like Wilson had a ton of different ideas and decided to just record all of them without caring about cohesiveness. Even the "incident" theme was half-baked.
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The Incident is kind of a weird one and I can see why others may not like it. It took a bit for me to come to complete terms with it, but now I fucking love it. I love the way it's written and I love how it all comes together. There's some truly amazing moments in there, and some really cool transitions between songs.

Personally I think of The Incident as a modern day prog metal Abbey Road Medley.
 
RDreamer said:
Personally I think of The Incident as a modern day prog metal Abbey Road Medley.
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Not as good obviously but I can totally see what you're saying. When I listen to the Incident I always feel I need to listen to it in it's entirety. It all kind of gels into one big piece which I believe was supposed to be the intention.

It's not my favorite of his but I certainly still enjoy it.
 
RDreamer said:
Personally I think of The Incident as a modern day prog metal Abbey Road Medley.
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That is a great way to put it and I see what you mean. Sadly, I don't enjoy it as nearly as much as the AR Medley... but then again, I never expected to. That medley is just supreme :)
 
Jarlaxle said:
I'm very excited to go home and listen to Hand. Cannot. Erase. My wife told me it's arrived at my house so I know what I'm doing tonight. I might listen on the surround sound downstairs with a couple of beers.

I'm also looking forward to the end of the month for The Gentle Storm album. I love the first single they released and pretty much everything Arjen does is great. Anneke has such a fantastic voice.

On a side note, I just wanted to bring some attention to an album that I really liked from last year that had some really nice guitar work. The name of the band is Cosmograf and the name of the album is Capactior. This kind of came out of nowhere for me last year much as Synaesthesia did as well. Here's a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBnRZ3cVebA
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Hmm, Cosmograf sound right up my alley! And Hand.Cannot.Erase is very impressive.
 
uuuh, i guess this is progressive in some way? I'm pretty bad with terms and stuff. Anyway, here's some songs from bands i like that i'm pretty sure would qualify as progressive.

Agusa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Iew2wvquQY

Gojira: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTr7bqKHvgE

Steve hackett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGu0JhYjRmo

Genesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDgh3C6klMQ

Grateful Dead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1_Xu7YBrM

Kansas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC-JhQ1p7nw

Jethro Tull (really love this one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9JEPeeohYs

Also here's my favourite Pink Floyd songs:

When the tigers broke free - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9b9UhFe6Eg

The post war dream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=513rxPHkIIQ

Set the controls for the heart of the sun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RbXIMZmVv8

Also the final cut is their best album fite me
 
I'm sorry to repeat what everyone else is already saying, but Hand. Cannot. Erase. is pretty good. It's not hitting me quite as hard as The Raven did a couple years ago. I love that album a lot. This one seems almost as good. I've only listened through three times, whereas I've listened to The Raven hundreds at this point. So it will take some time.

Early highlights are "Home Invasion/Regret #9" and "Ancestral." Especially the "Regret #9" part of the track really stands out. First the synth/keyboard solo, and then the guitar solo that follows and echoes it. I love that already.

And while I didn't immediately see the greatness of "Perfect Life" when it was released by itself a month ago, I never should have questioned that it fits perfectly in the context of the rest of the album.

It is pretty amazing how Steven Wilson evolves from album to album. To me, the difference between The Rave and HCE are night and day, but at the same time it's hard to put the differences into words. The Raven is tighter, and has a harder edge. That's the best way I can try to describe it. And that's what makes me like it more, so far. HCE is a little spacier, with more room to breathe, maybe.
 
Cool thread. I've been listening to Symphony X, Dream Theater, and Rush for years. I need to expand my horizons but these bands have such a large output that when it's time to buy a new album, I stick to what I know. I never get tired of the songs so I go months listening to one album.
 
I was screwing around in Youtube today at work (please don't tell my boss!) when I came upon this album: Blue Mammoth, from the band of the same name. I had never heard of it before, so I decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised when I found out it was pretty enjoyable. Not every track was good, but some of them did stand out (can't recall any name, I only listened to it once). It didn't feel boring, which is a good thing because it's a rather long album.

Still haven't taken the time to browse the whole thread and check the recommendations, I should do it one of these days.
 
Ok, finally. I've been listening this new Steven Wilson's album during all day.

It's truly excellent, coming from Wilson, is almost an obvious statement.

However, I don't think it's at the same level of The Raven, Insurgentes and Grace for Drowning. I think those three will be rated as the best of the best in the -I hope a distant- future.

I think this new one qualifies more as a PT album, than a SW one. I can't explain exactly why, but some moments here and there remind me a lot of PT past albums.

Also, I really dig the female vocal/singing.
 
Love prog. Used to love Dream Theater (my introduction to the genre) but I really can't stand them anymore. Nowadays it's all about the 70s bands for me. Genesis is the top, Renaissance second, and Tangerine Dream third... maybe Yes. Or hell, I love Steve Hackett's solo career. Marillion, Pavlov's Dog, The Enid, ELP, Porcupine Tree, Rush, Jethro Tull, and IQ are some other favorites. PT being the only modern prog band I still dig quite a bit.

EDIT: I have Hand Cannot Erase but haven't given it a proper listen. Always heard people praise his solo work but never delved into it. Might have to with all the PT comparisons the new one has.
 
Oveja Negra said:
Ok, finally. I've been listening this new Steven Wilson's album during all day.

It's truly excellent, coming from Wilson, is almost an obvious statement.

However, I don't think it's at the same level of The Raven, Insurgentes and Grace for Drowning. I think those three will be rated as the best of the best in the -I hope a distant- future.

I think this new one qualifies more as a PT album, than a SW one. I can't explain exactly why, but some moments here and there remind me a lot of PT past albums.

Also, I really dig the female vocal/singing.
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I found Insurgentes to be one of the most bland records he's ever done (though the final two tracks are phenomenal). It's hard to say at this point whether it's as good as The Raven or Grace. I still feel 1996-2002 was his peak though. Signify/Stupid Dream/Lightbulb Sun/In Absentia. Incredible.
 
TheSpaceBetween said:
I found Insurgentes to be one of the most bland records he's ever done (though the final two tracks are phenomenal). It's hard to say at this point whether it's as good as The Raven or Grace. I still feel 1996-2002 was his peak though. Signify/Stupid Dream/Lightbulb Sun/In Absentia. Incredible.
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My man (or woman).

And despite In Absentia being my nostalgia-fueled favorite album of theirs ('cause it was my first PT album), I do have one nitpick: I would've easily traded Wedding Nails for Drown With Me. Easily.

Because Drown With Me's vocal harmonies (you know which ones) are THE BEST.

As a sort-of side note, I'm absolutely happy with the love Genesis is getting, even in mention. One of my favorite bands, EVEN DURING THE TRIO ERA. Yes, I even like Abacab (or, 3/4 of that album, to be honest)
 
TheSpaceBetween said:
I found Insurgentes to be one of the most bland records he's ever done (though the final two tracks are phenomenal). It's hard to say at this point whether it's as good as The Raven or Grace. I still feel 1996-2002 was his peak though. Signify/Stupid Dream/Lightbulb Sun/In Absentia. Incredible.
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Oh, I get where you're coming from when it comes to rate Insurgentes.

For sure it's not an easy album to listen to.

It almost requires you to be in a jazz/ambient/meditative mental state :P, except, as you say, the last two tracks that are -I agree with you again- absolutely phenomenal.
 
TheSpaceBetween said:
I found Insurgentes to be one of the most bland records he's ever done (though the final two tracks are phenomenal). It's hard to say at this point whether it's as good as The Raven or Grace. I still feel 1996-2002 was his peak though. Signify/Stupid Dream/Lightbulb Sun/In Absentia. Incredible.
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/Deadwing goddammit!

Like the poster I quote just below me, In Absentia is my nostalgia-fueled favorite, but I think Deadwing and a little bit Stupid Dream are catching up and possibly surpassing it as favorite. Can't really tell if that's just because I played the fuck out of that album so much that I need variety now. Deadwing has a special place for me now, too. Arriving Somewhere is still hands down Wilson's best long track. It's also probably his best live track. The Start of Something Beautiful, too is probably top 2 or 3 songs of his for me.

Altazor said:
My man (or woman).

And despite In Absentia being my nostalgia-fueled favorite album of theirs ('cause it was my first PT album), I do have one nitpick: I would've easily traded Wedding Nails for Drown With Me. Easily.

Because Drown With Me's vocal harmonies (you know which ones) are THE BEST.
)
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Wilson leaves off some of his best music all the goddamned time. Most of Recordings probably should have been on their respective albums instead of a b-sides album. Chloroform, too, was amazing and I'd gladly trade another song on In Absentia for it... or just append it somewhere. Then with FOABP he should have really woven some of those tracks into the playlist.

I've actually got a few playlists for some of his albums, FOABP in particular, that combines some of the extra tracks into the main album in a decently sequential way. And I've got my own collection of his solo B-sides from Insurgentes bonus disc, from the movie, from GfD's bonus disc and various other stuff and sequenced that into an album that I think would hold its own with the rest of his work.

Oveja Negra said:
Oh, I get where you're coming from when it comes to rate Insurgentes.

For sure it's not an easy album to listen to.

It almost requires you to be in a jazz/ambient/meditative mental state :P, except, as you say, the last two tracks that are -I agree with you again- absolutely phenomenal.
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Huh, I'm not sure I'd ever describe it as that. I think of it more like... SW's NIN stage, lol. It feels more lightly industrial to me. I love the album and the vibe it gives off. Harmony Korine is a fucking amazing song, and the title track is one of his top best closers.
 
Best Porcupine Tree is the earliest period. Up The Downstair still is my favorite. Then of course the ambient The Sky Moves Sideways. Still love the two pop-esque albums and the metal period is just fine too, but too much filler. The highs are high, but I could throw away half of In Absentia, Deadwing, and Fear of a Blank Planet (Incident is foreign for me) and I'd be much happier. Anesthetize was probably the peak.
 
Oveja Negra said:
Oh, I get where you're coming from when it comes to rate Insurgentes.

For sure it's not an easy album to listen to.

It almost requires you to be in a jazz/ambient/meditative mental state :P, except, as you say, the last two tracks that are -I agree with you again- absolutely phenomenal.
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For sure. I really enjoyed the documentary DVD, and that Bass Communion/Pig performance on there is incredible.

Altazor said:
I would've easily traded Wedding Nails for Drown With Me.
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I may be mistaken, but I think Prodigal replaced Drown With Me at the last moment. I love Wedding nails, but IA would basically be a perfect album if DWM was on their instead of Prodigal.

RDreamer said:
/Deadwing goddammit!
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Here's what needed to happen with Deadwing to make it a perfect album:

-Revenant as the opener (This worked fantastic as an intro into Deadwing live)
-Get rid of Shallow and Lazarus, two of the worst PT songs, and replace them with Mother and Child Divided and Christenings
-Replace Open Car with So Called Friend.

chronic_archaic said:
Best Porcupine Tree is the earliest period. Up The Downstair still is my favorite. Then of course the ambient The Sky Moves Sideways. Still love the two pop-esque albums and the metal period is just fine too, but too much filler. The highs are high, but I could throw away half of In Absentia, Deadwing, and Fear of a Blank Planet (Incident is foreign for me) and I'd be much happier. Anesthetize was probably the peak.
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One of my most prized possessions is the Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape black vinyl, of which only 100 I believe were made. I should really get that shit signed. I do miss old PT though. Coma Divine is still my favorite live record of all time. Actually, I'd take ANY PT at this point. His solo stuff is great, but there was something magical about Porcupine Tree.
 
TheSpaceBetween said:
Here's what needed to happen with Deadwing to make it a perfect album:

-Revenant as the opener (This worked fantastic as an intro into Deadwing live)
-Get rid of Shallow and Lazarus, two of the worst PT songs, and replace them with Mother and Child Divided and Christenings
-Replace Open Car with So Called Friend.
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We are no longer friends. :P

Lazarus is one of my top all time Porcupine Tree songs. I love it dearly. Mother and Child Divided is a pretty blah instrumental if you ask me. Compared to other songs I mean. I still like it, just not as much. Open Car I feel is also a much much better song than So Called Friend. With your changes I think Deadwing would probably drop from one of my top 2 to one of the bottom two, lol.


Anyway, I looked at my long album playlists, and thought I'd post them:

Deadwing:
Revenant
Deadwing
Shallow
Lazarus
Mother and Child Divided
Halo
Arriving Somewhere But Not Here
Mellotron Scratch
So Called Friend
Open Car
Start of Something Beautiful
Glass Arm Shattering
Half-Light

Fear of a Blank Planet:
Fear of a Blank Planet
Nil Recurring
Normal
My Ashes
Anesthetize
Sentimental
Way Out of Here
Cheating the Polygraph
Sleep Together
What Happens Now?

In Absentia
Collapse (intro track from the futile EP download)
Blackest Eyes
Trains
Lips of Ashes
The Sound of Muzak
Gravity Eyelids
Orchidia
Futile
Drown With Me
Wedding Nails
Prodigal
.3
The Creator has a Mastertape
Heartattack in a Lay By
Strip the Soul
Chloroform
Collapse the Light into Earth

The Raven That Refused to Sing:
Luminol
Drive Home
The Birthday Party
The Holy Drinker
Clock Song
The Pin Drop
The Watchmaker
The Raven

And then there's the SW B-sides album:
The Map
Puncture Wound
The 78
Desperation
A Western Home
Cut Ribbon
Port Rubicon
Home in Negative
Collecting Space
Fluid Tap
Black Dog Throwbacks
Vapor Trail Lullaby
 
"Anesthetize" and "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" are two of my favorite songs by Porcupine Tree. I hope they release a new album soon.

King Crimson and their albums In the Court of the Crimson King, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and Lizard are pretty cool.

I like the classic go to bands like Rush, Pink Floyd, and Yes. Tool are great as well. Some of the newer prog rock acts I like are Muse and The Mars Volta. Here are others:

- Frank Zappa
- Air
- Electric Light Orchestra
- Camel
- X Japan
- Opeth
- Mastodon
- Animal Collective (electronic prog? Ha ha)
- Miles Davis (Agharta, Pangaea)
 
Tomasoares said:
Which albuns did you like most in 2014?

TBH, I haven't heard much progressive stuff this year, except for Skyharbor, Pink Floyd (very good album, IMO), Opeth and iamthemorning.

However, one of my biggest discoveries in Progressive music was Big Big Train. English Eletric albums are some of the best stuff I've heard.
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Animals As Leaders The Joy of Motion was one of my top albums from last year, period. Also liked Skyharbor's Guiding Lights and Language by Contortionist. Had no idea there was a new Steven Wilson album out. Yay.
 
deepsleep said:
"Anesthetize" and "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" are two of my favorite songs by Porcupine Tree. I hope they release a new album soon.
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I would love Anesthetize, and possibly FOABP more if I didn't download a live recording of the album when they did the tour before releasing the album. Anesthetize live during that recording especially had some really fucking awesome parts, and some amazing vocals. The whole album live had amazing vocals. The studio album he does this like... more drugged up voice, probably on purpose because of the vocals. But it means songs like Anesthetize lose some of the power. Also, the mixing on the synths in the switch up from the beginning section to the middle section isn't as good on album as it is live. Fucking love those synths.

The whole album is way better live, I think.

Also, don't count on PT releasing an album anytime soon. :(

deepsleep said:
King Crimson and their albums In the Court of the Crimson King, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and Lizard are pretty cool.
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Big King Crimson fan here. I've been getting more into them as I collected all the anniversary remasters. I'm getting really antsy for Beat and Three of A Perfect Pair.

Their live album they just released was pretty spectacular. I was especially happy Islands songs were included. I think that album's severely underrated.
 
RionaaM said:
Is this really a thing? Is Gilmour releasing a new album? That's fantastic!
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Yup, he just announced some European tour dates today.


david_gilmour_tour_2015.jpg
 
K1km9sE.jpg
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Fantastic Album! Personally, I had in emotional connection to this album after my first listen. I Have gone through the whole thing about 5-6 times the past 4 days.
A lot easier to get into than the Raven and not in a bad way.

Routine is an absolute killer of a song. Home invasion is surprisingly hard hitting and still manages to be an enjoyable, well paced song.
Guthrie Govans solo in Regret#9 made me freak out. The phrasing in that solo is breathtaking and probably one of the best guitar solos I have heard in recent years. Kinda sad Minnimann doesn't get much space this time around ,
as his drumming was oh so good on the Raven.

Overall I greatly enjoy Hand.Cannot.Erase - probably quite a bit more than the Raven, which I already enjoyed a lot. I just think that this time around the overall songwriting is a lot tighter.
No jazz wankery in the way of the song. The Watchmaker is still the second best song Steven has ever written though <3.

Here's some Krautrock for your bored ears.
 
Decided to put Porcupine Tree on today and fucking hell, forgot how good Up The Downstair is!


Definitely going to check out Wilson's new solo album.
 
jambo said:
Decided to put Porcupine Tree on today and fucking hell, forgot how good Up The Downstair is!
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I really kind of wish he'd try a modern take on that psychadelic sort of style again. He could do some really crazy cool things now with better production.

Andrew_Korenchkin said:
Jesus christ, Between The Buried and Me has officially grown on me. Batshit insane these guys are.
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Parallax II is one of my favorite albums of the last decade. Freakishly good.
 
Haven't checked the thread in a while. Came to read the last 2 pages hoping in my wildest dreams for a SW/Porcupine tree discussion and you all delivered in spades!

But not a single mention of Voyage 34 (the album). Has anyone heard it and if so, what are your thoughts on it?

I find it absolutely brilliant, a real, palpable story more than just a song.


Edit: I, too, wish he'd try some more psychedelic stuff.
 
Went down to JBHiFi on my lunch break to get Hand.Cannot.Erase. and apparently they got no stock in. All the pre-orders were interstate and any stock would need to be sourced from there.

I could go digital, but I really want the 5.1 mix on the Limited Edition...
 
Manu said:
In a way, I'd say that's what he's been doing with his solo albums.
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I do agree with you actually. Not as consistently, but in a way, yeah. I say consistent as in that early in his career, bigger chunks of each album could be considered psychedelic. But he definitely has done some work there in his solo career. Namely, this one is fucking incredible.




Steven Wilson - Abandoner: http://youtu.be/-MUESxmNTsk
 
The new Steven Wilson is very good. I haven't really cared for the most of his solo work, but this one had an immediate connection with me.

I'll leave you some Umphrey's McGee (who you should see live) from a 10 hour session at Abbey Road, where they managed to record an entire album.

I Want You (She's So Heavy)
 
Hearing so much good about Wilson's newest album. Yay! Mine's sitting in the mail for me when I get home (and auto-ripped to my Amazon MP3 collection)
 
I am not actually liking the new SW soo much. I get the impression that it lacks cohesion among its titles, although Regret # 9 is really well done.

May sound somewhat heretical, but I think Mariusz Duda and Crew do everything SW has lately done, but just... better :/
 
Slackbladder said:
And I have 3 tickets for the Royal Albert Hall! First time I'll see him solo though with Floyd it's been 3 times. And Waters 4 times so a nice balance.
Looking forward to the album. I liked On an Island though maybe not as adventurous as I'd liked.
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Lucky!!

My dad saw Floyd in '89 I believe in Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit. Back in 2010, we both caught Waters, too. Unfortunately, my dad passed a couple years back. I'm surely not going to miss out on Gilmour if he comes anywhere in the great lakes region.

I also liked OAI. Gilmour recently stated though that the new one is going to be a bit of a "departure" from it in places, so who knows.
 
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