[markheadphonium]

Classical music guy here, on a quest to put good demo music on my laptop for the next meet... as previously posted in certain places.. my interests have turned to Progressive Rock... can I get some suggestions for THE essential progressive rock album? Note that I'm looking for good MUSIC above good SOUND.
 
Thanks,
Mark

 

[Chris J]

I'll have to bite my tongue! :redface:

 

[Chris J]

OK,
Yes:
"Relayer"
And now I'm stumped!

 

[markheadphonium]

I listened to "Yes" in high school and liked them okay. I'll try downloading a track off Relayer and see if I like it.

 

[sling5s]

Classic:
Yes: Close to the Edge, Relayer
Pink Floyd: DSOTM, The wall, Wish you were here, animals 
King Crimson: In the courts of the crimson king
Rush: 2112, Hemispheres, 
Jethro Tull: Thick as a brick
Genesis: Selling England by the pound, Lamb lies down 
 
 
Modern:
Porcupine Tree: Deadwing, Absentia 
Riverside: Out of myself 
Radiohead: OK Computer 

 

[StratocasterMan]

You probably better throw some Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) in there. I find their music has aged much better than most of their contemporaries.
 
Their two-CD Greatest Hits collection from 2008 covers most of the bases.
 

 

[sling5s]

I always considered them more symphonic rock than progressive rock but I guess they fit.  
 
Quote:

  You probably better throw some Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) in there. I find their music has aged much better than most of their contemporaries.
 
Their two-CD Greatest Hits collection from 2008 covers most of the bases.
 

 

[Chris J]

I'm not sure if two people can agree on what Progressive Rock is!

 

[limpidglitch]

Zappa? It's certainly progressive, at least, and essential/iconic. 
The humour and self irony stops it from becoming the pure pompous self-aggrandizement as I find prog often to become.

I'd probably go for something reasonably early, like Over-Nite Sensation or Uncle Meat. Or maybe even back to the Mothers Of Invention years.

 

[limpidglitch]

What about Kraut, is that usually considered as a subset of Prog, or a more separate entity?

 

[spook76]

As a listener of prog rock only my recommendations are as follows:

From the classic era (1970s):

Yes "Close to the Edge" get the 2013 Steven Wilson remaster.

Genesis: "Selling England by the Pound" or "Foxtrot"

Jethro Tull "Thick as a Brick"

Modern Era:

Transatlantic "Bridge Across Forever" or "Whirlwind". Pure symphonic prog.

Porcupine Tree: "Fear of a Blank Planet"

Opeth "Ghost Reveries" there are some death growls in some of the songs so if that is not your cup of tea try Dream Theater "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulance".

Spock's Beard "V"

Big Big Train "English Electric Full Power"

 

[NilsTentacles]

Magma, trilogie 3CD

 

[AlfredKeppler]

  What about Kraut, is that usually considered as a subset of Prog, or a more separate entity?

 

 

 
It's not a subset per se: it includes artist you wouln't associate with prog rock anymore, for example Kraftwerk and other fathers of electronic music. It meant all artist coming from germany historically.
If you want to have a look at Kraut artist with more of a progressive rock background, look for: Can, Amon Düül II (the name Krautrock comes from the song "Mama Düül and her Sauerkrautband start up"), Faust and Kraan... especially Kraan.
 

  Magma, trilogie 3CD

 
Or at least Magma - Mekanik Destrukiw Kommandoh. Extremly powerful and epic music.
Just be aware - that's Zeuhl, a sub genre of prog rock. It's features are a fantasy language named kobaianic, choiric song structure (at least with Magma, the grounders of the genre), rhytmic power, complexity and repetition.

 

[limpidglitch]

   

 

 
It's not a subset per se: it includes artist you wouln't associate with prog rock anymore, for example Kraftwerk and other fathers of electronic music. It meant all artist coming from germany historically.
If you want to have a look at Kraut artist with more of a progressive rock background, look for: Can, Amon Düül II (the name Krautrock comes from the song "Mama Düül and her Sauerkrautband start up"), Faust and Kraan... especially Kraan.
 

Oh, I'm reasonably familiar with the krautrock music. Been a big fan of Neu! ever since I first saw Master of the Flying Guillotine a long time ago

, and have expanded my knowledge since.
Still a bit hazy on the genre thing, however.

I mean, take your Amon Düül II f.ex, and compare it to, say, Cluster. You wouldn't hesitate to call either of them kraut, but only one of them would pass as prog. Or maybe not?

 

[TheMaestro335]

All Gentle Giant, Nektar, UK, Steve Hackett, PFM, Focus, Caravan, etc....