There is no definitive answer to genre classification. What I like about the whole prog rock scene is its overlap into many genres. From a traditional English prog origins as a schoolboy saving up, heading into town and buying the records of Genesis, Pink Floyd and Yes and a bit later (after I had got my first car) the cassettes of King Crimson I have branched out. Of all the overlapping genres Post/Math rock and the Scandinavian Scene are my favourites.
Well, it is very true. It's OK, but just how we are.
Some music is in between genre or outside of a genre, but as we need a name, will slot it in. In ways it helps to express music but also blinds us to the un-nameable genres. At times I feel it is better to talk about the additive mixtures instead of the final pigeonhole, that's just me though.
Now more than ever in Metal you are seeing bands change genre and morph into a style never even dreamed would happen. Graveworm went from Gothic metal to Death Metal Gothic metal and many see it as an improvement for 2011. Korn changed into Dub-Step House Music.
Above is an example of what I am saying. Really the new Korn is not in any genre so to put them in one limits our view of the creation. The new album has no genre at all. It could even be the start of a new one just like when Korn created Nu-Metal a couple of years ago. Some music has no genre till much later. Heavy Metal was called hard rock for years untill we named the genre. It was an un-named genre for along time.
I recognize that over-genre-ization (SO MADE UP) actually happens, but is it an American phenomenon? The biggest offenders as I see it are the modern metal scene, and the electronic scene, and those aren't even close to being strictly American scenes.
I look at Magma( France ) as an example though of self genre. They mixed jazz, rock, and maybe even opera into a form of progressive rock different than anything, including singing in their own made up language.
They had an X factor too that you could not put into a slot. There was no influence to show where it came from in the history of music. Maybe it was drugs, but they declined to state it was.
So they named themselves to give them their own genre. Thus they didn't want anyone to put them in a slot. They were placed in the progressive rock section at the store, but that is where the classification ended. They really deserved that place in progressive rock and took the steps to get there.
" I recognize that over-genre-ization (SO MADE UP) actually happens, but is it an American phenomenon? The biggest offenders as I see it are the modern metal scene, and the electronic scene, and those aren't even close to being strictly American scenes. "
@logwed
I feel it is. This is a mostly American site, so it is hard to make a test. I guess you could read other places magazines to tell how much goes on. The only time it's an issue is when it keeps us from learning. imo
Also a name does not define the music. How many times did you hear a band of another genre that sounded cool and you thought you hated that type of music? The genre was modified to a point due to the endless changing in music. I would guess that another influence created a new sound with-in the genre. A sub-genre.
"There is no definitive answer to genre classification." PRM
I look at Magma( France ) as an example though of self genre. They mixed jazz, rock, and maybe even opera into a form of progressive rock different than anything, including singing in their own made up language.
They had an X factor too that you could not put into a slot. There was no influence to show where it came from in the history of music. Maybe it was drugs, but they declined to state it was.
So they named themselves to give them their own genre. Thus they didn't want anyone to put them in a slot. They were placed in the progressive rock section at the store, but that is where the classification ended. They really deserved that place in progressive rock and took the steps to get there.
Kobaïan is the name of the language. It really is of little importance. lol I was totally into Magma at one time. There live CD imports are fantastic when you could find them 13 years ago.
I can happily add that the British will debate genres all day long as well. I find bands who overlap or cross genres and who are hard to define are often the most interesting to listen to.
As for seeing bands I have had a good run this year, but have no bands lined up to see at all
Glad this thread is coming back to life.
Really like the mood of Codes In The Clouds. Sounds like something i could listen to all day.
I think my favorite band is still Russian Circles. Their Station album has great soundstaging and is a great recording overall. But Enter beats it in actual songs, Carpe is just fantastic, i cant start the album without listening to it all the way through.
Glad this thread is coming back to life.
Really like the mood of Codes In The Clouds. Sounds like something i could listen to all day.
I think my favorite band is still Russian Circles. Their Station album has great soundstaging and is a great recording overall. But Enter beats it in actual songs, Carpe is just fantastic, i cant start the album without listening to it all the way through.
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