Oh, I'm verrrrrry critical of most contemporary prog. rock and metal, mostly because I feel that much of what I love has been diluted for the sake of being relevant to today's generation of listeners who are used to gel-slick production and emphasis on guitar-shredding (Dream Theater, Shadow Gallery, Pendragon, Knight Area, etc) instead of song-structure and composition. Furthermore, the priortization of these latter traits are what gave groups like Anglagard and The Flower Kings a songwriting edge over their more metallic peers back in the 90's, yet on the flip-side plain to see which traditions have spawned more bands and draw larger crowds, as events like Progressive Nation '08 shamelessly illustrate.
Hence, when I do review a prog. album from after 2000, its usually because find it reminiscent (but not derivitive completely) of the things I enjoy in the genre or because it stands out in some way.
But I gotta say though, and maybe its just me, but I really miss the eclectic lyric sensibilities that King Crimson and Yes had back in the 70's that seem absent in a lot of alternative and prog. today. And I'm not talking about The Mars Volta's nonsense or Radiohead's melancholic musings (which are both fine), but that poetic grasp of language which could mean anything or nothing and not hinder one's enjoyment of a song at all. Just like how people used to go pick up vinyls back in stores where the covers and packaging enhanced one's appreciation of the music, that sort of word sense seems to be going extinct.
