The Prog 100
 

Ok, the first 90 will not be in order, that would just be pointless. Inventive title I know. Some reviews will be short, some will be long, depends on how much I care when I'm writing. I might go back and lengthen reviews upon whim or request. Let's get this started. NO ORDER FOR FIRST 90!
100: April-Sun Kil Moon
http://drewviews.files.wordpress.com...pril_cover.jpg
The opening track on April is one of the most beautifully autumnal songs I've ever heard. It's gentle but persistent beat, soft, slightly jangly melody and subtle lyrical references to the Bay Area make it a very special song to me. Mark Kozelek has said that the song is about the character from his Red House Painters song Katy. I got the impression that Katy is a ghost watching over her old loved ones from the fog.
The rest of the album doesn't quite reach such heights, but Moorestown is almost as good, just as deeply personal, again using very specific imagery of real places where Kozelek found love and lost it.
The only other song that really stands out from the pack is Heron Blue, which uses it's medieval atmosphere to describe the experience of watching a Heroin addict die in front of you.
As a whole many of the songs are connected, all in theme and some with specific stories. It seems like, as a whole, the album is a bit too musically safe, and the only times it really takes off the ground is when there is risk taking involved. That being said there isn't a song I don't like, and there are several I love. Recommended to anyone who doesn't hate music.
Favorite lyric: Her walls are Mediterranean blue
Her baby sister picked the hue
Saltwater taffy, Jersey shore
Blue like the fingernails she wore
Favorite song: Lost Verses

Special review, not a part of the 100:
A Thousand Kisses Deep-Leonard Cohen:
This one of my favorite poems of all time, it's deeply personal and philosophical at the same time. I don't think there's any specific theme to it, just Cohen recounting his experiences in his favorite manner. Can't really go wrong with one of the greatest lyricists of all time telling his life story can you?

1. You came to me this morning
And you handled me like meat.
You´d have to live alone to know
How good that feels, how sweet.
My mirror twin, my next of kin,
I´d know you in my sleep.
And who but you would take me in
A thousand kisses deep?

2. I loved you when you opened
Like a lily to the heat.
I´m just another snowman
Standing in the rain and sleet,
Who loved you with his frozen love
His second-hand physique -
With all he is, and all he was
A thousand kisses deep.

3. All soaked in sex, and pressed against
The limits of the sea:
I saw there were no oceans left
For scavengers like me.
We made it to the forward deck
I blessed our remnant fleet -
And then consented to be wrecked
A thousand kisses deep.

4. I know you had to lie to me,
I know you had to cheat.
But the Means no longer guarantee
The Virtue in Deceit.
That truth is bent, that beauty spent,
That style is obsolete -
Ever since the Holy Spirit went
A thousand kisses deep.

5. (So what about this Inner Light
That´s boundless and unique?
I´m slouching through another night
A thousand kisses deep.)

6. I´m turning tricks; I´m getting fixed,
I´m back on Boogie Street.
I tried to quit the business -
Hey, I´m lazy and I´m weak.
But sometimes when the night is slow,
The wretched and the meek,
We gather up our hearts and go
A thousand kisses deep.

7. (And fragrant is the thought of you,
The file on you complete -
Except what we forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep.)

8. The ponies run, the girls are young,
The odds are there to beat.
You win a while, and then it´s done -
Your little winning streak.
And summoned now to deal
With your invincible defeat,
You live your life as if it´s real
A thousand kisses deep.

9. (I jammed with Diz and Dante -
I did not have their sweep -
But once or twice, they let me play
A thousand kisses deep.)

10. And I´m still working with the wine,
Still dancing cheek to cheek.
The band is playing "Auld Lang Syne" -
The heart will not retreat.
And maybe I had miles to drive,
And promises to keep -
You ditch it all to stay alive
A thousand kisses deep.

11. And now you are the Angel Death
And now the Paraclete;
And now you are the Savior's Breath
And now the Belsen heap.
No turning from the threat of love,
No transcendental leap -
As witnessed here in time and blood
A thousand kisses deep.

^ Nice selection

My favorite part is the tenth stanza

"And I´m still working with the wine,
Still dancing cheek to cheek.
The band is playing "Auld Lang Syne" -
The heart will not retreat.
And maybe I had miles to drive,
And promises to keep -
You ditch it all to stay alive
A thousand kisses deep."

very elegant mental and physical landscape and imagery. I feel like I know that exac moment our feelings and experiences coincided.

Have you read Wordsworth?

Can't say I have. I saw Cohen perform A Thousand Kisses Deep (The poem I mean) live when he was on a tour a couple months ago, really stunning. Here's a video from his performance in Dublin:

99: Robot World-Bailter Space
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...RobotWorld.jpg
The first thing you should know about this record is that it might take a while to tell apart the first two songs. The next one you can differentiate from the others on first listen. The next 8 songs all sound a bit similar at first, just like the the first two tracks. After a few weeks though it'll be worth the hours you spent (Wasted) trying to get to like this album to look smart. I suggest you listen every morning when you get up and right before you go to bed each night. I recommend this album to anyone with patience. Cheers.
Favorite lyric: who cares
Favorite song: Morning

I love these 100 list. I was when I saw The PRog 100 thinking it was going to be 100 Prog albums.

I have always loved New Zealand Rock (Except Crowed House), I think I will really enjoy this.
When I saw the prog 100 I thought it was going to be 100 prog albums.

Lol, there'll be plenty of Prog anyway.

Looked up Wordsworth, looks interesting. Recommendations? If not I'll just start with the Preclude.

98: Double Expresso-The Tony Levin Band
http://static.rateyourmusic.com/albu...9a1f/42157.jpg
This is easily the one of most underappreciated live albums ever, it's just about flawless. The setting is warm and intimate yet the band is bursting with energy while remaining incredibly tight. Tony Levin himself is as masterful as ever while his backing band is more than solid behind him. While every song is excellent and full of energy, the cover of Zeppelin's Black Dog really stands out, and makes this a must get for any Zeppelin fan (Lookin' at you JJJ). The album was recorded in Woodstock, New York, which, as most of you probably know, is 43 miles from where the real Woodstock took place.
Favorite lyrics: n/a
Favorite song: Black Dog

I need to get that. Tony Levin is one of my top favorite bass guitar gods.

It's a really great album, any KC/Levin/music fan should get it.

I agree completely. I also saw Cohen live a few months or so ago... amazing.

He performed A Thousand Kisses Deep? Sweeeet. What else did he play?

This is what the setlist was: (I wrote a gig review for my uni's magazine and so I have it saved)

Set 1
1. Dance Me to the End of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure for Love
4. Bird on the Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who By Fire
8. Chelsea Hotel #2
9. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
10. Anthem

Set 2
11. Tower of Song
12. Suzanne
13. The Gypsy Wife
14. The Partisan
15. Boogie Street
16. Hallelujah
17. I'm Your Man
18. A Thousand Kisses Deep [recitation]
19. Take This Waltz

Encore 1
20. So Long Marianne
21. First We Take Manhattan

Encore 2
22. Famous Blue Raincoat
23. If It Be Your Will
24. Democracy

Encore 3
25. I Tried to Leave You
26. Wither Thou Goest

This was in Wellington, New Zealand that I saw him. Was just fantastic.

Exact same as the concert I went to, as much of it as I can remember anyway.

He's performing live? That's surprising.
I thought he was still living up on that mountain, getting beaten by that Buddhist monk guy.

His manager screwed him over so he became broke. I doubt he is anymore though, he sold out practically every show.

You might be interested in Stevens, Levin, Bozio's "Black Light Syndrome". It's top notch prog., but what go my attention was Steve Stevens (Billy Idol fame) playing flamenco guitar on "Duende", which is phenomenal.

That's good to know, I think I like Cohen now more. His gravelly voice suits him better.
It's kind of like the opposite of Dylan, but ya know, I still like Dylan's voice, but he was awesome early.
I've tried to get into early Cohen, but it's just not possible.

I feel you on Cohen, even though I disagree. I liked everything up to Modern Times.

I'll check it out.

Get to work Kid! It's summer and I bet you don't even have a job.

Anyway as for Wordsworth, it's hard to say, he's just so visual with his poetry a lot like that Cohen piece, I think you'd enjoy it a lot.

A could link you to some stuff online, but I'm sure you're better with this stuff anyway. I got my first computer when I was almost 10 years older then you are now. This shit is tough on me.

I've been without internet, I'll get right on it.

97: LP-Ambulance LTD
http://a1.vox.com/6a00d41418482c6a47...4aa16a47-500pi
This album is a bit of an enigma in Indie Rock in that there isn't really a band they're trying to imitate. It would appear to any casual listener that the album (Their sole studio LP so far) is just a jumbled collection of various kinds of guitar rock, with some very catchy pop tunes mixed in. Upon further listening it reveals itself as a kind of collage of the many indie guitar rock styles from the past 20 or so years. While I enjoy the mish-mash feeling of most of the album, the best parts are when the band temporarily stows their guitars and Marcus Congleton's beautiful voice is pushed to the forefront as on the sugar sweet pop tune Anecdote, one of the best songs of 2004, whose shambling beat and reproachful lyrics perfectly complement the beautiful melody. The other highlights are Michigan, a reflectional ballad, and Stay Tuned, a slightly grungy song, also a ballad, with the sarcastic chorus of "Stay pretty I'll come back sometime and soon and while I'm away: stay tuned". I would recommend this album to anyone who likes guitar rock and good, fun pop.
Favorite Song: Anecdote
Favorite Lyrics:
The seeds come alive and continue to grow.
He may be a talented man
But I told you, "Believe in the things that you know."
Baby, I trust that you can.
Trust you can.

Nice list so far. I really like the whole "favorite lyric" thing... no one's really done that before. Keep it up.

Thanks for the praise. So I'm going to sleepaway camp for three weeks on Sunday. That means I'll have to pile in as much as possible while I'm not packing between now and Sunday. I've already done the reviews for the top 10, so I'll do a series of 1 a day when the time comes. I'll do one more review tonight and then I'll try to do at least 3 tomorrow.

96: Below The Heavens-Blu & Exile
http://premierepoetsociety.files.wor...xile_cover.jpg
This is probably my most listened album outside of the top 10. I discovered this one time collaboration between up and coming rapper Blu and well respected underground producer Exile last year and was immediately hooked. Blu isn't a great lyricist and Exile's beats don't carry the album, Blu isn't some technical wizard with the the mike. So what makes this album so compelling. First off the beats are very good. They just don't make the songs listenable by themselves like, say, Blockheads or the Bomb Squads. No, what makes this album is Blu's sincerity. I think it says a lot about the MC when an album that is unspectacular otherwise pushes me to give it 4 and a half stars based on the raw honesty of the lyrics and delivery. In terms of great songs this is in my top 10 of all time, In Remembrance Of Me, Dancing In The Rain, No Greater Love, Cold Hearted and The World Is (...Below The Heavens) are all spectacular. My favorite track is Dancing In The Rain, a melancholy chronicle of struggling make music while depressed and without inspiration or money. Recommended to any rap fan or someone looking to get into the genre.
Favorite Lyric: Nobody cares if Blu raps about hoes or savin' souls/they just wana' hear that beat rock
Favorite Song: Dancing In The Rain

Sorry I haven't done anything in so long but my iPod got stolen and I didn't have any music on my new computer. I'll try and do a couple reviews next weekend or tomorrow if I can find time.