The Avant-Prog/WTF corner
 

This is a genre that is fairly obscure and hard to get into. Some bands label themselves as 'RIO' but as far as I'm concerned, 'RIO' (Rock In Opposition) was just a movement during the 70s, opposing record labels as they refused to sign up bands due to their nature. There is no defined sound here and could vary from band to band. I suppose modern acts are still influenced by the movement, and hence, the only reason it's still floating around. But the true meaning of it is no longer relevant.

Anyway, for some of you wackos, this thread might be of interest :laughing:. The above picture outlines some of the essential bands. Other than those, there are quite a few others worth noting as well, although the genre is limited a bit. Lets see how this turns out anyways. I'll update this after a day or so, and if any of you do have anything to add, then go ahead. Till then, for starters, some of you could try the Samla Mammas Manna album I upped a while back (the link still works). They're one of the more accessible bands.

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Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes!!!! I love threads like this! Anytime I hear the words "avant garde" and "rock" in the same sentence, I'm instantly intrigued. Could ya tell me what albums I should get by Henry Cow?

I'm very familiar with Henry Cow, Leg End and Unrest are both excellent. I havent heard of any of the others but i shall download that link and have a listen. Nice thread.

i did a bit of a blog on this if anyone's interested: Music Banter - Avant-Prog

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-N4FxoETTX...s400/HK-HP.jpg
(click on the image. The format is ogg though)

Höyry-kone - Huono Parturi
Release date: 1997

What do they play?
Some sort of creepy, chaotic, confused(?) rock with klezmer elements thrown in.

Accessibility:
From a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the least, I'd give them a 2.5 - 3.

So, coming from Finland, what was this team thinking of?! They play an eclectic mix of Jazz, blues, eastern european & klezmer music, even metallic riffs from time to time and combine those with the unpredictable arrangements and weird vocals, you get an all-in-all weird album! As for the vocals/lyrics - doesn't matter if you don't understand a word. It's part of the charm and adds to the weirdness even more.

The album opens up with Beata Viscera, a 7-minute song with nothing but chants. Sounds like a soundtrack for a movie, but anyways, this sets the tone nicely and gives you an idea on what to expect regarding the vocals. Terva-Antti Ku Häihin Lähti follows, an instrumental song with creepy violins/cellos and unpredictable tempo changes. This really is how their music is - unpredictable, with weird melodies. Sometimes it's dissonant and can be harsh on the ears, but that happens rarely. Track 3, Karhunkaato, brings those ridiculous vocals into effect (in a good way that is). Sounds like a Finnish chant and again, those violins/cellos add a nice touch to it.

And if the first half wasn't weird enough, the second half is even worse. It begins with the title track, which is surprisingly more accessible and even a bit catchy(?!). It's also the the high point of their vocal ridiculousness. It does follow a similar formula (if there is any) but at no point does this album feel repetitive. There are no highlights either, as each song could be an highlight. Ullakon Lelut is an instrumental which abandons the chaos and brings in much needed calm. Tottele, Kala & Laahustaja brings back the distortion and even features some growling vocals at times. These tracks are a bit more on the inaccessible side, compared to the first half. Sometimes these sound like king crimson on their most experimental days, and sometimes it can get a bit harsh on the ears, but you should get used to it after a listen or two. The album ends with Laina-Ajalla, which is sort of a final assault before concluding. Starts of calm, but all of a sudden 2~ minutes in, the metallic riffs appear with some other noodling in the background. There are also repetitive violins/cellos that's present throughout the track and this is how they create this "dark/creepy" atmosphere.

Overall, I think they are one of the most original bands to come from the country. They don't screw around just for the sake of sounding different - it's all so natural and knowing about their influences, I'm not surprised either. This album is much more accessible and refined compared to their debut, but if you could endure this, their debut should prove more challenging and interesting. It's certainly not for everyone, but hey, just give this a try. Who knows...you might end up liking it :D.

Unrest, In Praise of Learning and Western Culture are all excellent. I started with Western Culture, but you could try any. I'd suggest you try western culture too, although it might not be easy to get into.

any takers on the Edgar Broughton Band?

And if Crass were operating in 70's could they not be classed as rock-in-opposition?

Crass's first album was 1978 but I'm unfamiliar with this term so I wouldn't like to say although Crass were certainly against many things. I have 6 of their albums if anyone needs an up.

I wouldn't consider Crass as 'RIO' (although the literal meaning of it might apply :p:). These are bands that have met and agreed to be part of the movement (henry cow being the originator). Here are a list of bands that could be considered 'avant-prog' (not RIO as the movement is dead and over)

Thinking Plague
Alamaailman Vasarat
Art Zoyd
Art Bears
Begnagrad
Shub Niggurath
Slappy Happy
Henry Cow
Samla Mammas Manna
Univers Zero
Stormy Six
Ahvak
Etron Fou Leloublan
Dun
Tipographica
U Totem
Hoyry-Kone
KoenjiHyakkei
Skeleton Crew
Guapo
Happy Family
vortex
Far Corner
Buldožer
5uu's

There are a few more, but blah, I'm too lazy to dig them out :p:. Anyways, I'll update soon!

Always good to see genre threads like these, especially if they're about something I'm quite literally 100% unfamiliar with. That Höyry-kone album sounds fantastic. I'll be keeping an eye on this.