The Prog & Fusion Album Club

Guybrush · 02-03-2011, 07:09 PM

I will actually be going on a vacation to Iceland in a couple of days and so I may not be around to start the Dün - Eros discussion thread although I'll definetly try and get it done. However, if I don't do it, for example by tuesday or wednesday next week, could someone else take care of it? The other album discussion threads can serve as templates. Link to them are in the first post!

TockTockTock · 02-05-2011, 12:11 PM

Yea, I hope more people join. I like Prog music.

Guybrush · 02-08-2011, 11:58 AM

This week's album is :

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

Passport - Cross Collateral (1975)

Back in 1970, the accomplished German sax/keyboard player Klaus Doldinger wanted to combine his jazz playing with the rhythms of rock so he put together his jazz fusion band, Passport. Although there were line-up changes along the way, right through the `70s and into the early `80s, Passport were pumping out albums at a rate of one a year, so this album, Cross Collateral, comes in the middle of a sustained creative streak. It is one of their best-regarded albums, and although KD is credited as composer for the whole album, he is helped out here by synthesizer wizard Kristian Schultze. Together they play some dynamic, sparkling leads while the rest of the band occassionally contribute the kind of riffs that a prog-rock band would die for. On other, more subdued tracks they go for a sound slightly closer to pure jazz.
All in all, this is a very accessible, clean-sounding instrumental album, but just how well KD succeeded in fusing jazz and rock would be for us to decide.

Have limited time on the net, but I'll try and get Dün's thread up

edit :

http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...os-1981-a.html

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 02-08-2011, 07:38 PM

For when you get back,

I'd very much like to nominate one of the albums I would probably consider one of my favorite of all time. One of the most dynamic, complex, abrasive works known to man. I don't know if it's popular opinion or not, but I believe when Magma created the Zeuhl genre they pretty much remained kings, and queens of it unconditionally for decades until finally picked up by the Japanese, most importantly through the bands Ruins, and Bondage Fruit. When combined, Magma had a very very serious contender to it's throne.

Now, with these two bands combined you have Tatsuya Yoshida's vision come to live in Koenji Hyakkei, and none more has this vision been thunderous, aggressive, or unique as in their second work "Viva Koenji". No matter how many times I listen to this album, it completely floors me every single time. Such a unique, and powerful experience that no other album I've listened to seems to get me. It's like if they took Magma at it's most grand and bizarre moments, and cranked it up ten notches.

Guybrush · 02-10-2011, 10:52 AM

Back! Thanks for the suggestion

Added to the poll!

I've reset the poll properly this time I think, so hopefully I can use the same thread over and over in the future. Let me know if any of you can't vote!

http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...lbum-poll.html

Guybrush · 02-15-2011, 07:11 AM

Sorry for beign a day late with the usual announcements and so on. This week's album will be :

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Pat

Comus - First Utterance (1971)

I'm sure most of you have heard this album, but I thought it would be a fun album to talk about. For those who don't know, this album is a folk album that uses worldly sounds incorporated into its music (you can hear bongos, Romani-sounding violin, old blues/slide guitar, folky voice, etc). The strangest and most interesting aspect about this album, though, is its juxtaposition between the sound of the music and the actual topic that the music is about.

.. Another classic

Last week's homework was Passport's Cross Collateral from 1975. The discussion thread for the album can be found here :

http://www.musicbanter.com/jazz-blue...al-1975-a.html

Check it out!

Guybrush · 02-18-2011, 11:43 AM

The poll is reset and reopened! Please vote for next week's album

http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...lbum-poll.html

Guybrush · 02-21-2011, 03:35 AM

This week's album and the winner of last week's poll is :

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skaligojurah

Kōenji Hyakkei - Viva Koenji! (1997)

I'd very much like to nominate one of the albums I would probably consider one of my favorite of all time. One of the most dynamic, complex, abrasive works known to man. I don't know if it's popular opinion or not, but I believe when Magma created the Zeuhl genre they pretty much remained kings, and queens of it unconditionally for decades until finally picked up by the Japanese, most importantly through the bands Ruins, and Bondage Fruit. When combined, Magma had a very very serious contender to it's throne.

Now, with these two bands combined you have Tatsuya Yoshida's vision come to live in Koenji Hyakkei, and none more has this vision been thunderous, aggressive, or unique as in their second work "Viva Koenji". No matter how many times I listen to this album, it completely floors me every single time. Such a unique, and powerful experience that no other album I've listened to seems to get me. It's like if they took Magma at it's most grand and bizarre moments, and cranked it up ten notches.

I've also made the discussion thread for Comus - First Utterance!

http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...ce-1971-a.html

Guybrush · 02-25-2011, 04:16 AM

Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night

The origin of the Canterbury scene hails back to the band The Wilde Flowers who played concerts in the 60s. When the Wilde Flowers broke up, some members went on to form Soft Machine while some went on to form Caravan. While Soft Machine went more experimental and jazzy, Caravan generally started out as a psychedelic rock band that became a progressive rock band before they became more or less completely pop. Somewhere in that development of their sound they achieved what I think is the perfect marriage of pop-rock and progressive rock. That record is For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night and I figure the only reason people always hail In the Land of Grey and Pink as the finest Caravan record is because they haven't heard this one.

Plump Girls is a seductive prog-rock album containing gorgeous pop hooks and a feelgood atmosphere from start to finish. For those who like guitar rock, it may just be the perfect entry point into Canterbury or prog rock in general. The amount of earwigs means you may not be able to get it off your mind after a couple of listens, so check it out.

PS! Imo, the tracklist gets better over the course of the record, but remember it only has 7 tracks! Later releases tend to have a lot of bonus material.

edit :

Poll's been reset

Please vote for next week's album!

http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...lbum-poll.html

Guybrush · 02-27-2011, 05:46 PM

Caravan's For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night won last week's poll and is this week's homework album. Read the description in the previous or first post

I've also created a discussion thread for last week's homework album : http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...ji-1997-a.html

02-03-2011, 07:09 PM	#121 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I will actually be going on a vacation to Iceland in a couple of days and so I may not be around to start the Dün - Eros discussion thread although I'll definetly try and get it done. However, if I don't do it, for example by tuesday or wednesday next week, could someone else take care of it? The other album discussion threads can serve as templates. Link to them are in the first post! __________________ Something Completely Different

02-10-2011, 10:52 AM	#125 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	Back! Thanks for the suggestion Added to the poll! I've reset the poll properly this time I think, so hopefully I can use the same thread over and over in the future. Let me know if any of you can't vote! http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...lbum-poll.html __________________ Something Completely Different

02-18-2011, 11:43 AM	#127 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	The poll is reset and reopened! Please vote for next week's album http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...lbum-poll.html __________________ Something Completely Different

02-25-2011, 04:16 AM	#129 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night The origin of the Canterbury scene hails back to the band The Wilde Flowers who played concerts in the 60s. When the Wilde Flowers broke up, some members went on to form Soft Machine while some went on to form Caravan. While Soft Machine went more experimental and jazzy, Caravan generally started out as a psychedelic rock band that became a progressive rock band before they became more or less completely pop. Somewhere in that development of their sound they achieved what I think is the perfect marriage of pop-rock and progressive rock. That record is For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night and I figure the only reason people always hail In the Land of Grey and Pink as the finest Caravan record is because they haven't heard this one. Plump Girls is a seductive prog-rock album containing gorgeous pop hooks and a feelgood atmosphere from start to finish. For those who like guitar rock, it may just be the perfect entry point into Canterbury or prog rock in general. The amount of earwigs means you may not be able to get it off your mind after a couple of listens, so check it out. PS! Imo, the tracklist gets better over the course of the record, but remember it only has 7 tracks! Later releases tend to have a lot of bonus material. edit : Poll's been reset Please vote for next week's album! http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...lbum-poll.html __________________ Something Completely Different

02-27-2011, 05:46 PM	#130 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	Caravan's For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night won last week's poll and is this week's homework album. Read the description in the previous or first post I've also created a discussion thread for last week's homework album : http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psyc...ji-1997-a.html __________________ Something Completely Different

02-05-2011, 12:11 PM	#122 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	Yea, I hope more people join. I like Prog music.