Camel - Mirage (1974)
Listen to it on : Spotify / Last.FM
On Site Reviews : none!
Camel is the second Canterbury band on our list. The band led by frontman and guitarist Andrew Latimer formed in 1971 and despite some unfortunate health problems they have remained active. Their last record was released in 2007. Rather than concerning themselves too much with complexity, more typical of Camel is their fondness for melody coupled with harmless, good-natured and moody warm sounds. This mixture is highly evident on albums such as 1975's "Music Inspired by the Snow Goose". Their second album, the critically acclaimed Mirage from 1974, has all that warmth and also a little more bite with some faster passages and some very cool guitar, flute and organ solos. Catchy hooks and melodies follow eachother one after the other like beads on a string. It also contains their most well-known prog work, "Lady Fantasy". Warmly recommended!
Anteater : Lady Fantasy and Supertwister elevate an album that would normally be considered decent into masterpiece territory; anyone getting into Camel should pick this up.
Boo Boo : Camel are one of the more psychedelic influenced prog bands, Doors and Santana fans should check this album out. The first and best of the bands trilogy of greats.
Comus : I prefer their Debut, A Snow Goose and Moonmadness, but this one has captured the imagination of many a prog fan and it's not hard to see why!
tore : Actually not my favourite Camel album, but it seems to be everyone else's. Still, I love how the band sounds on this one.
Wishbone Ash - Argus (1972)
Listen to it on : Spotify / Last.FM
On Site Reviews : http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...tml#post536949
Wishbone Ash are a british rock band who achieved success in the mid 70s. Especially notworthy about them is perhaps the "twin guitars". when bassist Martin Turner and drummer Steve Upton were looking for a guitarist for their band, they found it too hard having to decide between Andy Powell and Ted Turner who were both amazingly talented. Instead of choosing one, they settled for both and Ted and Andy play around eachother, trading riffs and swapping melodic solos with ease and grace. Their third album Argus is generally agreed to be their finest moment. It's a folk-flavoured hard rock album which is just prog enough to be considered a prog masterpiece. Other than being known for being brilliant, it's generally regarded highly influential to hard rock and particularly metal through it's influence on bands like Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy. Check it out!
Anteater : Deep Purple's got nothin' on these guys, especially when they're at their best on this mofo.
Boo Boo : For those that like a little southern in their prog. And why not?
Comus : TWIN MOTHERFUCKING GUITARS.
tore : If there's a proper rock album on this list, I guess this is it. Perfect for those who appreciate a little hard rock with their prog!
Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
Listen to it on : Spotify / Last.FM
On Site Reviews : http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...tml#post669432
The canadian band Rush is a big name in prog and the group should be well known to most - perhaps especially for their instrumental skills, at least those of the famous drummer Neil Peart who is also the band's lyricist. In a time when most other prog acts had quit or turned to the dark side, Rush reached their peak. Pictures from 1981 is their biggest seller to date and contains some of their most well-known songs like Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta and YYZ. It's not their most proggy effort, but it does have a little prog epic on it, "The Camera Eye". Performances are supertight, production is excellent and it's full of catchy rock songs. Like Argus, it's a bit more hard rock/metally than the other albums on this list and might be the perfect entry into prog for those of that persuasion.
Anteater : One of the few 80's prog masterpieces that you can cock out with your rock out.
Boo Boo : Well this wouldn't have been the first album I'd pick to show you the truly proggy side of Rush. But whatever, this is a great album. YYZ will blow yo ass away.
Comus : This album is quite possibly the most accessible prog masterpiece known to man. Everything about this thing screams pop, but everything under the surface is prog to the core.
tore : The first time I heard Tom Sawyer, I thought Geddy Lee was a woman. I still do.
Pink Floyd - Animals (1977)
On Site Reviews : http://www.musicbanter.com/editors-p...tml#post483382
English Pink Floyd is one of the world's most famous rock bands, so of course you know them already. In the 70s, they released several prog albums and Animals from 1977, despite it's brilliance, remains in the background from their most well known albums. Note that background here still means a double platinum. The album contains almost exclusively songwriting material by Roger Waters but is thankfully not based on his own life, but Orwell's novel by the same name where different animals represent different castes and social groups in society. Although Water's influence on the album is quite extensive, David Gilmour also played a hand in writing the gorgeous epic "Dogs" and the album features many hair-raising moments of delight. Warmly recommended, especially to those who already know their other famous albums but have yet to pick this one up!
Anteater : Sheep taste better than dogs and pigs, but this album tastes better than all of them put together.
Boo Boo : I have to go against the grain here and say this only ranks 6th among my favorite Floyd albums, but this is certainly their most PROG album. And a brilliant one at that.
Comus : Pink Floyd + George Orwell = Win.
tore : The first time I heard this record is years and years ago when I was 14. It's still one of my favourites and Dogs is just magnificent from start to finish.