What Sucks About This Genre: Prog Rock Edition

Trollheart · 07-18-2018, 10:03 AM

Overblown. Pretentious. Self-indulgent. Three words that in many ways are almost accurate descriptors of the genre. I can see why people hate it: it's not for everyone by any means, but what genre is? Well, some obviously are, but take, I don't know, vaporwave for instance. What's that all about? Some people love it though. But I digest. I mean egress. I mean, something. Anyway...

As fas as MicShaz's ranting about the vocals goes, well as Frown told you, vocals are not a big focus in prog rock, and never were. You may not like them, but Gabriel, Hammill, Anderson, Lee et al are all considered giants in the genre, not because of their vocal stylings but more perhaps because of the atmosphere they engender. Anyway vocals in prog rock generally are about as remarkable as vocals in AOR (subject for a later thread, surely?) but it's all about the music.

That, in itself, a lot of people hate, and I can understand why. Many prog bands (possibly even the majority of them) tend to love doing long, intricate, varied multi-part suites, and I can see why this would not be to everyone's taste, though generally it is to mine. Even so, suites can be good (Genesis's "Supper's Ready", Van der Graaf Generator's "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" and Rush's "2112") or not (IQ's "The Last Human Gateway", Porcupine Tree's "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" and Marillion's "Ocean Cloud") but no matter what, you have to be prepared to invest the time to listen to them, and understandably most people are not.

I understand why a lot of people hate prog. I do. I'm just not one of them.

**Frownland** · 07-18-2018, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blank.

Great band.

Objectively incorrect.

Key · 07-18-2018, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

Porcupine tree and everything else Steve Wilson does is just as bad as the most famous old school prog is. Because he's just basically ripping it off. Just like Akerfeldt with the last three Opeth albums.

lol k

~~MicShazam~~ · 07-18-2018, 10:06 AM

This is a legit good Mars Volta song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JphZtpafdKY

Then of course people will tell me how that's one of their poppiest songs and I'm a pleb.
It's not my fault they apparently forget how to make good music when they go too far into improvised territory. Legit good song. Legit annoying band.

Trollheart · 07-18-2018, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blank.

I hate this idea that a genre sucks. I think though, it's a watered down genre with a few good artists.

You suck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

No doubt good prog exists. I even own a single prog rock album and it seems allright to me so far. Not gonna tell which one and none of you have heard about it anyway.

Love the new avvy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Is it Vehicle by miRthkon?

I am going to guess that it is not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkeDaddy

I can agree with people that King Crimson is good. Most other famous prog bands do nothing for me. I can’t think of much worse things to listen to than Yes/Genesis/whatever

I would love to hear what people think of some of the “new age” prog bands like Porcupine Tree or Mars Volta

Oh man I hate Whatever. They are just the worst!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Porcupine Tree is the definitive anti-progressive prog band. Mars Volta has some good jams on Deloused.

I think if any band (and there is much competition) snag the "most indulgent, self-absorbed and up themselves band" tag, it's the Porcs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blank.

Great band.

I've seldom been anything but bored by anything I've heard from them. A few good tracks but very sparse.

~~MicShazam~~ · 07-18-2018, 10:12 AM

I don't know why, but I can listen to classical music go on and on for over an hour, but prog rock usually does nothing for me when the wanking takes off. Not that it usually does before either.

In classical music, I've actually had a harder time adjusting to the stuff with vocals.

YorkeDaddy · 07-18-2018, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Porcupine Tree is the definitive anti-progressive prog band. Mars Volta has some good jams on Deloused.

Agree. My thoughts on Mars Volta are an upside down bellcurve. Initially I forced myself to like them because it was cool to like them in middle school. Then I started to dislike them because liking bands that were cool to like became stupid to me. Now I like them because idgaf about anything anymore and I just think they have some great songs here and there

Trollheart · 07-18-2018, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

I don't know why, but I can listen to classical music go on and on for over an hour, but prog rock usually does nothing for me when the wanking takes off. Not that it usually does before either.

In classical music, I've actually had a harder time adjusting to the stuff with vocals.

I honestly can say I have never wanked to classical music.

**Frownland** · 07-18-2018, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

I don't know why, but I can listen to classical music go on and on for over an hour, but prog rock usually does nothing for me when the wanking takes off. Not that it usually does before either.

In classical music, I've actually had a harder time adjusting to the stuff with vocals.

Classical music doesn't really "wank".

~~MicShazam~~ · 07-18-2018, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I honestly can say I have never wanked to classical music.

Come on now, you can admit it in here. No one will know except a bunch of highly trustworthy fellows. And a few thousand lurkers.

View Poll Results: How Much Does This Genre Suck?
1	6	46.15%
2	1	7.69%
3	2	15.38%
4	2	15.38%
5	2	15.38%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

07-18-2018, 10:03 AM	#21 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Overblown. Pretentious. Self-indulgent. Three words that in many ways are almost accurate descriptors of the genre. I can see why people hate it: it's not for everyone by any means, but what genre is? Well, some obviously are, but take, I don't know, vaporwave for instance. What's that all about? Some people love it though. But I digest. I mean egress. I mean, something. Anyway... As fas as MicShaz's ranting about the vocals goes, well as Frown told you, vocals are not a big focus in prog rock, and never were. You may not like them, but Gabriel, Hammill, Anderson, Lee et al are all considered giants in the genre, not because of their vocal stylings but more perhaps because of the atmosphere they engender. Anyway vocals in prog rock generally are about as remarkable as vocals in AOR (subject for a later thread, surely?) but it's all about the music. That, in itself, a lot of people hate, and I can understand why. Many prog bands (possibly even the majority of them) tend to love doing long, intricate, varied multi-part suites, and I can see why this would not be to everyone's taste, though generally it is to mine. Even so, suites can be good (Genesis's "Supper's Ready", Van der Graaf Generator's "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" and Rush's "2112") or not (IQ's "The Last Human Gateway", Porcupine Tree's "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" and Marillion's "Ocean Cloud") but no matter what, you have to be prepared to invest the time to listen to them, and understandably most people are not. I understand why a lot of people hate prog. I do. I'm just not one of them. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

07-18-2018, 10:06 AM	#24 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,636	This is a legit good Mars Volta song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JphZtpafdKY Then of course people will tell me how that's one of their poppiest songs and I'm a pleb. It's not my fault they apparently forget how to make good music when they go too far into improvised territory. Legit good song. Legit annoying band.

07-18-2018, 10:12 AM	#26 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,636	I don't know why, but I can listen to classical music go on and on for over an hour, but prog rock usually does nothing for me when the wanking takes off. Not that it usually does before either. In classical music, I've actually had a harder time adjusting to the stuff with vocals.