Music Banter - PFAC Homework Poll for Week 2

Every week in the Prog & Fusion Album Club, we have a homework assignment which is listening to that week's prog or fusion album. So, which one is it gonna be next week?

Here are the contestants!

Quote:

Originally Posted by James (Post 892566)

Dün - Eros

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Eros is a Zeuhl album (Zeuhl is a subgenre of Avant-prog originating from France that describes a blend of Modern Classical, Prog Rock and Jazz), but it's so much more than that. This album had a huge influence on Math-Rock and the best description i've saw of it is, "A blend between Zappa and Mahavishnu Orchestra with Mathy overtones". The Zappa influence is rather obvious, especially in the time signatures which are just crazy. After the powerful opening track the music takes a more atmospheric turn. The titletrack is a personal highlight with the slow build-up of the flute until the breathtaking climax. This album also has some outstanding Xylophone playing, which for me is a very underrated instrument.This album truly leaves me on the edge of my seat, completely and utterly thrilling. This is the best Prog album of the 80's in my mind, nothing can beat it. A lot of Zeuhl you hear(I haven't heard much though) is just boring and does exactly what it says on the tin, but this takes it to a new level. It takes Zeuhl and turns it into something outstanding. So please vote for this album, it's a masterpiece and i'd love some other opinions on it. Plus if you haven't already heard it(Although this club is usually dominated by major Progheads so you probably have) you must, leaves me in awe every time I play it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric generic (Post 978718)

Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (1973)

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we haven't tackled this yet have we?

from ABC&T Presents: Your Introduction to Prog

Quote:

Those who don't know prog probably knows Genesis as the rock band fronted by Phil Collins and they've certainly gained a bad rep over the years. However, there was a time when Genesis was one of the most exciting acts of the prog movement. Their songs rather than their skills as musicians took center stage and their musicality and songwriting skills coupled with then frontman Peter Gabriel's over the top on-stage theatrics earned them a following which has lasted and gained them fans to this day. Their efforts then now sit comfortably as some of the biggest influences on the genre. Their fifth album "Selling England by the Pound" is widely regarded as their top album and mixes progressive rock with pop accessibility for a powerful result. It is one of the most essential prog albums you can get your hands on.

Our Comments :
Anteater : I may not be English, but that doesn't change the fact that Selling England... is a majestic piece of work from start to finish.
Boo Boo : This is indeed their best work. The Cinema Show is their most beautiful song, the acoustic guitar harmonies alone could hook you, but the way they could pile on one goregeous melody after another is just astonishing.
Comus : Along with Foxtrot this is one of the best examples of what progressive rock is all about. Highly recommended.
toretorden : Not one of my highest ranking prog records, but damn fine album all the same. Peter Gabriel is a weirdo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Hatfield and the North - Hatfield and the North (1974)

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Hatfield and the North's debut is, for me, the quintessential Canterbury album. It has Richard Sinclair singing on it (as Anteater has called him, the "voice of Canterbury") and a guest appearance by Robert Wyatt, whimsical song themes, avant-gardeness with a jazzy flavour sometimes coupled with a Caravanish pop sensibility and a very .. Canterbury-ish sound.

For me, at first it came across as a bit of a chaotic album. They have a lot of strange ideas pulling the songs in different directions. Still, the album is very comfortable on the ears. As the album becomes just a little more familiar and some order is structured from the initial chaos, it becomes a magnificent record, a true Canterbury classic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo (Post 893309)

Lizard - King Crimson (1970)

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This is the third KC album and the third of the Peter Sinfield era, though I often like to refer to it as the medieval era, for obvious reasons. Like the other records from this era it features a totally unique lineup that doesnt appear on any other record. Here the lineup is Robert Fripp on guitar and mellotron, Gordon Haskell on bass and vocals, Mel Collins on sax and flute, Andy McCulloch on drums and Peter Sinfield providing lyrics and synthesizer effects. It also features some guest musicians including piano virtuoso Keith Tippett, trombonist Nick Evans, cornetist Mark Charig and on the title track Yes vocalist Jon Anderson.

This is without a doubt the weirdest album in the KC discography and I realise that's saying a lot. It has the medieval feel of the first two KC records but it's much jazzier. In fact "medieval jazz rock" is the best way I can describe the entire record.

The medieval imagery on this record though is pure Sinfield era Crimson. Circuses, brothels, troubadours, maidens and epic battles. The music itself is too out there to accurately describe, it is the most unique KC album is all I can say, and certainly one of the most underrated. It's one of the more polarizing albums in their discography as in people either love it or hate it. But I love it and rank it among ITCOTCK, Red and Discipline as their finest work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater (Post 919996)

Mike Oldfield - Amarok (1990)

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Far better than the ever-lauded Tubular Bells IMO, this 60 minute, 1 track effort from the master of ambient-prog is Oldfield's finest moment. Like previous works, Oldfield is responsible for most of the eclectic instrumentation. Worldbeat atmospherics, stabs at synthwork which wouldn't be too far out of place in a Legend of Zelda game, insanely good guitar and bass and loads of percussion are but a few of the things you'll hear in Amarok, but such is but a modest overview of how grand this suite is and I couldn't do it justice in 10 paragraphs, much less this one.

But basically, this is top class world-prog. fusion, and one of the 90's Holy Grails of prog. for those interested, so hope a few of you give it a whirl. xD

Let the pollage begin!