Gypsy - Gypsy Subgenre(s): Proto Prog, Eclectic Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1970
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 14th
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I find this to be an exceptionally intriguing album! Gypsy cover a lot of ground. Rarely is if full fledged prog, but rather more of a proto prog, but proto to a wide variety of coming prog subgenres. There is almost endless creativity across this double album that often sounds like pre-prog psychedelia, sometimes British beat, sometimes a little folky, but always unique and interesting. The vocal harmonies these guys bring are yet another strength to this album. There's something here for just about everyone, and everything here appeals to this someone. I wish I had heard this when I was much younger. I'm sure I would have taken right to it.
I Califfi - Fiore di Metallo Subgenre(s): Rock Progressivo Italo
Score: 80
Year: 1973
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 40th
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This is a more mainstream, sometimes rather pop/rock-heavy RPI album. That is not a complaint, as this is a pretty smooth listen, and varied enough to hold my interest. I Califfi has a lot going for them; the only shortfall, and a minor one only relative to the very best of the genre, is that they don't quite have the compositional mastery of their more successful contemporaries. Still, I give this album high marks across the board. And while I don't speak a word beyond knowing how to pronounce a half dozen forms of pasta and a couple cheeses, I have to say, the Italian language just sounds oh, so very perfect for this music! That alone makes this a joy to listen to.
Manticore - Elements Subgnre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 75
Year: 2022
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 23rd
Gentle to heavy symphonic prog from Sweden. All the elements of a solid prog album are there, but they sometimes drift off in to yawn territory. There is a strong Electric Light Orchestra vibe on much of the album, but without that magical Jeff Lynn spark that so effectively fuses melancholy and wonder. This album has a pretty solid place as a nonthreatening prog listen for a casual fan who skirts the edge of the genre and likes generally pleasant sounds.
Druid - Toward the Sun Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 75
Year: 1975
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 61st
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The more I go back and get caught up on all the prog I missed back in the day, the more I learn just how many imitators Yes had. Not just influenced by, but almost tribute band level aping. Of course, Starcastle is the most egregious example, but Druid here gives a pretty solid run as well. That said, these are pretty good songs, and the group stay firmly on the more melodic side of the symphonic prog genre, making this a pleasant enough listen, even if it's never going to earn any points for originality.
Flying Colors - Second Nature Subgenre(s): Prog Related
Score: 75
Year: 2014
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 21st
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The first Flying Colors album was all over the place, which wasn't really that surprising considering it was the first stab by a new supergroup bringing rather diverse backgrounds into the mix. As I listened to this today, I was thinking how much more consistent this album is. But then that consistency also started to sound a little samey and I was yearning for something more like the debut. This album doesn't have the low points of the opener, but it also didn't seem to match the high points either. To paraphrase Rush, they had found their groove.... or is it a rut?
Well, this is and album definitely worth sticking with as the real creativity shows itself later in the album with the last three cuts all excellent, each one bettering the last. Okay, I'm better now. My heroes could still put out a great album after their debut.
Lift - Caverns of Your Brain Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 75
Year: 1977
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 41st
Another clearly Yes-influenced group, but with a dash of Nektar psych and Floydian space, American one off Lift deserved more exposure. This album was all recorded much earlier in the seventies but didn't see the light of day until 1977. One wonders what could have been had they gotten real time release when their brand of prog (or prog in general) was more in vogue.
Nektar - A Tab in the Ocean Subgenre(s): Psychedelic/Space Rock
Score: 85
Year: 1972
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 16th
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I can't claim to be a knowledgeable devotee of the psychedelic/space rock subgenre, but I will say that I love this album. Nektar both sit comfortably within and transcend the genre label. There's a sort of Floyd meets Eloy thing going on here, but with a heavier rock approach. The group effectively weave back and forth between quieter and heaver passages, and the album always seems to have something new up its sleeve.
Pulsar - Halloween Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1977
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 16th
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With a title like "Halloween," I expected this album to be, well.... scarier. But this thing really grows on you over it's length. This is a super solid concept album to begin with and the music is a highly expressive for symphonic prog with a Phantom of the Opera vibe and a slightly spacy sci-fi noir edge. Not super virtuoso stuff, but still highly progressive, this should appeal to novices and neophytes alike. A masterful effort for sure.
Clearlight - Clearlight Symphony Subgenre(s): Symphonic Prog, Electronic Prog, Space Rock, Experimental
Score: 80
Year: 1975
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 37th
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Spacy French symphonic proggers enlist Steve Hillage's guitar and Tim Blake's synths to make this practically mind blowing bit of genre defying experimental symphonic space prog. Consisting of one 20+ minute multi-movement instrumental on each side, this is a record for a long attention span and, ideally, headphones.
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