Prog Rock

Ptmcontulting, in digging around a little bit I just found out that Neal Morse is now in a band called Flying Colors with of all people Steve Morse (no relation). Morse used to be with the Dixie Dregs and Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater is also in this band. There's an article in May's Premier Guitar magazine about them.

Sounds like an interesting group of musicians, kind of a super-group. I know Neal was auditioning people for another band he was putting together, but I'm sure that's yet another project outside of this one.

Bottom line - there's lots of good prog being created these days, in all sorts of genre's.

I enjoy the early 1970s prog classics - Gentle Giant, KC, Genesis, Yes et al...I am constantly looking for new exciting prog records (and find very little that really impresses me)...in 2008 Diagonal came out with an album (Rise Above Records - yes, it is available in vinyl as well) that I think is absolutely awesome and that I now count as one of the greats...I have anxiously been awaiting a new release from them, and I just read that they are planning something this year...other GREAT prog albums in my opinion is Mr Bungle 'Disco Volante' and Opeth 'Watershed'...I just have to mention one of the best ever, in my humble opinion of course, more obscure (lost) ones Il Balletto Di Bronzo 'Ys' (Italy 1972 - much great prog from that country)...all of the mentioned I recommend highly to any prog fanatic.

Go4vinyl, Funny you should mention a lot of good prog came from Italy. Premiata Forneria Marconi was an Italian prog group that was pretty good. Genesis was huge in Italy as many of their concerts were done there. Perhaps the Italians love prog due to an almost operatic element to much of prog.

Well tonight I listened to "In Absensia" by Porcupine Tree which I purchased off of an Ebay as an experiment. A couple of martinis enhanced the mood and I really enjoyed it. Definately original, with excellent musicianship and tastes of Yes, Rush, King Crimson, Nine Inch Nails, and even Jane's Addiction. The reviews I read implied that this was one of their more commercial albums. I prefered the songs that didn't veer off too far into head banging territory, but all in all, a great discovery. I think that these guys are going to be kind of like when I learned about Gene Harris off of another 'Gon blog about blues/jazz pianists. Once you get turned onto a cool artist, you discover that they have dozens of recordings out and you ask "why haven't I heard of these guys before?" Thanks for the referals and I hope that I can introduce some of you to a new discovery soon. It is one of the simple pleasures of Audiogon.