Univers Zero, a Belgian band founded in 1973, is the undisputed creators of a genre currently known as “chamber rock”. They are one of the most influential bands within the vigorous “RIO – Rock in Opposition” movement. I discovered this band in the early 2000’s and since then, they’ve had a profound influence in my musical world and the way I approach music writing.
 
 
 
 
 
Within their vast catalogue, my favorite album is “Rhythmix”. For those unacquainted with Univers Zero and RIO music in general, I believe this is a good entry point. The pieces in this album are complex, but within reach for untrained listeners.

This is a performance of the piece “Dense” from their album “Deux du Dehors” at Gouveia Art Rock Festival in 2005:

For more information, visit their official site: http://www.univers-zero.com/

Nemo – Si (partie 1)

Nemo is a French band founded in the last part of the 90’s. In my opinion, their most relevant virtue is their ability to combine symphonic landscapes with harder-edged guitar sections, elaborate vocal parts and more than a pinch of fusion with Jazz. All these ingredients create an eclectic proposal that appeal to a wide range of prog enthusiasts. This combination of styles is reinforced by the quality of their music. The pieces are well written, with imaginative melodies, rich harmonies and a very solid and complex rhythmic section.

I became acquainted with them through their album Si (If) – Part 1, which still remains among my favorites.

Watch this live performance of “Mirioirs” from their album “Si (partie 1)”:

Watch this live performance of “Ici et Maintenant” from their album “Si (partie 1)”:

For more information, visit their official website: http://www.nemo-world.com/home

Tempano – The Agony and the Ecstasy

Tempano is the most important progressive rock act coming out of Venezuela. They were formed in 1977, when the golden era of progressive rock was in its final days. They issued an album called Atabal-Yémal, strongly rooted in the progressive music style of that time, and later embraced a style closer to AOR and pop. In 1999 they returned to the progressive scene and since, they have released four albums.

I want to recommend “The Agony and the Ecstasy”, released in 2002. This album covers the wide musical palette of the band and is a perfect introduction to this excellent band. They cover a lot of stylistic ground, from melodic rock all the way to complex music in the style of RIO bands. And in between, you will find jazz, Latin flavors, symphonic and crimsonesque passages.

This is a promotional video of their latest album, “Nowhere No Here” released in 2016:

In the discography section of their website, you can listen to full tracks of all their albums: http://www.tempano.com/

Progarchives accurately describes Bent Knee as “crossover prog”. Some of their pieces are very progressive, while others are closer to traditional rock. However, whether close to prog or not, their pieces are carefully crafted. Imaginative melodies, ingenious harmonies and clever arrangements are present in their four albums published to date: “Bent Knee”(2011), “Shiny Eyed Babies”(2014), “Say So”(2016) and “Land Animal”(2017). Their last album was very well received by the prog community.
 
 
 
My favorite album is “Say So”. Just the two first songs alone, are worth buying the album. This is the video clip of my favorite song “Leak Water”:

And this is their entire performance at “The Space” featuring “Say So” (my favorite album):

Bent Knee Official Site
Bent Knee Bandcamp site
 

Yang – Powerful and complex rhythms from Europe

Yang is the latest project from guitar virtuoso Frédéric L’Épée. He is better known as leader of the 70’s band Shylock.

Yang is an instrumental band composed of two guitars, bass and drums. They have released three albums to date: “A Complex Nature”(2004), “Machines”(2010) and “The Failure of Words”(2017). If you like powerful guitar riffs, complex rhythms, elaborate arrangements and an impeccable rhythmic section (drummer Volodia Brice is one of the best prog drummers around) then Yang will not disappoint you. All their albums are excellent, but my favorite is “Machines”. You can check out all their albums at their bandcamp site.

This is the piece “9/8 Variations” from their album “The Failure of Words”:

Yang Official Site

As stated in the Excerpt, and much in line with the topic of this number’s article “Is Prog Alive and Well?”, this band demonstrates that Progressive Rock, as far as innovation goes, is currently expanding the aesthetic boundaries of the genre.

Although all their albums have a quite a bit to offer, my personal favorite is “Cinque”, released in 2002.

A fine example of their music is the piece “De Ordinis Ratione” (Cinque):

And here’s a live version of “Convolutus”, also from their album “Cinque”:

You can listen to other tracks from “Cinque” and purchase the album, at Cuneiform Record’s Bandcamp site

Aranis II has no drums, but don’t let this put you down. This album rocks quite a bit. My favorite track is “Turbulentie”. Here it is:

This is a piece called “Jona”:

You can listen and purchase all Aranis albums at their Bandcamp site

The style of “Discipline” fits under the traditional progressive rock language. The music they make could have been written in the 70’s because there are no stylistic elements that one could identify with the more avant-garde current progressive acts. But don’t let this put you down. Their music is not only good; it is much better than most current prog bands, whatever their sub-genre happens to be. Because one of Discipline’s strengths is at the same time the most common weakness in current prog bands: the melodies. Discipline’s melodies are ingenious, elaborate, original, well though-out. And they are also masters at achieving what progressive rock fans enjoy most: intense climaxes.

I believe this album is perfect for 70’s progressive prog lovers who believe that nothing much has happened after the early 80’s. In this section I will gradually build a selected catalog that could be called “Introduction to Current Prog for Old Prog Lovers”. So, consider this as the first addition to this catalog. I’m sure even current prog followers will find a few surprises…

A couple of examples:

Live in Gettysburgh (2015)

Canto IV (Limbo)

Before the Storm / Blueprint

You can purchase their music here.

The description of their music in their website accurately describes what Syrinx is:

Unfortunately, to date the third album that completes the trilogy has not seen the light.

Their music is usually described as “Jazz-Prog”. However, I don’t see clear jazz elements in the music of Syrinx. In fact, their style is quite original and very difficult to classify. The music morphs continuously in many aspects: style, timbre, rhythm, embracing a palette that goes beyond jazz and progressive rock.

Here are a couple of examples so you can judge by yourself:

You can purchase their music here.

Todd Rundgren is a very prolific artist, with a wide discography not only as musician but also as a producer of known acts like Grand Funk Railroad, Hall & Oats, Meatloaf, among others. In 1974 he adventured into the realm of progressive rock and published “Utopia”, first album of this homonymous band.

The piece “Utopia” is presented in a live version, and has a duration of over 14 minutes. It has all the elements of excellent progressive and this piece alone would warrant a recommendation. But where I want to focus your attention is in the piece “Freak Parade”. The treatment of the vocal melodies and the arrangement is vert avant-garde even by the standards set by the great progressive bands of the moment. The piece “The Ikon”, with a duration of 30 minutes (amazing that they could fit it in the B side of the original vinyl edition) completes this excellent album.

Here’s a link to a live performance in 2011 of the entire “Utopia” album:

The following year, Rundgren released a solo album, also well ingrained in the progressive rock style, titled “Initiation”. The homonymous piece and “Born to Synthesize” are in my opinion the best in the album. In the case of “Born to Synthesize” one has to keep in mind that this production was made in 1975; therefore, all the effects were created by using analogic resources.

This is a live version of “Initiation”

Initiation

Born to Synthesize

Finnegans Wake started as a group back in 1993 and progressively became a vehicle for one of the greatest composers in contemporary art music: Henry Krutzen. FW is one of the most underrated art music projects and certainly deserves much more attention and recognition.

In my opinion, 4th is the album that better represents the musical world of FW. The composition, arrangements, performance and overall production of this album is very rarely matched by much better known bands. Henry Krutzen has always been a master in writing music that rocks but with a classical chamber music soul. 4th definitely excels in that respect. If you like progressive rock and also enjoy chamber music from the late 19th century onwards, you have to listen to this album!!!

Here you can reach FW’s page in Bandcamp. In addition to 4th, you can listen to and purchase other FW’s albums as well as Krutzen’s solo works.

Unfortunately you can only acquire 4th in digital format. However, Henry has a few physical copies left. If you want one, let me know and I will put you in contact with him.

Panzerpappa is a Norwegian band that published their first album in 1998. Astromalist is their fifth album, published in 2012. We chose it because it represents well the style of the band and because of its good balance between complexity and simplicity.

This is Panzerpappa’s official site in Facebook

You can purchase the album here

You can listen to the album here

Their latest album, Pestrottedans, is more dense and closer to the RIO postulates. You can listen and buy it here

Here’s a video with a fragment of their concert at the Rock in Opposition Festival (Carmaux, France, Sept. 22, 2013).

We start this section with a peculiar album. It serves as a statement that good Art Rock doesn’t necessarily have to come out of progressive rock bands. We will include some similar albums occasionally. This album comes from Joe Jackson, a well-known Pop artist. For some reason, he felt compelled to write something outside the bounds of the mainstream commercial perimeter where he usually lives. The result is an album full of vitality, clever arrangements, intriguing melodies. An aesthetic landscape different to what we’re used to in progressive rock, yet it has all the elements of excellent prog. It is a concept album, based on the seven capital sins: Gluttony, Lust, Avarice, Sloth, Anger, Envy and Pride.

This is a video of a live performance of one of the best tracks in the album – Fugue 1/More is More (Gluttony)

About this album, Joe Jackson said:

This link will take you to Jackson’s album page, where you can listen to some tracks and buy the album.