The Top 10 Progressive Albums of 2019
To wrap-up the year, we offer you the Top 10 Progressive Albums of 2019 – as selected by the DPRP writers.
We asked 20 of our prog-scribes to select their most magical musical meanderings of the year. Over 140 different creations were chosen, from over 500 album reviews on DPRP in the past year.
Here, we list the 10 which gathered the most love – with links to a video of each and the full DPRP review.
Some old favourites and some newer names - all of the highest quality. So read-on to peruse our 10 most perfect progressive proclamations of 2019.
10. On The Raw - Climbing The Air
"This band from Catalonia have developed and refined their appealing mix of rock, jazz and prog to create a set of seven tunes that builds upon the style that was successful in their excellent debut album. However, their latest work is arguably more inventive, as it is unafraid to explore new territories, whenever the music dictates."
9. RPWL - Tales From Outer Space
"Germany's RPWL have possibly come up with the album of their career with Tales From Outer Space. Although the album cover may look like something from a 1950s comic, the music is right out of the top drawer of modern prog."
8. Moron Police - A Boat On The Sea
"No album in this or any other year will put as big a smile on your face as this one. It is quirky enough to be different, yet familiar enough not to be quirky. Simply put; this is one of the best modern pop-prog albums you will ever get the chance to hear! Guaranteed to bring a smile to your colon. Now off you trot and buy your own copy!"
7. IZZ - Don't Panic
"IZZ are a New York based prog band with an unusual line-up. One that features two drummers and four vocalists (two female, two male) all of whom take lead vocal duties. So along with guitar, keyboards and bass they produce an exceptional melodic take on modern symphonic prog-rock."
6. Steve Hackett - At The Edge Of Light
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4. IQ - Resistance
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3. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
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2. Big Big Train - Grand Tour
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1. Devin Townsend - Empath
"Hackett's solo albums have gotten progressively better over the past several years. I wasn't sure he would be able to top 2017's The Night Siren, but he has with At The Edge Of Light. This album is brilliant. His calls for peace are held up by his diverse selection of musical themes and sounds. He shows us what it means to reach through divides. He shows us the best of what humanity has to offer. I'm not exaggerating when I call Steve Hackett a genius. This album is so lyrically and musically deep that I'm sure I will find more and more to enjoy as the year progresses."
5. Bent Knee - You Know What They Mean
"Bent Knee has the somewhat rare ability to appeal to fans of many different musical genres. They are definitely progressive, but there are also distinct alternative rock, pop and avant-garde elements to their sound. In fact, the range of musical styles utilised on this album is incredible. Regardless of how you want to categorise them, (and maybe we shouldn't), You Know What They Mean is another impressive step forward for this talented group of musicians."
"Resistance may not offer a ton of surprises, but it is a strong album from one of the best bands in the symphonic prog genre. Filled with fantastic musical performances and compelling material, it is certainly one of the better IQ releases of the last few decades. Their high ranking status in the world of prog remains intact."
"Ultimately, what makes the album so appealing is that it is a true return to form for Dream Theater. Whether intentional or not, there is a harkening back to the musical style and unique elements that made them so popular. It is unlikely that fans will be surprised by anything that they hear, but it matters little when the results are this entertaining."
"Ultimately, this is another excellent and very progressive album from one of the best bands in the genre. The changes they have made are enough to keep things interesting, without alienating any admirers. Also, as popular as they are, there is an urgency and integrity to the material that confirms the apparent drive to still prove themselves. That determination can only be admired, and has resulted in Grand Tour being one the finest and most consistently entertaining releases of their 25-year career."
"One can look at this new album from every possible angle, but the conclusion will always be the same: it’s an incredibly eclectic album, more of an opera than a set of songs, and the storyline is brought to perfect musical shape, both in the dramatic aspect of the concept, and in the sense of great humour."
Visit this page to see the individual Top 10 lists from each of our writers
(To get these results, we added the inverse scores from each writer's individual Top 10 i.e. a number one placing scored 10 points and a number ten placing scored one point.
An album has to feature in at least three of the writers Top 10 listings to qualify for the overall Top 10. In the case of a tied score, the album that featured in the most lists or with the highest DPRP review score got the higher placing )