Our Top 10 Progressive-Rock Discoveries On Bandcamp
This year, our blog is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Ever since our very first edition, the idea has been a simple one: to introduce you to new albums by some of the best up-and-coming progressive artists from around the world.
So far we have brought you over 260 editions. We have featured more than 1600 great albums. And we have reached over 940,000 readers.
To mark this milestone we have created three special editions. Each will be looking back on some of our favourite discoveries from the past ten years.
This first edition covers ten albums that can be loosely categorised under the 'progressive rock' banner. Two more editions to follow soon; one covering 'progressive metal' and the other dealing with 'Heavy-Prog & Psyche'.
Every album is available on Bandcamp. So it's nice and easy for you to listen and buy direct from the artists. Happy listening.
JONAS LINDBERG & THE OTHER SIDE - Pathfinder
Top quality debut album from this "project" founded in Stockholm in 2012 by bass player and producer Jonas Lindberg.
Heavily-influenced by the more atmospheric and melodic branch of classic prog, this takes the obvious influences from the seventies and eighties, with a generous nod to the more modern icons of British neo-prog and the modern Swedish style of the same.
A warmly-enjoyable, contemporary morsel of prog, that does not need to re-invent the wheel.
Originally recommended by me back in edition 120
SCHOOLTREE - Heterotopia
There was surprisingly little buzz about this album at the time. Surprising, as this is a truly impressive slab of classic prog-meets-art-rock. It is overflowing with melodies, sophisticated song writing, adventurous instrumentation and all wrapped-up in a double album's worth of storytelling.
It's a concept album in the vein of a Broadway musical that brings to mind Genesis, Kate Bush, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac and Queen. The pop-infused vocals of Lainey Schooltree are dazzling. A lot of you will really love this album.This album was recommended by me back in edition 139. Rafaella Berry had already highlighted this band, with their previous album Rise way back in Edition 3
BADER NANA - Devolver
This album was recommended by Andre de Boer in edition 141.
He said: "Ring the bells!! The long awaited new album from Bader Nana is only one click away now. Listen to Devolver once and decide. Listen to Devolver twice, and you are addicted. Highly recommended prog from Kuwait. Not enough people know his name, but his work is known all over the globe. Curious? You very well should be. Buy it and save the 23-minute epic title song for the icing on the cake."
EVAN CARSON - Ocipinski
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This is the debut album from percussionist Evan Carson. It is inspired by his grandfather Jerzy Ocipinski and the Polish resistance movements of the Second World War.This album combines musicians from both the folk and progressive music scenes including guests such as Gleb Kolyadin (iamthemorning) and Jim Grey (Caligula's Horse). I'd challenge any reader who enjoys the lighter sides of progressive music, not to find something to enjoy here. Highly recommended by myself back in edition 203.
KALANDRA - The Line
Assemble around your musical device of choice and come meet the enthralling Kalandra, an alternative Nordic rock band on a mission to weave ethereal melodies into raw and eerie musical landscapes. The band is based in Oslo and this is their debut album.The focus of the sound is undoubtedly the versatile voice of Katrine Ødegård Stenbekk. Her textures remind me a lot of Agnes Obel, but whereas the Obel sound palette can become repetitive, Kalandra consists of three other musicans who add limitless depth to the sound possibilities. Delightful.
This album was my pick in Edition 222 and I'm deighted that word about this band has spread since. They've released a series of singles and had tours with the likes of Heilung and Leprous. They have their own headline tour across Europe in the Autumn.
GRAVITY MACHINE - Red
It was the year-of-confinement, I listened to a lot more new music than usual. Most of my discoveries were made by scouring various genre 'best sellers' listings on Bandcamp. This album was one of my favourite finds under "progressive rock".Gravity Machine consists of multi-instrumentalist Niall Parker and drummer Bob Shoesmith, with a clutch of guest musicians. Taking inspiration from Neil Peart’s Ghost Rider book (detailing the Rush drummer’s journey through grief), Niall wrote material following the loss of his wife to cancer in 2016. "What started as an escape grew into a majestic set of songs detailing a transformative journey, " he states.Musically Red collates a vast range of influences from the archives of heavy rock, progressive rock, electronica and acoustic/folk styles. Niall's vocals and the clever use of electronica on certain songs remind me of a mix between Kip Winger (solo) and Peter Gabriel (early solo). The guitar work is impressive, especially in its more cinematic moments.If you like the music, then I'd recommend getting the CD, as it includes some lovely photography from the duo's beautiful base in the Dartmoor National Park, south west England.Recommended in our special feature 11 albums you may have missed in 2020'
EXPLORING BIRDSONG - Dancing in the Face Of Danger
One of my favourite albums from last year was this piano-driven, guitar-less progressive rock band from Liverpool. After launching in 2017, the trio have developed a truly unique sound drawing influence from 70s prog pioneers ELP and Genesis, the pop-prog legacy of Kate Bush and the heavier, modern style of Tesseract and Porcupine Tree.The voice of Lynsey Ward is the big plus-point for me. Across the five tracks, she offers some stunning harmonies and hooks that I am happy to devour. It is surprisingly heavy too, yet the use of violins, viola and cello add a delightful, classical, Iamthemorning prog-edge along with a folksy groove familiar for those who enjoy Kingfisher Sky. There is nothing to dislike here. This band should be big!
Originally recommended in edition 258.
JACK O' THE CLOCK - Leaving California
Folk converges with the avant-garde on this absorbing sixth album by the American collective fronted by band leader Damon Waitkus.Jack O’ The Clock was formed in Oakland, California in the summer of 2007 with the aim of blending elements of progressive rock, free jazz, minimalism, and various world musics into its folk foundation.
This is their seventh album, and that is exactly what listeners will be able to enjoy!
A more recent recommendation from Edition 233
BIG HOGG - Big Hogg
"Hailing from Glasgow, Big Hogg are a six-piece whose eponymous debut displayed a truly eclectic attitude. With no need for 15-minute epics, the band’s music combines folk, jazz, chamber music, psychedelic and Canterbury influences in an exciting blend that never sounds derivative."
As recommended by Rafaella Berry in Edition 94.
PSYCHOYOGI - Chase the Bone
This was an album recommended by Rafaella Berry as part of a special feature to celebrate our 100th edition.
"The third full-length album by UK sextet Psychoyogi is a hidden gem that fans of the Canterbury scene and song-based Avant-Prog are bound to love. With its jaunty, jazzy, cabaret-infused feel, reinforced by plenty of horns, and Chris Ramsing’s wry vocals delivering socially-conscious lyrics, Chase the Bone puts you in mind of a 21st-century version of Gong."