Best examples of Prog Pop

Ivon · Post by **Ivon** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:17 pm

lancebug wrote:ELP,ELO

Yeah, definitely those.

Tatertot wrote:Something to make Phish-haters angry:

I saw an interview with the Phish guitarist a few years ago where he said that they originally set out to play prog and over time they kind of just veered off into jamming-based music. It kind of makes sense if you have ever heard their early original tunes. At least the case can be made objectively.

That's interesting. A couple of years ago I tried to get my Phish loving friend to check out YES, becuase I thought Phish, at least the early stuff, was way influenced by YES. But he wouldn't have it. He was a prog-hater.

I'd have to say my favorite prog band is ELP. Then maybe ELO. I also recently got into Rick Wakeman's solo albums alot (the 70s ones). Those definitely aren't pop/prog, but being the dorkwad I am, I love them.

brainfreezebob · Post by **brainfreezebob** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:43 pm

I vote for Pig Lib by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, cartoony prog with killer guitar solos.

lancebug · Post by **lancebug** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:37 pm

I was listening to some 70's era sparks last night/today and it is very proggy in its build. Kinda like queen on nitrous oxide. Pretty fantastic being bowled over by structure while listening to a song called "tits". Or "Everybody's Stupid". Nobody ever thinks about Sparks anymore. They were kinda like the pg-13 forefathers of the rated-g They Might Be Giants. Plus better. And so many records too. I think the must have had a dozen full LP's by the time they hit the US charts with their Jane Weidlin thingy. I guess they must be around 60 now. Weird.

bickle · Post by **bickle** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 8:43 pm

choke3d wrote:my old band, 3d5spd fits the bill.... we're on iTunes/cdbaby/myspace still.

Ha! I saw this topic and my first thought was "3d5spd"! They instantiate "prog pop" as if the term were invented for them...And I'm not just saying it cause I know those guys. Actually, I'm surprised they're proud of it...

Stan Keyhole · Post by **Stan Keyhole** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:41 pm

timbertrout wrote: Yeah, it's seemingly oxymoronic...but I couldn't help thinking that it does exist when I heard "Long Distance Runaround" on the radio. It's like a meat-and-potatoes prog song (complete with crunchy rickenbacker bass, oddball time signatures, instrumental wankerism- er, I mean prowess) grafted onto a Graham Nash "Our House"-style pure pop tune.

I'd mentioned that I could envision the Shins covering this...Actually it'd be more in Mommyheads territory if they were still around. They could pull off the complex parts. Those dudes were Players. They could convincingly branch into Jam-bandism when they cared to.

Red House Painters cover this song on Songs for a Blue Guitar. Pretty straightforward, but good.

charlievela · Post by **charlievela** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:35 pm

I cast my vote for Minus the Bear especially on their new record Menos El Oso. Short hooky songs with guitar parts that are definitely channeling some prog rock. There are some crazy parts that employ sampling through Line 6 delay modelers (not unlike Robert Fripp did with tape loops). Really worth checking out.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:48 pm

I just got hip to Spock's Beard and feel cheated.

I heard this one tune on one of the local college stations and fell in love with it after about three measures. I couldn't believe how awesome what I was hearing was. I called the station and asked what it was and they told me. I went and bought the record. I was totally disappointed. Much more prog than pop, which is not really what I heard on the radio. Good potential, but dragged down by cerebral bullshit. Blast...

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

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