What is "Prog"?

Prog = progressive rock. Odd time-signatures, analog keyboards (e.g.: Mellotron, Moog), classical and jazz influence, emphasis on instrumentation rather than lyrics. I'm quite passionate about it, having attended many prog-rock festivals, having contributed to the Gibraltar newsletter and the Exposé newsletter. I've quite the list of links below included so you can find out more about this fantastic and underrated musical style.
     Incidentally, if you want to peruse my wantlist, you can do so by clicking here. For my audio inventory, click here.

Music Reviews

     Yes, I've decided at last to start reviewing albums (again), but using the in-depth style I'm currently using to review films. Note that not only "prog" albums will be featured here, just whatever strikes my fancy.

Latest featured review, Rupert Hine: Pick up a bone & Unfinished Picture.

An archive of older reviews can be found here.

1. Abbhama: Alam Raya (1978)
70's prog rarity from Indonesia.
2. Ariel: The Planet's Morning (1983)
Symphonic synthesizer-based diversion by this long-lived Russian folk-rock band.
3. Firyuza: same
Highly regarded Russian folk-progressive.
4. Flamen Dialis: Symptome Dei (1979)
Hard-edged French sympho.
5. Gemini: Counterbalance (1981)
King Crimson-influenced band from the UK.
6. Granfalloon: Laser Pace
Odd American synth/Mellotron prog with female vocals. One of the few non-folk releases on the Takoma label.
7. Joy Unlimited: Reflections (1973)
Said to be similar in style (i.e.: all over the map) to their classic Butterflies, but with American vocalist Ken Traylor replacing Joy Fleming.
8. Shona Laing: Tied To The Tracks (1982)
Recorded while living in the U.K.
9. Mr. Brown: Mellan tre ögon
Rare privately-released Swedish symphonic rock.
10. Pandora: Measures Of Time (1974)
Swedish prog rarity
11. Annette Peacock Synthesizer Show: Revenge (1971)
Very early album of modular Moog synthesizer experiments. Also featuring her then-husband, Paul Bley.
12. Pelican: Upptkenir (1974)
Exceedingly rare Icelandic prog-rock album. Band features ex-members of garage-band Icecross. Apparently an American pressing?!?!!
13. Pinguin: Der grosse, rote Vogel (1971)
Organ-based German underground rock.
14. Visitor 2035: Cain: A Modern Mystery Play (1976)
Curious British conceptual double album, an underground private release.
15. Vysokonoye Leto (Высоконое лето): Prometheus
This band's also known as Leap Year Summer. A Russian underground concept album, apparently released only on cassette some time in the seventies.

Information on Progressive Rock:

(Click on the symbols to launch the links)

The Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock

Exposé magazine

The Bands:

Änglagård (The greatest thing to come out of Sweden since the Volvo. Seriously, they're incredible!)

Banco (del Mutuo Soccorso) Official Website (Classic Italian prog)

P.F.M. (Premiata Forneria Marconi) website (More classic Italian prog)

Gentle Giant (intricate British cult band)

King Crimson

Pekka Pohjola (Finnish composer/bassist/pianist of great invention)

Cast (incredibly prolific symphonic prog band from Mexicali, Mexico)

Calyx: The Canterbury Website (all about the 1960's-70's progressive scene in Canterbury, U.K.)

MAGMA (revolutionary French avant-rock)

Where To Buy?

Amoeba Music (my favourite record store)

Rasputin Records (my other favourite record store)

Musea (fabulous non-profit French label with a vast catalogue of lost classics and newer gems)

Syn-Phonic (it's a label, too, but it's mainly a catalogue, and *what* a catalogue! Quite comprehensive and highly recommended. Plus Greg "Mr. Progfest" Walker is a super-nice guy. Tell him I sent you!)

The Laser's Edge (My other favourite prog catalogue. Ken Golden runs the operation; he often has items no one else does, and even more often has ridiculously cheap prices that just can't be beat anywhere.)

Wayside Music (My other, other favourite prog catalogue. The source of fairly well-distributed avant-prog label Cuneiform. The Wayside catalogue makes me drool whenever it arrives in my mailbox.)