Two Years of Musoscribe: Modern Prog
To celebrate the two-year anniversary of this blog, I’m taking the opportunity to look back over some of the more than five hundred blog entries I’ve posted. I’ve conducted interviews, written essays and reviewed new albums, reissues and DVDs. Here’s a look at some modern progressive rock that has caught my attention.
- Knight Area – A Dutch band, these guys lean in a very melodic direction; their album Realm of Shadows has gotten countless plays here.
- Jakko M. Jakszyk – This guitarist/vocalist was a member of the 21st Century Schizoid Band, and on his solo album The Bruised Romantic Glee Club he corrals some Very Heavy Friends into helping him out. I’ll have an interview with him later this summer.
- The Pär Lindh Project album Time Mirror is some seriously over-the-top symphonic prog, but it’s a helluva lot of fun. Enjoy the strong melodies, the high-flying virtuosity and have fun trying to count how many damn keyboards the guy uses. Wow.
- Mars Hollow makes a convincing argument that not all worthwhile progressive rock comes from outside the USA. Their self-titled album mines a Rush-like vein. Their newest is out very soon, and I’m looking forward to checking it out as well.
- Wobbler are a tradition-minded lot; their album Rites at Dawn sounds a bit like what Yes might have done in that quiet period between Relayer and Going for the One. Dig.
- The Pineapple Thief is a UK-based group that is sadly not well known in the USA. They combine the best elements of groups like Radiohead and Porcupine Tree, to name two, all the while crafting a sound that’s their own. I spoke at some length with band leader Bruce Soord.
- I discovered Polish progressive band Riverside through Pandora, and really dig a lot of their stuff. When they lean toward metal, I am a bit less interested. Leader Mariusz Duda released a fine, connected pair of concept albums under the Lunatic Soul moniker that are more atmospheric than his band’s work. Here’s our conversation.
- For me, the hands-down best progressive rock album of the last few years is X from Spock’s Beard.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.