Prog Notes – Details, episodes & analysis

Destin takes us through a tour of underground 1970s gems. Spanning across electronica, jazz, soft rock, blues, folk, Canterbury, RPI, and more, these albums all incorporate pieces of prog rock here and there while still maintaining identities that are fully independent of the traditional "prog rock" sound. Destin briefly explains the unique characteristics of each album to give listeners a taste of what the 1970s has to offer. Get ready for a panoramic perspective of music  from 1970 - 1979!

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**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

1970: Affinity by Affinity

1971: Samurai - Samurai

1972: Per Un Amico - PFM

1973: Grand Hotel - Procol Harum

1974: Sea Son - Secret Oyster

1975: Ambrosia - Ambrosia

1976: Time Robber - Omega

1977: Forse le Lucciole non si Amano Più - Locanda Delle Fate

1978: The Man-Machine - Kraftwerk

1979: One of a Kind - Bill Bruford

For this very special episode, Destin and Drew are graced with the presence of legendary guitarist Steve Hackett. In addition to being the lead guitarist for Genesis in their prime as one the most influential bands of the progressive rock genre, Steve has also had a very successful solo career, releasing dozens of albums with material encompassing a multitude of genres, including classical, blues, and world music. In 2022, the 1972 Genesis classic Foxtrot celebrated its 50th anniversary, and to celebrate that fact, Steve has been touring the world performing the entire album end-to-end. While chatting with Destin and Drew, he reveals the personal significance of Foxtrot, its timeless quality, and the joy of playing it live as it was originally intended. He also gives insight into the early years of progressive rock, recalling that bands were blending rock music with a variety of other musical styles and new technology all while aiming to tell great stories. Listeners are sure to appreciate Steve's perspective as he talks about the powerful force that is music. He encourages young musicians to embrace their unique voice rather than blindly following the instructions of others or becoming a stale imitation. That's the spirit of progressive rock!

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**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

A Canadian prog trio that's not Rush? That's right! This week Destin and Drew cover the "minor classic" Black Noise by FM, and to help them analyze the album and its history, they are joined by Rogan McAndrews, host of Prog Notes Spotlight! While future FM releases may have never held up in terms of popularity, Black Noise demonstrates their musical prowess as they craft a signature sound in this riff-laden space rock journey without the inclusion of an electric guitar, a hallmark feature of rock music. Instead, they infuse layers of electric violins and electric mandolins with spectacular drumming and hypnotic synthesizers to give a rich and full texture that permeates the record, launching the listener into deep space. Along with a history of this underground band, the Prog Notes hosts introduce a new segment called Get Busy With The Facts, where they introduce entertaining bits of trivia that pertain to the album in some way, including details about different sonic hues (i.e. - Black Noise).

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

Massive underwater sonic disturbances? A 5-string electric cello? Artwork that resembles cosmic horror monsters? It might seem like a bizarre combination, but these elements blend together to produce Preternatural: one of the most unique modern progressive rock albums by Brighton-based band Moulettes. While the exact category for their sound remains as mysterious as the preternatural phenomena presented throughout the album, Destin and Drew agree that this record has an irresistible charm to it that draws the listener to experience all it has to offer: gorgeous harmonies, electronica-inspired soundscapes, interesting vocal rhythms, and more. In addition to providing a brief history of the band, the Prog Notes team does a comprehensive analysis of the concept behind the album, which was intended as a celebration of nature and its perplexing qualities. As a bonus, Drew tries his best to sing the chorus of one of the songs at an increasingly rapid pace.

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

Destin and Drew dive into Ocean Machine: Biomech, a very personal album for musician Devin Townsend, a highly regarded figure in the realm of heavy metal. Destin illuminates listeners with the history of Devin Townsend's arduous journey to craft this 1997 release, which adds a bit more sentiment to the album. While not an icon in the realm of prog rock, Devin Townsend has a dedicated following, a fact that is clearly demonstrated as Drew and Destin react to a glowing, albeit slightly verbose, fan review of Ocean Machine. The album serves as a launching pad to discuss the topic of prog rock in the 90s and the sonic shift in tone that came to define the 90s sound.

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

A concept album about political corruption. Complex arrangements of riff-oriented rocking. Bizarre time signatures. A wide array of keyboard sounds. Obviously, there's a lot to unpack here. Sounds like classic prog. What's more, it's classic Gentle Giant. Destin and Drew marvel at the incredible musicianship of these niche, yet highly esteemed, progressive rock pioneers as they did when discussing their eponymous debut album, Gentle Giant. But they also note how the group evolved into an even "proggier" outfit by the time of their sixth studio album, The Power and the Glory, an impressive achievement considering one of their founding members, Phil Shulman, left the group just two albums prior. This record demonstrates the band's impressive ability to cover an enormous amount of the musical landscape in under 40 minutes. While it may seem jarring, disjointed, or even dissonant at moments, there are so many interesting melodies scattered throughout that one would be hard-pressed to not find a section that calls to them in some way. For Gentle Giant fans, this album is essential, and Destin and Drew contends that whether or not one is already in the Gentle Giant camp, The Power and the Glory ticks enough boxes to be dubbed "true progressive rock."

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

Who likes video games? Destin and Drew certainly do. Aside from the interactive experiences of gameplay and the wonderful stories they tell, many video games are rife with absolutely stunning music, and much of it is rather complex. So Destin and Drew started wondering: is there a connection between video game music (VGM) and progressive rock? Well, to address this question, Destin and Drew focus on Tempo of Time, a popular YouTube collaboration where the soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is turned into a progressive rock album. And as an extra special treat, the creators of this epic video, Dr. Pez and Marc Papeghin, talk with Destin and Drew about the process of making this 30-minute long composition, and their history with VGM and prog rock! Don't miss this special bonus episode, covering a topic that isn't usually discussed on Prog Notes!

Watch Tempo of Time!

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

What Drew and Destin dub as an incredibly "prophetic" album, Porcupine Tree's Fear Of A Blank Planet (2007) predicts the destructive psychological effects that a digitally saturated world can have on younger generations long before smartphones dominated the hallways of elementary and middle schools. The co-hosts dive deep into this topic while also tying the subject matter back to the mesmerizing, yet slightly haunting, music. While the concept may be grim, it turned out to be one of the band's most successful albums, being met with both commercial and critical praise. In another installment of "Delve It Or Shelve It", Destin and Drew describe their favorite moments to each other and demonstrate how Porcupine Tree deftly arrange the songs to place the listener in a dark, yet alluring, world of progressive rock.

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

The first episode of our first offshoot podcast, Spotlight! The torch is passed, and your two new Canadian cohosts, Chelsea and Rogan, are going to start interviewing your favourite up-and-coming and/or long-established prog artists! This episode holds a brief introduction to them before beginning our first interview with Destin and Drew on their band, Arcane Atlas! We discuss world-building for songs, writing epics, and the history of the project that lead to the creation of Prog Notes! Buckle in, and we hope you enjoy the new podcast!

Follow Spotlight HERE!

Follow Arcane Atlas

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.

**Prog Notes: Spotlight is a fireside chat with your favourite up-and-coming or long-established prog artists! Hear straight from the Tarkus' mouth what inspired the music, their creative process, the history of the groups, and much more! An offshoot of The Prog Notes Podcast, your host, Rogan McAndrews, brings in the best in the genre connecting fans to the masters behind the music.

Destin presents a cautionary tale for emerging bands: Being mistaken for a band, even a band as great as The Beatles, could have adverse effects on your success. It certainly didn't do any favors for Canadian prog-rock trio Klaatu after releasing their 1977 space rock opera, Hope. While this cult classic is considered unappreciated by many devoted fans drawn to this album's eclectic ensemble of instruments, theatrical flair, and sci-fi world-building, the conspiracy surrounding their identity ultimately led them down a path to obscurity. However, this beloved record does strengthen the tie between science fiction and prog rock. Could science fiction be the music of prog-rock? Or could prog-rock be the music of science fiction?

Check us out HERE!

**Prog Notes is a podcast dedicated to the genre of progressive rock. Each episode Destin and Drew tackle an album and delve into the different musical compositions, lyrics, and concepts that make it prog rock. They maintain that progressive rock is still very much alive and kicking, whether it be highlighting key moments from the early years or tracking the evolution of the genre to today's more modern groups. With each new episode, these two childhood friends encourage more people to investigate this unique, sometimes forgotten genre of music and find an album or band they can enjoy.