Another update today:
18. Dave Matthews Band Yes, that's right: Dave Matthews Band. I am always surprised more people here don't like them, but I wonder how many have actually given them a real chance, outside of maybe hearing their hits or hearing them in the background at a friend's house or something. I was smack in the middle of my prog snob phase in the late 90s when I got into them, which was quite an achievement. Despite not being a "prog" band, their music is actually quite progressive. I would recommend anyone starting off with the three-song run that did the trick for me: "The Stone," "Crush" and "The Dreaming Tree." Those 25 minutes of music should impress anyone. After that, check out their
Central Park DVD. You'll be a fan for life. The interesting thing about this band for me is, I have seen them five times, and each time, it was with someone different...my younger brother, a cousin, a friend, and two different girlfriends.
Favorite albums:
Before These Crowded Streets,
Under the Table and Dreaming and
CrashFavorite songs: "The Dreaming Tree," "Crush," "The Stone," "Two Step," "Don't Drink the Water," "Dancing Nancies," "Warehouse," "Proudest Monkey," "Lie in Our Graves," "Spaceman," "Bartender" and "Lying in the Hands of God."
17. Peter Gabriel Look up the phrase musical genius and next to it will be a picture of Peter Gabriel, unless you have an outdated dictionary.
This guy's talent and greatness is undeniable, and he is still going, despite being in his 60s now. Leaving Genesis was quite a daring move, but his solo career has been hugely successful, and for that, he deserves major kudos. Not many could have pulled it off. And in the late 70s/early 80s, when a lot of prog bands were either dying off or going a more mainstream pop rock route, Peter Gabriel continued to be innovative, creative and extremely progressive. He is the essence of progressive rock, in the truest sense of the word. I still remember watching the
Secret World Live DVD for the first time; it was like someone was opening up a window to his greatness and all of a sudden, the sun, which had always been there, was hitting me right in the face.
Favorite albums:
Up,
Security and
III/MeltFavorite songs: "San Jacinto," "Washing of the Water," "Sky Blue," "I Grieve," "Red Rain," "Biko," "Family Snapshot," "Moribund the Burgermeister," "Darkness," "Signal to Noise," "Mercy Street" and "Secret World."
16. Opeth I probably don't have to go into too much detail here, as I have outlined in various threads over the years what I love about this band. Their ability to combine bone-crushing metal featuring growling with beautiful acoustic passages featuring clean vocals separates them from every other metal band I have ever heard that features growling. Six years ago, the idea of a band featuring growling being this high up on my list seemed absurd. Then I was introduced Opeth, and all of the misconceptions went out the window.
Favorite albums:
Still Life,
Blackwater Park and
Watershed Favorite songs: "The Drapery Falls," "Bleak," "Deliverance," "A Fair Judgement," "Moonlapse Vertigo," "Face of Melinda," "Isolation Years," "White Cluster," "To Rid the Disease," "Harvest," "The Lotus Eater" and "Ghost of Perdition."