28. Pendragon -
Pure & Passion Genre: Neo-prog
For fans of: IQ, Marillion
What makes them unique: These two albums (their two newest) might be best described as "new neo-prog" as their sound is more modern than what I associate neo-prog with.
If you followed Nick's top 50 list, you know he had two of their early albums in his list. I don't own those, so I'll talk about the new albums. When I think of neo-prog, I think of Fish era Marillion (my favorite era), so when I heard these albums, the first thing that really struck me was the guitar work. It really keeps the sound from sounding dated in a bad way. These albums are much more raw and aggressive than what I associate with neo-prog - it really comes across in all facets - and I really like it. Aside from the guitar, the keyboards also deliver, which one would expect when Clive Nolan is involved. The songwriting is also above reproach on these albums, both in terms of melody and lyrical content. They are catchy and I've been caught on two occasions belting out choruses at my desk. These are the only two albums of theirs I own, but that will change, don't worry Nick.
Tracks to try: Indigo, Eraserhead, The Freak Show, Passion, Empathy, This Green and Pleasant Land