The article does not denigrate prog rock.
Article Analyses Prog Rock
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Kelefeh Saneh's 2017 article was on its face a survey of books about prog, prompted by the release in 2017 of journalist David Weigel's The Show That Never Ends. He cites several of the 'classics' of the prog-book genre (Bill Martin's book on Yes; Edward Macan's analysis of prog ; Bruford's autobiography; Will Romano's book on Close to the Edge) and seems actually to have read them. He displays a far deeper knowledge of the genre than one would expect from your average cultural reporter. I couldn't find any notable errors of fact in the article, which is very remarkable, in my experience.
The book survey format allows him to discuss the history of prog's critical reception, and views about the endurance and even re-flowering of prog fandom in the face of decades of critical rejection.
Saneh quite likes Weigel's book; if anything, he says, it's too short. (I've haven't read Weigel's book though i did read several of his online posts about prog.) It's a pity Mike Barnes' excellent A New Day Yesterday wasn't published until 2020, or it could have had a part in the New Yorker article too.
In addition to his refreshingly non-superficial, non-dismissive consideration of the genre, Saneh's admiration for several prog bands/albums comes through. His playlist at the end is more adventurous than most prog fans'. He notes how classic prog influenced later musicians and bands.
Final paragraph, touching again on why prog has endured, is true and lovely:
"What can disappear—what long ago disappeared, in fact, at least among rock bands—is the ideology of progress in pop music: the optimistic sense, shared by all those early-seventies pioneers, that the form was evolving and improving, and that prog rock offered a sneak peek at our future. The bands thought that the arc of the musical universe bent toward keyboard solos. This is part of what drove Lester Bangs crazy—he couldn’t understand why these musicians thought they had improved upon old-fashioned rock and roll. But contemporary listeners might find the genre’s optimistic spirit more exotic, and therefore more endearing, than it once seemed. Of course, prog rock was not the future—at least, not more than anything else was. Nowadays, it seems clear that rock history is not linear but cyclical. There is no grand evolution, just an endless process of rediscovery and reappraisal, as various styles and poses go in and out of fashion. We no longer, many of us, believe in the idea of musical progress. All the more reason, perhaps, to savor the music of those who did. "
The book survey format allows him to discuss the history of prog's critical reception, and views about the endurance and even re-flowering of prog fandom in the face of decades of critical rejection.
Saneh quite likes Weigel's book; if anything, he says, it's too short. (I've haven't read Weigel's book though i did read several of his online posts about prog.) It's a pity Mike Barnes' excellent A New Day Yesterday wasn't published until 2020, or it could have had a part in the New Yorker article too.
In addition to his refreshingly non-superficial, non-dismissive consideration of the genre, Saneh's admiration for several prog bands/albums comes through. His playlist at the end is more adventurous than most prog fans'. He notes how classic prog influenced later musicians and bands.
Final paragraph, touching again on why prog has endured, is true and lovely:
"What can disappear—what long ago disappeared, in fact, at least among rock bands—is the ideology of progress in pop music: the optimistic sense, shared by all those early-seventies pioneers, that the form was evolving and improving, and that prog rock offered a sneak peek at our future. The bands thought that the arc of the musical universe bent toward keyboard solos. This is part of what drove Lester Bangs crazy—he couldn’t understand why these musicians thought they had improved upon old-fashioned rock and roll. But contemporary listeners might find the genre’s optimistic spirit more exotic, and therefore more endearing, than it once seemed. Of course, prog rock was not the future—at least, not more than anything else was. Nowadays, it seems clear that rock history is not linear but cyclical. There is no grand evolution, just an endless process of rediscovery and reappraisal, as various styles and poses go in and out of fashion. We no longer, many of us, believe in the idea of musical progress. All the more reason, perhaps, to savor the music of those who did. "
colsky
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
You didn't read my preceding post did you? My "this journalistic negative slant" was referring to the general negativity against "prog rock" by, what, in my previous post, I called, "lazy journalists, who didn't want interesting music, they wanted music they could pigeon hole into "genres", invented a new term, the shortened (more derisory) term "prog rock"", and whose negativity has turned many music lovers against the "genre", who possibly haven't even heard much, or any, of it!
This is a bit disingenuous of you. The previous post you mention is one where you rather grumpily read negative slants into Saneh's article in particular, as well as ranting about historic anti-prog rock criticism.
Saneh couldn't even praise prog rock without you complaining he praised it the wrong way.
The best english prog bands!
One of my favourite non-english 'prog' bands is Lazuli, I have all their CDs! HOME - LAZULI
colsky
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
7 on the list aren't English!
But they’re all from english-speaking countries.
I love Lazuli too! They’re not well known in France unfortunately. They are so little known in fact that there is a french singer that call herself Lazuli too! (I discovered her when the YouTube channel for live music of a French TV station (ARTE) featured Lazuli: I thought at last recognition for one of our best rock band, just to be utterly disappointed)
If you don’t know them already, check out Ange. The best seventies french prog band that is not Magma!
I hadn't heard of them! I'll give them a listen. I have seen Magma though, back in the mid-70s
They supported Fish when I went to see him on 12th Dec 2017 at The Tramshed Cardiff, I remember them describing their journey over in their minibus in snowstorms and not thinking they'd make it in time. I liked them well enough but haven't bought any of their recordings, too much French language put me off I'm afraid.
barfle
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Odd that they named so many members of Yes, but left off Rick Wakeman, who is in the photo.
Good list. They seemed to pick prog bands that were commercially successful instead of going for more obscure bands. IMO that's what makes it a good list, it doesn't try to turn you onto bands you've never heard to prove how "progressive" the list is.
