Prog Notes

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!

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.

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!

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 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.

Operatic. Cinematic. Adventurous. These are just a few words to describe what some might consider to be Leprous's watershed album, Pitfalls. Released in 2019, this Norwegian prog metal band defied all expectations by exploring ambient soundscapes with dynamic vocals rather than revisiting their familiar territory denoted by harsh vocals and heavily distorted guitars. Destin and Drew share their thoughts on prog rock's history surrounding the balance between instrumentals and vocals. Can vocal-centric music and progressive rock peacefully coexist in the same musical space? In addition to these musings, the show hosts gush over their favorite moments on the record with another segment of Delve It or Shelve It, which splinters off into a detailed analysis of the rhythmically complex By My Throne, led by Destin Frost. Spoiler: the song includes a 17/16 time signature!

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 Prog Notes duo are blessed once more with the insights of Rachel Brown! Together they enter into the ghostly drama riddled throughout Steven Wilson's third solo album, The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) (2013). While some listeners may contend that Wilson's work on this album is a bit derivative of classic prog rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s, our show hosts align with others who appreciate his nod to these older influences while maintaining originality with a unique concept album that employs indelible videos to enhance the storytelling for two of the album's more somber tracks. In addition to comparing and contrasting this release to his next project (Hand.Cannot.Erase), the team actually explores each track from a lyrical and musical perspective. After their "deep dive" into the grim storybook of The Raven, Destin, Rachel, and Drew come up for air and discuss the fascinating topic of solo artists in progressive rock. This is certainly a rich conversation on one of Wilson's most critically acclaimed albums. Destin says it best:

"This is what happens when you get an English major, a film major, and an audio engineer reviewing this record."

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 jump back in time to 1971 and travel through the seminal album The Yes Album to discuss how this record launched Yes on the trajectory to becoming one of the most formative bands in the progressive rock genre. While employing Steve Howe's superb talents as an eclectic guitarist and crafting lengthier pieces laden with the lyrical voice of Jon Anderson, this progressive rock band managed to keep their ambitious arrangements grounded, resulting in an exhibition of phenomenal musicianship and promising songwriting. From lineup changes to album artwork, this episode features a slew of history and fun facts that give insight into the creation of one of Yes's most celebrated works. Those familiar with this popular entry in the Yes catalog are sure to appreciate this installment of Delve It or Shelve It as Destin and Drew rejoice over their favorite moments on an album that strengthened their friendship.

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 disagree about an album? Wait, wait... Is that possible? Well, I suppose there's a first time for everything. In this episode, Moon Safari's Blomljud serves as a point of contention for our hosts as Drew pours out his unwavering affection for the sweet summer sounds, the symphonic prog elements that harken back to the early days of Genesis and Yes, and the intricate vocal harmonies that are reminiscent of Broadway show tunes. Meanwhile, Destin invites us into his "Safari Through Moon Safari" and expresses his ambivalent, albeit respectful, attitude towards this double album, which to him seems too long, overly reliant on major keys, and filled with shallow lyrics and forgettable vocal melodies. However, they both agree it is quite a unique album that is worth the attention of any prog rock enthusiast. This episode also features "Story Time With Drew", where Drew analyzes a track that has a similar tone to that of an old fairy tale, and another segment of "Illustrations And Impressions", where Destin and Drew ruminate on the album artwork. As Drew states, this is probably the "happiest" prog rock album discussed on the show, and whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is entirely up to the listener to decide.

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.