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 Obscure and underrated bands 
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
Spiral Architect: great music, horrid vocals, my opinion. I had the same problem with "Control and Resistance"... I loved the Watchtower demo, the early one with McMasters. The album... not so much. But I love the music and Jarzombek in general.

k

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Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:03 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
FuzzyJammer wrote:
Pekka Pohjola. One of my favorite musicians and composers. He was pretty popular in Finland in the 70s-80s though, but is almost unknown in english-speaking prog communities.

His early works remind me of Zappa heavily, yet still have his own distinctive sound and style.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65Ee58UCQw[/youtube]

His last album, 'Views', is an example of the most beautiful jazz orchestra arrangement I've ever heard, specifically the 'Metropolitan' track. Unfortunately, no link to share; this album is pretty hard to find.


Greetings,

I became a huge Pekka Pohjola fan after stumbling across the album that contains the track you posted--packaged as The Consequences of Indecision by Mike Oldfield (one of about five different releases of the same album as it turned out)--in a cutout bin of a record store in Rutland, Vermont in late 1986. In addition to acquiring all his releases (and most others that he appears on), I volunteered to help with both his band's shows in NYC back in 1993 and have also contributed to liner notes on several CD remasters of his albums over the years.

Pekka was a remarkably gifted composer and has probably had more direct impact on my own compositional style than any single person. (It's really rare that I write a piece of music these days that does not, at least in some small way, contain some subconscious connection to his work.) It's very hard to believe he passed away nearly five years ago now, but I'm always appreciative of the large catalog of exquisite music he released throughout his career.

Cheers,


Alan

P.S. There are so many fantastic obscure bands (much lesser known than Pekka) out there that I really wouldn't know where to begin to list them here, by the way.

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Fri Jun 28, 2013 6:14 am
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
I always loved this one, by the Finnish band Wigwam. Pekka plays bass, flute and keys. I liked the stuff they did with Pekka the best.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_aLK3SMdEg[/youtube]

Kev

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Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:17 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
Two of my favorite bands are Sparks and XTC.

In addition to underrated bands, how about a super famous band with a super-under-rated (and weird) album: The Beach Boys Love You (1976) is nearly proto-synth pop. Brian was involved again, this time writing songs about Johnny Carson, the solar system, and honkin' down the highway... (Trivia: it was engineered by one-time Sparks guitarist Earle Mankey!)

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Tue Jul 02, 2013 3:54 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
XTC. Greatest pop band of all time?

I don't care, but I'll still be buried with my "Oranges and Lemons" and "Skylarking" albums.

Kev

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Fri Jul 05, 2013 4:22 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
adventdude wrote:
FuzzyJammer wrote:
Pekka Pohjola. One of my favorite musicians and composers. He was pretty popular in Finland in the 70s-80s though, but is almost unknown in english-speaking prog communities.

His early works remind me of Zappa heavily, yet still have his own distinctive sound and style.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65Ee58UCQw[/youtube]

His last album, 'Views', is an example of the most beautiful jazz orchestra arrangement I've ever heard, specifically the 'Metropolitan' track. Unfortunately, no link to share; this album is pretty hard to find.


Greetings,

I became a huge Pekka Pohjola fan after stumbling across the album that contains the track you posted--packaged as The Consequences of Indecision by Mike Oldfield (one of about five different releases of the same album as it turned out)--in a cutout bin of a record store in Rutland, Vermont in late 1986. In addition to acquiring all his releases (and most others that he appears on), I volunteered to help with both his band's shows in NYC back in 1993 and have also contributed to liner notes on several CD remasters of his albums over the years.

Pekka was a remarkably gifted composer and has probably had more direct impact on my own compositional style than any single person. (It's really rare that I write a piece of music these days that does not, at least in some small way, contain some subconscious connection to his work.) It's very hard to believe he passed away nearly five years ago now, but I'm always appreciative of the large catalog of exquisite music he released throughout his career.

Cheers,


Alan

P.S. There are so many fantastic obscure bands (much lesser known than Pekka) out there that I really wouldn't know where to begin to list them here, by the way.


I love threads like this...my eMusic.com subscription finally reloaded for the month and I downloaded Pekka Pohjola's "Changing Waters". Splendid stuff. Three Cheers to FuzzyJammer for the suggestion...

...and another three cheers for KRex - Picchio dal Pozzo was a lot of fun too.

Onward to Spiral Architect and Wigwam...

Thanks guys

John

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Tue Jul 16, 2013 6:47 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
Quote:
...and another three cheers for KRex - Picchio dal Pozzo was a lot of fun too.


Mr. John,

Picchio is the best ever to come out of Italy in the 70's. My opinion. But you may want to check out Area, Arti y Mestieri ( just the two albums "Tilt" and "Giro di Valzer per Domani") and PFM also. All are superb, some of the greatest prog bands ever to grace this planet. Don't forget to check out Picchio's first LP, which is less of an avant Zappa-fest and more of a British Canterbury thing. Great album.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzjoIRPtuWo[/youtube]

More worthy of fame than ELP, etc. PFM was a monster band, this is from my favorite album of theirs.

K

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Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:22 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
And the English version... vocals written by Pete Sinfield of King Crimson fame. Those Italian bands who approached fame were compelled to re-record their albums in English. The results were usually not as good, and the cultural coolness was sometimes lost. I liked PFM's effort, though.

Maybe this is a subject for another thread? I get the feeling I might be the only one posting...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RerqxZ0HKeg[/youtube]

K

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Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:31 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
Awesome band, greatest drummer ever. So many notes, but so tasteful. I had the privilege of meeting Furio Chirico at the Progday festival in NC years ago. One of the greatest ever to come out of Italy. The Italians really mastered the prog thing in the 70's. Hundreds of bands, I have them all on vinyl. Highly recommended, although it will destroy your brain seeking them all out.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCq-PmMDYXo[/youtube]

Kev

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Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:41 pm
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Post Re: Obscure and underrated bands
Wow Kev, thanks so much for that Picchio dal Pozzo tune! Gotta hunt down some more of that! IMHO Finch's Glory of the Inner Force is one of the great lost prog albums of the 70's
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuR0YcHjTXM[/youtube]

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Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:18 am
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