180. Staring into Nothing, by Kevin Gilbert
(The Shaming of the True, 2000)
American singer / songwriter Kevin Gilbert's second solo album, following 1995's Thud, was released years after his death in 1996. The Shaming of the True must have been written and recorded in mid-nineties. Its most impressive track is Staring Into Nothing, a cleverly structured art rock song that you will probably need to hear a few times before it fully sinks in.
179. From Dust to the Beyond, by God Is an Astronaut
(The End of the Beginning, 2002)
The Irish post rock group God Is an Astronaut has impressed us regularly since the release of their debut album The End of the Beginning twelve years ago. From Dust to the Beyond, taken from that album, still remains our number one favorite track of theirs. It has already been written about at length about one year ago - you can check that here. An excellent instrumental work.
178. Oh Yeah, by Can
(Tago Mago, 1971)
One of the true classics from the German experimental rock group Can has also been written about very recently, back when we discussed 1971 in our year by year article series. An irresistible tempo and a wonderfully eccentric atmosphere are completed by the backwards vocal track at the beginning. The most talented singers like Damo Suzuki can apparently do that...
177. Sand, by Demians
(Building an Empire, 2008)
Yet another song that has been written about recently, Sand was #19 on our list of Top 20 Long Prog Masterpieces back in the summer of 2012. You can read the blog entry about it right here. There is little to add to what was already written back then. French musician Nicholas Chapel's lengthy masterpiece is quiet at times and very noisy at others. Works well either way.
176. You / I, by Frost*
(Experiments in Mass Appeal, 2008)
One of the shortest track on the list, You / I runs only 1 minute and 7 seconds. It bridges the gap between two noisier Frost* tracks on what is still their most recent studio album. Here, Jem Godfrey sings quietly, backed only with a piano. Frost* is the British wonder group of modern progressive rock that will appear on the list several times, so we'll write more about them later.
175. Learn to Fly, by Foo Fighters
(There Is Nothing Left to Lose, 1999)
For a while, our list was getting rather progressive rock oriented there, so some straight and simple rock and roll is a welcome change. (Or is it?) One of Foo Fighters' best known and liked songs, Learn to Fly is a minor masterpiece in its genre. It is one of those tracks that nearly everyone can remember hearing even though they may not recognize it.
174. Closure, by Arcana
(Inner Pale Sun, 2003)
Dark ambient rarely gets more lovely than it does on the closing track of Swedish group Arcana's 2003 album Inner Pale Sun. The icily beautiful composition was a standout for us already when we first listened to the album, and continues to be just that even though the other tracks are pretty good too. Perhaps a bit repetitive in its execution, but then, that is the nature of ambient music.
173. Samskeyti, by Sigur Rós
(( ), 2002)
This is track number three on the peak album of the Icelandic group Sigur Rós: ( ). The names of the songs on this particular album were not included in its packaging but could be found in the net. This one has fallen surprisingly far down on the list. Our all time favorite Sigur Rós track is an absolutely beautiful, piano driven instrumental that we must have listened to over a hundred times before April, 2006.
172. After, by Riverside
(Second Life Syndrome, 2005)
The Polish band Riverside has become one of the most interesting new voices in the field of contemporary progressive rock. Their prog comes laced with some metal. The moody opening track of their second studio album has been one of our favorites since it was released. Overall, Second Life Syndrome feels uneven and some of the lyrics are clumsy but its opening is just brilliant.
171. Psycho, by System of a Down
(Toxicity, 2001)
System of a Down also appears on this list for a second time. Weirdly enough, Psycho is higher up on it than Toxicity's best known song Chop Suey! (#197). But yes, we have nonetheless been very, very fond of this insanely fast moving hard rock track that strangely also succeeds in injecting some genuine beauty in its craziness. Pay particular attention to the song's finale.
170. Follow Me to Sleep, by Spock's Beard
(Octane, 2005)
The American progressive rock group Spock's Beard appears on the list for the first time. Most likely it won't be the last. Following the departure of singer Neal Morse, the group released a somehow uncertain sounding album Feel Euphoria (2003). Its follow-up Octane sounds much more assured, as this particular track so perfectly exemplifies. The lyrics are a hoot.
169. Wind at My Back, by Spock's Beard
(Snow, 2002)
That didn't take long. This is Spock's Beard second appearance on the list. From the last album with Neal Morse still on board, Wind at My Back is an absolutely beautiful love song with an earworm type of extremely simple and catchy melody. Lyrics-wise, the song borders on being cloying in its endless praise of a loved one. Near the end it becomes almost comical - yet works well enough to touch.
168. Julie and Candy, by Boards of Canada
(Geogaddi, 2002)
Prior to the pinnacle of their recording career that was The Campfire Headphase (2005), Boards of Canada showed some greatness already with some of their instrumental compositions. Julie and Candy was one of these earlier masterpieces. Taken from 2002's Geogaddi, this track stunned us at about the same time as Samskeyti by Sigur Rós, and for similar reasons.
167. The Grudge, by Tool
(Lateralus, 2001)
American progressive metal band Tool appears on the list for the third time already. The Grudge is the powerhouse opening track of their masterpiece Lateralus. Like Sand by Demians (#177), it also belongs to the relatively small group of songs in our iTunes collection where the singer's voice transforms into a guttural scream at one point.
166. Celebrate Youth, by Rick Springfield
(Tao, 1985)
Finally, some relief in between the complicated, at times even sombre progressive rock tracks. Eighties star Rick Springfield, who also did some acting back then, is a harmless pop singer whose song Celebrate Youth however packs more punch than your average chart topper. The lyrics actually have a meaning, and the strong percussion is hard to resist. Production values are also high.
165. In Your Honor, by Foo Fighters
(In Your Honor, 2005)
Foo Fighters, also appearing for a second time on the list, released what we think is their defining masterwork nine years ago. In Your Honor is an ambitious, rich double album with the harder rocking tracks placed on the first disc and the mellower, acoustic songs on the second disc. The title track opens the first one. We wouldn't be surprised if something from the second one also appeared on the list.
164. Mein Herz Brennt, by Rammstein
(Mutter, 2001)
This heavy metal masterpiece by the German band is also from 2001 that seems to have been one outstanding year for heavy and hard rock (see also Lateralus and Toxicity). The opening track of the otherwise mediocre Mutter is one of the most accomplished metal tracks of the decade. We are particularly impressed with the powerful, rhythmic guitar riffs and the (possibly synthesized) strings.
163. Pocket Sun, by Frost*
(Experiments in Mass Appeal, 2008)
Our second pick from the second album by Frost* is arguably their hardest rocking piece, with the B section even approaching heavy metal. Following the perfect symphonic prog soundscape of previous album Milliontown (2006) this didn't excite us at first but Pocket Sun has grown on us since. Actually, its noisy sequences are kind of fun. For non-relaxing times, do try this.
162. Survivalism, by Nine Inch Nails
(Year Zero, 2007)
The first single pick from NIN's 2007 album Year Zero still remains an entertaining song, if not the best that album has to offer. This is once more a second track from the same artist - and in this case, also album - that won't be the last, far from it. Survivalism has a simple structure and light techno instrumentation typical for recent Trent Reznor songs.
161. Truenorth, by No-Man
(Schoolyard Ghosts, 2008)
Steven Wilson has said that this beautiful nearly 13-minute song is the pinnacle of what he achieved with Tim Bowness as the two man art rock outfit No-Man. Perhaps permanently so, since the album is now six years old and no follow-up seems to be even in planning stages. ProgActive strongly agrees that this is a magnificent piece, with great songwriting evident.
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