80. A Smart Kid, by Porcupine Tree
(Stupid Dream, 1999)
Last time, we had no Porcupine Tree tracks listed; instead, three of the Steven Wilson side projects appeared. It is therefore high time that we rank a genuine PT song for a change. This one is particularly memorable to us. We actually somehow kind of missed A Smart Kid because it was "hidden" close to the end of the Porcupine Tree's 1999 album Stupid Dream. Later on, when attending the group's live performance in Helsinki, in December 2007, they played it and we didn't recognize it. After that incident, it has been played a lot and hence, it was able to secure a position in our all time top 80.
79. Skeletons at the Feast, by Spock's Beard
(Spock's Beard, 2006)
This instrumental track from Spock's Beard's ninth, self titled studio album represents to us a great example of how much fun true progressive rock can be. On this track, the group is exceptionally metal sounding but actually that fits its fast pace and complicatedness very well. There are some truly impressive guitar sequences as well as great drumming. Overall, this album is our number one favorite in Spock's Beard's catalogue, and this track is in its top three. Of those other two, All That's Left (#102) we already discussed, and the other one is a little further up, to be discussed in this very same blog entry.
78. A&E, by Goldfrapp
(Seventh Tree, 2008)
Oh, cool! A song on our list actually has an official video. It is so rare these days. Few other artists are anywhere as good in creating perfect pop songs as Goldfrapp. They have already appeared on the list twice, with Felt Mountain (#108) and Time Out from the World (#116). A&E is the most recent one of these. Released six years ago, it is a relatively simple but absolutely beautiful pop song that used to be one of our most played songs for a few months back then and is still doing very well on the list. Goldfrapp has released two more albums since, but their best recent tracks have not yet had time to climb this high.
77. This is the New Shit, by Marilyn Manson
(The Golden Age of Grotesque, 2003)
Another surprise entry, this industrial / extreme metal track from over a decade ago was also a big hit at the time here at ProgActive. What makes This is the New Shit so exhilarating is not only its extreme aggressiveness - although that does have something to do with it - but the delicious contrast between its verse and chorus. One sounds like almost any ordinary techno oriented track, and then the other almost literally explodes with furious riffs and Manson's strong vocals. The man has a perfect voice for a heavy metal singer.
76. Twilight Coda, by Steven Wilson
(Insurgentes, 2008)
Then comes a time to discuss Steven Wilson once again - but neither through Porcupine Tree's side project nor PT itself. Twilight Coda is the beautiful instrumental track that has been placed near the end of the first solo album SW made under his own name six years ago. It could be used to define the term atmospheric - as you can very well hear when playing the fan made video embedded above. This will not be the last we hear of Wilson or even Insurgentes the album - there will be another track of his only three places from here, albeit from a different album.
75. Satellite Anthem Icarus, by Boards of Canada
(The Campfire Headphase, 2005)
Another track from Boards of Canada's stunning peak album, Satellite Anthem Icarus is one more memorable instrumental that has played a little less at ProgActive during recent years, but was one of our major favorites around 2006 and 2007. Out on 17 October 2005, this third full length studio album by Scottish brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin remains one of last decade's essential music releases. It is certain to appear again further up on the list as two of our biggest favorites on it have not been ranked yet.
74. Shadow Memory / The Departure / Unraveling / Elevation, by Goldbug
(The Seven Dreams, 2010)
This combination of several tracks from Goldbug's masterful 2010 album The Seven Dreams is one of the most dumbfounding 11-minute musical sequences in recent memory. They were originally put together like this by an internet radio station; we didn't want to split the end result into individual tracks since they worked so well when played back to back in this particular order. Besides, there are a couple of other 11-minute tracks on the album as well, so this one feels like their companion piece. We have never been big fans of improvisation, but here it works wonders.
73. The Raven That Refused to Sing, by Steven Wilson
(The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories), 2013)
So, it is Steven Wilson again, and the greatest achievement of his musical career so far. This is how far up this song has managed to climb during the year and a half since we first heard it. We have already gushed about the song at length back then, but it might still be worthwhile to once again point out that this is one of the greatest achievements of mankind in the area of music during this decade. Do not miss it. Also, please do enjoy the wonderful animated video by Jess Cope, embedded above, to take in the entire experience.
72. Picture of Three Life, by Yasushi Yoshida
(Secret Figure, 2006)
There is no YouTube video or Spotify link for Japanese composer Yasushi Yoshida's masterpiece, but you can listen to it either on Grooveshark by clicking this link or go to Yoshida's home page where it can be streamed. Yoshida has already appeared on the list once, with Parade (For Closure, #149) and who knows, he might appear again further up. This absolutely beautiful instrumental is our favorite track on Yoshida's 2006 debut album. On his later releases, he has made more experimental music but on this one he has excelled in simplicity, creating non-complicated yet memorable melodies.
71. The Slow Crash Landing Man, by Spock's Beard
(Spock's Beard, 2006)
Here is the other track from Spock's Beard's self titled 2006 album that we already referred to above. Very different from Skeletons at the Feast, this song proves that the group was at the time also able to write beautiful melodies that are not necessarily that complicated. We feel that this is the American prog group's high point, following which we think it is unlikely - although not impossible - that they will appear again on the list. Listening to this song, as well as other tracks from this album, it sounds like the group peaked right here.
79. Skeletons at the Feast, by Spock's Beard
(Spock's Beard, 2006)
This instrumental track from Spock's Beard's ninth, self titled studio album represents to us a great example of how much fun true progressive rock can be. On this track, the group is exceptionally metal sounding but actually that fits its fast pace and complicatedness very well. There are some truly impressive guitar sequences as well as great drumming. Overall, this album is our number one favorite in Spock's Beard's catalogue, and this track is in its top three. Of those other two, All That's Left (#102) we already discussed, and the other one is a little further up, to be discussed in this very same blog entry.
78. A&E, by Goldfrapp
(Seventh Tree, 2008)
Oh, cool! A song on our list actually has an official video. It is so rare these days. Few other artists are anywhere as good in creating perfect pop songs as Goldfrapp. They have already appeared on the list twice, with Felt Mountain (#108) and Time Out from the World (#116). A&E is the most recent one of these. Released six years ago, it is a relatively simple but absolutely beautiful pop song that used to be one of our most played songs for a few months back then and is still doing very well on the list. Goldfrapp has released two more albums since, but their best recent tracks have not yet had time to climb this high.
77. This is the New Shit, by Marilyn Manson
(The Golden Age of Grotesque, 2003)
Another surprise entry, this industrial / extreme metal track from over a decade ago was also a big hit at the time here at ProgActive. What makes This is the New Shit so exhilarating is not only its extreme aggressiveness - although that does have something to do with it - but the delicious contrast between its verse and chorus. One sounds like almost any ordinary techno oriented track, and then the other almost literally explodes with furious riffs and Manson's strong vocals. The man has a perfect voice for a heavy metal singer.
76. Twilight Coda, by Steven Wilson
(Insurgentes, 2008)
Then comes a time to discuss Steven Wilson once again - but neither through Porcupine Tree's side project nor PT itself. Twilight Coda is the beautiful instrumental track that has been placed near the end of the first solo album SW made under his own name six years ago. It could be used to define the term atmospheric - as you can very well hear when playing the fan made video embedded above. This will not be the last we hear of Wilson or even Insurgentes the album - there will be another track of his only three places from here, albeit from a different album.
75. Satellite Anthem Icarus, by Boards of Canada
(The Campfire Headphase, 2005)
Another track from Boards of Canada's stunning peak album, Satellite Anthem Icarus is one more memorable instrumental that has played a little less at ProgActive during recent years, but was one of our major favorites around 2006 and 2007. Out on 17 October 2005, this third full length studio album by Scottish brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin remains one of last decade's essential music releases. It is certain to appear again further up on the list as two of our biggest favorites on it have not been ranked yet.
74. Shadow Memory / The Departure / Unraveling / Elevation, by Goldbug
(The Seven Dreams, 2010)
This combination of several tracks from Goldbug's masterful 2010 album The Seven Dreams is one of the most dumbfounding 11-minute musical sequences in recent memory. They were originally put together like this by an internet radio station; we didn't want to split the end result into individual tracks since they worked so well when played back to back in this particular order. Besides, there are a couple of other 11-minute tracks on the album as well, so this one feels like their companion piece. We have never been big fans of improvisation, but here it works wonders.
73. The Raven That Refused to Sing, by Steven Wilson
(The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories), 2013)
So, it is Steven Wilson again, and the greatest achievement of his musical career so far. This is how far up this song has managed to climb during the year and a half since we first heard it. We have already gushed about the song at length back then, but it might still be worthwhile to once again point out that this is one of the greatest achievements of mankind in the area of music during this decade. Do not miss it. Also, please do enjoy the wonderful animated video by Jess Cope, embedded above, to take in the entire experience.
72. Picture of Three Life, by Yasushi Yoshida
(Secret Figure, 2006)
There is no YouTube video or Spotify link for Japanese composer Yasushi Yoshida's masterpiece, but you can listen to it either on Grooveshark by clicking this link or go to Yoshida's home page where it can be streamed. Yoshida has already appeared on the list once, with Parade (For Closure, #149) and who knows, he might appear again further up. This absolutely beautiful instrumental is our favorite track on Yoshida's 2006 debut album. On his later releases, he has made more experimental music but on this one he has excelled in simplicity, creating non-complicated yet memorable melodies.
71. The Slow Crash Landing Man, by Spock's Beard
(Spock's Beard, 2006)
Here is the other track from Spock's Beard's self titled 2006 album that we already referred to above. Very different from Skeletons at the Feast, this song proves that the group was at the time also able to write beautiful melodies that are not necessarily that complicated. We feel that this is the American prog group's high point, following which we think it is unlikely - although not impossible - that they will appear again on the list. Listening to this song, as well as other tracks from this album, it sounds like the group peaked right here.
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