Progressive rock reconsidered

Progressive or art rock was one of the most important trends in rock and roll during the early and mid-'70s. Groups like Genesis, Yes, Procol Harum, and Pink Floyd broke new ground by taking classical composition techniques and structures and wedding them with the power and drive of rock. Yet, by the end of the decade, the punk backlash had pretty much ended prog-rock's reign as rock's leading style. Today, scholars of rock and popular culture have returned to these musical groups and their achievements with new recognition of the musical sophistication they brought to rock and roll. In this book, the glory days of progressive rock are relived in a series of insightful essays about the key bands, songwriters, and songs that made prog-rock such an innovative style. For fans-both old and new-this collection sheds new light on an important trend in rock and roll with repercussions still being felt among today's artists. 'Progressive Rock Reconsidered' promises to be a landmark work on this important era in rock's history.

History and context. Progressive rock and the inversion of musical values / John J. Sheinbaum ; The American Metaphysical Circus of Joseph Byrd's United States of America / Kevin Holm-Hudson -- Analytical perspectives. Pink Floyd's Careful with that axe, Eugene : toward a theory of textural rhythm in early progressive rock / John S. Cotner ; Progressive rock as text : the lyrics of Roger Waters / Deena Weinstein -- A promise deferred : multiply directed time and thematic transformation in Emerson Lake and Palmer's Trilogy / Kevin Holm-Hudson ; King Crimson's Larks' tongues in aspic : a case of convergent evolution / Gregory Karl ; Tales of change within the sound : form, lyrics, and philosophy in the music of Yes / Jennifer Rycenga ; Precarious pleasures : situating Close to the edge in conflicting male desires / Dirk von der Horst ; Let them all make their own music : individualism, Rush, and the progressive/hard rock alloy, 1976-77 / Durrell S. Bowman -- Don't dare call us 'Progressive' : Post-prog and other legacies. Somebody is digging my bones : King Crimson's Dinosaur as (Post)progressive historiography / Brian Robison ; How alternative turned progressive : the strange case …