Here are my favorite 25 new albums released in Q2 (April-June) of this year, listed alphabetically by artist name. I liked all of these enough to buy them on vinyl or CD. It was a strong quarter for new releases!
#NewMusic2024
#NewMusic
#AOTY
#AOTY2024
Night 2 of
@deadandcompany
at Wrigley Field was stellar!!! I’ve been seeing “Dead” shows spanning across 5 decades, and if this really was my last, it sure was a banger!!!
#DeadandCoFinalTour
#livemusic
Let’s make a Mount Rushmore of all-time rock bass players! These bassists rock our list of four:
Geddy Lee
Jaco Pistorius
Paul McCartney
Flea
Who do you have?
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 11,
#5
:
Rush - 2112
While it was Permanent Waves that cemented me as a lifelong Rush fan, the album that started me down the path was 2112, and overall it’s still my favorite. In my top 10 any band/genre/era.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 11,
#4
:
Yes - Close to the Edge
While my entre to Yes was Fragile, and I do love it dearly, CTTE is a notch above even that masterpiece. In my top 5 any artist/genre/era. The title track is one of the very best prog epics ever.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 9,
#7
:
Pink Floyd - Meddle
This is my favorite Floyd album, and Echoes is almost the perfect prog epic (minus 0.5 points for the too-long screaming albatross section 😂) A masterpiece record in every way.
RIP, Alan White…what an incredible drummer, who I am fortunate to have seen live on a number of occasions. Alan has always been one of my all-time favorites. Yes made music that certainly challenged a drummer, and he was incredible.
#RIPAlanWhite
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 14,
#2
:
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
This album changed my life. In 2005 I went from having never heard of Porcupine Tree to owning everything they’d recorded and considering them my favorite band of all time by 2010, which I still do.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 1,
#15
:
Saga - Worlds Apart
Saga is such an underrated band. I saw this tour in 1983, and hearing this material played live, at an incredibly high level, cemented them as a long-time favorite.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 15,
#1
:
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Almost all of my favorite music can trace its roots to this amazing record. I adore the Mighty Crims, and “Court” is landmark, influential, and also stupendous in and of itself.
Here are my 25 favorite new albums of the FULL YEAR 2022! I liked over 130 (!) albums released in 2022 enough to buy them on either vinyl or CD. Of those 130+, these were my top 25. Thanks to these great artists for their amazing music!
#AOTY
#AOTY2022
#NewMusic2022
#ListSeason
Today is the 5th anniversary of the one and only time I saw RUSH live. I don’t know why it took so long, and I can’t believe it ended up being my only time...but at least it happened! Went with both my kids who are now also huge fans...truly special event.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 6,
#10
:
Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory
On almost every list of the best concept albums of all time, as it should be. Easily my favorite DT album, tho I adore all of them. Very high on my all-genre faves list.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 7,
#9
:
The Alan Parsons Project - I Robot
One of my early prog faves, and still one of my favorite albums. A concept album chock full of great songs and a standout even among the fabulous APP catalog.
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 3,
#13
:
Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
In some respects not even my favorite Marillion album, but a masterpiece nonetheless, by one of my favorite bands, and this is the album that was my entry point.
These are my 25 favorite new albums released 2023 - and what an amazing year for music it was! I bought over 100 new 2023 releases on vinyl or CD and these were my favorite of that already fabulous lot 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
#AOTY
#AOTY2023
#NewMusic
#NewMusic2023
#listseason
Just spent 2+ hours re-organizing most of my vinyl collection. I’m drenched in sweat! This should be some kind of new workout craze 😂 I’m pleased, things are much easier to find now, even if it doesn’t look a lot different to anyone else 🤣
#vinyl
#vinylcollection
#shelfie
#ProgArt15
Top 15 Prog/Art Rock Albums - Day 12,
#3
:
Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing
While I loved Grace For Drowning, it was Raven that convinced me I could live without new Porcupine Tree - my favorite band! One of the finest albums of the 21st (or any) century
What an incredible show tonight from
#PorcupineTree
at the Greek Theater in LA - the best of the 4 shows I saw on this tour, and one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. Absolutely spectacular. I sure hope there is continuation, because this band is stellar!!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Happy Birthday
#JerryGarcia
!
This year I turn 54. Jerry didn’t make it to 54. That kind of freaks me out. But few musicians have left the kind of legacy he has. This is how I picture Jerry when I think of him - it’s the Jerry I “knew” and like to remember. Thanks for music, JJG.
My top 5 favorite albums of all time are:
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Steven Wilson - The Raven that Refused to Sing
Yes - Close to the Edge
David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how good
@STYXtheBand
was last night at
@RiverEdgeAurora
- Tommy Shaw playing and sounding GREAT, James Young tearing it up, and Lawrence Gowan masterful and entertaining - the whole band was just superb. Highly impressed - see these guys this tour!
Well…if this was my last time being in the court of the Crimson King - it sure was special!!! Incredible performance tonight at
#ravinia
by
#KingCrimson
🤘🏻🔥🤘🏻
#4Albums4Decades
Day 1: Albums With Fave Opening Track
1969: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man
1977: Steely Dan - Black Cow
1982: Judas Priest - The Helion > Electric Eye
1999: Porcupine Tree - Even Less