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Andy Mitchell [indie rock]

Angelika Express [indie rock]

Banana Princess [indie rock]

Bang Gang [indie rock/elecronic]

Botany Bay [indie]

Brad Sucks [indie rock]

Bromheads Jacket [indie rock]

Brutha [indie rock]

The B-Side Project [indie rock/lo-fi]

Cancel The Astronauts [indie rock]

Charme Chulo [alternative rock/brazilian rock]

Cheap Mondays [indie rock]

Cody Robertson [indie rock]

Colours Run [indie rock]

Confrontiers [indie rock]

Dear Henry Bliss [indie rock]

Delons [alternative rock]

Dos Hell [indie rock]

Dot Dash [indie rock]

Duels [indie rock]

El Robot Bajo El Agua [indie rock]

En Ventura [indie rock]

Esthetic Education [indie rock]

Garden Grows [indie pop/indie rock]

Good Golly! It's Mr. Nick! [indie rock]

Gran Panico Sur [indie rock]

the green chair [indie rock]

Hallelujah The Hills [indie rock/lo-fi]

The Home Guard [indie rock]

Jack McKeever [indie rock]

Januarove prekvapenie [alternative rock]

Jay Trainer Band [acoustic rock/indie rock]

John Knight [indie rock/lo-fi]

The Joint Conspiracy [indie rock]

The Joy Formidable [indie rock]

Kate and After [indie rock]

The Kazoo Funk Orchestra [indie rock]

Knights International [indie rock]

Kroakers [stoner rock]

Language of Flowers [indie rock]

Lapko [alternative rock]

Little Neemo [indie rock]

Lokes Löss [alternative rock]

L.Stadt [alternative rock]

Mad at Gravity [alternative rock]

Mari! Mari! [indie rock]

Maydrim [indie rock]

Mersi Bowcos [indie rock]

The Milestone Corporation [indie rock]

Muchy [alternative rock]

Mystery Jets [indie rock]

Nothink [alternative rock/hard rock]

Nozzle [alternative/alternative rock]

On Wave [alternative rock]

The open up and bleeds [indie rock]

Pop Zavs FFF [indie rock]

The Punches [indie rock]

Radio Cambodia [alternative rock/screamo]

Rhyn [indie rock]

RIT [soft rock/singer-songwriter]

Rubik [alternative rock/piano rock]

Ruja [progressive rock]

The Satellite Towns [indie rock]

Sean Wright [indie rock]

Sisters of Pleasure [indie rock]

Thrown to the Wolves [indie rock]

The Transisters [indie rock/new wave]

TheTrees [indie rock/rock]

Twin Sister [indie]

Voxtrot [indie rock]

wecollectskies [electronic/experimental rock]

Who Are These Men [indie rock]

Winterpills [indie]

Zardanadam [alternative rock]

Ночь Ошибок [indie rock]

My other blog posts about free music available on Last.fm can be found HERE

Andy Mitchell [indie rock]

Angelika Express [indie rock]

Banana Princess [indie rock]

Bang Gang [indie rock/elecronic]

Botany Bay [indie]

Bottom of the Hudson [indie rock]

Brad Sucks [indie rock]

Brutha [indie rock]

The B-Side Project [indie rock/lo-fi]

Charme Chulo [alternative rock/brazilian rock]

Cody Robertson [indie rock]

Colours Run [indie rock]

Dear Henry Bliss [indie rock]

Delons [alternative rock]

Dos Hell [indie rock]

Dot Dash [indie rock]

El Robot Bajo El Agua [indie rock]

Esthetic Education [indie rock]

Garden Grows [indie pop/indie rock]

the green chair [indie rock]

Hallelujah The Hills [indie rock/lo-fi]

Jack McKeever [indie rock]

Januarove prekvapenie [alternative rock]

The Joint Conspiracy [indie rock]

The Joy Formidable [indie rock]

Kate and After [indie rock]

The Kazoo Funk Orchestra [indie rock]

Knights International [indie rock]

Kroakers [stoner rock]

Language of Flowers [indie rock]

Lapko [alternative rock]

Little Neemo [indie rock]

Mad at Gravity [alternative rock]

Mersi Bowcos [indie rock]

The Milestone Corporation [indie rock]

Muchy [alternative rock]

Mystery Jets [indie rock]

Nathan Clarke [indie rock]

Nothink [alternative rock/hard rock]

Nozzle [alternative/alternative rock]

On Wave [alternative rock]

Pop Zavs FFF [indie rock]

Radio Cambodia [alternative rock/screamo]

Rhyn [indie rock]

Rubik [alternative rock/piano rock]

Ruja [progressive rock]

Sean Wright [indie rock]

Sisters of Pleasure [indie rock]

Thrown to the Wolves [indie rock]

The Transisters [indie rock/new wave]

TheTrees [indie rock/rock]

Twin Sister [indie]

Vanity Band [indie rock]

Voxtrot [indie rock]

wecollectskies [electronic/experimental rock]

Winterpills [indie]

Zardanadam [alternative rock]

Ночь Ошибок [indie rock]

Sat 16 Aug – Rockooper "Ruja"

Kellel vähegi võimalust, minge kindlasti vaatama-kuulama. See etendus ei kordu enam kunagi, kuid kui olete seda näinud, olete kas taaskohtunud või tutvunud tõelise Rujaga. Nii loomutruu ja kaasaelama panev on noorte näitlejate mäng ja laul. Võimas, raju Ruja!

Näide proovisaalist:

In the following journal I shall be looking at the progressive rock groups in my charts (in a chronological order) & be giving some comments with each.

The 60ties

Pink Floyd

You can't really go on talking about prog rock without mentioning these chaps (well you can, but...), and this is no exeption. PF was my first contact with this sort of music, even though my initial impression (on midnight drive across country) wasn't much really.

Time has made me see differently, however, and say what you will, but even now, this monster of a band stands as a symbol of intelligent popular music with a distinct signature on most of the albums (I admit, that even after two years of listening, I haven't chewed through all of them). Images from the past makes me long for one of those few chances when this group comes together these days: the Floyd's live shows stand out as the grand

Chart position: #10

King Crimson

KC is sort of like the darker, less known brother of PF, even though fandom is even more cult - like I imagine. I actually became to know about KC through the power metal project that is Demons and Wizards, which kept popping up this "King Crimson" when googling for in their album 'Touched the court of the Crimson King.'

I have grown to respect more and more, Robert Fripp and his group, which has been standing in the frontline of obscure music for 40 years (with a break every now and then). It's somehow ironic, whereas Pink Floyd started out deep inside the psychedelic rock scene, King Crimson's debut was practically the biggest commercial success they'd ever have, and the album still stands out today (same can't really be said about the 'Piper At The Gates Of Dawn')

KC never did acquire the popularity to mass stadiums full of amazed masses, but unlike the ligher, more known brother, KC shows perfection of sounds when it comes to playing live.

Chart position: #37

Genesis (ranked: #109) is a rather new discovery to me, and has yet given some mentionable memory. Second Home by the Sea is nice though. The same can be said about Yes (#293)

The 70ties

Marillion is an exception. A good one. Even though I've been knowing this one for less than both Genesis & Yes, this group has given much more to me. Can't say about the majority of their work, but Brave is a piece of art: an amazingly sincire piece of work, which drives emotionally deeper than even the best Floyd's or Crimson's.

Chart position: #137

From the seventies also comes a legendary Estonian group named Ruja, which was pretty much the Pink Floyd of Estonia, even though it's sound is perhaps not as abundant and varied. One of the key bands in the dark Soviet times of Estonia's history.

Chart position: #74

The 80ties

On the very top of my charts lies Porcupine Tree, a band that has in fact been from this list on my computer the longest (alas, it took years for me to notice them there).

Even though Stephen Wilson, the band's frontman, does affiliate with Mr Fripp of Crimson, PT represents more of a Pink Floydish direction at music, which means a more directed route with a smooth transition from album to album, rather than the experimentig chaos the Crimson has showed. Quoting Wikipedia quoting Wilson:

Wilson: "Porcupine Tree music is very very simple. There's nothing complex about it at all. The complexity is in the production. The complexity is in the way the albums are constructed. All of the work goes into creating the texture and the sound, and making it sound right. There's nothing complicated about the music at all. And that's really why I have to take issue when people describe us as progressive rock. I don't think we are a progressive rock band. I think we're just a rock band. I think what leads people to give it that kind of progressive tag is the way the songs are produced."


Chart position: #5

The 90ties

Moving to a more dagerous path, the 90ties have brought me two more names: Radiohead and Muse. I'm going to take these two together due to the similarities of their style (vocal delivery in particular) and that little influenfce they have on me: Radiohead has more electronical influences if I recall really hard. I would still consider both of these as the forefront of modern prog rock (though them people call 'em 'indie' these days... go figure).

Muse: #87
Radiohead: #113

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So this is it: hope you enjoyed the read and found some interesting new discoveries and/or thoughts. Feel free to contribute a comment too if you wish.

I did leave out the sort of bands, that we could consider experimental or progressive, but haven't been purely a rock band (like: Anathema, Katatonia, Opeth, Ulver, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Canadian style post-rock etc...)

Urmas Alender
Ruja

Sat 8 Dec – Syd Matters

Syd Matters was received very warmly in Rennes in Maison du Champ de Mars in early Saturday evening. A medium size room was full of young people and I guess, many people stayed outside because there was no more place in the room.

I had very high expectations because Syd Matters is one of my recent favourites and his song Black & White Eyes is and will probaly stay my ultimate nr 1 track for a long period. Although this song was not presented, I enjoyed the concert a lot. It was worth to come by car from Brussels to see Jonathan Morali live and his band supporting the presentation in a very well harmonised manner adding a variety of sounds and feelings.

After Syd Matters had finished the concert, they were called back. They played together Obstacles and Jonathan concluded with a solo song from a CD Ghost Days to be released in January 2008.

Maybe it is suprising but I find some connectins of Syd Matters with Urmas Alender and Ruja. The latter are my favourites from Estonia. For me, but I suppose for some others it is a bonus that Syd Matters sings in English althoug being a very French band.

Looking forward for the next concert of Syd Matters http://www.last.fm/event/405732

Ruja “Viru Vanne”
(album “Need ei vaata tagasi…”, 5cd, 1999)

Mu esimene bändiproov, Loominguline Projekt, hääbus üpris kuulsusetult ja mingil hetkel aasta-poolteist tagasi tuli mul leppida, et muusikut must ei saa. Vähemalt mitte avalikult. Kodus kruttisin ma sellegipoolest edasi kitarri, arvutit ja mis kõige tähtsam – mõtteid – ning mingil hetkel tekkis uus põnev kontseptsioon: ansambel Tungal ja eestikeelne rütmikas rahvusrokk.

Juhtus see rumal rahutus mul Rujat kuulates.

Oluline on siinjuures tähelepanek, et Ruja mahuka ja eripalgelise loomesalve põhjal saab kuulaja konstrueerida, kombineerida mingite sarnaste tunnustega lugudest meeltmööda sõnade ja heliga “oma” Ruja. Näiteks on proge-Ruja, kolhoosipopi-Ruja ja teiste seast mulle pikka aega kõige põnevam tundunud isamaa-rokkarite-Ruja.

Kuidas seda leida? Kuula: “Viru Vanne”, “Isamaa pale”, “Mu isamaa on minu arm”… Ehk ka “Eesti muld ja Eesti süda”, kuigi selle kirja ja selle Ruja juures ei köida mind eriti selline kammerlik ja tõsine pale.

Ansambel Tungal minu isikus ammutas jõudu ikkagi naiivsemast – või eneseiroonilisemast –, ja lausa kriminaalselt vastupandamatust poprokist. Poprokist nagu eelpoolmainitud, küll Koidula tekstile kirjutatud, kuid lobedakäigulisest tükist “Mu isamaa on minu arm”. Mille kitarrikriginasse kootud rahvuslikke juuri paljastab efektne koorirefrään. Milles on 150 aastat rahvuslikku toormaterjali valatud tõeliselt armastusväärsesse vormi. Helikeele poolest võiks samasse ritta panna ka “Sõbra käe”, lihtsalt “Käe”, “Sildade põletajad”, “Raske aja” ja muidugi erutavalt hea, sündise ohuaimdusega “Dokumentideta võõras linnas”.

Aga kõige-kõigemaks inspiraatoriks oli ikkagi “Viru Vanne”. Ühiskondlik, kuid rütmikas ja lõbus pala, mille leiab “Need ei vaata tagasi…” kogumikult ‘83. aasta laivina.

Kuulame pealt: Nõgisto kitarr lööb vokiratta käima – ja määnse hooga! Mõne tõmbe järel astub tema kõrvale Jaan Karp. Trummid ja taldrikud löövad iga takti tunnetatava kirega. Haagma bass kõmistab kui Wabariigi wõidukas Vabadussõja-armee. Ja kui Rannap oma elektriorelisoologa pihta hakkab, olen oma hinge sellele reggaerahvuslikule laulule ära kinkinud.

“Liiga palju, liiga palju unistusi ei ole tehtud teoks. Liiga palju, õlleõhtuid jääbki ainsaks, jääb ainsaks vägiteoks.” Need read käisid sama sammu mu mõtetega. “Tuleks võtta see tuletungal, mille Tuglas on pillanud peost,” kummitas “Viru Vanne” mind. Ja ma olin valmis võtma selle tungla.

*

Selliselt pinnaselt võrsus siis mu projekt. Bändi kontseptsioon ja logo lihtsalt tekkisid.

Ma kirjutasin toona: “Sheff nimi Tungal, muideks, on ripitud ühe Generaator M-i loo algusest. Too Tungal enam arvatavasti ei tegutse ja nõndaks ongi maailm valla uuele kollektiivile, eesti lambavillasele ruraalrokile. Vokid ja tanud, hoidke alt, siit tuleb Tungal!”

Bändi logost: “Punane peaks natukene mahedam ja sõbralikum olema, aga pohhui sellest, Tungal on Tungal nii või naa :) Tsekkige neid motiive: lõngakera ja stiliseeritud leek!” Leegi-teema tekkis sellest, et muuhulgas seostus Tungal mu toonase kooli slõuganiga. Meil oli olemas isegi selline metallist tõrvik, mida pidupäevadel aula ette toodi.

Ideoloogiline taust sai seega tihke. Nüüd oli vaid muusikat ennast veel vaja. Kõike seda tahtsin ma miksida naiivehedate verbaalsete ja visuaalsete rokenrollikaanonitega.

Sellega paraku nii hästi ei läinud. “Viru Vande” rütmikust eeskujuks võttes hakkasin kirja panema kitarri- ja bassiridu. Visandusid sõnadki, näiteks

Me koondame oma kodumaa
rannamaa ja meremaa
me kalli kodu Virumaa
Rokilipu alla

Mingil hetkel aga sai mu muusikaline taip otsa. Ühes ja samas helistikus noote laiali laotada ma oskan. Nende meloodiakäikudeks ja õigeteks akordideks kokku keevitamine käib mulle aga üle jõu. Võib-olla jätsin ma “Virumaa”, Tungla esimese hiti, pooleli, sest ei suutnud taluda seda tunnet, et mind vaimustanud mõtted muutusid elutuks müraks. See maagia, mis muusikale elu annab, jäi mu haardeulatusest välja.

Aga tagantjärele on ikkagi hea mõelda, et oli selline vinge bänd nagu Tungal. Kasvõi paberil. Ja “Virumaa” katkendi, kes kuulda tahab, panin endale mobiilihelinaks.

Tekst originaalis, koos illustratsioonidega Stereokirjades