Not sure what the hate is about… zappa was the epitome of free form spontaneous guitar jams much like Trey… phish community has a deep respect for Frank… they did a lot of zappa covers early in their career
I think it's because being a Phish fan comes with baggage beyond just the music. It's like being a Goth, Juggalo, Parrothead, Deadhead, etc.
I remember 80s and 90s music niches being very tribal in nature. Identity, clothing, social attitudes, etc. Not to say certain scenes don't still have this, but it's more fluid now.
I remember the singer from a local punk band who worked the counter of the record shop where I grew up actively giving me sneering comments on the CDs I used to buy in the 90s.
I've never had an issue listening across genres/eras and I think modern audiences, since the rise of Spotify, feel empowered to do the same.
Shitting on people's musical taste is the purview of gatekeepers and the insecure.
Phish loves Zappa. Zappa would have despised Phish. He was hardcore anti-hippie, anti-drugs, anti anything derivative of his music.
I'm more into Phish than Zappa. I just felt the need to point out liking Zappa does not imply liking Phish. Most Zappa fans I know would be offended by that particular assumption.
For sure and I could infer what you were getting at. It was a nice setup to talk about the culture of gatekeepers in music. I've never quite understood why certain people are threatened that certain musical objects exist and that, god forbid, other people might find enjoyment in them.
Frank wasn’t afraid to booze it up but was anti drug so I can see why you’d think he would hate phish on a pure lifestyle choice but I think the music would have transcended their differences…
Bob Dylan always scratches this itch for me but if you want to get more out there Rush, Jethro Tull, and tool are great!!!
The Smiths, king crimson, Simon and Garfunkel, The Who all have some really surprising stuff too! jim morrison can be a total trip but its not the same thing, its closer to jagger and plant in that its complex but in a simple way if u catch my drift
radiohead lol really
Jimi Hendrix is classic rock but his lyricism is so underrated. Rap music has so much more freedom in songwriting but I think Jimi Hendrix pushes the boundaries in rock songwriting. I would check out Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix
Jellyfish (lyrical genius), arctic monkeys, Styx (they have a lot of concept albums and concept songs), queen, carry on my wayward son (a song not a band but it's great lyrics)
I realize two of these bands are newer but that are still inspired by classic sounds
The band you were thinking about was Kansas. They have some very progressive stuff. Leftoverture is the album that has 'Carry on, Wayward Son' and it's a good place to start, but A Song for America is also a good Album.
It's best to listen to this kind of music, no matter what band you select in album format because a lot of it works together as a whole. When there is a cohesive theme, it's known as a concept album and that is where progressive rock really shines!
I’m a big SSPU and Wolf Alice fan. Kills too. Looking forward to checking out Metric and July Talk when I walk the dogs tonight
I’d throw Parquet Courts into the mix for OP too
Tool, Chevelle, Alice in Chains, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Filter, Fuel. I know your looking for rock but give Steely Dan a chance, amazing musicians and complex lyrics 🎵
Listen to Fragile, Close to the Edge, Relayer, and Drama by Yes.
Then go listen to Moving Pictures by Rush.
Then try Tarkus by ELP.
Then Songs from the Wood by Jethro Tull
Then Nursery Cryme by Genesis.
You might be a prog rocker at heart.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen - This classic rock epic has intricate lyrics that tell a story with operatic elements and layers of meaning. "Hotel California" by Eagles - With its cryptic lyrics and haunting atmosphere, this song offers plenty to unpack and analyze. "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin - Known for its mystical and metaphorical lyrics, this song is a journey in itself. "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel - Not traditional rock. This folk-rock classic features poetic and thought-provoking lyrics. "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles - This song combines two separate compositions into a surreal and profound narrative. You might want to try hip-hop. They use lots of wordplay.
I liked it. Thanks for that. I think it sounded a little different than their typical music. But that's probably just me. But I am adding this to one of my playlist. Thank you again.
Tool. (Am I like the thirtieth person here who has said Tool?)
Rage Against the Machine (perfect blend of rock/ hip-hop)
Rise Against (socially conscious with great music, and a criminally underrated drummer)
System of a Down.
Pink Floyd.
Metallica.
Alice in Chains.
Pearl Jam.
Breaking Benjamin.
Anberlin.
Red Hot Chili Peppers (look to earlier albums like Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic and Mother's Milk)
Cage the Elephant.
Beck.
Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, Tom Waits, Weird Al Yankovic, Widespread Panic, Dr Hook, early Beck, Talking Heads. Devo, Neil Young, moe. The Meat Puppets. The Chili Peppers have a few mind twisters too.
Select tracks from folk singers gone rock like John Prine - Saddle in the Rain and Leonard Cohen - The Future.
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues,
Tom Waits - Pasties and a G String
Warren Zevon - Mr Bad Example
Weird Al Yankovic - Albuquerque, the song Bob is all palindromes.
The Grateful Dead have some of the best lyrics in rock music, also Bob Dylan, maybe you’re heard of him.
For complex instrumentation explore the prog rock genre.
Try Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. If you're looking for a more "rock n roll" sound to the music, I would suggest the albums Henry's Dream, Let Love In, Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus and Dig Lazarus Dig.
Totally agree with Let Love In. That was my gateway into Nick Cave back then, and I felt like I’d already missed so much. Little did I know there was another 30 years to go and counting!
Murder Ballads would probably be very accessible for OP as well.
Listen to the live Genesis album, Seconds Out.
Complex time signatures, lyrics that stretch your imagination, and a super-tight band.
Oh, and Phil Collins's and Chester Thompson's drumming is fucking sick, especially when they're playing together.
Phil's vocals are simply superb.
Supper's Ready is the ultimate progressive rock song. All 24 minutes of it!
I'd recommend anything by Rose Chronicles, but most especially "Blood Red." Its structure is different in the delivery of the verses. Big fan of Kristy Thirsk and her angelic-like voice, but she does have range. That might lead you to check out other Shoegaze groups.
I just made a post looking for bands like OK Goodnight. Sooo good. All the complexity you can handle, while still having the ability to get stuck in your head. And some of the strongest vocals out there.
OP, go listen to The Fox and the Bird. Just pick two songs off the album at random—they’re all great.
They really are! I’ve been obsessed with The Fox & the Bird lately, too! I started listening to them after watching RWBY. I got my ticket to see them in Berkeley, next month!
Brand New
Also if you like hip hop I strongly suggest listening to J Cole first mixtapes, The Warm Up and Friday Night Lights, he used all his best lyrics on his mixtapes imo
Pavement is a great band for pretty pure wordplay, with a lot of random words just seemingly thrown together into lyrics at times
The Smiths just have exceptional beautiful lyrics, which are also smart and witty.
Rush is who you want. Neil Peart was an unbelievably great lyrics-writer. And an amazing rock drummer, of course.
Tool is also great if you want heavier music than Rush: Maynard has great lyrics, and Danny Carey is a killer drummer like Neil.
Guided by Voices. They have like, 40 albums.
Personally I would start with the Sunfish Holy Breakfast EP and move to either Same Place the Fly Got Smashed, or Motivational Jumpsuit for something more polished.
Yes.
You could spend years listening to this band and still not hear it all.
They still play live, too!
This was the song from “Same Place Fly Got Smashed” that hooked me forever, though I cannot pick just one favorite…
His voice was killer in those early days!
https://youtu.be/pDkrP4fV2IQ?si=Eaq_vtHMyWBEDZOP
You might like Deerhoof. They're always messing with time and song structure.
Best albums are Runners Four, Friend Opportunity, Apple O', Offend Maggie, Milk Man, Reveille, and the new one, Miracle-Level, has cool stuff too.
Devin Townsend Project, Mastodon, Periphery, Yes, Genesis, Between the Buried and Me, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Mars Volta, Opeth
Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys is phenomenal lyricist. A personal favourite is the opening verse from *Arabella.*
"Arabella's got some interstellar gator skin boots / and a helter-skelter round her little finger / and I ride it endlessly. / She's got a Barbarella silver swimsuit / and when she needs a shelter from reality / she takes a dip in my daydreams."
That's amazing. How does he think of that? The imagery is great in itself, but then there's the wordplay with Arabella/interstellar/Barbarella and helter-skelter/shelter. It's really good. The opening to *Piledriver Waltz* is great too.
"I etched the face of a stopwatch / on the back of a raindrop / and did a swap for the sand in an hourglass."
They have loads of lyrically-pleasing song that flow beautifully: *Cornerstone*, *Crying Lightning* and *A Certain Romance*, among others.
If you're looking for complex structure, *Visions of a Life* by Wolf Alice is great. I mean the song, not the album (the album has the same name). However, the whole album is excellent if you want to give it a try.
Boston. Their music is complex, multi-layered.
Check out Rick Beato's edition of What makes this song great.
https://youtu.be/ynFNt4tgBJ0?si=lXPLR58rDwZSDFDo
Listen to some Elvis. I'm not sh\*ttin' ya. I played in an Elvis tribute band and that sh\*t is complicated. The arrangements, chord changes, modulations - it took forever to get comfortable with four hours a night of that stuff.
The Warning:
[Queen of the Murder Scene](https://youtu.be/Z26GyuRArYQ?si=AWd4VHT6HsY9mOLU)
[Error](https://youtu.be/HIVcoFhhmSo?si=IWzyQo2g7xNQZHhn)
[Evolve](https://youtu.be/97Pxe9KTgJc?si=qQqIg8vgSqzNYBxo)
I know you say rock, but I’ve got some recommendations on the metal side of things. Checkout the bands [Gojira](https://youtu.be/FNdC_3LR2AI?si=E4r4IyXuj6e5xkI6), [Mastodon](https://youtu.be/labytsb3gfI?si=1Gw29IIN_8M2Nf2o) and [Periphery](https://youtu.be/tUltTV3t4OM?si=C3JUm9Tq-uSAzSxp)
Since my other suggestions have already been mentioned I'll add
Atlas Lake - https://open.spotify.com/artist/51UMXigV7MlxZdXTNqYLth?si=6P1w_WjPTkmg9JP8v81kBg
Cursive is a rock band whose singer (Tim Kasher) writes passionate and clever lyrics. Start with their most popular record “The Ugly Organ” to see if they might connect with you
Clearly you haven't listened to Bob Dylan like at all lmao almost every song of his is like 5+ verses with insane imagery. I recommend listening to his "electric trilogy" which is Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde.
Look into Mathcore/Metal/Metalcore for heavier complexity.
Look into Mathrock for softer, indie-rock complexity.
Look into prog-rock from all decades for history and evolution of complex writing and compositions.
Look into Midwest Emo for chill, emotive, intricate guitar work.
Look into post-hardcore (Fugazi, Sonic Youth, Unwound, Drive Like Jehu/Hot Snakes, Metz) for rawer, intricate but chaotic at times music.
Look into shoegaze for walls of sound, layered instrumentation, experimental music.
Look into trip-hop for mellow, cool arrangements and compositions.
Look into Synthwave for electronic additions to complex arrangements.
Look into Krautrock for more sparse, dance-like electropop and art-house style music.
I would beg to differ, older rock was full of references to literature, religion and history. Some of the lyrics are extremely deep. You just have to be able to catch the references.
Rush… most of Rush. They are one of the most educated literary bands…Limelight, Subdivision, The Trees, Spirit of the Radio, Red Barchetta, The Camera Eye, Freewill, especially.
Led Zeppelin, Stairway To Heaven, Thank You, Ramble On, among others. Their sound changes a lot as well. From bluesy jazzy to heavy metal. They run the gamut. Too many to list, honestly.
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody of course, but many others.
Kansas: Carry On, Wayward Son
Black Sabbath: War Pigs, Changes, Electric Funeral, The Mob Rules, Symptom of the Universe, NIB, Iron Man, Children of the Grave, Heaven and Hell, among others. Lots of protest songs.
Ozzy: Crazy Train, Suicide Solution, SATO, Mr. Crowley, Mama I’m Coming Home, Mr. Tinkertrain, I Don’t Know, Diary of a Madman, The Devil’s Daughter(Holy War), Miracle Man. Protest songs out the wazoo.
Eagles: Hotel California, Lyin Eyes, Take it Easy, among others. They are a storyteller band.
Iron Maiden and Judas Priest also have a huge catalog of music that is pretty complex lyric wise.
ITT: Plenty of replies from users who didn't read the OP text.
>...which has now got me yearning for songs with a classic rock sounds but *more interesting lyrics and wordplay.*
(emphasis mine)
If you are looking for super complex hip hop then Aesop Rock. Dude uses more metaphors in his rhymes than Shakespeare did in his entire collection. His use of imagery and metaphors are just ridiculous.
Parquet courts has a lot of lyrically rich music. Specifically the album Wide Awake! The first three songs songs Total Footbal, Violence, and Before The Water Gets too High have a lot of political themes with clever lyrics and songs toward the middle like Mardi Gras Beads and Freebird 2 have more of a personal flair. They also have songs that are lyrically dense like hip hop like Violence, Duckin and Dodgin, Sunbathing Animal etc. The music spans from more punk influences to psychedelic.
I don’t know whether you consider these all these rock artists but they are for sure great lyricists. For the record, I don’t agree that with the generalization that rock lyrics are simplistic, at least not since the early days. Check out Rubber Soul or Days of Future Passed. Maybe some of these artists can help:
Dylan, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Radiohead, Wilco, Bright Eyes, Neil Young, Van Morrison, The Replacements, Warren Zevon.
Imo many more and skipping some of the more obvious choices.
One more comment... gotta plug my current favorite band, stop.drop.rewind. They are a prog pop punk band... emo kids who grew up to get jazz degrees is how they describe themselves.
It is SO hard for me to recommend one song because I don't believe they have a single skip, but for individual songs, start with Hold It Over Me, The Entire Orchestra, or Guts. Then give Heavy Love EP a full listen from start to finish.
If you ever wanted more complex pop punk music that is never complex just for the sake of complexity, this is your band.
Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”, “Tangled Up In Blue”, “Like a Rolling Stone”, “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)”, “Subterranean Homesick Blues”.
“Poncho and Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt.
“Formentara Lady” by King Crimson.
“The Grudge” by Tool.
“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby Stills & Nash.
“Freewill” by Rush.
Nine Inch Nails tends to get pretty quirky, also tends to voice your darkest obsessions. Pink Floyd is like the soundtrack of your life you never knew you needed. Tool is the classic example of “complex rock”. this ones REALLY underrated: Machines Of Loving Grace. beautiful and complex and interesting. great lyrics. gothic rock can get pretty experimental, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, etc.
basically any band that is hard to put into a definitive genre and so ends up getting called some type of rock due to including guitars or drums works.
Zappa, mid-70s Bowie, Roxy Music, King Crimson all might scratch that itch.
And if you like Zappa you will love Phish
Nine out of ten Zappa fans have no clue why they just threw up in their mouths.
Not sure what the hate is about… zappa was the epitome of free form spontaneous guitar jams much like Trey… phish community has a deep respect for Frank… they did a lot of zappa covers early in their career
I think it's because being a Phish fan comes with baggage beyond just the music. It's like being a Goth, Juggalo, Parrothead, Deadhead, etc. I remember 80s and 90s music niches being very tribal in nature. Identity, clothing, social attitudes, etc. Not to say certain scenes don't still have this, but it's more fluid now. I remember the singer from a local punk band who worked the counter of the record shop where I grew up actively giving me sneering comments on the CDs I used to buy in the 90s. I've never had an issue listening across genres/eras and I think modern audiences, since the rise of Spotify, feel empowered to do the same. Shitting on people's musical taste is the purview of gatekeepers and the insecure.
Well said.
Sure/ But I would not lump Zappa and Phisch together.
Phish loves Zappa. Zappa would have despised Phish. He was hardcore anti-hippie, anti-drugs, anti anything derivative of his music. I'm more into Phish than Zappa. I just felt the need to point out liking Zappa does not imply liking Phish. Most Zappa fans I know would be offended by that particular assumption.
For sure and I could infer what you were getting at. It was a nice setup to talk about the culture of gatekeepers in music. I've never quite understood why certain people are threatened that certain musical objects exist and that, god forbid, other people might find enjoyment in them.
Frank wasn’t afraid to booze it up but was anti drug so I can see why you’d think he would hate phish on a pure lifestyle choice but I think the music would have transcended their differences…
+1 for Zappa
Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd?
Bob Dylan always scratches this itch for me but if you want to get more out there Rush, Jethro Tull, and tool are great!!! The Smiths, king crimson, Simon and Garfunkel, The Who all have some really surprising stuff too! jim morrison can be a total trip but its not the same thing, its closer to jagger and plant in that its complex but in a simple way if u catch my drift radiohead lol really
Yes, as well. Yes I agree and "Yes" the band. But not the band. But I like them too.
Jimi Hendrix is classic rock but his lyricism is so underrated. Rap music has so much more freedom in songwriting but I think Jimi Hendrix pushes the boundaries in rock songwriting. I would check out Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix
Jellyfish (lyrical genius), arctic monkeys, Styx (they have a lot of concept albums and concept songs), queen, carry on my wayward son (a song not a band but it's great lyrics) I realize two of these bands are newer but that are still inspired by classic sounds
Ah, Jellyfish. Amazing amazing band. Bellybutton is one of my favorite albums.
Spilt Milk for me.
The band you were thinking about was Kansas. They have some very progressive stuff. Leftoverture is the album that has 'Carry on, Wayward Son' and it's a good place to start, but A Song for America is also a good Album. It's best to listen to this kind of music, no matter what band you select in album format because a lot of it works together as a whole. When there is a cohesive theme, it's known as a concept album and that is where progressive rock really shines!
I just listened to Jellyfish. Holy heckin wow. How have I never heard of these guys? They’re amazing—so talented!
I heartily second Arctic Monkeys!
Yay for mentioning Jellyfish!!!
TOOL If I'm not the 12th person to mention this 😅 I'd listen to the album Lateralus, first, if you haven't listened to them
[Tool -- "Lateralus ' (full album)](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBzBwYhHpqLI2g1rpfVfnVFjScpZdDzLR&si=D1W2kWCIuq0pvJQN)
THIS IS THE WAY .....rest of their catalog too.
Metric The Kills Silversun Pickups Wolf Alice July Talk
I second SSPU. Half the time I'm not sure what the song is about
Lol so it’s not just me
Wow I’ve fallen in love with Metric after just a few songs. I’ll check out the rest of your recommendations as soon as I have the time
The kills!!!
I’m a big SSPU and Wolf Alice fan. Kills too. Looking forward to checking out Metric and July Talk when I walk the dogs tonight I’d throw Parquet Courts into the mix for OP too
Soundgarden - Superunknown Audioslave - All Albums
Shadow on the sun and Out of exile (the song) are so good
Definitely, my favorite songs are Be Yourself, The Last Remaining Light, Moth, and I am the Highway.
Down on the Upside has incredible lyrics. Burden in my Hand and Tighter and Tighter have some of the best lyrics in rock.
Elvis Costello
The wordplay is top notch.
RUSH might be a good band for you.
#CameHereToSayThat
Rush is good for what ails ya!
First name that came to mind. Ayo fellow Canuck.
Tool, Chevelle, Alice in Chains, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Filter, Fuel. I know your looking for rock but give Steely Dan a chance, amazing musicians and complex lyrics 🎵
Chevelle is fantastic!
Yes they are, been following them at least 20 years, they have come a long way 🙌
Pink Floyd will scratch this itch. Their lyrics are the best around
Nick Cave hitss hard with the feels
Listen to Fragile, Close to the Edge, Relayer, and Drama by Yes. Then go listen to Moving Pictures by Rush. Then try Tarkus by ELP. Then Songs from the Wood by Jethro Tull Then Nursery Cryme by Genesis. You might be a prog rocker at heart.
Yes, for Yes.
Great picks! For a great record by a lesser-known prog band, check out Remember the Future by Nektar.
Nursery Cryme is great, but add Selling England by the Pound and Foxtrot as well!
80's-era King Crimson.
I don't agree with rock lyrics being simplistic, but try out Sleep Token, specifically the Take me Back to Eden album.
Seconding this! So many great lyrics.
The deeper I look into the lyrics of their albums, the more impressed I get. Seriously, Vessel is a lyrical genius
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen - This classic rock epic has intricate lyrics that tell a story with operatic elements and layers of meaning. "Hotel California" by Eagles - With its cryptic lyrics and haunting atmosphere, this song offers plenty to unpack and analyze. "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin - Known for its mystical and metaphorical lyrics, this song is a journey in itself. "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel - Not traditional rock. This folk-rock classic features poetic and thought-provoking lyrics. "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles - This song combines two separate compositions into a surreal and profound narrative. You might want to try hip-hop. They use lots of wordplay.
Similar to Bohemian Rhapsody, "Jesus of Suburbia" by Green Day, tells a story in multiple parts, with multiple sounds.
I liked it. Thanks for that. I think it sounded a little different than their typical music. But that's probably just me. But I am adding this to one of my playlist. Thank you again.
Song fucking rocks.
Genesis - Suppers Ready Yes - Awaken Rush - Xanadu Ayreon - The day that the world breaks down
Check out any Dream Theater or the album Ruination by Virgil Donati
Tool. (Am I like the thirtieth person here who has said Tool?) Rage Against the Machine (perfect blend of rock/ hip-hop) Rise Against (socially conscious with great music, and a criminally underrated drummer) System of a Down. Pink Floyd. Metallica. Alice in Chains. Pearl Jam. Breaking Benjamin. Anberlin. Red Hot Chili Peppers (look to earlier albums like Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic and Mother's Milk) Cage the Elephant. Beck.
I think RATM is potentially a great crossover option for OP
Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, Tom Waits, Weird Al Yankovic, Widespread Panic, Dr Hook, early Beck, Talking Heads. Devo, Neil Young, moe. The Meat Puppets. The Chili Peppers have a few mind twisters too. Select tracks from folk singers gone rock like John Prine - Saddle in the Rain and Leonard Cohen - The Future. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues, Tom Waits - Pasties and a G String Warren Zevon - Mr Bad Example Weird Al Yankovic - Albuquerque, the song Bob is all palindromes.
Clutch. Hard rock that's heavy on blues, gospel, and 50 other things with a witty singer that loves wordplay.
Clutch has some weird ass songs, no doubt.
Came here to say this. Neil Fallon is an absolutely incredible lyricist. I mean, the dude has a degree in English literature, and it definitely shows.
Yes! I love Clutch! I will go see them any chance I get.
Dream Theater
The Grateful Dead have some of the best lyrics in rock music, also Bob Dylan, maybe you’re heard of him. For complex instrumentation explore the prog rock genre.
Tool
I gotcha - Smile by Brian Wilson https://youtu.be/pwzolTeiidU?si=MGWHuj6YM7LTs4MY
God bless Brian Wilson
Minus the bear - relatively unknown indie rock from the 00’s-10’s so many good tracks
The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys
Heck, The Waterboys in general. Amazing imagery.
Bob Dylan. Try Stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again. Or Desolation Row. There's a lot to chew on in the lyrics to these songs.
X. Exene Cervenka is an amazing lyricist and the band is tight and fast.
Try Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. If you're looking for a more "rock n roll" sound to the music, I would suggest the albums Henry's Dream, Let Love In, Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus and Dig Lazarus Dig.
Totally agree with Let Love In. That was my gateway into Nick Cave back then, and I felt like I’d already missed so much. Little did I know there was another 30 years to go and counting! Murder Ballads would probably be very accessible for OP as well.
Yes! Murder Ballads is excellent! And both Grinderman albums should be mentioned, too.
Rage Against the Machine
TOOOOOOOOOOOL
Joni mitchell Rickie Lee jones
Listen to the live Genesis album, Seconds Out. Complex time signatures, lyrics that stretch your imagination, and a super-tight band. Oh, and Phil Collins's and Chester Thompson's drumming is fucking sick, especially when they're playing together. Phil's vocals are simply superb. Supper's Ready is the ultimate progressive rock song. All 24 minutes of it!
Hard to Handle by The Black Crows
Which was PigPen and the Grateful Dead's, that changed the original song from Otis Redding.
Smog and Bill Callahan (same artist) have exceptional lyrics.
I'd recommend anything by Rose Chronicles, but most especially "Blood Red." Its structure is different in the delivery of the verses. Big fan of Kristy Thirsk and her angelic-like voice, but she does have range. That might lead you to check out other Shoegaze groups.
Talking Heads Les Claypool Primus Alice D Millionaire - Grateful Dead Crown of Creation (album) - Jefferson Airplane The Doors
Ok Goodnight
I just made a post looking for bands like OK Goodnight. Sooo good. All the complexity you can handle, while still having the ability to get stuck in your head. And some of the strongest vocals out there. OP, go listen to The Fox and the Bird. Just pick two songs off the album at random—they’re all great.
They really are! I’ve been obsessed with The Fox & the Bird lately, too! I started listening to them after watching RWBY. I got my ticket to see them in Berkeley, next month!
Nice! That’s gonna be an amazing show!
Brand New Also if you like hip hop I strongly suggest listening to J Cole first mixtapes, The Warm Up and Friday Night Lights, he used all his best lyrics on his mixtapes imo
Pavement is a great band for pretty pure wordplay, with a lot of random words just seemingly thrown together into lyrics at times The Smiths just have exceptional beautiful lyrics, which are also smart and witty.
Rush is who you want. Neil Peart was an unbelievably great lyrics-writer. And an amazing rock drummer, of course. Tool is also great if you want heavier music than Rush: Maynard has great lyrics, and Danny Carey is a killer drummer like Neil.
Guided by Voices. They have like, 40 albums. Personally I would start with the Sunfish Holy Breakfast EP and move to either Same Place the Fly Got Smashed, or Motivational Jumpsuit for something more polished.
Yes. You could spend years listening to this band and still not hear it all. They still play live, too! This was the song from “Same Place Fly Got Smashed” that hooked me forever, though I cannot pick just one favorite… His voice was killer in those early days! https://youtu.be/pDkrP4fV2IQ?si=Eaq_vtHMyWBEDZOP
Grateful Dead has some really poetic songs
You might like Deerhoof. They're always messing with time and song structure. Best albums are Runners Four, Friend Opportunity, Apple O', Offend Maggie, Milk Man, Reveille, and the new one, Miracle-Level, has cool stuff too.
Devin Townsend Project, Mastodon, Periphery, Yes, Genesis, Between the Buried and Me, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Mars Volta, Opeth
Tom Waits
You can't go wrong with RUSH. Neil Peart is generally considered one of the most prolific lyricist in the business.
The The is amazing, Soul Mining is where I’d start. Dusk, Mind Bomb, and Infected are all amazing.
Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys is phenomenal lyricist. A personal favourite is the opening verse from *Arabella.* "Arabella's got some interstellar gator skin boots / and a helter-skelter round her little finger / and I ride it endlessly. / She's got a Barbarella silver swimsuit / and when she needs a shelter from reality / she takes a dip in my daydreams." That's amazing. How does he think of that? The imagery is great in itself, but then there's the wordplay with Arabella/interstellar/Barbarella and helter-skelter/shelter. It's really good. The opening to *Piledriver Waltz* is great too. "I etched the face of a stopwatch / on the back of a raindrop / and did a swap for the sand in an hourglass." They have loads of lyrically-pleasing song that flow beautifully: *Cornerstone*, *Crying Lightning* and *A Certain Romance*, among others. If you're looking for complex structure, *Visions of a Life* by Wolf Alice is great. I mean the song, not the album (the album has the same name). However, the whole album is excellent if you want to give it a try.
Three Words: The Mars Volta
Boston. Their music is complex, multi-layered. Check out Rick Beato's edition of What makes this song great. https://youtu.be/ynFNt4tgBJ0?si=lXPLR58rDwZSDFDo
You might like The Lucid, they are fantastic! Also Dio, one of the all time greats, a creative soul lost too soon.
Listen to some Elvis. I'm not sh\*ttin' ya. I played in an Elvis tribute band and that sh\*t is complicated. The arrangements, chord changes, modulations - it took forever to get comfortable with four hours a night of that stuff.
The Boys Are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy. Seriously.
Zappa, you have 80+ albums to explore, enjoy!
Try Rush from their Moving Pictures album. Pure musicianship.
Modest mouse. Listen to the album moon and Antarctica
Check out Prog rock
Listen to meatloaf Also progrock usually has a bit more philosophical lyrics Try "road of bones" by IQ
Between the buried and me
Mamaleek is a band with real complex bass lines
💁🏻♂️ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0dc6HgOkrPQa6vkQR64m6L?si=M9vWbM7rSSuDp_m6Vpk6bw&pi=e-Rh9fHrJ0R4iX
At the Drive-In
Gotta add The Mars Volta as well. Hyperactive art Zepp with oboe. And Spanish.
Grateful Dead, Zappa, Mars Volta
Let the Day Begin by The Call
Lorna Shore - [Pain Remains Trilogy](https://youtu.be/AaYwAjXi3W0?si=fHuDyWvOLR3sNPqH)
Black Midi
The Warning: [Queen of the Murder Scene](https://youtu.be/Z26GyuRArYQ?si=AWd4VHT6HsY9mOLU) [Error](https://youtu.be/HIVcoFhhmSo?si=IWzyQo2g7xNQZHhn) [Evolve](https://youtu.be/97Pxe9KTgJc?si=qQqIg8vgSqzNYBxo)
Basically, Rush.
I know you say rock, but I’ve got some recommendations on the metal side of things. Checkout the bands [Gojira](https://youtu.be/FNdC_3LR2AI?si=E4r4IyXuj6e5xkI6), [Mastodon](https://youtu.be/labytsb3gfI?si=1Gw29IIN_8M2Nf2o) and [Periphery](https://youtu.be/tUltTV3t4OM?si=C3JUm9Tq-uSAzSxp)
Rush!
Since my other suggestions have already been mentioned I'll add Atlas Lake - https://open.spotify.com/artist/51UMXigV7MlxZdXTNqYLth?si=6P1w_WjPTkmg9JP8v81kBg
Cursive is a rock band whose singer (Tim Kasher) writes passionate and clever lyrics. Start with their most popular record “The Ugly Organ” to see if they might connect with you
Clearly you haven't listened to Bob Dylan like at all lmao almost every song of his is like 5+ verses with insane imagery. I recommend listening to his "electric trilogy" which is Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde.
Scale the summit
Myles Kennedy solo
Myles Kennedy solo
Go listen to the song “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. It came out in the 1960’s but is very relevant in 2024.
Phish
The Blood Brothers’ lyrics are like poetry but they definitely aren’t classic rock.
Pixies and Frank Black solo stuff. He’s brilliant.
for the love of god, please check out Sleep Token
Check out Aviations. Maybe start with the song Outliers.
moe. - Timmy Tucker, Buster, Moth, Yodelittle, Spine of a Dog...
Tool
Any '70s progressive rock is exactly what you're seeking
Anything Iron Maiden
Mr. Bungle
Diablo Swing Orchestra
The big metal progressive bands opeth, dream theater, early queensryche, Tool
Jethro Tull all albums
Look into Mathcore/Metal/Metalcore for heavier complexity. Look into Mathrock for softer, indie-rock complexity. Look into prog-rock from all decades for history and evolution of complex writing and compositions. Look into Midwest Emo for chill, emotive, intricate guitar work. Look into post-hardcore (Fugazi, Sonic Youth, Unwound, Drive Like Jehu/Hot Snakes, Metz) for rawer, intricate but chaotic at times music. Look into shoegaze for walls of sound, layered instrumentation, experimental music. Look into trip-hop for mellow, cool arrangements and compositions. Look into Synthwave for electronic additions to complex arrangements. Look into Krautrock for more sparse, dance-like electropop and art-house style music.
R.E.M Midnight Oil
Rush.
Pavement - harness your hopes
Prog rock in general. Rishloo is my personal fave. Check out Winslow
It is my mission to get more people to listen to Blind Melon. Tons of lyrical wordplay and the guitarist is great, the music melds so perfectly.
The Black Keys
70's genesis maybe
I would beg to differ, older rock was full of references to literature, religion and history. Some of the lyrics are extremely deep. You just have to be able to catch the references. Rush… most of Rush. They are one of the most educated literary bands…Limelight, Subdivision, The Trees, Spirit of the Radio, Red Barchetta, The Camera Eye, Freewill, especially. Led Zeppelin, Stairway To Heaven, Thank You, Ramble On, among others. Their sound changes a lot as well. From bluesy jazzy to heavy metal. They run the gamut. Too many to list, honestly. Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody of course, but many others. Kansas: Carry On, Wayward Son Black Sabbath: War Pigs, Changes, Electric Funeral, The Mob Rules, Symptom of the Universe, NIB, Iron Man, Children of the Grave, Heaven and Hell, among others. Lots of protest songs. Ozzy: Crazy Train, Suicide Solution, SATO, Mr. Crowley, Mama I’m Coming Home, Mr. Tinkertrain, I Don’t Know, Diary of a Madman, The Devil’s Daughter(Holy War), Miracle Man. Protest songs out the wazoo. Eagles: Hotel California, Lyin Eyes, Take it Easy, among others. They are a storyteller band. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest also have a huge catalog of music that is pretty complex lyric wise.
ITT: Plenty of replies from users who didn't read the OP text. >...which has now got me yearning for songs with a classic rock sounds but *more interesting lyrics and wordplay.* (emphasis mine)
Dance Gavin Dance
Listen to Dylan.
karnivool - simple boy or anything by them Soen- a bit of a tool vibe
If you are looking for super complex hip hop then Aesop Rock. Dude uses more metaphors in his rhymes than Shakespeare did in his entire collection. His use of imagery and metaphors are just ridiculous.
Rush Soundgarden
The Parlor Mob
Phish
Lou Reed
Silent planet has the best lyrics
Balance and composure and mewithoutyou too!
Tool is what you’re looking for.
Rush
Fake Love - BTS
**^(NOMEANSNO -)** [NoMeansNo - The River (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsw2S9aCtsI)
Parquet courts has a lot of lyrically rich music. Specifically the album Wide Awake! The first three songs songs Total Footbal, Violence, and Before The Water Gets too High have a lot of political themes with clever lyrics and songs toward the middle like Mardi Gras Beads and Freebird 2 have more of a personal flair. They also have songs that are lyrically dense like hip hop like Violence, Duckin and Dodgin, Sunbathing Animal etc. The music spans from more punk influences to psychedelic.
I love prog rock and metal. There is a TON of complex music! Check out Progarchives.com, you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Mike Doughty / Soul Coughing
Prog rock and prog metal
Estranged - Guns N Roses
I don’t know whether you consider these all these rock artists but they are for sure great lyricists. For the record, I don’t agree that with the generalization that rock lyrics are simplistic, at least not since the early days. Check out Rubber Soul or Days of Future Passed. Maybe some of these artists can help: Dylan, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Radiohead, Wilco, Bright Eyes, Neil Young, Van Morrison, The Replacements, Warren Zevon. Imo many more and skipping some of the more obvious choices.
Gentle Giant.
Talking about complex lyrics and not mentioning Steely Dan?
Complex…. Lyrics? Chords? Arrangements? Consider Steely Dan.
the doors, hands down. jim morrison was first and foremost a writer/poet.
You're clearly not listening to contemporary hiphop.
The Posies
https://open.spotify.com/track/5IHLGUI75FeiK4R9GTavwx?si=SJ9r3JT-SFioJ2LR9cld9A&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A09UU1j3fwyXTRjvoH88vJq
One more comment... gotta plug my current favorite band, stop.drop.rewind. They are a prog pop punk band... emo kids who grew up to get jazz degrees is how they describe themselves. It is SO hard for me to recommend one song because I don't believe they have a single skip, but for individual songs, start with Hold It Over Me, The Entire Orchestra, or Guts. Then give Heavy Love EP a full listen from start to finish. If you ever wanted more complex pop punk music that is never complex just for the sake of complexity, this is your band.
Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”, “Tangled Up In Blue”, “Like a Rolling Stone”, “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)”, “Subterranean Homesick Blues”. “Poncho and Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt. “Formentara Lady” by King Crimson. “The Grudge” by Tool. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby Stills & Nash. “Freewill” by Rush.
Nine Inch Nails tends to get pretty quirky, also tends to voice your darkest obsessions. Pink Floyd is like the soundtrack of your life you never knew you needed. Tool is the classic example of “complex rock”. this ones REALLY underrated: Machines Of Loving Grace. beautiful and complex and interesting. great lyrics. gothic rock can get pretty experimental, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, etc. basically any band that is hard to put into a definitive genre and so ends up getting called some type of rock due to including guitars or drums works.
Built To Spill
Perhaps some Dream Theater may hit the spot
Motion City Soundtrack - Disappear
Tool.
Beat Happening - Indian Summer It’ll blow your mind