puddlemonkey

It's true that Bubble Puppy treads pretty close to being a sort of proto-prog band, but I think they're really more akin to the likes of the Grateful Dead.

BTW, for an "upbeat" tune, "Tear Stained Letter" is actually a rather nasty little song about a bitter break-up.

YouTube - Richard Thompson - Put It There Pal

You want doom and gloom?

YouTube - Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning

YouTube - Richard Thompson - Tear Stained Letter - Scottish TV 99

YouTube - Richard Thompson - The New St George

A string quartet doing a cover of King Crimson's "Larks Tongues..."

YouTube - Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part I

It's a very accurate cover, they nailed it.

King Crimson albums you'll like -- "Larks Tongues In Aspic", "Starless and Bible Black", and "Red" for sure. If you get those and like them, then "Islands" would be the next step, then "In The Court of the Crimson King", their debut. I don't see you liking "Lizard" at all, and "In The Wake of Poseidon" is fairly iffy. And the re-formed Crimson stuff from the '80s, too much like math-rock. I'm gonna guess that the one you bought and didn't like was one of the ones like "Discipline", "Three of a Perfect Pair", "Thrak" or "Thrak Attack".

Now, if you're really brave, check out some Gentle Giant...

YouTube - King Crimson - Starless (Red - 1974)

YouTube - Very Funny Cats 29