PROGRESSIVE ROCK: The 20 Most Ridiculous Albums
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- Опубліковано 12 жов 2021
- What are the ten most ridiculous prog albums? In this video I examine the top twenty as suggested by classic rock magazine.
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#prog #ranking #albums
This is why I stopped reading Classic Rock and Mojo. All they do is diss on Prog with no valid reason except their own inability to understand music of any complexity.
Right. And don’t you love how the critics always just love punk rock. Punk can do no wrong. But Prog rock is pretentious. No I have nothing against punk. There’s a lot of hard-core punk that I really enjoy. But I also love virtuosity and I don’t know why that is frowned upon by many critics as being pretentious? So if I I want to hear virtuosity my only option is classical or jazz? Virtuosity is not allowed in rock ‘n’ roll?
@@Rick-jg8vx They had transgressed the unwritten law, to quote Monty Python.
This attitude has long existed in rock. Pete Townshend even referenced it in one interview (I think it's in The Kids are All Right. Rock and Roll is three chords- four chords you might have to go before the committee. It's supposed to be the music of the young and rebellious who don't know very much. A lot of early rock critics had literary backgrounds and don't know much about music. It shows.
I agree with you in regards to Mojo.
MOJO keeps releasing a poll of what top ten lists they should do, and I keep suggesting "Do a top 10 of Mojos worst Top 10s"
@@bulkvanderhuge9006 Love to see that.
Moraz' "Story Of i" is absolutely incredible. Yes meets Rio Carnival. I'm remembering the story arc as being contestants on a reality-TV show to get to the top of a massive tower (the i) over the course of months or years and their adventures and fantasies along the way. My absolute favorite Moraz album- tight, energetic, beautifully performed and engineered. And yes, a bit ridiculous. But achingly beautifully so.
It is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it album. Many of the other commenters would agree. But worth a try!
I bought it as soon as it came out . Moraz even played some of it with YES in the live shows that year . @@soggytom
I can remember buying it. I can remember the cover art. I recall nothing whatsoever about the music
Really chuffed you mention Gryphon.
Red Queen to Gryphon Three was the band’s third album and followed the glorious Midnight Myshrumps . It’s a cracking album that I still own on vinyl, bought when it was originally issued and also on CD bought around 10 years ago in Australia from Amazon UK before there stopped me using that service, the bastards.
This album, has been one of my very favourite albums in my collection from the time I bought the original vinyl.
A great little band who sent me off on my early music progressive journey.
'Pawn Hearts' is a delicious slice of existential angst - Graaff = top prog
Anything by a band called something as brilliant as ‘Egg’ has to be brilliant in every way…
Eleven of these albums found their way into my vinyl collection. In the early '70s couldn't get enough of prog haunting every record shop in three cities. Pawn Hearts by VDGG is dark masterpiece each of the three tracks is a unique masterpiece.
'Olias of Sunhillow' is one of my desert island discs.
Love Olias of Sunhillow, enough to have acquired the vinyl and the CD.
I think it's Andersons best solo work
along with Friends of Mr Cairo. The majestic music of Olias holds a special place for me.
Of the solo albums Yes released, Olias was my second favorite. Gryphon was amazing.
Fun list/video.
Hooray for 'Five Bridges".
Bo Hansson's "Lord of the Rings" is definitely worth checking out. It strikes a rather other-worldly tone -- totally unlike the movie scores, but in a way I think it captures some of the mythological essence of the books. My only complaint is that it is too short.
I'll stick it on the channel wish list
There is an extended version (47min.) on You Tube. Well worth checking out. To me one of the best & mysterious albums of the 70's.
Absolutely. Beautiful and understated.
I love this album
Great solo album, don’t sounds like “regular prog” at all. Minimalistic even. I got the one with Swedish original cover design, “Sagan om ringen”.
enjoyed your spin on that list...familiar with most of the albums...looking forward to discovering the rest...thanks...
All Bo Hansson albums are very good and LOTR's is excellent ( Magician's Hat is my fav). Great album but of course you have to listen several times (unlike most music critics who have barely listened to a whole prog album comprehensively).
I love your videos sir, I really respect your opinions on classic rock as it’s obvious you know your stuff
Thank you
Great show. The Story of I and Lucky Leif are well worth checking out.
“Story of i” by Patrick Moraz is definitely worth a listen. Easily the second best of the 1975/6 Yes solo albums in my opinion, behind the majestic “Fish Out of Water”, of course.
always had a soft spot for the late Alan White's Ramshackled with it's wonderful minimalist cover......
Oh and thanks for recommending
Magma. Been very intrigued by them and look to add something from them to the collection.
All 3 of Egg’s album have a certain eccentric quality, if anything The Civil Surface is the strangest. Surprised there wasn’t more from the Canterbury scene, in particular Angels Egg, Rock Bottom or any of the early Soft Machine albums.
Also no King Crimson albums make, but you would have so much to choose from. However for sheer curiosity, Islands for me.
I know Tales from Topographic Oceans has always had poo flung at it, but it is one my all time favorite Prog albums. The extended pieces are immersive and the amount of melody running through the entire project is rich. I prefer the more pretentious Prog pieces myself. There is no denying it is definitive.
The first Yes album I ever bought and still love it.
@@jimsimpson1006 Nice ...my first was Relayer.
Relayer is great but Tales from Popographic Oceans is a turd, in my respectful opinion
@@RogueReplicant Well, in my defense, I am American 😉
@@kippwieland6464 Angeleno here, so your point is moot. Tails of Topographic Oceans is not my cup of overpriced latte capoochino crap I see everywhere. But Relayer is desert island material, imo
It's weird - I never really think of myself as a "prog guy" (other than the big names), but I own or have owned 17 of these! Geez... I guess I like my prog ridiculous. :) Those Cherry Red reissues of the Jon Anderson albums are great. Thanks for the video!
Really love your musings. You've become a terrific friend to me here in NY..
PLEASE People! What album cover is on the preview of the video????
Another great rendition x
Bo Hansson's Lord of the Rings is definitely worth a listen, understated is an understatement
Topographic Oceans is in many ways, a sublime, beautiful work, I agree! I also think it is enhanced by Rick's rich, cinematic keyboard textures and is his best work for the group. The problem with some other Yes keyboard players is that they curdle the music rather than elevate it which is why the band ends up sounding rather staid and stiff- especially on recent albums. Rick's creative imagination and the execution of his lofty ideas through the deployment of technique and talent is unmatched in Rock music and is probably the reason that the band pushed the envelope so hard in the '70s.
Love Beach is good for what it is, it doesn't pretend to be a prog classic.
I agree, it's not as bad as the cover makes you think it is. :-D
Something like the following would have been quite useful to go through your video:
Spoiler Alert:
1. Jon Anderson: Olias of Sunhillow (1976) 1:14
2. Aphrodite's Child: 666 (1972) 2:46
3. Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come: Galactic Zoo Dossier (1971) 4:26
4. Robert Calvert: Lucky Leif and the Longships (1975) 5:05
5. Egg: The Polite Force (1971) 5:34
6. Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Love Beach (1978) 6:27
7. Faust: The Faust Tapes (1973) 7:00
8. Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) 7:52
9. Gentle Giant: Interview (1976) 8:50
10. Dave Greenslade: The Pentateuch of the Cosmogony (1979) 9:17
11. Gryphon: Red Queen to Gryphon Three (1974) 9:43
12. Bo Hansson: Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings (1970) 10:27
13. Henry Cow: Legend (1973) 11:00
14. Magma: Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh (1973) 12:07
15. Patrick Moraz: The Story of I (1976) 12:57
16. The Nice: Five Bridges (1970) 13:30
17. Premiata Forneria Marconi: Per un amico (1972) 14:15
18. Van der Graaf Generator: Pawn Hearts (1971) 14:53
19. Rick Wakeman: Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974) 15:43
20. Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973) 16:28
Thanks. Very helpful. I was wondering why he hadn't. Right mutterer too.
Thanks for a fun take on what would be top of a list of the of the most ridiculous, facile articles by a music journalist.
Nice, the Galactic Zoo Dossier album. I saw Arthur and this band in the Paradiso perform most songs of this album. It was stunning!
That title is really intriguing!
I could only listen to the Faust Tapes when I was stoned
I think that was the whole point of that album, wasn't it? :)
There's a nice symmetry there - I think they're on record as pretty much being in the same state when it was recorded....!
Some comments on the albums on this list that I’m really familiar with
- The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. This is my all time favourite album all genres included. If it’s regarded as ridiculous it must be because of the lyrics. The music is not overblown or pompous at all. I like the lyrics a lot however.
Love Beach bu ELP. I agree that it’s not a ridiculous album at all, just a bad one. There are other albums by ELP that fit the description ridiculous much better. Works pt 1 with Emerson’s piano concerto is a candidate
Tales Of Topographic Oceans by Yes. Probably the most over blown prog album ever both in terms of music and lyrics, but it’s very good.
Lord of the Rings by Bo Hansson. Not ridiculous at all. It’s a pastoral instrumental album, quite low key.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Rick Wakeman. Wakeman’s thematic albums are definitely ridiculous. I used to like them but now I find them cheesy and pretentious.
One that I think should have been on this list is A Passion Play by Jethro Tull
10:28 - I borrowed that Bo Hansson LP from an uncle maybe 20 years ago. I really liked it, even played a couple of tracks on the radio, downloaded a few of the mp3s later. Good if you like the more post-psychedelic side of prog. The classic rock assesment that it's lightweight is not inaccurate, but also to me not a bad thing. Only a few tracks stand out, but I remember the whole thing as being nice to listen to.
There's an animated version of the first half of Fellowship of the Ring that exists solely in my head and this album is a key part of that soundtrack!
Another gem of an episode.
I used to have Gryphon on CD, it does exist. The one I had was a double with Raindance and redqueen.
There's quite a few of those albums that I have not listened to before but those that I have (and a small number that I still own) could be considered as ridiculously good but certainly not farcical or absurd. Subscribed by the way.
Like others here, the Bo Hanson albums are fairly essential, understated and other worldly. The Kingdom Come and VDGG are among their best. Prefer earlier Gentle Giant, and the Red Queen Gryphon album is lovely.
I have to say Rob Halford is looking rather well
Great listen as usual. Olias of Sunhillow is a wonderful album and if you haven't heard The story of i it is a beautifully textured and varied release. I knew there'd be a Rick Wakeman offering in there somewhere it was just a case of which one. I was expecting it to be Myths and Legends. I agree with what you say about Tales from Topographic Oceans with some brilliant playing. Keep up the entertaining work.
Was listening to Hope your feeling better. Love Santana too.😎
Judging by the Santana shirt, is it safe to assume there will be some sort of Santana related video due to the new album coming out soon?
I have the Dave Greenslade album, I think I bought it for the fantastic artwork at the time. The story of i by Patrick Moraz is a great album imo, it was all the rage at my school when it was released, the vocals are a standout for me. I believe there s a YT video of Patrick talking about the album in an interview from the OGWT.
Funnily enough some members of the band Gryphon, including Richard Harvey, now live in the small seaside fishing village in Thailand that I now call home 😊 I have played music with most of them, which was great fun 🎶 Interestingly, I had never heard of Gryphon before, which is weird because both my parents loved bands like Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, the Incredible String Band etc etc - but nothing about Gryphon 🤔 Would you call Gong a prog rock band? My favorite album from that period is Radio Gnome Invisible - c'est magnifique ❤️
Re Rick Wakeman saying that ''Tales From Topographic Oceans' should have been a single album'; he said that in the 1990's when, as he admitted much later, many of his judgements were clouded by an excess of alcohol. He has revised his opinion since, to more affirmative about the album.
I actually like Bo Hansson’s Lord of the Rings album . While it’s not the greatest album, I always enjoy listening to it . It has a real pastoral feel to me . Apparently Jimi Hendrix was a fan of Bo Hansson’s playing , and they used to jam together. I would recommend that you give it a listen .
I'd forgotten about Bo Hanson, even though i have the Lord of the Rings album on the shelf. I wonder if I can get a CD version, as I no longer have a vinyl deck.
On the subject of PFM. Greg Lake brought them over to open for Pete Sinfield, at Sadler's Wells theatre. Lake himself sang with Sinfield on one song that night.
TRIVIA Mike Rutherford was spotted in the queue outside the theatre, waiting for the doors to open.
Some might say that the phrase "ridiculous progressive rock" is an oxymoron and that is why we love some of it. On the ones I have. I rather like Jon Anderson and Aphrodite's Child. Arthur Brown and Egg don't do much for me. ELP's Love Beach is just a broken band fulfilling a contract. Lamb is one of the great prog records. Magma IS ridiculous. I had that Moraz album like forty years ago and was unimpressed. I need to listen to The Nice. I'm so-so about Vander Graff Generator's Pawn Hearts. Wakeman's Journey is of its time but fun. Tales From Topographical Oceans is wonderful even if it could be tighter. Agree that parts of it are Yes at its best.
It’s a shame Rick Wakeman thought that topographic was crap!!!!
@@twitchygiraffe4636 Agreed. Yes could always have used more keyboard leads like Wakeman's in The Revealing Science of God.
I love Magma, saw them live, after listening to Mekanik Destructiw Kommandoh and saying "What the hell is this?" But I loved it after the third listening, much like Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica. Pawn Hearts is my favorite VDGG album... it's at least exciting-close to free jazz. I also love anything from Egg. Faust Tapes didn't click with me as much as their first two albums.
Oh my god I can’t wait
What makes The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway so ridiculous is the notion of British public school alum Gabriel portraying a leather jacketed Puerto Rican street thug in New York City. Willing suspension of disbelief has its limits.
😸😂🤣
Both the Jon Anderson and Patrick Moraz albums listed here were released in the hiatus following Yes' "Relayer," when all five members released solo albums (the others being Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water," Steve Howe's "Beginnings," and Alan White's "Ramshackled"). The Moraz album was originally simply called "i," I don't know when the "The Story of" was tacked onto the title. It's been many years since I listened to any of them (I still have them all on vinyl), but I remember enjoying the Moraz and White albums the most. Howe's was practically unlistenable, because the man simply cannot sing.
Like a few others here, I love all four of Bo Hansson's albums; yes, Lord of the Rings is a bit understated but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I also love the very different music of Hansson & Karlsson, the duo he formed with drummer Jan Karlsson. "The band was active in the last few years of the 1960's and played instrumental jazz fusion, largely based on improvisation and are considered one of the pioneers of progressive rock." There are some videos from 1967 on UA-cam.
I would love to hear Flaming Lips remix/re-record Olias of Sunhillow, give it an update and they're own psychedelic treatment. I think it would be amazing.
'666', a later discovery for me, is the kind of album that can make one change its life. Sure, half of the songs on it are rather empty, but even those are essential to the concept.
Best prog album of all time, along with KC's first album and PF's Dark Side of the Moon. The Greek version is more puristic, while the US one is mixed with more dramatic bridges.
If you like "666" (as I do), then you should enjoy its follow up, "Earth", perhaps the only album that Vangelis O. Papathanassiou released under his full name. It's a similar sort of mixture of instrumentals, serious songs and humorous poppy numbers, just with a different set of musicians (no Demis Roussos, sadly) and not so overblown (or long: just a single disc). A bit hard to find (mine's a Greek import) but worth it.
Also "Phos" by Socrates, a Greek prog / heavy band, this particular album features Vangelis on keyboards and production.
Ha ! You just looked through my albums 😊 I think there is only magma, henry cow and faust I havnt got 👍
As I recall a sample from "The Story of I" was used in the intro to Alan Freeman's Saturday rock show on BBC Radio 1. "Still there's always Saturday. Saturday makes the week". Or thereabouts. Quite a good album. In parts.
Most of these albums I'm at least somewhat familiar with, but I never heard The Story of I, so when you mentioned it I decided to listen to that right now... It's pretty fantastic so far. Very much like early Yes. Definitely worth a listen!
It's on the wish list
Bo Hansson's Lord of the Rings is my desert island album, my favourite album ever. It perfectly captures the atmosphere of the book, but it's so much more than that. There is nothing like it. Just check it out and give it time. Bo Hansson was a genius, all his four records from the seventies are masterpieces, including Watership Down. Classic rock magazine dismisses an artist here who was totally unique. Shame on them.
Yes has done embarassing songs , agreed . But Olias will still be played after the Ramones are forgotten .
Ramones suck! Always have.
I didnt say that . @@peterasaro1914
Cool channel!
Groschnitt's "Rockpommel's Land." A little boy gets carried away by a giant magical bird to the land of the Rock People where they free a bunch of children. Yep, ridiculous. Great album, too.
Pawn Hearts by VDGG is dark masterpiece each of the three tracks is a unique masterpiece.
I have Aphrodite’s Child 666 on vinyl. Think I bought it as a cut out years ago. (Remember cutouts?) I think I only played it once or twice. Now I’ll have to dust off the old turntable and give it a spin. Thanks!
Strongly recommend you picking up the Pentateuch on vinyl. the hardback book with art in it alone makes it worth having the 12 inch edition.
Very nice list & well described to our fanatical musical listeners. So much excellent stuff out there... But, you didn't mention "The Mars Volta". Why?
It wasn't my list. It was a list from Classic Rock
Henry Cow Legend was one of the albums that convinced me rock was worthwhile. Surprised you didn't notice the influence, as you did with Magma, the Mothers' influence. The Nice were exceptional and incredible live.
The last two are just great!
I think that Olias, along with "Awaken" and parts of Topographic, served as signposts for what arose ahead in the 80s - the New Age genre. Anderson might be cited as the inventor of all that.
Very well stated. Right!
Not heard Moraz, story of i !! It’s a classic, ahead of its time imo
ELP SHOULD have taken another year to re-arrange those demo tracks around 'Memoirs Of An Officer And A Gentleman' which is an underrated masterpiece.
At least you didn't take a dig at 'Works, Vol. I', but that means you also did not recognize it--and the subsequent orchestra tour--as the High Water Mark of Western Civilization that it is.
It's not my list - i'm reviewing a list published in Classic Rock Magazine
Love Beach was a contractual obligation, with the suits demanding "hits." The result was four poorly developed pop attempts, followed by an outstanding instrumental Canario. Side Two was an excellent conceptual epic, Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman. Perhaps if they began with Memoirs and led off side two with Canario, the opinion of this album would be a bit better. And of course, whoever recommended the cover shoot should have been shot!
"The Story of I" you should listen, it´s like some composition that didn´t make Relayer
Hi there,
Only just come across this review, and as with all of your videos, very entertaining. I also have several of these albums, thankfully on vinyl . . . . . . As with a lot of 70’s prog, the album cover is as important or often even better than the music! This is of course particularly true of the Dave Greenslade collaboration with (I think the late) Patrick Woodruff. The vinyl version is essentially a 12” square hardbacked book of art with couple of albums included! I think Dave Greenslades Cactus Choir and the music from the disc world are much better musically.
I must also comment on what is still my favourite album of all time, the fantastic’Story of i’. I remember buying it and listening to it over and over. The first 6 or so playings were very difficult and then the music started to make sense. I still find that 45 years on, I still here things that I hadn’t noticed before. I hope you got a chance to listen to it
Patrick Moraz's "Story if i" is a wonderful album... not for everyone's taste, but (IMHO) is a must (at least once) listen.
I'd like to hear it
Olias is brilliant
Yes
I hated these bands for a long time... without even hearing them (Yes, ELP and The Nice etc) that was until I actually listened to their back catalogues, fairly recently. A lot of the prejudice seems to me to be unwarranted. Musically 70s Prog is complex with many layers but it improves with each listen, noticing things you hadn't noticed on previous listens.
It is very strange that the virtuosity of Prog isn't more celebrated and is actually ridiculed whilst simplistic 3 chord Punk (which is little more than recycled 60s Rolling Stones style Rock, albeit played very badly). I really liked that people like Steve Harris from Iron Maiden defended Prog Rock and noted that Punk was not just recorded badly but also played very badly resulting in hundreds if not thousands of copycat bands without much talent or originality.. probably wouldn't be tolerated in any other genre.
I hated that list…
Great channel, Dreaming of Alice by Mark Fry obscure folk psyche. Great album.
The Dreaming by Kate Bush, out there, but great. I guess Gong would qualify.
I first heard Olias of Sunhillow in 1976 on an FM radio station. While I was living in Bangkok of all places!
I tend to agree with Rick Wakeman’s assessment that Tales would have been better as a single album . I have always thought that there are maybe 7 or 8 top quality shorter songs fighting to get out of the 4 side long pieces . It would have made an intriguing single album.
Another reason not to give any credence to Classic Rock Magazine. Of course I can understand why someone who doesn't like "prog" would find these albums ridiculous but I can't take any such list seriously that doesn't include Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds" and The Intergalactic Touring Band.
BTW, that Moraz album is pretty great and features Jeff Berlin on bass on half of it! The Bo Hansson album is a masterpiece of moody, melancholic music that is by far his greatest achievement. And the PFM album is one of the greatest albums of any genre ever made, and btw, one of the most beautiful mellotron recordings ever as well! Lastly, we have to ask ourselves if "Love Beach" would really be as reviled as it is if it weren't for the godawful cover.
I'm not sure if anyone's already done this, but someone really should do an in-depth analysis of the contributions of Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser (and his erstwhile paramour/sidekick Gille Lettman or 'Sternenmadchen') and Ohr Records to both krautrock generally and 'kosmische music' in particular. Ash Ra Tempel, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Popol Vuh, Amon Duul, Guru Guru, Cosmic Jokers, Embryo, Xhol... Some of these bands didn't get that far, while others went on to other labels and 'bigger things' (TD to Virgin, Klaus Schulze to Brain). All owe more than a little to Ohr and the acid-fuelled imagination of Kaiser & Lettman...
Did you ever hear any Nektar albums? I liked A Tab in the Ocean
Yeah it is funny what you said about the polite force from the Canterbury scene I guess because I don't know I got it as a gift many years ago probably around 1973 or 4 and I used to go out in the garage which was kind of separate from the condo so I wasn't really bothering anybody we had a pool table in there then off to the side I had my little Pioneer set up a turntable receiver and two speakers you know I wish I still had that shut up it was so simple and wonderful but yeah I just listen to this album over and over and just absolutely enjoyed it a little funny side note I wonder if I can ever send you a copy somehow maybe I'll get a PO Box address but there's something from the 80s Dave Stewart had a regular column in keyboard magazine and they used to have these floppy final pages that you would cut out and put on your record player and when he got together with Barbara geske and they did this album and they had a special version of I think it's called Harry and James and they did a special edition of this song which had so many more and Bella Schmitz I meant to say in bellish comments wow spelled it wrong again Google let's see if I can get this correct just maybe Embellishments there we go I don't think AAA technology is going to take over Humanity quite yet anyhow yeah it's a real tree and it has all the 80s stuff that is so amazing and you know I guess at that time people were really excited about all the different ways you can program and Sample and do all these things with synthesizers and Dave Stewart was just taking it to the inth degree yeah as far as parun Amico I think that was also released by LPS label and it was called photos of ghosts yeah you should have both versions plus you should have Storia di Huong minuto which is pfms first album the second side is just absolutely Bonkers how good it is it doesn't even take up the whole side of the second side of the vinyl record they just weren't going to put any more filler to fill up that space a couple of other albums you might really like there was a band that toured with pfm called Aquaphor Gigli wow google did it again Acqua Fragile yeah I had to type it out the first self-titled album is absolutely astonishing I remember I actually bought it at Tower Records the whole record folds out as one piece of cardboard pretty ingenious stuff it's on the same label that pfm is on in Italy called Numero Uno anyhow there's this one song shooter can't remember the name of it but it starts off with these power cords and then it goes into this thing that sounds like some swing jazz or it says can't see why cannot learn what my mom would like to do captured truce your whole story forever Step2 forever Step 2 forever Step 2.... It anyhow they singing These harmonies that are just incredible and yeah they think they are inspired by Crosby Stills and Nash I remember seeing that in the Japanese version where they were writing all this stuff and it was all in Japanese and then it had in regular letters Crosby Stills and Nash pretty amazing stuff
The Story of I is my favorite album. If you like Yes or ELP, you will like SOI, a furious and melodic treat.
I've put it on my wish list for Santa
@@classicalbum Great!
01. Olias of Sunhillow (Jon Anderson) * [Always loved this album. Bought the remaster but admittedly not listened much.]
02. 666 (Aphrodite’s Child) * [Bought before realizing who Vangelis was. Bit of a hard listen in places. I have the CD as well as my original LP, but again, admittedly rarely pull it out for a listen.
03. Kingdom Come (Arthur Brown) [I have never heard anything by him, except “Fire”]
04. Lucky Lief and The Longships (Robert Calvert) [Completely unfamiliar with this one]
05. The Polite Force (Egg) [I have a few by Egg, but only have this as digital download. Haven’t heard it in so long, I can for the life of me remember note one.]
06. Love Beach (ELP) * [By far their worst album. ‘Love Beach’ is to ELP what ‘Giant For A Day’ is to Gentle Giant]
07. The Faust Tapes (Faust) [I have friends that rave about them, but admittedly never grew on me]
08. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (Genesis) * [The album that changed my life]
09. Interview (Gentle Giant) * [A great album, but not in my Top 5 favorite GG albums, although the track ‘Timing’ is one I never grow tired of. GG being one of my Top 5 favorite bands of all time]
10. The Pentateuch of the Cosmogony (Greenslade) * [I have this on vinyl and on CD, but more for the incredible artwork (by Patrick Woodroffe) and accompanying story. I found the music flat and diluted. Does not live up to the packaging and tale]
11. Red Queen To Gryphon Three (Gryphon) * [A tad too far on the whimsical side, but entertaining nonetheless. I have the original LP and CD]
12. Music Inspired by Lord of The Rings (Bo Hansson) * [used to have this on vinyl, have no clue what happened to it, nor do I recall a single note. I assume that I must not have been that impressed, however, I was quite young]
13. Legend (Henry Cow) * [a band that I own many albums that I purchased upon their release. I’m still hoping I’ll grow to appreciate it more one day.]
14. Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh (Magma) [I have tried to like Magma and forced myself to listen numerous times. The operatic singing is something I cannot put behind me]
15. The Story of I (Patrick Moraz) * [I have both the LP and the CD. Hadn’t listened to it in decades until I bought the CD. I did enjoy it, but these days I find it difficult to give predominantly instrumental albums enough of a chance]
16. Five Bridges (The Nice) [ashamedly, I have yet to hear a tune by them that impressed me. Perhaps had I been a little older]
17. Per Un Amico (PFM) * [one of the very best albums by undoubtedly one of Italy’s finest prog acts. A classic which everyone should own]
18. Pawn Hearts (Van Der Graaf Generator) * [although I am a huge VDGG fan, even I can become agitated by Hammill’s vocals from time to time. However, everything from this album backwards are all incredible]
19. Journey To the Centre of The Earth (Rick Wakeman) * [I bought this when it first came out and could not stop playing it. When the deluxe edition was released, I purchased the CD, but found it dated and only enjoyed the narrative segues.]
20. Tales From Topographic Oceans (Yes) * [Yes are also in my Top 5 fav bands of all time, but this one falls somewhere in the lower top third, for me. If it gives you any idea, “Going For The One” is my favorite, albeit a very difficult ranking, and one that morphs constantly over time.
I bought the Faust Tapes, wish I hadn't. Still, some people rate it, but I just don't get it.
Olias is a great album, story is lovely and uplifting.
Pentateuch of the Cosmogony was an amazing collaboration with the late artist Patrick Woodroffe. I love it. The theme is rather sobering in our current times, telling the tale of a dying race forced to abandon their home planet because of environmental destruction. Sadly I never owned the original, and the CD version has been squashed somewhat.
Own half of them, but to put things rather bluntly, I couldn't give a shit. The music is fantastic.
Got 16 of them ! Always will love good quality prog. Tales in the SW remixed vinyl version is just superb. What's ridiculous about musicians being creative and maybe over reaching sometimes ? I still prefer to hear " progressively inclined music " even today. People like Zappa, Scott Walkers latter albums like The Drift etc and latter Talk Talk/ Mark Hollis music is superb. Max Richter and John Luther Adams and Steve Reich work in the modern classical field but are very close to Brian Eno. Try it and find new music that really can help relax you ?I even class Eno period Talking Heads to be a type of progressive music. It's a real pity that for most people a narrow definition of " prog rock" must always involve capes, curries and Tales. Just as you suggested. Time to maybe widen our self imposed noose ?
I've heard about 16 of these
Of the ones I’m familiar with and own:
1. Olias of Sunhillow- bought it on vinyl the moment it came out, it sounds a little dated now but I still like it. I almost bought the re-release on the recentRecord Store Day but then I checked my old vinyl and it sounded just fine.
2. 666 - bought this one used back in the ‘70’s and it’s still one of my all time favorites. I wish they would re-release this as a box set.
3. Love Beach - hated it, quit listening to their new music after this came out. Sold it as soon as I listened to it. And I rarely sell an album after I buy it.
4. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - definitely my favorite Genesis album
5. Lord of the Rings - I have this one and Watership Down on vinyl since they were released and listened to them recently. Perfect prog background music.
6. Journey to the Center of the Earth - I love it but The Six Wives of Henry the 8th is my favorite Wakeman album
7. Tales of the Topographic Oceans - love it. Wouldn’t want to change a note of it.
I’ll check out some of the others I’m not familiar with, but at my age, it’s hard to get into something new.
maybe i'm not the only one, but with beard i thought you're ian anderson for a moment
Well I totally misunderstood what was meant with “Ridiculous”, so there we are.
Aphrodites Child is actually one of my favorite albums, things I’ve got a copy of all editions(!?). When we come to PFM, please listen to Chocolate Kings and Cook. Masterpieces. When you have the time, please make a special on the Yes album Relayer and go deep and please more Italian prog.
I wish you'd put the titles on the screen as you bring them up, because it's not so easy to make out what you're saying sometimes.
I wouldn’t worry about going through a Fairport phase , all the nicest people do. Re Wakeman , maybe his admirable self deprecation has signalled hack journalists to take the piss. To me he is one of the greats. With an unusually high facility for melody. 😍
Interesting take on a silly article designed to raise shackles and generate clicks. I don't have a lot of these albums so, I suppose, I should be grateful. However based on your description (and the samples in the article), a number of them sound fascinating. Anderson's solo has that wonderful "We Have Heaven" vibe and Calvert would certainly be added to my list. I have a Gryphon compilation that samples many fine songs from the named album. Henry Cow... for those quiet nights contemplating the overthrow of The Man and Moraz just because he can play and is such a character. Same as Wakeman's early outings. Not surprising that four Yes-affiliates get name checked although I'd agree with TALES: moments of transcendence smothered in noise and tofu. I have a few vague images of spending time on Julia's floor, sipping wine and trying to make sense of the Bo Hansson album. Lovely memories but maybe not because of the music.
By coincidence, last weekend I watched the documentary JODOROWSKY'S DUNE and who should pop up but Magma. This band sounds absolutely out there so, ridiculous?: maybe, but progressive: definitely! The Genesis double is divisive, not my go-to but it has enough interesting moments to justify trying to piece together the movie in my head. PAWN HEARTS recently came into my collection; too brutal to be called ridiculous but certainly demanding more time and attention. On the other end of the scale, could we even call LOVE BEACH a prog album? Maybe the most ridiculous thing about it is the cover. Great that they at least mentored PFM, a fascinating little band. "We could've included any one of [Gentle Giant's] dozen or so albums...." That tells you how daft or lazy the writers were in approaching their topic.
Good job, Barry. Perhaps once you score some more of these titles, you can revive this topic.
POMP
Absolutely. I guess having a crack at some of the best prog albums ever recorded is a good way to get people to read it.
No Gong? Way more psychedelic than most prog bands but then took a left turn in the mid-70's and became sort of a jazz fusion project. I think Allan Holdsworth even plays on one album.
Henry Cow is brilliant. All three studio albums are unique. I wouldn't bother with their next project Art Bears though.
Lucky Leif by Robert Calvert is sort of funny. Robert wanted it to be more of just him reading text and acting out the script but fortunately Eno talked him into making it a little more musical. Not a great album but a must for any Calvert fans. He was frigging brilliant in his own way.
The Aphrodite's Child album is essential.
I have the faust tapes which taught nurse with wound everything he knows!!!!
Jon Anderson's 'Olias of Sunhillow' is a phenomenal album. Bo Hansson's 'Lord of the Rings' is great, bit too psychadelic in places but on the hole a great listen (doesnt make me think of LOTR though haha). VDG's Pawn Hearts, brilliant.
Bo Hansson was previously a member of the prog duo Hansson&Karlsson. One of their songs was "Tax Free", which Hendrix recorded. Bo Hansson's solo albums are splendid when the mood is right ...
'5 Bridges' gets on the ridiculous list but 'Snowgoose' doesn't...okaaaay. Should of titled it 'Turkey' even back then
I almost certainly believe that ABBA/SuperTrooper and The Worzels/The Best Of should be included on this salubrious list of "Prog Classics" 🙂
Ka pai bro
I bought The Story Of I when it first came out and I was a Yes fan. I was disappointed, and couldn't get into it no matter how I tried. I would listen to it from time to time, hoping that a spark would ignite. It never did. When half of my albums were stolen in 1982, I did not replace it.
So, not ridiculous, just forty-odd minutes of nothing much.