I always enjoyed Subterranea just a bit more than the others...but that's because it is a longer album, more bang for the buck, so to speak. IQ rarely missed, a cascade of great music.
I like IQ as much as I like Pendragon. My favorite album is The seventh house followed by Road of Bones, Dark matter, Subterranea and Frequency. Their latest is a great album. It still grows on me. Great ranking!!!
Love love love IQ. Don’t get why you put Seventh House that low after listing like 75% of the album as being great… also I love Zero Hour. Whatever. I think that Dark Matter suffers a bit from the Foxtrot derivation, I’d put it quite a bit lower (but still love every single second). The Wake is also in my top 5, they were really locked in musically and the production is much improved compared to the debut. But your rankings are good and I agree with pretty much everything you said. Aside from the re-recorded demo, I have all of their studios on CD and it’s a lovely collection of tunes.
I hear you on Dark Matter. Perhaps a bit too “literal” but my rankings just reflect my personal experience with these records. Seventh House and Ever never totally “clicked” with me. Which is kinda weird - they sound just like IQ records!!! 👍👍❤️❤️
@@TheProgCorner Yep, and I totally respect that. I started my IQ journey with Road of Bones and didn’t like it at all on first listen, no clue why. Second try, it did “click” and I needed to hear more from this band. At least we can agree that nothing on your list from Seventh House onward was a “bad” album. Standards are just that high when Frequency, RoB, etc. exist.
looking at this video and some rankings in the comments, my opinions on some of their albums really is different lol. I don't rank ALL of them in a specific order, but there's still a hierarchy going on: 12 and 11: Road of Bones and Resistance: don't remember much from them (definitely due for listening to them again, and not just a quick fly-through like I did for some other albums on this list, so their position isn't final), but I just remember not vibing with them, sadly 10: Seven Stories into 98. It's just a really fun time. Not amazing, but I still very much enjoy it! 9, 8 and 7: Tales from the Lush Attic, The Seventh House and Frequency. They are excellent albums that are a delight to listen to. (again, I'm due for listening to The Seventh House again, so that one might move in the future) 6 and 5: Are you Sitting Comfortably and Nomzamo. Apparently I'm the only one who loves those albums! I can see why someone wouldn't like them, but to me they're fantastic. They definitely don't sound as prog as their other albums, more pop, but what can I say? It's still a genre I love! Common Ground and Wurensh are some of my favourite IQ songs in general. 4: The Wake. Funnily enough, my favourite song from that album is actually Headlong! This and Tales from the Lush Attic strongly sound like Genesis, but hey, Genesis is one of my favourite bands of all time, so I have no complaints about that! 3: Ever. I had forgotten what this album sounded like before this video. However, a quick fly through it brought everything back and MAN OH MAN IS THIS ONE GOOD, how could I forget it?! 2: Dark Matter. I don't think anything needs to be said about this one, everyone knows it's easily one of their very best albums ever 1: Subterranea. As amazing as their other albums are, to me this one stands head-and-shoulders above all of them as their magnum opus. I might be biased, since this album was my introduction to the band, but to me it's absolutely god-tier. It has everything the other albums offer and then an extra spark of magic none of the others have. It's not just my favourite IQ album, it's one of my favourite albums ever period.
My entry was your number one selection and have been exploring their catalog on and off since. While haven’t deeply absorbing most of their previous work, their live recordings were awesome enough that I was willing to fly overseas to see the band live. Was hoping to see them in Copenhagen and Stockholm last year but they postponed those dates and still visited anyway, finally got to see them in Oslo in March of this year.
One of the very few bands that always manages to deliver good or even better new material. Other bands rest on the laurels of their early days and re-market them year after year. Not so with IQ: I have the feeling that the really great feat is yet to come.
Just wonderful Scot. I did Further Away as my first exposure to the band and just loved them. Can’t wait to do more stuff of theirs. I will take a look at your #1 and find something to off that one. All the best. Dave✅✅
Great list, Scot! I was hoping this was coming up! I sometimes try to do a top 5 of my fave IQ albums but then I change again. Really, I think you can't go wrong with ANY of the Nicholls albums (and I like many tracks off the Menel ones too) But as "albums" yeah, the 10 Peter Nicholls albums/all great! I'll attempt to do a top 10 of those albums later on, just for fun.
I had the “chore” of listening to all 12 over the weekend just to see if any of my opinions had changed. Fantastic band!!! Yeah, the two Menel albums aren’t all that bad…
Hey Scott…your videos are so entertaining and informative I’m not going to argue with any of your rankings …it’s all subjective ! …keep up the great work !
Thanks a lot for the vid, just getting into IQ, also enjoyed your spots on other channels such as SoT lately. If anyone is coming to this a bit late like me, can you enlighten me as to the situation with RoB. Some people seem to consider it a double album, like on the SoT ranking, others say the second disc is a bonus disc, such as here and prog archives. It is confusing because the tracks on the second disc get equal billing with lyrics and all in the booklet. I know there was a 3 disc version, but the third disc is more obviously bonus material.
I was hoping you’d do an IQ ranking, they’re one of my all time favourites! I can never pick a no. 1 album, it’s always been a toss up between ‘Lush Attic, Dark Matter & Frequency. Top video as always🤘
I was looking for some IQ videos - there aren't many - so this was a nice watch! Great video, Scott. I wouldn't know where to start with ranking this catalog; it is unbelievably strong. Other than perhaps Nomzamo and The Seventh House - which I like rather than love - these albums could shift position every day! Today, my ranking would be: 1. Dark Matter 2. Road of Bones 3. Ever 4. Tales from the Lush Attic 5. The Wake 6. Subterranea 7. Frequency 8. Are You Sitting Comfortably? 9. The Seventh House 10. Nomzamo
Put me in the Seventh House club. My intro to the band, it was a slow grower (like Beware of Darkness!) and I almost sold the CD, but came to love it! And yes, they’ve been putting out one excellent album after another for the past couple of decades.
Amazing! You did it :) my favorite Neoprog if not Prog Band! For me a ranking is impossible. The two without Nichols are easily the Floor. But then, until Frequency, I am totally unable to rank, they are all 10/10 for me. Each has it own mood and rankings could change daily :) Strangely, i have not yet gotten fully into the two newest ones. The are maybe a bit too hardrocking and dark for me. But your show will definitely let me have another try, considering that you brought me to appreciate other albums that I did not really like before; most prominently Yes Tale of... 😊 by the way my top three IQ songs are Frequency, Leap of faith and guiding light. Just perfect, amazing, essential, instrumental, fantastic prog masterpieces. A bit humourless maybe, but for humour there are other bands available like Genesis, Jethro Tull. Enough said, thank you again!
Saw them live at Cosmopolite in Oslo , just a short walk from home (yeah, I'm happy to have a great venue for live gigs in my neighborhood) just before Easter. What a night that was. Hard for me to pick a personal favourite, but these days I'm really into "Frequency".
I was also at the show, though was traveling from Chicago and stayed further than where you live! Also saw Barclay James Harvest the following week, which was my last night in Norway before returning home.
Anxiously awaited this ranking, and you didn't disappoint. Have Road of bones and it hasn't disappointed. Wondering what to get next. Value your opinion/ranking. Thanks
@@TheProgCorner that’s my motto. I appreciate you listening to all these records and breaking it all down for us. I think I heard IQ many many moons ago and I passed them by because it probably was not representative of their best work.
For me the ones I keep going back to are Ever, Subterranea and Seventh House. I love all their albums but those 3 to me are the be all, end all. Also a few years ago, Mike reworked some of the Lens material on A Word in Your Eye. That album is stunning ❤️
IQ is certainly my all-time favorite band. The two Paul Menel disc's are a letdown, but outside of that their discography is immaculate. When Subterranea came out I was obsessed for years. The Last Human Gateway from Tales...is mind-blowing. I am hoping for a new disc next year, since they seem to release on the "4's" and "9's" It seems like The Road of Bones is most people's #1. Here is my ranking: Subterranea The Road of Bones Frequency Resistance Dark Matter Ever The Seventh House Tales From the Lush Attic The Wake Seven Stories into "98 Nomzamo Are You Sitting Comfortably Yet?
I must listen to the post Orford releases as I sort of lost interest when he left. My introduction to IQ was Ever and saw them tour the album so that will always be my favourite. However Subterranea is their masterpiece and there is a low budget film based on the story which may make the concept more sense if you watch it?
I started with Ever and rate everything from Ever up to the present as 4.5 - 5 stars. I've heard the previous albums but didn't feel the need to own them. I like the tunes from the first two albums when I hear them live with their more modern, mature sound but not as much on the studio versions. The last two, Road of Bones and Resistance, took longer to click with me for some reason but I love 'em now. 1. Frequency 2. Dark Matter 3. Subterranea 4. The Seventh House 5. Resistance 6. Road of Bones 7. Ever
Is you telling me this band has FIVE albums BETTER than Subterranea?? Well, I've been playing the heck out of Road of Bones but my IQ journey will not be ending any time soon. Thanks for ranking them so I know where to go next.
So Scot another great progressive rock band iq so many beautiful albums the wake , subterranea, Road of bones 🦴 dark matter great discovery 💡 Scot I love resistance and frequency too glad you put Road of bones 🦴 at no one thanks Scot great to hear from you any day and you know what I mean prog on 🎸🥁🎹🎷🎺🪕🎻
Hard to rank these albums as I do love all of them so much. My favs change all the time. However I'd put Ever and The Wake in a much higher rank. Maybe Ever as cherry on the cake. For me no doubt Pete Nicholls is the one who fits the band better but I do love both Menel albums, even if there are a few weak parts here and there. I've grown up with Genesis since I was 13-14 yo but I have to admit that I've been listening to way more IQ than Genesis for the last 3 decades ! Great job Scot !
As a lifelong Genesis fan I'm a relative newcomer to the IQ party,I discovered them 15 years ago now and they quickly became my favourite band and I too listen to them more than Genesis these days
I find myself listening to the old records less and less… New Prog demands multiple listens - just like the old stuff!!! And I try to listen to at least 200 new Prog albums each year. Not enough time in the day!!!
I’m not really qualified for a ranking. I only have three IQ albums. The Wake, Subterranea and Road of Bones. Out of those three I really like Bones. It’s usually the album I go to when it comes to IQ. Ten Million Demons is a cool track, love the Floyd vibe of that tune but the whole album (too long lol) is really good. 🤘😳🤘 Hey, what’s that funny looking yellow album over your right shoulder? (Just kidding) I love that Rundgren album too. An under appreciated album. Kansas! Meh. Rush, Uriah Heep. Oooo… And what can you say about Time Out? Take 5 is such a classic jazz ditty. Love it.😊
@@TheProgCorner Gosh Scot. Just think about it…you’ve listened to it so many times you’ll never have to listen to it again! I’m envious Scot, absolutely greenish. 🤘😔🤘
12, Nomzamo. 11, Are You Sitting Comfortably. 10, Seven Stories Into ‘98. 9, The Seventh House. 8, Tales From The Lush Attic. 7, The Wake. 6, Ever. 5, Subterranea. 4, Road Of Bones. 3, Frequency. 2, Resistance. 1, Dark Matter. Number 1 is fixed in there but numbers 2, 3 and 4 are interchangeable for me, depending on the day of the week or whether I have eggs or cereal for breakfast on any given day… 😊
I'd like to comment about ELEVENTH HOUSE. Martin talked to me during a Jadis visit to Phoenixville, Pa RITES OFF SPRING Festival 2004- first one! I told Martin I believe ELEVENTH HOUSE was/ is an excellent IQ album, especially the keyboard parts. Martin stopped me. I didn't compose a lot of ELEVENTH HOUSE... Martin points into the adjacent bar pool room..." That guy shooting pool wearing the flaming orange trousers!" Who else is always ahead in cutting edge fashion but, J.J. Jowitt. His second cash stream enterprise was apparently pool, that weekend! As Martin finished his first solo album , IQ with JJ writing cool bass runs also were nearing completion So Paul did you pick up a slight change in the 11th HOUSE compositional style, or you just don't like the band album title?! #11 is bad luck for you ?!
That is correct. But with the distribution deal came a degree of promotion. Just a bad idea all the way around. The two Menel albums just don’t ring my bell…
@@TheProgCorneri mostly agree, although I do believe Human Nature from Nomzamo to be their best song of the 80s. I would love to know how much of the commerciality of the Menel-era sound was from the band vs how much of it was pressure from the new record label.
I was a member of I.Q.'s official fan club during the Paul Menel period of the band. The band certainly talked of the Squawk records deal as if it were a mega label, then when they were dropped from the label the headline of their next newsletter was something like "I.Q. Strangled to Death After a Long Squawk". It was made obvious that they blamed the label for not bringing them bigger success. One thing that they did get from Squawk was a 20 date tour opening for Mike & The Mechanics, but this apparently didn't stir up the level of interest that they expected.
Well. I have all IQ's albums and my rating would be: 1) Subterranea 2) The Road of Bones 3) Ever 4) Dark Matter 5) The Wake 6)The Seventh House 7) Frequency 8) Tales From the Lush Attic 9) Seven Stories in to 98 10) Are You Sitting Comfortably 11) Nomzamo 12) Resistance (I just cannot listen to it for long - it's so far below the others)
@@TheProgCorner they were my “Covid band” I went head first into their discography chronologically during 2020. During that year I became Spotify’s 0.005% top fan of the band. They are SO PERFECT
I saw this band so many times in Pubs and small cubs in the early 80s. Fantastic live. The only albums I don't like are the two with Mennel and their most recent (name escapes me)
1. The Road of Bones 2. Ever 3. Dark Matter 4. Subterranea 5. Frequency 6. Tales From The Lush Attic (the 2013 remix helps this a lot. If it weren't for that, it would be at no. 8 or 9.) 7. The Seventh House 8. Resistance 9. The Wake (PLEASE REMIX THIS!) 10. Seven Stories into 98 11. Are You Sitting Comfortably 12. Nomzamo
@TheProgCorner just focusing on the material on the album, I adore The Wake. But the production on the album is awful. The mixing is atrocious. If you can find it, the best way to listen to the album is the 25th anniversary live album from 2010.
Um...I quite like Nomzamo but it was the first IQ album I owned. Recent stuff is definitely better though and it can't be stated enough how good a live band they are. btw, in the 2011 video, you say you're not a big fan of neo-prog (I'd probably say that too) but then again... IQ, Marillion, Pendragon, Twelfth Night, Solstice, Pallas, Jadis...it's not a bad bunch, is it?
I was a latecomer to IQ with Dark Matter, but now I'm a Superfan. Gotta say though, Resistance did not do it for me. I struggled through it a few times but I found it cold, dull and overly complex (and I love complex!) To me it's the "Topographic Oceans" problem. My top 5 in no order are Seventh House, Dark Matter , Frequency, Subterranea, Road of Bones. Great hooks, perfect musicianship, surprises, etc.
Never been a fan of the band, but since The Seventh House they had some good moments. To be honest I can't listen to neo prog. But still great episode. Cheers my friend and prog on.
@@TheProgCorner To be honest I really tried to listen to neo, but it definitely does not work for me. All of those bands have great moments but overall (of course for me) that era and style of prog is just to mellow.
DARK MATTER ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLE EVER 11TH HOUSE Subterranea 7 stories into 98 Tales from the lush attic Wake Frequency Reistance Tales from the lush attic Nomzamo Road of bones... Martin Orford left IQ the record industry. When I talked to Widge at Rosfest 2004 when he appeared with Jadis. Martin had described the UK PROG scene in 2004 as a " cottage industry." He liked IQ and Jadis, but had growned especially tired of 2 industry / standards ala 2004 - a Rat race. Also in IQ compositional reguards, Widge sometimes demoed songs that he felt didn't need anything else, but the band several times pressed Martin to embelish/ tweak these songs. So his solution after stepping down was to Step OVER to his excellent 2 solo albums. One last thing Martin commented on was the term " Neo-Prog," and NWOBPR, both introduced by writers, I think KERRANG mag blathered on about these music style new waves! NEO PROGG or new prog circa 1982, was new, exciting and initially hopefull.Now the term neo prog helps to define it for easier catagorization... NEO PROG IS prog rock!
Love to see you do IQ. One of my favourites band. The live concerts are always so pure. The enemy smacks is ny favourite song. 1- Subterenea 2- Ever 3- Road of Bones 4- The Wake 5- Seventh House Live Forever live from Kleve is the best live album.
1. The Wake 2. Road of Bones 3. Tales from the Lush Attic 4. Subterrania 5. The Seventh House 6. Resistance 7. Ever 8. Frequency 9. Nomzamo 10. Dark Matter 11. Are You Sitting Comfortably Also, can we all agree - especially those of us that were there at the time (I still have my hand-numbered copy of Lush Attic - and an autographed copy of the "Barbell Is In" single) that IQ are not, were not, and never will be "NEO bleeping PROG". It wasn't a term used in the '80s, it's not a term that originated in England and only arrived by some malevolent osmosis. Also, Widge wrote a whole essay describing why he hated the term and wanted it consigned to the dustbin of history. I stand with Widge.
I have no problem with label. This channel was built on it. But yeah, IQ stand on their own!!! I am surprised to see Dark Matter so low in your rankings…
@@TheProgCorner I tried, Lord knows I tried. I just do not enjoy Dark Matter in the slightest. You missed Pallas in your New wave Prog list BTW. The "Big 4" circa 1983-4 was Marillion, Pallas, Twelfth Night & IQ - in that order. The problem with all of them was they lost their lead singers and lost momentum. Pallas without Euan Lowson were pretty ordinary. WIth him - elecrtrifying, I saw them 3 or 4 times including the Hammersmith Odeon "Sentinel" gig where Euan jumped into the audience & left through the front entrance - ending the show, might have been his last show with them.
@@TheProgCorner He went out with a bang, that's for sure - the stage set was spectacular, there was no way they made a profit on that tour. I met him before a show at the University of Surrey, quiet guy, very nice
Love you Scot, BUT, have to disagree with your order, Seventh House is SO good! Subterranea is a masterpiece! Not a big fan of Dark Matter. I know I am in the minority but Road of Bones is a bit boring to me, not a huge fan. My fav is Frequency. KEEP ON PROGGING!👍
What are the chances that the last four IQ albums really are their best? I'm guessing he thinks that No Son of Mine and Calling All Stations are the two best Genesis albums. In reality, IQ became pretty average after Martin Offord left. 1/ Ever 2/ The Seventh House 3/ The Wake 4/ Nomzamo 5/ Subterranea 6/ Dark Matter
The Frequency album is quite overrated in my opinion. The title track is great but the other stuff sounds like a warming up of a already cooked meal. But it's just my opinion
The really good discographies are all kinda like that: many little differences of opinion. The crap bands don’t have to worry about that kind of thing…
I always enjoyed Subterranea just a bit more than the others...but that's because it is a longer album, more bang for the buck, so to speak. IQ rarely missed, a cascade of great music.
It’s awesome. Just love it. Could have ranked it a bit higher but DAMN! They have a lot of really great records…
@@TheProgCorner That is the problem with IQ, if Pete Nicholls is on the album, the work is most likely amazing.
Road Of Bones is a darkly beautiful masterpiece.
It’s got that “it” factor. It’s The Rumors/Funeral Effect.
Thanks for featuring IQ.....love road of bones.....my desert island record.....Scott. Love your work ....up the republic
Nice! Road Of Bones is the bomb.
Long time IQ fan from the very beginning! My number 3 Best Band after 1 Marillion and 2 Yes: Favorite album is Frequency!
What a great rhythm section on that one: Andy and JJ are hard to beat.
I like IQ as much as I like Pendragon.
My favorite album is The seventh house followed by Road of Bones, Dark matter, Subterranea and Frequency.
Their latest is a great album. It still grows on me.
Great ranking!!!
Thank you!!! 👍👍
Ever is my #1, surprised you did not mention Leap of Faith.
Yeah, I like it but I never LOVED it. Going back over the discography really helped - otherwise Ever would have been even lower…
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
@@TheProgCorner Its all good brother, all subjective, as long as we are in agreement that the Prog Rock genre is the best musical genre of all time!
Indeed!!! 👍👍👍
Leap of faith might be my favorite IQ song, maybe together with the titlesong from Frequency. That instrumental part!!
"Frequency" will always be my #1 IQ album, followed by "EVER" then "the seventh house" but we are all different, and have our personal favourites😊
Yes indeed!!!! IQ has multiple masterpieces…
Great top 3 :)
I have a bias to the most recent stuff as well, this band just keeps getting better and better.
Indeed they do!!!
Love love love IQ. Don’t get why you put Seventh House that low after listing like 75% of the album as being great… also I love Zero Hour. Whatever. I think that Dark Matter suffers a bit from the Foxtrot derivation, I’d put it quite a bit lower (but still love every single second). The Wake is also in my top 5, they were really locked in musically and the production is much improved compared to the debut. But your rankings are good and I agree with pretty much everything you said. Aside from the re-recorded demo, I have all of their studios on CD and it’s a lovely collection of tunes.
I hear you on Dark Matter. Perhaps a bit too “literal” but my rankings just reflect my personal experience with these records. Seventh House and Ever never totally “clicked” with me. Which is kinda weird - they sound just like IQ records!!! 👍👍❤️❤️
@@TheProgCorner Yep, and I totally respect that. I started my IQ journey with Road of Bones and didn’t like it at all on first listen, no clue why. Second try, it did “click” and I needed to hear more from this band. At least we can agree that nothing on your list from Seventh House onward was a “bad” album. Standards are just that high when Frequency, RoB, etc. exist.
Exactly. They really only had two “bad” albums and they aren’t all that bad…
You got the top three spot on imo Scot. Frequency is the one i turn to the most, but all three top notch stuff.
Yeah, the Top Three is just pure magic.
looking at this video and some rankings in the comments, my opinions on some of their albums really is different lol. I don't rank ALL of them in a specific order, but there's still a hierarchy going on:
12 and 11: Road of Bones and Resistance: don't remember much from them (definitely due for listening to them again, and not just a quick fly-through like I did for some other albums on this list, so their position isn't final), but I just remember not vibing with them, sadly
10: Seven Stories into 98. It's just a really fun time. Not amazing, but I still very much enjoy it!
9, 8 and 7: Tales from the Lush Attic, The Seventh House and Frequency. They are excellent albums that are a delight to listen to. (again, I'm due for listening to The Seventh House again, so that one might move in the future)
6 and 5: Are you Sitting Comfortably and Nomzamo. Apparently I'm the only one who loves those albums! I can see why someone wouldn't like them, but to me they're fantastic. They definitely don't sound as prog as their other albums, more pop, but what can I say? It's still a genre I love! Common Ground and Wurensh are some of my favourite IQ songs in general.
4: The Wake. Funnily enough, my favourite song from that album is actually Headlong! This and Tales from the Lush Attic strongly sound like Genesis, but hey, Genesis is one of my favourite bands of all time, so I have no complaints about that!
3: Ever. I had forgotten what this album sounded like before this video. However, a quick fly through it brought everything back and MAN OH MAN IS THIS ONE GOOD, how could I forget it?!
2: Dark Matter. I don't think anything needs to be said about this one, everyone knows it's easily one of their very best albums ever
1: Subterranea. As amazing as their other albums are, to me this one stands head-and-shoulders above all of them as their magnum opus. I might be biased, since this album was my introduction to the band, but to me it's absolutely god-tier. It has everything the other albums offer and then an extra spark of magic none of the others have. It's not just my favourite IQ album, it's one of my favourite albums ever period.
Wow!!! Very interesting!!!!
Headlong is the favourite of most IQ members off The Wake.
Please do your top 10 best songs of all time
That’s a good idea!!!!
IQ with The Wake from 1985 is by far their best album. Subterrenae at number 2. Thank you Scot.
Great band!!!
Superb ranking.
Me: "What do you want to listen to Sweet One?"
Wife: "Road Of Bones"
Me. "Again?'
You married well. My wife is NOT a fan…
My entry was your number one selection and have been exploring their catalog on and off since. While haven’t deeply absorbing most of their previous work, their live recordings were awesome enough that I was willing to fly overseas to see the band live. Was hoping to see them in Copenhagen and Stockholm last year but they postponed those dates and still visited anyway, finally got to see them in Oslo in March of this year.
Wow!!! That is awesome.
One of the very few bands that always manages to deliver good or even better new material. Other bands rest on the laurels of their early days and re-market them year after year. Not so with IQ: I have the feeling that the really great feat is yet to come.
The one to beat them all? It’s in their grasp. I mean, the last four albums have been AMAZING!!!! Love IQ.
Yep. Road of Bones for me, too. Love his vocals on this album. Great cover, too!
Keep rocking!
Very cool cover!!!
There's a new album on the way! They're planning to release it next September
I heard something about that. That’s exciting news!!!!
Indeed, they played 2 of the new songs yesterday, they sound amazing
Oh nice!!!!
Your becoming one of my favorites now on You Tube. I'm a Prog Nerd and I'm learning so much from you. Thank you my friend.
Wow!!! Thank you. I know I’m not for everyone but we have started a nice little group of Prog Nerds over here. I appreciate you!!! 🙏🙏🙏
I love IQ! Great ranking, that's Rae Dawn Chong on the cover of The Wake (Tommy's daughter).
Quest For Fire!!! I love that movie…
Just wonderful Scot. I did Further Away as my first exposure to the band and just loved them. Can’t wait to do more stuff of theirs. I will take a look at your #1 and find something to off that one. All the best. Dave✅✅
Can’t wait. The IQ well is deep!!!
Frequency is my #1
I can understand that!!!
Great list, Scot! I was hoping this was coming up! I sometimes try to do a top 5 of my fave IQ albums but then I change again. Really, I think you can't go wrong with ANY of the Nicholls albums (and I like many tracks off the Menel ones too) But as "albums" yeah, the 10 Peter Nicholls albums/all great! I'll attempt to do a top 10 of those albums later on, just for fun.
I had the “chore” of listening to all 12 over the weekend just to see if any of my opinions had changed. Fantastic band!!! Yeah, the two Menel albums aren’t all that bad…
Dark Matter is #1 for me. Brilliant album!!
Love it!!!! So good. Harvester Of Souls!!!
@@TheProgCorner my first IQ album and my favorite, a nearly perfect record!!
The Road Of Bones and Dark Matter are kinda #1a and #1b…
My #1, too... Followed by Ever, which is followed by The Wake.
Hey Scott…your videos are so entertaining and informative I’m not going to argue with any of your rankings …it’s all subjective ! …keep up the great work !
Arguing is half the fun!!! 😳
Thanks a lot for the vid, just getting into IQ, also enjoyed your spots on other channels such as SoT lately. If anyone is coming to this a bit late like me, can you enlighten me as to the situation with RoB. Some people seem to consider it a double album, like on the SoT ranking, others say the second disc is a bonus disc, such as here and prog archives. It is confusing because the tracks on the second disc get equal billing with lyrics and all in the booklet. I know there was a 3 disc version, but the third disc is more obviously bonus material.
It is a confusing situation and this has become the norm for a lot of band - what constitutes the actual album “proper?” I include it all!!!!
@@TheProgCorner Yes, I think I will, thanks for the reply. I'm starting with Subterranea, at least I know that's definitely a double!
I was hoping you’d do an IQ ranking, they’re one of my all time favourites! I can never pick a no. 1 album, it’s always been a toss up between ‘Lush Attic, Dark Matter & Frequency. Top video as always🤘
I really wanted to put Lush Attic at #1 but I thought better of it. I still love it to death though. And The Wake. What a band!!!
Both great albums! Have you ever seen them live?
Sadly no.
I can’t recommend it enough! 40 years on & they’re still on top form👌
I bet!!!
I was looking for some IQ videos - there aren't many - so this was a nice watch! Great video, Scott. I wouldn't know where to start with ranking this catalog; it is unbelievably strong. Other than perhaps Nomzamo and The Seventh House - which I like rather than love - these albums could shift position every day! Today, my ranking would be:
1. Dark Matter
2. Road of Bones
3. Ever
4. Tales from the Lush Attic
5. The Wake
6. Subterranea
7. Frequency
8. Are You Sitting Comfortably?
9. The Seventh House
10. Nomzamo
We are hearing things very similarly!!!
Put me in the Seventh House club. My intro to the band, it was a slow grower (like Beware of Darkness!) and I almost sold the CD, but came to love it! And yes, they’ve been putting out one excellent album after another for the past couple of decades.
Yeah, it’s never hit me like most of their other records but I haven’t given up!!!
Amazing! You did it :) my favorite Neoprog if not Prog Band! For me a ranking is impossible. The two without Nichols are easily the Floor. But then, until Frequency, I am totally unable to rank, they are all 10/10 for me. Each has it own mood and rankings could change daily :) Strangely, i have not yet gotten fully into the two newest ones. The are maybe a bit too hardrocking and dark for me. But your show will definitely let me have another try, considering that you brought me to appreciate other albums that I did not really like before; most prominently Yes Tale of... 😊 by the way my top three IQ songs are Frequency, Leap of faith and guiding light. Just perfect, amazing, essential, instrumental, fantastic prog masterpieces. A bit humourless maybe, but for humour there are other bands available like Genesis, Jethro Tull. Enough said, thank you again!
Guiding Light. My favorite IQ track and a top ten song all time.
Saw them live at Cosmopolite in Oslo , just a short walk from home (yeah, I'm happy to have a great venue for live gigs in my neighborhood) just before Easter.
What a night that was.
Hard for me to pick a personal favourite, but these days I'm really into "Frequency".
Fantastic album!!!
I was also at the show, though was traveling from Chicago and stayed further than where you live! Also saw Barclay James Harvest the following week, which was my last night in Norway before returning home.
So jealous…
Anxiously awaited this ranking, and you didn't disappoint. Have Road of bones and it hasn't disappointed. Wondering what to get next. Value your opinion/ranking. Thanks
I would go with Frequency or Dark Matter next!!!
Dark Matter is my favourite!
Some days it’s mine too. I came thiiiiiiiiiiis close to putting it at #1. And then The Road Of Bones seduced me again…
I’m really late to the party but I’m enjoying these albums now. Thanks Scot.
Better late than never!!! 👍👍
@@TheProgCorner that’s my motto. I appreciate you listening to all these records and breaking it all down for us. I think I heard IQ many many moons ago and I passed them by because it probably was not representative of their best work.
Definitely worth a listen!!!
@@TheProgCorner oh yeah
Love IQ, I would also recommend Martin Orfords The Old Road, excellent album.
I need to give that a listen. I have heard it’s fantastic…
@@TheProgCorner You should 100%, as for IQ my Faves are Dark Matter, Frequency and Road of Bones.
The Holy Trinity!!!
I'll check 'em out! They're part of a great psychedelic revival period in the US and UK I call "The Other 80's."
For me the ones I keep going back to are Ever, Subterranea and Seventh House. I love all their albums but those 3 to me are the be all, end all.
Also a few years ago, Mike reworked some of the Lens material on A Word in Your Eye. That album is stunning ❤️
I need to listen to that!!!! I love IQ!!!!!!
IQ is certainly my all-time favorite band. The two Paul Menel disc's are a letdown, but outside of that their discography is immaculate. When Subterranea came out I was obsessed for years. The Last Human Gateway from Tales...is mind-blowing. I am hoping for a new disc next year, since they seem to release on the "4's" and "9's" It seems like The Road of Bones is most people's #1. Here is my ranking:
Subterranea
The Road of Bones
Frequency
Resistance
Dark Matter
Ever
The Seventh House
Tales From the Lush Attic
The Wake
Seven Stories into "98
Nomzamo
Are You Sitting Comfortably Yet?
I did not know that they were your favorite band. I would have dedicated the episode to you!!! Ha!!! Our thoughts here are very similar.
Just getting into this band in a big way...this video couldn't have come at a better time
They are incredible, I envy all the new discovery you will experience.
Serendipity. Kismet. Harmonic Convergence. The Secret. Hmmmmm….
IQ !!!!
Superb band!
Great ranking Scot, my top three:
The Road of Bones
Frequency
Subterranea
Love that Brubeck album !!
Brubeck!!! I grew up listening to him. Before Prog ruined my life…
Frequency is my favourite, but also like Subterranea, Resistance and Dark Matter, great band live.
Great band!!!!!!
@@TheProgCorner absolutely
I only have 6 of them
1 - Road Of Bones
2 - Frequency
3 - Dark Matter
4 - Tales From The Lush Attic
5 - Subterranea
6 - Resistance
But six good ones!!!
Hey Scot! Hope you have a prog filled day! Take care my friend. ☮️🎵🎼🎶😎
THANK YOU!!!!
@@TheProgCorner 👍😎
I've only heard Dark Matter as of right now but I might have to hear the rest of their albums too.
I think so!!!! Did you like Dark Matter?
@@TheProgCorner I loved it, so I have high hopes.
I must listen to the post Orford releases as I sort of lost interest when he left.
My introduction to IQ was Ever and saw them tour the album so that will always be my favourite. However Subterranea is their masterpiece and there is a low budget film based on the story which may make the concept more sense if you watch it?
Need to check that out!!!!
I started with Ever and rate everything from Ever up to the present as 4.5 - 5 stars. I've heard the previous albums but didn't feel the need to own them. I like the tunes from the first two albums when I hear them live with their more modern, mature sound but not as much on the studio versions. The last two, Road of Bones and Resistance, took longer to click with me for some reason but I love 'em now.
1. Frequency
2. Dark Matter
3. Subterranea
4. The Seventh House
5. Resistance
6. Road of Bones
7. Ever
Outstanding!!!
Right with you Scot love this band
They are awesome!!!
Is you telling me this band has FIVE albums BETTER than Subterranea?? Well, I've been playing the heck out of Road of Bones but my IQ journey will not be ending any time soon. Thanks for ranking them so I know where to go next.
They are such a great band. I don’t think they get enough recognition.
Just listened to like 4 albums lol i love it
So Scot another great progressive rock band iq so many beautiful albums the wake , subterranea, Road of bones 🦴 dark matter great discovery 💡 Scot I love resistance and frequency too glad you put Road of bones 🦴 at no one thanks Scot great to hear from you any day and you know what I mean prog on 🎸🥁🎹🎷🎺🪕🎻
Michael!!! Thank you!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Peter Nicholls and Michael Holmes met in 1976 at a Genesis concert, and kept in touch
Makes a lot of sense!!!!
Hard to rank these albums as I do love all of them so much. My favs change all the time. However I'd put Ever and The Wake in a much higher rank. Maybe Ever as cherry on the cake. For me no doubt Pete Nicholls is the one who fits the band better but I do love both Menel albums, even if there are a few weak parts here and there. I've grown up with Genesis since I was 13-14 yo but I have to admit that I've been listening to way more IQ than Genesis for the last 3 decades ! Great job Scot !
(Me too.)
As a lifelong Genesis fan I'm a relative newcomer to the IQ party,I discovered them 15 years ago now and they quickly became my favourite band and I too listen to them more than Genesis these days
I find myself listening to the old records less and less… New Prog demands multiple listens - just like the old stuff!!! And I try to listen to at least 200 new Prog albums each year. Not enough time in the day!!!
For me no. 1: Ever!!
Road of Bones no. 7.
Ever has a lot of fans!!!!
My list would look very different, but not number one. "The Road Of Bones" is an masterpiece.
Yes!!!!
I’m not really qualified for a ranking. I only have three IQ albums. The Wake, Subterranea and Road of Bones. Out of those three I really like Bones. It’s usually the album I go to when it comes to IQ. Ten Million Demons is a cool track, love the Floyd vibe of that tune but the whole album (too long lol) is really good.
🤘😳🤘
Hey, what’s that funny looking yellow album over your right shoulder? (Just kidding)
I love that Rundgren album too. An under appreciated album.
Kansas! Meh.
Rush, Uriah Heep. Oooo…
And what can you say about Time Out? Take 5 is such a classic jazz ditty.
Love it.😊
Ahhhh…the Kansas debut. The album I have listened to more than any other. You know I love it!!!
@@TheProgCorner Gosh Scot. Just think about it…you’ve listened to it so many times you’ll never have to listen to it again! I’m envious Scot, absolutely greenish.
🤘😔🤘
Hey, you can’t win ‘em all…
@@TheProgCorner
But I can win some of them.
✌️😃✌️
12, Nomzamo.
11, Are You Sitting Comfortably.
10, Seven Stories Into ‘98.
9, The Seventh House.
8, Tales From The Lush Attic.
7, The Wake.
6, Ever.
5, Subterranea.
4, Road Of Bones.
3, Frequency.
2, Resistance.
1, Dark Matter.
Number 1 is fixed in there but numbers 2, 3 and 4 are interchangeable for me, depending on the day of the week or whether I have eggs or cereal for breakfast on any given day… 😊
I LOVE DARK MATTER!!!
I'd like to comment about
ELEVENTH HOUSE.
Martin talked to me during a Jadis visit to Phoenixville, Pa RITES OFF SPRING Festival 2004- first one!
I told Martin I believe ELEVENTH HOUSE was/ is an excellent IQ album, especially the keyboard parts. Martin stopped me.
I didn't compose a lot of ELEVENTH HOUSE...
Martin points into the adjacent bar pool room..." That guy shooting pool wearing the flaming orange trousers!" Who else is always ahead in cutting edge fashion but,
J.J. Jowitt. His second cash stream enterprise was apparently pool, that weekend!
As Martin finished his first solo album , IQ with JJ writing cool bass runs also were nearing completion
So Paul did you pick up a slight change in the 11th HOUSE compositional style, or you just don't like the band album title?!
#11 is bad luck for you ?!
They weren't on a major label with Nomzamo. It was Squawk records, an Independent label with major label distribution.
That is correct. But with the distribution deal came a degree of promotion. Just a bad idea all the way around. The two Menel albums just don’t ring my bell…
@@TheProgCorneri mostly agree, although I do believe Human Nature from Nomzamo to be their best song of the 80s. I would love to know how much of the commerciality of the Menel-era sound was from the band vs how much of it was pressure from the new record label.
The million dollar question!!!
I was a member of I.Q.'s official fan club during the Paul Menel period of the band. The band certainly talked of the Squawk records deal as if it were a mega label, then when they were dropped from the label the headline of their next newsletter was something like "I.Q. Strangled to Death After a Long Squawk". It was made obvious that they blamed the label for not bringing them bigger success. One thing that they did get from Squawk was a 20 date tour opening for Mike & The Mechanics, but this apparently didn't stir up the level of interest that they expected.
Opening slots rarely translate into widespread commercial success. If it did, Gentle Giant would have been HUGE in the US market!!!
Road of Bones rules 😍
It really does!!!
My favorite "Song" is "Guiding Light"!
Amazing track!!!
Well. I have all IQ's albums and my rating would be:
1) Subterranea
2) The Road of Bones
3) Ever
4) Dark Matter
5) The Wake
6)The Seventh House
7) Frequency
8) Tales From the Lush Attic
9) Seven Stories in to 98
10) Are You Sitting Comfortably
11) Nomzamo
12) Resistance (I just cannot listen to it for long - it's so far below the others)
Maybe Resistance will click for you one of these days!!!! 👍👍👍
1. Dark Matter
2. The Wake
3. The Seventh House
Nice!!!
I LOOOOOVE THIS BAND SOOO MUCH. My top 5
5. Dark Matter
4. The Wake
3. Ever
2. Subterranean
1. Frequency
They are just amazing.
@@TheProgCorner they were my “Covid band” I went head first into their discography chronologically during 2020. During that year I became Spotify’s 0.005% top fan of the band. They are SO PERFECT
I obsess over bands too…
Now that is a top 5 that could be from me :)
I saw this band so many times in Pubs and small cubs in the early 80s. Fantastic live. The only albums I don't like are the two with Mennel and their most recent (name escapes me)
Resistance? Wow. I love it. I think they really stretch their legs on that one. But it does feel a bit like Road Of Bones leftovers…
1. The Road of Bones
2. Ever
3. Dark Matter
4. Subterranea
5. Frequency
6. Tales From The Lush Attic (the 2013 remix helps this a lot. If it weren't for that, it would be at no. 8 or 9.)
7. The Seventh House
8. Resistance
9. The Wake (PLEASE REMIX THIS!)
10. Seven Stories into 98
11. Are You Sitting Comfortably
12. Nomzamo
Good call on The Wake.
@TheProgCorner just focusing on the material on the album, I adore The Wake. But the production on the album is awful. The mixing is atrocious. If you can find it, the best way to listen to the album is the 25th anniversary live album from 2010.
Did you miss the 25th Anniversary boxed set of the Wake?
I did. I always loved that album. And yeah, the production is not good…
Um...I quite like Nomzamo but it was the first IQ album I owned. Recent stuff is definitely better though and it can't be stated enough how good a live band they are.
btw, in the 2011 video, you say you're not a big fan of neo-prog (I'd probably say that too) but then again... IQ, Marillion, Pendragon, Twelfth Night, Solstice, Pallas, Jadis...it's not a bad bunch, is it?
I guess I am a Neo Prog fan…
I agree with a lot here, ' The Seventh House' is poor for me and 'Dark Matter' is my Favourite x
Nice!!!!! I’m glad I’m not alone…
I was a latecomer to IQ with Dark Matter, but now I'm a Superfan. Gotta say though, Resistance did not do it for me. I struggled through it a few times but I found it cold, dull and overly complex (and I love complex!) To me it's the "Topographic Oceans" problem. My top 5 in no order are Seventh House, Dark Matter , Frequency, Subterranea, Road of Bones. Great hooks, perfect musicianship, surprises, etc.
Fabulous band!!!
The last album seemed not as good to me. Too many long cuts with partial good parts.
One of my favorite bands however
Never been a fan of the band, but since The Seventh House they had some good moments. To be honest I can't listen to neo prog. But still great episode. Cheers my friend and prog on.
I’m with you on Neo but I make a few exceptions: Magenta, IQ, Comedy Of Errors and Yuka & Chronoship!!!
@@TheProgCorner To be honest I really tried to listen to neo, but it definitely does not work for me. All of those bands have great moments but overall (of course for me) that era and style of prog is just to mellow.
It’s definitely not my favorite sub genre!!!
Huge Fan of IQ I will be ranking them soon so I won't tell you mine great ranking though
I can’t wait to watch that!!! I love IQ. And RTO!!! Keep up the stellar work…
Thanks Scott
👍👍❤️❤️👍👍
Iq. Great
Amazing band!!!
For me Dark Matter is Number one followed by Frequency
Harvest Of Souls!!!!
DARK MATTER
ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLE
EVER
11TH HOUSE
Subterranea
7 stories into 98
Tales from the lush attic
Wake
Frequency
Reistance
Tales from the lush attic
Nomzamo
Road of bones...
Martin Orford left IQ the record industry. When I talked to Widge at Rosfest 2004 when he appeared with Jadis.
Martin had described the UK PROG scene in 2004 as a " cottage industry." He liked IQ and Jadis, but had growned especially tired of 2 industry / standards ala 2004 - a Rat race. Also in IQ compositional reguards, Widge sometimes demoed songs that he felt didn't need anything else, but the band several times pressed Martin to embelish/ tweak these songs. So his solution after stepping down was to Step OVER to his excellent 2 solo albums.
One last thing Martin commented on was the term " Neo-Prog," and NWOBPR, both introduced by writers, I think KERRANG mag blathered on about these music style new waves!
NEO PROGG or new prog circa 1982, was new, exciting and initially hopefull.Now the term neo prog helps to define it for easier catagorization...
NEO PROG IS prog rock!
Love to see you do IQ. One of my favourites band. The live concerts are always so pure.
The enemy smacks is ny favourite song.
1- Subterenea
2- Ever
3- Road of Bones
4- The Wake
5- Seventh House
Live Forever live from Kleve is the best live album.
Great track!!!
Frequency is the Best álbum
I love it.
1. The Wake
2. Road of Bones
3. Tales from the Lush Attic
4. Subterrania
5. The Seventh House
6. Resistance
7. Ever
8. Frequency
9. Nomzamo
10. Dark Matter
11. Are You Sitting Comfortably
Also, can we all agree - especially those of us that were there at the time (I still have my hand-numbered copy of Lush Attic - and an autographed copy of the "Barbell Is In" single) that IQ are not, were not, and never will be "NEO bleeping PROG". It wasn't a term used in the '80s, it's not a term that originated in England and only arrived by some malevolent osmosis.
Also, Widge wrote a whole essay describing why he hated the term and wanted it consigned to the dustbin of history.
I stand with Widge.
I have no problem with label. This channel was built on it. But yeah, IQ stand on their own!!! I am surprised to see Dark Matter so low in your rankings…
@@TheProgCorner I tried, Lord knows I tried. I just do not enjoy Dark Matter in the slightest. You missed Pallas in your New wave Prog list BTW. The "Big 4" circa 1983-4 was Marillion, Pallas, Twelfth Night & IQ - in that order. The problem with all of them was they lost their lead singers and lost momentum. Pallas without Euan Lowson were pretty ordinary. WIth him - elecrtrifying, I saw them 3 or 4 times including the Hammersmith Odeon "Sentinel" gig where Euan jumped into the audience & left through the front entrance - ending the show, might have been his last show with them.
I heard about that Pallas gig!!! I think it was his last performance with the band.
@@TheProgCorner He went out with a bang, that's for sure - the stage set was spectacular, there was no way they made a profit on that tour. I met him before a show at the University of Surrey, quiet guy, very nice
How cool. Those were the days…
Personally love 7th House Scott
It’s the one that I have not been able to get into. Yet.
@@TheProgCorner erosion 7th House , zero hour , guiding light 🤟🏻brilliant imo
Love you Scot, BUT, have to disagree with your order, Seventh House is SO good! Subterranea is a masterpiece! Not a big fan of Dark Matter. I know I am in the minority but Road of Bones is a bit boring to me, not a huge fan. My fav is Frequency. KEEP ON PROGGING!👍
I love Frequency too!!! But yeah, Seventh House never grabbed me. I will take some time out to relisten as I love IQ!!!
The title track and the closer Guiding Light are very moving.
maybe Rank LedZep albums based of their Progginess
They are definitely not a Prog band but they have proggy moments. You know they do!!!
It all stops here.
🦓
Great song.
@@TheProgCorner 🐐🐐🐐
What are the chances that the last four IQ albums really are their best?
I'm guessing he thinks that No Son of Mine and Calling All Stations are the two best Genesis albums.
In reality, IQ became pretty average after Martin Offord left.
1/ Ever
2/ The Seventh House
3/ The Wake
4/ Nomzamo
5/ Subterranea
6/ Dark Matter
Watch and find out!!!!! My Genesis ranking:
ua-cam.com/video/iPh0oyJleBE/v-deo.html
The Frequency album is quite overrated in my opinion. The title track is great but the other stuff sounds like a warming up of a already cooked meal. But it's just my opinion
The really good discographies are all kinda like that: many little differences of opinion. The crap bands don’t have to worry about that kind of thing…
Who TF's IQ? Keep shouting mate.
Look it up. Keep trolling mate.
Hard to explain to someone with a low rating