The Masterpieces from the ’Big 5’

Progger wrote: BTW, GENESIS NEVER MADE ONE MASTERPIECE. A MASTERPIECE IS A FLAWLESS PRODUCTION AND GABRIEL ERA ALBUMS ARE SO POORLY PRODUCED, SO WHEN YOU REVIEW A GENESIS ALBUM YOU SHOULD USE A FOUR STAR SYSTEM!

I completely disagree. I don't care about production at all; what counts for me is the music. There are several albums that are poorly produced but which deserve 5 stars, in my honest opinion. Not that I think any Genesis album should get 5 stars, except perhaps for "The Lamb", but the reason for that is definitely not the quality of production. It is probably a typical male viewpoint; for me as a woman some badly produced albums get 5 stars, like "Vital" by Van der Graaf Generator. Yes, the sound is muddy, but the music blows you away. Nothing but 5 stars for an album like "Vital".

My selections:

Yes - Close To The Edge

Genesis - none

King Crimson - The Night Watch

ELP - none

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

 

Yes also produced a near-masterpiece in Relayer, although the sense of structure isn't as strong as CTTE.

I like Genesis a lot, but I don't think any of their albums deserve 5 stars.If disc 1 of The Lamb is considered as a seperate entity that would qualify as a masterpiece of progressive rock.

King Crimson have always been at their best live, and The Night Watch is the 1974 band at their absolute best. That concert was also used for over half of Starless and Bible Black, probably their best 'studio' album.

I'm not much of a fan of ELP, although there are some tracks that I love to bits. The debut album and Trilogy were their strongest albums, but even then the standard isn't consistent.

Wish You Were Here is the most fully realised of Floyd's albums, although DSOTM and Animals both come close.

 

A few alternative suggestions:

1. Magma - Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh
2. VDGG - Godbluff
3. Gentle Giant - Octopus
4. Gryphon - Red Queen to Gryphon 3
5. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom

Without which no prog collection is complete.

The only GENESIS album that I would give five stars is Wind and Wuthering!

Winter Wine wrote: ^ I love Octopus but I would never put it before Foxtrot or The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Genesis had FOUR albums I would give 5 stars to, and they deserve it!!!!

in a popularity contest sure...  if talking shear creativity, musical ambition and all that jazz.  I would put Octopus before a great many albums.  It was a truly progresssive album.

Yes

• CTTE
• Relayer
• Tales

Pink Floyd

• Ummagumma
• Wish You
• Meddle

Genesis

• Nursery Cryme
• Foxtrot
• SEBTP

ELP

• BSS

King Crimson

• ITCOTCK
• Red

(I need to hear more KC)

Winter Wine wrote: I wonder where Andrew is???!! I'd like to see what he says

Here i am!!! Five Stars Album??? OK;

YES:

1. The Yes Album
2. Fragile
3. Close To The Edge

GENESIS:

1. Selling England By The Pound
2. Foxtrot
3. Nursery Crime

KING CRIMSON:

1. Lark's Tongues In Aspic
2. In The Court Of The Crimson King
3. Starless And Bible Black (or Lizard)

ELP:

1. Pictures At An Exhibition
2. Brain Salad Surgery
3. Elp
4. Trilogy

PINK FLOYD:

1. Atom Heart Mother
2. Meddle
3. The Dark Side Of The Moon
4. The Wall

I would like to add some other bands:

GENTLE GIANT:

1. Octopus
2. Three Friends
3. Acquiring The Taste
4. Gentle Giant

CAMEL:

1. Moonmadness
2. The Snow Goose
3. Mirage
4. Rain Dances

CURVED AIR:

1. Second Album
2. Phantasmagoria
3. Air Conditioning

JETHRO TULL:

1. Thick As A Brick
2. Aqualung
3. Stand Up
4. Benefit

RENAISSANCE:

1. Ashes Are Burning
2. Scheherazade And Other Stories
3. Turn Of The Cards

VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR:

1. Pawn Hearts
2. H To He - Who Am The Only One
3. The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other

CARAVAN:

1. In The Land Of Grey And Pink
2. If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You

GONG:

1. Radio Gnome Invisible Part 2 - Angel's Egg
2. You
3. Radio Gnome Invisible Part 1 - Flying Teapot

STRAWBS:

1. Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios
2. Grave New World
3. From The Witchwood

FAMILY:

1. Family Entertainment
2. Music In A Doll's House
3. Fearless

BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST:

1. Gone To Earth
2. Everyone Is Everybody Else
3. Octoberon

FOCUS:

1. Focus 3
2. Hamburger Concerto
3. Moving Waves

 

Edited by ANDREW

Genesis - Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound and maybe A Trick of the tail
Pink Floyd - Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals
Yes - Fragile, Close to the Edge
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
ELP - none

Progger wrote: People seem to forget that Genesis only became 'big' in the 80's. If were talking purely about prog rock then Genesis cannot be considered a top 5 band!