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SteveG
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Topic: What are your favorite unappreciated Prog albums? Posted: August 05 2014 at 10:07 |
Everyone has at least one Prog album that they really love but seems to be thrashed by everyone else including friends as well as critics. What are some of your favorite unappreciated Prog albums and, more importantly, why should they be appreciated.
Edited by SteveG - August 05 2014 at 15:06
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Rick Robson
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 10:28 |
^The great majority of the prog I enjoy are either trashed or unknown by my brazilian friends and the brazilian critics, exception still made to Pink Floyd and Aerosmith (even though I consider them prog-related).
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HolyMoly
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 10:35 |
I really love "Gate to Infinity" by Earth and Fire. Common wisdom states that all their albums after 1973 are a waste of time, but I personally enjoy them greatly. As a matter of fact, few people even really mention them at all, and probably just believe the 2 or 3 people who have bothered to review them and said they're crap. I've done my best to turn the tide of critical opinion, but since their later albums gradually leave prog rock behind in favor of Europop and even disco, it's a hard sell for a PA audience. "Gate to Infinity", however, still has enough prog elements to warrant mention as a "prog album" for the purposes of this thread.
Edited by HolyMoly - August 05 2014 at 10:36
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presdoug
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 10:47 |
Gentle Giant-The Missing Piece-this album gets derided, but shouldn't, really. The music therein has a wonderful, free spirit to it, and is catchy without being trite.
Wallenstein-No More Love-this album is still prog enough to be a great record of the band, though it is seen as the beginning of the band's commercial slant away from prog. That's kind of unfair, as it is quite moving and meaningful lyrically and instrumentally in a prog sense.
Libra-Winter Day's Nightmare-the second album from this RPI band gets ignored, and unjustifiably so. The band, still led by the late, great Federico D'Andrea, prove that Libra could still be Libra, and this record is a good companion to their previous debut album.
Edited by presdoug - August 05 2014 at 10:49
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Epignosis
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 11:00 |
These four of my 5-star reviews have an average rating of 3.51 or less.
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SteveG
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 11:06 |
^ Wow. All really good albums.
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HolyMoly
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 12:07 |
Of course, 3.51 isn't too bad a rating.
I'm interested in that Geddy Lee album now. Never got around to hearing it.
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The Doctor
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 12:30 |
Genesis - Abacab (probably one of the most hated albums by a prog band) Yes - Fly From Here (I think it's a great album and better than anything since Keys...don't think a lot of people share my opinion on that). Only prog-related, but Black Sabbath - Born Again Rush - Presto (my favorite of their 80s output, with Grace a close second, MP third and Signals & PW tied for fourth. HYF is way way behind them all). BTW, Holy Moly, I have E&F's first four albums and love them. I'll have to check out Gate to Infinity. Nothing wrong with a touch of disco here and there.
Edited by The Doctor - August 05 2014 at 12:31
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HackettFan
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 18:51 |
Henry Kaiser - Moose and Salmon. It's just a wee bit too experimental for everyone I personally know other than me. I like it, though.
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dwill123
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Posted: August 05 2014 at 19:02 |
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Tom Ozric
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 01:38 |
I have several - early-80's Renaissance early-80's Grobschnitt ........that pretty sweet Earth And Fire album HolyMoly speaks of - Gate To Infinity AND - those 2 'Prog Collective' albums instigated by maestro Billy Sherwood. Sure he uses a basic template, full of cliches, rather simply structured pieces but all-star performances. I know they are not ground-breaking, nor are they even supposed to be, but I love each and every track on both albums and I think it is a great idea that such an artist, who deeply has respect for the whole Progressive genre, and is an amazing musician in his own right, can command such talent to add to his vision. I dislike what he contributed to Yes, though The Ladder is quite fine, but these collective projects are too enjoyable for me.
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richardh
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 01:49 |
Seventies I would say Refugee but then their album has a good rating so not sure if they are underappreciated. Kayak's first four albums are also excellent with great symph prog before they turned into a standard issue AOR band (Merlin aside) but again the ratings are okay.
ELP - Works Volume One and Two feature some great tracks but the unfocused nature of both these albums does admittedly let them down. There is a 4 star album of about an hour long screaming to get out if you select the right tracks
More recently I would say Par Lindh is massively under appreciated possibly because he has not recorded that many albums. Veni Vidi Vici is a favourite of mine and not at all derivative of classic prog (a lot of modern symph prog is)
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ProgMetaller2112
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 02:03 |
Gentle Giant- The Missing Piece(This should be appreciated because they have a good mix of Prog (Memories of Old Days, For Nobody, As Old As You're Young) and just plain awesome music (Two Weeks in Spain, Betcha Thought We Couldn't Do It, Mountain Time,etc) Gentle Giant - Giant for a Day! (This should appreciated because it is just a fun album and please do not think "Prog" and enjoy it for what it is) Yes - Tormato(This is very under appreciated and I don't know why. It is a fun, fun album with greats like Future Times/Rejoice, Madrigal, Release, Release, Circus of Heaven ,On the Silent Wings of Freedom ) Yes - The Ladder ( This one has the vibe and emotion just like other Yes albums with Mr. Anderson) Rush - Power Windows (This one is just interesting and a very different album when compared to Moving Pictures or Signals as you can't even tell if it's the same band) Rush - Hold Your Fire (Rush continue to explore a different vibe)
These are some that come to mind as don't get the hate behind these
Edited by ProgMetaller2112 - August 06 2014 at 02:23
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Tom Ozric
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 05:52 |
Yes - Union ! I prefer this over ABWH.......
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Moogtron III
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 06:34 |
HolyMoly wrote:
Common wisdom states that all their albums after 1973 are a waste of time
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Really? Well, I love To The World Of The Future from 1975. Haven't tried out Gate To Infinity, though, indeed because I thought it would be no good anymore. Well, some more homework.
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Moogtron III
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 06:36 |
The Doctor wrote:
Genesis - Abacab (probably one of the most hated albums by a prog band)
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Solid album!
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Moogtron III
Prog Reviewer
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 06:37 |
ProgMetaller2112 wrote:
Yes - Tormato(This is very under appreciated and I don't know why.
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Because of the more modern production, the lack of grandeur and the fact that the albums contains mainly short songs. But a great album indeed!
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irrelevant
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 06:38 |
HolyMoly wrote:
Common wisdom states that all their albums after 1973 are a waste of time
| #drprogandwalteraintgotnothingonme
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HolyMoly
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 07:37 |
Moogtron III wrote:
HolyMoly wrote:
Common wisdom states that all their albums after 1973 are a waste of time
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Really? Well, I love To The World Of The Future from 1975. Haven't tried out Gate To Infinity, though, indeed because I thought it would be no good anymore. Well, some more homework. |
Point taken, I believe the 1975 album has its share of fans - opinion seems divided on that one. Me, I gave it five stars. I think if you like World you'll also like Gate, though side 2 is pure pop, be warned. But it's really good pop.
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My other avatar is a Porsche
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased.
-Kehlog Albran
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HolyMoly
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Posted: August 06 2014 at 07:38 |
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My other avatar is a Porsche
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased.
-Kehlog Albran
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