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Lewian 
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 Topic: Top songs on not so good albums
Posted: January 23 2016 at 07:57 |
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Sometimes an album is nothing much but a carrier of one great, great song that makes you wonder how the artist managed to either come up with the big one at that otherwise not so inspired time, or on the other hand why what surrounds it is so mediocre. Well, or it may just be the twists and turns of the listener's taste of course.
So what do you think are top songs on not so good albums?
I have a number of these.
Holger Czkuay's Der Osten ist Rot (my avatar) has "Traeum mal wieder", one of the best things ever recorded, and the rest of the album sounds as if it was dreamt up in 1/10 of the time of it's best 7 minutes.
Amon Duul II's Only Human is weak by anyone's standards but is has Kismet, which is just wonderful and one of their best if not the best.
Bjork's debut album has her great voice allright, but when it comes to the songwriting, Human Behaviour is the one song I'd put on a satellite for cultures on other planets to listen to what the human race can do at its best - while I hardly ever feel I should listen to the rest of the album.
I also love Yes's Changes but am at best lukewarm about 90125 as a whole.
Gimme more.
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Guldbamsen
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 08:02 |
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The one that instantly springs to mind is The Enid's The Seed and the Sower album. Personally I've always found it too light and airy for it's own good, but then on the other hand delivers the finest tune they ever produced in Reverberations. An astonishingly beautiful piece of music.
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Magnum Vaeltaja
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 08:11 |
The Allman Brothers Band missed the mark a little with Enlightened Rogues but Pegasus is still a classic ABB track. Another non-prog example that comes to mind is Escape off of Jeff Beck's Flash, a very atmospheric rock instrumental off of what was otherwise a crappy 80's pop record.
As far as a prog example, I'd say Rise And Fall was the only really good song off of The Sentinel by Pallas. The rest of the album bored me to tears but the intro to that one still pumps me up every time.
Many would say Ein Klein Heldenleben off of Gryphon's Raindance would fit the bill very well though I actually quite liked the rest of the album.
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when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents
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Upbeat Tango Monday
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Joined: April 10 2015
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 08:23 |
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Here goes nothing
ELP - Love Beach: "Canario" and "Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman".
Dream Theater - Falling into Infinty: "Trial of Tears"
Eloy - Performance: "A Broken Frame"
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Two random guys agreed to shake hands. Just Because. They felt like it, you know. It was an agreement of sorts...a random agreement.
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emigre80
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 11:40 |
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"Onward" on Tormato.
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Meltdowner
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 12:09 |
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"Echoes" on Camel's Breathless and "Ice" on their next album.
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Pastmaster
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 12:18 |
Yes - Release, Release (Tormato) Rush - Dreamline (Roll the Bones)
Rush - Force Ten (Hold Your Fire) Eloy - Nightriders (Metromania) Megadeth - Kingmaker, Dance in the Rain (Super Collider)
The last one isn't prog, but still great songs on a mediocre album. 
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micky
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 12:58 |
checkmate.... Silent Wings of Freedom ( Tormato). ie. That is 3 top songs.. maybe it isn't as bad an album as you all think it is. *slap* of course it is.. but not for the songs on it. 
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Pastmaster
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:13 |
 micky wrote:
checkmate....
Silent Wings of Freedom ( Tormato).
ie. That is 3 top songs.. maybe it isn't as bad an album as you all think it is.
*slap* of course it is.. but not for the songs on it.
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I actually like Tormato, it's got some great songs. I personally don't get all the hate for it.
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micky
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:16 |
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oh I do and I like it as well more than some higher regarded albums in fact...however it sounds like sh*t thanks to Wakeman's frickin Casio keyboard hahah. urggg...
the songs though.. for the most part pretty damn good. It is Yes... they simply were incapable of making less than good music. Too much talent as songwriters and instrumentalists...
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Raff
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:17 |
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The title-track on Rush's Test for Echo
"The Vigil" on Blue Oyster Cult's Mirrors
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emigre80
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:18 |
micky wrote:
oh I do and I like it as well more than some higher regarded albums in fact...however it sounds like sh*t thanks to Wakeman's frickin Casio keyboard hahah. urggg...
the songs though.. for the most part pretty damn good. It is Yes... they simply were incapable of making less than good music. Too much talent as songwriters and instrumentalists...
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Agreed. I think it only looks weak compared to....well, every other album they put out in the 1970s.
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micky
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:19 |
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yep! and not for the songs.. the production and Wakemans unfortunate choice in keyboards. though I must say.. it does become sort of endearing as time goes on...
Edited by micky - January 23 2016 at 13:20
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Meltdowner
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:23 |
I agree, the Birotron and Polymoog sound awful. Squire is great on that record though 
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micky
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:28 |
hell yeah he was!  One reason I'd take Tormato over any Genesis album for pure listening enjoyment, though not perfect, still a hell of a lot more interesting than anything Genesis ever did or had the talent to do.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Meltdowner
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:37 |
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Between ATTWT and Tormato (both from 1978), I prefer Tormato.
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micky
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 13:42 |
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for sure! Perhaps I take Duke, their best album IMO, over Tormato.. but I'd really have to think about. Perhaps the only Genesis album I'd take over Tormato.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Dellinger
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 23:16 |
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Yes: "Endless Dream" from Talk. "Harold Land" from their debut. "Machine Messiah" from Drama. And most will surely disagree with me, but I would say "Gates of Delirium" from Relayer (mostly I can't stand "Sound Chaser", and "To be Over" is beautiful, but I feel overlong and doesn't hold up for me, I much prefer Howe's instrumental shorter versions). Actually, also most would disagree with me, but "Starship Trooper" from the Yes Album.
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emigre80
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Posted: January 23 2016 at 23:48 |
I do like the instrumental versions of To Be Over, I always find the lyrics on that a bit anemic, and it kind of dampens my appreciation in the lovely melody.
Edited by emigre80 - January 23 2016 at 23:49
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Cristi
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Posted: January 24 2016 at 01:22 |
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Yes - GftO - Parallels
Jethro Tull - Broadsword And The Beast - Flying Colours
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Top songs on not so good albums