A few years ago, when I was knee high to a sprout, it was common for album reviewers to refer to contributions by certain bands as dense, overblown, and pretentious. If they threw in a bombastic for good measure, my friends and I knew our quest, and it was a done deal that we were seeking a 5-star album that people would talk about for decades.
Somehow, the results of these quests look a whole lot like the list of top albums on this site.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I can never understand why “bombastic” is used as a positive adjective by many prog fans. My view of the word has always been that it’s a negative and this is confirmed by the the Oxford English Dictionary which describes it as “high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.” Hardly a recommendation to me……..
You seem to be under the impression that people don’t know the definition. It is entirely possible to recognise that bombast can be pleasurable to hear. Most people can recognise bombast in prog, and this bombast is either seen as a good or a bad thing. Synonyms for bombastic include overwrought, convoluted, pompous, pretentious, ranting and blathering. These seem pretty good adjectives to describe a lot of prog, particularly some of the albums that have been mentioned so far on this thread.
Is “The Wall”, as someone has already said, bombastic? Well, it’s certainly overwrought, convoluted, pompous, pretentious, ranting and blathering - and I love it. Thus, I can recognise that the bombast (which usually would have a negative connotation) is part of what makes “The Wall” such an enjoyable listen.
Do I know bombastic has negative connotations? Yes. Have I used it before in reviews as a positive attribute? Also, yes.
While I suspect there may well be some out there who don’t know the dictionary meaning of the word bombastic, having perhaps seen it only in prog reviews, I am sure the vast majority of people who use the word DO know what the definition is. It is rather patronising and condescending to assume that those who use it do not know what it means.
Maybe it’s just me and the sort of prog genres I like which don’t tend to be what prog fans describe as bombastic or pompous - I prefer krautrock, avant garde and prog folk etc.
At the end of the day each to their own but whenever I see the word it automatically puts me off.
That sounds as if you’ve hit the nail on the head. There are certain styles of music that almost rely on a degree of bombast. If you don’t like that bombast, then you will see it as a negative attribute. For those who enjoy the bombast, then they will see it as a positive.
Boris Johnson, for example, is full of bombast. I can’t stand him, but a lot of people seem to love him.
Definitely Spartacus. Then there is ELP’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’p. A little different: Phillip Glass’s ‘Koyaanisqatsi’. Perhaps Vangelis’ ‘Heaven and Hell’?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I can never understand why “bombastic” is used as a positive adjective by many prog fans. My view of the word has always been that it’s a negative and this is confirmed by the the Oxford English Dictionary which describes it as “high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.” Hardly a recommendation to me……..
You seem to be under the impression that people don’t know the definition. It is entirely possible to recognise that bombast can be pleasurable to hear. Most people can recognise bombast in prog, and this bombast is either seen as a good or a bad thing. Synonyms for bombastic include overwrought, convoluted, pompous, pretentious, ranting and blathering. These seem pretty good adjectives to describe a lot of prog, particularly some of the albums that have been mentioned so far on this thread.
Is “The Wall”, as someone has already said, bombastic? Well, it’s certainly overwrought, convoluted, pompous, pretentious, ranting and blathering - and I love it. Thus, I can recognise that the bombast (which usually would have a negative connotation) is part of what makes “The Wall” such an enjoyable listen.
Do I know bombastic has negative connotations? Yes. Have I used it before in reviews as a positive attribute? Also, yes.
While I suspect there may well be some out there who don’t know the dictionary meaning of the word bombastic, having perhaps seen it only in prog reviews, I am sure the vast majority of people who use the word DO know what the definition is. It is rather patronising and condescending to assume that those who use it do not know what it means.
Maybe it’s just me and the sort of prog genres I like which don’t tend to be what prog fans describe as bombastic or pompous - I prefer krautrock, avant garde and prog folk etc.
At the end of the day each to their own but whenever I see the word it automatically puts me off.
That sounds as if you’ve hit the nail on the head. There are certain styles of music that almost rely on a degree of bombast. If you don’t like that bombast, then you will see it as a negative attribute. For those who enjoy the bombast, then they will see it as a positive.
Boris Johnson, for example, is full of bombast. I can’t stand him, but a lot of people seem to love him.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I can never understand why “bombastic” is used as a positive adjective by many prog fans. My view of the word has always been that it’s a negative and this is confirmed by the the Oxford English Dictionary which describes it as “high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.” Hardly a recommendation to me……..
You seem to be under the impression that people don’t know the definition. It is entirely possible to recognise that bombast can be pleasurable to hear. Most people can recognise bombast in prog, and this bombast is either seen as a good or a bad thing. Synonyms for bombastic include overwrought, convoluted, pompous, pretentious, ranting and blathering. These seem pretty good adjectives to describe a lot of prog, particularly some of the albums that have been mentioned so far on this thread.
Is “The Wall”, as someone has already said, bombastic? Well, it’s certainly overwrought, convoluted, pompous, pretentious, ranting and blathering - and I love it. Thus, I can recognise that the bombast (which usually would have a negative connotation) is part of what makes “The Wall” such an enjoyable listen.
Do I know bombastic has negative connotations? Yes. Have I used it before in reviews as a positive attribute? Also, yes.
While I suspect there may well be some out there who don’t know the dictionary meaning of the word bombastic, having perhaps seen it only in prog reviews, I am sure the vast majority of people who use the word DO know what the definition is. It is rather patronising and condescending to assume that those who use it do not know what it means.
Maybe it’s just me and the sort of prog genres I like which don’t tend to be what prog fans describe as bombastic or pompous - I prefer krautrock, avant garde and prog folk etc.
At the end of the day each to their own but whenever I see the word it automatically puts me off.
After years of reading putdowns directed at Rick on various message boards, I concluded the derision is due to the likelihood that most listeners are unfamiliar with the majority of his solo discography (it's huge, and Rick has released some questionable fare, but when he's on, he's on). His most recent (all-instrumental) outing, The Red Planet, is excellent.
Yeah, but TBH, I've avoided w**kerman's solo output after his 1984 album (which is still pompous & bombastic).
The only album I kept (and even bought in CD format) is 6 Wives.
If you've really heard nothing from the last forty years of his output, it's an understatement to say you've missed out on a lot.
Yeah, probably so, but is there anything good (as in worthy of exploring)??
JK, I'll try Red Planet some day.
.
Edited by Sean Trane - May 20 2022 at 03:48
let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I can never understand why “bombastic” is used as a positive adjective by many prog fans. My view of the word has always been that it’s a negative and this is confirmed by the the Oxford English Dictionary which describes it as “high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.” Hardly a recommendation to me……..
I don't think it is but personally I love a bit of bombast. ELP set off canons at their debut performance and critics hated it , John Peel hated it and anyone 'cool' hated it. But I seriously don't give a stuff about any of those groups. I admire and support talent. Of course ELP went off the rails big time but that was also part of the fun. My question might be 'why do people take prog so seriously?'.
BTW Rick Wakeman is also a whole heap of fun
Personally, I love me a whole BUNCH of bombast with my prog!!
Trans-Siberian Orchestra was probably the epitome of bombast from my own experience (I've seen ELP BSS etc.), that was some amazing stuff!!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I can never understand why “bombastic” is used as a positive adjective by many prog fans. My view of the word has always been that it’s a negative and this is confirmed by the the Oxford English Dictionary which describes it as “high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.” Hardly a recommendation to me……..
I don't think it is but personally I love a bit of bombast. ELP set off canons at their debut performance and critics hated it , John Peel hated it and anyone 'cool' hated it. But I seriously don't give a stuff about any of those groups. I admire and support talent. Of course ELP went off the rails big time but that was also part of the fun. My question might be 'why do people take prog so seriously?'.
I don't think it is possible to discuss "epic, bombastic, triumphant" without injecting TFTO!
I mean, the first movement is titled "The Revealing Science of God!!"
Here, have some!
also known as ... Prog course correction ... where soon after crossover prog sought to trim down the prog epic.
That reminds me of the question Stephen Colbert made to Rush: "“You’re known for some long songs. Have you ever written a song so epic, that you were being influenced by your own song, because it happened so much earlier in your career?”
Instead of "Video Killed the Rock & Roll Star," we had "Bombastic Prog Killed the Entire Genre and Ushered In Punk Rock!"
I don't think it is possible to discuss "epic, bombastic, triumphant" without injecting TFTO!
I mean, the first movement is titled "The Revealing Science of God!!"
Here, have some!
also known as ... Prog course correction ... where soon after crossover prog sought to trim down the prog epic.
That reminds me of the question Stephen Colbert made to Rush: "“You’re known for some long songs. Have you ever written a song so epic, that you were being influenced by your own song, because it happened so much earlier in your career?”
The biggest criticism from a lot of those who don’t like a lot of prog, is that it is bombastic and pompous.
The biggest attraction for a lot of those who do like a lot of prog, is that it is bombastic and pompous.
Maybe if we use "grandiloquent" instead of "bombastic"?
Indeed, that is another synonym in Roger’s thesaurus - although I’m not sure if it is one of the ones I listed, as there were a surprising number, so I picked the ones I most often see used in reviews on this site.
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Topic: Most Epic, Bombastic, Triumphant Prog Bands/Albums
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Atavachron wrote:
