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manofmystery 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 26 2008
Location: PA, USA
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 Topic: Almost Equal & Super High Ratings: Strawbs
Posted: August 02 2009 at 22:18 |
Having noticed Epignosis' Equal Rating polls I got to thinking about one of my favorite artists, Strawbs, and their two greatest albums. I've always struggled to figure out which of these albums I liked better (currently have GNW slightly higher on my Top 1000 Prog Albums list) and it seems the reviewers on prog archives feel the same way:
Grave New World 4.26
Hero and Heroine 4.27
I'd like to say I'm surprised such an obvious poll has not already been taken but the Strawbs are so greatly ignored/underappreciated, in the prog world, that I'm really not. Hopefully there are enough fans out there to keep this on the front page of Prog Polls for a day.
Anyway, I absolutely love both albums (and many other Strawbs albums) and think they both more than deserve their high ratings but I want to know what everyone else thinks.
Didn't include a "Can't pick: too close" option so if this is too tough a decision for you then please post a picture of your brain exploding.
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 Time always wins.
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tszirmay
Special Collaborator
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Location: Canada
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Posted: August 03 2009 at 00:15 |
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A copy of Hero and Heroine is registered to join me in my grave (along a few others ) , so that I can rest in peace. A constant and loyal companion for over 35 years now! Probaly the most listened to album in my 2500plus collection. Amen!
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I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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b_olariu
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 02 2007
Location: Romania
Status: Offline
Points: 5531
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Posted: August 03 2009 at 05:23 |
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Hero and Heroine for me all the way
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Hercules
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 14 2007
Location: Near York UK
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Points: 7024
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Posted: August 03 2009 at 06:32 |
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Grave New World by a smidgeon.
It's too short and has some filler, but the album tries a huge variety of styles (and they all work) and the concept works brilliantly.
Hero and Heroine's second side is absolutely amazing, but Just Love and Shine on Silver Sun let the first side down a bit.
Still, both in my top 30, but neither's my favourite Strawbs album: that's the impeccable From the Witchwood.
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A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life.
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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator
Prog-Folk Team
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 8851
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Posted: August 03 2009 at 10:14 |
I picked H&H for the simple reason that it takes more chances. GNW is great, a masterpiece, but in the vein of other folk prog masterpieces, while H&H competes with the Genesis' , Moody Blues', and Pink Floyds of the world, the heavyweights, and gives them a real run for the money.
BTW, GNW eventually went gold in UK and H&H in Canada, so somebody has appreciated Strawbs over the years. Bursting at the Seams (also great) was also gold in UK.
Edited by kenethlevine - August 03 2009 at 10:17
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Tsevir Leirbag
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Joined: May 03 2009
Location: Montréal
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Posted: August 03 2009 at 12:44 |
They're both good. But MY vote goes to Hero and Heroine. 
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Les mains, les pieds balancés
Sur tant de mers, tant de planchers,
Un marin mort,
Il dormira
- Paul Éluard
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manofmystery
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 26 2008
Location: PA, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4335
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Posted: August 03 2009 at 21:55 |
I knew this would be a really competitive poll and so far the competition hasn't disappointed. What has disappointed (but I'm not surprised) is that the polls been up for nearly 24 hrs now and there are only 5 posts.
DAMNIT PROG ARCHIVES MEMBERS: YOU NEED TO CARE ABOUT THE STRAWBS!!!!!!!!!
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Time always wins.
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ten years after
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Joined: September 07 2007
Location: Australia
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Points: 1008
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Posted: August 04 2009 at 05:31 |
Apart from a couple of minutes of filler, the first side of Grave New World consists of Benedictus, Queen of Dreams, Heavy Disguise and New World. This is one of the truly great first sides of any bit of vinyl.
New World is one of the finest anti-war songs ever written
There is death in the air with the lights growing dim
As those who survive sing a desperate hymn
Pray that God grants you one final request
May you rest,
May you rest, may you rest, may you rest
In your grave new world
The second side is bludy good too.
(hope that isn't too large a chunk of the lyrics too allow on here )
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Hercules
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 14 2007
Location: Near York UK
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Points: 7024
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Posted: August 04 2009 at 09:12 |
 ten years after wrote:
Apart from a couple of minutes of filler, the first side of Grave New World consists of Benedictus, Queen of Dreams, Heavy Disguise and New World. This is one of the truly great first sides of any bit of vinyl.
New World is one of the finest anti-war songs ever written
There is death in the air with the lights growing dim
As those who survive sing a desperate hymn
Pray that God grants you one final request
May you rest,
May you rest, may you rest, may you rest
In your grave new world
The second side is bludy good too.
(hope that isn't too large a chunk of the lyrics too allow on here ) I agree totally. And the cover too - the vinyl has the best cover on any album, ever. I have 3 copies of the album and have the cover of one exploded on my music room wall. Better than any Van Gogh, Warhol or similar. And yes, manofmystery - Strawbs are criminally ignored on this site. You are dead right. |
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A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life.
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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator
Prog-Folk Team
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 8851
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Posted: August 04 2009 at 12:10 |
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If you think about prog folk, only Jethro Tull gets much attention on PA...everyone else is a distant second, the decemberists' current surge notwithstanding. Compare that to most other subgenres where there are anywhere from a handful to a sizable chunk of groups that people keep talking about. Prog folk is just generally not a high volume subgenre like symphonic, metal or crossover. It makes us fans special.
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Chris S
Special Collaborator
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Joined: June 09 2004
Location: Front Range
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Points: 7028
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Posted: August 04 2009 at 14:48 |
I am a huge Strawbs fan ( Not their last few albums) and I think the difference between consistent popularity of say JT over Strawbs is that JT remained good for longer? Hope that makes sense. And yet I find that the wider populace frown on albums like Deep Cuts,Nomadness, Deadlines and Burning For You. Albums hugely underrated in my book 
As for this poll I would say both excellent albums but GNW wins
this race. The line ups also are different.
I would prefer to compare GNW to Ghosts and Bursting at The Seams to Hero and Heroine. They seem like better alligned but maybe on another poll  |
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cacha71
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 31 2007
Location: Planet Earth
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Points: 326
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Posted: August 04 2009 at 15:35 |
manofmystery wrote:
I knew this would be a really competitive poll and so far the competition hasn't disappointed. What has disappointed (but I'm not surprised) is that the polls been up for nearly 24 hrs now and there are only 5 posts.
DAMNIT PROG ARCHIVES MEMBERS: YOU NEED TO CARE ABOUT THE STRAWBS!!!!!!!!! |
Hero And Heroine. I care about The Strawbs!!! In fact I care a lot about prog folk 
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http://www.last.fm/group/Progressive+Folk
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group
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Joined: April 05 2006
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Posted: August 06 2009 at 14:13 |
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The Strawbs isn't one of my favourite Prog Folk bands (I'm more acid folk -- Comus, Spirogyra etc.) but here's a bump and a vote for Grave New World.
Edited by Logan - August 06 2009 at 14:14
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Just a fanboy passin' through.
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manofmystery
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 26 2008
Location: PA, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4335
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Posted: August 06 2009 at 14:42 |
Hercules wrote:
I agree totally.
And the cover too - the vinyl has the best cover on any album, ever. I have 3 copies of the album and have the cover of one exploded on my music room wall. Better than any Van Gogh, Warhol or similar.
And yes, manofmystery - Strawbs are criminally ignored on this site. You are dead right.
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Happend to look up local record stores while on vacation here in Orlando and was lucky enough to find a copy of Grave New World. Of course, I immediately bought it and while it does have great cover art the image waiting for you upon opening the album gatefold is, dare I say, epic.
^ this is the best pic I can find containing the gatefold image. this is an old poster shown on the Strawbs website.
Love the fact that there is a tie right now, as well. This is the best poll nobody's voting on.
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Time always wins.
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LinusW
Special Collaborator
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Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
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Posted: August 06 2009 at 17:57 |
Both good albums, but my favourite is Hero and Heroine
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Alberto Muñoz
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Joined: July 26 2006
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 3577
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Posted: August 06 2009 at 18:23 |
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A vote to Hero and Heroine
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Almost Equal & Super High Ratings: Strawbs
