Albums in the top 20 you rate less than 4 stars
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=121668
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Topic: Albums in the top 20 you rate less than 4 stars
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Subject: Albums in the top 20 you rate less than 4 stars
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 16:00
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While I generally like all of our top 20 albums, there’s a few I don’t care for as much, but my rating is not to say they don’t belong in their spot. Thick as a Brick (3 Stars) I know it’s a seemingly universally loved album, it’s just never done much for me and I find myself bored by the end. Larks Tongues In Aspic (3 Stars) It is very solid, but a bit uneven unlike Court and Red where I think they really nail the song structure. Larks is more jammy which I understand the appeal of Fragile (3 stars) It’s just a bit too all over the place for me, and heart of the sunrise doesn’t appeal to me. I prefer the yes album and the 3 that follow it much more. That’s it for me  ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Replies:
Posted By: progmatic
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 16:17
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Animals. It and The Wall are overrated Floyd. ------------- PROGMATIC |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 16:18
| most of them |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 16:46
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Hmm let's see. I love VDGG but for some reason I can't get into Godbluff. VDGG have four or five albums on which I find every single song better than every song on Godbluff. Don't know why that one is so popular. Fragile. Moving Pictures, but then I'm not a Rush fan and have only listened to that album once, not enough for a rating. Hybris didn't get me in two attempts. |
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 18:14
I agree with you on Godbluff. I consider it a great album but not so great as The Least, From H to He and Pawn Hearts. In my opinion it is in a better position because it is a simpler, and more accessible than the previous, more linear, less cacophonous.
------------- "Happiness is real only when shared" |
Lewian wrote:Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 18:18
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Three stars? Surely, in my personal ranking, - Thick As a Brick - Nursery Crime - Mirage ------------- "Happiness is real only when shared" |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 18:30
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Can’t say I agree on Godbluff, def 5 stars in my book. But I do like still life perhaps a hair more. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 18:36
Godbluff gets 5 stars even for me but.... The Least From H to He Pawn Hearts they are on my top: 10/10... how can I say? Absolute masterpieces of rock music, Six strars /Five stars!  Godbluff 9/10, a mini masterpiece of prog music! ------------- "Happiness is real only when shared" |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 18:42
All are excellent albums and all get 5 from me too, I give 9/10 to the earlier two and 10/10 to the later two. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 20:02
| Almost all are fine with me, but I would like to see some Rush in there. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 02 2019 at 23:53
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There are certainly some that would be 3.5 stars in my book but the rest are fine Dark Side of the Moon Selling England By The Pound In The Court of the Crimson King ITCOTCK is important for historical reasons and has great songs but the production is horrible and it hasn't aged well. DSOTM is a commercial AOR album with some neat electronics admittedly SEBTP has my least favourite long track by a major band The Battle of Epping of Forest. A lot of bollocks really. Also a bit bored with some of the other stuff I Know What I Like and even Cinema Show lacks a punchy ending. I get the love for it though because it used to be my favourite album a long time ago. None of them of bad of course and there are other albums by these bands I adore.
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Posted By: friso
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 02:31
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I'm not that great a fan of Pink Floyd after 'Live at Pompeii' and Yes in general. These albums listed below are still mandatory listens, so I hold no grudge against them appearing so high in this list. Just not my cup of tea really. Of these albums, which I all owned at one point, I only have a vinyl of Dark Side of the Moon for audiophile listening bliss. Close to the Edge Selling England by the Pound (though the first side is lovely) Wish You Were Here Dark Side of the Moon Animals Fragile Relayer ------------- I'm guitarist and songwriter for the prog-related band Mother Bass. Find us at http://www.motherbass.com. I also enter stages throughout the Netherlands performing my poetry. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 03:02
less than  ?Then I guess that Fragile would be the first one, but from Camel downwards until Hybris, most of them would be between 3.5 and 4 BTW, it tool me a few minutes top discover where these top lists had been migrated to (they used to be on the front pages a few years back)... i guess it shows how much I care for them lists.
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 04:02
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I would personally rate Thick as a Brick 3 stars, but the rest are worthy of 4 stars+ IMO. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 04:04
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I'm not sure what good a thread like this accomplishes. I'm not doing the old man ranting at the clouds but just wondering. We certainly can't like everything. I do think that we have to acknowledge that certain music that we find unappealing has the opposite effect on other people. I find A Passion Play quite boring but I do agree that many prog fans like it and derive a high level of enjoyment from listening to it. More power to them. Life holds enough lemons for people at times and if that album makes their day then we should just be happy for them. End of rant. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 04:11
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I don't think I can see any point in this anymore. I hate rating albums with a numeric score. ------------- Bez pierdolenia sygnał zerwie, to w realia wychodź w hełmie! |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 06:15
| CTTE |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 06:24
| Fragile |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 07:02
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Less than four stars? No can do! Less than four stars to me means that it's just average music, average prog, which means quite disappointing and demeaning. 14 of them do not earn five stars in my estimation, and Mirage, and Larks' Tongues may be wavering on the brink, but I think they're all up there (in the Top 20) for understandable reasons. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 07:19
The description of 3 stars is "good but not essential", which means good! If it's average and disappointing I'd give it 2 at most.
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 07:33
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There are only 26 albums in the PA top 100 that are recorded after 1980. That should change, as current music is better or equal to ancient music. In the Court of the Crimson King is the worst of the 20. The first and last tune are excellent, the other three are dreadful and boring. Never knew why it was in the top 100. Because of its age? Larks' Tongues in Aspic has a lot of filler... The Talking Drum and LT&A Part one Per Un Amico Moonmadness never a big fan of Camel, I prefer Mirage which is worthy of four stars. Camel should not have two in the top twenty. There are far better bands that deserve a spot. Relayer Hybris |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 07:47
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Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 08:24
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I think PA's Top 20 is pretty much spot on. I'd obviously argue for Tales From Topographic Oceans inclusion but all 20 in that upper tier deserve to be there. All receive 5 stars from me!!! Least favorite? Dark Side Of The Moon. But it still deserves 5 stars.
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Posted By: emisan
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 08:41
| For me, Larks' Tongues In Aspic is the only 3 star album in top 50 PA, but maybe that's because after 10 years of intense study on prog rock, I think that King Crimson are overrated. |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 08:46
Hybris. And, also, there are easily plenty other great albums to fill that 20th spot. It has neither the quality nor the influence or impact on the genre to occupy that place, but that's JMO.
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 09:58
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Wish You Were Here 3* Don't like Have a Cigar and Shine on you Crazy Diamond is inconsistent. ITCOFCK 3* Bought it soon after its release, thought it was brilliant but now bored of it. Epitaph and the title track are great, C20th SM is brilliant musically but I don't enjoy it much now. Moonchild stinks. Red 3* Great musicians do not guarantee great music. Godbluff 2.5* Don't like Peter Hamill's vocals. End of. Fragile 3.5* Some of the solo pieces really suck, but the ensemble pieces are great. Pawn Hearts 2* As for Godbluff. LTIA 2.5* Meh. Most of the rest are 5* albums except CTTE, TAAB and Per |Un Amico, which are 4*. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 10:07
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None of them I would rate less than four stars. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 10:11
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Probably only Fragile, I only like South Side Of The Sky & Heart Of The Sunshine, half a good album does not 4 stars make. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 11:39
^ Omg, this may be prog sacrilege.  ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Gentle and Giant
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 11:55
Agreed.
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Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 12:25
So you’re saying dark side of the moon is in the same category as Styx, REO speedwagon and Boston? And how is Court horribly produced? It’s one of the best sounding albums in my collection. I’m not arguing your ratings but your reasoning seems off. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 13:58
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"SEBTP has my least favourite long track by a major band The Battle of Epping of Forest. A lot of bollocks really" Lyrically, it's one of the cleverest pieces of music ever written, but unless you come from the East End, you might not understand how funny it is. It's loosely based on a true story. In my youth, two gangs of East End hoodlums had a huge scrap over the protection rights in a part of the East End somewhere near Brentwood (which is not actually in Epping Forest). I was living in the area whilst doing my D Phil at Imperial and I remember dozens of black police cars heading out to stop the carnage. Lots of the jokes are based on Cockney Rhyming slang (eg old fashioned Staffordshire Plate = mas****ate) and if you don't know it, you won't get it. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 14:10
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Rating can indeed be tricky...but I think all of the top 20 deserve 4 stars and more. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 15:23
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LTIA and Red are just below 4 stars. Itchycock is still on the right side of the line. I'm not familiar with Hybris. Another album by the same band, Viljans Öga, is a 4- in my book. ------------- 
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Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 15:55
Great point. I agree with you.
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Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 16:10
Just read your review of Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome. Actually that's one of those in my view with every song better than every one on Godbluff. I needed a few spins to get into it but since then it's one of my all time favourites. You don't like it that much, fair enough. I do realise that I have a minority view on that album.
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Posted By: patrickq
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 19:00
| In the Court, Nursery Cryme, and Per Un Amico are three-star albums to me. I’ve never heard Hybris, which is among the six Top-20 LPs I haven’t yet rated. Of the other five, I’ll probably end up rating Dark Side and Lark’s Tongues three each: good, but not essential. |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: December 03 2019 at 22:17
I agree-- and give your comment 4 stars.
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 04 2019 at 00:07
I would rather listen to Boston's debut than DSOTM but I suppose comparing it with REO (total crap) might be a stretch. It's good AOR just not great prog imo. What type of production you enjoy is a bit subjective but I hate the drum sound totally and it doesn't feel big enough. I prefer the punchier sound of ITWOP although it's a weaker album. |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: December 04 2019 at 01:57
I have to disagree regarding DSOTM. It'c classic prog IMO, and certainly no less prog than Meddle or WYWH. However, I do agree regarding KC and the production of the debut. I think the material on ITWOP is as good as the debut though. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: December 05 2019 at 10:46
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SEBTP (barely 3 IMO) Relayer (Between 3 and 4) ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: December 05 2019 at 11:08
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For Me it would be: ITCOTCC,( Love Schizoid Man , not crazy about the rest of the album) Godbluff & Pawn Hearts (Sorry, I could never get in to VDGG) Relayer ( Has moments but not my favorite Yes album) I haven't heard much of the Wobbler album or PFM but the stuff I have heard I liked.
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Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: December 05 2019 at 15:09
Wow, One of your all time favourites... QZ/PD has got the sound and the singing better than the previous three but, in my opinion, the quality of the songs included in Godbluff is better. For my tastes, Scorched Earth and Arrow are very very good, much better than QZ/PD's songs (except Cat's Eye) ------------- "Happiness is real only when shared" |
Posted By: Braka1
Date Posted: December 06 2019 at 08:49
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Well, this will make me popular. Selling England. I just could never really get excited by this album, and it's probably my least favourite of the Gabriel-era Genesis albums, with the exception of the first one. |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: December 06 2019 at 08:52
You are only the second. I've mentioned it already ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: December 06 2019 at 09:13
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I've taken some time to collect the mentioned albums like it was a poll (I'm listening to Le Grand Sbam, so don't be surpried if I do something crazy...) There are 21 titles instead of 20, maybe there has been a change during the thread. From the most hated: Fragile 7 Larks Tongues In Aspic 5 In The Court Of The Crimson King 5 Godbluff 4 The Dark Side Of The Moon 4 Selling England By The Pound 4 Relayer 4 Thick as a Brick 3 Hybris 3 Close To The Edge 3 Animals 2 Nursery Cryme 2 Wish You Were Here 2 A Passion Play 2 Per Un Amico 2 Red 2 Pawn Hearts 2 Moonmadness The Wall Moving Pictures Mirage So there's not a single album which is unanimously rated above 4 stars in the top 20. It's a strange world ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 07 2019 at 01:05
and I'm chopped liver apparently
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Posted By: tamijo_II
Date Posted: December 07 2019 at 03:27
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I don't know about stars - don't really like the idea of a number, but besides the few i don't know good enough to give a full description I'd say all those albums deserve a pretty good review. ------------- Same person as this profile: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/member_profile.asp?PF=22524" rel="nofollow - Tamijo |
Posted By: Fischman
Date Posted: December 07 2019 at 16:41
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Just Godbluff. All others, including thos some find fashionable to disparage, are easily and indisputably worth at least4 stars. |
Posted By: frankbostick
Date Posted: December 08 2019 at 11:05
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Rush: less than 3 stars!!! |