Worst album from a prog band/artist?
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Topic: Worst album from a prog band/artist?
Posted By: hugo1995
Subject: Worst album from a prog band/artist?
Date Posted: January 09 2020 at 15:40
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These aren't the worst, but the third Egg album (which came four years after they broke up and was an album made of unused material basically) was not *bad*, it just sounded nothing like Egg and sounded more like an inbetween of Gilgamesh, Hatfield, National Health. Canterbury was never the same for me when they dropped the hammond for the electrical piano, but some albums are truly great (Rotters Club and Another Fine Tune to name a few!) Soft Machine - Fourth was not bad, it has some great Jazz tracks. But it was also nothing like the first three albums that were defined by 'prog, psychedelic and pop with fusion in between'. Fourth wasn't even fusion really, it was just Jazz. Bands sometimes need to change and revolutionize, but they effectively took a step back in time when they made a Jazz album. Keep in mind that even Miles Davis had revolutionized into Fusion a few years earlier. What are some other albums from great bands that just aren't good or sound nothing like them. ------------- interests: Moon Safari, Gilgamesh, Egg, ELP, Soft Machine, Gong, Opeth (Everything pre watershed), Brighteye Brison, The Flower Kings |
Replies:
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 09 2020 at 18:58
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Le Orme's Smogmagica comes to mind. ------------- |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: January 09 2020 at 20:00
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Camels The Single Factor, contract obligations. I also don’t like stationary travelled though I know many do, it’s not what I look for in the band. Thankfully they had a fantastic comeback after a series of meh albums with Rajaz ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 00:25
I wouldn't say I dislike The Single Factor album but I agree that it's Camel's weakest album. I really like the Stationary Traveller album though.
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dougmcauliffe wrote:Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 05:50
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Love Island, anyone? ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 05:55
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How about these for a start? Yes - Big Generator Genesis - Calling All Stations ELP - In the Hot Seat Eloy - Ra ELO - Balance of Power ------------- ---------- 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: Spacegod87
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 06:30
| I guess the obvious one is 'Love Island' by ELP, but I'm also going to say 'Wind & Wuthering' by Genesis. I just could never gel with it, although I did try at least. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 06:39
I can understand not liking wind, besides a couple tracks I find it somewhat dull and one dimensional at times. With that said I’d still put it miles above the first and last offerings, but if we are talking their prog era, I agree it’s the weakest. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 07:21
all reasonable choices but I think Yes Open Your Eyes is just awful
 much worse than BG.---which has a few good moments. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 07:29
 ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 07:41
| I would say Union but In The Hot Seat is really, really bad too. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 07:58
I'm not keen on The Single Factor and it's one of their weakest albums, but it's not bad. I think Stationary Traveller is a very strong album and, having finally bought Dust and Dreams and Harbour of Tears, I think they are both fantastic albums. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: Mirakaze
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 09:26
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I think Yes has quite a few stinkers in their discography, but Heaven & Earth is probably my least favourite.
I'd say both of ELP's 90s albums still fare a lot better than To The Power Of Three... ugh, that one makes Love Beach sound like Beethoven's 9th symphony if you ask me...
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Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 10:05
One can never underestimate how contagious hairy chests are. ------------- ---------- 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: progaardvark
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 10:06
Right you are. That one was so bad I forgot it even existed! ------------- ---------- 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: Mormegil
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 10:14
Apologies - I've blocked it so well I can't even call it by its correct title. ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 10:53
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The Civil Service...the 3rd Egg , actually is rated at 3.87...higher than the first one here at PA. I think it's a good lp. Regarding 'bad' prog ,,,,as many have said, Love Beach is at the top of the list. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 11:17
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Tull Underwraps Zappa The Man from Utopia and Thing-Fish Crimson Three of a Perfect Pair |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 13:07
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I think I may as well start a new thread called "Is Love Beach the Prog equivalent of Plan 9 From Outer Space?" Or maybe just design a web site to the vitriol surrounding it. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 14:19
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Jethro Tull - Warchild Rush - Roll the Bones ------------- 
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 14:24
Why is Love Beach considered as ELP's worst when there's In the Hot Seat?  |
Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 14:42
| Dredg's Chuckles and Mr Squeezy from the ridiculous album cover to the left turn they took musically. No wonder it was their last album, hopefully. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 15:03
| It's a choice for me between "Lizard" or "Larks Tongues in Aspic" for the worst album by King Crimson, although I haven't listened to their more recent albums. |
Posted By: Mirakaze
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 15:30
For me, THRAK is probably King Crimson's least successful outing, which is not to say that I think it's a bad album per se, but I don't think they really managed to marry the KC sound of the 70s with that of the 80s in a convincing way that doesn't end up as stale imitation, and for my taste it has too many straight-forward pop/rock songs that don't really stand out to me.
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Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 15:35
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I think beat is the clear worst tbh ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Braka1
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 16:19
'Warchild ' is Tull's worst album? I never cared for it that much, but I don't think it's even their worst album of the 70's. ------------- Believe me Pope Paul, my toes are clean |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 16:29
| I think Calling All Stations is the worst Genesis album. |
Posted By: Braka1
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 16:37
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Triumvirat's 'Russian Roulette' is a contender. Amon Duul II - pretty much anything after 'Made in Germany'. If any of them are worse than 'Only Human', I don't want to know. ------------- Believe me Pope Paul, my toes are clean |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 23:18
------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 23:28
I just don't get it that people don't like Stationary Traveller.
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Posted By: Mirakaze
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 23:39
It's not good, but it's at least self-aware and ridiculous enough to be entertaining in its own way, whereas "A La Carte" is just sappy saccharine fluff
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Posted By: Braka1
Date Posted: January 10 2020 at 23:51
Maybe that's the one I'm thinking of. I can remember the music but don't strongly associate it with a specific album or cover. Just that it was one of the worst cases I can remember of a formerly prog band utterly surrendering to what they evidently thought was commercial pop. Which might not have been a complete disaster, except they turned out to be truly awful at it. ------------- Believe me Pope Paul, my toes are clean |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: January 11 2020 at 00:17
The cover mainly Love Beach is still ELP regardless of how bad it was but in The Hot Seat was not even ELP as on one track there are even session musicians playing. ITHS is definitely ELP's worst. Love Beach has only one real stinker of a track and that is a Taste Of My Love All I Want Is You ( decent radio type fodder) Love Beach - ( Carl plays really well , ignore the lyrics!) The Gambler - Female backing vocals lifts this song A Taste Of My Love ( yep this is 100% shyte) For You ( decent Greg Lake song , one of the better tracks) Canario ( not a fan but generally this is quite well liked) Memoirs Of An Officer and A Gentleman ( Starts strong but fades towards the end but not a bad end of career epic at a time when no one was doing epics) Overall I think it rates about 2.5/5 but admittedly nothing on it gets close to the glory days |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: January 11 2020 at 05:28
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On some of the contenders: Eloy - Ra: Good choice, terrible album. What was wrong with Frank's ears at the time? Camel - The Single Factor: Not a top album by any standard but has a few nice songs and listening to it isn't too bad - played as random music in a pub I'd probably say "they show good taste". Amon Düül II - Only Human. This has the amazing Kismet, which is one of the best songs ever. The rest of the album is largely forgettable, still overall there's much space below it. King Crimson - Beat: Straight five stars if you ask me. I've never heard Love Beach and chances are I never will. Why would I? There are some 2000 albums that I haven't heard yet and I'd be interested in listening to first.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: January 11 2020 at 06:18
I don't think Love Beach is a bad album, I've never paid much attention to the lyrics though, I'll admit that. But half of In the Hot Seat is unlistenable. And they cheat by playing Pictures... again, reworked.
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Posted By: Mirakaze
Date Posted: January 12 2020 at 02:11
Beat has a bunch of forgettable tunes but also a few that I really love ("Neurotica", "Neal And Jack And Me"). On the other hand, when I look at the track listing of THRAK (the thrack listing, if you will), all I think is "eh..." I do think it's funny how everyone seems to have their own least favourite KC album
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Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: January 12 2020 at 04:46
I'm a dinosaur, somebody is digging my bones...
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Posted By: Bitterblogger
Date Posted: January 21 2020 at 00:42
| God forbid Yes releases anything if its anything like Heaven and Earth |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: January 21 2020 at 01:05
I don't think they made a bad album, although if I had to rank them, Beat would probably be my least favourite. I really like Thrak. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Fischman
Date Posted: January 25 2020 at 08:51
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Jethro Tull - Too Old For Rock and Roll, too Young to Die On paper, this should have been the next Aqualung. But in execution it was a dismal disappointment, desperately lacking in the wit, satire, or pathos we had come to expect from Ian Anderson. It just falls completely flat at first and gets annoying from there. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: January 25 2020 at 10:41
The worst album I ever heard by Mike Oldfield was "Heaven's Open" (1991) which he only recorded to fulfil his contractual obligations to Virgin Records. He was saving his Tubular Bells II masterpiece for his new label the following year. 
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: January 26 2020 at 23:54
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^ it's not a great album but he did take it seriously and regarded it as a culmination of the song writing strand of his career . Unfortunately it's painful but it wasn't meant to be! TB2 is very weak to my ears. Watered down version of TB. TB3 was more interesting to me as it had nothing to do with the original album and he was beginning to incorporate his Ibiza influences and somewhat successfully imo.
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Posted By: Mirakaze
Date Posted: January 28 2020 at 01:16
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I got so pissed off the first time I heard TB2. You're finally free from your old restrictive record company, you make a "sequel" to your most well-known and highly acclaimed album and you just make it an inferior rewrite that follows every single cue of the original? It's probably not the worst item in his discography (he's made a lot of crap in his later days) but it's absolutely the most expendable. I don't know why he even made it, except as a quick cash-in and to troll Richard Branson. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: January 28 2020 at 01:58
Shock horror! I actually prefer Tubular Bells II & III to the original. I just watched both albums performed Live over the last couple of nights.
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 28 2020 at 05:31
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I thought "Division Bell" by PF was a very weak album, perhaps their worst. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: January 28 2020 at 05:39
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Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: January 28 2020 at 05:42
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: January 28 2020 at 19:46
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Pink Floyd - the final cut Yes - Open Your Eyes Genesis - We can't dance King Crimson -beat (it's still pretty good though actually) Spock's Beard - Day for night (haven't heard it in ages though) The Flower Kings - Adam and Eve Rush- Vapor Trails (I just bought the remixed version and it's growing on me; my biggest complaint is the stripped down sound since I like keys and strings and miss them on this Rush release). Gentle Giant- Giant for a day ELP- love beach(and even this one isn't quite as bad as some make it out to be. Still it's probably their worst or one of them(I never heard the hot seat). Jethro Tull- Catfish rising Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz(rock island probably isn't too far behind it) Moody Blues - Keys of the Kingdome(same as JT as far as snoozing goes).
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: January 29 2020 at 00:24
The album Incantations is so much better than the chopped in half live version. I regard that as one of my desert island discs because it's four sides and all are delicious! Return To Ommadawn is quite nice and pleasant but well overrated considering there is not one single memorable part in it. TB3 in the DVD (which PP refers to) is really good and there is the oddity of Richard Branson being in the audience. Man On The Rocks is probably the one MO album I really just can't listen to. Even worse than Heavens Open although they are both pretty dreadful imo. I don't mind some of his later albums such as Guitars , Voyager, Tres Lunas and Light + Shade . None of them are especially good but I can at least listen to them!
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: January 29 2020 at 02:16
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^^ Yes, I noticed Richard Branson was enjoying seeing Tubular Bells III being performed Live on Horse Guards Parade in London when I watched the DVD again recently.
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