Any Turkeys?
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Topic: Any Turkeys?
Posted By: npjnpj
Subject: Any Turkeys?
Date Posted: May 27 2008 at 02:55
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Shooting off on a tangent from all the 'best of ...' discussions, I was wondering if you could name albums that follow the following criteria:
Is there any band or artist that has released a string of albums you really enjoy and right there, slap bang in the middle of these jems there stands the one sore thumb, the mother of all turkeys that you just can't believe this band ever released, it's that bad?
I'm not talking about a band changing direction during their career and thereby falling from grace, but just this one significant dip, that you just can't understand.
As an example: I'll never get over Ian Anderson's 'Walk into Light', Deep Purple's 'Slaves and Masters', Gentle Giant's 'Giant for a Day', and (saving the best until last) Genesis' 'Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
I wonder if '90125' or 'Big Generator' are going to be mentioned?
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Replies:
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: May 27 2008 at 15:40
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Classic 'sore thumbs in a Simpsons episode' must be: "Love Beach" by ELP (although most people might say that the preceding Works Volumes 1 and 2 precipitated this) "Get Your Dog Off Me' by scottish proggers Beggars Opera was pop/rock shlock after 3 very good albums "Dance With Arthur Brown' by erm.... Arthur Brown, was just an embarrassment to the great man's legacy ------------- 
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: May 27 2008 at 16:07
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Pain of Salvation - Scarsick Metallica - St. Anger Helloween - Chameleon Queen - Hot Space The Flower Kings - Adam & Eve Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime II ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to: 
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: May 27 2008 at 16:09
| Kate Bush's Red Shoes springs to mind. It's not really such an awful album, it's just significantly less brilliant than the rest of her work. |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: May 27 2008 at 16:13
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Marillion: Radiation, Holidays in Eden --- They don't but both only have 1 or 2 really good songs. Everything else is just kinda ok (or horrible, depending on yer disposition toward Marillion)
------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: May 28 2008 at 03:38
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The Pixies - Bossanova. Doolittle, Surfer Rosa, even Tromp le Monde were great. This album stands out due to its horrible "VERY 80s sounding" production mostly. Which is odd because it was released in the early 90s and their first two albums and EP have such sweet, raw, "non-80s" values. Cocteau Twins - Victorialand. Not a terrible album at all. Its actually a good album. However, its very lacking in that they lost their drummer which forced them to become more etheral and in my opinion a bit less interesting. I still loved Guthrie's guitar work and the vocals, but without the drummer it just sounded so....new age-y. U2 - The Joshua Tree. A landmark album to so many people yet it leaves me bored and skipping most tracks. The group went from super awesome with their first 3 albums, to mediocre (Under a Blood Red Sky) to kind of lame with the J Tree. Achtung Baby at least picked up some slack, but JTree is filled with melodramatic stadium bores for the most part. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam. A Band that started awesome and got progessively more awesome with each album then came to a halt. This album basically condensed and compromised all their great albums into a tiny package of annoying pop songs with bad riff after bad riff. Coincidentally, its been quite successful. TV on the Radio - Cookie Mountain. Their first official EP was pretty good. Their first album was brilliant. Their follow up was tragic. Here was a band that seemed so promising and creative that ruined itself. The songs became boring with an overabundance of atmospheric effects and lyrics that weren't nearly as interesting and melodies that were either not really there or just not really ear-grabbing. It also seemed rather over produced. Supposedly, this is the sound they had been looking for and will probably continue to go with. The only worthwhile song was the single "wolf like me". Hopefully, Dave Sitek's production job on the new Scarlett Johanson album isn't an indication of what the next album will sound like. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: May 28 2008 at 04:42
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I never thought I'd see The Lamb Lies Down or The Joshua Tree described as "turkeys", and an album with "Moments of Pleasure" on it can never be that bad. |
Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: May 28 2008 at 08:56
They actually lost their bass player, Simon Raymonde. They didn't have a real drummer until the mid 90s, they used a drum machine instead. I saw them when they played at T in the Park with a real drummer (and some horrible session-type musos) and they were terrible, nothing like the Cocteau Twins of Treasure or The Spangle-Maker. ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
BroSpence wrote:Posted By: grahawk
Date Posted: May 28 2008 at 09:28
| I'd would agree about The Lamb Lies Down especially as it lies between two of their best. However they were on an alternate hit and miss phase. Wind and Wuthering is another turkey but And the There Were Three is a return to form. My other turkey would be Pawn Hearts - VDGG but I doubt many would agree. |
Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: May 29 2008 at 02:02
Right right. Its weird because they didn't have a bassist on Head Over Heels which is magnificent, but they still stuck to the more usual style rather than the much more spacial sounds of Victorialand. I love everything they did up to Heaven of Las Vegas, after that they went downhill. They were supposed to reunite 4 years ago for Coachella, but Fraser eventually didn't want to or something like that. |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 04:09
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Ok, so the idea is to find a bad album with good albums before and after....
Let's see.
Pink Floyd -- Wish You Were Here instantly springs to mind. It's not a bad album of course, but it gets severely owned on both sides.
Alan Parson Project -- Pyramid should qualify.
Jon Anderson -- Song of Seven is definitely a piece of crap between two gems (excepting the excellent title track.)
Due to my recent realization that Camel -- I Can See Your House From Here isn't nearly as bad as it's reputation, Camel -- Breathless might make the list. ELO -- Face The Music is a similarly borderline choice.
Peter Gabriel II is another very strong contender.
Genesis -- Nursery Cryme had the misfortune to be released between extremely strong albums.
For a far more recent example, I'd cite King Crimson -- The Construcktion of Light.
That hits the ones that I can think of off the top of my head.
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 04:10
The Joshua Tree put me off of U2.
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 08:36
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Bono's extramural activities put me off Bono. ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 08:36
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Bono's extramural activities put me off Bono. ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 09:02
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The unmemorable ELO II's sandwiched inbetween their classic barock 'n' roll debut, and the brilliant On the Third Day. Eldorado after that is pretty great too. Steve Hackett's follow up to Voyage of the Acolyte's the stinker Please Don't Touch. Then he is back on track with Spectral Mornings. ------------- Over land and under ashes In the sunlight, see - it flashes Find a fly and eat his eye But don't believe in me Don't believe in me Don't believe in me |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 10:40
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The Mars Volta's Francis the Mute is probably the most frustrating album I have ever heard, and its inbetween the brilliant De-lOused in the Comatorium and the rather good Amputechture.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 11:40
I feel the opposite: love the variety of Please Don't Touch and heard as a positive effort to distance himself from Genesis- for instance the presence of Richie Havens and two members of Kansas - found Voyage dull ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: DJPuffyLemon
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 14:23
disagree
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 15:56
Actually I think the idea was to name "turkeys". You may not like these albums but they are numbers 5 and 23 in the PA chart and generally recognised as prog classics, so not really turkeys. |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 16:46
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Yes: Open Your Eyes
..has to be just about the most horrible 'prog-related' album I've ever heard...  ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 17:32
 Knew someone would disagree. I should add Kayo Dots Dowsing Anamone with Copper Tongue, a poor album between two masterpieces.  *prepares flame shield* ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 18:11
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Collage- Safe (yeah, exactly, after the stunning Moonshine) Oldfield- Islands An island of quality away Ange- Moteur! & Vu d’un Chien (after the great Guet-Apens) Camel- The Single Factor (between Nude & Stationary Traveller) Genesis- And then there were 3 (beurk!) Hawkwind- Out & Intake (disgusting!) Hillage- Motivation Radio (between the delirious “L” and “Green” ) Like Wendy- Endgame is aptly titled: not good! Moria Falls- Embrace (not exactly after the majestic “The Long Goodbye” ) Of course the 2 IQ albums with Peter Menel on vocals Nova- Sun City is nowhere as delicious as the previous 2 jewels Pallas- Knightsmove to Wedge No where near the Sentinel Renaissance- Camera Click-click The Strawbs- Nomadness No goodness either! Taï Phong- Last Flight Indeed ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 23:50
Oh you are soooooooo wrong, my friend!  Does The Beatles Let it be count? It´s not in between their discography, although it was not the last album they recorded, it was the last put out. ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 00:25
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Peter Gabriel 2-Peter Gabriel
In the absence of truth-Isis
The destruction of small ideas-65daysofstatic
Perdition city-Ulver (controversy much)
Deadwing-Porc tree (minus a couple of great songs) ------------- 
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Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 00:52
You're dead to me.
Seriously, though, don't do that again. 
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Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 03:26
Just shows that there as many different opinions as there are people. I rate both the above mentioned albums in the top 5 studio albums of all time and the high point of Genesis' and U2s careers.
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 04:24
Ahh, if the idea is to name true turkeys, not albums that are just much poorer in relation to the albums before and after them, then neither of these qualify.
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 04:26
How did I miss this? Not only is it bad in it's own right but it was released between the KTA's and The Ladder. I guess I gave up on Yes when I realized that Tormato didn't really qualify....
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 04:34
I realize that I'm in a small but still significant minority in thinking that The Joshua Tree marks the ruination of U2. I can even understand why some people think it is one of their best albums, but for me, it represents an abandonment of everything that I truly enjoyed about U2.
I remember being at my job back in the very early '90's when I was discussing U2 with a couple of my subordinates. One was a young kid (maybe 17 or so) and the other was an army vet verging on thirty. I asked them both which was the album on which U2 sold out. The army vet fingered The Joshua Tree immediately, and the teenager adamantly refused to believe that U2 had sold out.
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Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 04:49
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What about Lost in America by Pavlov's Dog?
------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: laplace
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 05:01
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oh, hrm. Neu! 2 (slots in between Neu! and Neu! '75 I think) =) I'm appreciating music from Germany more and more lately, but this album will never be good. ------------- FREEDOM OF SPEECH GO TO HELL |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 08:59
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For me, Tull's "Too Old to Rock and Roll" was one such atypical, mid-career "turkey."
Thankfully, Ian A. & co. soon returned to form.  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: June 03 2008 at 23:35
I do not plant to! I am a big Hillfish fan but that album just doesn't do it for me. Perhaps I need to revisit it . What am I missing?, as I am open to reconsideration. ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: June 04 2008 at 02:30
| Wouldn't call it a 'turkey', since it's not really a bad album, but I find Islands the weakest link of KC's glorious career. It is definitely the album of theirs I play most rarely, and whenever I do I feel an irresistible urge to lie down and sleep - something that never happens to me with any other of the band's albums. |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: June 04 2008 at 04:01
| LOL. The B side of Islands is one of the most relaxing works known to man. It's a very pleasant way to drift off. |
Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: June 04 2008 at 05:28
I disagree. I can understand why the "experimental" tracks (Neuschnee 78, Super 16, Cassetto, Super 16 and Hallo Excentrico!) are disliked by some but what about the other tracks? Für Immer, Neuschnee, Lila Engel and Super are great tracks. Surely a turkey is an album with no saving graces? ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: June 04 2008 at 17:58
Agreed - I actually think that Neu! 2 is due for a major re-evaluation.
------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: June 05 2008 at 03:53
Similarly, I'll never forgive a certain person for ruining Tull on 'Under Wraps' - common denominator between this album & Anderson' s 'Walk Into Light'? Peter John Vetesse smothering everything in nasty 1980's synths & reducing Tull to a pop band - Grrrr. ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: June 05 2008 at 06:28
Ah! The first Tull album I ever bought. Horrible, horrible, horrible! ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: June 07 2008 at 01:27
I rate the 3 tracks at the heart of the Joshua Tree as U2s 1st, 3rd and 5th best efforts (Red Hill Mining Town, Running to Stand Still and Bullet the Blue Sky respectively). "For the Mothers of the Disappeared" also deserves a lot more attention than it has ever received and gets number 6 spot on mu U2 list. Innevitably, I rate the Joshua Tree as my favourite U2 album. With the complexity of the compositions i also believe it to be the closest in style to progressive rock that U2 have produced.
BTW - "Elvis Presley and America" and "One" are 2 and 4 on my list.
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