TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS

Yes

Symphonic Prog

3.92 | 2773 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

reviewing "Tales..." is like writing a book review on the Bible or the Koran. how does one go about defining the definition. let me give it a try.

consisting of 4 epics, all around the 20-min mark, Tales from Topographic Oceans is a real piece of art. one does not listen to "Tales..." as music, one must revel and be immersed in it.

The Revealing Science Of God - Dance Of The Dawn (20:27): immediately transports you into another dimension. the completely eccentric arrangements, complex rhythms, and crazy finger-picking guitar work and all of that even before Jon sings the first line..

The Remembering - High The Memory (20:38): more in the same vein...

3. The Ancient - Giants Under The Sun (18:34): the shortest of them all at a mere 18:34, The Ancient is where it starts to sink in that you are experiencing that is truly once-in-a-lifetime

4. Ritual - Nous Sommes Du Soleil (21:35): all said and done, this one is my personal favourite. it has been years since i heard "Tales..." in which time i've listened to uncountable melodies, but the "Nous Sommes Du Soleil" part comes clearly to my mind (which even sings it to me in Jon's voice!)

Tales From Topographic Oceans is an immense body of music, poetry, spirituality and awareness. Yes made this with little regard of how well it would sell or how it would be received as is apparent even from the fair mixture of reviews on this site. it was released back in a time where bands played music because they loved to play and if it paid the bills, great! if not, lets get back in to work and do another one...

which is why this one is not just an essential masterpiece but one of the select few which can be called THE essential masterpieces

PS: interestingly enough, another of THE essential masterpieces was released in the same year by a bunch of fellows called Pink Floyd and another one (Deep Purple's Machine Head) just the year before...wonder what we'll be talking about in the same vein 30 years from now.

sv_godspeed | 5/5 | 2011-10-7

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