Best Albums for a beginner

My recommendation: Pawn Hearts.

 

Some may say their music is not accessible enough for the beginner, but I don't buy into that viewpoint.

 

 

Try... 

Izz - Don't Panic

Big Big Train - English Electric Part One

Spock's Beard - V

Echolyn - The End is Beautiful

Sieges Even - Paramount

The Aristocrats - Culture Clash

Mike Keneally - Dancing

Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory

Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All

I don't think there's anything good for "beginners" in general. People's connection to music is individual, what scores with one person may not score with another.

With love for Pearl Jam and the Chili Peppers he may get more easily into Cardiacs than into later Genesis or WYWH. More psychedelic stuff like Hawkwind or Amon Düül II may be worth a try, the Ummagumma live album, or even Can. Already mentioned: Porcupine Tree In Absentia and Deadwing, maybe King Crimson Red or Discipline...    

Hi,

(Welcome to the Board)

I agree ... in most cases in my experience it has been the "surprise" factor that has gotten someone else involved in the progressive side of things ... if your friend is one of those folks that goes about chewing a toothpick and humming the beat, you might as well not bother (I guess!!! Never know!).  But if the person is a serious listener, that appreciates music, not just a song or two on each of the albums you mentioned (ask him!!!), then I say ... go for broke ... he probably has no idea how far music goes and can go.

I took a friend of mine that has a massive collection of progressive music, from the 90's mostly (I mean everything!) and it took me a couple of years to get his attention to hew music ... I started by playing the first cut from Pineapple Tree's Deadwing album full blast on my freshly re-conned speakers, and it got his attention. Then this and then that and then this ... today, he has no issue hearing the strangest, the weirdest and the craziest stuff, although I have not pressed MAGMA on him yet, but he knows I went to see them twice here in Portland ... so I think he has heard it ... but all in all, the best way ... is rip it at the top and don't choose ... DON'T CHOOSE ... unless you know things well, but otherwise, I would make a long poster on the wall and look for the albums listed and mark them on the wall ... and start at the beginning (around King Crimson likely!) and such, and see how he takes to it ... I remember that folks hated 20TH CENTURY SCHIZOID ACIDHOLE .... but 40 plus years later, many folks will be disappointed to go see KC if they do not play it! How times change!