Which album is closest to being perfect?
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Printed Date: July 26 2025 at 17:38
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Topic: Which album is closest to being perfect?
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Subject: Which album is closest to being perfect?
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:17
| I didn't want to put more than one album per band. Yeah, the SW is a bit of an odd selection but I wanted at least one more modern release. The Anglagard is post 70's but it's very retro sounding. |
Replies:
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:23
| Foxtrot easily. I’ve never heard a more perfect album, fantastic production, incredible songs. For reference, Selling England is my 2nd favorite genesis album, but I still prefer every song on foxtrot to every song on selling England (which I consider a 9). |
Posted By: ForestFriend
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:37
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Had to go with Close To The Edge; not a dull moment to me. Didn't feel like picking "other", but Thick As A Brick is just as close. ------------- https://borealkinship.bandcamp.com/releases" rel="nofollow - My prog band - Boreal Kinship |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:38
I meant to include TAAB but it slipped my mind when I finally got around to putting it together. I suppose I could take out the Steven Wilson and slip it in but I think I'll keep it as it is.
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ForestFriend wrote:Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:41
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the Rush from this list, beyond that I'd say Drama is close, maybe Zep II . The thing about perfect is that as I've matured, perfect is not really what I'm interested in. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:42
I don't see why someone would want something further away from perfect as they get older. Perfect is subjective. It's just what you value in music.
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Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:48
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Golden Earring Moontan 5 song Euro version.Is not near perfect, it IS perfect. ------------- Shake & bake. |
Posted By: ForestFriend
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 16:57
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I suppose it depends on what "perfect" means to you. For some, perfect might mean no wrong notes, beautiful full tone, crystal clear production, every song is a hit, all the lyrics deep and poetic, etc... Which doesn't necessarily equate to a great experience. Personally, I like things that are rough around the edges and bands that take risks - really makes the music seem more human and relatable. For me, I equate a "perfect" album with whatever resonates with me the most for the entire duration. I wouldn't normally complain about an album having a few songs/sections that aren't as good as the others, but for the purposes of this thread I do take that into account. ------------- https://borealkinship.bandcamp.com/releases" rel="nofollow - My prog band - Boreal Kinship |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 17:11
I take perfect to mean near flawless, which is fine if that's what you like. But I've grown much more fond of something (all things, not just albums) that has character, soul, and imperfections. Example: I collect knives and used to like attractive designs with all the features I want. But now I'm much more interested in old vintage knives that show their age, wear, corrosion, patina, and individuality . ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 17:12
Yep. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 17:17
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Perfect for me means no wrong step and may be associated with a lack of risk taking. I can appreciate perfection but I'd agree that this is not the first thing I'm interested in. Many of my favourite albums have striking imperfections. I hardly find any flaws on KC-Discipline though, that's probably be the flag-bearer of perfection among my favourites. From the list probably DSOTM is the most perfect in a positive way. Hybris aims at perfection and maybe succeeds, but it doesn't succeed to get me interested.
Well, I assume you consciously asked for what's close to perfect and not which one is our favourite!? |
Posted By: Fischman
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 17:20
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Rush for sure in this one. Although CTTE & DSOTM are also damn near perfect.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 17:45
I guess for me personally I would find it easier to enjoy music that was closer to perfect as opposed to being further away from it(if I had to choose). I can't speak for knives though. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 18:16
Well let's use a musical example-- I far prefer Zeppelin's Presence over ZoSo or HotH. But few would argue that Presence is a more perfect record than ZoSo, or almost any other release of theirs. As well, give me Band of Gypsys over Hendrix's debut, Axis, or Electric Ladyland. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 18:21
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godbluff is perfect, so easy vote or me ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 18:26
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No album is perfect. Otherwise it would clean my house and bring me a martini :D -------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: tdfloyd
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 20:47
| Darkside of the Moon and the line forms to the right |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 21:26
| Interesting results so far. Is anyone else besides me surprised that CTTE only has one vote so far? |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 22:04
| It's a hard choice between Close to the Edge and Hybris. They are both, indeed, perfect trhoughout. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 22:06
| Oh well, I guess I have to go with Yes, my second favourite band, and it's not just a perfect album, but THE perfect prog album. |
Posted By: Cambus741
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 22:19
| when I saw the title of this poll, the first album I thought of was Afraid of Sunlight |
Posted By: Cambus741
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 22:20
| out of the selection I had to go for Close to the Edge. Three absolutely brilliant tracks. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 22:27
Floyd is number one for you or is it Rush?
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Posted By: tamijo_II
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 23:33
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Today i'd pick "Gentle Giant - In a Glass House" if i'd have to spin one of those listed. Perfect I such a strange word - rings negative in my ears. ------------- Same person as this profile: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/member_profile.asp?PF=22524" rel="nofollow - Tamijo |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2019 at 23:40
| Glad to see not everyone thinks the same thing. Out of control giggling, rambling on about death and other things, chiming clocks, a beating heart, a guy running out of breath and crashing airplanes does not make for a perfect album imo. |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 00:16
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I voted for "Other (please specify in thread)": Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts Without the "Other" option, I would have voted for Yes - Close to the Edge, with Änglagård - Hybris a close second, both of which (in addition to Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts) I regard as perfect albums. I do not regard Van der Graaf Generator - Godbluff as a perfect album.
------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 00:20
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CTTE for me, but I would likely have voted for LTIA if it were an option. Very close! Foxtrot is also within a whisker, but I'll keep CTTE for this poll. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 00:56
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CTTE Interesting that Camel have not been mentioned. I find them a little boring personally but albums such as Mirage and the Snow Goose are just about as 'perfect' in terms of production, playing and composition that I've heard . After that Supertramp ' Crime Of The Century' also springs to mind. ELP are my favourite band but 'ego lead' bands are never perfect!
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 01:02
I'm planning on doing a part two and will probably add snowgoose or moonmadness. I use the top albums on here as a general guideline but I am trying not to turn it into a list of the top 10 or 20 PA albums. Anyway, I think all prog bands are ego led bands so maybe that's why there's no such thing as a perfect prog album.
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Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 01:38
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Close to The Edge, hands down. Then I'd pick In a Glass House. ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 02:22
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None of those come close IMHO. It's hard to call any album perfect, but if pushed, I'd go for: The Snow Goose - Camel Moonmadness - Camel Argus - Wishbone Ash Unleashed - Wolfstone The Tain - Horslips Sleepwalking - Gerry Rafferty Fully Interlocking - Solution A few others come close (The Last Bright Light and For All We Shared by Mostly Autumn, The Road of Bones by IQ and Folklore by Big Big Train) but modern albums tend to be much longer, making it very hard to maintain the highest quality throughout. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 02:59
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Camel - Moonmadness  |
Posted By: Gentle and Giant
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 03:36
| VDGG - Godbluff |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 03:47
------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 04:17
| From the list I'd pick "Close to the Edge". But, I would say that King Crimson's "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" should be somewhere on that list. |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 05:21
That's a really really surprising nomination. I like Gerry Rafferty and I think that Sleepwalking is overall not bad, a mixed bag with some highlights, however I remember this being shredded by critics when it came out. He doesn't look very healthy on the photo on that album and arguably it shows in the songs... allmusic gives this 2 stars and although of course one can disagree with them, I'm surprised to find anyone who'd rate this higher than City to City.
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Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 05:22
| Moonmadness is indeed perfect |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 05:28
As was to be expected, it has more votes now... personally I think it has many qualities but "perfection" is not one of them. They let go in many places, and the album has quite a bit of stuff that is there for the fun of playing and showing off rather than having a perfect album where everything is exactly in the right place... (not commenting on whether these "imperfections" ultimately contribute to the album's quality and status). By the way I'm currently listening to On Dark Silent Off by Radian and that's as perfect as they come. (They should be on this site really.)
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 06:07
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hard to really vote against Dark Side as the personification of 'the perfect album'... and I ain't doing it... ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 06:45
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My vote would go to Steely Dan – Aja Honorable mentions post 2000: Frost* - Milliontown Thank You Scientist – Maps of Non-Existent Places Bubblemath – Edit Peptide Hiromi – Spark The Aristocrats – Culture Clash Big Big Train – English Electric Part One Freak Kitchen – Cooking with Pagans Antoine Fafard – Proto Mundi Marco Minnemann – Broken Orange Riverside – Anno Domini High Definition Spock’s Beard – V Honorable mentions pre 2000: The Bears – The Bears Dream Theater – Images and Words National Health – Complete Bill Bruford – One of a Kind Jean-Luc Ponty – Enigmatic Ocean Frank Zappa – One Size Fits All Allan Holdsworth - IOU
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Posted By: tboyd1802
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 07:45
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DSOTM... ------------- He neither drank, smoked, nor rode a bicycle. Living frugally, saving his money, he died early, surrounded by greedy relatives. It was a great lesson to me -- John Barrymore |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 08:15
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Roxy Music - Avalon one of the most perfect explorations of lush and etherial music that rock music will ever come . -------------  
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Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 08:18
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Close to the Edge. No doubt about this. ------------- 
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Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 08:38
yes it is perfect---still amazed these guys could do a note for note perfect album---not a self indulgent moment on it.
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Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 09:32
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Another other from me.Steely Dan Aja ------------- Shake & bake. |
Posted By: zwordser
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 10:12
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Maybe Close to the Edge from the list. Funny, though, how just about a week ago I listened thru Chris Squire's Fish Out of Water, and was thinking how "perfect" the album was: that I just love every track.. So, that's my choice. ------------- Z |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 11:00
Right you are..... ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 12:22
He certainly wasn't in a good place when he recorded it and it shows in the lyrics. But the band really stretch out on songs like Standing at the Gates and A Change of Heart, and songs like The Right Moment and Wise as a Serpent are just exquisite. I first heard it in the mid 80s in a friend's car driving through Glencoe on a climbing holiday, and it just fitted the place. It's by far his best album for me. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 12:39
| Everyone is on the board now. |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 13:29
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Oooh, yeah, going with Foxtrot! ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 14:25
I listened to it again today thanks to your mentioning it. I only had the last three down as highlights in my memory, but actually many more songs are great. There are only one or two on which I'm not that keen, so I'm with you, it's a very good and very underrated album!
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 17:47
Good news. It's nice to go back and rediscover an album. The reason it got slated may have something to do with the fact that there's no attempt to write a hit single. I get the impression he just wanted to make an album the way he wanted, expressing his state of mind. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: November 09 2019 at 21:32
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Other. None on the list are perfect. I suggest instead one of these: Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Jade Warrior - Floating World, Steve Hackett - Spectral Mornings Gong - You ------------- A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now) |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 12:39
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Other: Eris Pluvia - Rings of Earthly Light David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive Clannad - Dulaman Midlake - Courage of Others Perry Leopold - Christian Lucifer |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 12:49
| The other option isn't so you can list a bunch of albums that aren't on the list. Please pick just one and stick with it. |
Posted By: Dopeydoc
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 12:54
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Close to the Ege. |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 12:55
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That's a solid line up of greatness right there!!! I kinda think they're all perfect. (But you know I voted for CTTE.)
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Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 13:28
OK! Eris Pluvia - Rings of Earthly Light
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Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 13:38
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Close for me between Moving Pictures & CTTE. Went with Rush. I don't love Witch Hunt but everything else is awesome!
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 11 2019 at 14:16
I don't love vital signs but everything else is great.
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Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: November 12 2019 at 06:20
Shakes head dejectedly....... Sorry, I just don't get it! None on the list for me are perfect: DSOTM comes close, but for Money. For me, these come very very close: The Human Equation - Ayreon The Road Of Bones - IQ Frequency - IQ Weather Systems - Anathema The Spell - Cellar Darling
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Posted By: digdug
Date Posted: November 12 2019 at 07:30
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Other.... Thick as a Brick from the list Dark Side ------------- Prog On! |
Posted By: socrates17
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 09:02
| Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 12:25
| Other: Wigwam´s Fairyport. From list I would have chosen KC. |
Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 15:22
If you mean perfect prog album I totally agree and this site being a prog site you can't go past CTTE, but if you mean perfect album then you can't go past DSOTM which spent over a year as number one album in the charts and consensus supplants individual opinion.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 17:55
Well said. |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 18:21
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From the list Hybris. Over all..A non Prog album...Rumors by Fleetwood Mac.
------------- 
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Posted By: King of Loss
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 19:00
This one should be obvious! 
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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 19:48
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No fanboy pick here, the answer is Dark Side of the Moon. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 19:49
It has something to do with your avatar, I bet. I'm on my phone and can't see that well, but the greenness is unmistakable. It's Muppets: The Green Album!  Great choice. I'm going with this:  That's right, it's Bobby Watzat?'s Hard Booty -- it's a tale of hard luck and a literal fall from grace, from rock bottom to booty-shaker supreme. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 20:16
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Oh i can feel the hate for posting this :D  ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 20:27
Remarkable album from an historical point of view. Not a masterpiece for quality of the music but good album, solid and innovative. ------------- Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion. |
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 20:39
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Perfect album? ------------- Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 20:51
| ^Near and close mean pretty much the same exact thing! Lol. |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 21:13
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No no, see it's near but it's not close ok. |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: March 26 2020 at 21:19
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Other - David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive or Eris Pluvia - Rings of Earthly Light
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Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: March 28 2020 at 02:41
| Perfection is not my cup of tea that I drink sometimes with sugar, sometimes not... but I played DTOTM on my new and expensive CD player last night. It was perfect until the chorus(es) of US and THEM. Never liked them. It's not the melody but I wish they had been played softer. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: March 28 2020 at 04:00
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: March 28 2020 at 04:22
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Hi, Hi, For me ... it's all of them ... no exceptions! I do not define music the way that the OP expects or asks, I don't think! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: March 28 2020 at 10:31
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Other: Kaipa - Kaipa (1975) Not a single bad track on the album. ------------- 
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Posted By: Braka1
Date Posted: March 29 2020 at 05:00
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I'd have to say 'Dark Side'. I've always considered it to be a 'perfect' album in that I couldn't think of anything I would change to improve it. Close to the Edge - the track - would rank at least as highly - but as an album I feel it is ever so slightly let down by 'Siberian Khatru'. Not that there's anything wrong with it; for me it just doesn't have the same goosebump-raising emotional/cosmic awesomeness of the rest of the album.
------------- Believe me Pope Paul, my toes are clean |
Posted By: A Bard
Date Posted: March 29 2020 at 07:19
| For me it genesis Selling England By The Pound |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: March 29 2020 at 20:03
| ^ If it weren't for "Battle of Epping Forest" it would indeed be very close for me too. |
Posted By: handwrist
Date Posted: March 30 2020 at 04:53
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Magma's MDK. Soft Machine's Third. ------------- http://handwrist.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - My Music http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=9405" rel="nofollow - PA Page |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: March 30 2020 at 05:09
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Tough choice between CTTE and DSotM but I'll go with Pink Zoyd.
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: March 30 2020 at 05:45
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Went with DSOTM from this lot, but there are several I would put ahead of any of them: The Road Of Bones, The Human Equation, Weather Systems, Images And Words, to name but a few.... |
Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: April 15 2020 at 09:34
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Close To The Edge ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |