Worst Prog Albums/Songs
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Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30040
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Topic: Worst Prog Albums/Songs
Posted By: baldy flapstick
Subject: Worst Prog Albums/Songs
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 20:56
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I've seen a
thread for worst bands on here ( which seemed to go off the point
rather quickly) but haven't seen one for worst albums or songs. I'm
going to suggest three in each category which stand out for me way over
any others........ they are quite obscure mind Albums:- Realm - The Path Akron - Il Tempio Di Ferra The Field - The Field Songs:- Black September- Forever Winter Realm - Cycles Credo - The Letter I really don't like Realm or Crelm as we refer to them here in sunny Cambridge! ------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Replies:
Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 20:57
Hey, negativity doesn't get us anywhere.  ------------- 
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Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:00
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"worst" is too subjective. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: baldy flapstick
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:04
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I agree
positivism is better but nevertheless, had I been aware of how awful
these albums are I might not have wasted my money on them. I believe a
thread like this might help a few people to avoid spending money only
to find huge disappointment. Which affects you more, knowing you spent say £12 on an album which turned out to be good, or spending £12 on an album which turns out to be terrible and maybe listened to only once. As it goes, I listen to The Path by Realm quite often as it is so laughably bad that it provides huge entertainment. Many might find that odd behaviour and fair enough but the Akron album is right out there for being unlistenably awful. ------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:04
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The worst album ever might be the best for someone else. I have never had the misfortune of taking a prog album and calling it the worst thing I've ever heard. My least favorite album I own, The Divine Wings of Tragedy, is still a good album. Even though I hate the Wall, it's still a decent album.
Before you call an album "worst ever," think of the hard work that went into that album (hell, a lot of work went into Love Beach, it just wasn't up to par with the other albums). Think of the love. -------------
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Posted By: baldy flapstick
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:05
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No I'd say worst is far less subjective than best. To clarify, the albums/songs I mentioned in my opinion are bad because the composition, musicianship and production are all extremely poor. It's not because I don't like them, I really like the Realm album because it's incredibly funny. Even the cover is quite horrific. There are many fine albums out there which I don't much like and no doubt some bad ones which I do. I've played keyboards, bass and guitar in prog bands and although I'm not especially brilliant at playing any instrument I'd like to think I can tell when other people can or can't play or when they can or cannot write a good song/composition/epic etc. ------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:09
My personal least favorites are The Wall, Invisible Touch, Leftoverture and Divine Wings of Tragedy... got rid of them all except The Wall(not yet)
I love earlier PF and Genesis though. Don't like Kansas and Symphony X in general. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Cygnus X-2
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:10
I'd rate all those albums 3 stars actually (and I did, except for DWoT).  I think you need to listen to a different SX album before you completely disregard them, Ansen.  ------------- 
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The Miracle wrote:Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:11
Funny, Leftoverture is in my top 10.  -------------
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Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:12
The songs I've heard from others weren't much better... boring and about Dranonforce level of cheesiness... got better things on my priority list.------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:13
Sorry
 See, these threads don't do any good  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Cygnus X-2
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:15
I'm sorry, but nothing (except maybe Big Wedge and The Pursuit of Excellence) can reach Dragonforce cheesiness.  -------------
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Posted By: The Wizard
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:16
Top 10 sh*tty albums? -------------  
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Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:18
No, your band's demo is on that list. PWNED!!  -------------
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Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:18
Well it sure comes close... and The Pursuit of Excellence isn't all that bad ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:20
No need to apologize. You didn't insult the album, unlike the magical douchebag over there. -------------
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:26
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The worst album I have heard personally was Queensryche's Operation:Mindcrime II, if/when I get round to reviewing it, it will be lucky to get 2 stars from me.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:33
| Without a doubt Bozzio and Sheehan Nine Short Films... It hasn't been reviewed in this website and it's so awful it's better that way.... it's the first album where i couldn't find any hint of melody, ZERO, the worst singer ever (bozzio should never again open his mouth), no choruses, no structure, no nothing... for sure, both guys play as if each had two extra hands, they're really superb, out of this earth musicians, but let's hope they remain as that, a bass player and a drummer, for as song writers they are possibly the worst that have appeared in this good-song loving genre. Yes, maybe there are worse songs in hip hop and prom-mtv-rock, but I can honestly say...MAYBE NOT...and that's like saying you can go deeper than hell.... |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 21:51
| Funny- I love 'The Wall', as ostentatious and overplayed as it is. In addition to the spectacular production and Gilmour's soaring solos, it is one of the best rock theater records ever. |
Posted By: Cygnus X-2
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 22:25
When Bozzio sang with Zappa he was great.  -------------
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Posted By: yesfan88
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 23:25
 ------------- "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"- Evelyn Beatrice Hall |
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 00:02
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From what I've heard The Wall I guess thats it |
Posted By: eddietrooper
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 05:41
THE WALL IS MY FAVORITE ALBUM EVER. i WONDER HOW IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IT GETS AN AVERAGE RATING OF 4,1 ON PROGARCHIVES, CONSIDERING THE HIGH AMOUNT OF HATERS IT HAS ON THIS FORUM. |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 08:50
To be honest, it's kind of nice for me to see this sentiment. This album was hailed as one of SX's best, if not their masterpiece. Never could understand what all the fuss was about. I think it's good, but definitely not great, prob. in the 3.5 star area. |
Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 09:16
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I find Symphony X to be quite cheesy- 'The Odyssey' even more so. I didn't really hear much prog there- just pure power metal, like Helloween but worse imo.
As for worst albums:
Calling All Stations- Genesis; a truly disgraceful album. It sounds even less like Genesis than even the 80s Collins AOR did, due to the bland vocals of Ray Wilson and cheapo production work. The songs are hideously drawn out and a poor, poor album is created.
Tormato- Yes; a bit of a dog's dinner, imo. Wakeman blames the production which he called 'poor, very poor' and apparently Eddie Offord had gone a bit skewiff too. It is poorly produced, but could anyone salvage nonsense like 'Circus Of Heaven' or 'Arriving UFO'. It has its moments, but to me it's the most disappointing album they did next to 'Union', which is a complete 'everyone louder than everybody else' mess.
'Open Your Eyes' is definitely their worst- after KTA, who wanted ANOTHER AOR album??
In Concert, Love Beach- ELP; The live album has one of the worst mixes of all time, and the synth sounds are hideous (check out Pictures... for a game show style synth) as they tour some rather weak material. 'Love Beach' screams 'contractual fulfillment'...
Rhapsodies- Rick Wakeman; actually a lot of his post Criminal Record output is very weak. He's got back to some form lately but this album started a bizarre turn of novelty numbers and cheesy synth workouts that creates a godawful album.
Holidays In Eden- Marillion; their poorest, imo. Just pure mainstream rock, but in that sense I guess it's invalid as a worst prog album, as it isn't...
Are You Sitting Comfortably- IQ; what a toothless album. I nearly gave up on them as this was the first album I owned of theirs...
Caress Of Steel- Rush; an album of such over-reach and bombast that I don't think I could bear it again.
Earthbound- King Crimson; the worst recorded official live album ever??
Large Afternoon- Greenslade; a very underwhelming AOR comeback.
Equator, Different World- Uriah Heep; a band gone to seed on mediocre 80s AOR.
That's about it...a real rogues' gallery.
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Posted By: akin
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:19
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Worst albuns from prog bands I heard: - Earth and Fire - In State of Flux. Almost discotheque, very bad songs. - Triumvirat - Russian Roulette - A complete disgrace containing bad singing and bad playing - Yes - Union. A complete mess with uninspired songs. - Genesis - Invisible Touch: excluding the last song, the rest is all bad - 3 - To the power of three: People who dislike Love Beach should listen to this one (with Emerson and Palmer). You will think of Love Beach as a masterpiece compared to this one. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 12:13
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If we're just talking prog then this one wins hands down (with the caveat that I, too, think it's not productive or kind to sl*g bands/albums off). But I bought FINNEUS GAUGE "ONE INCH OF THE FALL" from my mate Malcolm at Cyclops and I'm afraid to say that it's 71 minutes of cacophonous dirge - easliy my least favourite progressive album. Vying for second are "Starless and Bible Black" and "Relayer". I'm almost alone is my dislike of both albums if this site and Rate Your Music are anything to go by. But then I like prog - which puts me in a minority anyway - I'm just in a minority of a minority. Such is life.............
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Posted By: Tormato
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 14:54
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The Wall is amazing, a bit too depressive, but great in music and concept. it really influenced my points of view about life.
Leftoverture is a masterpiece.
Relayer is Yes' best ever.
Tormato is childish and I enjoy it very much when I wake up mi inner child. It's lovely.
And I feel very sorry if you are not capable of feeling the beauty of Realm's The Path.
Its atmosphere of goodness and serenity is not for every one. One of my favorite "second league" albums.
This is my humble opinion. I'm telling what is true for me, when I'm alone in my little world listening to my music. It's not a universal truth, as yours. ------------- I like Tormato, so shoot me! Every person in the world can't think the same. |
Posted By: lightbulb_son
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 17:07
I don't understand why so many people hate The Wall
It is not even close to being my favorite PF album (tie between Piper and DSOTM), but I do not at all think its a bad album. Overplayed, yes, but not at all the travesty I've many people make it out to be. ------------- When the world is sick Can't no one be well But I dreamt we were all beautiful and strong 
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Posted By: baldy flapstick
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 18:10
well here are four reviews of that album from the Gibraltar website...... the fourth one is the true and accurate one.
------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Posted By: jplanet
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 18:59
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I just had to interject that I've always thought that the Wall is one of the best recordings of music, of any genre. ELP's Black Moon was dreadful. GTR, while it had some good guitar playing and even some good songs, was produced horribly (Geoff Downes is to blame, which is strange because his keyboard sounds are so amazing.) The whole album is so trebly and brittle that even the good songs are agitating to listen to. Maybe I should see if there's been a remaster. Tormato - If you can tell that the band's singer has kids just by listening to the album, something is wrong. Same goes for Mr. Roboto. Tough question, though -- I'm sure that I've never heard the worst prog album, I probably wouldn't listen to prog unless I saw it recommended somewhere. ------------- https://www.facebook.com/ShadowCircus/" rel="nofollow - ..::welcome to the shadow circus::.. |
Posted By: stechell
Date Posted: October 20 2006 at 12:41
I will list some of my favourite bands, and the albums I consider the weaker ones from each of them 
PF - The Wall and The Final Cut (don't think this a PF album, but a Waters one).
PT - Voyage 34 (because I don't like The Wall, it is impossible for me to like this one
 )Genesis - We can't Dance (Genesis??)
Yes - Open your eyes (I need to close my eyes when I listen to this!!)
KC - Discipline (know it is strange, but I hate the 80's feel of this).
Steve Hillage - Open
ELP - Love Beach
Camel - everything after Snowgoose
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Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: October 21 2006 at 08:34
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I think I'm going to add another one. Jon Anderson's album 'Olias Of Sunhillow' has to be perhaps the strangest album I've ever come across. It has a nigh on impenetrable concept and a drippy production and sound which is so samey, the most one could say about it is that possibly inspired Enya's whole career. A mixed blessing, I'm sure you'd agree...
Try as I might, I just DON'T get this album at all!! 
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Posted By: Uroboros
Date Posted: October 21 2006 at 09:16
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I like "The Pursuit of Excellence". ------------- Tous les chemins qui s’ouvrent à moi ne mènent à rien si tu n’es plus là |
Posted By: Sirens Cry
Date Posted: October 22 2006 at 09:07
Strange, yes but I love it! It's esoteric, melodic.... But there again, I prefer most of his solo work to Yes, anyway  Talking of 'nigh on impenetrable concepts', doesn't that also apply to The Lamb??? Doesn't stop it being any less superb - not that I am comparing Olias to the Lamb, you understand For me, the last four Genesis albums with PC at the helm. This topic has been thrashed over and over again on A N other forum (defunct at the moment??), but I just feel so cheated that Genesis were together, writing and recording, and managed to produce four albums of increasing dreadfulness, IMHO. Four albums of 3 1/2 minutes heartbroken Phil ditties, with the occasional peppering of prog (Home by the Sea, Domino, etc) ------------- Sailors beware! |
Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: October 27 2006 at 14:46
| the worst album that i listened,was the one of the german group..CITY in 1980,i buyed it,because one young lady recommend it but after listen it i sell it.sorry for my english. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 08:58
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I'm listening to "Cycles" by Realm at the moment, thanks to Chris (baldy flapstick). I was playing it the other night and couldn't understand why he thought it was so bad - and then the singing started! Horrible off key (very) sub-Anderson falsetto warbling.
It all goes downhill from there really. There's an acoustic guitar bit which is okay but doesn't fit in with the rest of the song and sounds like it's been edited into the song in the middle of a verse. Now there's a bit of piano lifted from the beginning of "Awaken", again it sounds like it's just been dropped in the middle of the song.
Then there's a drum solo, which needs no further comment. Then the keyboard player goes berserk and it ends (thankfully).
Yes, I understand they probably put a lot of effort into it, but they really need to listen to some good prog and learn from it. Then shoot the singer.
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Posted By: owenrees82
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 09:11
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I can't stand Pink Floyd in general. What the hell is Shine On.. all about. If you are gonna write a prog epic at least keep it interesting, as that intro is way too boring. Best Album I think is 'Images and Words' by Dream Theatre. Metropolis is a hard tune to better. A Change of Seasons is in my mind the greatest Prg track. Can you tell I like modern prog? Join my debate for the best guitarist in the world at [email protected] |
Posted By: baldy flapstick
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 09:24
Well now, you've been on this forum as a signed up member for not even ten minutes and I suspect you are going to upset an awful lot of people if you carry on like this. Living as I do in Cambridge, home of Pink Floyd, I am naturally biased but even so I find it hard to read a comment like this. Shine on you Crazy Diamond is the band's homage to their (now late - RIP) singer/guitarist Syd Barrett and in terms of the song's meaning both to the band and also to all their fans it is probably thier magnum opus. To not like it and to say "what the hell's it all about" is a comment entirely based on ignorance (obviously). Not liking something isn't the same thing at all as thinking soemthing is bad. I started this thread initially to ask people to nominate stuff because it is badly played, badly written, or for whatever reason there was something tangibly awful about the record/song. No-one, but no-one, can possibly accuse Pink Floyd of being either unable to play, or to be unable to compose. At the start of the thread I nominated the tracks/albums I did because in my opinion they are extremely badly written and badly performed. Not that I didn't like them, although the two most often do go together. The Realm album mentioned just above is truly terrible but I still like it becasue it is great entertainment. Had you been alive in 1975 to hear Wish You Were Here when it first came out I'm sure you would think differently, and had Dark Side Of The Moon never existed then music as you and I know it today would also not exist to some degree. Pink Floyd are absolutely pivotal to all advanced rock music written in the last 40 years and to pretend otherwise is being like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. Images and Words is a fine album in its own right and "Under A Glass Moon" has perhaps the best guitar solo I've ever heard on it. But Dream Theatre are not a patch on Pink Floyd in terms of overall influence on rock music. ------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Posted By: owenrees82
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 09:49
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I agree that Pink Floyd are a huge influence on much of today's rock music. I simply find them boring, and that is merely a personal opinion. Dave Gilmour is a great guitarist with bags of feel, but they still don't do it for me. I apologise if I offended you, but it really is only an opinion based upon their music and how it relates to me. It is in no way a comment denying their influence on us all. |
Posted By: baldy flapstick
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 09:54
Apology accepted but I will still point out again that this thread was for "what's the worst" not "which do you not like". Very different things. I recommend that you always use the phrase "In My Opinion" in the future to avoid responses such as mine in the future. Have fun on here! ------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Posted By: owenrees82
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 10:00
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In which case I would also like to point out that everything is simply an opinion. By someone saying that an album is 'the worst', this is merely their own view point, even if a number of people agree. Maybe someone else happens to like that 'rubbish' album, and to them it is great. For example (as I sure you will agree), Britney Spear's music aren't the most outstanding compositions (although produced very well), although many people, and proabably more than are fans of Yes, would say that her music is great. Im not trying to be annoying, it just comes naturally. At the end of day, difference in opinions are what makes the world go round. |
Posted By: Atomic_Rooster
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 10:40
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One of the worst albums made in my opinion is Marillion's Misplaced Childhood I loved Script, but Misplaced Childhood is a horrible fusion of unrefined neo-prog and 80's pop ballads (Kayleigh ). This seems to be a much less focused piece of work and the concept is very much bare bones. Despite what people say, most of the melodies are not very captivating and the guitars are unimpressive.------------- I am but a servant of the mighty Fripp, the sound of whose loins shall forever be upon the tongues of his followers. |
Posted By: jalas
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 13:02
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I like to be fair and respectful to people's opinions on what they like, so I will not criticize to harshly. I will simply just tell the Truth:
Fripp/Eno-Equatorial Stars. It seems like Fripp and Eno were trying to sound like Tangerine Dream. It doesn't work for me though. The CD got to track 8 and I didn't even notice. Here is what the entire CD sounds like: WWWAAAHHHHHOOOOWWWWHHHHAAAAAAAAOOOOOWWWWHAOOWHAAAAAAA...
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Posted By: Tenth Chaffinch
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 14:25
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Why are people so afraid to say worst and best. It's all just opinion anyways. Saying things are the worst makes for excellent debate, and arguments can be supported with facts and feelings from all sides. Dont be such wusses. ------------- www.myspace.com/fatherunderground |
Posted By: baldy flapstick
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 18:42
I take on board and agree with most of this but everything is not just about opinions. Some things can be measured. Like is the drummer playing in time, is the singer singing in tune etc. In all the albums of theirs I have heard, Pink Floyd's Nick Mason has never played out of time. Nothing on their albums sounds intrinsically wrong for a measurable reason. Sure plenty of people may not like it, but no-one could say it is badly played. Roger Waters voice may not be the greatest but to my ear he doesn't sing out of tune. Musicians do grades to measure their ability. The examiner is there to precisely measure the ability of the player to see if they play in tune and in time. Then there is musicality which is very open to the interpretation of the examiner. The same applies with all arts subjects and language. Is the spelling good, is the grammar correct and then comes the interpretation part and the overall use of language which is subjective. The albums I nominated, especially Realm and The Field I did so because there are times on these albums where the drummer is not in time, the singing is desperately off key, the guitar run has the wrong number of notes in it for it to be played in time and finish the bar with the rest of the band. These are measurably bad things and for most people would be very noticable and would put you off listening to an album. The quality of composition is almost entirely subjective but the quality of performance can be objective up to a point. It is fine by me for you to dislike Pink Floyd and to think they are boring, I don't have a problem with that at all. I just cannot believe that you can justify saying that Shine On You Crazy Diamond is bad. ------------- Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist |
Posted By: prog4evr
Date Posted: November 04 2006 at 06:41
I've already stated my two on another forum: 'Point of Know Return' by Kansas, and 'Asia' by Asia. |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: November 05 2006 at 00:53
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(looks left, looks right)
Close to the Edge.
(flees) ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: November 05 2006 at 04:59
AGREED
and with that: (of what I own)
Savatage- Dead Winer Dead
and Mind's Eye- Walking in H20
close behind is Nursery Cryme  ------------- |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 04:12
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Hi all, I think that "the worst" is in general the worst album of your favourite bands, the one that left you a big delusion. For me, Caravan's "Back to Front", or YES "Big Generator" are in this list.
I've seen one of you mentioned GTR, and I agree, but again, it's because from the two Steves you can expect much more.
About the songs, Camel's "Remote Romance" and Mostly Autumn's "The king's return" are very poor. The first is a failed experiment and the second was just to fill an album when Josh ran out of ideas.
I'm mentioning those songs because Camel and Mostly Autumn are in my top 10 bands.
p.s. - I can't find anything bad in the Pink Floyd's production.
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Posted By: stewe
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 08:23
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Very subjective indeed.. Big Generator is one of their finest imo (crisp production, diverse great ideas and songwriting, excellent sound and musician's performance).. I put it alongside Relayer, Fragile, CTTE, Talk.. I'm not into Pendragon much, I find them cheesy too, and quite agree with Pursuit of Excellence.. |
Posted By: epifreak
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 11:58
| Hmm....Opeth - Orchid is pretty bad. It wouldn't be that bad if it weren't for the hideous excuse for production they used on that. I spent $300 on some digital recording equipment and am running it on my personal computer, and I sound better than that. |