"Classic Rock Presents Prog" readers' all time best prog albums

Voted for the poll winner, which was the correct winner. :)

people seriously listen to a band named spock's beard?

seriously though, no Magma, no cred.

okay love rush n'all but SNAKES & ARROWS?

and moving pictures is good but it's one of the least proggy rush records

lol token Opeth

tie between Brain Salad Surgery & Rock Bottom IMO

moss from the it crowd is in a band?

No Love Beach, no credibility.

Magenta: Seven

Oh jesus fucking christ. Apparently Spock's Beard are better than Gentle Giant, Gryphon, Nektar, Focus, PFM etc etc grrrr

Yeah I wanted to vote for Gentle Giant ;_;

voted for tull

I don't get Rock Bottom being on this list. Matching Mole, sure, even Live at Drury Lane...but that makes about as much sense as labelling Another Green World prog.

I wouldn't call Space Ritual prog either, but I'm tempted to vote for it.

Surprised myself slightly and went for Going For The One, which may well deserve it for "Awaken" alone, but there are other Yes albums pretty much equally deserving. (For me, it was always going to be between the Yes albums.)

even Relayer?

no fruup, no cred

and did i read that wrong or is there really no aphrodite's child? 666 slays half that list

close to the edge still feels like the perfect prog record to me

true. also, eloy > genesis

also baffled by lack of gentle giant but cmon dudes court of the crimson king is fucking awesome

no drama, no cred
man - in - a - white - caaaaaaaaaa

voted red

Torn between the two Crimson albums

I like Discipline more than either tho, even though it;s not really a prog album

olias of sunhillow or gtfo

VdGG for me, although Pawn Hearts is far from their best.

wanted to vote wyatt because he's my boo (not my fave album of his though), but voted court of the crimson king because i like that album better.

Obviously some of their readers are more familiar with recent prog than with older prog. The inclusion of those recent Rush albums still puzzle me though.

Spock's Beard are great, in spite of what you may claim, but "Snow" is not their best album. And Flower Kings are much better anyway.

Ach Geir, too many options on minority interest subject = poor poll. Also I don't have a bleeding clue here. Lots of records that deserve love, I can't think of one that I'd honestly place head and shoulders above. If Still Life was up there I'd find this do-able.

Also I take it you voted for The Lamb or am I way off-beam?

Yes, I did. Like the majority of "Prog" readers. :)

The Lamb = a side too far, as I've said before.

Tempted to vote for The Wake because it'll get no love, but that runs out of steam towards the end too. Also the best bits of Thick as a Brick are as good as anything here but the glue isn't all that tbh. Fuck I really can't do this at all.

Or, wait, no I didn't vote "The Lamb", I voted "Selling England" of course. The best ever album by anyone ever!

And "The Wake" does have its supporters on ILM. At least IQ do, unlike most neo proggers.

Its supporters = me and Pash, I think.

Most of these are terrible - I only like about, um, two and a half of these records. Agree with Magma, Eloy, Aphrodite's Child being much better. And while I don't really think of it as prog, Space Ritual absolutely kills everything else on this list, so that has to be my vote.

Opeth: Watershed

So is this the Opeth album of choice?

I'm happy enough to think of Hawkwind as prog, so voting Space Ritual was an easy choice.

I agree that the wrong Van Der Graaf Generator album is listed. I read the issue, fun stuff, though the articles are mostly too brief. I also did not realize proggies liked Muse. I always saw them as mere bombastic, poptastic Radiohead clones. I've heard all their albums and could never get into 'em.

None of these. Its the first Todd Rundgren's Utopia album. 'The Ikon' rocks.

have to give this magazine points for trying. barrel's drying out in terms of undiscovered garage/psych, kraut, and postpunk; prog might harbor the most remaining exciting finds. something tells me though that a magazine called classic rock presents prog, with a list like that (where's le orme?), isn't gonna end up being all that helpful of a lost treasures guide

Torn between the two Crimson albums

― ∅ us (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, July 17, 2009 2:05 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

if anyone votes for dream theater i am using suggest ban for the third time ever

Would have voted Still Life, am now probably edging towards Relayer. Surprisingly few albums I'd consider voting for. "Fear Of A Blank Planet" is probably inside my top 10 for god's sake

If ITCOTCK was all as good as Schizoid Man, it'd be out in front, but it's a great example of an album whose reputation basically hinges on the fact that it has four ok-to-very-good tracks and one stone-cold game-changing best-song-of-decade contender

Relayer for me. It's a tough call with CTTE and 2112 on there though.

Cannot decide between Red and Space Ritual. Wd possibly vote for pretty much any other VdGG album.

lol at my post being stereotypical proggish choices for people who don't like prog etc etc (partly true and partly the list's fault)

I *do* like Pawn Hearts a helluva lot, and may vote for it

have to give this magazine points for trying. barrel's drying out in terms of undiscovered garage/psych, kraut, and postpunk; prog might harbor the most remaining exciting finds. something tells me though that a magazine called classic rock presents prog, with a list like that (where's le orme?), isn't gonna end up being all that helpful of a lost treasures guide

Well yeah the trouble with old-school prog fans in the UK is they all seem to think Marillion are some kind of Year Zero band, hence the love for Magenta and loadsa other shitty neo-proggers no-one's ever heard of. No way could a festival like NEARFest happen in this country, which is a shame really as the time is probably right to make prog a bit more acceptable. A lot of the NME old-guard have given up on it now it seems (apart from the ones at The Wire), and I think a lot of younger music fans don't know or care about the punk vs prog thing.

the latter point is inarguably a good thing

Marillion are probably very terrible from what I've heard

There's an NME old guard?

Pawn Hearts is awesome.

I had a sudden surge of affectionate loyalty for Angel's Egg when it came to voting, but the clear-headed choice would have been Close To The Edge.

marillion sucks so that's too bad about the UK. i would've thought that Radiohead would've changed minds but i guess not. maybe things would be different over there if ground zero moved up to OK Computer and neo-prog started meaning like Ilk and United Bible Studies instead

where's Mansun - Six and Oceansize and Youthmovies amirite

no cheer accident no credibility!

Yeah I wanted to vote for Gentle Giant ;_;

― kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Friday, 17 July 2009 09:41 (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

also thanks to divers ilx0rz who convinced me to love Gates of Delirium, I chose Relayer. Going for the One is better imo but 25% less proggy.

also knock The Mars Volta all you like but they deserve representation here

AA was I not the most virulent persuader? :D

other ILXors in turn have opened my eyes to Awaken, for what it's worth

"gates of delirium" is awesome. relayer's almost as good close to the edge

xp Awaken is the only time Rick Wakeman will ever give you an orgasm.

That's what they told his wife, but still she married him

also even though i kinda do find queensryche loveable....i don't really think operation mindcrime is prog per se....

it's mostly just conventional 80s metal songs stitched together by a loose "narrative" and a lot of heavy political jive talk....just doesn't really feel prog to me even though queensryche always got billed as prog metal, they don't do any exploratory type instrumental sections, no real feel of any kind of questing type soloing thing (or conversely any real mind garden type psych sonic landscapes either)...i dunno...listen to it and tell me if you think different but to me being a really pretentious metal concept album does not prog make

i mean...i dunno...is "band on the run" a prog record? is ziggy stardust?

Morning sex was never her thing :(
xp

The Crim I would have voted for (Larks' Tongues) isn't on here, so fuckit, no vote.

Free Hand is my faves Gentle Giant album (tho of course Octopus has the best cover).

I voted for "Nursery Cryme", it wasn't a difficult choice, it's one of my favourite records ever in any genre.

Magenta & Spocks Beard GTFO, jesus! Terrible. Spock's beard I'm kind of convinced actually finished the genre off, and I do think it's a dead genre now. Certainly very little I've heard since they hit (cough) "big" has grabbed me in any way whatsoever. Spocks Beard are the prog oasis,and symph is prog's equiv. of post britpop/dadrock guitar sludge, I guess.

so geir loves it?

Also, Matt H is so so OTM about "Operation Mindcrime", actually most "prog-metal", Dream Theater and all their followers, it's just fancy athletic-achievement metal really, very little that's progressive about it to my ears.

So is this the Opeth album of choice?

Apparently the least metal one, at least according to the article in the mag.

prog might harbor the most remaining exciting finds. something tells me though that a magazine called classic rock presents prog, with a list like that (where's le orme?), isn't gonna end up being all that helpful of a lost treasures guide

This is the furrow that's already been plowed over and over, man. Going back to the days of loads of CD reissues, through to over-entitled mp3 bloggers begging for praise for the shit they "discover" and "share", ppl have been doing the crate-digging thing for a long, long tim w/progressive music. I heard many, many micro-releases when I worked at the used rekkird store and in retrospect there wasn't a lot to hold the interest, long term. Lots of rare releases w/one good bit and a shitload of filler. enough ones without even that.

So is this the Opeth album of choice?

Add me. I love IQ, although I might actually like their post reunion stuff from the mid 90s onwards better than the somewhat too "new wave-ey" 80s stuff.

Also, Matt H is so so OTM about "Operation Mindcrime", actually most "prog-metal", Dream Theater and all their followers, it's just fancy athletic-achievement metal really, very little that's progressive about it to my ears.

Agree about "Operation Mindcrime", and possibly a lot of Dream Theater (the Dream Theater track in the "Prognosis" CD coming with the Prog mag sounded too me like 90s Metallica, although at their best and catchiest). But early Dream Theater definitely had some moments where you can hear the prog elements in their music. Even including a couple of really complex 20 minute suites.

pashmina, not to be argumentative, but wake me up next time a lost prog band outside of mp3 bloggers and micro-collector circles gets this kind of treatment http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/5124
you see it almost every day with psych, garage, post-punk, what have you, never with prog rock bands. could be that prog rock just is inherently no good, some might say, but that's pretty unlikely

You know, what prog needs for the revival (because there is a revival) to really get the attention of the media is for one new prog band to be really huge. And that band has to be obviously prog, not metal (see Dream Theater, Opeth) or indie (see Radiohead, Muse).

I guess the closest contender out of today's crop would be Porcupine Tree, who sell more copies each time around, and are constantly extending their fanbase.

I tried to listen to that last Porcupine Tree album, but jesus christ those lyrics about playstations and disaffected teenagers were worse than a fuxxxoring Korn song.

i don't really care if there's a revival or not, but the media blackout since the late 70s or early 80s or whenever is really fucking boring. i get the point already that rock critics want readers to think they're too hardboiled or whatever to admit they listen to yes, but what i don't get is how come the prevailing fetish for obscurity completely ignores 70s prog rock bands from sweden or finland or wherever that no one's ever heard of. wouldn't mind being tipped to some of those every now and then alongside reviews of like the latest arthur russell or j-dilla unearthing

I tried to listen to that last Porcupine Tree album, but jesus christ those lyrics about playstations and disaffected teenagers were worse than a fuxxxoring Korn song.

One of the plusses of bands that use made up languages ...

btw I wasn't kidding about Cheer Accident, they are a band i think lots more ppl would love if there weren't relegated to the weirdo midwest skronk rock skin graft records ghetto...they are TOTES prog and very unique and distinctive

Cheer Accident is great ... that other prog Skin Graft band with the long name that there's no way I'm gonna spell right without looking up is pretty awesome, too. Actually, I like a lot of Skin Graft bands ...

I guess I must be out of date. Such items did exist though - I do remember a whole bunch of these replica vinyl reissues, in some cases quite perfect copies of the original issues of such items as....er....that goddam awful thing w/Bill Nelson playing a solo on it that used to go for shitloads of cash & probably still does (googles) Holyground! that's it, terrible, there was a whole slew of such items at the end of the eighties? Replicas of Vertigo Swirl albums, private pressings, T2's "It'll all work out in Boomland", Bachdenkel (who I remember were actually pretty decent in parts), Eloy's very first album, every inch of recording tape from out of Tony Hill's cupboard and so on. We used to order 5 or 6 of each one from a dutch distrib, and sell them to obsessive prog crate digger guys who would never even ask to hear them (probably never played 'em either). Longer ago than I thought I guess. A lot of it came out of Germany IIRC. there was usually an accompanying CD re, which I'd usually buy, I still have the Holyground one for some reason.

I can imagine ppl picking up on the more obscure '80s neo recs, Galahad's releases, early 12th Night cassettes and so on, if they don't already. The whole prog crate-digging scene in the late '80's was always more abt rarity/"look what I found" that the actual music, probably hasn't changed much. Do you remember Ptolemaic Terrascope mhen it first started? They were all over that whole prog rarity thing, I remember them selling reissues of Tangle Edge's album, praising the thing because it was a ltd edn, not mentioning the music so much, except to slag on IQ, Pendragon etc b/c their shit, not being ltd edn, would not have some specious cash value attached once it sold out! Of course I bought the bloody thing, and it wasn't all that (though their 2nd was much better I thoght)

blablabla enough drunken ramblings

oh yeah skin graft is the best! but yeah most of 'em aren't like explicitly prog...but i guess maybe i would argue us maple was more "progressive" than say spock's beard or opeth

Anyway, to answer the question, I think I'm going to vote for Meddle. Such a great Floyd album that hasn't been played to death. The real answer is Hawkwind, my favorite album on the list by far, but I feel like that so isn't real prog.

xp Luttenbachers got more prog post-Skin Graft

even Relayer?

I honestly can't really choose between The Yes Album, Close to the Edge, Relayer, Tales from Topographic Oceans and Going For the One. Even Fragile and Tormato are close. Good point that someone made re: Going for the One's slight departure from prog, but like I say, "Awaken" is so orgasmically awesome (as well as enough other tracks from that album t justify it) that I'm sticking to it (like I can rescind my vote now, anyway) despite my love for all the aforementioned.

And outside of Yes, I might well have gone with Nursery Cryme.

Oh, and I 100% agree that Olias ought to have been on this list.

"Awaken" is a terrific number, it's true. I think it's my favourite out of all of Yes' pieces.

xpost

yeah honestly though i'm not sure luttenbachers got BETTER though, saw them last a couple years ago and it was pretty pro metal vibe, liked the more free jazz/speed metal apocalypse vibe of early daze....

xxxxxpost

i can't even choose in this poll but i will say meddle was a record i hadn't heard until this year and really converted me over to post-syd floyd who i hadn't really liked that much

olias should totally be on that list. listening to helium's magic city right now, which should totally be on that list too. as should the latest usaisamonster. as should a million other albums i've probably never heard of. list is a good snapshot of how critically neglected the whole prog thing is, which only matters because it's not bad sometimes to be exposed to new stuff to check out, like tangle edge (thanks pashmina) and cheer accident (thanks sarahel)

xp I saw one of their last Bay Area shows three years ago, and it was great. I actually think some of the songs would be better - and I feel almost heretical saying this - played a little more slowly. The last album had a song with vocals that was pretty proggy and was really interesting. I'd have been interested to see that developed further, but alas.

If ITCOTCK was all as good as Schizoid Man, it'd be out in front, but it's a great example of an album whose reputation basically hinges on the fact that it has four ok-to-very-good tracks and one stone-cold game-changing best-song-of-decade contender

truth. spoken.

I kind of think of myself as a prog fan, but the majority of the albums listed are prog of that very middle class, genteel, pompous and/or whimsical kind that bugs and/or bores the shit out of me. there's a distinct lack of edgier, noisier stuff, along the lines of magma, thinking plague, volta, shining, cardiacs, ruins, sleepytime, meshuggah, etc.

(theoretically opeth should qualify, but I've never heard anything by them that was even remotely tolerable. the heavy stuff lacks real impact and the 'progressive' side seems to amount to interminable waffle)

comes down to tool vs hawkwind vs crimson vs gong. therefore crimson it is. red it is.

but the majority of the albums listed are prog of that very middle class, genteel, pompous and/or whimsical kind that bugs and/or bores the shit out of me. there's a distinct lack of edgier, noisier stuff,

Yeah, that's where I'm at with this list, too. I also have a knee jerk loathing for anything involving Phil Collins.

Basically this is more the best symphonic rock albums ever than the best avant garde/experimental albums, and that is probably because the Prog magazine will appeal to those of us who love the former, while those who love the latter are more likely to read The Wire instead.

Sharp!!!!

DISTANCE!!!!

geir, italians did symphonic prog way better than lots of items on that list. you know that, right? that list is more like a cynical newby's impression of what some kind of prog canon is than any kind of authoritative assessment of such

dudes just remember that probably like you can tolerate things that are fancy pants fussbudget because they are mind expanding and rock, geir can tolerate things that are mind expanding and rock because they are fancy pants fussbudget

like any rocking going on in geir's world is collateral damage

Well, I think prog fans are very much aware of more experimental prog acts, krautrock etc. They have even featured articles on them already. But people who consider themselves fans of prog just aren't into that. They are usually either metalheads who got into more complex metal and converted to prog fans, or they are Genesis/Yes fans. Those who are into Can or Gong or whatever are more likely to be into Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart in addition than to be into Genesis and Yes.

Rock Bottom but not Soft Machine?...hmmm

I don't think I'm really a prog fan, I just like a few bands that are considered prog.

Also, M@tt, "Meddle" might actually be my favourite Floyd song. (Is that even prog?)

Also, M@tt, "Meddle" might actually be my favourite Floyd song. (Is that even prog?)

There is no song called "Meddle", you mean the album?

I suppose the 25 minute epic that was "Echoes" is prog enough anyway....

geir i am a yes and can and velvet underground fan, always have been, but not so much those others you mention. genesis is okay here and there but largely boring. steve hackett's first solo album is way more appealing to me than any single genesis album. i respect what beefheart was up to but rarely choose to listen to him aside from the occasional binge. and gong has always been much more intriguing to me in theory than listening to them ever has been. i am sure i am not changing your worldview by going into all that though

My head says VDGG and my heart says 2112.

Fuck, yes, sorry, meant "Echoes"!

pig lib!

the week that was

Write-in vote for "Love Beach".

Voted Crimso's Red. Might have voted for Signals by Rush or Abacab by Genesis if those were on the list, but those obviously speak less to their being the best prog album ever, but more to being at the right place at the right time in my life (though c'mon, Abacab is awesome).

moving pictures is good but it's one of the least proggy rush records

It's more prog than every subsequent Rush album, surely?

I really love The Lamb but I don't think it's any proggier than Moving Pictures. It mostly feels like some epic keyboard-heavy pop record to me. I'll give Close to the Edge the, um, edge for that reason. I haven't listened to Pawn Hearts in a while though. I should put it on.

voted close to the edge. might've voted the lady in the lake by gnidrolog, einsjäger & siebenjäger by popol vuh, journey to the centre of the eye by nektar, or released by jade warrior, but that list sucks

I voted Close To The Edge though Going For The One was second choice. Am listening to Olias... now and, yeah, it should've been on this poll. Six Wives Of Henry VIII as well.

I really love The Lamb but I don't think it's any proggier than Moving Pictures.

Depends on how you define concept albums. Concept albums often have shorter tracks than other prog albums may, but then, the entire album is seen more or less as belonging together, which makes it very prog. Same about fact that there are lots of lengthy instrumental solos and various weird beats like 7/4, 11/4 etc.

The list doesn't contain one single krautrock album, just deal with it, and accept that typical prog fans don't like krautrock and don't consider improvised music true prog.

That's you all told, krautrock fans :(

Krautrock is probably loved by more Sex Pistols fans than Genesis fans, which says it all, really.

it suuuuuuuuuure does, my man.

o_O

"true prog"?

here's me thinking it was one of the more expansive and wide-ranging genres. thanks for narrowing the perspective and lowering expectations.

Geir stop talking shit. I love the hell out of Yes, King Crimson, Robert Wyatt and Magma and I also love Krautrock and I am far from alone in this!

voted Close to the Edge.

hang on i thought i was the anti-you

haha, just on most things, lj.

The list doesn't contain one single krautrock album, just deal with it, and accept that typical prog fans don't like krautrock and don't consider improvised music true prog.

You literally do not know what the fuck you're talking about.

Same about fact that there are lots of lengthy instrumental solos and various weird beats (meaning odd metres)

This is also true of Moving Pictures.

xpost Yeah, that "improvised music" thing is bullshit.

geir you are missing out on a lot if you think that amon duul and popol vuh have more in common with the sex pistols than genesis

Krautrock is probably loved by more Sex Pistols fans than Genesis fans, which says it all, really.

umm, what are you saying?

voting Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned.....in my mind

Moving Pictures is my all-around favorite on this list, but for Prog I'm choosing Close To The Edge.

I love how it is both epic and concise, they don't skimp on song length, but they don't drag out the record either. Probably the only Yes album that's really great from beginning to end with no dead weight.

This is also true of Moving Pictures.

I would agree, yes. "Moving Picture" is definitely prog. A bit more uncertain about those very recent Rush albums.

close to the edge still feels like the perfect prog record to me

― extremely demanding on the hardware (ciderpress), Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:42 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark

Yes. It's the one for the time capsule.

Close To The Edge is going to win this, isn't it?

Not a bad thing, really, it was my first instinctive choice. I only hope that Going For The One represents beyond my solitary vote, as it really is a great album. Even if you don't care for "Wonderous Stories", it's relatively short, and every other song is solid-to-amazing.

who are IQ?

I can't help but vote for Rock Bottom, even though I don't think of it as prog. Sorry, prog.

Close To The Edge is going to win this, isn't it?

Unless the non-prog fans hijack the poll and make sure that some King Crimson album or Van Der Graaf Generator wins.

lol how are they non-prog?

i voted VDGG but in this poll I like Genesis,Camel, King Crimson,Caravan, Tool and Meddle is one of 2 non syd albums i like.

lol how are they non-prog?

I am not saying they are non-prog, but they are somewhat more "avant garde", and thus more likely to appeal to those who don't like the idea of melodic symphonic rock.

"In The Court Of The Crimson King" is - with the exception of part of "Epitath" - rather normal symphonic rock though. It was later that they really started experimenting maybe a bit too much for their own good. Usually the tracks with vocals were always great though, even if they were a bit too experimenting for their own good on the instrumentals.

Wow, Geir, your thought processes are strange. I'm not piling on, just sayin'. Obsessive weird mentalism is one of the things I love about ILM.

Amen to that!

I wish Soft Machine and (yeah, right) Hampton Grease Band were options, but I'll go with Fragile - "Roundabout" is the perfect prog tune that you can actually hum along to, for what that's worth.

Geir, this isn't a poll about Symphonic Rock, nor is prog rock only Symphonic Rock. Those bands are prog rock and liked by prog rock fans (enough to vote them into the magazine clearly).

Rush have many many heavy metal/heavy rock lovers as fans but it doesn't make them heavy metal. Pink Floyd , Yes and Genesis are certainly not exclusive to fans of prog rock either.
I'd wager that plenty of people who bought records by Rush,Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd don't own any other "prog" records. So dismissing VDGG and King Crimson because they're avant garde is silly.

Yes - The Yes Album

I think I should have voted "Close To The Edge;" It's close.

but the majority of the albums listed are prog of that very middle class, genteel, pompous and/or whimsical kind that bugs and/or bores the shit out of me. there's a distinct lack of edgier, noisier stuff

Pawn Hearts is the only VdGG I own. It's one of the more genuinely surprising and innovative rock albums I know, although I think side B is better than side A. I've noticed a few people have said it's not their best. What other albums should I get? I'm downloading Still Life now.

I also would have like to see the Plastic People on the list. Also, Thinking Plague, U Totem, Ruins, Imahoritsuneotatsuyayoshida.

Maybe Mew and Battles if they're including those other recent albums?

xp yep, Still Life is their best IMHO. It's the second one from their first reformation period, 1975-6. Godbluff runs it a close second.

The albums from the first period are more baroque and proggy, and Pawn Hearts is certainly the best of those. I could go on about VdGG all day but I'll stop there for now.

So dismissing VDGG and King Crimson because they're avant garde is silly.

No, no, but they are atypical of the rest of the stuff on this list. Or, "Red" is, not neccessarily "In The Court Of The Crimson King" (which is actually the forefather of them all).

Btw. if there is one band I miss on the list (besides Flowers Kings), then that would be Moody Blues.

Geir, how do you feel about the lack of Brutal Prog on the list?

I tried to listen to that last Porcupine Tree album, but jesus christ those lyrics about playstations and disaffected teenagers were worse than a fuxxxoring Korn song.

yeah those are dumb (although I like that record now), Steven Wilson's solo album is hundreds of times better, and maybe better than anything PT ever released. It's really, really good.

but i gave you life
WHAT ELSE COULD YOU DO
to do what was right
I'M PERFECT! ARE YOU?

aside from the krautrock question...

if stuff like queensryche and moving pictures and opeth counts as "prog".......should zappa have been on the list?

Yeah, at the very least One Size Fits All should have been on the list, for Inca Roads alone.

i mean he was doing really convoluted/conceptual/chopsy stuff in the mid-60s...but maybe he doesn't count cuz he's more earthy and sarcastic than fanciful

if stuff like queensryche and moving pictures and opeth counts as "prog".......should zappa have been on the list?

I guess he could have. But the prog fans didn't vote for him, however they did vote for Queensryche and Rush.

well yeah i know, i just think the interesting thing about this list is not like "oh yes is better than king crimson" or vice versa but rather i've never really thought about what makes something "prog" or not....

it's kinda tricky because there's a whole bunch of things i think about when i think about prog that are shared by things that i don't think are prog but maybe they are? or not....

so far in life i've been sort of on the prog=porn old school "i know it when i see it" definition

I have never really liked the term "Progressive rock" at all, because that means it's supposed to be "progressive" and it isn't. I mean, even from day one, most of the most famous prog was rather "regressive", in that it took a huge influence from 18th and 19th century classical music.

Thus, I like the term Symphonic Rock better. I realize the term doesn't fit with everything that falls under the prog umbrella, but I would say about 80-90 per cent of the albums in this list could be classified as symphonic rock. Which kind of implies which style typical prog fans tend to prefer anyway.

(though c'mon, Abacab is awesome)

Hells yeah it is, and it's one of the things people call me IRL.

"Abacab" is among my least favourite Genesis albums, and probably their least prog album of them all. At least the subsequent three albums all had some lengthy and complex album tracks in addition to all those hit singles.

i'm not that familiar with how ilx works anymore, is it possible to create like 70 new logins just so i can throw the vote in favor of Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory

i've never even heard it but come on that fucking title man

dude even YOU have had better titles than that in your time

"captain reverend gandalf jesus" for a start

no i am in awe of how awful it is...the people in high school who made fun of me for listening to dream theater were right

yes, they were. but then they dared to question primus and you PUNCHED them with righteous indignation

That Dream Theater number "Overture 1928/Strange Deja Vu" is actually pretty awesome in its ott way. If all their shit was like that, they'd be great.

"Abacab" is among my least favourite Genesis albums, and probably their least prog album of them all. At least the subsequent three albums all had some lengthy and complex album tracks in addition to all those hit singles.

abacab has a lot of forward-thinking compositions on it though; it's not symphonic but it is progressive. I wouldn't say that about the subsequent three records (although I like the self titled one a lot too).

Symphonic=progressive IMO. But then, I hate the "Progressive" term, really, because I don't want symphonic rock to "progress" in the slightest from its classical roots.

you dont say

akm otm about stephen wilson's latest. it's one of my favorites so far this year

kismet strikes, in the form of a cheer accident dusted list featuring many of the albums discussed here. if you're interested, scroll down
http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/838

"I mean, even from day one, most of the most famous prog was rather "regressive", in that it took a huge influence from 18th and 19th century classical music."

I call bs. Name one thing on the "Yes Album" or Fragile, except for the short Brahms thing, that has a classical influence.

geir you are missing out on a lot if you think that amon duul and popol vuh have more in common with the sex pistols than genesis

Can't see Geir liking much by Amon Duul II, but I reckon he'd certainly like a lot of Popol Vuh (post electronic and pre-raga/folk rock stuff) if he actually bothered listening to it

which he wont

I have heard one great album by Popol Vuh, but that was another Popol Vuh. :)

really weak family isn't on this list. they pack side-long suites into two-three minute songs, with vocals peter gabriel and the comus dude totally stole

What about "Mood for a Day", Bill?

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

they pack side-long suites into two-three minute songs

Impossible :)

Their debut was great, the followup was good too. But I see them more as late 60s psych pop than prog.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

who voted for dream theater?

!!!!

Hurrah! VDGG didn't need my vote. Relayer did.

Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 1

haha what?

I am astonished how many people voted btw.

Guys I freaking made my old roomie action figures of John and Rael (w/removable wang) & one of the snake-women.

Yeah, that's a bit surprising but maybe everyone thought as I did? Did you give it the one vote?

It is possibly my favourite album for long road trips.

no heldon, no rare bird, no cred

pawn hearts isn't even the best vdgg album, let alone best of this bunch. I think it's the reactionary hip choice though. but I honestly think it's very overrated.

I downloaded Still Life. I like it but I don't think it contains anything as revelatory as "Plague of Lighthouse-Keepers". Which VdGG records emphasize the avant-garde side of the band?

the least we can do is wave to each other was always my fave van der graaf, but i haven't heard all their albums.

Sundar you really ought to stop listening to my recommendations ;-)

Pawn Hearts is EASILY the next-best thing to Still Life IMO. On some days it's better. When I'm particularly in the mood for mind-warping clusterfucked adventures into avant-garde mayhem. Most days the supreme and deceptively wild songwriting of Still Life wins the day for me. They're both fantastic fucking albums.

Pawn Hearts is the most avant-garde thing they did but there are a couple of moments, would you believe, on Quiet Zone/Pleasure Dome which sound utterly not-of-this-earth...it's definitely the most underrated VDGG album

Many people will tell you Godbluff is the one. I've heard it a few times and while Scorched Earth is an amazing track, the other 3 haven't really clicked with me yet. Arrow for instance has all the overwrought emotional drama of Still Life without the poise, the majestic control-and-release.

Hmmm.. Who voted for Spock's Beard? :)

I don't know but I'm trying to decide which is a worse band name - Spock's Beard or Ultimate Spinach.

Wow. Go VDGG!!! I can't remember what I voted but every VDGG album is great.

my fave "prog" album by opeth is still damnation. i've tried to get geir to listen to it more than once over the years, but i don't know if he has. it is NOT a metal album. there is NO metal on it. (i know that scares him)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IzLDT73bkk

really love 'weakness' from that album

i love this one even though all it really is is just a third-hand approximation of 70's prog or crimson king-era/moodys stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZixJQDgZrqA

it's just so pretty!

There's a killer double-disc of Opeth's best stuff to be made...the rest is pretty but totally unnecessary

no moody blues on that list is pretty sad. days of future passed invented all this stuff, for pete's sake.

and The Nice should be up there too. basically, Moodys + The Nice + Soft Machine = 99% of what came after

and gentle giant. jeez. and there should be a poll covering dave q threads pondering prog epistemology. for instance
Super Furry Animals vs. Gentle Giant

I downloaded Still Life. I like it but I don't think it contains anything as revelatory as "Plague of Lighthouse-Keepers". Which VdGG records emphasize the avant-garde side of the band?

Which brings me to the Hammill solo albums, which you really shouldn't overlook if you have any interest in VdGG. The early to mid 70s solo albums were recorded with the other VdGG members as musicians, and for all practical purposes are no different from VdGG albums. The key solo albums from this period are Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night, The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage, and In Camera. If you like the avant-garde side of VdGG, you can't really go wrong with any of these. I would put In Camera as being the most experimental (check out 'Gog' and 'Magog' in particular), but Silent Corner just edges it in terms of rounded songwriting. The following year, of course, Hammill struck out in a completely new direction with Nadir's Big Chance, but that's another story...

Many people will tell you Godbluff is the one. I've heard it a few times and while Scorched Earth is an amazing track, the other 3 haven't really clicked with me yet. Arrow for instance has all the overwrought emotional drama of Still Life without the poise, the majestic control-and-release.

louis shut up. Arrow is awesome. as is the whole album. Dont trust someone who says Hood is black metal!

Still Life Schmill Life

What did you vote for,tom?

Didn't vote

my fave "prog" album by opeth is still damnation. i've tried to get geir to listen to it more than once over the years, but i don't know if he has. it is NOT a metal album. there is NO metal on it. (i know that scares him)

I've listened some to Opeth, and they're OK as long as the singer isn't growling. But I miss the synths and the mellotrons that belong in prog, and I find that they end up sounding like a bad copy of Porcupine Tree.

it's mostly just conventional 80s metal songs stitched together by a loose "narrative" and a lot of heavy political jive talk....just doesn't really feel prog to me even though queensryche always got billed as prog metal, they don't do any exploratory type instrumental sections, no real feel of any kind of questing type soloing thing (or conversely any real mind garden type psych sonic landscapes either)...i dunno...listen to it and tell me if you think different but to me being a really pretentious metal concept album does not prog make

Agree regarding Queensryche, and also more recent Rush. But prog metal does exist in the case of Dream Theater, who are basically a 70s influenced symphonic rock band, only with large portions of metal added. Probably the hardest rocking band that I really like.

there are synths and mellotrons on damnation, geir! just listen to those two youtube clips i posted and i swear i'll leave you alone. no growling either! be not afraid!

You know what? I just listened to Pawn Hearts. And yeah, of course it deserved to win. Absolutely astonishing music.

Well, the one that won the original poll was the one that deserved to win, and at least "Selling England" did get quite some votes here too, which was nice to see. BEST ALBUM EVER !!!!

Hey - I DO really dig SEBTP! Firth Of Forth, TBOEF and The Cinema Show especially. Dudes knew a tune, and a narrative.

The songs posted above surely sound nice enough. Still not their typical style though.

i like still life and godbluff more than pawn hearts

and nadir and black box and over more than pawn hearts most days too

Favourite Van Der Graaf Generator Album?

I'll check out some of those other VdGG/Hamill albums. My 1st exposure to them was Nadir's Big Chance, actually, which really put me off them until I heard Pawn Hearts. (This was maybe 10 years ago! I feel old!)

I still think Close to the Edge deserves to win any prog poll but I would.

Opeth guy reminds me of Greg Lake on "In My Time of Need."

I like Selling England by the Pound but I don't see why it would be the best Genesis album. There's no one track that's as great as "Supper's Ready" and as an album, it's not as consistent as either The Lamb or Nursery Cryme. I usually skip from "Firth On Fifth" to "The Cinema Show". "Dancing With the Moonlight Knight" is great though.

its not the best genesis.

It is the typical fan favourite (even though the same people have "Supper's Ready" as the fave track), while non fans tend to go for "The Lamb" or "Nursery Cryme". I guess it's just the most typical Genesis album stylistically.

nice top picks :)

Van Der Graaf Generator: Pawn Hearts 19
King Crimson: Red 14
Yes: Close To The Edge 12
Hawkwind: Space Ritual 12
King Crimson: In The Court Of The Crimson King 10
Robert Wyatt: Rock Bottom 10

It is the typical fan favourite

Not really, ask most long-term Genesis fans which one they like best and it'll be Trick of the Tail or Wind and Wuthering.

Only those who like 80s Genesis. Hardcore Genesis fans prefer Peter Gabriel.

(And not one negative word about those two albums - they are great, but the Peter ones are mostly even better)

Only those who like 80s Genesis. Hardcore Genesis fans prefer Peter Gabriel.

Trick Of The Tail is by far my fave Genesis album. I love that album to death. and i have no time at all for 80's genesis. well, i don't hate 80's genesis, i like some of abacab and duke a lot, but i don't listen to it.

and wind & wuthering is probably my 2nd favorite! hmm, maybe i'm a peter gabriel hater after all.

also: Trespass has to be one of my LEAST favorite prog albums. by any band. ugh.

Only those who like 80s Genesis. Hardcore Genesis fans prefer Peter Gabriel.

If I was ever going to get drunk with power and abuse mod privileges, I would probably delete all of your posts where you made claims about anyone's likes and dislikes other than your own. It would probably take a month.

You know, Yes "Relayer" sounding better and better as years go by. I'm surprised there's no dedicated thread...

I read this whole thread after searching for Gnidrolog. The most bizarre assertion herein is that Eloy is better than anybody, I've heard three of their records and they're laughable.

Have you heard the concept album where some stoner travels back to the Middle Ages in a time machine and teaches a princess how to smoke weed?

I skipped that one, I'm sure THAT's going to be the album to convince me they're awesome, ha ha.

Pawn Hearts getting 10x the votes as Dark Side of the Moon warms my heart on this cold spring day

I wonder if we reran this exact pill whether ILM would get it so gloriously correct a second time

Don't understand who would pick Moonmadness as the best of this batch. The Snow Goose is quite nice but the albums where they write lyrics and sing them are not.

Will Romano's book Mountains Come Out of the Sky lists Moonmadness as the 5th best/most important prog album, but I thought his love of Camel was a personal peculiarity, not a trend.

Camel a big favourite for White Van Man Prog along with Yes and ELP. Must be the stoner feel to it.

They're apparently a big influence on neo-prog bands, maybe it's the straightforwardness that they find easier to emulate than the more arcane or complex stuff.

Bingo