Forum Home Forum Home > Progressive Music Lounges > Prog Music Lounge
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Your Prog Rock Hot Takes
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Your Prog Rock Hot Takes
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123 30>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Frets N Worries View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: April 30 2023
Location: Your Basement
Status: Offline
Points: 4235 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frets N Worries Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Your Prog Rock Hot Takes
    Posted: January 01 2025 at 19:29
Not sure how hot these are, but I believe "Flight" is Hammill's greatest (solo) musical achievement, as well as King Crimson's "Islands" being superior to "Lizard"
The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...
Back to Top
ObeisantBread84 View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: September 05 2024
Location: America
Status: Offline
Points: 27 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ObeisantBread84 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 10 2024 at 05:34
Originally posted by ThyroidGlands ThyroidGlands wrote:

TOAPP is better than Discipline.
Personally Disagree
Animals is overrated.
STRONGLY disagree, Animals is one of my favorite albums of all time
Camel is very boring, and Mirage is one of the most overrated prog albums.
Camel is definitely overrated, but I still quite enjoy them. And the snow goose is incredible, you should try that if you like more Classical-inspired prog.
CTTE has a perfect side a and a decent side b. It's a highly overrated album.
I love CTTE's Side B, but I do agree that it isn't as good as side A and that the album as a whole might be slightly overrated (Fragile is better in my opinion)
Sincerely, Bread
Back to Top
KorgC3 View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: June 24 2024
Location: Netherworld
Status: Offline
Points: 42 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KorgC3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 03 2024 at 23:31
Rick Wakeman's post 70s output is genuinely great. People tend to mock his later works. I've seen arguments ranging from him being "way too derivative of his influences", or that he's a "schematic boring w**ker with one to two decent tracks per-album".
I guess some of his stylistic choices are an acquired taste, but I don't see why he deserves to be lampooned more than anybody else.
Many people seem to overlook his innovation, especially when it comes to combining different musical styles and eras.

Some of the artists associated with MGM cartoons like Raymond Scott and Scott Bradley, are genuinely some of the most innovative musical minds of their eras. Given how far they were pushing unorthodox compositional elements before it was common, I believe that they deserve to be taken more into consideration, not only in discussions about important 20th-century composers, but also Prog music in particular.

Dream Theater has generally awful mixing, even in their best albums. I don't like most their new stuff, and the synthetic mixing is one of the reasons, but their recent output is already a subject of contention amongst the fans. I don't see that many people ever considering production issues when it comes to their older quintessential works. If to put it simply, I think that there is no balance between the volumes of the different instruments. The drums and the synthesizers are noticeably louder compared to the other instruments (vocals included), and the bass is completely overwhelmed and lost in the final mix. I see some coming with the argument, that loudness is a key feature of Metal, therefore this is justified.
DT, however, never came from that branch of loud "punk" inspired Metal. Roughness was not part of their image either.
Honestly, compare them to any of their contemporaries, or even bands partially influenced by them like Circus Maximus and Haken. None of them had such readability issues with their album mixes as DT. In fact one of the reasons to why I got into live bootlegs, is that I wanted to get a better grasp of Myung's bass. Listening to their bootlegs made me appreciate the bands virtuosity much more. I'm not a huge fan of LaBrie, but the way he re-harmonized certain vocal lines in some of his performances before the poisoning incident, made me enjoy some of these live versions more than the album mixes. Honestly, the bands problem is that they hinge too much on sustaining the image of a "calculated" act, while in-fact, they are at their best when they simply improvise on a whim.

Edited by KorgC3 - December 03 2024 at 23:40
Back to Top
richardh View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 29702 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 01 2024 at 20:25
Originally posted by presdoug presdoug wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by presdoug presdoug wrote:

Chocolate Kings is PFM's greatest album


Still peak PFM, so that's not a hot take.

I meant to get back to you on this; Chocolate Kings was somehat of a divisive record; some fans did not like new lead singer Bernardo Lanzetti, due to his vocal style or the English lyrics, and yearned for the earlier sound of the band...to say it is their best album would, indeed, be a stretch for many.....

I think they lost a lot of that 'warmth' and originalty at this point however it does have a harder jazz fusion edge. Personally I love Out Of The Roundabout but some of the tracks have a truncated half finished feel about them. Agree that the vocal was divisive but also I prefer his singing on Jet Lag for some reason. That is a little quirkier, funkier and perhaps a little underrated. All that said I believe that PFM never returned to the very high level of the first 3 albums. L'isola Di Niente has the perfect balance of ideas for me especially.
Back to Top
presdoug View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: January 24 2010
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 8780 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote presdoug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 01 2024 at 05:42
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by presdoug presdoug wrote:

Chocolate Kings is PFM's greatest album


Still peak PFM, so that's not a hot take.

I meant to get back to you on this; Chocolate Kings was somehat of a divisive record; some fans did not like new lead singer Bernardo Lanzetti, due to his vocal style or the English lyrics, and yearned for the earlier sound of the band...to say it is their best album would, indeed, be a stretch for many.....
Back to Top
richardh View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 29702 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 30 2024 at 21:49
Originally posted by Starshiper Starshiper wrote:

Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

Originally posted by Starshiper Starshiper wrote:

"Tormato"—a testament to Yes' willingness to push boundaries, an album that acknowledges the rather eclectic taste of its admirers, was alienating their wider audience—is certainly not a record for everyone. For the uninitiated or the casual Yes listeners, "Tormato" really can feel like if they are attending a long cricket match.

So whoever does not like Tormato is "Uninitiated" or just a "casual listener"?! LOL I am neither and I've thought much of this album. And i have tried to get into it, believe that. Ermm

I also don't think they were trying to push boundaries when story goes they were pressured to make a new album rather quickly after the success of GTFO. So Tormato was basically a contractual obligation. 

One can't really talk about "Tormato" without mentioning the rather important role the then-new synthesisers played in the making of the album. The late 1970s were a time of fast-growing interest in electronic instruments, and Yes was among the forerunners within this trend. Synthesisers allowed a wider range of tones, which allowed the band to experiment with textures and instrumentation. The synthesiser's usage on "Tormato" represents a significant leap for Yes into new sounds. Wakeman had modified his keyboard setup to include the Birotron, a tape replay keyboard that he had co-funded during its creation and production four years prior, and the Polymoog, a polyphonic analogue synthesiser that he said was mostly used for "soloing and filling," and all of it works majestically on "Tormato," the album whose only real flaw is (again) a non-Roger Dean sleeve design.
Personally, I always imagined flying saucers playing music like "Arriving UFO," a track that was/is repeatedly bashed by those with limited understanding of British and European progressive music. Not only did this predict the neo-prog trends that were yet to come in the 1980s, but it also further emphasised how Yes was committed to innovation. It showed that Yes could adopt modernity while furthering their artistic boundaries. Also often bashed, "Circus of Heaven" is indeed an original song that produced a fanciful ambient rock tapestry.
Unlike the previous "Going for the One" album, which sounds very serious and classic, "Tormato" allows the band to have more fun with melodies.
Steve Howe's guitar sounds like a forerunner to Mike Oldfield on his '80s records; however, it's better guitar work than the 80s Oldfield.
Alan White shines as well. He is most known for his solo in "Release, Release," but his drumming in "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" is truly outstanding. As that song begins in a triumphant manner, Chris Squire dominates with his octave-length slides and extracts a fairly distinctive tone from his bass. In "On the Silent Wings of Freedom," one of the greatest Yessongs, Squire's bass roars and spits like a thunderstorm.
Regarding bonus tracks, they are absolute winners that make the admission fee alone worthwhile. For instance, the song "Money" is unlike anything the band has ever recorded before.


It's an okay album. I remember it being the first Yes album I ever heard and it was a while before I bothered listening to anything else by them. It wasn't particularly cutting edge at the time, mostly prog was getting left behind especially in the use of synths excepting for the likes of Tangerine Dream (assuming they are prog) and the likes of Vangelis and JM Jarre. Yes were also splitting apart as a band but at least had the last one great hurrah with Drama before they descended into the 80's AOR scene. Personally I like Release Release a lot. I roomed with an AC/DC fan in the early 80's and he loved playing my copy of Tormato just for that although I'm not sure he liked anything else on that album. It is quite eclectic and book ended by a couple of great tracks. Overall it fails to satisfy though and this is from a band that hasd hit some massive highs. Sub par Yes anyone? Not many like it that much and it just reminds us that prog was in decline ultimately, at least ELP were still doing side long suites!
Back to Top
vectoria View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: November 30 2024
Location: United state
Status: Offline
Points: 1 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vectoria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 30 2024 at 05:09
I love how subjective music tastes can be! I totally agree with you on 'A Momentary Lapse of Reason'—it doesn't get enough credit for its atmosphere and mood. And yes, 'Think of Me with Kindness' is an underrated gem! Music's beauty lies in these unique perspectives
Back to Top
GuruCan View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: November 24 2024
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 1487 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GuruCan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 30 2024 at 01:57
To me, 'The Present' by The Moody Blues is a total five-star gem from the 1980s because the album is packed with stunning tracks that really capture a unique vibe, and Patrick Moraz’s synthesizer playing is absolutely fantastic!
Back to Top
GuruCan View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: November 24 2024
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 1487 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GuruCan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 30 2024 at 01:56
These days, 'Book of Saturday' is the only track from LTiA that still feels fresh to me.
Back to Top
verslibre View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: July 01 2004
Location: CA
Status: Offline
Points: 18846 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 18:51
Originally posted by Zappastolethetowels Zappastolethetowels wrote:

Originally posted by ThyroidGlands ThyroidGlands wrote:

TOAPP is better than Discipline. that is indeed a hot take


Positively
eBay
Back to Top
Zappastolethetowels View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 19 2023
Location: NY
Status: Offline
Points: 1209 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Zappastolethetowels Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 17:00
Originally posted by ThyroidGlands ThyroidGlands wrote:

TOAPP is better than Discipline. that is indeed a hot take
Animals is overrated. one of my favs - not their best so to speak
Camel is very boring, and Mirage is one of the most overrated prog albums. love Moonmadness & Sinclair era
CTTE has a perfect side an and a decent side b. It's a highly overrated album. only 'decent' track is AYAI imo, hard to think if a more consistent prog album in general thus the acclaim imo
Back to Top
ThyroidGlands View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: December 29 2023
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 292 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThyroidGlands Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 16:10
TOAPP is better than Discipline.
Animals is overrated.
Camel is very boring, and Mirage is one of the most overrated prog albums.
CTTE has a perfect side a and a decent side b. It's a highly overrated album.
Non mi svegliate ve ne prego
ma lasciate che io dorma questo sonno,
c'č ancora tempo per il giorno
quando gli occhi si imbevono di pianto,
i miei occhi... di pianto.
Back to Top
Criswell View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: March 30 2023
Location: Illinois
Status: Offline
Points: 625 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Criswell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 13:28
Originally posted by ObeisantBread84PROG ObeisantBread84PROG wrote:

My Hot takes:

Ian Anderson is one of the best lyricists in all of prog


I politely disagree...I consider Dave Cousins to be the best lyricist in all of prog...

Cheers!
Back to Top
octopus-4 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams

Joined: October 31 2006
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 14615 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote octopus-4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 11:31
Aqualung > Thick as a Brick
Absolutely
I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution
Back to Top
Zappastolethetowels View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 19 2023
Location: NY
Status: Offline
Points: 1209 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zappastolethetowels Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 11:11
Originally posted by ObeisantBread84PROG ObeisantBread84PROG wrote:

My Hot takes:

Atom Heart Mother > Echoes
No
Lizard (the king crimson album) kind of sucks in my opinion
No
Styx is super underrated
Overrated
Jazz Fusion is the most boring type of jazz, Would much rather listen to Jazz-Rock, Hard Bop, smooth jazz, or Swing
Some Days I agree
Dark Side of the Moon and In the Court of the Crimson King are NOT overrated, they are some of the best albums ever made
Agree
Going for the one is the weakest of the original 11 yes albums
Yes!!
Fragile > Close to the edge
No
Aqualung > Thick as a Brick
Yes
Ian Anderson is one of the best lyricists in all of prog
Agree
Good Prog music still exists today
Seldom but yeah
Mannfred Mann is great
He sure is
LONG SEASON is a prog song
No wiser am I
Days Of future Passed is the best album ever made
No
Mirage is slightly overrated: Agree
Back to Top
verslibre View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: July 01 2004
Location: CA
Status: Offline
Points: 18846 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 10:38
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by presdoug presdoug wrote:

Chocolate Kings is PFM's greatest album


Still peak PFM, so that's not a hot take.

Looking at ratings, it very much is.


Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection

I knew some guys way back when who considered ChocK their favorite PFM album.

Maybe if he said Jet Lag...
eBay
Back to Top
Valdez View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 17 2005
Location: United States
Status: Online
Points: 1058 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Valdez Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 09:59
MEAT is the best song Manfred Mann ever did.  
https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/new-2025-broken-hearts-troubled-minds
Back to Top
Lewian View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: August 09 2015
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 15223 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 09:45
Originally posted by ObeisantBread84PROG ObeisantBread84PROG wrote:

My Hot takes:

Atom Heart Mother > Echoes
There you lost me already in the very beginning, and it goes on as if the two of us are really opposite prog listeners, but then, at least:
Quote
Dark Side of the Moon and In the Court of the Crimson King are NOT overrated, they are some of the best albums ever made

Mannfred Mann is great
I'm fine with these two (except Manfred's name Tongue).
Back to Top
Lewian View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: August 09 2015
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 15223 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 09:42
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by presdoug presdoug wrote:

Chocolate Kings is PFM's greatest album


Still peak PFM, so that's not a hot take.
Looking at ratings, it very much is.
Back to Top
ObeisantBread84PROG View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: November 26 2024
Location: America
Status: Offline
Points: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ObeisantBread84PROG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 26 2024 at 09:13
My Hot takes:

Atom Heart Mother > Echoes

Lizard (the king crimson album) kind of sucks in my opinion

Styx is super underrated

Jazz Fusion is the most boring type of jazz, Would much rather listen to Jazz-Rock, Hard Bop, smooth jazz, or Swing

Dark Side of the Moon and In the Court of the Crimson King are NOT overrated, they are some of the best albums ever made

Going for the one is the weakest of the original 11 yes albums

Fragile > Close to the edge

Aqualung > Thick as a Brick

Ian Anderson is one of the best lyricists in all of prog

Good Prog music still exists today

Mannfred Mann is great

LONG SEASON is a prog song

Days Of future Passed is the best album ever made

Mirage is slightly overrated
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123 30>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.164 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.