Disappointing follow-up albums

I notice many more generally positive threads about music than negative if such threads sadden/ bother you.  Of course you are free to share your negative opinions on such things just as others are free to share their opinions. I might suggest, for some, focusing on those, and making one's own, than giving the negative threads more "legs".  While I do like the idea of being sensitive to artists, it is to be expected that as a forum of music fans we do have these kinds of frank conversations about what we like, don't like, unexpected joys, disappointments.....  Since you brought up Maddy Prior in this poll, Part 3 Female singers, this time of groups/collabs, I thought you might have some enthusiasm about her inclusion in this poll, Pt. 4: Some Female Singers in PA Not Listed Before, that I made yesterday.  When I make polls I hope that people will find something appreciative to say about any of the listed artists, but I am happy to hear about others too.  I generally do prefer it when people focus on the positive, are more appreciative of artists, topics, posts and other forum members, than those that are disparaging, but for a fuller forum, I would expected a spectrum of perspectives and approaches.

Interesting that according to Steve Hackett in a recent interview said that when they recorded it at the Grange , PG was writing the music in an entirely different room. He had already left the band it seemed. This is not anything new probably but it was interesting to hear it said. Does it make any difference? I tend to think of it as almost as being a solo album much like The Wall was the start of Roger Waters solo career and Floyd had become his backing band. Nowadays I like Lamb more than SEBTP but I can't say that about Animals and The Wall.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is my favourite Genesis album, but to each their own tastes, of course.  I find it satisfying all the way through.

There are some albums that I clearly think inferior follow-ups, but generally I was expecting that.  I'm trying to think of something where I came in and was hoping for more based on loving past albums.  *three seconds later* Oh yes, of course, Yes' Close to the Edge.  The time is in the latter half of the 1980s, I'm a teenager in high school.  My very good friend Rob introduced me to Fragile, and I adored it. Months later he introduced me to Close to the Edge as an even better album and it feel quite flat.  I do actually like the first two tracks and it was "Siberian Khatru" that really made me want to replace the tape with Fragile.

Thanks for your thoughts on Led Zeppelin. I agree that "Achilles Last Stand" is one of the best things the band ever did. It's the rest of Presence ("Hots on for Nowhere" notwithstanding) that merited its inclusion on my original list. And while Physical Graffiti may be my second favorite Led Zep album, I agree that it's not perfect. I always skip over "In My Time of Dying" and "Sick Again" from that one.   

I often say about double albums, that they would have made more of an impact if they had been edited to a single disk (think: The Flower Kings)... but I can't agree here; the Lamb material holds up all the way through.

Totally agree with those two choices. Ideally, The overlong Lamb should have shorn down to a single album. Baa.  

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