Top 10 Symphonic Prog Albums? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

Author

Message

Topic Search

Topic Options

Proletariat View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: March 30 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1882

Topic: Top 10 Symphonic Prog Albums?
Posted: December 03 2007 at 19:07

1 Kansas - Leftoverature

2 Yes - Fragile

3 Focus - Hamburger Concerto

4 ELP - Brain Salad Surgery

5 Yes - Relayer

6 Camel - Moonmadness

7 Kansas - Song for America

8 King Crimson - ITCOTCK (would be higher on an art-rock list)

9 Yes - CTTE

10 Kansas- The Point of Know Return

who hiccuped endlessly trying to giggle but wound up with a sob

ANDREW

Forum Senior Member

Joined: November 21 2005
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 3064

Posted: December 03 2007 at 18:54

1- YES - CLOSE TO THE EDGE

2- GENESIS - SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

3- ELP - BRAIN SALAD SURGERY

4- CAMEL - MOONMADNESS

5- BJH - GONE TO EARTH

6- PFM - STORIA DI UN MINUTO

7- BANCO - IO SONO NATO LIBERO

8- LE ORME - FELONA E SORONA

9- NEW TROLLS - CONCERTO PER I NEW TROLLS

10 - IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO - YS

LARKSTONGUE View Drop Down

Forum Groupie

Joined: November 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 54

Posted: December 03 2007 at 18:11

1. Camel- Music Inspired by the Snow Goose

2. Yes- Close to the Edge

3. Genesis- Selling England by the Pound

4. Anthony Phillips- The Geese and the Ghost

5. Genesis- Nursery Cryme

6. Emerson, Lake and Palmer- Tarkus

7. Emerson, Lake and Palmer- Brain Salad Surgery

8. Genesis- Trespass

9. Camel- Mirage

10. Yes- Relayer

        ^        ^

(((        I        )))

   The fact is, no matter how

ghost_of_morphy View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2755

Posted: December 03 2007 at 01:58

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

ghost_of_morphy wrote:

So while I've got you here, what's your opinion of Animation?

If you like Tormato and bland Electronica, this is your album, annoying, IMO mefdiocre with a bit of luck.

I can't agree with you on the Tormato reference, but the bland electronica is certainly in evidence on tracks like Olympia and Surrender.

As for Anderson's voice, he is limited in what he can do, but what he does, he does well. Animation is probably the album on which he stretches himself the most.

Edited by ghost_of_morphy - December 03 2007 at 02:06

Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: April 27 2004
Location: Peru
Status: Offline
Points: 19535

Posted: December 02 2007 at 21:04

ghost_of_morphy wrote:

So while I've got you here, what's your opinion of Animation?

It's hard to be free of prejudices because I hate Jon Anderson's voice, he's the reason why Jes is not even among my 20 top bands despite I love their music, but will try.

If you like Tormato and bland Electronica, this is your album, annoying, IMO mefdiocre with a bit of luck.

I'm sure that if Jon would not had been part of Yes, hardly would had achieved a solo career, his stuff is absolutely uneven and his tterrible voice is something I can't stand.

Iván

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - December 02 2007 at 21:06

ghost_of_morphy View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2755

Posted: December 02 2007 at 20:55

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

ghost_of_morphy wrote:

While Jon definitely deserves his Prog Related tag, Olias goes above and beyond. If he were judged on that album alone, he'd be in symphonic (or maybe we'd put him in space rock?)

I agree, Olias is his best work by far, but still I can't get it, too weak and with hints of early New Age IMHO.

I went to saw him in Lima playing alone and it's one of the two concerts I left before the end (being the other a genesis act during the Invisible Touch tour).

Iván

So while I've got you here, what's your opinion of Animation?

el böthy

Prog Reviewer

Joined: April 27 2005
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 6336

Posted: December 02 2007 at 13:06

Well, I guess here goes my list, its more or less my favorite albums in the genre, but Ill try to keep it as objective and representative of the genre as possible

Close to the edge - Yes
Foxtrot - Genesis
Selling England by the pound - Genesis
Fragil - Yes
Moonmadness - Camel
Scheherezade and other stories - Renaissance
Si on avait... - Harmonium
Relayer - Yes
Hybris - Anglagard
Mirage - Camel

"You want me to play what, Robert?"

Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: April 27 2004
Location: Peru
Status: Offline
Points: 19535

Posted: December 01 2007 at 09:55

ghost_of_morphy wrote:

While Jon definitely deserves his Prog Related tag, Olias goes above and beyond. If he were judged on that album alone, he'd be in symphonic (or maybe we'd put him in space rock?)

I agree, Olias is his best work by far, but still I can't get it, too weak and with hints of early New Age IMHO.

I went to saw him in Lima playing alone and it's one of the two concerts I left before the end (being the other a genesis act during the Invisible Touch tour).

Iván

ghost_of_morphy View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2755

Posted: December 01 2007 at 02:32

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

I

Teh_Slippermenz wrote:

"Olias of Sunhillow" - Jon Anderson (his solo work IS considered symphonic, right?)

No, as a fact he's in Prog Related, his New Age leannings place him there perfectly IMHO.

Iván

While Jon definitely deserves his Prog Related tag, Olias goes above and beyond. If he were judged on that album alone, he'd be in symphonic (or maybe we'd put him in space rock?)

richardh

Prog Reviewer

Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 28028

Posted: November 30 2007 at 12:37

ELP - Brain Salad Surgery

ELP - Trilogy

ELP - Pictures At An Exhibition

Genesis - Foxtrot

Yes - Close To The Edge

Yes - Fragile

Camel - The Snow Goose

Par Lindh Project - Veni Vidi Vici

Par Lindh Project - Gothic Impressions

Par Lindh Project - Baroque Impressions

Not sure if Neal Morse counts as 'symphonic prog' .If so then take out last selection in my list and include Solo Scriptura

Abrawang

Forum Senior Member

Joined: November 29 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 112

Posted: November 30 2007 at 01:30

Off the top of my head:

1 - Foxtrot

2 - Yessongs

3 - Selling England By the Pound

4 - Renaissance Live at Carnegie

5 - Dark Side of the Moon

6 - Genesis Live

7 - Thick As a Brick

8 - Meddle (just for Echoes)

9 - In Search of the Lost Chord

10 - Ummagumma

Casting doubt on all I have to say...

progadicto View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: July 19 2005
Location: Chile
Status: Offline
Points: 4316

Posted: November 29 2007 at 14:15

1. Yes - Relayer

2. Genesis - Selling England by the Pound

3. Renaissance - Live at the Carnegie Hall

4. Pollen - Pollen

5. Solaris - Martian Chronicles

6. Grobschnitt - Solar Music

7. Steve Hackett - The Voyage of the Acolyte

8. Kyrie Eleison - The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise

9. After Crying - 6

10. White Willow - Ignis Fatuus

Special mention to:

11. Bacamarte - Depois do Fim

12. Camel - The Snow Goose

13. Focus - Hamburger Concerto

14. Ange - Le Cimetiere des Arlequins

15. Mona Lisa - Avant Qu'il Ne Soit Trop Tard

16. Anthony Phillips - Sides

17. Triumvirat - Illusion on a Double Dimple

... E N E L B U N K E R...

Atavachron View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
Status: Offline
Points: 65251

Posted: November 29 2007 at 00:34

Selling England by the Pound
Tales from Topographic Oceans
Tarkus
Hinterland
Io Sono Nato Libero
Six Wives of Henry VIII
Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack
Attack of the Martians

..and for some not technically symphonic on PA,
In a Glass House
Red Queen to Gryphon Three
Death's Crown
Apocalypse

Edited by Atavachron - November 29 2007 at 00:37

Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: April 27 2004
Location: Peru
Status: Offline
Points: 19535

Posted: November 29 2007 at 00:25

In order for today, maybe tomorrow the order will change:

Foxtrot...Genesis
Hybris...Anglagard
Gothic Impressions...Par Lindh Project
Nursery Cryme...Genesis
Illusions on a Double Dimple...Triumvirat
In the Court of the Crimson King...King Crimson
Live at Carnegie Hall...Renaissance
Trilogy...ELP
Darwin!...Banco del Mutuo Soccorso
Hamburger Concerto...Focus

Teh_Slippermenz wrote:

"Olias of Sunhillow" - Jon Anderson (his solo work IS considered symphonic, right?)

No, as a fact he's in Prog Related, his New Age leannings place him there perfectly IMHO.

Iván

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - November 29 2007 at 00:30

WalterDigsTunes View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: September 11 2007
Location: SanDiegoTijuana
Status: Offline
Points: 4373

Posted: November 28 2007 at 22:16

Definitely:
Genesis- The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
UK-UK

I'll throw some more Argentines on here:
La Máquina De Hacer Pájaros- Peliculas (I like this one better than the debut)
Crucis- Los Delirios del Mariscal

SgtPepper67 View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: October 17 2007
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 530

Posted: November 28 2007 at 16:08

Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis - Selling England By The Pound

ELP - Brain Salad Surgery

ELP - Trilogy

Genesis - Foxtrot

Yes - Going For The One

Genesis - Nursery Cryme

ELP - Tarkus

Genesis - A Trick Of The Tail

La Máquina De Hacer Pájaros - La Máquina De Hacer Pájaros

Edited by SgtPepper67 - November 28 2007 at 16:10

In the end the love you take is equal to the love you made...

Chicapah

Prog Reviewer

Joined: February 14 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 8238

Posted: November 26 2007 at 15:04

Close to the Edge, Selling England by the Pound, Tales from Topographical Oceans, EL&P (debut), The Yes Album, Bridge Across Forever, Wind & Wuthering, Trilogy, Duke, Space Revolver

Of course that's today. Tomorrow I'd think differently.

"Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain

cynthiasmallet View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: October 01 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 545

Posted: November 26 2007 at 14:54

Genesis-The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis-Nursery Cryme
Focus-Focus III
Camel-The Snow Goose
Yes-Relayer
PFM-Chocolate Kings
Focus-Moving Waves
Genesis-Foxtrot
ELP-Tarkus
Yes-Fragile

Would you like to watch TV, or get between the sheets, or contemplate the silent freeway, would you like something to eat?

andu

Forum Senior Member

Joined: September 27 2006
Location: Romania
Status: Offline
Points: 3089

Posted: November 26 2007 at 14:38

el böthy wrote:

andu wrote:

Are you asking for the best Symphonic albums, or the most representative ones?

Or our favorites?

Good questions.

ghost_of_morphy View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2755

Posted: November 25 2007 at 23:03

There is so much good symphonic out there, so I won't call these the ten best and they aren't really my ten favorite. Let's say that they are the ten that I would recommend to somebody who wanted to know what symphonic prog is all about.

Yes -- Close to the Edge: The best album from the masters of the genre.

Genesis -- Foxtrot: Brilliant album with the definitive epic.

PFM -- Per Un Amico: The Italian Symphonic album that shows that the Italians understood prog at least as well as the best of the English bands.

Genesis -- Selling England By The Pound: The definitive Genesis album.

Camel -- Mirage: For the space of three years, Camel was putting out material to rival the top names of prog. This is the first and best of those efforts.

Le Orme -- Felona e Sonora: I don't speak Italian so I don't really get the concept behind this, but it's some really strong music.

Rick Wakeman -- Journey To The Center Of The Earth: The seminal symphonic prog album. Everything that we love and hate about symphonic prog is on display here in all of it's pompous glory.

UK -- UK: This is a delightful debut album brought to us by an underrated but extremely talented supergroup.

Yes -- The Yes Album: Two albums by Yes bookend the most productive period for symphonic prog, The Yes Album and Going for the One. I include the former as it's the more important one for it's influence on the genre.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer -- Brain Salad Surgery: The best effort from ELP. The three Karn Evil 9 impressions showcase this band at it's most powerful.