IQ

Now...don't all jump at once, please...

The only album I own is Dark Matter, which I like very much.  I have also heard The Wake, which I also like very much, maybe even a little more (and wish I could find on CD!).

Since I cannot afford to buy too many CDs at one time, which two other albums should I get?  My immediate druthers would be to buy the two that have the highest ratings on the site (Ever and Seventh House).  However, I have also heard great things about Subterranea.  And even Nomzamo (which did not get very good ratings).

Peace.

Well, everything IQ released with peter Nicholls on vocals is very good. The Menel-era (Are you sitting comgortably and nomzamo) is a bit more commercial and a bit away from the genesis-inspired mood, but not that bad. The first two albums with Nicholls have a poor quality sound but the music is top notch. Peter Nicholls' voice evolved and got better with his comeback on 'Ever', Paul Cook developed a unique and easily recognizable style on drums, and the sound is more polished. Subterranea is a bit long, and so there are unavoidably 'fillers', but overall it is a very good album. 'The seventh son' sounds a bit more 'metal' due to the production, under the direction of Paul Cook, the drums sounding more violent than on previous albums but this time there are no fillers and the last track has a very beautiful introduction and is one of their best epics (it is almost entirely instrumental if you except the vocals at the very beginning and the very end of the track). 'Dark matter' shows a "symphonic" IQ due to the use of various keyboards, giving this album a flavour of genesis. 

The keyboardist, Martin Orford, released a fabulous solo album (at least to me),  'Classical music and popular songs' which consists of pop-prog songs and instrumental songs. Martin offered his vocal chords to most of the sung tracks and Peter Nicholls, John Wetton contributed also to this album. This is in the style of IQ, a bit more "pop" but very enjoyable.

Thank to all thus far.  I'm gonna wait til (my) tomorrow before deciding, and see if anyone else "weighs in."

Again, thanks.

Peace.

Thanks to all.  I ended up buying Ever, Subterranea and Seventh House.  And loved all of them.

There is now one more confirmed IQ freak out there...

Peace.

I must say Ever and Tales.

Subterranea is a great album but I feel it as too long, and sometimes, at the end of the second CD, I was a bit bored.

The Seventh House sounds good but a bit metal, and my taste is for the symphonic side of IQ.

It appears that everyone still wants to jump all at once, Maani!

anyway, for what its worth:

• Tales From The Lush Attic 4/5
• The Wake 4/5
• Living Proof 3.5/5
• Nomzamo 2.5/5
• Are You Sitting Comfortably? 2.5/5
• Jai Pollette D'anu 2.5/5
• Ever 4.5/5
• Forever Live 4/5
• Subterranea 4/5
• Seven Stories Into 98 2/5
• The Lost Attic 3/5
• The Seventh House 4/5
• Dark Matter 4.5/5

I hope this helps...I usually still recommend that people start with 'Ever'...it's a little gem IMHO...