10 most important albums in prog's history

Prog_Traveller wrote: It seems almost fashionable to dump on ELP(even prog fans seem to do it quite a bit). However, even though I do feel their influence and importance could be over stated and their immense popularity not fully deserved when comparing to other bands(such as Genesis for example who weren't nearly as well known in the US when ELP had their peak) I nonetheless feel that there is a place for even ELP in the discussion of important prog albums and bands. Sure, they were over the top but their music can still be fun to listen to and I think they were all very talented. If there is any prog band who could said to be both under rated and over rated at the same time I think that band would be ELP.  They aren't in my top five or probably even top ten but I still like them quite a bit and think they made a few very good and very important albums.

Was the Who's "lifehouse" ever released officially or just as a bootleg? I've heard of the sesssions but I never heard of it being an official release. I know some of it surfaced on "odds and sodds" but as far as I know that's about it.

The Truth wrote: Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan S.F. Sorrow - The Pretty Things Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - Pink Floyd Not In The Court Of The Crimson King Bitches Brew - Miles Davis

Take this list and add Freak Out! and it works for me

The Wall

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown s/t début - the symphonic scope of Vincent Crane's arrangements plus a little mini opera at it's centre make this a pivotal record in prog's gestation
Ars Longa Vita Brevis - ironically the poorest selling album by the Nice, but if nothing else the side long title suite proved that rock and classical could start dating with their respective parents grudging consent (no tongues mind)
In the Court of the Crimson King - although deeply flawed, it's material success and subsequent mainstream exposure made this something of a prog portal for many
Tarkus - of ELP's first 5 classic albums this one has aged the least gracefully but it got to number 1 in the UK charts and like ITCOTCK put Prog firmly on the map of popular consciousness in 1971
Larks Tongues in Aspic - one of the most important and influential rock albums of any genre (period)
Dark Side of the Moon - love it or loathe it, it's listed here because it's the closest thing anything prog related has to being a cultural artefact (people who don't own it or haven't heard it are just plain vanilla lying)
In Absentia - proof that progressive rock could still flourish in 90's garb without any trace of self consciousness

Prog's 1st generation suicide notes were probably:

Tales from Topographic Oceans - nowhere near as bad as it's most vociferous detractors would have you believe but every barb ever thrown at the bloated prog mammoth is confirmed here in spades - long winded, pretentious, gauche, wilfully impenetrable, divorced from reality and pompous.
Works Volume 1 - not even a bona fide ELP album but 3 mini solo albums with a big group hug on side four. I'll do the maths for you: piano concerto + 5 saccharine gooey ballads + what happens when you let a drummer write music = punk rock (BTW punk didn't kill prog, prog did)

Slaughternalia wrote: Prog_Traveller wrote: It seems almost fashionable to dump on ELP(even prog fans seem to do it quite a bit). However, even though I do feel their influence and importance could be over stated and their immense popularity not fully deserved when comparing to other bands(such as Genesis for example who weren't nearly as well known in the US when ELP had their peak) I nonetheless feel that there is a place for even ELP in the discussion of important prog albums and bands. Sure, they were over the top but their music can still be fun to listen to and I think they were all very talented. If there is any prog band who could said to be both under rated and over rated at the same time I think that band would be ELP.  They aren't in my top five or probably even top ten but I still like them quite a bit and think they made a few very good and very important albums.  People who hate on ELP probably listened to Karn Evil 9 and haven't heard far superior songs such as Tarkus or The Endless Enigma. ELP is awesome! Well the music, anyway. The lyrics are pretty vomit-inducing.

From a historical perspective, with justifications.

Edited by ghost_of_morphy - June 13 2011 at 14:48

In no Particular order:

ghost_of_morphy wrote: esky wrote: ghost_of_morphy wrote: From a historical perspective, with justifications.   1.  The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed.  No matter what anybody tells you, this was the first prog album. 2.  King Crimson - In The Court of King Crimson.  The album that most people believe began the prog movement. 3.  The New Trolls - Concerto Gross Per 1.  The birth of the Italian Prog movement. 4.  Genesis - Foxtrot.  One of two albums that comes to define classic prog. 5.  Yes - Close to the Edge.  The other album that defines classic prog. 6.  Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear.  The album that resurrects prog in the English speaking world. 7.  Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon.  This was popular for an insanely long time, bringing prog to the masses. 8, King Crimson - Discipline. In the wasteland of the '80's, Fripp kept the torch lit. 9  Premiata Forneria Marconi - Per Un Amico.   The crown jewel of the Italian prog movement. 10.  Rush - Permanent Waves.  This kept the prog fires alive during times that were growing increasingly darker.   It saddens me that I could not find room for ELP or The Flower Kings in this list. You still can - just flush the Rush and eradicate Marillion. I can understand flushing the Rush.  There are plenty of other albums that could hit that 10 spot.  Gotta love Marilion for resurrecting a genre though, whether you like them or not.