Band: Best Album - Worst Album

Nogbad_The_Bad wrote: See I see Animals as the last great Floyd album where Gilmour & Wright's musical influence was fully present before the band disappeared under Water's bile. But opinions vary ;) Ummagumma disk 1 is one of my all-time favorites, pity about the second disk which has patches of brilliance amongst the rest of the stuff but it doesn't detract from the first disk. Wish it had been a double live album.

^I think the contrast between the two discs, the unpredictability, and the sprawling, "searching for something" vibe are what make Ummagumma fascinating.  More consistent composition would follow but Umma charms with its own personality faults.  Often times listening to musicians "explore" can be brutal but in some cases, like the Floyd, it can be wonderful.  I think that's why their legend endures.  For me anyway.  Had they only made the "big" albums after 1972, I'd be way less interested in them.  It is their early, youthful, by chance wonderful period that keeps my interest all these years later.  Youthful charm and inspiration.  The combination of the great albums and the experimental albums make Floyd so rewarding. 

How's that saying go?  All who wander are not lost......that's Ummagumma (and much of their early work).  Whichever style of Floyd you like better, you could say that one is foreplay for the other

^Taken as a whole Ummagumma is far more interesting and enjoyable to me than Animals, which does almost nothing for me these days.  While I enjoyed Animals in my youth it today strikes me as a band coasting, uninspired, and coming apart.  I think Waters taking control of the Wall is what made that effort so much better than Animals. 

I know this opinion will not win me many friends here with all the Animals fanatics  That's OK, we all see each album a bit differently.

Emerson Lake & Palmer: Emerson Lake & Palmer/Love Beach

Not counting EPs, compilations, soundtracks etc.

King Crimson: Red / Three of a Perfect Pair
Porcupine Tree: Deadwing / The Sky Moves Sideways
Opeth: Blackwater Park / My Arms Your Hearse
Yes: Fragile / Big Generator
Van der Graaf Generator: Godbluff / The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome [not counting Alt]
Genesis: Selling England by the Pound / Calling All Stations [can't consider it a Genesis LP at all]
Uriah Heep: Demons and Wizards / Equator
Peter Hammill: The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage / The Noise

prog-related:
Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath / Seventh Star
Queen: Queen II / The Works
Rainbow: Rising / Straight Between the Eyes
David Bowie: The Man Who Sold the World / Never Let Me Down
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV / Led Zeppelin I [actually their albums all are interesting and full of great moments, but this one always seemed to be the least interesting for me]

ELP: Brain Salad Surgery - In the Hot Seat

Genesis - Selling England ......................... Abacab
Dream Theater - Images @ Words.............Falling into infinity
Yes - Relaxer.......................... well, maybe Tormato

Rush: Best album 2112, worst album Hold Your Fire

Genesis. A trick of the Tail ---Calling all stinks....I mean...stations.

It was so bad I never bought the album even.

Mythical Mike wrote: King Crimson Larks / Red