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Hercules 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 14 2007
Location: Near York UK
Status: Offline
Points: 7024
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 Posted: October 14 2016 at 17:31 |
1) The Snow Goose 2) Subterranea 3) Spirit of Autumn Past 4) The Tain 5) Second Life Syndrome 6) The Mountain 7) Folklore 8) Argus 9) Moonmadness 10) Seasons End
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A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life.
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Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 27 2004
Location: Peru
Status: Offline
Points: 19557
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Posted: October 14 2016 at 17:40 |
1) Foxtrot - Genesis 2) Nursery Cryme - Genesis 3) Hybris - Anglagard 4) Illusions on a Double Dimple - Triumvirat 5) Relayer - Yes 6) Leftoverture - Kansas 7) Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull 8) K.A. - Magma 9) Darwin - Banco del Mutuo Soccorso 10) Voyage of the Acolyte - Steve Hackett
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Magnum Vaeltaja
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: July 01 2015
Location: Out East
Status: Offline
Points: 6777
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Posted: October 14 2016 at 23:00 |
It seems that everyone else is just listing what they think the list should be, so I may as well give it a try. In no particular order, sticking to one per artist: - Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans - Obviously Close To The Edge is the safer choice, and gels together more cohesively, but this one has unparalleled historical value, rallying point both for and against the genre. But looking past its megalithic status, this is also one of the finest and multifaceted albums Yes put out, regardless of how much "padding" you may allege it to contain. Here we have some of Yes' most powerful, bombastic sections of music, their most calm and meditative, most happy and uplifting, most fiery and aggressive, all spread out among a sea of music that you can immerse yourself in for days without tiring.
- King Crimson - Larks' Tongues In Aspic - One could argue that Court was a more influential album, but the fact that after five albums in three years King Crimson was still changing directions and moving into uncharted territory with every new release is an accomplishment in itself. What we have here is a more confident, refined group; no doubt the strongest and most creative line-up Fripp ever associated himself with. And if there was ever to be an album described as "ahead of its time", here's the one. Not only has Larks' gone on to influence countless groups in the realms of prog, avant-garde, and metal, it's also impeccably produced, holding up against modern releases much better than the increasingly dated-sounding Court.
- Genesis - Selling England By The Pound - You could make a case for any of the albums between Trespass and The Lamb to take this spot, but none of the others have matched Selling England in sheer influential magnitude. No other album has been a direct influence on such a large volume of prog rock. Listen to 99.999% of neo-prog or comparable amounts of modern symphonic prog, and you'll hear it drenched with inspiration from Selling England By The Pound. This album isn't necessarily the best in the Genesis catalogue, but the fact that so many bands, even 40 years later, are still citing it as the golden standard to approaching the genre from a compositional point of view, puts it just that much higher above the others.
- PFM - Storia Di Un Minuto - Perhaps the most representative RPI record. It has everything that makes many prog fans' favourite national scene so lovable: the romance of Impressioni Di Settembre, the blues rock approach to E Festa, the classical influences of Dove...Quando...Pt. 1, the jazzy leanings of Dove...Quando...Pt. 2, the delicate-yet-intricate performance in La Carrozza Di Hans, and the over-the-top dramatics of Grazie Davvero, all in one tight little bundle.
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer - This was one of the records that truly asserted that keyboards had a place in rock music. Here we have some of the most aggressive, virtuosic, and intense keyboard passages put to record during prog's embryonic stages, no doubt a major influence on countless guitar-less trios around the world, all while containing some of ELP's most tasteful, well-aged material.
- Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts - Prog is a genre of extremes, and at the dark, grotesque pole of the genre, you get this. Difficult as it may be to the unconditioned ear, this is a crucial record that showed the world that progressive rock didn't need to be about elves and magic, it could have a grittier, more human face to it, as well.
- Gentle Giant - Octopus - Gentle Giant took complexity as far as it went, and this is the album that best showcases their combination of extreme complexity while still retaining strong taste and musicality in their performances, as well as their uncanny ability to pack a whole lot into such a small package.
- [Insert your favourite prog album I didn't list here] - So that you can read this and say "at least he got ONE of them right!". I don't want to go making my readers unhappy, now, do I?
Sorry for the lack of representation for certain subgenres, like prog metal, krautrock, zeuhl, psychedelic, prog electronic, Canterbury, etc. When I made my selections, I did my best to encompass broad genre representation and widespread influence, as well as a little look at the extremes that prog can fill. As a result, I tended to ignore many of the more niche subgenres, as well as less traditionally "proggy" genres (fusion, psychedelic, etc.). |
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when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents
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mechanicalflattery
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 08 2016
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 1056
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Posted: October 14 2016 at 23:29 |
Oh please, you people are all wrong, only I can have the true best prog list!*
1. Godbluff 2. Storia di un Minuto 3. Lizard 4. Octopus 5. Pawn Hearts 6. Darwin! 7. Close to the Edge 8. Caravanserai
Bow before my will, inferior mortals
*(list created in roughly 30 seconds with little critical thought put into it, likely gravely wrong as a result)
Edited by mechanicalflattery - October 14 2016 at 23:33
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Magnum Vaeltaja
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: July 01 2015
Location: Out East
Status: Offline
Points: 6777
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Posted: October 14 2016 at 23:39 |
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^ I'd agree with you on 5 of those. Not bad for 30 seconds, actually.
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when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents
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Flight123
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 01 2010
Location: Sohar, Oman
Status: Offline
Points: 1399
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 05:12 |
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It is a reasonable list for anyone new to the genre and includes some more left-field prog such as Zappa and Can. I know we can all disagree on such lists, but the only surprise omission is an ELP album. Not only did they shape and provide inspiration to the genre, along with the Floyd and Yes, they were actually one of the biggest (rock, not just prog) groups in terms of album sales and concert attractions - at least in the early 70s.
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presdoug
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 24 2010
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 8737
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 05:22 |
Triumvirat-Illusions On A Double Dimple Triumvirat-Spartacus Triumvirat-Mediterranean Tales Dzyan-Time Machine Libra-Libra Giger Lenz Marron-Beyond Wallenstein-No More Love Dzyan-Electric Silence
some of these are pretty obscure, but that's me, I guess
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zravkapt
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 12 2010
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 6451
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 06:21 |
Love Beach We Can't Dance A Momentary Lapse Of Reason Under Wraps Vapor Trails Cruisin' With Reuben & The Jets Open Your Eyes Metal Machine Music
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Magma America Great Make Again
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Magnum Vaeltaja
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: July 01 2015
Location: Out East
Status: Offline
Points: 6777
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 11:09 |
 zravkapt wrote:
Love BeachWe Can't Dance A Momentary Lapse Of Reason Under Wraps Vapor Trails Cruisin' With Reuben & The Jets Open Your Eyes Metal Machine Music |
Come on, how could you not include any Asia in there? Or ABBA?
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when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents
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Cristi
Special Collaborator
Crossover / Prog Metal Teams
Joined: July 27 2006
Location: wonderland
Status: Online
Points: 45685
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 11:13 |
zravkapt wrote:
Love Beach - okWe Can't Dance - good A Momentary Lapse Of Reason - good Under Wraps - poor Vapor Trails - ok Cruisin' With Reuben & The Jets - dunno Open Your Eyes - poor Metal Machine Music - dreadful |
Edited by Cristi - October 18 2016 at 11:15
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Meltdowner
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 25 2013
Location: Portugal
Status: Offline
Points: 10278
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 11:23 |
Today's list: Banda do Casaco - Hoje Há Conquilhas Amanhã Não Sabemos Camel - Mirage King Crimson - Lizard Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother PFM - Per Un Amico Quarteto 1111 - Onde, Quando, Como, Porquê Cantamos Pessoas Vivas Tangerine Dream - Phaedra
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Jeffro
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 29 2014
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 2201
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 11:31 |
Magnum Vaeltaja wrote:
zravkapt wrote:
Love BeachWe Can't Dance A Momentary Lapse Of Reason Under Wraps Vapor Trails Cruisin' With Reuben & The Jets Open Your Eyes Metal Machine Music |
Come on, how could you not include any Asia in there? Or ABBA?
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Abba? Most progressive act ever! Well, except for John Denver
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timothy leary
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 29 2005
Location: Lilliwaup, Wa.
Status: Offline
Points: 5319
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 11:38 |
Echolyn....Mei PFM......Stati di....... Gentle Giant.......The Power..... King Crimson.....Red Porcupine Tree.....In Absentia Moody Blues.....Days of Dun......Eros Pink Floyd.....Animals
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akaBona
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 15 2010
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 2082
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 14:22 |
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Yes - Close To The Edge
Magma - Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandöh
King Crimson - Larks Tongues In Aspic
Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
Jethro Tull - A Passion Play
Hatfield And The North - I
National Health - Of Queues And Cures
Premiata Forneria Marconi - Per Un Amico
Very difficult task ...
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mechanicalflattery
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 08 2016
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 1056
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 15:12 |
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Can't believe I forgot Atom Heart Mother and Ommadawn, although I don't really consider the latter to be prog rock (same for krautrock, psychedelia, jazz fusion etc).
Also I'd have no problem with someone attempting to argue for Metal Machine Music being a great album. It's certainly a progressive one (obviously not prog).
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 15:16 |
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8 best? Man that is hard... listing favorites is easy. What do I think were the best prog albums... I'll have to think and drink on that....
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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EddieRUKiddingVarese
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 04 2016
Location: Aust
Status: Offline
Points: 1802
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 16:07 |
Flight123 wrote:
It is a reasonable list for anyone new to the genre and includes some more left-field prog such as Zappa and Can. I know we can all disagree on such lists, but the only surprise omission is an ELP album. Not only did they shape and provide inspiration to the genre, along with the Floyd and Yes, they were actually one of the biggest (rock, not just prog) groups in terms of album sales and concert attractions - at least in the early 70s.
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The more I relisten to ELP records the more I prefer The Nice........... Too much aimless work from Keith in ELP stuff.
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"Everyone is born with genius, but most people only keep it a few minutes"
and I need the knits, the double knits!
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HackettFan
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 20 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Status: Offline
Points: 7951
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Posted: October 18 2016 at 18:12 |
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I agree with Micky. Best Prog is different from best album or personal favorite. Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar is one of my all time favorites. It deserves to be called Prog, but it's not very representative. I have to think a little bit too.
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A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
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Posted: October 19 2016 at 19:30 |
HackettFan wrote:
I agree with Micky. Best Prog is different from best album or personal favorite. Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar is one of my all time favorites. It deserves to be called Prog, but it's not very representative. I have to think a little bit too. |
yeah man...it ain't easy brother.. 1 day and 6 pack later.. and only have come up 3 albums I think qualify as worthy of being called 'the best'. 2 no brainers..often variously mentioned as the best prog albums ever made.. likely will be 1 and 2 on my list... and of course agree comletely....and 1 less so which think qualifies... still thinking... and drinking on the other 5! 
Edited by micky - October 19 2016 at 19:32
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Pastmaster
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 23 2015
Location: Spiderwood Farm
Status: Offline
Points: 1774
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Posted: October 19 2016 at 20:04 |
1. Dave Mason Anthology 2. Dave Mason Anthology 3. Dave Mason Anthology 4. Dave Mason Anthology 5. Dave Mason Anthology 6. Dave Mason Anthology 7. Dave Mason Anthology 8. Abba Collection
Pretty easy I must say.
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8 Best Prog Albums of All Time
