Overrated and underrated epics - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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progvortex View Drop Down

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Posted: July 27 2009 at 21:24

I think Procol Harum's In Held Twas In I is a fairly underrated epic, considering it was one of the first prog epics.

progvortex View Drop Down

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Posted: July 27 2009 at 21:25

Calculate900 wrote:

"A Saucerful of Secrets" seems pretty underrated to me. I really don't hear of it much anywhere, especially since it was one of the most experimental moments of Pink Floyd's career.

Very true. But it gives me nightmares.

BaldFriede View Drop Down

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Posted: July 27 2009 at 21:50

KingCrimson250 wrote:

Overrated epic (and overrated being understood to mean a song that many others seem to enjoy that I don't really get anything out of, in anticipation of the inevitable floods of people who will talk about how overrated and underrated are meaningless, or whatever): Plague of Lighthouse Keepers. I always see VDGG fans defend this one as being up there with Supper's Read and Close to the Edge, but I don't really think it is. I feel that it just gets bogged down. I think there's a good eight minute section in the middle of it where my interest just vanishes entirely.

I'm not even sure if there is such thing as an underrated epic, because when someone releases an album, a twenty minute song is inevitably going to receive the most attention. I think I might say Marsbeli Kronikak by Solaris. Although, I haven't heard that one in years, so that might just be nostalgia talking.

VdGG fans don't "defend" "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers"; there is absolutely no reason to defend it. Wink

If you don't like it, fine; that's your problem. I definitely prefer it to "Supper's Ready" and "Close to the Edge", both of which are a bit too tame for my taste. I consider "The Gates of Delirium" to be a lot better than "Close to the Edge", simply because it bites more.

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refugee

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Posted: July 28 2009 at 07:18

A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers?

It gets all the praise it deserves, so it’s not underrated.
It deserves all the praise it gets, so it’s not overrated.

Peter Hammill’s Flight, on the other hand, is an excellent epic that is rarely mentioned. So if not exactly underrated, I surely think it’s undermentioned.

He say nothing is quite what it seems;
I say nothing is nothing
(Peter Hammill)

BaldFriede View Drop Down

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Posted: July 28 2009 at 08:10

refugee wrote:

A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers?

It gets all the praise it deserves, so it’s not underrated.
It deserves all the praise it gets, so it’s not overrated.

Peter Hammill’s Flight, on the other hand, is an excellent epic that is rarely mentioned. So if not exactly underrated, I surely think it’s undermentioned.

I see you have a quote from the lyrics of "Flight" in your signature. Thumbs Up

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rdtprog

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Posted: July 28 2009 at 08:36

Overrated : Flower Kings "Stardust We Are" (and i still like it, but there's so much better songs from this band)
Yes : "Tales From Topographic" (all songs)

Underrated : Simon Says "Tartigrade" (Gates of Delirium Tribute)
Nuova Era "Io E Il Tempo" (this new italian band)

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refugee

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Posted: July 28 2009 at 10:49

BaldFriede wrote:

I see you have a quote from the lyrics of "Flight" in your signature. Thumbs Up

Yes, I do. I’ve always loved the logical twist and the ambiguity of the last line.

He say nothing is quite what it seems;
I say nothing is nothing
(Peter Hammill)

Sean Trane View Drop Down

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Posted: July 28 2009 at 11:19

Synchestra wrote:

Finnforest wrote:

Overrated: Echoes
Underrated: Atom Heart

^this. though i still love both

I wouldn't call Echoes over-rated, but AHM way too under-rated. Both are excellent, even though AHM is perfectible.

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Posted: July 28 2009 at 12:44

Underated:

Syntelmans March of the Roaring Seventies- Amon Duul II (I find myself listening to it alot)

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Posted: August 17 2009 at 19:35

Rare Bird wrote:

Underrated album:

Brave New World 'Impressions On Reading Aldous Huxley'

I am so glad to hear that there is an album about the book Brave New World! I love that book. Heart

By the way, "Karn Evil 9" is not overrated, in my opinion. I think it is a wonderful epic. I'll grant that it does require some imagination to see how the four tracks relate to one another, but that's part of the fun. To me, ELP seems to be envisioning different eras of the future and comparing those to past and present times. Or maybe "Karn Evil 9" is supposed to be like a series of science fiction novels.

Lewa

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Posted: August 20 2009 at 15:07

I really like the distinction between underrated and undermetioned, very thoughtful! Clap

Here are some that fit both distinctions IMO.

For songs:

Salisbury (Uriah Heep)
The Valentyne Suite (Colosseum)
Eruption (Focus)
Nihonjin and Too Many People (Far Out)
At the End of the Day (SB)

For epic concept albums:

Generation 13 (Saga)

Let's mention some more! Smile

Tsevir Leirbag View Drop Down

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Posted: August 24 2009 at 10:48

Under-rated: ALAN SORRENTI's Aria

HERBIE HANCOCK's Hornets

Les mains, les pieds balancés
Sur tant de mers, tant de planchers,
Un marin mort,
Il dormira

- Paul Éluard

BaldJean

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Posted: August 24 2009 at 11:55

strangely "Meurglys III - the Songwriter's Guild" by VdGG does not get the attention it deserves. which other epic starts as a fugue and ends as a reggae?

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Hyardacil

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Posted: August 25 2009 at 03:46

Deriving from what I have read from these forums, I'd say Close to the Edge is a bit overrated.
It just doesn't tick to me as brilliant as to others it seems. It could be so much more...

Underrated - this has been mentioned before, but I'll say so again.
Songs of Scheherazade by Renaissance.
A symphonic orchestra has never been used better in a rock composition. In fact at times it doesn't even feel like rock anymore - more like impressionistic classical music.

Edited by Hyardacil - August 25 2009 at 03:47

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SentimentalMercenary View Drop Down

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Posted: August 25 2009 at 10:44

Dorsalia wrote:

Arena's Moviedrome is a much underrated 19 minute song.

I think it's almost perfect.

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking when I saw this thread. Good catch.

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Posted: August 25 2009 at 11:00

Epic tarnished with the bad company it keeps on Works Volume 1 - Pirates ELP
Flat-packed epic (you know that furniture they never supply with the right amount of nuts and bolts ?) Yes - Close to the Edge (a very good and very long pop song)

SonicDeath10 View Drop Down

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Posted: August 28 2009 at 10:27

Overrated

Karn Evil 9

Awaken

Lizard (the fact that some rate it at all is enough to over rate it)

Underrated

Autobahn

Halleluwah (or however Can spells it)

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Posted: September 03 2009 at 15:21

Overrated: Anything from DT
Underrated: Trespass with its magnificient Stagnation. I also think many great tracks by Uriah Heep like July Morning and Salisbury somehow doesn't get the right amount of highlight, but maybe that's just me.

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J-Man

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Posted: September 03 2009 at 16:09

Overrated (I'll only do one so I don't create a huge fuss):
Karn Evil 9

Underrated:
The Shaming of the True by Kevin Gilbert (one of the best concept albums ever)
? by Neal Morse (How is this not in the top 100?!?!)
The Night and the Silent Water by Opeth (one of my favorite by them, but is overlooked because it is early in their career)

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MFP

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Posted: September 03 2009 at 20:11

J-Man wrote:

Underrated:

The Night and the Silent Water by Opeth (one of my favorite by them, but is overlooked because it is early in their career)