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progistoomainstream View Drop Down
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Points: 220 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: "Tales From Topographic Oceans Sucks" Why?
    Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:14
Can someone enlighten me as to why people do not like Yes' "Tales from Topographic Oceans."
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Points: 10964 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:17
I can enlighten you with the fact that many here actually enjoy Tales.

It's a tough nut to crack; even I can't listen to the whole thing.
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Points: 28427 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:22
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=13210
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=13178
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=37486
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=84662

These should explain it pretty well.
I disagree by the way, it's a wonderful album.
last.fm
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:26
1* is exaggerated. 
Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
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Points: 6472 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:35
Beats the crap out of me why the album is so hated by certain people.  I think it is an absolute masterpiece, but acknowledge it is so expansive it is not easy to get into or digest.  Alas, there is no accounting for taste, especially when we all reserve the right to like or dislike what we please (as we should).
The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
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Points: 12794 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:36
Not everyone has to have the same opinion
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Points: 6472 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:36
Perhaps the best way to understand why some don't like it is to read their reviews.  Go straight to the horse's mouth.
The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
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Points: 320 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:36
One of my all time favorite albums,  period. Probably, safe to say, my favorite album by Yes........Who cares if others don't like it. I Love it, it being a very dear album to me......
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:11
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Points: 18016 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:37
People dislike it because it's extravagant purely for the sake of extravagance.  I would call it "boring w**k" but somebody will get offended ;)
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Points: 8543 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 20:43
As with a lot of double albums and a lot of super-long CDs, I like the first half much more than the second half.  Revealing Science and Remembering are among my favorite Yes epics.  The Ancient is a little tougher to get into, although the acoustic last 6 or 7 minutes is excellent as well.  Ritual would have been better at about 10 minutes.  
I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
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Points: 19557 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 21:06
Because as Wakeman said, they had 45 or 50 good minutes, but Jon Anderson insisted in recording a double album, so they added material that was bellow the level.

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Points: 8543 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 21:50
^ I generally feel that way about most albums over an hour long.  
I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
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Points: 4095 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 21:52
It's a special album with moments of unbelievable music originality like the opening chant----also some great guitar work---and lot's of great bits--it's just a bit long--mostly on Ritual which rambles during the bass part--as a piece of music more than the other sides IMO---Listened to The Remembering live at Madison Sq Garden on YouTube recently and it was really interesting ---great guitar and keys--better keys than on the original.
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Points: 32552 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 21:53
It is the greatest album ever.  That is all.
https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays
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Points: 28057 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 22:04
Because it is overlong, disjointed, lacking in focus, incoherent a lot of the time, rambling, and complex without much substance. The album is what, 80 minutes? I can think of a solid 3 minutes of a melody from it. I've listened to the album at least 4 times.
My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want!
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Points: 69 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 22:04
The album has many incredible moments like "The Revealing Science of God", but a majority of time on the album is just spent on aimless rambling and could have been reduced in time.  I don't dislike the album it just is very flawed.  
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Points: 17250 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 22:12
Easily Yes' finest work in my opinion.  Also one of the most important rock albums in my life. 
...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell"
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Points: 17493 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 22:12
I will enlighten you.

It's boring, and Anderson totally ruins it with awful singing and horrendous lyrics. Oh, and it's too long.

But that's just one opinion. Many people love that album.

Therefore, the real answer is: because music tastes are different.
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Points: 7411 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 23:33
Originally posted by progistoomainstream progistoomainstream wrote:

Can someone enlighten me as to why people do not like Yes' "Tales from Topographic Oceans."

Clearly, they are sick and need immediate treatment by Dr. Prog.  

Seriously, four sides of complex prog-rock composition is a big of a slog in one sitting!!  I used to play "Revealing," followed by "Remembering," and then move onto something else like "Foxtrot."  It took me a while before I got into "The Ancient" and "Ritual."  

However, it is without doubt one of the high-points in rock music composition.  Howe has said that he considers his playing on the album some of his best (I agree with him).   He used a single guitar on all four sides, a Gibson Les Paul Junior (single-pickup beginner's model).  

My only regret is that Wakeman was so tenuous on the recording, he clearly didn't like it.  Pity....
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Points: 901 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2011 at 23:57
It draaaaaaaaaaaaaags. Could've been a phenomenal single LP album
I'm so mad that you enjoy a certain combination of noises that I don't
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