Now I like/love that X now i hate that !

Titan: there's a very simple explanation of what you're referring to, and most of the contributors have already explained that... The English speaking world has a simple phrase for the first situation:

Acquired taste...

forgive me for my smart ass attitude, but it's not long since I've learned about this expression, and I use it every now and then

Besides, everyone has already mentioned that this is the case with most prog works, and progarchives' definition pages also attribute this thing to certain subgenres: canterbury/RIO, Zeuhl, Krautrock etc...

It is not uncommon that this happens for mainstream prog albums, eitherexamples given already!

One thing I realise is the subject matter is revolving around same bands/albums (let's leave aside DT for a moment!), actually I went through the same phases more or less, but with a few exceptions:

1. I liked Relayer from the beginning on, with the exception of Soon, which I had heard long before in Yesyears... I usually skip that part when I'm listening from the computer... (on vinyl, I am more patient!!!). Also, I share the same point of view about To Be Over with Odd24... maybe it's another "acquired taste"?!?

2. I agree with lynton samuel about VdGG... It is symphonic prog's acquired taste...

3. Not to mention Gentle Giant, who are perfectly in line with their second album's title.
My personal view is to begin with Gentle Giant, but Three Friends is another good choice, as Odd24 suggested.

4. I will add Tangerine Dream to the list already formed by those who posted before me... I really hated them before hearing Cyclone. What a blast! After that, and Force Majeure, I began to check on one more time on other albums. Now I am (almost) a big fan...

As for the second issue: though trouserpress already admitted to have joked, I think he had a point. Some pompous acts (notably prog metal bands) lose their attractiveness as the listener grows old (both physically, and spirituallyin the prog sense)

My brother Jesus mentioned a typical experience... I feel the same, with the exception that I never had been a fan of prog-metal at all. I liked DT's a Change of Seasons when I first heard it, but did not have copy for many years, and when at last I finally had it (along with the other DT albums packed up in a mp3 disc!) it had already lost its charm for me! I also bought other prog-metal bands' mp3's, but all with an average approach... I neither hate them, nor die for them!

Unlike brother Jesus, I do not intend to get rid of any prog metal album, because of my mediocre approach to the genre... I even did not get rid of Metallica and Iron Maiden records! This is another story, I just can't give up something which I was closely associated in my childhood and teenage days! Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis are earlier examples...

But I eventually developed a hatred towards '80's poppy material, regardless of any genre! I used to love Yes' '80's work, for instance, but now (though I still estimate 90125) I simply hate Big Generator!!! That would be the same if I ever listened to Genesis' '80's material before I went deep into (true) prog. Other good examples include Alan Paesons Project and The Moody Blues... Though I still respect, and to an extent like these bands' '70's material, I now can't stand silly pop works such as Vulture Culture and The Present! (yet, I still consider some individual tracks in these albums and the like "bearable")

(if anyone wonders why I called Jesus "brother", just bother to check our signatures)

Keep on proggin'

Edited by Bilek

It took me upwards of a dozen listens to get into VDGG's Pawn Hearts.  I was gonna like that album if it killed me.  And now I love it.

I was shocked when I first heard Porcupine Tree's In Absentia, but now I think it was the album of the year back in 2002.

My first couple listens to KC's Discipline brought up the following questions
Listen 1: Where's the mellotron?
Listen 2: Where's a good singer?
Listen 3: Where's a bad song?

JesusBetancourt wrote: As a matter of fact I used to listen and love bands like Dream Theater and symphony X and hated Gentle Giant and Yes. One day I played a sample disc containing those bands and others and now I can not get enough of them. What is truley amazing is how I cant stand Dream Theater and Symphony x now and I actually sold all the prog metal albums I owned for KC, GG, Genises, ELP, and Yes (to name a few) albums. It is almost like my taste for prog has progressed. No offense to prog metal fans, this is just my own expieriance.

R U serious? OK, I like GG, JT, Camel, Genesis, ELP and Yes more than I like Dream Theater. But is it true that if you know prog metal and 70's prog, you always like 70's prog more? I don't know...

I've read somewhere that Relayer by Yes has some influences that were also used by Dream Theater. That could mean that if you are a Dream Theater fan and know nothing about 70's prog, you could start with Yes' Relayer to get into it.

And about Gentle Giant...when it gets to getting into them, this could be the order of getting into them if you have doubts about this band:

1. Gentle Giant/Acquiring the taste/Three friends

2. Octopus/In a glass house/Free hand/Interview

3. The power and the glory

If you can stand "The power and the glory" then you can stand all of Gentle Giant.

And finally a list of Gentle Giant songs of which I think might be difficult to get into:
1. So sincere
2. Proclamation
3. Valedictory
4. Knots
5. Experience

That's enough for today...

Edited by Odd24

The first times I heard Gentle Giants first album I didn't like it at all. After a few months I listened to it again, and now I think it's great, much better than Octopus (I liked Octopus from the start)