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Album 930
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Albumcover.jpg Jerusalem - Jerusalem Year: 1972 Produced by Ian Gillian who saw a great deal of potential in Jerusalem, they were only able to release this one raw and heavy entry. This is a very interesting, and often frustrating listen and it has taken me awhile to get to grips with why I keep returning to it every now and then. First impressions could leave you thinking they basically play a variation of the same song nine times, and to an extent they do. This album carries a story of lost potential, but at the same time it's a fun listen that definitely deserves at least a few spins. The guitar definitely carries the album hard and for me that's not a negative, you can definitely see they wear their influences on their sleeves. 3 Choice Tracks: Hooded Eagle, When the Wolf Sits, Primitive Man |
On a side note, find me a better year in music than 1972. The original 1001 has 30 albums from 1972 across all versions and I could (and most likely will) probably fill this list with a significant amount of 1972 releases. Bear in mind the limitations of no albums from the original 1001 and only one album per artist/band. Also merry christmas to all :).
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Album 929
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped.../Foxtrot72.jpg Genesis - Foxtrot Year: 1972 Supper's Ready folks, and it's waiting for you. Ideally you'd want to listen to the holy trinity that is Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound. Gabriel's Genesis (not you Lamb) will forever stand the test of time as some of the finest music ever produced. We don't get the pure perfection of Close to the Edge but we get really close. Foxtrot always has something new for you on every listen. But let's talk about Supper's Ready, this is easily one of the greatest songs ever crafted, musical genius in seven parts. The solo during Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men lets you know what this is all about. We have Gabriels whimsical hastily written lyrics best displayed in the utter chaos that is Apocalypse in 9/8, just listen to it, it is an utter masterpiece. 3 Choice Tracks: There's six, listen to the whole bloody thing. |
First side of Foxtrot was pretty much doomed to be underrated because of Supper's Ready taking up most of the second side.
Watcher of the Skies is a fantastic opener and that mellotron intro alone is one of the most iconic Genesis moments for me, so simple yet so effective, it's spine tingling, and the song overall has that really cool and hypnotic staccato rhythm to it. Time Table is really nice even if the lyrics get a bit silly with the medieval-isms, Banks's piano work is the star here and I always loved the outro which goes to show that even in prog the simplest of musical phrases can work better than something super complex. Get 'Em Out by Friday is one I'm quite fond of and wish it got more love, it's one of their better social commentary songs, yeah sure dunking on landlords isn't the bravest of statements but it's just as relevant as ever, I like that it blends it's social commentary with a bit of absurdist humor especially near the end, and the music really nails that feeling of claustrophobia, the gentle instrumental sections are my favorite bits though and provide some much needed solace from the chaos. This would feel like a grand epic on most other albums but here it just happens to be overshadowed by Supper's Ready. Can-Utility and the Coastliners is really beautiful though it's a little light on hooks compared to the other tracks and I often forget how it goes when I'm not listening to it, still great though and it has this nautical feel that perfectly fits with the lyrics. Horizons is a super short but still lovely little baroque acoustic guitar diddy from Hackett and it makes for a nice breather right before the big finale. Supper's Ready is perfect and that's all I have to say about it really, nothing I can say about it that hasn't already been said. All in all Foxtrot definitely earns it's place as one of the greats and it's probably only my 4th favorite Genesis album overall. |
Ah, now I remember why you said arch nemesis, 4th!? I mean it's in the holy trinity of the three really great Genesis albums, and then you only have Trespass left of their good work. I would say I switch between Foxtrot and Selling England myself, but the switch always happens after i listen to Supper's Ready again. My mind always remembers Battle of Epping Forest more fondly than SR until I actually listen to Foxtrot again and I change my mind.
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Album 928
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...e.moicy%21.jpg Michael Hurley, The Unholy Modal Rounders, Jeffrey Frederick & The Clamtones - Have Moicy! Year: 1976 This album celebrates it's 47th Anniversary tomorrow, wish it well! OK, me and Robert Christgau rarely see eye to eye, but this album actually hit the Dean's List. I mean it certainly didn't lead to long term popularity, and that just goes to show how useless music critics actually are. Now to why you should listen to this album, I mean don't you also love robbing banks and drinking whiskey? Jeffrey Frederick really knocks the album up a notch with his efforts and the switching between artists every song just makes the whole album feel really cozy and special. The album is catchy, funny, irreverent and everything that artists like Beck spend their whole career chasing, only sometimes successfully. If you have a 41 minutes to spare when you're nursing your hangover tomorrow, chuck it on and maybe raise a glass of something nice and strong for 47 years. 3 Choice Tracks: Robbin' Banks, Griselda, Sweet Lucy (best effort from each artist) |
As a side note, why the **** was this album of all the ones listed not on the original list?
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Album 927
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...othersBand.jpg The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band Year: 1969 The jury is still out on what is the ideal number of lead guitars, the only thing we know for certain is that it's more than one and this debut album proves this brilliantly. Everyone knows I love my dueling guitars, and just the lead guitar as an instrument in general. Duane and Dickey really shine here, of course the true experience comes from their live performances but what they put down in the studio is a great introduction for those that don't want to listen to 20 minute guitar solos (savages). At Fillmore East is also in the original list so that of course has something to say. I adore this album, and so should you. 3 Choice Tracks: It's Not My Cross to Bear, Trouble No More, Whipping Post |
This is a great thread, Comus. And I'm glad you're doing it. Thanks for keeping up with it.
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Yeah I echo that. Great to see you back and picking up where you left off.
Now to Genesis. For me, I will always consider two post-Gabriel albums the pinnacle of their art, these being A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering. How the hell did they manage, having lost their "star", to record not one but two all but perfect albums in ONE YEAR? And the year following Gabriel's departure, too? Both albums also stand as final testimonies to the influence Hackett had on the band, easily noticed once ... And Then There Were Three rolls around, and we see the loss of quiet guitar passages, pastoral feelings and the slow and somewhat ugly rise into their music of pop sounds. Blech. For all that, I do rate ATTWT and I love Duke, but it definitely starts to fall after that. Gabriel albums I have to confess I'm a Trespass head. I used not to like "The Knife" but I've come to love it. I think it was just that it's such a jolt initially, such a change from the mostly slower, quieter songs like "Visions of Angels", "White Mountain" and "Stagnation" but yeah, I think this album is almost flawless. Then it would be Foxtrot and Nursery Cryme. I'm in two minds as to whether The Lamb comes before Selling England - both have flaws and both are masterpieces, but which is better overall? Selling England probably takes it by a nose but it is close. |
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You have no idea how happy it makes me that you are back and this thread has been revived. I was getting into prog pretty heavily in 2009 and I used to read this forum to get ideas for what to listen to. I believe it was your Gentle Giant thread that made me the superfan of them that I am today.
On the subject of Genesis, I'm a Selling England and Trespass kinda gal, but Foxtrot is a solid choice, it has the best opening (dat mellotron doe) and finale (nothing else to say of course) of any of their albums IMO. |
Album 926
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Album_Art.jpg Fishmans - 98.12.28 Otokotachi no Wakare Year: 1999 December 28th 1998 Fishmans performed together for the last time with Shinji Sato, this was supposed to be the last time with bassist Yuzuru Kashiwabara but due to Sato's untimely death a few months later this became their last true performance. The performance itself lays on the atmosphere really thick and manages to keep it up for the entirety of the performance. While I may not enjoy Fishmans much outside of Long Season the buildup to the final track makes the final payoff so much more satisfying. As would be expected of the last show for a farewell tour they play through their most highly regarded work, ending with the utterly brilliant Long Season. If they hadn't played this album/song in it's entirety this would never have made this list, but the live and final version of Long Season is so, utterly breathtaking in the context of the whole performance. Context may be important but it certainly speaks for itself to me. 1 Choice Track: Long Season is over 41 minutes of pure ecstasy. |
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On a more serious note, I really appreciate all the positive feedback, and really hope everyone gives these works at least one listen. For a bit of inside baseball, I have about 250 albums in a document ready for me to put down and give my reasoning, but I try to only use this list for every third or fourth entry (for obvious reasons) and supplement the rest with research and basically albums that pique my interest and that I find engaging on the first listen (or re-listen), and also hold up on follow up listens. These albums can either be teling a great story, be a great entry point to the rest of a bands discography, or just be awesome albums that you must listen to. Given the limitation of one album per band and no repeats from the original 1001 these are the criteria (in non-weighted order) I consider when wanting to add something by an artist I feel should be included: 1. Accessibility - how easy it is to get into this album compared to the rest of the artist work, ie how much will the people reading this actually enjoy what I am suggesting 2. Artistry - how good is the album 3. Personal preference - which album is my favourite 4. Story - How good is the story and history behind the album Usually I'm selfish and just use my personal preference as a tie breaker, I mean it is my list after all. I also originally considered having albums 699-600 being exclusively metal but i think the constant bounce between genres makes this more interesting. Also please listen to have moicy! it is so awesome. https://open.spotify.com/album/3r512B1IHua0oDxxN3ndcd |
Album 925
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._the_Blind.jpg Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind Year: 1996 The musical equivalent of inviting your sleep paralysis demon over and telling it to bring all its friends to truly go wild for over 2 hours. Few non-metal bands truly manage to be heavy as ****, much like Comus' First Utterance, Soundtracks for the Blind achieves a cloying, unyielding and uncomfortable heaviness that most extreme metal bands could only dream of. Listen to this album, if only for the sheer relief you will feel when it's over. Listen to it again when the demon demands it. 3 Choice Tracks: I am unable to maintain enough mental coherence when listening to this to pick out individual tracks. |
Album 924
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...47/Mekanik.jpg Magma - Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh Year: 1973 Magma is one of the bands I always regret not listening to enough, and my biggest failing is that when I come back to them I almost always just pop on MDK and leave it at that, telling myself that next time I'll go through every album again. There is something truly magical about MDK, I would say it is the perfect litmus test to see whether Magma and probably Zeuhl as a whole is for you. Featuring a fictional language in such a prominent way is just the correct level of hilarious and pretentious. One of the very few redeeming things about Fr*nce. 3 Choice Tracks: Hortz Fur Dëhn Štekëhn Ẁešt, Kobaïa Iss Dëh Hündïn, Mëkanïk Kömmandöh |
Magma are from the planet Kobaïa, not Fr*nce, what are you talking about?
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Forgive my momentary lapse of sanity. It has also occured to me that I have a few more albums by artists that actually are from Fr*nce in the pipeline so maybe this statement was premature. Also I have noticed that it's mostly been pretty mainstream stuff, maybe I should dig out something actually obscure soon.
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Why is France censored?
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Maybe it has something to do with kissing.
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Ah, Magma, the final boss of 70s prog. I didn't get it at all when I first heard them, but as a lover of fantastical stories and especially concept albums, I kept coming back to them, reading all the lore and such. I can enjoy their music when I'm in the mood to just lose myself in their chaotic world, but it's a very occasional thing for me.
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I don't think Magma are THAT inaccessible, their songs are about the groove more than anything, they are similar to Krautrock bands like Can and Neu! in that sense, only they are much more technically proficient and the grooves are a lot more complex, but they're not flashy in the way bands like Yes and ELP are.
The final boss of prog would be Univers Zéro, that's the music you play to summon Cthulhu. |
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Album 923
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...wo_Hunters.png Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters Year: 2007 WitTR is a warm cozy blanket that through coincidence (Pitchfork) became a lot of people's first foray into Black Metal with the excellent Diadem of 12 Stars. Two hunters is more mature and even more accessible, even if only because they achieve more in less time. This is a great album to just chill to, it features the beautiful dense soundscapes one can expect from atmospheric black metal, without ever becoming overwhelming. The album always stays on the less extreme side and sometimes that's exactly what you want. 3 Choice Tracks: There's four |
Comus, thanks for the rec :) will check them out
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Album 922
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...InaBabylon.jpg Max Romeo & The Upsetters - War ina Babylon Year: 1976 Roots Reggae doesn't get enough love in general, War ina Babylon is a perfect introduction to the person who has only ever heard of Bob Marley. Extremely accessible yet very overlooked like most reggae in general, this album should have been in the original list. Definitely stronger in the first half but the whole effort is worth giving a listen. What makes this, and roots reggae in general, so interesting to me is that it voices the grievances of the African Diaspora of the time. Music that puts voice to the feelings of a generation will always hit stronger. 3 Choice Tracks: Uptown Babies, Chase the Devil, Stealing in The Name of Jah (Stealin') |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlhaxemCvwY |
Now that's obscure, the name rung a bell since they have done something with Panopticon, but i never listened to that album or anything else by them. Popped them in my queue.
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Album 921
https://i.imgur.com/Z78XxB6.png Outer Limits - Misty Moon Year: 1985 The 80's were a dark time for progressive rock, especially compared to how much great work came out in the 70's. Outer Limits beautiful symphonic effort Misty Moon seems to have been forgotten by almost everybody, undeservedly so. This album is a joy to listen to an evokes a feeling of nostalgia that I can't quite place, a yearning to put on something old and familiar. I'm not going to claim that Outer Limits go somewhere new and explore the unknown here, but what they are doing is keeping prog rock alive and interesting smack bang in the middle of the darkest decade (for prog). The vocals are a bit of a miss, but definitely not as bad as you could expect from a Japanese band singing mostly in English. What makes this truly shine however is the excellent Violin. Revisiting this album for this list has had me putting it on again and again, it's a special album, please give it a few whirls. 3 Choice Tracks: Misty Moon, Saturated Solution, Subete wa Kaze no Yōni |
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I'm not going to deny that there was a lot of great prog in the 80's, but I'm sure the best two years of the 70's had more prog rock albums that we could consider to be masterpieces than the entirety of the 80's.
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Well yeah, I would probably concede that. Prog has certainly changed over the decades, but there was also a lot about the 70s I didn't like that I do about the 80s, particularly the willingness to move away from too-esoteric lyrics and take on some more political/current subjects. Look at Pallas's "The Ripper" or Twelfth Night's "We are Sane" or even "Creepshow". Can't really see a 70s prog band writing those.
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Album 920
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...n_Equation.jpg Ayreon - The Human Equation Year: 2004 A concept album/rock opera about a man trapped in his own mind in a coma reliving his life. Featuring a brilliant cast of characters such as Mikael Åkerfelt playing Fear, James LaBrie playing Me and Devin Townsend playing Rage. Deliciously cheesy and an amazing journey on each listen this is definitely up there as one of my personal favourite albums. Ayreon as a whole ties together their albums in a form of over-arching concept as well, but for now just pop on The Human Equation and get yourself immersed. This is one where for the first listen you should be paying attention to the story. This album is definitely divisive, maybe not for the metal fan who takes himself to seriously. 3 Choice Tracks: Day Two: Isolation, Day Eleven: Love, Day Sixteen: Loser |
I've listened to a lot of Ayreon, but really find them quite hard to get into. I can never remember a single song. Human Equation? Into the Castle? Accelerator? See - I can't even remember the names of the albums, and I've listened to many of them. I see them as a kind of Dream Theater, all flash and bang but nothing memorable. Well, that's not quite true: "Hollow Years" stuck in my memory, and there might be one other. But nothing from Aryeon. I get the feeling of a kind of vanity thing, though I could be wrong there. Maybe it's the idea, as you say, of an overarching concept across several albums.
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I consistently get songs from the Human Equation stuck in my head, even if I haven't heard the album for years. Find myself singing "Do it right, do it right, we ain't got all night,Do it now, do it now, I think you know how" every time I need to stop taking a break and getting back to work.
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I never got into Aryeon but I find this picture of Arjen Anthony Lucassen on the home page of ProgArchives to be really wholesome, it always makes me smile, c'mon, just look at it.
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Album 919
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...80%99_Else.jpg Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else Year: 1958 Nat's brother Cannonball Adderley is joined here by Miles Davis in one of his few appearances not as a band leader as they effortlessly trade solos throughout. At the time Cannonball was playing with Miles and his influence is all over this record. A nice way for me to cheat in a second Miles Davis album really. But seriously this recording just flows so well, opening up with my favourite rendition of Autumn Leaves it just grabs you and won't let go until you get startled by Davis gruffly asking "is that what you wanted Alfred?" at the end of One for Daddy-O, just in time to ease yourself out with Dancing In the Dark. Art Blakey also returns here in this list, having played on Monk's Music , and keeps the whole thing together brilliantly. If you haven't given Hard Bop a try yet, this is your reminder to. 3 Choice Tracks: Autumn Leaves, Love For Sale, One For Daddy-O |
Album 918
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Sanders%29.jpg Pharoah Sanders - Karma Year: 1969 This album makes you let your guard down with calming familiarity before melting your face off and then has the gall to talk about all the pretty colours while you're still reeling. 10/10 would get face melted off again. 3 Choice Tracks: There's two |
Album 917
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...rIllusion1.jpg Guns n' Roses - Use Your Illusion I Year: 1991 Coma will forever be one of the greatest rock songs of the 90's. This album perfectly captures the beginning of the end of pure hard rock's mainstream appeal. By this point GNR (or more correctly Axl Rose) thought they were hot **** and could do no wrong, despite all the internal strife in the band but are only saved here and in II by Slash. I will forever love Guns n' Roses, have all their songs (from the four real albums) in my random playlist that plays when I have forgotten to queue an actual album, but the only reason this even gets a consideration for this list is Coma. 3 Choice Tracks: Coma, November Rain, Don't Cry |
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